TOPIC:

1900 - Engagement at Ottoshoop

From the 1900 diary of Lt Burne, RN:

Still here, with all sorts of news and rumours constantly coming up; Kruger sailing to Europe in a Dutch man-of-war; Botha said to be on the point of surrendering; some 15,000 Boer prisoners in our hands and so on; while at Volksrust the burghers are surrendering at the rate of fifty a day, and here at Sandspruit they are dribbling in by half-dozens for what it is worth. But from now up to 1st October at Grass Kop we have to record "Nothing, nothing, always nothing," although in the outer world we hear of great doings, and of C.I.V.'s, Canadians, Guards, Natal Volunteers, and others all preparing to go home for a well-deserved rest. Our turn must soon come, and I am busy preparing my Ordnance and Transport accounts in view of sudden orders to leave the front. The following circular may be of interest as showing the gifts given for the troops in Natal during these operations by native chiefs and others in that colony.

1901 - Newspaper article: Boers rush a camp:



From the Queensland Times, 26 Jun 2012:

The tragic story of an Ipswich digger will get the recognition it deserves - more than 110 years after his death.

Boer War Memorial Association committee member Miles Farmer said arrangements had been made to install a bronze plaque at the final resting place of Private George Given Forsyth.

Although he was an Ipswich man, Pte Forsyth was buried at an unmarked site at Toowong Cemetery following his death on May 3, 1902.

Having bravely served his country in the Boer War, Pte Forsyth was on his way home on the troopship St Andrew when he became gravely ill.

As the Queensland Times reported all the way back on May 6, 1902, the sick soldier was taken straight to the Brisbane General Hospital on his return to the country. He lived for only three more days.

Mr Farmer said one of the great tragedies of his passing was that his parents had not been informed of their son's return from battle until he had lost consciousness.

"He was buried with full military honours but his grave was unmarked," Mr Farmer said.

"We have persuaded the Office of Australian War Graves to provide a bronze plaque."

The plaque will be fixed to Pte Forsyth's grave on September 23, during a ceremony which will also include the rededication of a memorial dedicated to Brisbane Boer War hero Lieutenant Lachlan John Caskey.

Lt Caskey was killed in action in South Africa while heroically leading a small party of 14 soldiers in a mission to catch a Boer position containing 200.

Mr Farmer has appealed for any descendants of Forsyth to contact him ahead of the ceremony.

"Forsyth and Caskey should get the recognition they deserve," he said.

1900 - Private Radcliffe (or Ratcliffe), of the 1st Canadian Mounted Rifles, was killed in action today.

Private Archibald Radcliffe was killed in action when khaki-clad Boers lured him and three other dragoons into a trap killing two of them as they fought their way out. He was 21 years of age.
(Research by Bill Stevens, and published in the March 2005 newsletter of The Historical Society of St. Catherines.)

He's remembered on a plaque in St Catherines, Ontario.



1901 - A daring exploit by Lieutenant Arthur Grant, of the 12th Lancers.

