TOPIC:

1899 - Kimberley siege day 72 (58%). Ladysmith siege day 54 (45%). Mafeking siege day 74 (34%).
1901 - De Wet captures camp at Tweefontein.

In Kimberley:

Enemy very quiet, only a few waggons seen proceeding in different directions, and about 150 men went from Jacob Scoltz fort to Susanna probably for a prayer meeting.

All in town and the troops wonderfully quiet and regular. I sent round a confidential memo on the subject a few days ago to officers in charge of sections of the defence etc pointing out that there should be no relaxation of vigilance and the necessity that exists for the curtailment of the pleasures associated with this season of the year in times of peace.

The following were signalled this evening:

“From Int K B To Int MR. Dec 25th 7 pm No 45. it is as well you should know that between here and Modder River according to all reports not only have enemy constructed several very large works of stone and of earth, but Boers have already several lines of shelter pits and placed large quantities of obstacles in which barbed wire plays an important part. Have interviewed 14 of 30 natives sent out to locate enemy’s laagers and report his numbers. No useful information obtained. Six more have returned. I trust they may have something important to report. How many of 20 natives sent to gain information have reached you. Kindly say how many of 100 natives sent 23rd inst have arrived Modder River. Xmas festivities have prevented despatch further batches. Have sent you dozen blue prints road sketch Kimberley Jacobsdaal – what number reached you any time you consider advisable remainder can be forwarded you. Cross examination of native arrived from Boer camp elicited information that number of Transvaal Boers have been arriving from Natal at Schotz’s Nek since 13th instant; he cannot say exact number; further some Free State Boers from this border have proceeded to Philippolis to oppose French. Stop. Same native says talk in Boer camp is two Republics have 66,000 men under arms, that all old men left on farms now being commandeered to replace losses in battles; last item corroborated same statement appears in Standard and Diggers News of Dec 9th. Issue of same paper of Dec 15th states Karumen reported evacuated. F C WISSER in occupation. Have no confirmation of this, but an informed 700 Boers have gone thither to make second attack. Understand Scholtz Neck is most strongly entrenched of Boer Positions near here. Enemy has 10 guns there sevred by Germans. Boers reported to be terrified at effect our Artillery fire, many wish to surrender. Lists of some Boers killed and wounded came to hand claim to be official; from these it appears that at Stormberg Gatacre was opposed among others by colonial Boers from Aliwal North, Burghersdorf, Veaterstad, and Free staters from Dists Bethulie, Rouxville and Caledon River. Among enemy killed and wounded Modder River were Colonial Boers from Vryburg, Transvaa;ers from Marico Dist and Free Staters, from Hoopstadt Dist. Among enemy killed and wounded Magersfontein were colonial Boers from Doornbult and Hope Town, Transvaalers from Dists Potchestoom Lichtenberg, Bloemhof and Free staters from Dists Fauresmith, Ladybrand, Winborg, Ficksburg, Kronstadt, Bloemfontein and Boshof. I estimate Relief column at present time has some 16000 enemy between itself and Kimberley.

“From Kekewich, To General Metheun. Dec 25th 7 pm No 46. In order not to take up too much valuable time of signalers have carefully controlled messages. Should be glad if you would allow officer commandy my half battalion to signal me information as to numbers of Regt killed and wounded and how latter doing, also names of officers now serving with it and other information. Strong rumour here Lieut Wood of my mounted infantry company killed at Modder River.”

“From Kimberley. To General Methuen and Relief Column. Dec 24th our best Xmas wishes to you all.”

The following messages were received:

“From CSO; to Kek. On 25thNo H 162 your Dec 24th No 44. if code word used by Rhodes in telegram of 23rd Dec has not been divulged would not cipher be hard to find out. Stop. As many books of present cipher were issued before war to Agents is it not possible Boers may know cipher. Stop. Could you suggest any cipher for secret message.”

“From CSO to KEK. Please explain to Baden Powell Lord Metheun’s position and say he must expect no help from us.”

“From Metheun, To Kekewich, 25th Dec following received from Buller begins the Queen sent following message – I wish you and all my brave soldiers a happy Xmas God protect and bless you all.”

“From Rimington to Modern. Where will a letter find you.”

Answer sent as follows:

“From Modern, To Rimington, M D Dec 25th letter will find me at address we met.”

In Ladysmith:

The Boer guns gave us an early Christmas carol, and at intervals all day they joined in the religious and social festivities. Our north end of the town suffered most, and we beguiled the peaceful hours in digging out the shells that had nearly killed us. They have a marketable value. One perfect specimen of a 96lb. shell from Bulwan fell into a soft flower bed and did not burst or receive a scratch. I suppose it cost the Boers about £35, and it would still fetch £10 as a secondhand article. A brother to it pitched into a boarding house close by us, and blew the whole gable end sky high. Unhappily two of the inmates were wounded, and a horse killed.

