TOPIC:

Dennis Nicholson Scully

Trooper, Natal Mounted Rifles, Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa medal with clasps Defence of Ladysmith, Elandslaagte and South Africa 1901 to 180 Tpr. D. Scully, Natal M.R.

Dennis (or Denis) Scully was born in Ceylon in June 1878 and is the cousin or brother of Alexander Scully who saw service with the Durban Light Infantry in the Boer War.

At some point Scully’s family made their way to South Africa which is where we find him on the eve of the Anglo Boer War. A Plumber by trade he married Mary Hellen Bull in Durban on 2 April 1898. As a member of the Natal Mounted Rifles he was mobilised, along with his regiment, on 29 September 1899 when it became apparent that the threatening hostilities between the two Boer Republics to the north of Natal and the British Empire would spill over into open warfare.

Natal-based volunteers were sent to Ladysmith, the headquarters of Sir George White, with the three squadrons of the N.M.R. entraining at Durban on the evening of 1 October. Ladysmith was reached at 08h00 the next morning with the regiment being assigned to the Showgrounds. War broke out officially on 11 October and the first order of business for the N.M.R was on the 13th when word was received that a large party of Boers were concentrating near Ladysmith.

The order to boot and saddle was received at 1 a.m. in the soaking drizzle and, having mustered, they were ordered to go out with the Royal Artillery arriving at Leathern’s farm having scoured the country to the north and with the main body of men having halted further south. No Boers were to be seen however and a return to base was ordered. On 17 October a party of 50 N.M.R. men were ordered to patrol the Waschbank Valley but again no enemy was located. Whilst at the Waschbank Station a message was received that the Boer’s were in possession of nearby Bester’s and that an attack was imminently expected. The small force was ordered back to Ladysmith with all haste. On the way back they lost their way in the mist and, at daybreak, found themselves on the road to Elandslaagte where they spotted about 400 Boers. Slipping away they returned to Ladysmith little knowing that a day or two later they would be back in the area under completely different circumstances.

On 20 October General French, having heard that the Boers had attacked and captured a supply train at Elandslaagte, rode out with a large force to ascertain the situation at the station. Orders were given to clear the area of any Boers and reconstruct the railway line. The next day the N.M.R. got orders to rush out to Elandslaagte. As one Trooper put it “we galloped all the way, doing the journey in two hours; and immediately took up position”

“A” Squadron went to escort the artillery and armoured train while “B” and “C” Squadrons were sent to the left of the Gordon Highlanders having joined the cavalry to cut off any retreat. The N.M.R. were 3 hours in the firing line with the early sunset saving many a friend and foe and at about 18h45 the grim task of relieving the wounded started. The N.M.R. left Elandslaagte as the advance guard at 2 a.m. the next morning reaching Ladysmith at 09h30 that day.

In his despatch of 2nd November 1899, Sir George White mentioned that the Natal Field Battery moved out with General French at 4 am; some of the Natal M.R. and Carbineers were also with him. Before the main action commenced one squadron from each of the 5th Lancers, 5th Dragoon Guards, and Natal M.R. were sent out to turn the enemy's right flank and harass his rear with two squadrons of the Natal M.R. took part in the final pursuit.

But what actually transpired at Elandslaagte? We know that the N.M.R. were to the left of the Gordon Highlanders thus, in an effort to gain more insight into the role they played it is worthwhile to relay how the battle played out –

General French along with Colonel Hamilton decided on a three pronged assault. The Devonshire Regiment was sent against the Boer right in a frontal assault. To the right the Manchester Regiment and the Gordon Highlanders were sent around the Boer’s southern flank (with the N.M.R alongside). Between them the artillery would keep up a bombardment of the Boer positions. The Imperial Light Horse dismounted and joined the flank attack.

The infantry attack was slowed by Boer rifle fire and by barbed wire (on farm fences, not deliberately placed by the Boers), but the British attack had too much momentum to be stopped. A nasty moment came just after the British reached the ridge line. Part of the Boer force decided to surrender, and raised the white flag. Hamilton, leading the attack, ordered a cease fire. However, the white flag had not been raised by Kock. He now led fifty Boers in a desperate counterattack. With the advantage of surprise this attack came very close to driving the British back off the ridge, before Hamilton, amongst others, was able to restore order.

