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Although not in any way direct family of mine Ernest Reynolds shares his surname with me and he has an interesting military story to tell as well.

Ernest Arthur Reynolds

Private, Durban Light Infantry
Trooper, Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts – Anglo Boer War
Private, Railways Company, 1st S.A. Brigade and 2nd S.A.I. – WWI

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Relief of Ladysmith, Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal to 600 Pte. E. Reynolds, Durban L.I.
- British War Medal to Pte. E.A. Reynolds, 2nd S.A.I.
- Victory Medal to Pte. E.A. Reynolds, 2nd S.A.I.

Ernest Reynolds was born at the mouth of the mighty Umgeni River in Victoria County just north of present day Durban on 30 July 1879 – a few months after the momentous battles of Isandhlwana and Rorke’s Drift were fought not very far from where he lay.


In 1953

Little is known about his early life save for the fact that Ernest’s father was reputed to have been a Jailer in the Verulam area outside Durban. His mother’s name was Martha. The first 20 or so years of his life were spent uneventfully but all that changed in October of 1899 when the two Boer Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State went to war with the might of the British Empire over, among other things, the way “Uitlanders” (people of foreign origin) were being treated by the Dutch authorities. For starters, although they contributed handsomely to the Boer coffers in taxes as well as providing much expertise and labour to the profitable gold mining industry of the Witwatersrand, they were regarded as second class citizens and denied such basic rights as the franchise.

Living in the catchment area of the Durban Light Infantry it was a natural move on Reynolds’ part to enlist with them. According to the muster roll he was mobilised with “D” Company on 29 September 1899, two weeks before the outbreak of hostilities. On that day the D.L.I. was sent to an encampment at Colenso tasked with keeping open the Tugela Bridge, the gateway to nearby Ladysmith. For the first few weeks their energies were devoted to building trenches and forts but, after a barrage of Boer artillery fire rained down on them the decision was made to fall back on Estcourt.

They were next engaged at the battel of Willow Grange on 23 November where the British forces were routed and although last to leave the field the D.L.I. suffered no losses. From then on, sadly for the men, the D.L.I. was called upon to man the lines of communication seeing virtually no further action of any consequence in the war. The top brass pleaded for their men to be allowed to remain in the fighting line but it was not to be and they were moved south to Nottingham Road and from there to Mooi River where they assisted in hospital work and other menial duties.

A move back to Estcourt followed and then on to Elandslaagte and to Dundee, almost to the spot where the battle of Talana had raged some six months before. By this time of course the enemy was nowhere to be seen and the D.L.I. helped rebuild the desolate town of Dundee. In September 1900 the battalion marched into the Transvaal, joining General Hildyard’s column which moved on Vryheid meeting little opposition. On 7 October the battalion entrained for Durban receiving a rapturous welcome a year almost to the day since they had departed. This coincided with Reynolds’ decision to sever immediate ties with the regiment.

The war for him was, however, far from over – on 4 December 1900 at Durban he completed the Attestation Form for enlistment with the 1st Battalion of Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts. Now aged 23 and described physically as being 5 feet 6 inches in height with fair hair, blue eyes and a fair complexion, Reynolds was assigned no. 625 and the rank of Trooper. As soon as they could be mounted they were sent into the field, and it is to the credit of the force and its leaders that they made no mistake.

Initially they were deployed to the south-west of Cape Colony where Hertzog and other Boer leaders had penetrated to. In his telegram of 3rd February 1901 Lord Kitchener said: "Kitchener's Fighting Scouts attacked one hundred Boers at Doornbridge. Boers retired, leaving one killed. Horses, carts, ammunition, and tools were taken. We had two men wounded". In the despatch of 8th March 1901 Lord Kitchener dealt with the efforts made to clear the Colony in the preceding December, January, and February. Speaking of events in the western parts of the Colony, he stated that: "While the pursuit from De Aar and Britstown was maintained by columns under Lieutenant Colonels Bethune, Thorneycroft, and De Lisle at the same time Lieutenant Colonel Colenbrander's newly formed regiment of Kitchener's Fighting Scouts were railed to Matjesfontein, whence they moved out to hold the passes leading south from Sutherland.

On the 9th January Hertzog's commando withdrew north towards Calvinia. "A general advance northwards was commenced by the columns under Lieutenant Colonels De Lisle, Scobell (Scots Greys), and Colenbrander (commanding Kitchener's Fighting Scouts). These quite succeeded in driving the enemy out of Calvinia and Van Rhynsdorp, and pursued him as far north as Carnarvon".

