1899 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross
Friday, 26 January
Same monotonous racket day after day, few five-pounders, 7 or 8 Big Bens, a few sniping Mausers.
Second shell this morning burst in Bradley’s billiard room, wrecking the table and all surroundings, carrying away the dividing wall to the bar and generally bursting up the show. Although past 8 o’clock there was not a single soul in the bar, consequently, but again miraculously, there were no casualties.
Another extraordinary providential escape today. These seem to occur so often, in fact almost daily, that no other word describing them can be used. For instance at lunchtime today, Lady Sarah Wilson, Captain Wilson, and Major Goold-Adams were sitting down preparatory to commencing lunch, in one of the rooms of the convent, and being attended on by Captain Wilson’s servant, Waterson, when a 94-Ib shell came right through the building and bursting in the very room they were in, and although the room was full of smoke the explosive, falling walls, wood splinters, scrap iron, bricks, plaster, etc., etc., not one of them received even a scratch. Of course they were all very much unnerved and upset and Lady Sarah and Captain Wilson have since removed to the dugout at Weil’s, but can anyone possibly conceive how it was possible for them to come out alive? After anyone seeing the effects of the bursting of one of the big shells, it is utterly impossible for the most extreme imagination to explain how they all escaped.
Late in the afternoon another big shell struck the rectory, doing very considerable damage. Nobody inside at the moment as per usual.
Enemy gave us their good-night shell at 8.30 p.m. It struck just at the back of our business place, and ricocheting went right over the town. The Boers are playing some more of their slim tricks over the firing of this night gun. They evidently know we always have a man on the look-out and the moment he sees the flash, he rings a bell, when everybody has about ten seconds to get under cover. Of late we have wondered why the bell has gone and no gun fired, but it has now been proved the Boers fire a flash of loose gunpowder once or twice before firing the gun, thinking no doubt that after one or two false alarms we come out of our dugout only to be met by the real discharge. But as yet nobody has been caught napping.
Early this morning the Boers fired 9 or 10 volleys of Mausers at our northern advanced outposts and in exchange were given a few turns of our Maxim which silenced them. They seem very determined about making their trenches north-east of the town but our own fellows continually drive them away from the position. It costs us a lot of ammunition which may be wanted later on. Although there are only 20 odd men at this advanced position, the Colonel has telephonic communication there, and could reinforce them at any moment.
The Government have given us an auction sale of surplus boots and shoes for next Sunday. They are remnants of the Game Tree fight. Hope this is the commencement of large government sales later on.
The spy (native) that was caught down at our fort was sentenced to be shot and the verdict duly carried out yesterday morning. Volunteers were called for from the Cape Boy contingent to do the shooting, and I believe the whole of Currie’s squad stepped out. These boys are very loyal and have done good work.
A native runner arrived in from Kimberley this morning but he has brought no late news, it having taken him just about five weeks to cover the distance of 200 miles, which is usually accomplished by a native in about 8 days or at longest 10 days. He says the country south is full of the enemy and it was impossible for him to come any quicker. As it was he had to come "like a snake all the way”.
Passing B.P.’s room this evening a little after 9 p.m. I could not help noticing our very wide awake, long-headed Colonel sitting at the table sideways, legs crossed, arm on table and head resting on his hand, seemingly buried in thought and looking as if he was either worried or else concocting some plan of surprise for the enemy. It is to be hoped another Game Tree fiasco is not going to be the upshot of this serious mood.
9.45 p.m. Our Maxim again playing upon the enemy’s trenches north-east. Hope we are doing some damage.
Surprise inspection of arms and ammunition at our fort this evening. This is owing to there having been a considerable number of rounds of M.H. cartridges stolen. A stop will now be put to that, as new orders have been issued that one man is to remain on duty all day within the guard room and he is to be responsible for all arms, etc., during his time of duty.
Different things such as a watch, purse of money, etc., have been suddenly missed lately, and it gives one a most uncomfortable feeling to know there is a thief in the squad and cannot be found out.