The Boer line was now totally broken. Those that did not surrender, fled back towards their camp and attempted to escape. The battle of Elandslaagte ended with a second controversy. Once the Boers were fleeing from their positions it was the duty of the British cavalry to break up that retreat and turn it into a rout. In contrast many of the Boers felt that it was wrong to attack a fleeing enemy. The British cavalry carried out a textbook pursuit, and were never forgiven for it by the Boers. The Lancers were the target of a particularly bitter hostility. The Boers did not see the lance as a suitable weapon for Europeans.

Elandslaagte was one of the few battles in the Boer War where the Boers suffered the heavier casualties. British losses were 55 dead and 205 wounded, for a total of 260. Boer losses were approximately 46 dead, 105 wounded and 181 missing or taken prisoner, for a total of 332. The informal nature of much of the Boer military structure means that all casualty figures can only ever be a best guess.

Back in Ladysmith Scully and his comrades weren’t to get much respite. On 24 October General White ordered a demonstration against an enemy held hill on the Modder Spruit side of Ladysmith known as Tinta Nyoni. This force of which the N.M.R. were part were soon under artillery fire from the Boer guns and an enfilading fire from their men which was extremely accurate and causing much discomfort to the Imperial troops. The Boers, encouraged by their efforts, threatened and out flanking manoeuvre which would have cut White and his force off from Ladysmith – he ordered the N.M.R. across from his right and sent them on in front on his left flank.

Contemporary reports stated that “the colonial riflemen went with much skill into the maze of broken ground below the mountain that they not only succeeded in outflanking the outflankers but actually drove, by enfilade fire all of the Kroonstad Commandos, who were on the right of Tinta Nyoni, far back across the hill to where the Winburgers lay at the eastern extremity.” Three N.M.R. men were wounded.

All of the above served as a precursor to the main event – the investment of Ladysmith by the Boer forces. Yule was ordered to come into Ladysmith from Dundee and, on 30 October the Battle of Lombard’s Kop took place. With the Boers pressing hard around Ladysmith White decided to strike hard at them. He began a double attack – the main force, of which the N.M.R. was part, to meet the Boers on the east of the railway line to Dundee. Having been under heavy fire from the Boers atop Lombard’s Kop for most of the day, they retired to Ladysmith unaware that the entire exercise had been a costly blunder with the British advancing without knowing where the Boers were.

With the Boers having now encircled Ladysmith the siege which was to last three months had begun. The N.M.R. under artillery fire from the Long Tom at Pepworth were forced to retire from their camp at the Showgrounds for the comparative shelter of Lyle Street. On 3 November they were “fairly invested in what became known as the Battle of Bester’s Kop – one of those present wrote,

“About 1 p.m. we were ordered to End Hill to support the I.L.H., and were fighting from 2 until 4.30 We were shelled on the road out and in, from Bulwana, Pepworth’s, Riflemen’s Ridge and Table Hill”

Life in the besieged town became daily more of an ordeal – food was in short supply and men were succumbing, in ever increasing numbers, to the scourge of Enteric Fever. Scully too was not left unscathed – his health suffered so that, after the siege was lifted on 1 March 1900, he was invalided out of the war and played no further part in it.

For his efforts he was awarded the Queens Medal with clasps Defence of Ladysmith, Elandslaagte and South Africa 1901.

After Ladysmith he returned to his civilian pursuits. At some point his first marriage ended in divorce and, on 2 April 1937 at the age of 59 he wed a 37 year old widow – Nora Ellen Shortt (born Kippon) in Durban where he lived in Escombe. He died on 13 March 1942 at the age of 63.

Excellent, Rory. Thank you.

Can I ask if the clasps are riveted in that order and why you think there is the SA01 clasp in there?

Best wishes
David

Thank You Rory......

Another great piece of research and a great story.......

Another man will live forever......

Mike

Hello David

Yes - clasps riveted as you see them and the SA 1901 probably because of the medal roll attached. I recall with my other NMR Elandslaagte to J Whittaker that he appeared on a KSA roll entitled to both date clasps but, as we know, he like most of the Natal volunteers, was not entitled to it.





Regards

Rory

I think it is a super medal, the recipients Elandslaaggte clasp was not issued until 1908 and presumably, the medal was not returned for the work to be completed officially.

djb wrote: Excellent, Rory. Thank you.

Can I ask if the clasps are riveted in that order and why you think there is the SA01 clasp in there?

Best wishes
David

Nice medal Rory & very well researched.

Cheers,

Jim