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Here's the Queen's maxim detachment; looks like at the docks in Durban. The south slope of Tabanyama would have been too steep for the carriage, but the Maxims were mounted on tripods and carried up to the crest and used by the British. Interestingly, the Boers also had a couple of Maxims on Tabanyama - they were the ultra-light type, and were in .303 cal.


Here's the officers of the Queen's eating lunch in the field. This photo would have been taken between actions, possibly at Frere. At Tabanyama there were no tents.

On this spot, GPS -28.69576, 29.41559, the little hollow indicates the shallow grave of a soldier of the Queen's. He died en route to Treves' No 4 Stationary Hospital at Spearman's Farm and was buried alongside the wagon track. In the 1960s his remains were exhumed and he completed his journey, being re-interred at Spearman's Military Cemetery - or so I understand.
FWIW, I think this photo shows the initial resting place of Private William Hands 3209. He fell on 21 Jan 1900 in Col. Walter Kitchener's ill-fated attack at Bastion Hill and died of wounds.
Most men [of both sides] were buried where they fell, though little cemeteries sprang up next to the Field Hospitals, for obvious reasons.
The outlying burials were gathered together into cemeteries in the 1960s, partly because of the building of Spion Kop Dam, and partly for convenience.

Royal West Surrey Regiment entraining for Southampton with Blue Jackets cheering

Source: ILN 28 October 1899

Rob,

Your photos are excellent quality. Thank you for posting those.

I like that impromptu dining table.

The picture of the RWSR's departure appeared in The Graphic under the title 'Off to the front: the 2nd Queen's West Surry Regiment being seen off by men of HMS Excellent.

The 2nd RWSR were leaving leaving Portsdown Hill Forts for embarkation on SS Yorkshire at Southampton.

'It should be stated that in 1794 the West Surrey Regiment served as Marines in Lord Howe's fleet, and a large draft fought in the Queen Charlotte. That vessel eventually became the Excellent Gunnery School, and to keep up an old association it was decided that as the first half battalion would leave the forts on Portsdown Hill accompanied by the regimental band, the second half battalion should have an escort that should make amends for any deficiency in this respect. The first half battalion left at none o'clock, and an hour later a battalion of 600 bluejackets, with band, arrived at Cosham from Whale Island. The sailors lined the village street, while the band went on to meet the troops, and played them to the station. For more than an hour there was a scene of the greatest excitement at the station, but it reached its culmination point when the train moved out, the band playing 'Soldiers of the Queen' and the sailors cheering with the upmost heartiness.'

The aforementioned band.



Source: Transvaal War Album