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Rob - Here's one from my collection but relating to Colenso. Lyons was invalided to pension.



2419 Pte. J.T Lyons, Royal West Surrey Regiment. PIN 71/3959
Queen’s South Africa Medal clasp Relief of Ladysmith.
Injured in action Colenso 15 December 1899.
John Thomas Lyons enlisted under the alias of Henry Lacey at Guildford 26 September 1888 aged 18 years 9 months. Born St James’s, London. Occupation porter. Between 1889 and 1895 had 28 entries in the defaulter book for various offences including one of “making away with rations belong to the sergeants’ mess”. Transferred to the Army Reserve 8 April 1898. Conduct very good. Recalled to army service 9 October 1899. Suffered concussion from an exploding shell while in the firing line at Colenso which rendered him unconscious for ten days. A medical report in September 1900 stated that he was suffering from shock and neurasthenia. He was nervous, twitchy and had a loss of power down his right side. Discharged medically unfit for further service at Aldershot 16 November 1900. Character good. A medical report in November 1901 stated that he was still suffering from nervous shock, was partly paralysed in his right arm and leg and his speech was affected. His disability was assessed and considered equal to the loss of a limb. A medical report in November 1902 came to the same conclusion. Re-enlisted with number 6187 in the Royal Army Pay Corps at Exeter 19 March 1915 but did not serve overseas so did not qualify for any WW1 medals. Demobilised 28 July 1920. A medical report in January 1920 found his condition much improved and assessed his disability at less than 20%. Died of a collapsed lung and auricular fibrillation at 30 Twickenham Road, Isleworth 16 November 1950 aged 82. Served in 2nd Battalion in South Africa.

Here's the PDF of that Lancet article; the trem "General Nervous Shock" seems good enough. I note, at that time and also in the Great War, there was little or no stigmatisation of patients with PTSD that I have come across - but an abundance of genuine concern and sympathy, both from medical and lay people:

I have downloaded the article. Thank you for making it available.

Hi there,
Can I use this source for a book I'm writing on Boer War veterans?
Thank you

Not specifically related to Spion Kop, but a good insight into battle stress by an officer, James Mackillop,of the 9th (Yorkshire) Company Imperial Yeomanry.

". . . Such are some of the scenes and experiences of the active side of warfare through which he has passed, but there is another side with which he has come in contact, which is sadder and more tragic. If he would, he could relate many stories of this other side - stories of men - brave men whose health has broken down under a strain inconceivable to those resting comfortably at home in peace and security, whose "nerve" has gone under the stress of constant vigilance, the incessant anxiety and watchfulness, lest behind some bush, or rock, or clump of trees, there should be lurking the deadly "sniper." Night and day this anxiety never relaxed. The whistle of a bullet overhead, perhaps in the dead of night after a hard day's marching, and the faint echo of a report told that somewhere, how far away or how near it was difficult to say, was lurking an enemy unseen, but watchful. Under this never ending strain men's nerves broke down, and Captain Mackillop could tell of brave men who, even in the security of Capetown, dared not leave their hotel, fearing lest from some window or roof, or out of some dark corner, should come the deadly bullet, or of men who through sheer nervous exhaustion cried themselves to sleep at night. Incidents such as these, to say naught of the agony of the wounded and the sick, tell the other side of war."
Leeds Mercury, Monday 17th December 1900