TOPIC:

Robert Harold Alcock

Lieutenant, Durban Light Infantry
Captain, Natal Mounted Infantry – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal (Relief of Ladysmith/Transvaal) to Lieut: R.H. ALCOCK. Durban L.I.

Robert Alcock was born in Durban in the Colony of Natal on 1 April 1876 the son of Keturah (born West) and Thomas Alcock a prosperous Durban Storekeeper. He was baptised on 7 November 1877 in the Parish Church on the Berea in Durban by the incumbent, Rev. John Reynolds (no relative to the writer). Keturah was Thomas’ second wife – he was to marry thrice in total.


Thomas Alcock

The Alcocks were an old Natal family, their members well known and widespread throughout the Colony. Growing up Robert would not have wanted for playmates, albeit they would have wanted him to play with their dolls, in the forms of sisters Elizabeth Harriet, Lilian Adelaide and Violet Amy. He would also have been exposed to a military-type discipline at home “The Hermitage”, high up on Durban’s Berea with a commanding view of the city and the bay. This was because his father had been a serving soldier in Her Majesty’s Army at some point.

As the end of the 19th century approached the bustling port city of Durban on South Africa’s east coast was a hive of activity. The branch of the Alcock family with which we are concerned, according to the 1897 Natal Almanac and Directory, kept premises at 360 West Street, in the very midst of the city’s thriving commercial district. No doubt a young Robert would have been hard at work behind the counter of his father’s enterprise.


Alcock’s business, West Street, Durban.

On 8 March 1898 he was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Durban Light Infantry, one of the oldest regiments in the Colony of Natal. At the time of enlistment he was described as a Saddler by occupation. As he went about attending the compulsory camps and shoots that were required of a peacetime unit, he would have been aware that storm clouds were gathering to the north where the two Boer Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State were at loggerheads with the might of Imperial Great Britain.


D.L.I. Easter Camp 1898

The impasse spilled over into open war on 11 October 1899 but the D.L.I., like most volunteer units, had been mobilised on 29 September, in anticipation of such an eventuality – some two weeks before the first shot was fired in anger. Alcock (no. 576 on the roll) was the Officer Commanding “A” Company of the D.L.I. at the commencement of the war.

The Durban Light Infantry were sent up to Colenso to protect the railway bridge there and to provide a line of defence as the fighting got underway. The Boers had infiltrated Natal in the far north of the Colony and the battles of Talana and Elandslaagte had been fought with the British Army falling back on Ladysmith where, it had been decided by General Sir George White, the town of Ladysmith should be where a stand was made. As the end of October approached the Boers from the Orange Free State linked up with their comrades from the Transvaal and, having gradually encircled the town, laid siege to it with effect from 3 November 1899.

On the 2nd of November, according to the Official History by Colonel A.C. Martin, patrols had come in with the news that the Boers were closing in on Colenso. The last train from Ladysmith had got through but had been fired on. Shelling of Colenso began on the morning of the 2nd, but the shells fell short. Fort Wylie and the Railway Bridge being the obvious targets. At 2.15 p.m. there had been an attack of some force on Fort Molyneux on the outskirts of the town. The enemy kept a respectful distance at first, the range being given as 1500 yards, but this was soon greatly reduced.


Map showing Colenso dispositions

A company of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers and half of “B” Company of the D.L.I. sallied out in extended order on the left of the railway line in order to relieve the pressure on Alcock’s “A” Company. Some shots were fired which had the effect of clearing the left flank of Fort Molyneux. The evacuation of the Fort had, however, been ordered and was performed with great credit, under fire, and taking good cover whilst engaging the enemy. The Armoured Train was ordered out to assist but the engine driver refused to take it out as the bridge and the railway line were being shelled. A volunteer stepped forward and the train provided valuable assistance to “A” Company with some 20 of the forward garrison being picked up whilst the others fought a rearguard action.


