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Major the Rev. E. P. Lowry, Senior Wesleyan Chaplain to the Forces, with the Rev. T. F. Faulkner, Senior Church of England Chaplain, visited these trenches immediately after the Boer retreat from their mighty stronghold. Mr. Lowry writes to the "Methodist Recorder" :-

"Of course I did not go to those trenches and laagers for purposes of loot. That is scarcely in my line, though naturally I picked up a few curios, as in duty bound. But the professional looters, who were there betimes, were in some cases well repaid for their trouble. We are told that in the tents of Boer officers diamond rings and gold watches, and portmanteaus full of various valuables were found. The retreat must have been hurried enough to justify its being called a rout; and the line of retirement was for a long way littered with abandoned spoils.

Large supplies of sundry food and clothing were left in the trenches or beside them, and I was astonished to note how large a portion of the Boer belongings had originally come from England. One of our poets tells us that
I saw no beef in the Boer trenches except in the, to us, repulsive form of stale biltong. Of that there must have been tons left; but the mustard was there - good old English, with the famous Bull's Head on the tin."

Two advertisements from the Blackpool Times of 18th April 1900.

Good Evening Berenice.....

The other day I was reading an account/diary of the battle of Waterloo from a French soldier and he mentioned that in certain areas even while the battle was still going on there were people looting the wounded and dead..... I know that a lot of people would feel repulsed at the thought but in those days it was an acceptable practice..... What about people going over battle fields with metal detectors nowadays in a way is it not the same thing......

Mike

Berenice/Mike
I recall seeing in Black and White about ads for a nifty pair of pliers ("veld pliers" as I recall) - just the thing for the occasional barbed wire fence - and binoculars. I seem to recall they were aimed at the First Yeomanry contingent. I will have a look and see if I can find the article. After all, "every opportunity taken to make a quid!".
Regards
IL.

Had a look in B&W (02/1900) over lunch and here are some "extras" for your IY Officer/OR on his way to SA:
Binos and wristwatch -

Veld pliers -


and "souvineer" cartridge/folding knife -



This last added in the fervent hope that someone, somewhere, does not assume this little folding knife actually CAME from the sieges.
Best regards
IL

One thing Boer and Britton clearly agree on is the best mustard out there...Colemans!

This particular war was certainly "good" for quite a number of people, none more so than a certain Joseph Chamberlain.

BereniceUK wrote: Major the Rev. E. P. Lowry, Senior Wesleyan Chaplain to the Forces, with the Rev. T. F. Faulkner, Senior Church of England Chaplain, visited these trenches immediately after the Boer retreat from their mighty stronghold. Mr. Lowry writes to the "Methodist Recorder" :-

"Of course I did not go to those trenches and laagers for purposes of loot. That is scarcely in my line, though naturally I picked up a few curios, as in duty bound. But the professional looters, who were there betimes, were in some cases well repaid for their trouble. We are told that in the tents of Boer officers diamond rings and gold watches, and portmanteaus full of various valuables were found. The retreat must have been hurried enough to justify its being called a rout; and the line of retirement was for a long way littered with abandoned spoils.

Large supplies of sundry food and clothing were left in the trenches or beside them, and I was astonished to note how large a portion of the Boer belongings had originally come from England. One of our poets tells us that

'Sympathy without relief
Is like mustard without beef.'

I saw no beef in the Boer trenches except in the, to us, repulsive form of stale biltong. Of that there must have been tons left; but the mustard was there - good old English, with the famous Bull's Head on the tin."

THE FAMOUS BULL'S HEAD IS THE TRADE MARK OF
COLMAN'S MUSTARD

Two advertisements from the Blackpool Times of 18th April 1900.