TOPIC:

Joseph George Makins

Wounded in Action – Battle of Tweefontein – 10 January 1881

Private, Prince Alfred’s Guard – Basuto Gun Wars 1880/1
Driver, Cape Government Railways – Anglo Boer War

- Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal clasp Basutoland to PTE. J.G. MAKINS. P.A. GUARD
- Queens South Africa Medal to J.J. MAKIN. (sic) C.G.R.

Joseph Makins was born in Grahamstown in the Cape Colony of South Africa on 1 November 1859 the son of William Maykin (sic), a Mason and Bricklayer of “Gatlands” on the outskirts of the town, and his wife Eliza, a widow with the surname of Radford, born Openshaw. Controversially his parents were married at St George’s Cathedral in Grahamstown on 1 October 1868 – nine years after his birth.

After what was a rudimentary schooling, no doubt suitable for the times in which he lived, Joseph Makins, deciding not to follow in his father’s footsteps, became a Blacksmith. He was pursuing this trade when he tied the marital knot at the Wesleyan Chapel in Uitenhage on 22 September 1879. The happy bride was 18 year old Agnes Josephine Paul, also of Uitenhage.

The Eastern Cape where he lived was Frontier country. Quite apart from the hardships which settlers there had to ensure from the harsh climate and unforgiving landscape, they had also marauding bands of Xhosa and Basuto tribesmen to contend with.

These recalcitrants, coming from the Transkei and Basutoland, were intent on sowing havoc and plundering the crops and the livestock of the settler community. So what if the occasional blood was shed in the pursuit of their nefarious escapades? They would take what they wanted, almost with impunity, and head back across the Kei river and elsewhere to their tribal fortresses.

Their machinations had already led to countless Frontier wars with the Ninth taking place as recently as 1879 when Joseph Makins was already 19 years old. Although he didn’t take part in that fight, he was very much in evidence in the Basuto Gun Wars which took place the following year – 1880. Although Morosi and his followers and the Gaika and Galeka tribes had been vanquished there still remained the thorny issue of “deweaponising” the Basuto who had sought work on the diamond fields of Kimberley and elsewhere and who had been paid, partly, for their services with muskets and ammunition.

Sir Gordon Sprigg, the Cape Colony Governor, alive to the constant danger the “weaponised” Basuto posed, embarked on a campaign to denude them of their arms and set about legislating accordingly. Of course it was one thing to pass a law and quite another to bring it into effect. The Basuto proved exceedingly reluctant to part with their prized guns, unsurprisingly, as killing game for their cooking pots was a lot easier with a rifle than with a spear.

By this time Makins and family had departed the leafy splendour of Grahamstown in search of a more reliable source of income. This led them to the metropolis of nearby Port Elizabeth whose local regiment was the Prince Alfred’s Guard and it was with this august regiment that he aligned himself.
On 23 September 1880, 200 picked volunteers of the PAG paraded in Port Elizabeth under Major Deare, embarking aboard the Lapland for East London two days later. Arriving at Carrington’s camp near Wepener, not far from the Basuto border on 16 October, the assembled force marched out to relieve the besieged Basuto settlement (one could hardly describe it as a town) of Mafeteng on 19 October.



The PAG detachment comprised 160 men under Major Deare. Later that morning, having crossed over into Basutoland, the PAG approached Kalabani Hill. The enemy now appeared in some force to the north, firing at very long range. As they neared the column they began to attack in waves and the PAG were involved in numerous skirmishes, the Basuto only being dispersed when the artillery was brought up and opened fire. The way to Mafeteng was now clear and the force entered the compound only to move off again on 22 October when 155 officers and men of the PAG, as part of a Headquarters force commanded by Colonel Carrington, moved off with their objective being to take the rebel stronghold at Lerothodi’s Village.

Major Deare and his men were ordered to clear the donga wherein Lerothodi’s men were directing a galling fire on the troops. Deare hastily got his men together and, as far as he could remember after the battle, he took the whole of the PAG’s detachment (7 officers and 145 other ranks.) Making for a spur running down from the mountains and under heavy crossfire from the Basutos he led the PAG in an assault straight over the ridge. The Guards were drawn up with bayonets fixed and, having told the men what was required of them, Deare led them in the first ever bayonet charge by any volunteer force in battle - in a rush across a ploughed mealie field, down into the donga.



The Basutos fired into the oncoming ranks but had no time to reload and were driven back in hand-to-hand combat with severe losses. They fled back to Lerothodis’ Village, an estimated 150 of them killed, followed by the PAG who now stormed the place. Within half an hour the Basuto were in full flight. Not long afterwards, with the Rebellion spreading, the PAG were involved in action near Kalabani Mountain.

