TOPIC:

Pictures from a visit there yesterday

The names around the central monument.

Someone asked if there are other examples were men from both sides are named on the same monument?

The graves as they looked in 1901, British and Boer casualties buried side by side ...



Swedish Church, Dundee, Natal

Burials

Front row (left to right)
Izaak MEYER, Utrecht Commando, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, aged 25
BREYTENBACH, Wakkerstroom, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 20 Oct 1899
7296 Pte S. McCARTHY [McCarney], 1st Bn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 20 Oct 1899
215 Pte E. GREENHEAD, 1st Bn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 21 Oct 1899
5918 Pte P. CALLAGHAN [Cavanagh], 2nd Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers, killed in action, Talana Hill, 20 Oct 1899
23187 Trumpeter William Benjamin Thomas HORN [W.P.T. Horn], 69th Battery Royal Field Artillery, killed in action, Talana Hill, 20 Oct 1899
8128 Pte H. MELLERS [Mellows], 1st Bn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, killed in action, Talana Hill, 20 Oct 1899
2nd Lieut. Charles Jarvis GENGE [G.N. Genge] , 2nd Bn. Royal Dublin Fusiliers, killed in action, Talana Hill, 20 Oct 1899
Captain Frederick Henry Bourne CONNOR, Adjutant, 87th Royal Irish Fusiliers, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 20 Oct 1899

Middle row
4719 Pte E. BROWN [P. Brown], 1st Bn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died of disease in Dundee Hospital, 9 Nov 1899
7520 Pte J. BROWNLEY [Brownlee / Brownlie], 1st Bn. King’s Royal Rifles, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 3 Nov 1899
2753 Pte P. FRAHILL [Fairhall], Royal Irish Fusiliers, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 3 Nov 1899
J. PRINSLOO, Middleburgh, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 24 Oct 1899
F.A. BEGEMANN, Wakkerstrrom, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 24 Oct 1899
7325 Pte C. KENYON, 1st Bn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 26 Oct 1899
376 Pte W. SWINFIELD, 1st Bn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 22 Oct 1899

Back row
4198 Pte W. ROADKNIGHT [Raadknight], 1st Bn. Royal Irish Fusiliers, died of wounds, Dundee
401 Trooper Robert Alexander CUNNINGHAM, No 4 Troop, “C” Squadron, Bethune’s Horse, died at Dundee, 20 May 1900 [18 May 1900], aged 24
1173 Pte J. OLIVER, 1st Bn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 17 Nov 1899
653 Pte J.J. HOUGHTON, 1st Bn. King’s Royal Rifle Corps, died of wounds received at the Battle of Talana Hill, 2 Nov 1899




Talana Museum









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Another early photograph of the cemetery, showing the proximity of the graves to the church ...




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Lieutenant-Colonel F.A.B. Daly's account of his time in command of the British hospital at the Swedish Mission, 20 October to the end of December 1899.

Published as "Boer War Memories", Melbourne 1935.


CHAPTER V.

