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1899 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

Here we are again once more in our hole. We have not been here for a month or more so you may imagine what the shelling is like today. It began soon after daylight, and the third one fell in the Carbineer lines just behind us. It passed through a horse and exploded in the air, through the concussion, just low enough to catch the men standing about. It was a fearful sight from our back door. We could see one poor man lying dead on a stretcher and just out of sight we knew there were three others. One poor young fellow named Elliot, 17 years old, had both his legs taken off. The others were Miller, Maritzburg, Craighead Smith of Dundee, and Buxton, and Nicolson is still alive but not expected to recover. The same shell, a splinter of it, killed an Engineer over 360 yards from where it exploded. The same shell killed 12 horses in the Carbineer lines and three in the Artillery lines. This shows what damage one of these shells can do.

This has indeed been another "Mournful Monday" as the shelling has been heavy and more lives lost than on any other day. The first woman has been killed today, a kaffir woman, cut right in two while cooking behind Dunton's store. A coolie had his hand taken off by the same shell. Today's wounded are Nicolson, severely, Warwick slightly, also Daly, Gillam, Craik, Holly and Grieg.

The heat is simply too dreadful today, the temperature at 107 in the shade. No wonder we all feel so tired and done. I am thankful to say Wilfrid is much better again. Willie is not well again. I forgot to put down that a man in the Manchester Regiment was killed today, and the most awful part of it is, as when he was being carried in by four men in a dhoolie, another shell struck the dhoolie knocking the body out. Most of the men were knocked over but no one hurt. This has indeed been a dreadful day.

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

Roused at 3.45. Usual horse exercise, picket lines, cleaning up at 5.30. An awful calamity happened to our Regiment, a shell striking in B lines on the same erf as ours. The shell passed over my head, so close that I could feel the draught. A general stampede of horses with cries for help. I was on the spot in a few seconds to find several poor fellows in death’s agony. Following are the casualties: Killed W. Buxton and Miller of B. Squadron, Craig Smith and T. Elliott of E. Squadron. Wounded: Corp. Holley A. Squadron, Nicolson (right leg shot off), slight, W. Warwick (groin) Daly (biceps) Gillam (4 slight wounds) J. Greig of E. Squadron (thigh) and 10 horses killed or had to be shot. 5 or 6 more deaths from shells (including two natives) several wounded. Saddler Sergt. Lyle had a marvellous escape. He was sitting on a milk case about 2 ft. by 1.6 at the opening of this tent a little to the left of where the shell burst, a fragment of which passed through the case between his legs, smashing 4 rifles strapped to the pole and through another man’s kit and blankets (Segt. Major Mitchell who worked for Nicolson in Vryheid) tearing his things to pieces. A farrier sergt. was asleep alongside but neither were touched. The tents were riddled all round with pellets, it being a segment shell. Hereto-fore we have been very callous and after this terrible disaster will seek cover. Melton Prior has lived in a cave in the river bank since commencement of siege. Many regard it as cowardice. I think it most sensible when shells are falling so promiscuously. In the afternoon the whole Squadron was put on digging a large trench in rear of Camp to take shelter on sound of bugle indicating discharge of gun. At 5 were warned for piquet leaving 6.45. Having pack horse was left with support at Platelayers’s house. Showery, following dust storm.

The weather conditions mentioned here, by Miss Craw are so often forgotten, Arthur Curran's lads were very exposed, at the end of that wretched ridge, moreover, Picquet Duty was arduous and often quite lengthy, made even more unpleasant, in particular, if you were suffering from dysentery, as so many actually were.
It is interesting that she mentions this incident, from memory, it was Private Dance and Private Abbott that were both wounded, sadly, for Abbott, his wounds were so severe and he succumbed almost immediately, poor brave lad.

djb wrote: 1899 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

The heat is simply too dreadful today, the temperature at 107 in the shade. No wonder we all feel so tired and done. I am thankful to say Wilfrid is much better again. Willie is not well again. I forgot to put down that a man in the Manchester Regiment was killed today, and the most awful part of it is, as when he was being carried in by four men in a dhoolie, another shell struck the dhoolie knocking the body out. Most of the men were knocked over but no one hurt. This has indeed been a dreadful day.

1899 - From the diary of Major George Tatham, Natal Carbineers

A sad day for us. After early morning parade our poor men had just returned to horse lines, about 7.00, when a shell from Long Tom on Bulwan struck and burst in a horse amongst the thickest of them, killing four men, wounding eight men and killed and wounded 7 horses. Most of the wounded horses had to be shot. The men killed were Troopers C. Smith, Buxton, Elliot and Miller. One of these poor men had both his legs cut off at the thigh. Funeral was held at night as shelling was too severe to admit of its taking place during the day. Several other casualties happened at other camps during this unlucky day. Some of our wounded subsequently died.

1899 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Monday, 18 December

The enemy seem to have been asleep all day today with the exception of a few hundred who can be seen at their head laager practising skirmishing drill.

Two natives were taken prisoners this morning by Currie’s men at the brickfields. They had the cheek to tell us that the Boers had removed their big gun to Pretoria, but as we could plainly see it at about 3 000 yards off B.P. told the spies that he would have them shot for telling lies; we have however, in the meantime, got them safe in jail.