But such little contretemps as shells did not in the least interfere with the Christmas revels. About 250 children are still left in the town or river caves (where one or two have recently been born), and it was determined they should not be deprived of their Christmas tree. The scheme was started and organised by Colonel Rhodes and Major "Karri" Davis, of the Imperial Light Horse. Four enormous trees were erected in the auction rooms and decked with traditional magnificence and toys ransacked from every shop. At half-past eight p.m. fairyland opened. A gigantic Father Christmas stalked about with branches of pine and snowy cap (the temperature at noon was 103deg. in the shade). Each child had a ticket for its present, and joy was distributed with military precision. When the children had gone to their dreams the room was cleared for a dance, and round whirled the khaki youths with white-bloused maidens in their arms. It was not exactly the Waterloo Ball with sound of revelry by night, but I think it will have more effect on the future of the race.

Other festivities, remote from the unaccustomed feminine charm, were a series of mule races, near the old camp, for soldiers and laughing Kaffir boys. The men's dinner itself was enough to mark the day. It is true everything was rather skimped, but after the ordinary short rations it was a treat to get any kind of pudding, any pinch of tobacco, and sometimes just a drop of rum.

Almost the saddest part of the siege now is the condition of the animals. The oxen are skeletons of hunger, the few cows hardly give a pint of milk apiece, the horses are failing. Nothing is more pitiful than to feel a willing horse like mine try to gallop as he used, and have to give it up simply for want of food. During the siege I have taught him to talk better than most human beings, and his little apologies are really pathetic when he breaks into something like his old speed and stops with a sigh. It is the same with all.

In Mafeking:

All creeds held their usual Christmas services though under some difficulty, as everyone was on duty, though the Boers kept Christmas as Sunday; yet it was no certainty to commence with. The Rev. Mr. Weekes, the Church of England clergyman, had to play the harmoniiun as well as conduct the service.

From the diary of William Watson, Ladysmith, November 1899:

December 25th - 6.30 a.m. - Shells already coming into the town. The Boers don’t regard Christmas, or any other festival of the Ancient Faith. Their ancestors suffered such horrors from Spain in the 16th century, that they can never be forgotten or forgiven, and Spain was always the favoured daughter of Rome. Like the Scotch, the Dutch hold by New Year, more than by Christmas. I don’t think there is one Roman Catholic Dutchman in South Africa. The few hundred roastings, which were brought about in English by sanguinary Polly, were a mere trifle, compared to the cruelties which Spain inflicted on Holland, and on every land where she was supreme. Mexico was treated even worse than the Netherlands were. — We have had rather a quiet day, there is a smartish artillery fire going on now however, as it is getting dusk.

I suspect just a drop of rum would have been most welcome for all those poor brave lads, stricken with dysentery, engaged on picquet duty at Caesars Camp, what a rotten way to spend Christmas, so far from home.

djb wrote: 1899
In Ladysmith:

The Boer guns gave us an early Christmas carol, and at intervals all day they joined in the religious and social festivities. Our north end of the town suffered most, and we beguiled the peaceful hours in digging out the shells that had nearly killed us. They have a marketable value. One perfect specimen of a 96lb. shell from Bulwan fell into a soft flower bed and did not burst or receive a scratch. I suppose it cost the Boers about £35, and it would still fetch £10 as a secondhand article. A brother to it pitched into a boarding house close by us, and blew the whole gable end sky high. Unhappily two of the inmates were wounded, and a horse killed.

But such little contretemps as shells did not in the least interfere with the Christmas revels. About 250 children are still left in the town or river caves (where one or two have recently been born), and it was determined they should not be deprived of their Christmas tree. The scheme was started and organised by Colonel Rhodes and Major "Karri" Davis, of the Imperial Light Horse. Four enormous trees were erected in the auction rooms and decked with traditional magnificence and toys ransacked from every shop. At half-past eight p.m. fairyland opened. A gigantic Father Christmas stalked about with branches of pine and snowy cap (the temperature at noon was 103deg. in the shade). Each child had a ticket for its present, and joy was distributed with military precision. When the children had gone to their dreams the room was cleared for a dance, and round whirled the khaki youths with white-bloused maidens in their arms. It was not exactly the Waterloo Ball with sound of revelry by night, but I think it will have more effect on the future of the race.

Other festivities, remote from the unaccustomed feminine charm, were a series of mule races, near the old camp, for soldiers and laughing Kaffir boys. The men's dinner itself was enough to mark the day. It is true everything was rather skimped, but after the ordinary short rations it was a treat to get any kind of pudding, any pinch of tobacco, and sometimes just a drop of rum.