On 10 November 1880, a strong fighting patrol including 156 men of the PAG left the camp at Mafeteng and were involved in more skirmishing. But little overall progress was being made in suppressing the Transkei rebels who had risen at the same time and the PAG were out on patrols largely clearing rebel villages and continuing to skirmish with mounted Basuto bands, constantly expecting to be ambushed, and the men had difficulty in seeing what they were actually accomplishing. As a result they became thoroughly bored and were distracted by the news coming from up-country where the Boers were gaining the upper hand in the fight with the British in what became known as the First Anglo Boer War.

Major Deare’s Fourth Active Service Detachment, of which Makins formed part, had their last engagement in Basutoland a few days later, at the Battle of Tweefontein on 14 January 1881. On this occasion, 500 Headquarters Camp men from the Cape Mounted Rifles (110), 1st (80) and 3rd Yeomanry (30) Prince Alfred’s Guard (60), Dukes (120), Kimberley Horse (50), and the Native Contingent (50) plus two guns, 400 Burghers and 60 of 2nd Yeomanry from the Mafeteng garrison left Pokwane Camp with an ambulance and two ammunition wagons at 4 a.m.

The strong fighting patrol- again under Brabant headed for Thaba T’soen, north-east of Pokwane, and met no opposition for the first six miles. They did not know that in dead ground near Sepechele village Lerothodi had 8,000 men lying in wait.

Brabant sent the Burghers ahead to seize a village on the right called Radiamari. Their advance guard, in the rain, was then fired on from the top of a koppie, which they and the Native Contingent charged in very scattered formation through thick mist. Only some of them had reached the crest when suddenly 2,000 mounted Basutos appeared over a rise only about 200 yards to the left front of the main column, whom they charged at full gallop. A squadron of the Cape Mounted Rifles, dismounting rapidly, opened a terrific fire on the advancing enemy and split them, but meanwhile others had charged the Burghers, who tried to retire hurriedly instead of dismounting and using their rifles.

Commandant Erasmus of Somerset East, trying to induce his men to stand, fell into the hands of the enemy and was killed as the Basutos got in amongst the disorganised Burghers and cut them up badly with assegais and battle-axes, until driven back by the Yeomanry, with small arms fire from the saddle. Surgeon J. F. McCrea, of 1st Cape Mounted Yeomanry, though wounded himself, halted under heavy fire to attend to a wounded Burgher, and won the Victoria Cross during the fierce engagement.

Both guns were in action, and the fusillade continued on all sides for an hour and a half, in spite of the rain, before the two guns both broke down and 140 of the Yeomanry, with the Dukes in support, put in a charge with their recently issued swords and forced the enemy out of their positions towards Witkoppies. Prince Alfred’s Guard and the Native Contingent completed the rout by driving the Basutos from the ruins of the old Tweefontein trading station where they tried to make a stand before breaking in disorder. On three occasions Prince Alfred’s Guard went in with the bayonet, led by Major Deare and Lieutenants Miles and Thornton, before the column returned to camp at Tsita after a strenuous five hours of fighting in the rain.

Enemy dead were estimated at 80, but the column itself lost six killed, with 16 wounded, including Private Makins of Prince Alfred’s Guard, in addition to 22 Burghers and three Native levies killed and 25 Burghers wounded. There was already talk of overtures for peace in Basutoland, which would have been welcomed, as war had broken out against the Transvaal Boers and the British disaster at Laing’s Nek was already a matter for serious concern among Colonial military men.

Major Deare’s detachment, whose time had expired, left the Basutoland front on January 31, and 137 of the 200 who had left Port Elizabeth now returned home. Before they finally left Azariel’s Camp on February 4, the column commander thanked them all for their services, and on February 19 the Venice with the flag of Prince Alfred’s Guard flying at the masthead, sailed into Algoa Bay, bringing them home to Port Elizabeth, where they were given a warm reception and entertained in the Town Hall that evening at a public banquet for which £500 had been subscribed.
Hall in his “Prince Alfred's Guard; Its History. With Notes Relating to the Volunteer Movement in Port Elizabeth,” on page 133 gave a similar account as follows:

‘On the 10th January 1881, the Fourth Active Service Detachment fought their last fight in Basutoland at Tweefontein. This was a desperate battle, for Carrington’s column, which numbered 960 of all ranks, were attacked by an overwhelming horde of Basutos. The battle raged for over five hours and, in both defence and attack the Guard bore the brunt of the fighting. The men were well in hand and, firing with great coolness, the infantry drove the enemy off at all points. Major Deare, Lt Miles and Lt Thornton were especially conspicuous on the field, and during the day these officers led three brilliant bayonet charges, and finally the enemy (horse and foot) were put to flight, pursued by our mounted troops. In this fight we lost one man, Private Makins.’

As can be seen from the above narratives, Makins not only took part in the first volunteer force bayonet charge (and others subsequent to that event), but was also Wounded in Action – the only man of his regiment to be wounded at Tweefontein. A medal to be awarded to those who took part in the Basuto Gun Wars was only authorised by Queen Victoria in 1900 and very few of the original application forms for the Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal have survived. Happily, Makins’ was one of them and, completed by him on 28 October 1904 at Port Elizabeth, he confirmed his address as Charlotte Street, North End, Port Elizabeth and that his Officer Commanding was Major Deare. He also confirmed that he took part in the Basutoland 1880-81 campaign.

