TOPIC:

William James Manifold

Personal Servant to Lord Longford.

Prisoner of War – Lindley – Orange Free State - 31 May 1900

Private, Royal Scots Greys – 1893
Private, Cape Police, Bechuanaland Campaign – 1896
Trooper, 45th Company, Imperial Yeomanry
Private Cape Police District 2 – Anglo Boer War

- Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal (Bechuanaland) to PTE. W. MANIFOLD. C.POL.)
- Queens South Africa Medal (CC/TVL/WITT) to 1005 PTE. W. MANIFOLD. CAPE POLICE.
- Kings South Africa Medal (SA 1901 &1902) to PTE. W. MANIFOLD. C.P. DIST 2.)

William Manifold had an interesting military career – one that took him from the Royal Scots Grays to the Cape Police and then on to the Imperial Yeomanry where he was none other than the personal servant to Lord Longford who was taken Prisoner of War in the Lindley debacle which raised so many eyebrows in the Anglo Boer War. Returning full-circle, to the Cape Police.

Manifold was born in Tralees, Co. Kerry, Ireland on 30 April 1874 the son of James Manifold, a Farmer and his wife Anna Maria (born Fanning). After an uneventful childhood which would have included an education suited to his working class origins, he completed attestation forms for Short Service (7 Years in the Colours, 5 Years in the Reserve) with the Royal Scots Greys (2nd Royal Dragoons) at Dublin on 8 March 1893.

19 years and 10 months old, he was a Book Keeper by occupation. Claiming 11 days prior service with the 1st Life Guards, he admitted that he had been discharged “not being approved”. Physically he was a large man for the times in which he lived – a strapping 6 feet in height he weighed a slender 148 lbs and had a fresh complexion, blue eyes and brown hair. Having been passed Fit by the medico, he was assigned no. 3689 and the rank of Private. On 1 December 1894 he was promoted to Lance Corporal. This was followed by promotion to Corporal on 16 January 1896. Things appeared to be going well for him but his fledgling career was brought to a rather abrupt halt with the convening of a Medical Board at Hounslow on 10 November 1896.

Confirming that his service had been “home service”, the Medical Report confirmed that he was “regular, very good and temperate” with regards to his habits and conduct. The disability he laboured with was Tubercle of Lung with the following comments ascribed to him,
“Patient states that he had three attacks of Influenza before he joined the service. They left him very weak. The last attack was followed by severe haemoptysis. He went into hospital in Dublin and got well again. He then enlisted in the Scots Greys. He has 3 years service and kept well until the recent manoeuvres during which he was exposed to damp and rain whilst under canvas. He had some haemoptysis but did not go to hospital until after his arrival at Hounslow. He was admitted suffering from Acute Bronchitis and haemoptysis. He is rapidly losing weight and perspires at night. Expiration is prolonged and roughened. He exasperates a great deal of mucus material. Not the result of vice, intemperance or any other misconduct.”

Proposed for permanent discharge, the Board concurred with the findings and Manifold, whether he liked it or not, after 3 years 278 days, was a civilian once more.

With his lungs in a fragile state the conditions and climate of a wet and damp Ireland weren’t conducive to a speedy recovery and it was probably for this reason that Manifold, like so many others with chest complaints, set sail for sunny South Africa where the climate was described almost as a cure-all for the aforementioned complaints.


Map of the Bechuanaland Campaign 1896/97

Enlisting with the Cape Mounted Police as a Trooper, he was soon in the thick of things, having arrived in the country at about the time the Bechuanaland problem reared its head. The South African Railways and Harbours Magazine, October 1933 edition, carried an article in respect of what became known as the Bechuanaland Rebellion 1896-97:

“Divided into two areas, i.e., “Bechuanaland” administered by the Union Government, and “Bechuanaland Protectorate” under direct Imperial control, the whole territory extending from the Vaal to the Zambesi is inhabited by a native race springing originally from one main source, and generally known as “Bechuanas,” but divided into innumerable subtribes, each with its own petty chief. The events which led up to the disturbance in December, 1896, are, however, concerned with the southernmost portion of the territory, the scene being laid at the native village of Phokwani, situate a few miles off the main line to the north, and approximately midway between Kimberley and Vryburg.

