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December 24th 12 years 3 months ago #1770

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1899 - Kimberley siege day 71 (57%). Ladysmith siege day 53 (44%). Mafeking siege day 73 (33%). Imperial Yeomanry to be enlisted. Dordrecht occupied by Dalgety.
1900 - Kitchener arrives at Naauwpoort to organize expulsion of the Boers from
Cape Colony.

In Kimberley:

Several waggons with water tanks seen moving in different directions. About 18 waggons were seen in the afternoon moving from Spyfontein via Schotz’s Neck apparently in the direction of Jacobsdaal.

A large bush laager has been formed just in rear of Wimbledon ridge.

Many grass fires. These may be started with a view to preventing their cattle grazing towards Kimberley.

I sent the following search light signals this evening:

“Dec 24th kindly inform Milty Secty Government House myself garrison and inhabitants Kimberley and Beaconsfield thank H E for king greetings for Xmass and New Year we also wish respectfully to offer h E our very best wishes for Christmas and new Year.”

“From Kekewich, To General Metheun. 24th Dec No 44 as your signals can be and are read by many in Kimberley and as cipher used in message of last night to Rhodes might possibly if often used be found out by clever persons would respectfully recommend your consideration that it be seldom used.”

I wish much I could get some information as to what is going on as to my battalion hat casualties there have been, what officers have come out etc etc. I do not wish to take up the very valuable time of the signalers in asking such information.

The calculations as to supplies available from 23rd Dec worked out as follows:

Population not counting De Beers natives in compounds,

white and coloured 20,000
Natives and Asiatics 15,000
Total - 35,000

Meal and flour – white and coloured – 63 days at ¾ lb per head; 73 days at 5/8 lb per head.

There is in addition Samp or mealie meal Pap at 2 oz per head. 70 days for 30,000 inhabitants.

I have tried to make arrangements, but I am afraid at considerable expense for the complete control of all breadstuffs and meat stuffs

I am sorry to say there are about 200 cases of scurvy reported amongst the natives in the Kimberley Mine Compound, but on the whole the general health of the garrison and inhabitants is good.

By taking the De Beers forage I have been able to make the forage ration as follows:

6 lbs of mealies; 2 lbs of oats; 4 lbs of hay; 2 lbs of green forage. Of course it is very important not to let our horses run down.

In Ladysmith:

Nothing disturbed the peace of Christmas Eve except three small shells thrown into the town about five o'clock tea-time, for no apparent reason. The main subject of interest was the chance of getting any Christmas dinner. Yesterday twenty-eight potatoes were sold in the market for 30s. A goose fetched anything up to £3, a turkey anything up to £5. But the real problem is water. The river is now a thick stream of brown mud, so thick that it cannot be filtered unless the mud is first precipitated. We used to do it with alum, but no alum is left now. Even soda-water is almost solid.

In Mafeking:

Owing to siege exigencies it was deemed necessary to hold our Christmas on the Sunday, as the Boers' religious festival is held on New Year's Day. All creeds held their ordinary Church services. Lady Sarah Wilson and Mr. B. Weil had organized a Christmas tree and tea for the two hundred and fifty children of Dutch and English parentage who were in the town. Brakes were running to and from the laager, filled with children, shrilly cheering and waving the Union Jack, the most effective one run by poor Captain Vernon, who was killed within forty-eight hours. The children seemed thoroughly to enjoy themselves, and great thanks are due to the organizers of the fete and their assistants, for everyone was pleased to see the children enjoy themselves. For the adults, sports were held, and a cheerful Christmas Day was passed.
Dr David Biggins

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December 24th 8 years 3 months ago #44572

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From the diary of William Watson, Ladysmith, November 1899:

December 24th - Christmas eve. No shells about so far, the rebels are, or pretend to be religious, so they don’t fight on Sunday. — Cigarettes formerly 3 pence a packet, now cost 3 shillings. — Small tins condensed milk formerly cost 5 pence now they cost 3 shillings. — Tobacco cost 3 shillings a pound, formerly the price was 1/3 a pound. — Offal such as sheep’s heads, bullock’s liver, hearts etc. now in much request.
Dr David Biggins

