TOPIC:

1899 - Boer invasion of Natal continues. Joubert at Newcastle.
1900 - Methuen defeats Tollie de Beer near Schweizer Reneke.


General Joubert at Newcastle

1899 - From the diary of Trooper A J Crosby, Natal Carbineers

Returned to camp at daybreak - on horse guard - very hot. Moved to rear of homestead under cover of trees. Saw Nel leave on horseback in direction of Berg before daybreak. Have suspicion that he is in communication with the enemy. On outpost all night.

The 1st Manchester's Mounted Infantry Company, having left Dargle Road after the rest of the battalion had entrained, arrived in Ladysmith on this day, I dare say they must have been a rather curious sight to the towns people, but, a must welcome one.

1899 - Report from Dundee on the evening of the 17th.

....Dundee, Tuesday Night.—The column of Boers from the north are steadily advancing. To-day they reached Hogg's Farm between Dannhauser and Hatting Spruit, and their patrols were thrown out some distance further south.
....From Ladysmith it is reported that our cavalry have been in touch with the enemy all day. Caution marked both sides, but the exchange of shots was continuous. A battle is believed impending, and is certain to take place if the Boers advance further towards Ladysmith.
....The Boer plan is evidently to make a simultaneous attack from the north and from the east. The British object is to defeat each Boer column in detail.
....All day the Boers have tried to draw the British forces into the tangle of the hills, but without any success. On the other hand the British have sought to lure the Boers into the open ground, but so far the enemy has not accepted the invitation. We are all ready here for any emergency, and at all points the greatest enthusiasm prevails among the men. General Symons has requested all able-bodied men capable of bearing arms to remain at Dundee, and this is being generally complied with. All the women and children and old folks have gone. All the banks are closed, and valuables and stores have been removed from the town. Sanguinary fighting may now occur at any hour. The Cardiff Times, Saturday 21st October 1899


1900 - Edwin Herbert Harrington, 16th (Worcestershire) Company Imperial Yeomanry, was killed in action today, aged 21.

....Private Harrington was a son of Mr. H. H. Harrington, hop merchant, of Verview House, Battenhall. He was engaged with his father in the hop business before joining the Yeomanry, which he did when the call was made for Volunteers for South Africa. Much sympathy will be felt with the family in their bereavement.
....The last time Private Harrington was heard of prior to the news of his death he was at Mafeking; He was the second son of Mr. Harrington, and educated at the Cathedral King's School, and was a member of the Old Vigornians' Club. In connection with his father's business he travelled a great deal, and was consequently absent from home a good portion of his time. He had, however, many friends in Worcester, and was very much liked and respected by all his associates. Mr. Harrington has another son out in South Africa, his eldest, who is a member of the Northumberland Yeomanry.
Worcestershire Chronicle, Saturday 27th October 1900

....Trooper Charge, of the Imperial Yeomanry, son of Councillor W. Charge, of Worcester, writing from a kopje four miles north of Ottoshoop, on Oct. 24, says:
.... . . . On this morning, Oct. 17, we were advancing on Nooidedagtd. The eight men of the Worcester troop were Dorrell and New on the right, then Harding and myself, then Bomford and Marks, the extreme left pair,were Harrington and Meredith, and 50 yards behind were Lieut. Pelly and Sergt. Somers. We started before daybreak, and opened out after passing the picket. We passed a patch of veldt, the ground being very rough and rocky; then we came to a fairly smooth open part (this is where we shelled the Boers on the previous day). In front of us was a country covered with the densest bush veldt. We advanced slowly, and we got within 30 yards of the fringe of the bush, when on the extreme left the enemy opened a point blank fire. As A. G. Hales says, in his nonsensical letter, 'It was like breathing lead.' They were so close that the smoke pulled out to us from their rifles. I expected every second to be riddled with bullets. I turned my horse round sharply and galloped with my head on his neck under a galling fire for about half a mile, when I got back to the regiment, and dismounting opened fire with the rest at them. We gradually dispersed the enemy.
...."Poor Bertie Harrington was not so lucky. He was shot dead, through the heart and head. His horse and Mr. Pelly's were killed. It cast quite a gloom over us all, as Bertie was liked and esteemed by everyone, and it cut us all up badly. We followed the enemy, and fought all day, and it was not till 4.30 p.m. that we were called in for Bertie's funeral. I helped to carry him to the grave. We laid him between some bushes, and after Mr. Gell had read the funeral service we covered him up, got a lot of stones, and made his grave as ornamental as we could. At the head of his grave is a wooden cross, with the following inscription: "Edwin H. Harrington, 16th Company, 5th Regiment, Imperial Yeomanry. Killed in action at Nooidedagtel, Oct. 17th, 1900." . . . . A most peculiar incident, which I forgot to mention, is that poor Bertie Harrington only changed places in the troop about two days before he was killed. llf that had not happened, it is extremely likely that I should have had it. P.S.—The saddest thing of all is that when we got our mails, there was a telegram from home for Bertie Harrington, asking him to go home, as he was wanted. Is it not dreadful?"
The Worcestershire Chronicle, Saturday 24th November 1900

Bertie is named on a memorial board at The King's School, Worcester.

Source: Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Tuesday, 17 October [1899]

Got up very early, expecting another bombardment, but Cronje, no doubt thinking half the people in Mafeking were killed, must have thoughtfully ordered his foreign gunners to cease firing.

There is a rumour prevalent, whether originating from the staff or not I cannot find out, that the enemy have sent to Pretoria for one of their large heavy siege guns; presumably we shall know quite soon enough for our health’s sake.

Information has been received in today that the two B.S.A.P. stationed at Ramatlabama have been taken prisoners by the Boers and are now on the way to Pretoria, a case of very hard luck for them as the authorities could easily have recalled them previous to our being surrounded.
In general orders published by the staff today the Colonel draws attention to the deserted condition of the buildings of the town, and that under martial law the penalty [for] the crime of theft can be carried to the extreme and if proved guilty the prisoner can be shot. A bit stiff this, but I suppose we shall get used to martial law in time.

Everything quiet all day and evening with the exception of rifle-firing by the outposts.

I have been kept pretty busy all day, doling out ammunition, so I have had no time to go round gathering news.

A refugee laager has been formed up about a mile north of the women’s laager for the purpose of accommodating defenceless and destitute men, women and children, who have come across the Transvaal seeking protection. By the look of things they are mostly dirty, unwashed, half-starved Boers and will form nothing else but a hotbed of traitors and spies and should be escorted back over the border to Cronje with our Colonel’s compliments.

The Colonel has notified in tonight’s orders that that particular spot will be strongly patrolled at night and that anybody attempting to leave the place after sundown without a pass will be shot, and that after this order the Government are not responsible should any casualty occur owing to the disregard of the order.