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Tpr. Major Campbell Clark of the Imperial Lt. Horse in the Defence of Ladysmith 2 years 11 months ago #82644

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Major Campbell Clark

Trooper, Imperial Light Horse – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa medal with clasp Defence of Ladysmith to 644 TPR. M.C. CLARK, IMP. LT. HORSE

Clark, were he to have made soldiering a career, had a most unfortunate Christian name, one which would have occasioned endless confusion among the ranks. Perhaps fortunately, his service in uniform was short-lived. Born in St. Pancras, London on 27 June 1872, he was the son of a John Edward Clark, a reasonably prosperous Tobacconist and News Agent, and his wife Augusta Amelia, born Robbins. At the time of his baptism in the Parish Church of St. Andrew, Haverstock Hill on 9 February 1873, the family were living at 63 Malden Road, Middlesex.

The 1881 England census which was conducted eight years later, revealed that the family was fast developing into a large one. Still resident at 63 Malden Road, a nine year old Clark was joined in the house by siblings Amelia Matilda, John Harry Edward, Adelaide Julia, Dora Priscilla, twins Alfred Duncan and Edward, Herbert Charles, Lewis Sidney and Mary.

Ten years later, at the time of the 1891 England census, there was no sign of a 19 year old Clark. His father had passed away in the meanwhile leaving his widowed mother to take care of the multitude of children the couple brought into the world. Mrs Clark had moved the family to 8 Russell Villas in Tottenham and older brother John had taken on the News Agent business.

At some point in the late 1890’s, Clark made his way to South Africa where he took up a position with the Natal Government Railways. Like most people, he would have been unaware that war clouds were gathering on the horizon. South Africa, in late 1899, was a ticking time bomb. The two Dutch-speaking Republics of the Orange Free State and the Transvaal were at loggerheads with the British Government on a variety of matters. This led to the almost inevitable declaration of war between the two camps on 11 October 1899.

The Imperial forces available in South Africa were meagre in the extreme, estimated at about 10 000 men who were required to stem the tide of the Boer invasion of the Cape Colony and Natal. Without delay, the Boer Commandos who had been massing on the Natal border, entered the colony and made straight for Dundee where the battle of Talana Hill took place on 21 October 1899.

Despite the result being a stalemate, with the Boers withdrawing, the British forces under General Yule decided that the most prudent course of action would be to withdraw to Ladysmith where they could bolster the garrison stationed there under General Sir George White.

Along the way, the battle of Elandslaagte was fought on the 23 October – the very day that Major Clark completed the attestation form to join the Imperial Light Horse at Ladysmith. There are a number of points of interest to this – firstly, it can be assumed that Clark’s employment with the N.G.R. had taken him to Ladysmith. Secondly, and perhaps most intriguingly, Clark claimed to have served with the 3rd Dragoon Guards and to have taken his discharge in Dundee. As a body, the 3rd Dragoon Guards were not in South Africa, let alone Dundee at this time and a thorough search of the military records has failed to uncover any sign that Clark had joined their ranks.

Wherever the truth lay, it was an incontrovertible fact that Clark was in Ladysmith as Yule’s forces were braving the torrential rain and the Boers as they fell back on the town. Assigned number 644 Trooper Clark was described as being 27 years old with a medium complexion, brown eyes, and dark brown hair. He was 5 feet 10 ½ inches in height and weighed 168 pounds. His next of kin was provided as Mrs. Clark, 3 St. John’s Road, Tottenham, S.W.

Immediately, he was thrown into the deep end, there being no time to lose as the Boers encircled Ladysmith – effectively laying siege to the town and its inhabitants. The Imperial Light Horse regiment he had joined was at the forefront of the many actions and skirmishes undertaken in the defence of the town and in an effort to keep the Boers at bay.

