This corps was raised at the end of December 1900, and in the first week of January 1901, when the enemy were penetrating to within easy distance of Cape Town, they were sent to occupy Pickaneer's Kloof. They just managed to arrive in time. Although fiercely attacked on the 28th, and losing 4 killed and 23 wounded, including Captain Rose, they held on to the positions commanding the pass. This was a most promising beginning, and during the next seven months the corps did much excellent work. By the middle of February the corps was 500 strong, their commander being Major Owen Lewis.
They were much split up, sections being attached to many columns, both in Cape Colony and the Orange River Colony. The fine work of those with De Lisle and Bethune, when they were in Western Cape Colony and afterwards in the north-east of the Orange River Colony, was several times spoken of.
In a telegram from Calvinia, dated 8th February 1901, the Press Association correspondent who was accompanying Colonel De Lisle said: "Very valuable assistance was given to our force by a section of the Cape Town Cyclist Corps under Captain Rose last week. We were cut off from all telegraphic communication, and Colonel De Lisle relied on them exclusively for the purpose of despatch-riding, a duty which they performed admirably". And again on the 24th he said: "The comprehensive manner in which the country has been scouted by Colonel De Lisle is largely due to the mobility and enterprise of the Cyclist Corps, who have done excellent work as scouts and despatch-riders".
Major Owen Lewis was mentioned in Lord Kitchener's despatch of 23rd June 1902, and received the DSO.
See the posts on the CCCC.