When I arrived at this mission station the sight was an appalling one. All the wounded were lying shoulder to shoulder on the floor of the building, some delirious. All were wet from exposure from the rain, which was falling all day, and their uniforms were marked with mud and dirt off the battlefield.
Up to my arrival apparently nothing whatever had been done, and those there told me that before doing anything they considered it best to wait until my arrival.
Now the first thing I did was to interview the sixteen men who had been sent to me as orderlies, and I gave them separate orders, four of the King's Rifles to make a field kitchen in the open ground of our enclosure, and to dig a pit for rubbish. Camp kettles had been sent, so hot water was provided for four men whom I told to use it for the wounded, and clean some of the mud and dirt off their clothes and faces.
Then myself and the remaining eight men, on getting a hand cart, we all proceeded to the main camp to get the very necessary supplies we were so much in need of.
Now when we got to our old camp we found it strongly guarded, and the Boer guard positively refused to allow us to enter the camp; though I pleaded that I wanted food for their sick and mine, they would not allow any entry whatever.
Now this refusal put me into an awful position. However, as I knew "necessity has no laws," I noticed on my way up a waggon and a span of sixteen bullocks, and I could see no one near, so I determined to get one of the beasts. It turned out a fairly easy job, it being very dark and wet at the time.
Fortunately, I had a butcher by trade amongst the orderlies. The job was done, the animal brought to the mission enclosure, and cut up in quarters, and the skin, hoofs and horns buried in the pit already made at my cookhouse.
That night beef tea was made, and rump steak provided for all those who could eat it.
I took the precaution to warn all my staff that should a Boer make any inquiries next morning re the loss of a bullock, they were to adopt an attitude of complete ignorance, and to have no conversation with him whatever, but to send him at once to me, and then I would do the talking. Well, next morning I was addressed as follows: – "Sir, can I speak to you?" I replied, "Yes," adding, "what is your trouble?" He answered, "I have lost one of my bullocks, and I have failed to find it." I told him I was very sorry, but I could not see how I could help him. Shortly after my interview he was seen driving away with his span, originally 16 bullocks, now one short. So thus making a satisfactory ending to my procedure of the night before.


CHAPTER VI.

On my return to the mission, I got a great surprise. Sixteen men of the Town Guard of Dundee had turned up fully armed and with two boxes of ammunition. These I ordered them to bury at once, and to hide away their rifles in some outhouse.
Now, as these men knew all the run of the town, I ordered them to go there at once, and bring me back a supply of bread, sugar, tea and tinned foods, and they returned with a good haul. With these I was all right for that night; all the wounded were washed, fed and cared for, but still they only had the floor to lie on.
The medical and surgical panniers my natives had brought in from the battle area, and from them I got medical and surgical dressings.


CHAPTER VII.

The next complication that happened was that upwards of 40 women and children had arrived. I asked them why they came; they replied to get protection from the Boers. I told them that I had no food, and that it would be far better and safer for them to return to their homes, as leaving them only left their houses for looting when the Boers returned.
They took my advice and departed. At this time a local doctor and his wife had come; the former remained. He was in a very nervous state and in terror of the Boers, as he knew he should have previously offered his services to the English, and not have remained behind.
The Boers considered everyone who did so should be shot, calling them Africanders. However, he helped me looking after the sick and wounded, but he had no initiative whatever. I virtually had to tell him everything I wanted done. On two occasions he positively refused to visit sick Boers, and I had to go. It would have been bad policy to have refused.
In fact, I made it my duty for all the time I was in Dundee (with the exception of the 11 days of close arrest as subsequently recorded) to be useful to the Boers by attending to all their sick and wounded, so that by doing so our stay at Dundee would be prolonged until the promise made by our departing troops (October 20, 1899) would be fulfilled – viz., "our relief."
Unfortunately, this never came off, but through great luck, with the aid of my identity cards (how they were obtained is recorded later on), I and my staff were transferred over their border.
Next morning at daybreak, October 21, 1899, I had a parade of my staff. Sixteen of them were the soldiers originally sent, and the remainder the sixteen of the Town Guard. I divided them into sections, one for equipment and the other for food supplies. I told the men on parade that I held myself responsible for all their actions. Further, I made them understand that they would only have a limited time, as I was sure the main body of the Boer forces would certainly return by the next day, and subsequent events proved this to be actually correct.
When I started at daybreak on October 21, 1899, to obtain food and equipment and food for my sick and wounded, I remembered how a medical officer in the Afghan War of 1879 was treated. He took supplies for his sick from the native bazaar to the value of £400. He was compelled by the Indian Government to refund from his monthly pay this amount. Knowing this I determined to take in thousands what he took in hundreds – the sum being so large, though not over my requirements, that if the British Government adopted similar measures my pay would never cover the amount.
Everyone worked hard all day and night, and by that time I had stored sufficient food for 200 men for six months. The other section of my staff had obtained bedsteads for all the sick and staff, also bedding and clean clothes for the sick. The shirts I got were of all colours, and besides the above everything was got necessary for the comfort of the sick.
I told my men that for any goods taken by my orders, if the owner was present, I would give a receipt, but these were found to be very few, as nearly everyone had run away when the war started, leaving their prosperous town with their well-stocked shops open to everyone.
The following incident I now record. as it shows the true character of the members of the Town Guard. and that their action in obtaining supplies was mainly personal: – Two of my regimental orderlies succeeded in obtaining a flock of turkeys, all splendid birds, and under my direction they were shut up for the night in one of the houses in our wired-in compound. Next morning I was informed that they all had disappeared. After a search they were discovered in a dwelling outside our compound where some of the Town Guard had slept. So I visited them at this house at once and accused them of taking ours. They replied that they were other turkeys, not mine. Well, I told them, it does not matter who owns them, I must have them for my hospital. About 15 minutes afterwards I returned with the two regimental orderlies who originally had found them. To my surprise all the turkeys had gone, and then I was told the original owner had turned up and taken them away. I knew this was a lie, but I could not disprove it. However, a month afterwards I heard through an indirect source that the Town Guard orderlies had eaten their last turkey. Chapter X., page 32, shows how unreliable these men were, and at no time did I trust them or give them any responsible duties to do.
I may mention now that I had two badly wounded officers, but they had no discomfort, as they were given comfortable quarters at once, occupying the bedroom of Rev. Minister of the mission. This was built for a Kaffir hospital, which was empty of sick or staff when I arrived to occupy the place. Only empty houses existed.


