14 June 1900

14 June 1900 6 years 5 months ago #59214

Henk Loots
Topic Author
Offline
Senior Member
Posts: 803
Thank you received: 444

14 June 1900: Sand River

On 13 June the newly-appointed Gen(Rev) Paul Roux with the Senekal Commando, another 200 men of the Ladybrand
Commando, Capt John Hassell with his American Scouts, two pom-poms and a field gun advanced towardsthe British post at Virginia to destroy the important railway bridge over the
Sand River. Lt Col Capper, RE, in command of 730 men (mainly Railway Pioneer
Regiment and Royal Lancaster Militia), had been warned of the impending Boer
action by a “hensopper” and the British positions on both banks of the river
had been well entrenched.

Early on the 14^th theBoers advanced, chiefly under cover of dongas and scrub on the east and west
and initially wasted time and ammunition firing on empty tents left by Capper
when he shifted camp. Although the nature of the ground gave them excellent
cover and a potential advantage, the Boers retreated by noon, after some hours
fighting, when a body of some 170 Yeomanry appeared on the scene.

Louis Irving Seymour was born inWhitney Point, New York, USA in 1860 and came to South Africa in 1889 to work
as Mechanical Engineer with De Beers in Kimberley. In 1896 he was appointed
Chief Mechanical Engineer to Rand Mines and other companies in the Eckstein
Group.[/font]

He left Johannesburg via DelagoaBay on 14 October 1899. In Cape Town he was instrumental in the formation of
the Railway Pioneer Regiment, recruited mainly from engineers and mechanics of
all kinds from the Rand.

Major Seymour was killed in the 14June action. Lt Col Capper, in his despatch of 15 June 1900 (LG 8 Feb 1901,
p904), stated:[/font]

“I especially deplore the death of Major Seymour, whoseloss will not only be felt by us as a regiment, but by the whole of South
Africa. He was killed while advancing with the extended line through the bush,
to clear out the snipers.”

His memorial stone stands in thesmall military cemetery near the old railway station at Virginia.[/font]

In July 1900 his friends andcolleagues decided to establish a technical library in his memory. A sum of £11
477 was collected and the Seymour Memorial Library was opened in 1905. It is
now one of the special libraries falling under the Johannesburg Public Library.

Henk[/size][/color][/font]

Attachments:

The following user(s) said Thank You: QSAMIKE, Elmarie, LinneyI, David Grant, Charl

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

14 June 1900 6 years 5 months ago #59215

Henk Loots Topic Author Offline Senior Member Posts: 803 Thank you received: 444	Hi I did a fair amount of cutting and pasting and the result above came out rather jumbled with duplications! Perhaps David can at least eliminate the duplications! Henk The following user(s) said Thank You: Rory
	Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

14 June 1900 6 years 5 months ago #59216

Rory Offline Senior Member Posts: 3439 Thank you received: 2272	A beautiful medal Henk. Perhaps David can fix the attachment tab at the same time - I have been unable to post any pictures for days now. Regards\ Rory
	Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

14 June 1900 6 years 5 months ago #59217

crypt Offline Senior Member Posts: 267 Thank you received: 181	Henk Here is another casualty of that day, 250 CORPL : A.E. SMITH. RLY : PNR :REGT As well as the panel from the Kroonstad cemetery where Seymour's impressive granite memorial stands as per your picture, there are only two iron grave markers for Matthews and Varker, the others including that to Smith have been stolen. Regards Jono Attachments:
	Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

14 June 1900 6 years 5 months ago #59267

LinneyI
Offline
Moderator
Posts: 2777
Thank you received: 1616

Interested forum members
To contribute to this topic, I would offer the following group:
(a) Distinguished Conduct Medal (EVII), impressed to "Corpl: J.R. Shipley, Cape Pnr: Rly: Regt.
(b) QSA medal clasps CC/OFS/Tvaal, impressed to "282 Sergt. J.R.Shipley, Rly: Pnr: Regt.
(c) Special Const. Long Service medal (clasp The Great War 1914-18) impressed to "Sergt. J.R.Shipley".

DCM shown in LG of 27/9/01 (details in LG 20/8/01) and announced in Army Order 15/02.
The LG of 20/8/01 reads "In command of seven men, was heavily attacked by enemy, repulsed them and though severely wounded, continued in charge".
The Palmer roll shows "Shipley, J.R. Pte., 282, sly wdd, Zand River, 14/6/00, Cape RPR".
Stirling covers the Zand River action in some detail and - while Cpl. Shipley's citation does not specifically mention Zand River - I have no doubt which action it relates to.
John Robert Shipley enlisted in 1 RPR in 2/00, L/Cpl. 4/00, promoted Cpl. the day after the Zand River action and Sgt. 6/01.

The actual report on the Zand River action, dated 15/6/00 (LG 8/2/01) and made by Lt/Col. J.E. Capper, O.C. Troops, Virginia, to General Knox describes the action quite fully.
His concluding comments include the following: "I regret to report that most of my men were killed with explosive (sic) and soft nosed bullets, and I have in my possession a number of explosive and soft nosed bullets taken from the dead, and from the bandoliers of prisoners who have surrendered. I have the honour to enquire if the prisoners in whose posession they were found should be shot, as I am unaware of the orders of the Field-Marshal Commanding-in-Chief on the subject."
Regards to all
IL.

Attachments:

Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

14 June 1900 6 years 5 months ago #59270

Elmarie Offline Senior Member Posts: 1014 Thank you received: 1052	MAJ L.I. SEYMOUR Elmarie Malherbe Attachments: The following user(s) said Thank You: Henk Loots
	Please Log in or Create an account to join the conversation.

Main Menu

Login or create an account

TOPIC: