As found in Find-My-Past.........
First name(s) S
Last name Tottle
Service number 4544
Rank Private
Regiment 1 Battalion The Devonshire Regiment
Event detail Wounded Dangerously on 21/10/1899 at Elandslaagte
Event unit 1 Battalion The Devonshire Regiment
Gazetteer
[2828: 2824-2959 battle site marked] a farm in Natal Colony (Klip River district; KwaZulu-Natal), 20 km north-east of Ladysmith, which gives its name to a station [2828: 2823-2957] on the Ladysmith-Newcastle railway line. On the night of 19/20 October 1899, advance patrols led by Capt F.J. Pienaar of the Johannesburg Volunteers under the overall command of Asst Cmdt-Gen J.H.M. Kock captured a train in Elandslaagte station to be followed by the remainder of the commando the next morning. From Ladysmith* a strong force under Maj-Gen J.D.P. French reconnoitred the position on 20 October, but saw little except for the commandos of German and Hollander volunteers, commanded by Capt A.F. Schiel and Cmdt H.J. Coster respectively, and returned. On 21 October, French again moved towards Elandslaagte with the Imperial Light Horse and Natal Field Artillery. An armoured train followed by a train with half a battalion of the 1st The Manchester regiment also went north. As the Boers around the station and colliery buildings saw the British, burghers from the Johannesburg and Vrede commandos took up position on some low koppies south-east of the station. Further reinforcements, including the 7th brigade under Maj-Gen I.S.M. Hamilton and a squadron each of the 5th (Royal Irish) Lancers and 5th (Princess Charlotte of Wales's) Dragoon Guards, came from Ladysmith; in the early afternoon, the British troops advanced on the Boer positions. The 1st The Devonshire regiment led the infantry attack followed by the 1st The Manchester regiment and the 2nd The Gordon Highlanders. The British, some 3,500 men against some 400 burghers, took the koppies after stiff fighting, the Boers retreating northwards in the late afternoon. For his leadership under heavy cross fire during this fighting, Capt M.F.M. Meiklejohn, Gordon Highlanders, was awarded the Victoria Cross. For his gallantry during this attack Sgt-Maj W. Robertson, Gordon Highlanders, was also awarded the Victoria Cross. The cavalry were then ordered to charge the stragglers and cleared the ground east of the station. When this move was initially checked, Capt C.H. Mullins and Capt R. Johnstone, both of the Imperial Light Horse, rallied their men under very severe fire and were awarded the Victoria Cross for their gallantry. On the following day, the British evacuated Elandslaagte and retired to Ladysmith. Among the 67 burghers killed and 108 wounded was Kock, who died of his wounds ten days later, and Coster, at one time state attorney; British losses were 50 killed and 213 wounded. Schiel was among 188 prisoners taken. It was re-occupied on 23 October by a patrol led by Cmdt C. Nel. During February and early March 1900, it was the headquarters of Cmdt-Gen P.J. Joubert. After the siege of Ladysmith was raised, Elandslaagte was re-occupied on 5 March 1900 by a patrol of the 14th (King's) Hussars and in the following days by the 1st cavalry brigade, the 2nd infantry brigade, the 7th Battery RFA and later Lt-Gen Sir C.F. Clery's 2nd division with four naval pdr guns. On 10 April, Cmdt-Gen L. Botha's forces shelled the 2nd division's camp and, although the damage was insignificant, forced a withdrawal to a defensive line east of the village. Outposts near the collieries were again shelled on 21 April. On 7 May piquets at the collieries were attacked by a commando of foreign nationals. Elandslaagte was finally evacuated on 17 May as the British front moved northwards. HMG I pp.157-171 (maps nos.3 and 6), III p.249, 254-255, 259 and 265 (map no.45), IV p.700; Times II pp.175-195 and 197 (map facing p.196), IV pp.168-169; Breytenbach I pp.237-263 (map facing p.256), V p.18.
A Gazetteer of the Second Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902. HM & MGM Jones (Military Press, Milton Keynes 1999)
Country Great Britain
Record set Anglo-Boer War records 1899-1902
Mike