CHAPTER VIII.

I still have a vivid visual remembrance of seeing, on October 22, 1899, at about 2 p.m., a large number of Boers, raising a cloud of dust, galloping in our direction.
When they arrived at our entrance gate many of them dismounted, but before entering their leader addressed me by name in rather an aggressive manner. He said: "We know you have some of our wounded in your hospital. Now we want to find out how you have treated them."
Many of the Boers then entered the ward. At first they would not believe that the sick men were British soldiers (chiefly owing to the fact that they had been supplied from the town with coloured shirts). The Boers insisted that they were Africanders, and as such, they intended to shoot every one of them for not joining their forces. Finally I convinced them that they were really British soldiers.
They then asked for their own wounded, and I had several of them in this same ward dovetailed between our men. These they questioned closely, of course in Dutch, and when they found that they had received every care, exactly the same as our own men, the Boer commander at once became civil, and thanked me. He then added, "Can I do anything for you?" I replied, "Please give me a pass to search for food in the town and private houses."
Then they all left to loot the town, where I afterwards made a personal visit, and no words of mine can describe the confusion prevailing. Here Burghers obtained fresh outfits, while old boots, hats, clothing, half-opened tins of jam and tinned meats, and draperies were scattered in heaps everywhere.
In my search of vacated private houses, I got all kinds of luxuries, such as pillows, bedspreads, crockery, glass, lamps, kerosene and numerous other useful articles. Also, amongst these I got an excellent typewriter; the use I made of this will be related later on. The owners of these houses ran away leaving their breakfasts untouched on their tables. Also, I relieved dogs that were tied to tables, etc.
A Boer magistrate on October 25, 1899, was appointed, and after that date nothing could be taken without his personal permit.
During his command in less than a fortnight he had disposed of everything from the town shops and burnt all rubbish, and anything of value was carted away into their country. No damage whatever was done to buildings. The owners wisely before leaving left all their doors and window s open, so only the contents were handled.
Further, I may add before I and my party left for Pretoria, the site of the large camp, acres in extent, which our troops on their retirement to Ladysmith had abandoned, was completely cleared of all the valuable military stores. These were carted to Dundee railway station, and thence by rail to the Transvaal. There was not even a tent peg left. Personally, I lost everything except what I stood up in, and I was especially unfortunate, as I was the only individual who did not get back to the camp owing to the P. M.O.'s order to remain on the field until his arrival. I had no food until late that night, when I sampled the rump steak previously mentioned, and it seemed quite palatable.


