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The man Churchill promised to pay 5 years 11 months ago #61769

Rory
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From time to time one wades through the books on one's shelf in the hope that some new titbit of information on a recipient will come to light. This was my lot earlier today and I was suitably rewarded!

The insert below comes from the book "Delayed Action" a biography of Sir Duncan McKenzie by his son Lt. Colonel A. McKenzie. It provides further insight into William Park Gray who's medals I am privileged to count as part of my collection. I quote verbatim from the book:-

From A Letter from the Late Colonel W. Park Gray written to me in November 1963.

It would afford me much pleasure if I could relate incidences of interest appertaining to the personal life of your father, for I always held him in very high regard, but I was only a Trooper at the commencement of the Boer War, and therefore was never in close contact with him.

I first saw him a few days after Ladysmith was invested, for he was on the sea when war broke out and so was not besieged with the regiment. He arrived at Colenso and took over command of E Squadron a day or two before we retired to Estcourt. My first experience of him was a severe dressing down for the way I carried out his orders as we retired to Estcourt.

I think that I was a Corporal for I was given charge of six men and told to guard the right flank of the Colenso army consisting of the Composite Regiment, I.L.H. and Carbineers and the Dublin Fusiliers and a few others. I did not realise then that I should move in parallel with the force but I marched out on the flank and arrived in Estcourt hours before the others. He sent for me and told me in pretty forcible language just what he thought of me.

When in Estcourt our squadron was continually in the saddle, for we all knew the country well, and although the I.L.H. were a very fine body of men they were mostly townsmen from Johannesburg ad new to Natal. We had available many extra horses, and would change from one mount to another. To give an instance:- On the day of the Armoured Train Affair four of us left Estcourt at 2 a.m. and scouted down towards Weenen through the thorn country along the Bushman’s River. We breakfasted on the hill overlooking Weenen, and as we were doing so heard gunfiring in the direction of Frere. We knew that the armoured train was in trouble, for we could not understand why the Boers allowed its daily run up towards Colenso.

We arrived back in Estcourt about 11 a.m. and were just about to off saddle and have some food when the “Alarm” was sounded followed by the “Boot and Saddle”. We threw our saddles on to fresh horses and with the I.L.H. and rest of the squadron (many were still out on patrol or scouting) galloped out towards Ennersdale. At the Little Bushman’s Railway Bridge we halted and our officers went to the Armoured Train engine to get information about the enemy.

The engine was covered with wounded men, some even riding on the cow catcher. We then rode on to Ennersdale and I was ordered to scout on the east side of the line. About a mile from Ennersdale, near Heavitree as my half section (Stevens) and I were cantering up a ridge, Boers suddenly appeared. We were within 100 yards. Stevens was on the point of turning when I said “stand still”. It was raining, our hats were turned down and we were wearing our heavy dark blue overcoats. Some Boers dismounted and were aiming at us, while others shouted asking us who we were.

I told Stevens, who spoke Dutch well, to answer. He replied in a very wavering voice “Don’t shoot, we belong to you”. They asked, which Commando and just then our force appeared in sight galloping along the road from Ennersdale to Frere when the Boers called out “Passop daar kom die Engelse”. I reported to Major McKenzie and we were soon in action when one of the I.L.H. was severely wounded.

The Boers got hemmed in at a corner of a paddock before they could move the wire and retire. I was sent down to see how many were killed. I was sent alone and found one man lying on the ground. I was heavily dressed and could not see where he had been hit. I digress here to say that I had never seen a dead man before but had often seen natives skin a sheep or a beast for slaughter. They would always examine the eye before skinning to make sure the animal was dead. I saw that our force was retiring so I hastily picked up the Boer’s rifle and raced back.

When I got to Major M I reported that only one Boer had been killed. “Where was he shot” I was asked. “I don’t know sir” I replied. “How do you know he was dead?” “I put my finger in his eye” I replied. My answer provoked a roar of laughter and thereafter I was often asked “Did you put your finger in his eye?”

I mention this incident at length because Major McKenzie as he was then appeared to take more interest in me.

Another event that took place was the result of asking for leave to go out to the home of my wife, for I had been told that it had been destroyed by the Boers. It was on a Sunday when we were relaxing a bit from our continual riding. I asked if I might be allowed to ride my bicycle (I owned a machine for which I had paid £35, but I cannot remember how it got to Estcourt. Probably my father had loaded it on to a wagon when the family oved to Mooi River).

I took my revolver and rode out to Glenisla. The house is situated on the banks of the Spruit and is not visible until within 150 yards. The road approaching the house is downhill. Just as I got within sight of the house I saw a number of Boers, about 20 on the verandah. I realised it would be folly to turn and ride back so went straight on hoping for the best. They had a pot boiling and were making coffee. All had rifles and were very surly. I went to each, shook hands and said “Goeie Dag”. They gave me a cup of coffee and while drinking I racked my brains how to get out of the mess.

I knew it would be fatal to ride back up the steep road, but as the house was surrounded by many trees and I knew every path on the place, I suddenly got on my bicycle and dodged round the house, crossed the river and returned by a different road. They probably would have let me go or detained me as a prisoner. I reported this incident to Major M. He said I had done well. When at Glenisla I recognised two of the Boers as Locals, who, therefore were rebels and a force was sent out to arrest them a few days later.

I will give another incident in which I figured prominently with Major McKenzie. It was at Mooi River. There was a force of Boers on a long hill East of Mooi River. I think that it was General Hillyard who had just arrived and taken over command at Mooi River. (Troops were arriving all the time). He ordered McKenzie to find out who they were. I was told to take three men and draw their fire. There was nothing in this as they used to fire at us from extreme ranges. The Boers were on a long high ridge. Our fellows were on another about three miles away.

The two ridges were connected by another low lying ridge. We advanced along the connecting ridge in half sections about 100 yards apart. When we got within 1000 yards I gave the order gallop back and the Boers will fire. Nothing doing. Because I felt that I had not drawn their fire I felt I could not retire. So we rode slowly back towards the enemy. We could see them on their ridge. My half section and I got within 400 yards but still they would not fire. We could not see more than about ten or fifteen Boers.

I got off my horse sat down and examined them through my field glasses. Suddenly I saw their rifles come down. I called to my half section “Look out Kirkman, they are firing.” Before I got into the saddle the bullets came. Kirkman had a 100 yards start of me. I lay down on the saddle and raced over the flat for 600 yards before I got under cover. I then rode back slowly to our people feeling very pleased that not only had I not been hit but also because I had carried out my orders.

My feelings can be imagined when Major McKenzie gave the worst slating that I have ever had. “He did not know that he could have such a fool in his command,” together with some pretty lurid language. He could see the Boers would fire at long range. I was told afterwards that he was extremely upset for he felt we could not escape. The only strike was a flesh wound on my horse. If you know what a ricochet should be like you can realise what a noise was made by 100 rifles.