Stirling’s “With the Colonial Forces in South Africa” gives a good precis of the prominent role the I.L.H played during the siege: -

‘Sir George White's despatch of 23rd March 1900 states that on 3rd November Major Karri-Davies, reconnoitring with four squadrons, found a body of the enemy with one gun on Lancer's Hill, and asked for reinforcements to drive them off. Three cavalry regiments and the 21st Battery were sent to his assistance. The battery quickly silenced the gun. "Believing the enemy were evacuating the hill, the two squadrons of the ILH who were facing Lancer's Hill made a gallant but somewhat ill-advised attempt to occupy it, but though they seized and occupied a portion of the hill the enemy was in too great strength for further progress". The enemy being now strongly reinforced our troops withdrew.

On 7th November Caesar's Camp was subjected to heavy artillery and long-range rifle fire, and the regiment with the 42nd Battery were sent to reinforce the point attacked.

On the 14th the regiment with the Natal Mounted Volunteers, two cavalry regiments, and two batteries, were sent across the Klip River to work round Rifleman's Ridge. The regiment and the Natal Volunteers seized Star Hill, but General Brocklehurst decided that the enemy's position was too strong and retired his force. On the night of 7th December Major-General Sir A. Hunter, with 500 Natal Volunteers, which included 100 Border Mounted Rifles under Colonel Royston, and 100 ILH under Lieutenant Colonel A. H. M. Edwards, with a few guides, engineers, and artillerymen, made his famous sortie to capture and destroy the enemy's artillery on Gun Hill.

"Sir A. Hunter's arrangements were excellent throughout, and he was gallantly supported by his small force. Gun Hill was taken, a 6-inch creusot and a 4.7 howitzer were destroyed, and a maxim captured and brought into camp". Sir A. Hunter was most highly praised by Sir G. White, and Colonel Royston, Lieutenant Colonel Edwards, and Major Karri-Davies were specially mentioned in the body of the despatch.
Before dawn on 6th January 1900 the Boers commenced their very determined, but fortunately unsuccessful, attempt to carry Ladysmith by storm. The attack was mainly developed on the southern defences, at Caesar's Camp and Wagon Hill. The usual garrison of Wagon Hill was composed of three companies 1st King's Royal Rifles and a squadron of the ILH. On the evening of the 5th a detachment of the Natal Naval Volunteers, with a 3-pounder Hotchkiss gun, had been sent to Wagon Hill. Two naval guns had also been taken to the foot of the hill, and some sailors, Royal Engineers, and men of the 2nd Gordons had accompanied the latter guns.

The attack commenced at 2.30 am. "It fell directly on the squadron of ILH, under Lieutenant G M Mathias, and the Volunteer Hotchkiss detachment, under Lieutenant E N W Walker, who clung most gallantly to their positions and did invaluable service in holding in check till daylight the Boers who had gained a footing on the hill, within a few yards of them. The extreme south-west point of the hill was similarly held by a small mixed party of bluejackets, Royal Engineers, Gordon Highlanders, and Imperial Light Horse, under Lieutenant Digby-Jones, RE. The remainder of the hill was defended by the companies of 1st Battalion King's Royal Rifles". An officer on the Natal Volunteer staff has informed the writer that at one time the Hotchkiss detachment was driven from their gun. Lieutenant Mathias gallantly ran forward and with the assistance of two of his men pulled the gun under cover.

The first reinforcements ordered to Wagon Hill were the remainder of the ILH. These reached the hill at 5.10 am "and were at once pushed into action. They pressed forward up to and over the western edge of the flat crest of the hill, to within a few yards of the enemy, who held the opposite edge of the crest. They thus afforded a most welcome relief to the small garrison of the hill, but they themselves suffered very severely in occupying and maintaining their position". Other troops arrived, and several attempts were made to clear the hill, but these failed. Never during the whole war did the Boers show finer courage.

About mid-day the fighting slackened, but at 1 pm " a fresh assault was made with great suddenness on the extreme south-west of the hill, our men giving way for a moment before the sudden outburst of fire and retiring down the opposite slope. Fortunately, the Boers did not immediately occupy the crest, and this gave time for Major Miller-Wallnutt of the Gordons, Lieutenant Digby-Jones, RE, Lieutenant Fitzgerald, ILH, Gunner Sims, Royal Navy, and several NCO's of the ILH, to rally the men. The top was reoccupied just as the three foremost Boers reached it - the leader being shot by Lieutenant Digby-Jones, and the two others by No 459 Trooper H Albrecht, ILH.