Almost the saddest part of the siege now is the condition of the animals. The oxen are skeletons of hunger, the few cows hardly give a pint of milk apiece, the horses are failing. Nothing is more pitiful than to feel a willing horse like mine try to gallop as he used, and have to give it up simply for want of food. During the siege I have taught him to talk better than most human beings, and his little apologies are really pathetic when he breaks into something like his old speed and stops with a sigh. It is the same with all.

1899 - From the letters writer by Lt Col Park in Ladysmith

All good wishes for you, and may God grant us a happier Christmas together next year. I hope someone nice has asked you to dinner tonight, so that you may not have a horrid solitary evening. I wish I could know that my last wire has reached you. It got through to Buller’s force all right, but there is a little doubt whether it will be accepted and sent on without prepayment. It would be a cheerful little surprise for you after the long wait for news. The Boers began the morning by firing several shells, and we had to give up the early church parade, as the only place in which it can be held is just where shells very often pitch. I stayed in bed till 5 a.m. for the first time for eight weeks, and got up by daylight, which was a great luxury. Then we had two eggs each for breakfast, so we feel quite festive already. I am going down to Communion at the English Church at eleven, then round the men’s dinners at 12.30. There are some sports in the afternoon and a sing-song at night, and the men have an issue of rum, and tobacco, and their plum puddings, so they will not do badly. The carollers came round during the night, and sang rather well (in parts) the usual three hymns. I hear they visited Sir G. White and Colonel Knox, going round in one of the transport wagons. The most extraordinary prices have been paid lately for goods and drinks in the garrison. A bottle of whiskey fetched 5 pounds 10s. and 5 pound is freely offered. Egyptian cigarettes, 5 pounds a box. Eggs are 10 6d. a dozen, or 1s. each. We are getting a little fresh milk daily now at 2s. a bottle. 1 pound 5s. was paid yesterday for fifty- two very small potatoes, and other things are in proportion. I fancy that after today’s soufflé dehors there will be a very few extras or delicacies left in Ladysmith. I managed to collar a bottle of brandy yesterday and gave half to other fellows, and the rest I am taking back in my flask for emergencies. I am wearing my colonel’s badges today for the first time, and was grieved that I couldn’t go on parade with them this morning. I also got my first note last night addressed to Lieut-Colonel Park; it was from the Brigade Major, and gave me quite a jump when I first saw it. It takes off half the pleasure of it, not having you to enjoy it with me. I well remember how nice it was when the majority came in Rangoon, and how funny it seemed when everyone began addressing me as major. What a comfort it is to be absolved from the duty of trying to cultivate a major’s figure. I can stay as thin as I like now to the end of the chapter. You had better get the name-board on the gate repainted before I come back, just to let people know a little.

1899 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

Very quiet day. Nurse, Ada, Mr. Carson and I went to Church, as usual full of Volunteers. In the evening none but Uncle George went. Mr. Fred Tatham came to dinner, and we had a good many visitors in the afternoon.

We were awakened this morning by a Christmas greeting of six shells one after the other from "Long Tom", one of them wounding four soldiers in one of the camps,
I have forgotten which. Another came through a house in which a Mrs. Kennedy lives. She was laying the table. It lifted the table up, breaking everything. The room was full of splinters. She escaped with a slight wound on the head and none of the children were in the room.

We spent a very quiet Christmas Day. Major Hyslop, Major Bruderwold, Major Manifold, Lord Crighton, Gen. Brocklehurst, Colonel Lamport of the "Powerful" and others all came to wish us a Happy Christmas. In the evening we went to the Christmas Trees. There were four of them. Nurse Yateman assisted Major Davis at Australia, Ada and Colonel Rhodes at Great Britain, Olive Barker and Colonel Dartnell at South Africa, and Major Duffton and I at Canada. I am sure the Ladysmith children have never seen such Christmas Trees and had so many presents before. After they were all distributed, they had the Trees out and the room swept in no time. Then we danced with the children for a short time. Then finished a most pleasant evening by having a few grown up ones.

Poor old Wilfrid is most unlucky. Spent his Christmas in bed with another attack of fever.

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

Retired to Mimosa Thorns at daybreak. Went to camp at 11 o’clock and attended Communion Service at All Saints, having obtained special leave, returned at 3 o’clock. Boers opened fire with Long Tom at 5 a.m., keeping it up for 3 hours. No casualties. Returned to camp at 8. Our dinner consisted of soup, stewed goat and baked beef, both very tough, and plum pudding very elastic, tot of rum. An hour later turned in dreaming of past good times. A blank shell was fired on picket “Wishing us Compliments of the Season.”