CHAPTER IX.

Towards the end of the first week, I was asked to go to a camp of the Boers to inspect an artillery Boer officer who was badly wounded, and the Boer doctors wished to amputate his leg. I consented, and two horses were sent to my hospital, one for me, the other for an orderly with a white flag. I at once recognised the horses, as they had British saddles and belonged to a cavalry regiment of ours.
On the ride out to the Blood River (10 miles from Dundee), where their camp was, we passed large numbers of young Boers riding five abreast. My orderly told me that they had been mobilised to join the forces at Ladysmith.
There is very little doubt that if the Boers had delayed their first attack for a few clays they would have had a sufficient number to have annihilated our whole force. Our troops did the right movement to retreat to Ladysmith.
When I arrived at the Blood River, I was at first brought to an officers' mess and given refreshments. There, to my surprise, I noticed that all were foreigners. However, they all seemed to understand English, and one, on behalf of the others, informed me that they had been all members of "The Foreign Legion," and had joined the Boer Forces in an advisory capacity. Then they asked me a lot of questions, chiefly about the strength of our troops before they left Dundee on retreat to Ladysmith, and also of the number of the guns of our artillery. To all these questions I gave evasive answers, and not till I told them that I was a new arrival did they cease questioning me.
During the conversation I first learned from them that there had been a rear guard action at Elanslaati, which was a very fortunate event for me, as it delayed the masses of the Boers from returning to loot the town of Dundee, and gave me greater opportunities of obtaining supplies for my unit. Further, I was told that the English people were only a race of land grabbers, who would soon learn a lesson that they would never forget.
I was amused during the time they were questioning me to hear one of the listeners (in a stage whisper) say the following of me: – "Oh, he is a very stupid fellow and knows nothing."
Then on leaving I proceeded to the tent where the wounded Boer officer whom I came to see resided. He was suffering from a shell wound of his left leg below the knee. I assured him if he came to my hospital I would save his leg. This move he gladly accepted, and the next day I had him carried in to my hospital by my Indian bearers. He stood the journey well.
Before the Boers arrived on the afternoon of October 22, 1899, to loot the town, I made a visit to the Dundee Hotel, which from its outward appearance seemed to have been a prosperous establishment, but here I got a surprise, as the owner, before leaving on the outbreak of hostilities, had smashed every bottle containing any liquor. Needless to add, my visit was a complete failure. After the arrival of the Boer officer previously mentioned while he was under treatment in my hospital I easily got all the extras I required.
On November 10, 1899, the condition of this Boer officer was so improved that he was fit to travel. So a special train with an ambulance carriage conveyed him to Pretoria. Before leaving he obtained for me a flock of 297 sheep. Before that date I could always get sheep from abandoned farms in our vicinity.
For the information of my readers this number of sheep may appear to them to be more than my requirements, but such was not the case. For after their arrival the Boer commander arranged that in addition to supplying my unit, I had to supply several of the families left behind in Dundee. Further, my flock of sheep was guarded daily by four of my native Indian bearers, each with a white flag, and at night herded in our enclosure. We always kept the number of sheep up with straying animals.
Further, I am sure on his return to Pretoria this Boer officer must have spoken very highly to General Botha of what I had done for him. About ten days afterwards Chris. Botha, a brother of General Botha, arrived with a present for me of a splendid pair of koodoo horns from the largest antelope ever shot in the Transvaal, also a letter was sent asking me "to accept the same as a token of good will during the occupation of Dundee by his forces."
These horns General Botha prized very much, having them, before he gave them to me, hung up in his own house for seven years. The animal shot was considered the "King of the Forest."
Some years ago, I presented these horns to the Australian Club, Melbourne, where they will remain for all time. They were measured with those at South Kensington Museum, and they have proved to be world size.
On my visit to the Blood River, described above, speaking to my orderly I asked him whether the Boers were as deadly shots as formerly. He replied, "Probably better." He suggested a demonstration at the expense of a dog sitting some 300 yards away. He then stopped a large number of Boers, and these men selected a marksman, who knelt and took careful aim. At the first shot the dog never moved; at the second shot it ran away. This failure caused a commotion amongst the Boers, whereupon my orderly whispered, "Don't laugh, but come away quickly or they might shoot you." With a straight face I said "Good-bye, boys," and rode away.


