TOPIC:

Robert Simpson saw action in both the Boer War as well as the Natal Rebellion in two of the most illustrious of Colonial units - The Durban Light Infantry and the Natal Carbineers with a stint at Bridge Guarding with the Natal Govet. Railways thrown in.

Robert Ormiston Simpson

Corporal, “C” Company, Durban Light Infantry and Bridge Guard, Natal Government Railways – Anglo Boer War
Trooper, “J” Squadron” Natal Carbineers – Natal Rebellion

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Relief of Ladysmith and Transvaal to 623, CORPL.,R.O.SIMPSON.,DURBAN.LIGHT.INFANTRY
- Natal Rebellion Medal to TPR.R.O.SIMPSON.NATAL CARBINEERS with 1906 clasp

Robert Simpson was born in Falkirk, Sterlingshire in Scotland on 20 August 1872 the son of Andrew Simpson, a Master Grocer, and his wife Isabella.
The first glimpse we have of him comes courtesy of the 1881 Scotland census where, at the age of 8, he is living with his parents in Western Avenue, Falkirk. The oldest child in the house he was joined by siblings Ann (6), Maggie (3) and baby Isabella (3 months). No doubt to help with the domestic chores a servant girl, Kate Lyon (16) was in attendance.


A photo of the Surveyor General and staff circa 1903 - Simpson is second from the left, standing

The 1891 Scotland census revealed that the family were still at the same address but tragedy has befallen them with Robert’s mother having passed away in the intervening years. At 18 he was now an Architect’s Apprentice by occupation. All of his siblings were still at home with the addition of 8 year old Magdalene to the fold. Annie Simpson, Mr Simpson’s 39 year old sister had come to fulfil the motherly role in the home.

At some stage in the 1890’s a young Robert tired of life in Scotland and sought a future for himself in the sunnier climes of South Africa settling in the Colony of Natal where he soon enlisted with the local Durban regiment, the Durban Light Infantry for militia service. Simpson wasn’t to know that, within a very short space of time, he was to be thrust into the cauldron of conflict which became known as the Anglo Boer War – a fight between two Boer Republics on the one hand and the might of the British Empire on the other. This conflict burst into the open on 11 October 1899 and the D.L.I., in preparation for this event, had already mustered at the end of September and were ready for action.

Entraining at Durban in coal trucks they were as black as the cargo the trucks normally conveyed when they arrived at Colenso (their final destination) in the rain, washing themselves in the Tugela River to get most of the dirt off their person. Initially the duty required of the regiment was the safeguarding of the very important road and railway bridges over the Tugela. Simpson was with the soon-to-be-famous “C” Company under Captain Wylie – they crossed over the Tugela and established “Fort Wylie”on a small rocky “koppie” overlooking the railway bridge. “C” Company was known to have a “Scots” nature by virtue of the number of Highland men among their ranks and Simpson would have felt right at home.

Things started to hot up in early November when the Boers were spotted in the neighbourhood of Colenso and it wasn’t long before sporadic attacks on the D.L.I. and their outposts were being made. What followed next was the famous (infamous) Armoured Train incident. It is not the purpose of this work to explore the incident in detail but, suffice it to say several companies of the D.L.I. were required to draw lots on the fateful day when the Armoured Train was sent out towards Frere on a reconnaissance mission knowing full well that parties of marauding Boers were in the area. “C” Company were the “lucky” winners and, ere long a party of them were aboard the train and underway. The rest, as they say is history, and the train was ambushed and came under sustained fire from the Boers.

Casualties were many and the incident was immortalised for the fact that a young War Correspondent, Winston Churchill, was taken prisoner during the attack. It is not known whether Simpson, a Corporal with “C” Company, was wounded in the incident.

