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1900 - Bethune's MI surprised at Scheeper's Nek near Vryheid.
1903 - Inter-Colonial Council constituted.

On this day in 1900, Jim Higgins, of the Coldstream Guards, wrote a letter to his sister, living in Haslingden, Lancashire.

"Private Jim Higgins, in a letter from Kroonstad, dated May 20th, forwards the following information to his sister, Mrs. P. Ginty, of the "Old Hare and Hounds," Town Green, Haslingden. "Dear Sister, - Just a few lines to let you know that I am still in very good health, and I hope this will find you all the same. You will excuse me for not writing to you before now, but you have got to know how I have been going on, as everybody at home must have done, for I notice that "Mick" has been getting all the letters in the papers. I am not going to tell you all that I have gone through since we left Modder River, for that would be too much trouble, and it will do when I get home, but I have gone through some hardships that I should not like to experience again. Lately, however, we have been doing very well, and we get fairly good food, reckoning what we have got and what we took from the Boers as our own. We got into Kroonstad about a fortnight ago, after driving the Boers right along before us, and we had very few casualties. We expected to have the biggest fight of all here, but the Boers had all gone when we got into the town. Just as I started this letter we got to know of the relief of Mafeking, which has been besieged for over 200 days, so there is only Pretoria to take now, and then home. We may start to-morrow for Pretoria but I don't know. We have got orders that we cannot post any more letters until we get there. We have not had any news from home for this last month, and just as I am writing the bugle is sounding for the letters and the troops are shouting about it all over the camp. Tell John that I think the war will soon be over, and that I shall be coming back soon, but without the monkey. We have had lots of geese and turkeys that we stole here, but I should like to be at home this Sunday for a basin of broth. I think that is all this time so I must finish, with fondest love to all, - I remain your affectionate brother, Jim."

1900 - Diary of the siege of Mafeking by Edward Ross

16, 17 and 18 May, written on 20 May

I am writing now three days after we have been relieved — yes, actually relieved - Lord Roberts has kept his word and we are once more comparatively free, no shells, no shots, no duty and plenty of good food. I will tell you how we got the latter later on, and now to go back to last Wednesday morning the 16th May.

The early morning opened bright and clear without a sign of anything untoward going to happen. All through the morning everybody were on their look-outs straining the eyes, always south-west. But not a glimpse of a living thing or moving object could be described. Men were fidgeting about with impatience, the women, with nerves strung to the highest tension, were almost crying with anxiety, the little ones, imbued with the thoughts of their elders, running about shouting, "Can’t you see them yet.’’ The Indians, the natives, the coolies, all worked up into such a high-pressure bursting point that they had to have a walk round, sand-dance, war-dance, or some other such idiotic business, or something would have gone wrong. However, at a little while after lunch-time, the Colonel had news by pigeon that the relief column were coming in. Then of course everything was bustle and hurry. A little later we could hear heavy guns being fired down the river, and it then became known that heavy fighting was going on between the Boers and our relief column. B.P. immediately got together all the men we could spare, and all guns, and sent them out to make a demonstration in the enemy’s rear and rear flank. B.P. tells us that Plumer has joined the relief column, and he had no hesitation in saying that they were quite strong enough to come in. Well, we waited and waited, now and again seeing troops of the enemy’s horsemen retiring back towards their head laager, until it was quite dark and everybody bewailing the fact that another day had gone and still the relief column had not arrived, when suddenly at about 7.30 half a dozen horsemen, some with black tail-plumes in their hats, came galloping across the square straight for the headquarter office, and this was the great Karri Davies11 and seven men of the advance scouting column. From all roads, lanes, and by-ways the people of the town flocked into the Market Square until I suppose every fort was evacuated. Every man, woman and child, laughing, crying, handshaking, hurrahing, shouting until their throats were as dry as sawdust, and could not speak. The poor fellows who had ridden in ahead were pulled about from one to another and plied with questions until they gave up trying to answer.

They had had a big fight at Kraaipan losing 9 killed and 18 wounded; the latter has been left behind at Wright’s house on the Maritzani River, and they had been fighting since 2 o’clock today to try and get in. The main column was coining on and would come in during the night. They begged of us to get them a drink, but of course that was impossible. Of course there was no sleep for us this night, we gassed and jawed and talked all through the night, and before daylight went up to the polo ground and watched the relief column come in and camp down.