CHAPTER X.

On November 1, 1899, the members of the Town Guard, who up to that date had been doing their services satisfactorily, came in a body to my office at 9 a.m., and they informed me that they would not do any more work except I guaranteed them payment at the rate of 5/- a day to each man. I told them at once I could not agree to such terms. I said I could recommend payment, but that would have to be passed by the British military authorities. They even refused this offer. So I told them to come to my office at 9 a.m. the next morning, and if they still refused to do any work I would hand the whole lot of them to the Boers.
Well, next morning they completely surrendered, and each signed a written document that they willingly gave their services, without any payment, to my unit, on the only condition that I gave them the protection of the Geneva convention and fed them.
I may add now, a little time after our return to the British Forces these very men, after stealing this copy, sent to Lord Roberts an awful letter against me, accusing me that the treatment they received afterwards was cruel and dreadful, and that, for men who had worked so hard to care for the sick and wounded, was disgraceful.
Officially I was asked if I had made any agreement with these men. I at once produced the duplicate which they had all signed. From the first I kept this document in my pocket, for I did not trust any of them. They quite forgot about my having a duplicate, or they never would have dared to have written such lies. Their action was pure spite, and as they got fully paid when I sent in their names they had no just grievance. Needless to add, I got rid of them as soon as I could.


CHAPTER XI.

Towards the end of November, 1899, the Boers paid a visit to my hospital with a hand cart and an armed escort, and demanded foodstuffs, which they knew I had. Their visit had been anticipated, and one hut which was situated in the middle of our hospital enclosure was always used for issue of supplies, while in reality 80 per cent. of the stores were hidden away under the floors and ceilings of other buildings.
The Boers took away one-third of what was in our store, remarking at the time that they did not see why we should be living on the fat of the land and they without. To put them off their guard, I kept constantly asking for food stuffs, which I never got.
At this time the Boers had some reverse at Ladysmith, and they compelled me to give them most of my surgical dressings; they promised to give in return any amount from Pretoria. This promise they never fulfilled, and so short was I towards the end of my stay that ordinary sheepswool had to be used, washed several times in perchloride of mercury, to replace antiseptic dressings.
During the first week at Dundee, I received orders to put up two ambulance Boer officers, and on visiting them I found them drunk, and, seeing one of their identity cards on the floor, I put it into my pocket. Next clay these officers left, so I had this card copied exactly, using the typewriter which I referred to previously.
The wording was first in Dutch, and secondly in English, so I simply reversed the order, and afterwards gave each man of my staff one, duly signed. By these alone I finally got my whole party across the border out of Transvaal territory.
After their departure I was called to see the state in which these two Hollander ambulance officers had left the comfortable quarters of a resident, whose house was outside our enclosure, which I had given to them for their use. The mattress on each bed was cut open from end to end, and also all the pillows, and the rest of the furniture smashed.
The orderly of the town guard, a former resident before he came to me, told me that it was the custom for Boers to hide their valuables in beds, etc., so when these officers found nothing they smashed everything in spite.


CHAPTER XII.