The D.L.I. took part in other Relief of Ladysmith operations before being moved down to Mooi River where they encamped and were stationed to fend off any Boer incursions further southward (it was Botha’s stated intention to try and reach the sea through Pietermaritzburg)

After Ladysmith had been relieved and the fight had moved on to the Transvaal (Vryheid was still regarded as part of the Transvaal then) the Colonial outfits were disbanded their services being no longer required. Although called out sporadically from time to time until the end of the war on 31 May 1902, the men were able to return to their peacetime occupations.

Simpson was no different and after a brief foray into the Transvaal theatre of the war, was back in town to take up employment as a Draughtsman with the Surveyor General’s office in Pietermaritzburg. This he did with effect from 1 November 1900. Now ensconced in his working environment he volunteered for further service as a Bridge Guard with the Natal Government Railways. For his efforts in the war he was awarded the Queens Medal with clasps Relief of Ladysmith and Transvaal issued off the Durban Light Infantry roll.

As was the practice in those days he applied to the Surveyor General, Mr John Leslie Masson, for 14 days leave on 25 March 1902 and, after the request had been granted by the Minister, he confirmed his return in writing as well. Despite having been on the strength of the S.G’s office for almost 2 years Simpson was not yet a permanent member of staff which, by implication, meant that he didn’t qualify for pension or any other benefits. On 21 April 1902 he determined to do something about this by writing to his boss as follows,

“I have to request that you will be good enough to recommend for favourable consideration, this my application to be placed on the Permanent Civil Establishment of the Colony, in terms of Section 13 of the Civil Service Act.

I have been employed in this Department since 1st November 1900 as draughtsman, and during that period, I believe I have given satisfaction by the manner in which I have carried out the work entrusted to me.

I may say it is my intention to remain in the Colony.

I have the honour…….”

This request, as innocuous as it appeared, set off a chain reaction of correspondence between various officials in various organs of the government – part of the necessary recommendation came from Mr Masson to the Minister of Lands and Works. He wrote as follows,

“Mr Simpson’s age is 28. He has bene employed in the department for close on two years as a draughtsman and compiler. He served an apprenticeship in Scotland as an Architect and Surveyor. He is an accurate, neat and quick draughtsman. His title will be draughtsman and compiler.

The provision in the Estimates is £200, much too small a sum for a man of Mr Simpson’s qualifications and experience” The upshot of all of this was that Simpson was placed on the Permanent Establishment with effect from 1 July 1902.

January 1st 1903 was a red-letter day for Simpson. He wed, at St Luke’s Church in Pietermaritzburg, a widow by the name of Mary Farrow. This marriage was to be one of the biggest mistakes Simpson ever made and it was, almost from the start, a very unhappy one but more about that later.

Now that he had moved house from Durban to Pietermaritzburg it made sense for Simpson to enlist with the local regiment – the Natal Carbineers – for peacetime service. This he did on 23 November 1904 where he was assigned no 623 and the rank of Trooper with “J” Squadron. Aged 32 he was 5’10’’ in height and had a chest measurement of “37’’. He supplied his residential address as 414 Berg Street, Pietermaritzburg. Volunteers in those times were required to participate in and attend camps on an annual basis and, on 3 April 1905 he applied for leave of absence in order to attend the “annual volunteer encampment” – that he was actively involved with the Carbineers proved to be providential.

Post Boer war Natal was not a happy place to be; her finances were in a parlous state and the fiscus was desperate to find additional monies to ward off the threat of depression. The Colonial government hit upon an ingenious (but contentious) scheme where every black male of a certain age and above would have poll tax of £1 levied against his head. This was accepted grudgingly by most tribal Chiefs and Indunas but there were exceptions, the chief among them being a vocal and stroppy young chap from the Zondo clan in the Greytown/Kranskop area. Bambatha, for such was his name, went about stirring up trouble and inciting others to follow his lead and refuse to pay the tax when the magistrates charged with the task of collecting it called round.

This in itself was unacceptable to the authorities but Bambatha went one step further and called upon his followers to take up arms and openly rebel against the white man and his rule. Initially the Militia were called out in early 1906 but the strife fizzled out and they were disbanded. Simpson and the Carbineers were called into action mobilising on 9 February and after a few minor flare ups were demobilised again on 30 March. This lull was short-lived and the Militia were called out again – on this occasion Simpson’s “J” Squadron was to see plenty of action and was under fire from 900 rebels whilst under the command of Capt. W. Park Gray.

