TOPIC:

Frank Kelley wrote: Good gracious, shelling, inflation and thievery, a terrible combination!

South Africa, Including Ladysmith KZN, still has inflation and thievery in abundance, a combination that makes up for the absence of shelling!

My best wishes for 2017 to Frank and all other readers of this forum.

Brett

Happy new year Brett, it is the way of the world these days, moreover, you can (as can I) consider yourself most fortunate to be immune from shelling, not everyone is so lucky.
These entries certainly do provide an insight into events in Ladysmith and I have enjoyed reading them, they have made me think once again of those desperate and hard times that the townsfolk had to endure.

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

Three shells fell from Surprise Hill at very long ranges, one landing near Maiden Castle in the direction of Wagon Hill. Several shots were fired during the night. This put the nervous members of the community into a bad state of mind and many started off for their shelters in the river bank, in the dark, followed by and dragging troops of crying children; others remained at home taking their chance, amongst whom were all our own household, as I found next morning when asking them how they had fared.

1899 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

Sunday, 31 December

The year has ended very roughly for us poor devils in our dugouts, and if it was not for our Sundays, I am sure a lot of people would have already gone under.

Today instead of sports B.P. arranged prizes for driving competitions. They are fairly interesting but not much to talk about. B.P. himself drove his team of mules in his own waggon that he has had prepared for his invasion of the Transvaal.

12 waggons were seen to arrive at the enemy’s big gun yesterday. We can see them unloading what looks very much like ammunition for the said gun. We are in for it again, another hot time coming.

We presume the enemy think that Sunday truce to be at an end after about 9 o’clock, as after that time they always start sniping.

This evening they gave us quite a big fusillade on the east front.

I spent this evening, the last night of the old year, at Whales’s house, and had a good time. We all, however, retired early as we fully expect the enemy will let in the new year after 12 o’clock with a bombardment by all their big, medium, and small guns, rifles, etc.

It appears that the Colonel has somehow managed to find out that our attack on Game Tree on the 26th last was no doubt given away to the enemy by some dastard of a spy that was in our camp. It appears that someone in the refugee laager is in the habit of flashing signals every night to the enemy, but who it is has not been found out. Why these hounds are kept and fed by us at all is a mystery. Many of them openly acknowledge their sympathies with the Boers, in fact call themselves Boers, and yet are allowed to remain there. We should shunt them out while we are still strong, and before they know too much.

The Queen with the soldiers' families at Windsor Castle.



Source: The Graphic, 30 December 1899