During our stay in Dundee we had several inspections by Boer officers, who came to find out whether I had any recoveries fit to be sent to Pretoria. Their object was to increase the number of prisoners there. This move all our men dreaded, so all acted according to my suggestions, to remain in bed, and do the doleful, and this action of theirs always succeeded.
This was the first war where the high-velocity smooth bullet was used, and thus cases through ignorance were marked dangerous, while really they healed quickly, and thus were wrongly named originally.
The old Snider bullet previously used caused great damage by smashing bones, while the other often went through without damaging the tissues.
I mention these facts, as I had a few cases who came under these conditions, and really I had some trouble to make it appear to the Boers that I had no recoveries. We always kept hoping that the English troops would relieve us, but that never came off.
Another annoyance was the arrival of the excursion trains, chiefly of Boer women, who came to see the British wounded and I had to use the greatest tact in handling these people, and they never learnt anything from the patients; all they got was a groan.
Another time I succeeded in bluffing the Boers was when a Dutch patient had given information about the rifles of the Town Guard. So that these would be of no use to them, I removed all the bolts. They missed them and asked me why. I at once replied that these rifles, two at a time, had, with the addition of a soldier's blanket, been used as stretchers, and the projection made by the bolts caused them to be thrown away before we left Talana Hill, and, curious to add, they were quite satisfied.
It would have been fatal if they had searched our buildings for them, for then they would have found out about our foodstuffs. I was very lucky to have bluffed them for that reason.
Early in December, 1899, the Boer authorities sent into my hospital for treatment a case which they diagnosed "small-pox," which really was only a case of measles. Knowing how frightened the Boers were of any infectious diseases, I promptly fixed a yellow flag on each corner post of our enclosure and by this means I stopped all medical or other inspections by the Boer authorities.
On one occasion a Boer leader visited my hospital to see the wounded officer who was brought in from the Blood River, and as he assumed quite a friendly attitude when leaving, I asked him to what did he attribute our success at Talana Hill. He replied at once that "in his opinion it was due to your superior artillery, which after silencing our guns poured shrapnel over the top and face of Talana Hill." He further added, "I was present at Majuba, and there my men had practically no artillery to contend with, but only to pick off each soldier by rifle fire as they were climbing the hill." However, he further added that "this success of yours is only a very temporary one, as we have now all your attacking force locked up in Ladysmith, and I await the result with confidence for our final victory." To this naturally I made no reply.


CHAPTER XIII.

