TOPIC:

1900 - Lieutenant Colonel M O Little, commanding the 3rd Cavalry Brigade of 738 mounted men, is ordered in the direction of Lindley to join the hunt for De Wet.

Hansard: South African War - Compensation to Loyalists in Natal

Sir Andrew Scoble: I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Colonies whether it is intended to compensate loyal residents in Natal for the injury done to their property during the recent Boer occupation; whether any steps have been taken to ascertain the amount of compensation due to such residents; whether prompt payment will be made to those whose claims are established; and whether such compensation will be paid out of the funds of the colony; and whether it is proposed to make any grant from Imperial funds in order to secure that immediate and adequate compensation may be afforded in all proper cases.

The Secretary of State for the Colonies (Mr J Chamberlain): Her Majesty's Government have pledged themselves to exact compensation for loyal residents for direct losses. A Commission was appointed by the Governor in December last to make inquiry as to direct losses in invaded districts, and is still engaged in its task. The Colonial Government have undertaken to advance compensation to an amount not exceeding 75 per cent. of the valuation as assessed by the Commission in cases where it can be proved that claimants are in urgent need of financial assistance. Compensation will to this extent be advanced out of Colonial funds, on the understanding that ultimately compensation will be paid out of the indemnity to be exacted from the Orange River Colony and the Transvaal. No grant from Imperial funds is contemplated in these circumstances.

1900 - Joseph Easby, 10th Hussars, returned home to Lazenby, a village east of Middlesbrough.

....Private Joseph Easby, of the 10th Hussars, who has been out in South Africa, returned to his home at Lazenby on Tuesday. He was met on the road by Mr Tom Turner, and several friends and was driven round Lazenby in a conveyance. The little village had a most lively appearance, being decorated with flags and banners, and in the evening a bonfire was lit. In South Africa Easby has been under General French, and he was amongst the first to march into Kimberley when that place was relieved. He also witnessed the surrender of Cronje. Easby has been through most of the engagements, and on two occasions had his horse shot from under him. He, however, got through without a scratch, but on his arrival at Pretoria he was stricken down with enteric fever and was invalided home. He considers himself a very lucky man to be spared to land in England again, as he was amongst those who were wrecked before arriving at South Africa, when all their horses were drowned.
North-Eastern Daily Gazette [Middlesbrough], Thursday 19th July 1900

Berenice
"3799 Pte. Easby, J of 10H must have sailed to SA on the ISMORE (according to Stirling); which came to grief in St. Helena Bay and the men being saved. That apart, Pte. Joseph Easby would have seen some sights during his time at the front - receiving the clasps "Relief of Kimberley", "Paardeburg", "Dreifontein" and "Transvaal" on his QSA medal.

Regards
IL.

The Sheffield Daily Telegraph, 22 December 1899 reported that:

A Capetown telegram of Saturday's date stated that the captain of the transport Ismore, wrecked in St Helena Bay, has had his certificate suspended for omitting to cast the lead.

The Ismore's sister ship, the Irada, a 12,000 tons steamship, was lost to rocks off the Irish coast in December 1908 while carrying cotton from Galveston.

From the Yorkshire Herald, 12 December 1899