At 4.45 pm, during a storm of wind and rain, our troops were again driven from the south-west point of the hill, but they were again rallied and reoccupied it. At 5 pm Lieutenant Colonel Park, with three companies of the 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, finally cleared the hill by a magnificent bayonet-charge. Sir George White added "I desire to draw special attention to the gallantry displayed by all ranks of the ILH, some of whom were within 100 yards of the enemy for 15 hours, exposed to a deadly fire.

Their losses were terribly heavy, but never for one moment did any of them waver or cease to show a fine example of courage and determination to all who came in contact with them". Towards the close of his despatch Sir George, again, said: "Of the Imperial Light Horse, specially raised in Natal at the commencement of the war, I have already expressed my opinion. No praise can be too great for the gallantry and determination which all ranks of this corps have invariably displayed in action". The accounts given by 'The Times' historian and other writers regarding the attack of 6th January bear out all that Sir George White said as to the unsurpassable conduct of the corps.

Down to the close of the siege the regiment bore its share of the work and the hardships, now, after 6th January, daily increasing. Five squadrons of the regiment were under Sir George White in the actions before referred to, and in the defence of Ladysmith.”

The siege of 120 days was lifted on 28 February 1900 with Buller’s fourth and final attempt to push through proving successful. Clark, unlike many of his compatriots, elected to take his discharge from the regiment on 15 March 1900. This was at Hilton Road just outside Pietermaritzburg wither some of the regiment had proceeded for a spot of well earned rest and recreation on the heels of the deprivations they had suffered during the siege.

A fast worker, he married 17 year old Amy Roestorff in Pietermaritzburg on 10 April 1900. Both parties to the nuptials provided their address as Boshoff Road, Pietermaritzburg with Clark providing the useful information that he was employed as a Fireman with the Natal Government Railways. The unseemly haste in which the wedding took place was soon explained with the birth of Alfred Butler Clark on 17 May 1900 – a mere month after his parents tied the knot. The baptism took place in the All Saints Church in Ladysmith on 26 May 1900 – the register advising us that Clark was a Points Guard with the N.G.R. Amy was to bless him with a number of children – Alfred was followed by Thomas Edward on 18 November 1901 at which point Clark was described as being a Fireman on the N.G.R. Christiana Frederika came along on 21 August 1903 and, according to the Burgess Roll for Ladysmith in 1904, Clark rented a property in Ward 1 of the town. Margaret Isabella was born to the couple on 4 September 1905.

All seemed rosy on the domestic front, but this proved not to be the case – shortly after Margaret’s birth, the marriage became rocky, culminating in a divorce. The cause of the strife is unknown, but Clark lost no time in transferring to Waterval Onder in the Lydenburg district of the Eastern Transvaal. Here he met Lily Shepherd Porritt, a lady whom he married in Pretoria on 9 September 1907. Aged 37, Lily claimed on the marriage certificate to be a Spinster – this despite having married Ernest William Porritt in Farnworth, Bolton on 15 October 1895. In fairness to her, the marriage had ended with the death of her husband two years later, leaving her a widow. Her maiden name was Loynd.
The same cannot be said of 35 year old Clark. As we know he was divorced going into the marriage but claimed, nevertheless, to be a bachelor!

Now living in the Transvaal, Clark and his new wife set about the makings of a family. Ellen Mary making her appearance on June 20th, 1911 at Middelburg where Clark was now a Pumper with the C.S.A.R. – Central South African Railways – the forerunner of the South African Railways and Harbours. Yet another daughter, Augusta Loynd, was born on 23 December 1913.

As an aside, Clark’s first wife, Amy, had married a Noel Parker in Ladysmith on 6 July 1907. Parker was a Guard with the Natal Government Railways and would have been acquainted with Clark. I leave you, the reader, to draw your own conclusion.

Major Campbell Clark’s life ended at the age of 58 when, on 31 May 1930, he succumbed to Dementia and Paralysis in Ward 9 of the Mental Hospital in Pretoria. His address was 105 Mentz Street, Booysens, Johannesburg and he was a Greaser with the Tramways Company at the time of his death.