About the middle of December, 1899, everyone in the hospital enclosure was placed under close arrest and confined to the railed-in compound of the Swedish mission, which equalled about an acre in extent. It contained a mission chapel, used as the principal hospital ward, and several other detached buildings, which were situated on the east and south sides. These were used as an office and housing for my staff.
During Christmas-time a terrible amount of drunkenness and rowdiness existed in the Town of Dundee, and evidently our Guard got drink and became offensive, and on two occasions they were seen pointing loaded rifles at me, so I walked direct to them and remonstrated. They were all Hollanders and hated us. On reporting the matter, we got a Boer guard, and the trouble ceased.
At the end of December, 1899, I received sudden orders to proceed with my staff and patients to Pretoria, and the same Day a train arrived with ambulance carriages in its front portion and third-class carriages behind. The Boer ambulance men handled all the patients, while they locked us up in the third-class division of the train.
Before this transfer above mentioned I received an order from the Boer authorities at Pretoria to send them a complete list of the patients under my care, and I truthfully stated that, with only a few exceptions, all were very serious cases, and most of them suffering from multiple wounds, some followed by abscess and parts of bullets still embedded in the tissues. Two cases of paraplegia, one case of rheumatic fever, an absolutely helpless patient, also a few amputations.
When we arrived at Pretoria railway junction neither myself nor any of my staff were allowed to bid farewell to men we had nursed so long. It was a very pathetic sight; some of the wounded were crying, and it was a scene I could never forget.
I know that a full report of all cases of ours handled by our medical officers doing duty at Pretoria after my party and I were put across the border, is in existence, which will prove that the statements I have made now from memory are quite correct.
The Boer authorities at this time also asked me for a copy of the identity cards which they knew each member of my staff had.
Before our end of the train was allowed to start, I had to give a guarantee to the Boers that none of my party would ever take up arms against them and would remain with me until the end of the war. I am sure the reason they asked for the above was that, after their inspection, they had found amongst my party sixteen soldiers in British uniforms; but, as they all had identity cards similar to those their own ambulance orderlies had, they allowed the train to start for Koomati Poort, the entrance to Portuguese territory.
I consider it was a very gracious act on the part of the Boer authorities to put us over the border, but then one must understand that on our arrival in the British lines we had no military secrets to disclose, as our movements at Dundee were restricted to that area, and while there we were constantly informed of Boer victories, and always that the English had suffered heavy losses. We were very glad to learn on arrival in our own lines that these statements were illusionary and devoid of any truth.
I may add now that months after joining the British lines my guarantee was questioned by the C.O. of the four orderlies of the King's Royal Rifles, and finally this was referred to the Secretary of State for war, Mr. Broderick, and he at once ruled in my favour.
On arriving at Koomati Poort I at once wired to the British Consul, asking him to make arrangements for housing myself and a party of 42 orderlies. I was put up in his house, and my men at a hotel.
On our arrival at Delagoa Bay great kindness was shown to all of us. After a few days H.M. Ship Widgeon was placed at my disposal, and after nine days of a most pleasant trip we landed at Durban, about January 11th, 1900.
After our arrival my party and I were posted to No. 1 Station, Field Hospital, which followed General Buller's advance for the relief of Ladysmith and the reconquest of Natal. After that I was posted in charge of No. 18 General Hospital, of 1,000 beds, and P.M.O. Volcrust sub-district, and there my staff and I remained until the end of the war.


CHAPTER XIV.

Some months after my return a Royal Commission was sent out from England to investigate the losses of our people by the war at Dundee and other towns.
For all goods taken by the Boers, wholesale prices were paid; but for those taken by the military, retail prices were paid. This distinction caused a lot of trouble, especially to myself, as all doubtful accounts were sent to me for confirmation.
The Royal Commission President was Chief Justice Romer, and I was the first witness to appear before this Committee. The President asked me the following question: –
"On whose authority did you remove from the town and private houses in Dundee food and equipment for the comfort of your sick and wounded ?"
I answered: "My Lord, on my own authority, as I had no one else to ask."
He at once replied as follows: – "We congratulate you on your action, and absolve you from all blame." Then all shook hands with me, and I left with the satisfaction that I had done well.
Some time afterwards I was sent down from 18 General Hospital at Charlestown to settle a claim made by a store holder at Dundee, who persistently stated that a large amount of stores was taken by me for my hospital at Dundee. Knowing this to be false, I would not pass his account.
I must add that this store was the furthest away from my hospital, and, as I could get all I wanted from stores nearer, I knew I was not the cause of his losses.
Arriving at his store with an Army Service Corps officer as a witness on my behalf, on entering his store I told the store holder that I had come to pay an account which you say a Major Daly owes.
I asked him then: "Do you know him?"
He replied: " Indeed I do, and he is no class."
"Well, then," I told him, "we will now go to your office, and will go over your account," and we all sat down at his table.
I asked the officer with me: " Do you know this Major Daly?"
He replied: "I think I do," in a doubtful manner.
So I turned to the store holder, asking : "What is this Major Daly like?"
He said: "He is a medium-sized man with a heavy black moustache and a bald head."
I at once stood up, 6 ft. 4 in. in height, and, taking off my helmet, I replied: "I am Major Daly, and my hair is still there."
The store holder collapsed on the floor, and it took a jug of water to revive him. He asked for mercy, and said that he knew he was a very wicked man. I told him that he would probably be in gaol soon, and we left. It is needless to add that his account was not paid at retail prices.
Personally, I reported this scene to the General at Pretoria, and it caused the greatest amusement and laughter to all present.


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