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Re: January 18th 7 years 2 months ago #51461

  • djb
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1900 - From the letters writer by Lt Col Park in Ladysmith

The excitement is becoming greater daily. No definite news has leaked through, but this morning for some hours one of Buller’s balloons was distinctly visible high up over a hill about twelve miles or more to the south-west, and his shells could be seen with a strong glass, bursting over a Boer position on a ridge rather nearer us, so that we can really say for the first time the relief column is in sight. It is a brighter day, so I hope some good news will be helio’ed in and that the headquarters people won’t keep it all bottled up, as they are very fond of doing.

Watts has brought me such a nice bunch of green grapes. He has been out foraging, and managed to get two hundred stewing peaches for 5s. for the mess, and about 3 lb. of grapes for 4s. Goodboy!
Dr David Biggins
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Re: January 18th 7 years 2 months ago #51464

  • Frank Kelley
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Glad tidings indeed, after all the gloom, I suspect if, indeed, Lieutenant Watts, referred to in the final paragraph were actually alive today, he would likely be amazed by the produce available in the supermarkets, in particular, the larger discounted outlets, although, I am not as confident his brother officers would be amused by the quality of some produce if he chose to do his shopping at the latter!

djb wrote: 1900 - From the letters writer by Lt Col Park in Ladysmith

The excitement is becoming greater daily. No definite news has leaked through, but this morning for some hours one of Buller’s balloons was distinctly visible high up over a hill about twelve miles or more to the south-west, and his shells could be seen with a strong glass, bursting over a Boer position on a ridge rather nearer us, so that we can really say for the first time the relief column is in sight. It is a brighter day, so I hope some good news will be helio’ed in and that the headquarters people won’t keep it all bottled up, as they are very fond of doing.

Watts has brought me such a nice bunch of green grapes. He has been out foraging, and managed to get two hundred stewing peaches for 5s. for the mess, and about 3 lb. of grapes for 4s. Goodboy!

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Re: January 18th 7 years 2 months ago #51481

  • Brett Hendey
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History might have been changed on this day, and the long-awaited 'Relief of Ladysmith' might have been much closer, if the British high command had taken an opportunity they had sought, but then backed off. I have written about this opportunity before, and repeat it again here.

"Buller’s second assault on the Boer lines was perhaps better conceived, but as badly executed as the first one at Colenso a month earlier. This time the British Army crossed the Tugela with minimal opposition from the Boers, and it was hampered only by logistical difficulties. On 18 January, the Mounted Brigade advanced northwards outflanking the right wing of the Boers, and an advance party of Colonials from the Composite Regiment successfully ambushed a Boer patrol at Acton Homes. This potentially opened the road to Ladysmith from the west. Such an advance would have left Boer Commandos occupying the high ground between the Acton Homes road and the Tugela River facing the British on two fronts, and under the threat of being cut off from Colenso. Lord Dundonald’s request for reinforcements to exploit this opportunity was rejected. Instead, the Mounted Brigade was recalled to join an attack from the south on the Boer positions occupying the high ground of Thabanyama. As a result, instead of being confronted by the British both north and south of their line, the Boers now occupied a commanding position ahead of an attack only from the south. The single British success in Buller’s campaign thus far, the Acton Homes ambush, was relegated to a footnote in history, and a chance of an earlier lifting of the Ladysmith siege was lost. The next six weeks would be difficult and bloody ones for the British."

Brett

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Re: January 18th 6 years 1 month ago #57511

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1900 - From the diary of Major George Tatham, Natal Carbineers

After visiting outposts Bru de Wold and I went to Wagon Hill, and while observing movements of enemy from this point for a short time, a shrapnel shell burst over our heads and the contents peppered us, the poor old man being struck in the face by one bullet which passed down his cheek and lodged in his neck. The blood flowed freely but thanks to my first aid dressing and Dr. Platt coming up just in the nick of time, we managed to get the necessary bandaging done and had him fetched to Ladysmith in an ambulance wagon. A very slight incision in the neck extracted the bullet. The excitement and interest in the probable date of the relief were now increasing and sweeps were got up, various dates from 17th to 1st February being supported, February 1st being supposed to be the extreme limit.
Dr David Biggins

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Re: January 18th 2 years 2 months ago #80842

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1899 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Tuesday, 18 January

Shot and shell, in about the usual quantity, was again the order of the day.

Lippman’s second extremely narrow escape occurred this morning. He happened to be in his shop when a 94-pounder came crashing through the next room, bursting there and sending its pieces right through the building. The office was totally wrecked and the wall separating the office from the shop almost entirely demolished. Two Dutch ladies, mother and daughter, were in the shop and the latter was struck by a splinter in the fleshy part of the right arm, causing a very nasty wound, but not dangerous. 

Although unable to see a yard in front of him and surrounded by smoke, vile fumes, falling debris, etc., and half stunned by the concussion, Lippman very pluckily carried the two women, for the moment more dead than alive, out of the shop through the back store and so out into the open air.

One of the shells this afternoon landed right on Stenson’s old and now disused dugout: it was a very insecure one and yet resisted the big shell and bursting same, [and] the pieces were carried a long way to the front. The roof of the dugout certainly caved in, but, it is considered, would not have done so if properly constructed. This make us feel a little more safe in our dugouts than heretofore.

Their usual night gun at about 8 o’clock struck at the back of the railway station. A piece of the shell blew a native’s head almost right off his body, of course killing him instantly. This was almost immediately followed by two heavy volleys from their Mauser rifles, but all the damage the latter did was perforations of iron roofs all over the town. They do about as much damage as a caterpillar on a cabbage leaf.

A native woman was badly injured by piece of shell about breakfasttime this morning.

The enemy, who have made Zeerust their base of operations for this district and the north, and down to Vryburg, have turned that village into almost a small city: they even have an arsenal there and are making their own shells; they are very rough cast but still very dangerous. I was able to see one seven-pounder, it having been brought in by a native and offered for sale. Somebody bought it and sent it into B.P.
Dr David Biggins
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