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Last year (2024), Cancer Research UK listed this unusual instrument on eBay, completely unaware of its significance. The majority of the inscription on the sound box had been mis-read, with just one place name, "Ladysmith", correctly transcribed. Luckily this was enough to ensure the item appeared amongst my search results on 11 February. Looking at the photographs I immediately saw two other significant words, "Spion Kop" and "Colenso", and wondered how this strange musical instrument could have a connection with the Boer War.

The signature at first appeared illegible, but after staring at it for a while it suddenly dawned on me that it bore remarkable similarities with that of the renowned war artist René Bull, special correspondent for "Black & White" magazine. I knew Bull had been present at the three places named, and comparing the signature with that on his drawings confirmed that the inscription was indeed in his hand.

At first I imagined René Bull had inscribed the strange one-stringed guitar some years after the war. After all, his signature was seemingly dated 1905, and the dates after the battles were all out by one year. Could he simply have been recognised by a fan of his work during a gig in a pub, and signed their instrument for them?

I soon discovered that the guitar was in fact a one-stringed "diddley bow", an instrument that had been popular with African Americans in the Deep South, and which had its origins in West Africa. But, was there any evidence that René Bull might have owned and played one of these?

After hours of searching the National Newspaper Archive, I had pretty much given up any hope of finding a connection. Then, I wondered what other names the diddley bow might have been known by in 1900. Accordingly, I changed the search terms to "fiddle" and "Bull", and Bingo! The hairs stood up on the back of my neck when I realised René Bull had played the instrument in my hands at camp-fire concerts during the Tugela operations. An article written by a member of the South African Light Horse describes such a concert, held "in front of the enemy" on 3 February 1900, and notes "All the press correspondents attended; René Bull, of “Black and White”, played us “Cavalleria Rusticana” on a one-stringed fiddle, and astounded us with card tricks".

Given that Churchill was both a war correspondent and a member of the S.A.L.H., it seems highly likely that he was at this concert, which was overseen by Colonel Byng.

Although this is the only written account I have found of René Bull playing the diddley bow, he must have been entertining soldiers and correspondents around camp fires on an almost daily basis. Perhaps even on the eve of the Battle of Spion Kop.

Thank goodness the staff at Cancer Research UK read the word "Ladysmith" correctly.




















Northern Scot, 10th March 1900

CAMPAIGNING IN NATAL.

The Boer as a Fighting Man.

[FROM A MILITARY CORRESPONDENT OF THE “DAILY TELEGRAPH”].

POTGIETER’S DRIFT, February 3.

It really seems a little like taking coals to Newcastle to write to the “Daily Telegraph” with Mr Bennet Burleigh’s tent within a hundred yards of me; and I am far from desiring to steal a march on the doyen of all correspondents. However, just as it happens that two men may see an event at the same moment and describe it an hour afterwards in diametrically opposite terms, so a letter from me, an adept neither at writing nor description, may have its interest. Indeed, from the sad but “stand-up-let’s-hit-them” style of the English papers, one can but think that the public at home is down on its luck – why, it is hard to discover. The worst of a popular Government is that success and failure are unduly exaggerated. It would do your pessimistic readers good to see the troops lying here under the poor shelter of Swartz Kop. They are as happy as men can be – happy because they adore their leader, General Buller – contented because of the magnificent manner in which he looks to their well-being. Is there a man in our army who could have retreated across a swollen river in the dead of night over a rough country, within reach and always within close range of 10,000 Boers, and brought with him 30,000 men, without losing so much as a bayonet – this, too, after six desperate days’ fighting? Well may we worship our leader; and well he deserves it. The men were singing snatches of song, bandying remarks not always Parliamentary, eating and drinking and having a real “good time” at daybreak after that retreat. There’s not a sore head in Buller’s army nor a timid heart.