Simpson became unfit for further service and was discharged on medical grounds (this turned out to be a bad case of appendicitis) on 19 June 1906 earning for himself the Natal Rebellion Medal with 1906 clasp for his efforts. Meanwhile on the home front things, as alluded to earlier, were not going swimmingly. On Monday, 24 June 1907 the Supreme Court of Natal decreed that a “restitution of Conjugal Rights be performed in Natal by the Defendant” – what was this all about then?

Unbeknown to many Simpson’s wife Mary had fled and, after the elapse of time, he had instituted divorce proceedings against her for Malicious Desertion. It so transpired that this hadn’t been a recent development – Mary Simpson had deserted her husband with effect from 30 March 1905 and had fled to England where she now resided with her sister. It became apparent that Mrs Simpson was not of a mind to return and “accord her husband marital privileges” and the Judge was empowered to grant the decree of divorce “in absentia”

The transcripts of the trial made, in parts, for interesting reading – some of the questions and answers are below:

Q. Where did you reside after your marriage”
A. Maritzburg

Q. When did your wife leave for England?
A. 4th August 1904

Q. With your consent?
A. Yes and the Doctor’s orders

Q. When did you first receive an intimation that she did not intend to return to you?
A. About 8 months after her departure.

Q. Is that the letter you received, in your wife’s own handwriting?
A. Yes

The letter dated 30 March 1905 read as follows:

“Dear Pet
I have been away now nearly eight months, and I have decided not to return to you. Our marriage was a terrible mistake, and to continue it would be misery to me, consequently much unhappiness to you. I hope by the laws of Natal, you soon will be able to free yourself from this irritating bond. Yours with much regret

Mary”

Q. Had you any idea that anything of this sort might happen when your wife went home?
A. No

Q. Why did she go home?
A. Medical treatment.

Q. What does she mean by “our marriage was a terrible mistake”
A. I could not make that out at all.

Q. Have you any idea of anything happening which could cause her to write that?
A. I have heard her say Natal was too slow. She belonged to Bristol.

So ended an unhappy arrangement – it was to take Simpson another five years before he dipped his toe into marital waters. On 9 October 1912 and now 40 years of age, he married Ethel Mary Kimpton, a 24 year old spinster at the First Presbyterian Church in Pietermaritzburg. Interestingly enough he is classed on his marriage certificate as a Bachelor and not as a Divorcee – one can only wonder if the true facts were ever revealed to his new wife.

Simpson’s salary was now a measly £300 per annum (according to the Natal Civil List of 1912) but he seems to have made do. On 31 October 1931 he passed away at the Cato Nursing Home in Durban. 59 years and 2 months old he was survived by his wife, Ethel, and children Hazel Olive Simpson (born 7 August 1916) and Louis Andrew Simpson (born 1 August 1921) His address at the time of death was 8 Morningside Road, Durban and the cause of death was given as Hypertension and Heart Failure. He was still employed as a Draughtsman but had moved to the Durban Borough Engineers Office.

Of his first wife there was again no mention.
[/size]

Rory,

Here is a photograph of Corporal Simpson (standing), while serving with "C" Company, Durban Light Infantry. Photograph taken by George W. Linfoot, Estcourt, Natal.





..

I cant thank you guys enough...
Thanks!!!!
Robert is my great grand father. My family knew so little about him, but we learned so much from this post....

That is a very nicely expressed "Thank You" ZanSim.

These old boys deserve to be remembered by all of us.

And Rory ...

Any chance of emailing me a close up photo extract of Sergeant Ernest Parry? He is standing next to Robert Simpson.

He was one of those who was caught up in the affair at Chieveley.

Thanks.

RobM

Did you say Parry or Washington Rob...? It will be in your inbox in a few minutes