After this the regiment was taken to the central district of Cape Colony, where they had a very hard time. The pursuit of the enemy was fraught with danger, and KFS had one strong patrol captured near Richmond on 27th February 1901. Lieutenant A E Benson and 6 men were killed, Lieutenant Naughton and 12 men wounded, and some taken prisoners, "after a prolonged fight", the official telegram said.

Not long after this, on 29 April 1901, Reynolds transferred to the newly formed 2nd Battalion of Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts retaining his number - 625. From then on in that year both battalions were employed in the Pietersburg district, far north of Pretoria in the Transvaal. In the despatch of 8th May 1901 Lord Kitchener said that a commando had been reported at Klipdam, 15 miles north of Pietersburg, which was said to be under General Beyers.
"Lieutenant Colonel Grenfell, whose regiment, KFS, had been sent by rail to Pietersburg, was, therefore, directed to clear up the situation. Starting on the night of the 26th April, Lieutenant Colonel Grenfell discovered the enemy's laager at Klipdam, and attacked it at dawn on the 27th with complete success, with the loss of only one man wounded. Seven Boers were killed, 41 were captured, besides which he obtained possession of the enemy's camp with 26 horses, 10 mules, many waggons and carts, and 76,000 rounds of ammunition. Information having been obtained that the enemy's last Long Tom was at Berg Plaats, about 20 miles east of Pietersburg, on the road to Haenertsburg, I desired Colonel Grenfell to make every effort to capture the gun. He moved at once, and at daylight on the 30th occupied Doornhoek, thence pushing on to Berg Plaats. On his approach the enemy opened fire at over 10,000 yards' range, but after 16 rounds they blew up the gun, while Colonel Grenfell's men were still about 3000 yards distant, and retreated in a north east direction. Colonel Grenfell captured 10 prisoners and 35 rounds of Long Tom ammunition, our only casualties being two men wounded.

As the result of a careful search on the farm, Berg Vlei, adjoining Berg Plaats, 100,000 rounds of Martini-Henry ammunition were discovered and destroyed. Other prisoners were brought in by Lieutenant Colonels Colenbrander and Wilson of KFS, and on his return to Pietersburg, on the 6th May, Colonel Grenfell reported that altogether he had accounted for 7 Boers killed, 129 prisoners, and 50 voluntary surrenders: 240,000 rounds of ammunition were destroyed".

In May Grenfell commanded an expedition to Louis Trichardt, 100 miles north-east of Pietersburg. His force was 600 men of KFS, the 12th MI Regulars, 2 guns, and four companies of the Wiltshire Regiment. The column left Pietersburg, and two days later Colenbrander with the advanced force occupied Louis Trichardt. About the 20th Colenbrander, "by a well-planned night march, surprised a laager on the Klip Spruit. Field-Cornet Venter with 72 Burghers, 68 rifles, 18 waggons", and a large amount of ammunition and many cattle, were captured. On the 25th May Grenfell received the surrender of Commandant Van Rensburg and about 150 men. Shortly after this Colenbrander, in the Buffels district, had some skirmishes, "killing seven and capturing a maxim. A detachment under Major Knott overtook a commando under Barend Viljoen and captured 79 prisoners". Lord Kitchener said, in his despatch of 8th July 1901, that this expedition did much to secure the pacification of the Northern Transvaal. While Grenfell was on this expedition, Wilson, with a wing of the KFS, two guns, and two companies 2nd Gordon Highlanders, was, in conjunction with Major M'Micking's column, doing most excellent work in the Nylstroom district. On 19th May 79 Burghers and 100 rifles, 33,000 rounds, 66 waggons, some dynamite were taken. On the 21st Wilson attacked another position and took 18 prisoners, 48 rifles. On 2nd June a detached force drove the enemy on Wilson, who, after a stubborn fight, took 40 prisoners, 70 rifles, 8000 cattle, besides ammunition and dynamite (see despatch of 8th July). Of course all this could not be accomplished without loss. On 1st and 2nd June the regiment had 7 killed and 20 wounded.

It was said of Kitchener's Fighting Scouts that they took the field when the war was far advanced, but during the whole of the second phase of the campaign they did splendid work. Judged by the losses inflicted on the enemy, no corps could point to a finer record, and they are an outstanding example of what can be made in a very short time of Colonial material, provided that officers suitable for irregulars are found.