Makins’ medal was “Cape named,” indicating that it was named - up by one of two jewellers in Cape Town entrusted with the task of naming - up blank medals sent from the Royal Mint.

Back on the home front Makins set about the business of starting a family. Emily Jane was born in 1882 followed by William George in 1884, Lydia May in 1886, Beatrice Eliza in 1891, Ralph Alfred in 1893 and, finally, George Joseph.


A typical CGR engine and carriages of the period

As the end of the 19th century neared the threat of war hanging over South Africa burst into full-scale conflict. The two Boer Republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal went to war with the might of Great Britain on 11 October 1899 and, whilst the fighting was initially confined to parts north of the Eastern Cape, it didn’t take long before it worked its way further south and involved Port Elizabeth and its surrounds as well.

By the time war had broken out Makins had long ceased to operate on his own and had sought and found employment with the Cape Government Railways where he was employed as a train driver. Normally this would have been one of the most pedestrian of occupations, requiring no more than driving a train between Point A and Point B and back again. During wartime, however, this role took on a new and important significance – trains became soft targets for the marauding Boer Commandoes who had infiltrated into the Cape Colony in search of new recruits to their cause and supplies and food for themselves and their mounts.



Trains were used to ferry troops and supplies northwards as they were disgorged from the ships landing at Cape Town and Port Elizabeth and the job of a train driver became a hazardous one with the Boers blowing up vast stretches of railway line in the hinterland and ambushing those trains stranded as a result. The medal roll of which Makins Queens medal was awarded states quite clearly in the Remarks column that he was “Working trains in theatre of war.” The medal roll also, erroneously, describes him as J.J. Makin when his medal was awarded on 25 January 1905.

Makins continued to work as a driver with the South African Railways, at North End in Port Elizabeth, until his retirement was announced in September 1915 when he had reached the mandatory retirement age of 65.

He passed away at 18 Crawford Street, Port Elizabeth on 1 May 1927 at the age of 67 years and 6 months and was survived by his many children. His wife, Agnes had predeceased him on 4 September 1904. His normal address was Rufane Vale, South End, Port Elizabeth.

Intriguingly, his Last Will and Testament, written on 12 June 1926, makes it very clear that, “I hereby expressly disinherit my children not herein mentioned and exclude them from all participation in my estate.” This effectively excluded William George and Lydia May from any proceeds from his will.

Acknowledgements:
- Prince Alfred’s Guard 1856-1966 by Neil Orpen pages 25-45
- Prince Alfred's Guard; Its History. With Notes Relating to the Volunteer Movement in Port Elizabeth page 133
- Familsearch.org for marriage and death certificates.
- Adrian Ellard (Cape Archives) for CGHGSM medal application forms.
- Ancestry for medal rolls
- Patti Makins for additional family information.
- Robert Mitchell for assistance with PAG research

Very very Nice!
RobM

Dear Rory

Thank you for your interesting note on Makins.

Do you know where the casualty rolls for the Basuto Gun War can be found? Orpen sometimes mentions casualties in his regimental histories, but what original sources could he have been using?

best regards
Peter

I have no idea Peter. I can only think that they must be languishing in the Cape Archives and, somehow, Orpen and others were able to have access to them.

Rob Mitchell/Adrian Ellard would you have any idea?

Rory

The only published roll that I am aware of is the Major Tylden’s listing of those killed published in Vol 1 No 5 of the Military History Journal of the South African Military History Society in December 1969. This is available on line.

Collectors will be aware that the Cape of Good Hope General Service medal was not awarded to servicemen who were killed in action (nor to those who died before the authorization of the award of the medal in 1900) and hence there is a greater interest in medals to those who are recorded as having been wounded. Numerous reports and despatches were submitted by military officials to both the British Government and the Cape Government concerning the progress of the war in Basutoland and in the Transkei which detail some of the names of those servicemen who were wounded but a full record is far from complete. I am fortunate in having the Basutoland medal awarded to Diederick Preyser (recorded as Phraser) who was slightly wounded at the action at Lerothodi’s Kraal while serving with the Dukes on 22 October 1880 and the group of medals awarded to Sergeant Francis McGregor (recorded at times as Captain John McGregor) who received a bullet wound of his ankle joint during the sharp action in the Gquaka Gorge in Tembuland on 12 December 1880 while serving with Donald Strachan’s Abolondolozi Regiment.

RobM

Hi AlI,

I have attached, for interests sake, one of the few Cape of Good Hope General service medal application forms I have found that were awarded to men who were killed in action presumably/possibly before the authorization of the medal in 1900.

The application was made by the father of Reginald Saunders who served in the Diamond Fields Horse and who was later KIA at Mafeking on the 17th May 1900.

Application is marked App App (Application Approved ) and form dated 22 July 1904.