My squadron [of South African Light Horse] celebrated their coming of age yesterday in front of the enemy, within reach of a disagreeable thing called a “pom-pom”. It is as well to have a birthday as often as possible. Their manner of amusing themselves was by subjecting themselves to the greatest possible physical fatigue in athletic sports, tug-of-war, wrestling on horseback, and three-legged races, and winding up the day by a watch-fire concert. All the press correspondents attended; René Bull, of “Black and White”, played us “Cavalleria Rusticana” on a one-stringed fiddle, and astounded us with card tricks. An American gentleman, the correspondent of the “Chicago Times”, delighted us with the most enchanting songs. Our own performers included Sergeant St John, the leader of histrionic circles in Johannesburg; Lachy Thomson, and Sergeant Daniels, the two champion middle-weights of South Africa. Could the people who fancy things are not merry here only have heard the South African Light Horse cheering the Queen and their Colonel – Byng, of the 10th – whom we are proud to follow as the smartest-looking and the quickest moving officer in the Cavalry Brigade – they would soon become alive to the fact that our spirits are as high as any soldier’s in the world, at home or abroad. One advantage of a high-class Volunteer Regiment is that the men do their duty because they each feel that success depends upon their individual efforts. How would it be possible to believe that in three months men can be taught the thousand little details of a cavalry man's life, the parade movement, the care of themselves and horses, and fight a six days' battle, wet through by night and scorched by day? yet this is the case; and, though fighting on foot and storming hills is generally allotted to them as their share of the fight – rather a high trial – I really believe that at purely cavalry work they are as good as could be wanted. Certainly they do not require leading: it is a very quick man who goes in front of them; your only chance is to have a faster horse.



Bennet Burleigh, “The Natal Campaign”, p. 359

On Saturday, February 3, sports were held at the South African Light Horse camp, in which Captain Bimbashi Steward’s “A” Squadron was well in the front in the tug-of-war, wrestling, and other events. The customary camp-fire and sing-song followed in the evening, and as the news had leaked out that a forward movement was on, the men were in the highest spirits. Colonel Byng distributed the prizes to the successful competitors.



Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW), 30th April 1900

A WATCH-FIRE CONCERT.

My squadron (says the correspondent of the London "Daily Telegraph", writing from Potgieter's Drift) recently celebrated their coming of age in front of the enemy, and within reach of a disagreeable, thing called a "Pom-Pom". It is as well to have a birthday as often as possible. Their manner of amusing themselves was by subjecting themselves to the greatest possible physical fatigue in athletic sports, tug-of-war, wrestling on horseback, and three-legged races, and winding up the day by a watch-fire concert. All the press correspondents attended; René Bull, of "Black and White", played us "Cavalleria Rusticana" on a one-stringed fiddle, and astounded us with card tricks. An American gentleman, the correspondent of the "Chicago Times", delighted us with the most enchanting songs. Our own performers included Sergeant St. John, the leader of histrionic circles in Johannesburg; Lachie Thomson and Sergeant Daniels; the two champion middle-weights of South Africa. Could the people who fancy things are not merry here only have heard the South African Light Horse cheering the Queen and their colonel – Byng, of the 10th – whom we are proud to follow as the smartest looking and quickest moving officer in the Cavalry Brigade – they would soon become alive to the fact that our spirits are as high as any soldier’s In the world, at home or abroad. One advantage of a high-class Volunteer Regiment is that the men do their duty because they each feel that success depends upon their individual efforts. How would it be possible to believe that in three months men can be taught the thousand little details of a cavalry man's life, the parade movement, the care of themselves and horses, and fight a six days' battle, wet through by night and scorched by day? yet this is the case; and, though fighting on foot and storming hills is generally allotted to them as their share of the fight – rather a high trial – I really believe that at purely cavalry work they are as good as could be wanted. Certainly they do not require leading: it is a very quick man who goes in front of them; your only chance is to have a faster horse.


SEE ALSO: René Bull's Boer War Lecture Tour, 1900-1901.


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Now that is an amazing find! Incredible that it has survived in such lovely condition for 125+ years.

René Bull's diddley bow receives another mention in an article published in the Daily Telegraph on 26 December 1906. Written by Bennet Burleigh, it describes Christmas Day 1899 in Frere Camp.


Daily Telegraph & Courier, 26th December 1906

CHRISTMAS IN CAMP.

LYDDITE AND PLUM-PUDDING.

By OUR WAR CORRESPONDENT [Bennet Burleigh].