Probably having seen enough action to last a life time Reynolds took his leave of the KFS at Pretoria on 17 June 1901 and made his weary way home to Natal. For his not inconsiderable efforts he was awarded the Queens Medal named to his “parent” regiment – the D.L.I. – and with the clasps Relief of Ladysmith, Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal. His adventures had taken him to all four corners of what was to become South Africa in 1910.

Back in civilian life he moved with his mother (it is unknown when his father passed away) to Ladysmith in Natal – the very place he had helped relieve in 1900. Family legend has it that, whilst in Ladysmith after the siege had been lifted he was given a baby to hold in his arms. This was, years later, to become his wife but more about that later. Having joined the South African Railways he was employed by them as a Shunter reaching, by the time his next military adventure commenced, the level of Foreman.

August 1914 brought with it the outbreak of yet another war, on this occasion, it was to be one played on the international stage with Britain and her Allies ranged against the Kaiser’s Germany and nations friendly to his cause. There was no immediate rush for a man like Reynolds to join up, plenty of younger men thirsting for adventure were queuing up to take a dip at the Germans. Reynolds eventually succumbed to the temptation to get back into uniform and at Potchefstroom on 2 May 1918 completed the Attestation forms for service with the Railway Company of the 1st S.A, Infantry Brigade.

Confirming that he was now 39 years old and still unmarried he provided his mother of 18 Lyle Street, Ladysmith as his next of kin. He also confirmed that he had spent 5 years (some of it peacetime) with the Durban Light Infantry and more than 6 months with Kitchener’s Fighting Scouts. Physically he was 5 feet 6 inches with a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. By way of distinctive marks about his person he sported a circular scar from a burn at the back of his right ankle and had scars on each side of his stomach from operations. Having been found Fit by the Doctor he was assigned the rank of Private and no. 19610.

On 6 June 1918 he embarked at Cape Town aboard H.M.T. “City of Karachi” bound for England arriving there on 9 July 1918. After a period of almost two months waiting for the next draft to be sent to the front he was, on 31 October, sent over to France from Southampton arriving the next day – 1 November 1918. He joined his unit in the field on 12 November – a day after the Treaty of Versailles ending the war was signed - on 11 November. One can imagine Reynolds’ chagrin – travelling all the way from South Africa only to find that his services would not be required.

Sailing aboard H.M.T. “Orista” he went home arriving at Cape Town on 5 April 1919 from where he was demobilised and discharged at nearby Maitland on 7 May 1919. For his efforts (such as they were) he was awarded the British War and Victory Medals. His Proceedings on Discharge form credited him with one year and 20 days service and he was deemed to have had a Military Character of Very Good.

For the second time in 20 years Reynolds returned home from the front and resumed his current occupation on the Railways. At All Saints’ Church in Ladysmith on 19 September 1923 he wed the “babe in arms” he had held some 23 years previously although, truth be told, Stella Allison was already 27 when he married her at the age of 46.

Seven years later the Ladysmith Siege Committee held a banquet to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Relief of Ladysmith and Ernest Reynolds was one of the survivors who received an invitation. That it meant a substantial amount him can be confirmed by the fact that he retained the original invitation among his papers, in addition to the Order of Service for the church parade and the original menu for the occasion which was signed by many an old comrade. The Daily News of Friday, March 6, 1970 carried a group photo of some of the Relief’s survivors sitting on the Town Hall steps on the weekend the banquet was held. Reynolds is there sporting his medals as a lasting reminder.





Ernest Arthur Reynolds lived to a ripe old age – having retired from the Railways he moved to the small village of Weenen which is where, at his home in Voortrekker Street, he passed away on 23 July 1958 at the age of 80 years and 11 months. He was survived by his wife and a host of children in the form of Henry James Reynolds, Reginald Ernest Reynolds, George Philip Reynolds, Wilfred Rix Reynolds, Frank Erwin Reynolds and his only daughter, Bertha Jessie Heath. He left an estate of some £1 156 – not bad for a railway pensioner with many mouths to feed.













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What a magnificent group, are you quite sure you are not related, I think it is nice that his hard earned medal is named to the Durban LI, of course, all the more so for any Natal collector, notwithstanding, the KFS were really quite superb, one of the best anti commando units ever to take the high veldt, I should be very pleased with those if I were you.

Thank you Frank. Yes I am quite partial to them now. Reynolds seems like an interesting character. Sadly his granddaughter was only 4 when he passed away and doesn't remember him.