TOPIC:

1900 - Kimberley siege day 102 (82%). Ladysmith siege day 84 (70%). Mafeking siege day 104 (47%). Battle of Spion Kop.



In Kimberley:

At about 4 am this morning enemy commenced a heavy bombardment of the town, and between that hour and 9 am threw about 150 shells into the town. The only casualty I have heard of is that a white woman was killed in her house.

Enemy appears to be firing 9 guns:
1 from Smidt’s farm;
1 from Kampersdam
3 from Carter’s ridge (2 being cordite)
1 from Alexandersfontein (Cordite).
2 from Wimbledon ridge.
1 from Olifantsfontein Kop.

Early this morning Lt Dunbar tried to drive in some enemy’s cattle from Carter’s ridge. His party was fired on by the enemy at short range. Luckily there were no casualties.

No search light messages were received during last night.

Some more mild cases of scurvy reported in the Town Guard.

I am trying to arrange that Kaffir beer be issued to all, but there is a difficulty in getting it brewed quick enough, and I have little Kaffir corn to spare for this purpose.

Enemy continued the bombardment of the town, Beaconsfield and the Premier Mine, and counting those fired in the morning from 300 to 400 shells must have fallen, about half these were at Beaconsfield. Two women and a dog were killed. We have really been very lucky. The two cordite guns from Carters ridge are the most dangerous and have a longer range; shells from them have fallen into Belgravia a distance of about 8000 yards.

The commissioners I appointed consisting of Col Murray and Mr Duncan estimate the numbers drawing food supplies are as follows:

Defence forces - 4500
Europeans, Cape coloured - 28468
Asiatics - 1520
Total = 34488

Natives including
2100 in De Beers Compounds and 850 in convict station - 22276

Overall total - 56764

These numbers are arrived at from the various food supply depot registers, and De Beers and Military returns.

On the 6th Dec the Mayor, Mr Rhodes, the Medical Officer of Health and others calculated the numbers as 44,400 – and as about 7000 De Beers compound boys have left about 37000 only should now be in the town.

Owing to all the available men to take it being employed on the Defence works I have been unable to arrange for a Census to be taken. I shall now much as I regret it have to reduce the ration of bread stuffs slightly.

I sent the following by search light this evening:

“From Kekewich, to Methuen. Jan 24th 10 am No 130. Enemy commenced shelling us this morning at four fifteen; his shooting is either very bad or guns are being deliberately fired at town. Few houses have been hit, and a half coloured woman killed up to the present hour. Nine enemy’s guns located three of which fire cordite. Will be seen enemy has brought two additional cordite guns against Kimberley so far approximately 180 have been fired at town this morning. Shelling still in progress.”

“From Int KB to Int MD. Jan 24th No 131 authentic information following commandeering notice issued at Barkly West 22nd inst begins – You are to appear on Saturday next with horse saddle and bridle together with bandolier thirty rounds of ammunition and provisions for 8 days with the following alternatives. Join the Transvaal and Free State Forces or pay fine £37.10.0, or suffer 3 months IHL or go to British territory Ends. Am informed decree of expulsion extends to English women and loyal natives stop. Private letters state rebels are behaving with great brutality towards English people and natives.”

“From Int KB to Int MD. Jan 24th No 132. Enemy commenced shelling town from 4.15 am. Majority of shells have fallen centre town hospital has not even been respected. One shell burst just outside ward of same fortunately hit no one. Great indignation on part of town people on account of town and not forts being bombarded especially as only casualties notified 2 women – coloured servant girl and Miss Maddocks. Total number of shell fired by enemy approximately to present time 220, one at Diebels, one at Kampersdam, three on Carter’s ridge two on Wimbledon ridge, one at Alexandersfontein, one at Olifantsfontein, one at Olifantsfontein Kop, one gun at Alexandersfontein and two on Carter’s ridge fire cordite. Enemy’s fire ceased temporarily about noon, recommenced at 2 pm ceased again at 3 pm. Two houses have been hit and fairly wrecked. Boers have been hidden during day, but numbers concerned immediately with investment have probably increased. Letter received this morning from Barkly West puts numbers investing Kimberley at 5000. am of opinion Boer numbers are at least this. Native also reports Cronje Junior to be at Kampersdam, but cannot give numbers with him.

