TOPIC:

Gorringe's Flying Column was raised in January 1901 in the E. Cape and disbanded in December 1901.
I'm trying to plot the column movement and the units that were represented in it. The column isn't mentioned until de Wet's hunt and he was hardly involved in that and then again briefly after between March and May in TImes History.
In May he is in the Zuurberg with some success his troops drawn mainly from the original Colonial Defense Force. (Times History V p. 312)
After which they were broken up.
Gorringe now had Tasmanians, Cape Police and Nesbitt's Horse.
In July(29th) he is at Stormberg against Scheepres and drove him south. Even as far as near Montagu.
He isn't mentioned again until early September when Smuts invades.
He has many skirmishes but fails to press Smuts at Modderfontein.
After October he exits the scene and the column is broken up in December.

What happened between Modderfontein on the 17th of September and December to Gorringe, and his column??
Where were they when the column was disbanded?
Is there a diary of column movements?

Attached are 10 clippings taken from British newspapers for September to December 1901 in which Colonel Gorringe receives a mention. The file name gives the name of the newspaper and the date of the publication.

During September It appears he and his column pursued Smuts and captured some of his men. In October he summarily tried some of his Boer prisoners who were wearing khaki when captured and had them shot for impersonating British soldiers. By mid November he was back home and living in luxury in a leading London Hotel. The December clipping is based on a letter written by a soldier who served in Gorringe's column - it has a go at the 17th Lancers who liked a comfortable life in SA - it also states that Gorringe and his column rode pack mules!

Hope they help rather than confuse.

Ramah Spring
Unfortunately, Stirling does not have an entry for GFC in his "Colonials in South Africa". And thanks to Smethwick for his newspaper clippings. I don't know of any diary of the movements of GFC and would be delighted if someone has. A tactic I have often used with some success in tracing the movements of a unit is to consult the SAFF casualty list for the period under investigation. In the case of GFC, SAFF has entries for 1/1901 to 12/1901 and shows locations where casualties were incurred between those dates. It is reasonable to assume that GFC was active under those circumstances. However, sometimes SAFF locations are vague or did not translate well into English. Research with a period map of the fastnesses of the Cape would help. BTW, "Flying Column" meant that Gorringe operated without carts or impedimenta.
I have attached pics from SAFF


For the period of time you are reviewing, it would be necessary to look into the SAFF entries for units attached to GFC - such as the 2TIB.
Good luck with your research.
Regards
IL.

Thank you Gentlemen both for your most useful information and suggestions.
My real focus is Smuts' invasion of the Cape from September 1901 until be reached O'Kiep and the N.West. They swirled around him from the Stormberg all the way through.
The newspaper article with the spat between the 17th Lancers and Gorringe's column would be as a result of the mauling they (17th L) took at Modderfontein but "because Gorringe laid up at the critical moment when G was onto Smut's rearguard and then stopped for the day while he hammered "C Squadron".
Haig would've been piqued to say the least!
The last newspaper article refers to him waiting for the Medical Board to give him the all clear before he was shipped away from South Africa all together. Was he repatriated because of "the strains of war" and ineffective or not aggressive enough? Shooting Boers dressed in khaki as a success is hardly to be commended.
After Modderfontein his goose was cooked it seems.

I realise this reply is 8 months after the post, so hope someone reads it! My grandfather served with Gorringe's Flying Column from January 1901 to April 1901. He was Trooper T F Mortlock, though the spelling of his name was incorrect, Mortlake was engraved onto his medal. He often told the tale of the 100 mile ride in 24 hours. I cannot find record of it except that it apparently occurred in February 1901 "near Kroonstad" and the 17th Lancers were part of the column? Does anyone have any information on the ride, which I was told, was a Brutish Army record? Any help will be much appreciated.

I have the "Diary of the 9th Lancers in South Africa" which has been invaluable in researching the the attempt by Col. Scobell to capture the Smuts commando between the Zuurberg and the Swartberg. I have meanwhile published a booklet on those events in English as well as Afrikaans. Finally getting the route taken described and correct.
After the Smuts commando moved into the Zuurberg Col. Lukin took command of Gorringe's column tracking down van Deventer who broke north past Anne's Villa while Smuts with Bouwer broke out towards Waterford in a westerly direction.
In the 9th Lancer diary (P.253) it states that from 14th to 30th September 1901 they covered 251 miles and from 6th to 20th October 1901 they did 343 miles. A total of 594 miles. Impressive endurance and probably harder on the horses. The Boers on horses looted from the 17th Lancers at Modderfontein kept ahead of them.
Col. Scobell had 150 of 17th Lancers and 300 of 9th Lancers in his Column. The rest were Cape Colonials, Australians and Imp. Yeomanry.