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December 24th 7 years 3 months ago #50804

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1899 - From the letters writer by Lt Col Park in Ladysmith

Christmas Eve. ’99 - Here’s a nice Christmas present for me! Last night a message came through from Batson to say: “Park promoted lieut-colonel, Davies second in command, Ellicombe major, Radcliffe captain - Gazette, 9th October.” So I am a lieut-colonel after all, and have been for nearly three months, and my growls of two days ago were unnecessary. I congratulate you on being Mrs. Colonel Park. It sets all our anxieties at rest about the possibilities of my getting command of the wrong battalion. I can’t think how the promotion has come of 9th October. Either there is a mistake in the date, or else the Horse Guards have seconded Yule as a Brigadier from the day war was declared. Anyhow it doesn’t much matter about the exact date so long as I am promoted. Now, with any luck at all, I ought to get a brevet as full colonel, and then I shall be all right. I am very glad Davies is to be my second in command. I shall be able to take leave when I want, with the feeling that he will carry on and look after things as well as I could myself. I expect he is out here by now, waiting with the 2nd battalion to get through to us. Ellicombe will go to the 2nd battalion, Rice Davies, and Radcliffe should come to us; but as he is not allowed to go to India now he is married; Morris is certain to exchange with him and come back to us.

There are rumours today that Lord Roberts and Kitchener are coming out here; the former to command and the latter as Chief of Staff. We shall soon have all the senior generals in the British Army at this rate; as it is the staff are just tumbling over each other, there are so many. Now I must get ready for church parade. There are carols being got up for tonight, so even on service one cannot escape the waits. I suppose they will miaul outside my tent about midnight and spoil my very brief night's rest. I think “Shepherds” and “Hark the herald” is about the extent of their repertoire. We have just got four bottles of whiskey left for our Christmas dinner tomorrow, and after that we shall have to take to commissariat rum and lime-juice every other day.
Dr David Biggins

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December 24th 7 years 3 months ago #50805

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1899 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

No particular news today. We have had the usual shelling, one from "Long Tom" fell a little way up the street when we were at the Hall this afternoon. The only news we have heard today is what none of us believe. The first thing we hear this morning was that Buller was still at Colenso. This evening we hear he is 14 miles away and then some say 9 miles. We believe he is still at Colenso. What a glorious Christmas it would be if he arrived on that day.
Dr David Biggins

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December 24th 7 years 3 months ago #50806

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1899 - From the diary of Trooper A J Crosby, Natal Carbineers

Roused at 4. Stables etc. Church Parade 7 o’clock. Easy remainder of day, but with the tremendous heat found it impossible to sleep. Wondering what all are doing at home. Do hope they will pass an enjoyable time. Shall be glad to hear Rose spent the day with Henry Marks. I find it hard to realize we are so near the festive day. 101.5 in the shade at noon. Strolled up town to buy some cakes but all had been bought up. 3 lbs. ordinary plum cakes sold for 30/-, plum puddings 15/- to 40/-, condensed milk 6/- to 8/- a tin, a few new potatoes 10d. each.

On return was named for piquet, being unexpected, took it unkindly, however we had to go to support the Natal Police who were unable to supply the complement required. Disagreeable night, dust storm followed by rain.
Dr David Biggins

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December 24th 7 years 3 months ago #50824

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Ten pennies for a single potato does sound more than a little exorbitant.

djb wrote: 1899 - From the diary of Trooper A J Crosby, Natal Carbineers

Roused at 4. Stables etc. Church Parade 7 o’clock. Easy remainder of day, but with the tremendous heat found it impossible to sleep. Wondering what all are doing at home. Do hope they will pass an enjoyable time. Shall be glad to hear Rose spent the day with Henry Marks. I find it hard to realize we are so near the festive day. 101.5 in the shade at noon. Strolled up town to buy some cakes but all had been bought up. 3 lbs. ordinary plum cakes sold for 30/-, plum puddings 15/- to 40/-, condensed milk 6/- to 8/- a tin, a few new potatoes 10d. each.

On return was named for piquet, being unexpected, took it unkindly, however we had to go to support the Natal Police who were unable to supply the complement required. Disagreeable night, dust storm followed by rain.

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