I received the following by search light:

“Jan 24th No I 122. Telegram from BEIRA dated 11th Jan reports Plumer at OSHUNDIP (Machudi)? Probably with 400, and that Boers (concentrated?) crocodile posts to oppose his advance. Refugee Englishman Hogg from Bloemfontein states De la Rey without troops passed through for Colesberg tenth instant. Estimates numbers between here and round you 18000 to 20,000. Bloemfontein base supply (intermediate?) Petersberg. Stop. Swiss deserter gives numbers opposite us as 6000, with more at Scholtz Nek and round Kimberley. Irish deserter gives 16000 in front of us and on Scholtz Nek Stop.So far am of opinion that force in front of us has not been reduced to any extent stop. Understand Freestaters very anxious about Colesberg. Stop. No fresh news from Ladysmith.

In Ladysmith:

The entire interest of the day was centred on Taba Nyama—that black mountain, commanding the famous drift in its front and the stretch of plain behind. It is fifteen miles away. From Observation Hill one could see the British shells bursting along this ridge all morning, as well as in the midst of the Boer tents half-way down the double peaks, and at the foot of the hill. The firing began at 3 a.m., and lasted with extreme severity till noon, the average of audible shells being at least five a minute. We could also see the white bursts of shrapnel from our field artillery. In the afternoon I went to Waggon Hill, and with the help of a telescope made out a large body of men—about 1,000 I suppose—creeping up the distant crest and spreading along the summit. I could only conjecture them to be English from their presence on the exposed ridge, and from their regular though widely extended formation. They were hardly visible except as a series of black points. Thunderclouds hung over the Drakensberg behind, and the sun was obscured. Yet I had no doubt in my own mind that the position was won. It was five o'clock, or a little later.

Others saw large parties of Boers fleeing for life up dongas and over plains, the phantom carriage-and-four driving hastily north-westward after an urgent warning, and other such melodramatic incidents, which escaped my notice. The position of the falling shells, and the movement of those minute black specks were to me enough of drama for one day's life.

In the evening, I am told, the General received a signal from Buller: "Have taken hill. Fight went well." No one thought or talked of anything but the prospect of near relief. Yet (besides old Bulwan's violent bombardment of the station) there was one other event in the day deserving record. Hearing an unhappy case of an officer's widow left destitute, Colonel Knox, commanding the Divisional Troops, has offered twelve bottles of whisky for auction to-morrow, and hopes to make £100 by the sale. I think he will succeed, unless Buller shakes the market.

In Mafeking:

Desultory shelling.

From the diary of William Watson, Ladysmith, January 1900:

Last night, the rebels on Bulwan were making much use of their search lights, toward Ladysmith. They are terribly afraid we shall rush their battery on Bulwan, as we did on the 8th of December. — General Buller is to be here on Friday, without fail. Why can not our chiefs tell us, he will arrive on Tibb’s eve, which is a festival of the Irish church, and occurs neither before, nor after Christmas. For the last five days, Buller’s guns have been at work, almost without cessation. We hear them all day. — The shells are coming rather thickly into the town. — The troops are out of fuel, so the general has requistioned my large Syringa trees. This is not pleasing to me, but I suppose it is necessary. This seems to me, a strangely mismanaged war. Our railways are destroyed so that we can get no food from the port, and our coalfields are abandoned to the enemy, so that the army is without fuel, and the authorities seize the plantations of ornamental timber belonging to private gentlemen. The mayor, town clerk, and a commissariat man, called Captain Purvis, came to commandeer my trees. Before the war, my place was the nicest, and most retired, exclusive, shady spot anywhere in or near Ladysmith, and it looks as if for this very reason, it has been devoted to destruction. A place without big trees, is an eye sore to me, and it took me 36 years to raise my bosket. Then, there is the cavalry camped on my other piece of land, and the whole of my property, made into a midden. — Its well for us, the Boers have no continental allies, for look at the war from whatever point we will, we are not winning, more ’tother. With the single exception of our volunteers smashing two guns and carrying off a maxim, I don’t remember any very brilliant feat of arms, and there has been lots of bungling. — Wellington never commanded half such an army as Buller has, but his generals knew their work, and did it. We have no such officers now, as Picton, Hill, Graham, Crawford, Paget, Pakenham. — Young Frank Anderson arrested as a spy. He is the son of W. Anderson formerly of Ladysmith, and nephew of the Late Humphrey Evans Knight and of F. A.R. Johnstone M.P. — I don’t know what evidence there is against him, but no one is allowed to see him. I don’t think he has been more than indiscreet, although some of his brothers, are in the rebel army. Anderson is a refugee from the Transvaal, and for the last three months, has been living with his father, mother, and sisters, on the piece of land adjoining mine. He is pretty well connected for Natal. He is cousin to the Honourable Murray, and to J.L. Knight, a magistrate, also of H.E. Anderson, a lawyer. I should have been better pleased to see some of our rich traitors laid up in jail.