It was summer, and Christmas was coming. Good gracious, what a time we had been having! Calamity tumbled over calamity for us in the years 1899-1900 in South Africa. Yet we were not altogether downhearted. Neither the wretched nag, “Misfortune”, nor the out-of-joint, sub-tropical weather, was going to prevent us making the most of the traditional festive season. Our Christmas we were going to have and hold, in spite of the attempted official repression, and though we well knew that we were but at the beginning of the evil days of losses and griefs. Suffering, struggle, and war, in some form, are the burden of nature and life, which we meant to accept as men, in the rough wooing of peace. A check-mated and rather discredited force, we had fallen back to Frere, a railway station a few miles from the Boer lines at Colenso and the Tugela, and there, willy-nilly, some of us meant to keep Christmas in good fashion.

……. On Sunday – Christmas Eve – we had a quiet day, church parades, and in the evening gossip, jest and song. Orders had been relaxed, and there were brigade races and sports arranged for next day. Through the thoughtfulness of the proprietors of The Daily Telegraph, I was enabled to distribute amongst the soldiers a cartload of seasonable presents – cakes, cigars, cigarettes and tobacco. And Mr Sidney Goldman generously contributed towards the gifts, as well as later on to a further one for the relieved garrison of Ladysmith. But that is another story. I rose very early on Christmas morning, and before dawn was in the saddle, riding off to high ground upon our right front to see Umbulwana, and gather what news I could respecting the besieged. For them Christmas cheer was ushered in by the roar of Boer cannon. Lyddite and villainous gunpowder are poor fare and sad toasting for such a day. Happily it was little more than a matutinal salute. There was to be no bombardment, and Ladysmith was permitted to celebrate Christmas in a quiet, orderly manner. So back to camp I rode with my friends to a late breakfast, to work, and an evening’s fun.

……. Never was there a jollier party, and the camp enjoyed our good humour. Jest, story, song, and music ticked in unison with the clock into the small hours. Our criticisms became kindly even of “puzzle whiskers”, and we “bucked” in confidence about the issue of the war. Young Captain Wood, who was the most wonderful improvisatore ever heard in our days, in public or private life, outshone himself, and gave us topical and operatic selections that brought rounds of applause from the crowd of soldiers who had gathered. “R.B.” [René Bull] wrought sleight-of-hand tricks, and equally smart touches from his cigar-box fiddle. The artistic and melancholy “Tootler” played divinely upon the flute – he has since tuned in wars in the Near East. Thereafter came the poetic, romantic “Golgotha”, twanging the banjo to lively and very funny airs, “Fairly Tails” and “The Sentimental Dude”. …….


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Amazing.

To an octogenarian with, according to my classical music loving late father, a slightly misspent youth this post has special resonance.



Ellas Otha Bates (1928-2008) better known to the likes of me as Bo Diddley who influenced the music of Buddy Holly, The Beatles etc. etc.

Apologies for once again lowering the tone of the Forum.

Neville, great detective work! There is no greater collecting joy than discovering attributes that render an otherwise unremarkable item historically interesting or significant and thereby saving it for posterity. What puzzles me is why all dates are wrong. The Colenso and Spionkop references seem to have been added in haste, seemingly at the time he signed it on January 15, 1905. Why would Bull sign his own instrument? The most plausible reason to me is that he must have gifted or otherwise separated himself from the instrument at that time. As such, the wrong dates with Colenso and Spionkop could be explained away by him being rushed, fatigued or having a few too many glasses of Whisky.
That does however not apply to “Ladysmith, Nov 1900” which was carefully written and most likely on a different occasion. It is certain that it could not relate to a post-siege visit by Bull to that town as he is documented to have been on a lecture tour in the UK in November 1900. Any thoughts?

Everhard,

René Bull, like Horace Nicholls, was in Ladysmith just before the siege, taking one of the last trains south before the investment. I think the difference between the "Ladysmith" inscription and the others might simply be down to the tighter space Bull had to work with.

The drawing below, by Edward Read, gives a sense of the atmosphere at a camp sing-along at the front. Note the biscuit tin being utilised as a makeshift drum.




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