TOPIC:

1900 - Mafeking siege day 183 (84%). Wepener siege day 5 (29%)
1902 - Boer peace delegates and Lord Kitchener meet at Pretoria. Smuts attacks Ookiep.
 
1900 - Mafeking - A diary of the siege by Major F D Baillie
 
A quiet day. We were only shelled to-day with the five-pounder and the one-pound Maxim and so we are quite quiet. Colonel Baden-Powell has had an erection built on the top of the headquarter house from whence he looks out and can control the Mafeking defences like the captain of a ship, shouting his instructions down a speaking tube to the headquarter bomb proof, which are thence telephoned on to the parties whom it may concern, so that he can personally turn on the tap of any portion of the defences he may think fit.

1900 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Friday, 13 April

Big gun still lost although almost the whole garrison have been out trying to find it.

It is also reported that a lot of women and children have left the enemy’s laager proceeding Transvaal-ward. Is the whole thing a ruse on the part of the enemy to get us out or is there something in the wind ? It is possible that the relief column are well on the way and the surrounding enemy are making preparations for... what?

Good old Cole sent us in a bundle of newspapers received this morning. C. Times, March 7th, D.F.A., March 8th. The latter shews us somebody is thinking about us, the Kimberley Town Council making a fuss about nothing being done towards endeavouring to' relieve us.

The enemy have not disturbed us very much today; with the exception of 3 or 4 9-pounder shells and two or three rifle volleys, with a few minutes independent firing about 9 p.m., nothing else has occurred.

The natives tell us that they can now get through the Boer lines by paying the enemy’s sentry half-a-crown. Nice sort of blockade this. I expect master Boer would first get the 2/6 and then slit the nigger’s throat.

From the diary of Lance Corporal Luke Gormley, 1st Royal Scots, at Wepener

Apr 13th, 1900

Still in the trenches. Last night was the most terrible night we have had since the siege started. For it began to rain as soon as darkness set in and it continued through the night. You can imagine what it was like sitting cramped up in a trench with no covering but our coats. The tranches had 3 -4 inches of water in them and if you showed your head above the wall, the enemy had a shot at you.

From the diary of 2nd Lieutenant Nigel K Charteris, Royal Scots, at Wepener

13th April, 1900

Still sniping. Attack on Brabant’s Horse repulses. It is great fun watching the artillery duels that go on every day.