....Further details have been received here regarding Lieut. Grant's exploit against a portion of Scheepers' commando on the 23rd inst. Lieut. Grant, in charge of the escort of Colonel Atherton's baggage, was riding with the vanguard at nine o'clock in the evening, when, at the far side of a nek, he came suddenly upon a picket of 30 Boers on the road. At the same time he saw Scheepers' laager to the right of the road. Giving orders to the sergeant-major to form up the wagons and hold the nek with one troop, he dashed through the picket, thinking that the second troop, for which he had sent back orders, was following. The order, however, had miscarried, and when Lieut. Grant stopped on the road on the far side of the picket and the laager he found himself alone. The Boers, who were badly scared, broke and fled in confusion. As they passed Lieutenant Grant shouted 'Hands up." Three of them surrendered, and of the three others who refused Lieut. Grant shot two dead and wounded the third. By this time the enemy had recovered themselves, and Lieut. Grant was surrounded and captured and taken to an adjoining house. The Boers were greatly excited, and a good deal of wild firing occurred among themselves, with the result that one Boer was killed and several were wounded. They also shot and wounded a number of their horses. At midnight the whole Boer force hurriedly retired, leaving Lieut. Grant sleeping in the house. Next morning Lieut. Grant brought on the convoy safely, after burying the two Boers whom he had killed. ....The young officer who performed the above plucky exploit is Mr Arthur Grant, younger of Monymusk, son of Sir Arthur Grant, Bart. Lieutenant Grant is just 22, his majority having been celebrated at Monymusk almost exactly a year ago while he was absent in South Africa. When hostilities commenced in South Africa, Mr Grant was sent to the front with his regiment, the 12th Royal Lancers, and the regiment has been engaged continuously in many important actions. Although Mr Grant is so young an officer, he has now seen much active service and come through many privations—officers and men sharing together without complaint the hardships as well as the perils of the campaign. For a time he was laid aside with fever, but his great anxiety was to return to duty as soon as permission could be got. What the 12th Lancers have had to undergo is shown by the sad fact of their losing their brave commanding officer, the Earl of Airlie, who had gained the reputation of being one of the finest cavalry officers in the army; one of their field officers, Major Ralli; and one of the subalterns, Mr Keswick, to whose first lieutenancy Mr Grant was promoted. He has had many hairbreadth escapes before the present one. Shortly after he went out to the front he ventured too near the enemy while out scouting and sketching, and had to make a dash for the camp with half a dozen Boers after him firing as fast as they could. In the course of his gallop for the camp Lieutenant Grant came to a wire fence which stopped his horse, and it was only with the greatest difficulty that he succeeded in clearing it and getting away from the Boers, who had come close up to him in the meantime. On many other occasions pluck and good luck have combined to carry him successfully cut of tight corners. Sir Arthur and Lady Grant are to be congratulated on the magnificent feat of their eldest son, one of the most daring of the war. His younger brother is also an officer at the front who has done gallant service.
....It may be recollected that the tenants desired to have a proper celebration of Mr Grant's coming of age, and to hold it on 14th September last year, the natal day, and also to offer to him some permanent testimony of the regard n which he is held ; but they felt that public rejoicings would be out of place while he was daily exposed to danger on the field of battle, and that any festivity would be shorn of its happiness without the presence of the young heir. Mr Grant's kindly frank, unassuming ways have won for him the esteem of everyone on the property, both tenants and servants. Coming as a little boy to the parish, he grew up among them, and has shown how constant was the pleasure he had in spending his holidays roaming about with his gun through the woods and over the purple, heather-clad hills, and they were all sorry that, being so young, he should have had to undergo so many hardships and should have been laid aside for a time with illness.
....The tenants of Monymusk very sincerely sympathised with Sir Arthur and Lady Grant in their long-continued anxiety, especially during those dark days in December and January. It has been mentioned that the regiment may be sent to India when its work at the front is finished, but the parishioners of Monymusk trust that if this should be the case Mr Grant may at get some short leave before going to India, so as to be at home for a little while, when they shall not be behind in testifying the honour in which they hold him for his work in the field, and in showing the esteem with which he is regarded for his own fine, gentlemanly character. He and his younger brother are all Sir Arthur and Lady Grant's family; and their being both at the seat of war is an instance of the anxiety felt throughout the homes of our country—an anxiety that cannot be laid aside as long as any fighting continues. The parishioners desired to send a telegram of congratulation to Mr Grant so as to reach him on the morning of his 21st birthday, but were assured that there was not the least chance of its reaching him. A largely-attended meeting was held, and its chairman wrote Mr Grant conveying to him the tenants' expression of personal regard, and regretting that their hearty wishes for his happiness and safe return could not reach him when he awoke to find himself one-and-twenty. Their trust is that "the roof-tree of Monymusk," on whom so many hopes centre, may be preserved from danger, and that after a few years Mr Grant may make a home for himself in their midst beside his father, whom they also congratulated upon the coming of age of his son—no eldest son as direct heir of the property having done so for more than 100 years.
The Aberdeen Journal, Saturday 28th September 1901

www.findagrave.com/memorial/142436753/arthur-grant

www.veterans.gc.ca/eng/remembrance/memor...Archibald%20Ratcliff

QSA clasp entitlement

His service documents......





Mike

Hi,
I'm attaching an image of the final resting place at Toowong Cemetery, Brisbane, Queensland of 103 Private George Given Forsyth of the 5th Queensland Imperial Bushman which was rededicated on the 23 September 2012 and plaque fixed which was obtained from the Office of Australian War Graves due to the site initially being unmarked. The plaque inscription reads -

With reference to daring exploit by Lieutenant Arthur Grant, of the 12th Lancers. DSO



Lieutenant Grant's medal rolls