TOPIC:

1900 - A commando of Free State Boers under Fourie emerged from the mountain country on the Basutoland border, and attacked Ladybrand, which was held by a small garrison consisting of one company of the 1st Battalion Worcester Regiment and forty-three men of the Wiltshire Yeomanry. The Boers, who had several guns with them, seem to have been the same force which had been repulsed at Winburg only several days before on the 24th August 1900. The Worcesters beat back the Boers attack and held their line at Ladybrand for the next 4 days while waiting for British reinforcement to arrive. On the 5th September 1900 the Worcesters were finally relieved by Major-General Bruce Hamilton infantry of the 21st Brigade who had marched 80 miles in four and a half days.

1901 - Lord Milner leaves for Bloemfontein via East London

1901 - The arrest of Dr. Krause in London.

....A sensational arrest was made in London last night of Dr Krause, who was a prominent official in the late Transvaal Government, and at one time Governor of Johannesburg. The charge preferred against him is one of espionage. Dr Krause has been in this country for the past four months, and it is alleged that after signifying his allegiance to the British Crown, he has secretly forwarded from England information which would be of the highest importance to the enemy. The police authorities, it is alleged, have been aware of this fact for some time past, and a warrant was recently granted for his apprehension. Dr Krause, however, had disappeared from the purview of the police, and although vigorous inquiries were made as to his whereabouts, it was only yesterday that Dr Krause was located. It appears that along with his sister, Mrs Liescher Dixon, he had been staying for some time at the Station Hotel, Inverness, and on Saturday Mrs Dixon wrote to the manager of the St Ermine's Hotel, London, engaging two single rooms, and notifying the manager that they would arrive last night. Dr Krause and his sister duly reached Euston Station at six o'clock last night, and drove immediately to the St Ermine's Hotel, where they arrived about an hour later. For two hours previously, however, four detectives from Scotland Yard had been waiting at St Ermine's Hotel for the appearance of Dr Krause, and in the interval had informed the manager that they held a warrant for his apprehension.
....At a few minutes past seven, a cab loaded with luggage drove up to the hotel courtyard, and from this vehicle Dr Krause and his sister descended. After giving instructions to the hotel porter regarding his luggage, Dr Krause stepped into the main hall of the hotel, where he found himself confronted by the detectives. One of the gentlemen from Scotland Yard immediately produced his warrant, which he read to Dr Krause, and it is said that that gentleman was so overcome at this unexpected document that he was scarcely able to utter a word. The detectives, however, proceeded about their work expeditiously but quietly, and few if any of the residents of the hotel knew what was happening. Dr Krause, escorted by one of the detectives, returned to the cab in which he had driven to the hotel, and directions were given that his sister's luggage was to be removed into the hotel, while that of Dr Krause remained on the cab. Another detective busied himself with examining Mrs Dixon's luggage before it was permitted to be removed to her room. It is conjectured that this inspection was mainly for the purpose of ascertaining if Mrs Dixon was in possession of incriminating documents. Evidently the inspection was satisfactory, as Mrs Dixon was allowed to proceed to her room without further molestation. The other detectives then joined Dr Krause in the cab, and they departed with their prisoner to Bow Street Police Station.
....Dr Krause, it will be remembered, was the Boer official who surrendered the keys of Johannesburg to Earl Roberts when the Commander-in-Chief suddenly swooped down on the town during his advance to Pretoria in June last year, all the other chief officials of the town having fled on the approach of the British troops. The arrest of her brother has utterly prostrated Mrs Dixon, and a Central News representative was informed that it was impossible to see her at the hotel, as after the detectives had departed she immediately went to bed. Mrs Dixon, who is said to be the wife of a British officer, is registered at the hotel as "of Johannesburg, South Africa." Dr Krause will be brought up at Bow Street Police Court.
Edinburgh Evening News, Tuesday 3rd September 1901.......He was Dr. Frederick Edward Trangott Krause, aged 33


1901 - The death at Potchefstroom of Lance Corporal Margereson, Derbyshire Regiment.

....Amongst the casualties issued by the War Office on Wednesday night is the death of 7487 Lance-corporal P. Margereson, of the Volunteer Company Derbyshire Regiment, which occurred at Potchefstroom on Monday last. The deceased soldier was in the 2nd Vol. Batt. the Sherwood Foresters, and resided at Chesterfield. He went out with the last draft under Captain Goodman and Lieut. Marsden.
Derby Daily Telegraph, Thursday 5th September 1901

....Lance-Corporal Margereson, of the Derbyshire Volunteer Regiment, whose death from peritonitis at Potchefstroom was reported in yesterday's papers, was a member of the "A" (Chesterfield) Company, and went out with the second draft of volunteers. He was extremely popular with all the members of the company, and is spoken of by Sergt.-Major Wells as "one of the best." In civil life he was a stonemason, and his parents live at Spital. He was a teetotaler and non-smoker, and looked when he left the town as promising a "life" as could possibly be found.
Sheffield Daily Telegraph, Friday 6th September 1901

....Captain Goodman has written to the "Volunteer Gazette" on the doings of the Active Service men in South Africa. In the course of his remarks he says:—
....About a month ago we tried to open up communications with Capt. Robinson by sending Corpl. Margereson and Pte. A. Ingleton to Johannesburg but they found that he had moved to Vereeniging to replace Capt. Wardle in command of the cyclists, the latter having been summoned home.
....And now I have a sad duty to perform—to record the death of Lance-Corpl. Margereson on the 2nd inst., in Potchefstroom Hospital. One would have thought he would have been one of the last men to be taken by disease, he was one of the most soldierly-looking men in the Company, with a splendid physique. Some six weeks ago he went into hospital, complaining of pain, but was discharged very soon, and said he was all right, and he enjoyed his trip to Johannesburg.
....Only on Saturday morning he was playing cricket, but was taken ill immediately after. On Sunday morning the train was to have been stopped to take him to hospital, but he was so much better, he said, that he didn't go.
....After breakfast he was very much worse, and was taken into Potchefstroom on a trolley, by Bramley. Poor fellow; he seemed to realise what might happen as he gave directions about his kit. On Sunday night a message came by telephone that he was dangerously ill, and he died a few minutes after midnight on Monday morning, after an operation.
....The funeral took place on Monday afternoon in Potchefstroom Cemetery, the Archdeacon officiating. Very few men could be spared from their duties, but the other N.C.O.'s of the Section were there—Sergt. Cupitt and Corporals Doughty and Garlick—as were also Capt. Goodman and Ptes. A. Ingleton and Renshaw.
....We are arranging to put up a carved wooden cross to his memory. (Stone cannot be procured here.) The whole of the Company are anxious to share the expense, as Margereson had endeared himself to all his comrades. In him the Company had an excellent N.C.O., and a man who never had a rough word for anyone. He was only 22.
The Derbyshire Times, Saturday 12th October 1901.......He was probably Walter Percy Margereson.