TOPIC:

Interested Forum members
The following extracts from Vol. 1 Ch.V111 of "Rhodesia Served the Queen" should explain the role of Special Service Officers in Rhodesia. As a matter of background, Conan Doyle tells us that "In the very early stage, before the formal declaration of war, the enemy had massed several commandoes upon the Western border, the men being drawn from Zeerust, Rustenberg and Lichtenburg".


A glance at the list of SSOs posted earlier - and their casualties - should indicate that they were not sitting at HQ. They were intended to be recruiters and leaders of soldiers should the likely enemy invade.
Later in the campaign, more SSOs were sought for other active service roles in South Africa and a number came from officers serving in the NSW Military forces. An extract from Murray (Official Records of the Australian Military Contingents to South Africa) is attached regarding their employment:

Some years ago, I had submitted a post with portraits concerning SSO Lt. C.F. Brace, NSW Artillery and therein discussed Special Service Officers. Some Forum members may have missed that post so, taking advantage of finding a rather better pic of Lt. Brace at the Pom Pom Depot, Stellenbosch, I will bump that post up for information purposes.
Regards
IL.

They seem to have suffered an extraordinarily high attrition rate with 7 out of 15 being killed and 3 wounded. Also were they immune from disease or does killed mean by bacteria as well as by bullet & shell?

My great uncle, Major Frederick Heath, R.E., served as a Special Services Officer from 16th September to 3rd November 1899, during which period he was described as "preparing camps and depots and arranging for the defence of posts in Cape Colony".

Before this he had been on "Secret Service" in the Orange Free State (1st July to 15th September 1899), gathering intelligence prior to the outbreak of hostilities. This was subsequent to the publication of the revised edition of "Military Notes on the Dutch Republics of South Africa" (June 1899).

Smethwick wrote: They seem to have suffered an extraordinarily high attrition rate with 7 out of 15 being killed and 3 wounded. Also were they immune from disease or does killed mean by bacteria as well as by bullet & shell?

David
On first investigations into the officers mentioned on the list. These chaps demise and woundings were all down to actions. Mostly around Mafeking and the surrounding areas. Small reconnaissance missions attributed to some of the deaths. I will post more details later pertaining to the casualties.

Dave.

SSOs appear to have been talented, natural leaders, unattached to units, sent out to South Africa before the outbreak of hostilities to prepare for war. In Natal, for example, Thorneycroft and Bethune were SSOs.
But I'm interetsed in more detail of this initiative. For example, what were SSO terms of reference? what budget was at their disposal? who masterminded and funded the SSO project? to whom did they report in SA and in UK before the war broke out? where did they live and how did they escape attention while poised to raise and fund units like TMI and BMI?

This topic intrigues me so I did a bit of digging among my "men" - Captain Richard Ratliffe was a SSO - see the extract from my write-up below.

The full story is here www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...-rifle-brigade#82426



Rory