1899 - Kimberley siege day 71 (57%). Ladysmith siege day 53 (44%). Mafeking siege day 73 (33%). Imperial Yeomanry to be enlisted. Dordrecht occupied by Dalgety.
1900 - Kitchener arrives at Naauwpoort to organize expulsion of the Boers from
Cape Colony.
In Kimberley:
Several waggons with water tanks seen moving in different directions. About 18 waggons were seen in the afternoon moving from Spyfontein via Schotz’s Neck apparently in the direction of Jacobsdaal.
A large bush laager has been formed just in rear of Wimbledon ridge.
Many grass fires. These may be started with a view to preventing their cattle grazing towards Kimberley.
I sent the following search light signals this evening:
“Dec 24th kindly inform Milty Secty Government House myself garrison and inhabitants Kimberley and Beaconsfield thank H E for king greetings for Xmass and New Year we also wish respectfully to offer h E our very best wishes for Christmas and new Year.”
“From Kekewich, To General Metheun. 24th Dec No 44 as your signals can be and are read by many in Kimberley and as cipher used in message of last night to Rhodes might possibly if often used be found out by clever persons would respectfully recommend your consideration that it be seldom used.”
I wish much I could get some information as to what is going on as to my battalion hat casualties there have been, what officers have come out etc etc. I do not wish to take up the very valuable time of the signalers in asking such information.
The calculations as to supplies available from 23rd Dec worked out as follows:
Population not counting De Beers natives in compounds,
white and coloured 20,000
Natives and Asiatics 15,000
Total - 35,000
Meal and flour – white and coloured – 63 days at ¾ lb per head; 73 days at 5/8 lb per head.
There is in addition Samp or mealie meal Pap at 2 oz per head. 70 days for 30,000 inhabitants.
I have tried to make arrangements, but I am afraid at considerable expense for the complete control of all breadstuffs and meat stuffs
I am sorry to say there are about 200 cases of scurvy reported amongst the natives in the Kimberley Mine Compound, but on the whole the general health of the garrison and inhabitants is good.
By taking the De Beers forage I have been able to make the forage ration as follows:
6 lbs of mealies; 2 lbs of oats; 4 lbs of hay; 2 lbs of green forage. Of course it is very important not to let our horses run down.
In Ladysmith:
Nothing disturbed the peace of Christmas Eve except three small shells thrown into the town about five o'clock tea-time, for no apparent reason. The main subject of interest was the chance of getting any Christmas dinner. Yesterday twenty-eight potatoes were sold in the market for 30s. A goose fetched anything up to £3, a turkey anything up to £5. But the real problem is water. The river is now a thick stream of brown mud, so thick that it cannot be filtered unless the mud is first precipitated. We used to do it with alum, but no alum is left now. Even soda-water is almost solid.
In Mafeking:
Owing to siege exigencies it was deemed necessary to hold our Christmas on the Sunday, as the Boers' religious festival is held on New Year's Day. All creeds held their ordinary Church services. Lady Sarah Wilson and Mr. B. Weil had organized a Christmas tree and tea for the two hundred and fifty children of Dutch and English parentage who were in the town. Brakes were running to and from the laager, filled with children, shrilly cheering and waving the Union Jack, the most effective one run by poor Captain Vernon, who was killed within forty-eight hours. The children seemed thoroughly to enjoy themselves, and great thanks are due to the organizers of the fete and their assistants, for everyone was pleased to see the children enjoy themselves. For the adults, sports were held, and a cheerful Christmas Day was passed.
