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January 18th 12 years 2 months ago #2076

  • djb
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1900 - Kimberley siege day 96 (77%). Ladysmith siege day 78 (65%). Mafeking siege day 98 (45%). Dundonald in action near Acton Homes. Eighth Division to mobilise at Aldershot.
1901 - De la Rey defeated near Ventersburg.

In Kimberley:

Enemy quiet to-day; only the usual sniping at the cattle guards. The Veldt near the Lazaretto and Otto’s Kopje is I am sorry to say all eaten down, and from to-morrow the cattle will be taken to graze on the ground in front of the resevior. This is within nice range of the enemy’s gun on Wimbledon. I much hope in a week that the Veldt by Hulls farm and Kenilworth will have grown sufficiently so that the few remaining cattle may be moved to it.

The Signallers have had very hard work lately, and I was glad to receive a message yesterday praising their good work. Much credit is due to Lts Woodward and De Putron who have personally superintended every message being sent through.

Their work lately owing to the paucity of officers serving with the half battalion of my Regt has been very heavy.

I noticed a heavy dust last night by Scholtz Nek, apparently caused by the movement of mounted men. I also noticed a large number of either cattle or horses moving from the direction of Scholtz Nek towards Susanna.

At about 7 pm the officer commanding the Reservoir section reported 200 of the enemy moving to the West on Wimbledon.

The following message was received this morning by helio:

“From Gen MD to Kek. 18th Jan G 188. Following received from COS Cape Town begins. Field Marshal wishes you to important that he thinks as present situation may continue for some time should get rid of as many natives as possible to save food. Kekewich to report for Field Marshal’s information what action is taken. Please report daily number of natives you have sent out of Kimberley during previous twenty-four hours also report to-morrow number of natives now in Kimberley.”

I answered by searchlight this evening:

“18th January No 114. Your G 188. Inform Field Marshal enemy for some days past has prevented natives from leaving town, and these natives were informed no more would be allowed to leave. Stop. Owing to closeness of investment fear shall not be able to squeeze many more out. Stop. Every endeavour made to obtain accurate census but find much difficulty connected therewith. Stop. Numbers to-day at Kimberley civil and military calculated to be over forty thousand. Stop. Inhabitants do not take kindly to horse flesh and supply of meat stuffs is my great difficulty.”

A Doctor Van Nie Kirk came in this afternoon under a white flag and brought letters from Generals Cronje and Farriera, asking that 5 women and children might be sent out. He also brought a few letters from parents etc asking as to their children.

I answered at once that I regretted I could not accede to the request that these women should be sent out.

There have been a few cases of suspected scurvy lately in the town Guard. The doctors are trying to make antiscorbutics with prickly pear, Kaffir corn, malt etc. It is a pity there is so little lime juice in the town and the supply of vegetables is so small.

Really the difficulties connected with this defence are great, and everything has to be conducted in the most confidential and secret manner to prevent enemy being informed; his sympathizers in Kimberley, Beaconsfield and Wesselton especially the latter are very numerous, and we have proof that they get our daily paper and that persons often pass from the town to the enemy’s lines and back, but notwithstanding every endeavour it is most difficult to prove this.

It seems almost impossible to arrange for any reconnaissance or demonstration without its being communicated to the enemy beforehand, and signals from the outskirts of the town have been noticed on many occasions, but the evidence has not been sufficient to support a conviction.

As the enemy gets our paper and probably also a copy of garrison orders daily, notices of moves, numbers etc etc cannot be published in orders and this not being done will doubtless lead to much correspondence hereafter.

I have done my best to watch and keep down the expenses connected with the defence, but I fear they will be very large not only as regards pay, of Volunteers, Kimberley Light Horse Town Guard, etc but on account of defense works, shelters, cook houses, filters, equipment, vegetables, etc. What with my very small staff for such a large garrison and the very heavy work connected with defense it has been impossible to look into and work matters as in peace times.

De Beers Company will doubtless have an enormous bill; I am trying to obtain details of it, but their staff and clerks have all been employed in defence works and consequently have not been able to complete the book.

I have fixed the Establishment of the Mounted Troops at 8.30 horses and the RA at 130 horses. These establishments should I think be sufficient to allow for casualties. I am very short if forage, and I am doing my utmost to reduce the number of rations issued daily. De Beers 500 mules are doing well on the Veldt. It will be remembered that some time ago Mr Rhodes authorised me to telegraph saying that he placed these at Her Majesty’s disposal.

In Ladysmith:

In the early morning the welcome sound of Buller's guns was not so frequent as yesterday. But it continued steadily, and between four and five increased to an almost unbroken thunder. From the extremity of Waggon Hill, I watched the great cloud of dust and smoke which rose from the distant plain as each shell burst. The Dutch camps were still in position, and we could only conjecture that the British were trying to clear the river-bank and the hills commanding it, so as to secure the passage of the ford.