1900 - From the diary of Trooper A J Crosby, Natal Carbineers

On guard 1 to 1.40. At 3 o’clock all stood to arms until 5 o’clock, when I was on again until 7 o’clock, afterwards retiring to platelayer’s cottage to have some sleep. Feeling very done up. Joined main body at 1 o’clock. Could not walk across so had pony brought me. At 4 o’clock I went to camp to see the doctor, who immediately sent me off to the Hospital, my temperature being 102. Don’t think there is anything seriously wrong more than general langour etc. brought on by overwork without an equivalent of rest and nourishing food. Had restless night, back being painful and laying on floor without mattress made is more sore.

1900 - From the diary of Miss Bella Craw in Ladysmith

Another night gone. I am supposed to be sleeping but somehow I can't. I have just heard them all leave the dinner table and have settled down to their afternoon snooze. Distant cannonading has been going on since three o'clock this morning. It seems to have stopped now but when I came to bed about 9.30 it was very heavy and we tried to imagine it was a little nearer.

At the market prices were higher than ever. Eggs realised 31/6 a dozen, potatoes 11/6 a soup plate full. Of course it is only some of the officers that can afford to give such prices, and Mr. Oddy, a man who helps us at the Hospital told us he had given 10/- for a brandy and soda the other day.

24th January, 1900 - SPION KOP
To mark the occurrence of this iconic battle of the Ango Boer war, IL would offer for viewing the following items from his collection. The items have been gathered over quite a few years now and some came from quite unexpected places. It is certain that the campaign award(s) of many others "who were there" have slipped by; simply because the recipients escaped notice or had the good fortune to come away physically unscarred from the nightmare of "The Kop".



TOP, LHS - QSA with clasps TH/RofL/LN/TV/OFS . Medal impressed to "E.Shaw. F.I.D.". The FID roll confirms previous service with TMI as 369. The Thorneycroft archive (quoted by Droogleever in "Thorneycroft's Unbuttoned") shows "Edward Shaw"(369, B Coy., TMI, later service TMI" who accompanied Col. Thorneycroft with three others to lead the way up the hill during the assault. Previous service in 1881 with the Pretoria Carbineers.
TOP, MIDDLE - QSA with clasps TH/RofL/LN/TV/OFS/CC/SA01. Medal impressed to "1740 Serjt. W.S.Fisher, Th'croft's M.I.'. Droogleever shows "1740 William Swann Fisher" of E coy TMI as wounded in action, Spion Kop. Subsequent service as Conductor, ASC). Claimed entitlement to BSAC medal 1896 and later service with SAIC in the Great War. Name then given as "William Stanton Fisher"
TOP, RIGHT - QSA made into a pendant, impressed to "9873 Pte. J.H.Forbes, Th'croft's M.I.". The recipient entitled to clasps TH/RofL/LN/TV/OFS. "James Henry Forbes" had previous service as a Trooper in the MRF during the Matabele war. Prior to enlisting in TMI, (B and D Coys at various times), he had served in PAVG. Droogleever lists him as wounded in action, Spion Kop.
BOTTOM - QSA with clasps RofL/TV/LN, impressed to "6232 Pte J.Jeffrey, Scottish Rifles"
KSA with clasps SA01/SA02, impressed as above, but "Scot: Rifles".
Noted in NFF casualty list as "Wounded, Spion Kop, 24/1/00".

This writer would encourage other forum members to add to this topic by posting pics of similar items; decorations, QSAs, groups, ABO, what-have-you. The only qualification being that the recipient had to be reliably noted as "being there" during that nightmarish day and night.
Regards to all
IL.

A very nice collection Ian.

Did you know Forbes was on the Kosi Bay expedition?

"In August 1900 Forbes was one of a party landing behind Boer lines at Kosi Bay. While unloading stores from HMS Widgeon the boat he was in capsized in heavy surf and shark-infested waters. He managed to swim ashore. Sub-Lt HS Lecky HMS Widgeon rescued two men, he was later awarded the Albert Medal for his bravery.

Source: LG (28-06-1901)"