As soon as daylight commenced to break on the morning of the 17th the men began to assemble, the guns began moving about, and whispers went round, "We are going to attack the enemy,” and this is really what happened.

The R.H.A. 12-pounders and the Canadians’ guns were quietly moved through the town and took up a position in some small bush on our eastern front; all the mounted men making up the guns escort were mobilised lower down than the guns, and within our outer trench, Colonel Walford with the B.S.A.P. and some Volunteers commenced working up towards the enemy’s laager on our south-eastern front, and Major Panzera with one of our old 7-pounders commenced firing at the enemy’s outpost brickfields trench, whilst our C. Police and Cape Boys worked up tire river all in the same direction and tending towards the same desired end - the capture of Snyman.

We, all on the housetops watching every move and literally dancing with joy. And when the R.H.A. and the Canadians opened fire with their big guns on the enemy’s laager we could hardly control ourselves, tumbling over one another like a lot of children. Oh what a refreshing sight to us to see those shells so accurately placed and timed, bursting and banging right amongst the Boers, their waggons, oxen, horses, tents, etc,, and all the time our men steadily creeping on and on. A few minutes afterwards a cloud of dust began to rise up in the distance on the main road to Pretoria, and we could at once see that the enemy had started their retreat and commenced to run. They could be seen scurrying about here and there, in and out like a lot of rabbits being turned out of their burrows by a few ferrets. In the meantime, however, Lieutenant Currie and his Cape Boys had made a rush for the Boer fort in the river and had captured their five-pounder and their flag without loss. In about an hour’s time word came back that the enemy to a man had gone, evacuating their laager and leaving a host of things behind them. They had gone helter-skelter and I suppose won’t stop this side of Pretoria. B.P. then arranged that as our troops returned they should have a formal inspection and procession through the town of the relief force and the Town Guard [and] all non-combatants were lined up along the south side of the Market Square to receive them. They were composed of R.H. Artillery, Canadian Artillery, Kimberley Light Horse, Imperial Light Horse, a few Cape Police, a few of the Fusilier Brigade from Natal, and Plumer’s Rhodesians. Among the officers were the Prince of Teck, Sir John Willoughby, Colonel F. Rhodes, B.P.’s brother, Peakman (of Kimberley) and Major Sam Weil; the whole of the southern force numbering some 2 300 men being under the command of Colonel Mahon, and a finer body of men it would be impossible to get together in this or any other world.

An address of welcome was presented to Colonel Mahon by the Town Council on behalf of the townspeople.

As every unit passed the people vied with one another as to who could shout loudest until at the last all that could be heard was the hoarse, gutteral grunt of dried-up parched throats. After this was all over, a good many of us got permission to go out to the Boers’ laager. We went out and we came back loaded down with all sorts of good things. I managed to secure half a bag of flour and my pockets were crammed full of biltong, a flask of whisky found under one of the beds, and a lot of other curios and things I picked up. Quite enough to carry for a three-mile tramp home again.

The flour, by the aid of some lady friends, was soon turned into bread and I can assure you that meal was enjoyed as much as any banquet I have ever had . . . The Boers must have moved quicker than they have ever moved in their lives before. They left behind almost everything they had, and even left their telegraph instrument and all their telegrams. These latter were got together and sent in at once to B.P. and they gave such a lot of information that he immediately depatched them to Lord Roberts. In their hospital we found Captain McLaren who had been wounded in Plumer’s last fight and also one of our own men. These were at once brought into our hospital and made as comfortable as possible.

On the morning of the 18th, orders were issued that the Town Guard, Railway Division, Volunteers, B.S.A.P., Protectorate Regiment and Cape Police should muster outside the cemetery for a thanks-giving service.

This was extremely impressive, and after the prayers and service the National Anthem was played, the Last Post by six buglers was blown over the graves of our dead and three volleys fired. After which a dead silence for a few minutes, and then the Colonel shook each commanding officer by the hand in turn, and then addressed each unit of defence consecutively. When he came to the Town Guard he spoke very feelingly and congratulated them on their magnificent work, and finished up by saying that although the enemy had cracked the shell they did not get the kernel, or Colonel, whichever way you like to take it.

He then dismissed the Town Guard and told them they were disbanded, but if there were any men amongst them who were not in a position to obtain work they could still remain on duty as Town Guard and he would give them rations and pay, and so ended the Siege Town Guard of Mafeking.