While I was there the enemy threw several shrapnel over the Rifle Brigade outpost. Major Brodiewald, Brigade Major to the Natal Volunteers under Colonel Royston, was sitting on the rocks watching Buller's shells like myself. A shrapnel bullet struck him in the mouth and passed out at the back of his neck. He was carried down the hill, his blood dripping upon the stones along the track. In the afternoon one of the bluejackets was also seriously wounded by shrapnel. The bombardment was heavy all day, the Bulwan gun firing right over Convent Hill and plunging shells into the Naval Camp, the Leicesters, and the open ground near Headquarters. It looks as if a spy had told where the General and Staff are to be found.

The market quotations at this evening's auction were fluctuating. Eggs sprang up from a guinea to 30s. a dozen. Jam started at 30s. the 6lb. jar. Maizena was 5s. a pound. On the other hand, tobacco fell. Egyptian cigarettes were only 1s. each, and Navy Cut went for 4s. an ounce. During a siege one realises how much more than bread, meat, and water is required for health. Flour and trek-ox still hold out, and we receive the regulation short rations. Yet there is hardly one of us who is not tortured by some internal complaint, and many die simply for want of common little luxuries. In nearly all cases where I have been able to try the experiment I have cured a man with any little variety I had in store or could procure—rice, chocolate, cake, tinned fruit, or soups. I wonder how the enemy are getting on with the biltong and biscuit.

In Mafeking:

They shell the town as usual. Most unpleasant this end. They knocked off all corners of the square in two days; several casualties.
Dr David Biggins

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Re: January 18th 12 years 2 months ago #2084

  • Brett Hendey
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The Brigade Major of the Natal Volunteers, Major H T Bru-de-Wold (not Brodiewald)recovered from his wound. He was one of the foremost military personalities in Colonial Natal.

Hilmar Theodor Bru-de-Wold was born in Trondheim, Norway, and settled on the South Coast of Natal in 1862.

He joined the Alexandra Mounted Rifles in 1865 and served in this unit during the Zulu War, and was mentioned in despatches. He became the first, and only, commanding officer of the Umzimkulu Mounted Rifles in 1884, with the rank of Captain.

In 1888, all the units on the Natal Coast were amalgamated to form the Natal Mounted Rifles and Bru-de-Wold became second in command with the rank of Major. When the NMR was divided in 1894 and the Border Mounted Rifles was formed, Bru-de-Wold became OC of the BMR.

During the Boer War he served as Brigade Major to the Natal Volunteers under Colonel Royston during the Siege of Ladysmith and was awarded the CMG.

After the war, he was promoted to Colonel and became Commandant of the Natal Volunteers. He was awarded the DSO for his services in the 1906 Natal Rebellion.

He retired to his home in Port Shepstone in 1907 and died there in 1912.

His only son, Thorkell Waltham Bru-de-Wold, was a Trooper in the Natal Police during the Boer War and was also besieged in Ladysmith. He went on to serve in the 1906 Natal Rebellion as a Captain in the Mapping Detachment. During the South African Rebellion of 1914 and the subsequent campaign in German South West Africa, the young Bru-de-Wold was a Sergeant in Enslin's Horse. Later he went to Europe with the South African Brigade and was a 2nd Lieutenant when he was killed at Delville Wood during the Battle of the Somme in 1916. He never married and in South Africa the family name died with him.

Colonel Bru-de-Wold's daughter, Jane Bernadine, married a Natal Policeman, Sub-Inspector A H Borgnis. They too were childless, so Colonel Bru-de-Wold has no living descendents in South Africa.

Brett
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Re: January 18th 10 years 2 months ago #17106

  • djb
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It is difficult to appreciate in these days of immediate information what it must have been like back in 1900 when the family of men injured in the fight on Wagon Hill were still waiting for news nearly two weeks afterwards.

From The Times, 18 Jan 1900:

Dr David Biggins
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Re: January 18th 10 years 2 months ago #17118

  • Frank Kelley
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Hello David,
I well remember reading of the anguish of so many mothers, who had sons serving with the 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment during the awful siege, in original bound volumes of the Manchester Guardian when I was still at school, the wait for news must have been very hard for so many.
Regards Frank

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Re: January 18th 10 years 2 months ago #17120

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Frank,

With frequent revisions to the lists of casualties, I am sure the quality of information coming through must also have been a large concern.

Best wishes
David
Dr David Biggins

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Re: January 18th 10 years 2 months ago #17124

  • Frank Kelley
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Good morning David,
I seem to remember it was really just a complete lack of information that was the real problem around here, so many parents and wifes being left in the dark when it came down to the crunch, they simpley did not know and feared the worst, you can't blame them really because the news of the epic defence of Manchester Fort and Caesar's had spread like a wide fire throughout the city.
By 1918 things had moved forward and those poor families who lost a son or father after the equally epic defence of Manchester Hill had their fears confirmed rather quicker.
Kind regards Frank

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