The initial cause of the trouble was occasioned by the enforcement of the rinderpest regulations, which included the destruction of all cattle within the affected areas on payment of fixed compensation. A police patrol despatched to Phokwani to carry out these instructions met with armed resistance and was forced to retire on Schaapfontein, where it was beleaguered pending the arrival of reinforcements. This incident was followed by the murder of a trader named Blum and his assistants at Phokwani stadt on 24th December, 1896, in broad daylight, the instigators of the murders being Galishwe, chief of the Phokwani Batlapins, and his headmen.

A small force, comprising the Diamond Fields Artillery, with two 7-pounder muzzle loading guns, Diamond Fields Horse, Kimberley Rifles and Cape Police details (of whom Manifold would have been one), was hurriedly mobilized and despatched from Kimberley on 26th December under the command of Lt.-Col. Harris. The rebels were attacked at Phokwani and dispersed with loss, but unfortunately Galishwe and the ringleaders, with some 30 or 40 followers, escaped and fled westward, picking up recruits and laying toll upon the country in their flight.

The rebels were later attacked on the Mashowing River by a force of Cape Police and Vryburg Volunteers, under Inspector Fuller, and being dispersed, again made westward past Kuruman until they ultimately found temporary refuge in a section of the Langeberg Mountains, in extent some thirty miles long by eight miles wide, lying about fifty miles west-south-west of Kuruman.

Here, despite protestations of loyalty on the part of Chiefs Luka Jantje of the Langeberg Batlapins and Toto of the Batlaros tribe, who occupied the range, the rebels were protected and hidden, and these two chiefs ultimately joined forces with them.

In order to strengthen the Police Force and to assist in the capture of Galishwe, a squadron of the C.M.R., under Captain Woon, was ordered to Bechuanaland, and this force, on approaching Luka Jantje’s stadt at Gamasep, was met by heavy fire from the natives and compelled to withdraw. Realising that the troops at his disposal were quite inadequate for the work to be performed, Captain Woon retired on Kuruman and reported the position, recommending the despatch of an expeditionary force to bring the rebels to their bearings.

Events were being eagerly watched by the whole of the Cape Colonial Forces and it was with wild excitement, therefore, that the call for volunteers to form part of the expedition was received; a detachment being required from each of a stated number of volunteer regiments.

The point of concentration was Kimberley, and thither the contingent proceeded by special trains from the coast on February 22nd, 1897. Meanwhile, the Cape Police details had been mobilized, and a volunteer corps drawn from the rifle clubs of Vryburg, Geluk, Papkuil, Mount Temple and Gordonia had joined Captain Woon at Kuruman.

The main column left Kimberley on 2nd March on its long trek to Kuruman (146 miles), arriving at that village on the 14th, and joining up with the troops from Vryburg and other centres already concentrated. For small arms, the C.M.R. and Cape Police had Lee-Enfields, but the Volunteer regiments carried Martini-Henri rifles.

The force under Col. Dalgety’s command comprised detachments of Cape Mounted Rifles with two Maxims, Prince Alfred’s Own Cape Field Artillery with a half-battery of 12-pounder breech-loading guns, Diamond Fields Artillery (two 7-pounder muzzle-loading guns), D.E.O.V.R. Mounted, Mount Temple Horse, Vryburg, Geluk and Gordonia Mounted Volunteers, Cape Police details and native contingent, and the following infantry: Duke of Edinburgh’s Rifles, Cape Town Highlanders, 1st City (Grahamstown) Volunteers, Prince Alfred’s Guard (Port Elizabeth) with medical staff, transport, commissariat, dispatch riders, etc., a total of 1,016 all ranks, with 722 horses.

Followed the march through Khatu—a long and heavy trek with no water en route and very little at the end of it, thence, passing deserted villages and burnt and looted stores on the way, on to Bishopswood (Ryan’s Farm), some 15 miles from the mountain, and with good water and grazing, where the advanced base was established.

From this base they set out on the night of April 5th, approximately 750 strong, with four guns and two Maxims to attack the enemy position at Gamasep in the Langeberg, the force being divided into the Northern Column under Captain Woon (C.M.R.), the Southern Column under Captain Johnson (Duke’s Mounted), North Western Column under Commandant Wessels, and the Main Column, with artillery, under Lt.-Col. Dalgety. The Northern and Southern Columns were directed to move towards the position, dismount, ascend the mountain, and take up position on the heights so as to cover the main attack at daybreak, whilst Commandant Wessels was to demonstrate in a north westerly direction and engage such parties of the enemy as he met with.