D.L.I. Officers 1899

Meanwhile the order had been given at 11.30 p.m. for the withdrawal of the whole force to Estcourt. Camp was struck, kit was packed and the 470 members of the D.L.I. entrained for the short trip to Estcourt. Once based in Estcourt, the D.L.I. soldiered on, assigned to stiff outpost duties on the hills around the town. They marched out of the town on 22 November on a reconnaissance in force. The next day the battle of Willow Grange took place and the D.L.I. were under arms for 27 hours without respite. Despite being the last to leave the battlefield, they did not lose a man. Although this battle is regarded by many as insignificant, it served the purpose of checking the Boers progress in their march to the sea.

With the siege of Ladysmith over on 1 March 1900 the fight, after a lull of a couple of months whilst the impoverished defenders of the town recovered from their travails, recommenced. This time Buller seemed more decisive and swept the Boers out of the Biggarsberg area around Dundee, proceeding to drive them out of Natal and back into the Transvaal.

The Western Daily Press of 13 April 1900 carried an insert which read: - “The following telegram has been received by the Secretary of State for War from General Buller. “Ladysmith, April 11th. Return of officers discharged to duty from hospital for week ending 30 March 1900…… Lieutenant R.H. Alcock, Durban Light Infantry.” It is not known why he was hospitalised.

At Dundee they halted on Talana, the scene of so much strife a few months earlier. Here they remained furnishing guards for prisoners, doing police patrols and nightly picquet. In mid-September 1900 the battalion marched out to the river and entered the Transvaal, joining General Hildyard’s column which was moving on Vryheid. After heavy marching and ten days bivouacking at De Jager’s Drift, the regiment returned to a rapturous welcome in Durban.

Having played his part in the Relief of Ladysmith operations and in operations in the Eastern Transvaal from July-October, 1900, Alcock was released from active duty on 1 October 1900. The register of the Freemason’s (Port Natal Lodge) showed that, on 3 October 1901, he joined their ranks, being described as an Ironmonger, but for Alcock the war wasn’t over – he attested as Captain and Officer Commanding of ‘A’ Company, Natal Mounted Infantry, taking part in operations in Natal in 1902.

Originally called the 2nd Natal Volunteer Composite Regiment, the name was changed to Natal Mounted Infantry a couple of weeks after recruiting commenced. The unit was armed and equipped by the Natal Volunteer Department and horsed by the Imperial Remount Department. The first depot was at Dundee, but, on the unit changing its name, this was transferred to Newcastle. Lieutenant Colonel Friend Addison, formerly of the Natal Mounted Rifles and Colonial Scouts, was appointed to the command, and the establishment was about 400 all ranks. Their activities were confined to the district of Newcastle, Natal, patrolling the borders, holding detached posts and the general work falling to the duties of an occupying regiment, until the end of the war on 31st May, 1902.

The unit was disbanded in June, after a short existence of four months, during which it did very useful service albeit no fighting.

The war ended on 31 May 1902 and Alcock rejoined the D.L.I. at that point in time. He was noted as being a Captain on their strength as at 25 June 1902 and on the Retired List with effect from 11 October 1903. This appears to have bene the last occasion he donned a uniform. He was awarded the Queens Medal with clasps Relief of Ladysmith and Transvaal off the medal roll dated Durban, 25 June 1901.

Now back in civilian life, Alcock returned to his business pursuits. His father passed away on 16 November 1904. His Last Will and Testament clearly stated that he was “carrying on business in Durban in co-partnership with my son Robert Harold Alcock as Hardware Merchant”. The Will also afforded Alcock the opportunity to purchase the business from his father’s estate should he so desire. That he did so is confirmed by his marriage certificate where he was described as being a Merchant. This happy event took place in the Berea Presbyterian Church, Durban on 27 June 1906. Alcock, of Ridge Road, Berea, wed Elizabeth Margaret Loutit of Canterbury Grove, Berea in the presence of Reverend MacPhee.

Robert Alcock passed away at the relatively young age of 56 on the 16th March 1933. He was described as being of “Independent Means” and resident at 15 Ridge Road, Berea, Durban. He suffered with Chronic Nephritis, Angina Pectoris and Heart Failure – all of which contributed to his death. He was survived by his wife and three sons – Harold Beresford Alcock; Eric James Alock and Arthur Graham Alcock.

Acknowledgements:
- The Durban Light Infantry, Volume I – by A.C. Martin
- Ancestry for medal rolls
- Familysearch for death notice, baptism and marriage details