TOPIC:

1900 - Buller's troops enter Standerton. Railway cut at Serfontein and America Siding. Attack by Olivier on Katbosch post beaten off.

From the diary of Lt Burne, RN:

The 11th Brigade and Naval guns marched off at 9 a.m., leaving myself with the 18th Hussars, Dorsets, 13th Battery R.A. and so on, to defend Sandspruit Bridge. I was very sorry to say good-bye to Captain Jones and all, especially Hunt, Steel and Anderton, after our seven months' campaigning and hardships together, and I feel quite lonely. General Hildyard introduced me to General Brocklehurst who commands here. We selected gun positions and got the 37th Company R.E. to make two emplacements for my guns. I had a look at the bridge at which the Boers had fired gun shots to carry an important trestle away, but they did but slight damage.

1900 - Ben Goodlad, of Chesterfield, and one of four brothers serving in South Africa, died today.


...."We deeply regret to have to record the death of Private B. Goodlad, of the "A" Company, Chesterfield Volunteers, who formed one of the first Volunteer Contingent which went out to the front in February last. Private Goodlad fell a victim to the ravages of enteric fever and succumbed to the insidious disease at Pretoria on the 22nd inst.
....Private B. Goodlad was a keen and smart volunteer and came of a soldier family. With two brothers already in the Grenadier Guards, he and his brother, H. Goodlad, prompted by a patriotic desire to serve their country, and a love of adventure, were amongst the first to volunteer. Both were accepted with the result that no fewer than four members of the family have thus been out in South Africa bravely doing their duty for Queen and country. Enthusiastic volunteers, both brothers were good shots and by the nature of their occupation as hard as nails, in fact, eminently suited for roughing it in the stern and exacting work for which they so cheerfully offered their services. But disease, more deadly than Boer bullets has laid the elder brother low and the sympathy of all will go out to the parent of these four brave lads, in his bereavement. Goodlad has died a soldier's death as truly as if he had fallen in the field of battle and in the knowledge that he has passed away while bravely doing his duty in his country's service both parent and comrades may gain some comfort. In the photograph of the contingent we published on February 24th, the portrait of Private B. Goodlad will be found in the top left hand corner."


...."I regret to see that another well-known Chesterfield Volunteer succumbed on the 22nd instant, at Pretoria, to enteric fever - Private B. Goodlad, one of the four sons of Mr. Goodlad, of Foljambe Road, Chesterfield, all of whom are at the front, two in the Chesterfield Volunteer section, and two in the regular army."
The Derbyshire Times, Saturday 30th June 1900

GOODLAD. - On June 22nd, at Pretoria, Benjamin Goodlad died of enteric fever, aged 27 years.
The Derbyshire Times, Saturday 7th July 1900