It now became evident that the force available was of insufficient strength to take and hold any position in the mountain and at the same time continue operations elsewhere, especially as the local volunteers from Vryburg, Geluk, Upington, etc., were becoming impatient of delay and anxious to return to their farms. Col. Dalgety found himself, therefore, forced to ask for reinforcements to enable him successfully to conclude the campaign.

After a wait from 10th May until 1st July, the first column of reinforcements arrived at Ryan’s Farm, and thereafter events moved rapidly. By July 24th, the final mobilisation was complete and the force was once again ready to move. Reinforcements comprised details for volunteer detachments already in the field, together with two companies of Kaffrarian Rifles and one each of Queenstown Rifles, Western Rifles (Oudtshoorn Company) and Kimberley Rifles, also C.M.R. Artillery with two Maxims, Cape Police (Europeans and natives), Transkei and Vryburg native contingents, and Medical Corps, a total of 1,617 all told.

On July 28th, the day we marched out from Ryan’s, the total strength of the Bechuanaland Field Force, including the garrisons of Kuruman, Khatu, Ryan’s and Korannaberg, amounted to 2,326 all ranks, with 976 horses. Of this total, 1,724 all ranks, with 98 horses, four guns, and four Maxims, concentrated at Gamesep Kopje for the final assault upon the mountain.

The area of operations included the scene of our first engagement, but the front on this occasion extended northwards to Gamaluse and beyond, and southward to the Puduhusche ridge. The force was divided into three main columns, with smaller flanking columns to north-east and south-west. Of the first three, the Northern Column (Capt. Cumming, Kaffrarian Rifles), comprising 17 officers and 468 other ranks; the Southern Column (Lt.-Col. Spence, D.E.O.V.R.), 29 officers and 650 other ranks, and the Central Column (Lt.-Col. Dalgety) 18 officers and 333 other ranks, with artillery and Maxims, constituted the main attack. The principal objective was the assault of the mountain by the Northern and Southern Forces, the occupation of strategic points and the heights overlooking Gamaluse and Twaais Kloof, followed by a general attack from front and flanks, leaving all dominating points in occupation.

The enveloping columns moved off at 2.30 a.m. on 30th July, assaulted the respective positions with little opposition, scaled the heights, and were all in position at dawn, when the main column moved out and the attack became general, finally concluding with a bayonet charge and the capture of Derepedi and Gamaluse Kloofs, Galishwes Kopje, and surrounding heights.

The fighting was over by about 5 p.m., the objective being gained at the surprisingly small cost of three killed and five wounded, whilst enemy casualties totalled about fifty killed, a number being bayoneted or shot on the Fighting Kopje, and many wounded.

On 8th August, the Cape Police took over the district, and the troops commenced the return march via Kuruman and Vryburg. Manifold had been stationed in Kimberley when mobilised to take part in the Bechuanaland Rebellion. For his part in the conflict he was awarded the Cape of Good Hope General Service Medal – authorised for wear by H.M Queen Victoria in 1900.

After 18 months with the Cape Police and a total of 2 years and 4 months in South Africa, Manifold took his discharge – “left at my own request, on private affairs” – setting sail for his native Ireland. He hadn’t been home long when the outbreak of the Anglo Boer War on 11 October 1899 began to make the headlines. Initially things went badly for the meagre British forces in South Africa with the Boers laying siege to the towns of Mafeking, Kimberley and Ladysmith in their inexorable march to the sea.

In what became known as Black Week – in December 1899 – they met with three crucial reverses at the hands of the Boers and permission was granted, as an urgent necessity, for the creation of a Yeomanry, to be recruited from the civilians of the United Kingdom, for service in South Africa. Broken down into three contingents over the duration of the war, the 1st Contingent, that to which Manifold belonged, was drawn from the elite clubs of London and from professional men and the monied class all over Britain.


Irish Hunt Company - aka 45th IY

Manifold joined the ranks of what became known as the “Irish Hunt” Yeomanry – their ranks peppered with Baronets, landed gentry and altogether a finer stamp of man than that which was to follow as the war dragged on. Possibly already in the employ of the Earl of Longdon, Manifold became his Personal Servant. Completing the Imperial Yeomanry attestation papers at Newbridge on 6 January 1900, he confirmed that he was now 26 years 8 months old, a Clerk by occupation. Now eight years on from his first physical description, he was somewhat altered – although still 6 feet 1 inch in height, he had gained weight and now tipped the scale at 170 lbs whilst his eyes were now grey, his hair dark and his complexion fair. He also now had a tattoo of an anchor on his right forearm and several tattoo marks on his left forearm.

Once more in uniform, Manifold was assigned no. 9657 and the rank of Trooper with the 45th Company, 13th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry – the Irish Hunt Company. Setting sail for South Africa the 45th arrived in the Cape on 2 March 1900 and went into Maitland Camp being joined, on 6 March, by the 47th Company Imperial Yeomanry. After being in camp for ten days, during which time they received their horses, they were then marched to Stellenbosch, going into camp there for two weeks before entraining for Matjesfontein, a remount depot in the Karoo. Here they spent five weeks before entraining for Bloemfontein where they moved into camp with other Companies of their Battalion.

On 3 May 1900 Lord Roberts' force left Bloemfontein while a new division, led by Lt-Gen Ian Hamilton, marched away to the east. On 18 May the column approached Lindley, which had been proclaimed the new provisional Boer capital of the Free State after Kroonstad had fallen to Roberts on 12 May. When Hamilton's vanguard neared Lindley, however, the town had been abandoned by President M T Steyn and his government.



On 19 May 1900, Hamilton's force entered Lindley, to be followed by Maj-Gen Colvile's 9th Infantry Division, and the 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry under Col B E Spragge.

The 13th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry, with two Colt guns, comprised the 47th Company (the Duke of Cambridge's Own) under Captain C S Keith and the three Irish companies: the 46th under Captain R A Maude, the 54th under Captain J F Humby, and the 45th under Captain the Earl of Longford and Manifold’s boss. The first three companies were made up mostly of men of wealth, who paid for all their equipment and handed their pay over to military charity.

On 23 May, Col Spragge's battalion departed by rail to join Lt-Gen Sir H E Colvile's column at Ventersburg. Colvile, tasked to collect any Boers swept aside by Hamilton's force, proceeded independently on 24 April from Springfield (near Bloemfontein) via Winburg and Ventersburg and arrived in Lindley on 26 May. Owing to the delays in supplying the 13th Battalion IY with forage, it was not possible for Colonel Spragge to join Colvile at Ventersburg. Instead, his battalion proceeded, by order, to Kroonstad where it arrived on 25 May. The route taken caused a division in the battalion: The 47th Company forded the Zand River since the railway bridge was destroyed and marched to Kroonstad, while the 45th, 46th and 54th Companies, departing a day later, crossed the river via the deviation bridge and proceeded directly by rail to Kroonstad.

Spragge received instructions to join General Colvile at Lindley on 26th [May] latest. This order was unknown to Colvile. On the evening of 25 May, having obtained two days' rations, the whole of the 13th Battalion of 468 men of all ranks began its march from Kroonstad to Lindley, a distance of 75 km. The next day they met some Boers who told them that Colvile was in Lindley. Instead of holding these men as prisoners of war, they were disarmed and instructed to return to their farms.

On Sunday, 27 May, the Yeomanry arrived at Lindley. They saw, at a distance, the dust of a column heading northward, which, they were told in Lindley, had left that morning. This was indeed Colvile's column, which the 13th Bn Imperial Yeomanry had been instructed to join.

While the town seemed deserted, the Boers had reoccupied it after Colvi!e left and then moved to the hills to the south, waiting for the Yeomanry. Rifle fire was opened on the leading squadrons almost as soon as they entered the town, and Spragge, fearing a trap, placed a few troops as a covering force while the remainder were ordered to join the main force on the road to Kroonstad, 3,5 km distant.

About 4 km north-west of Lindley, Spragge chose a position for defence. Situated across the valley of the Vals River stood two stony koppies, 300 metres apart, and these were, as it turned out, the key to the position. The koppies were assigned for occupation to the 47th Company for defence, while a farmhouse at the foot was occupied as an outpost. A stone kraal near the farmhouse, to be defended by the 45th Company, was occupied to provide shelter to the horses. Spragge established his headquarters alongside. Positions to the west were occupied by the 46th Company. The 54th Company was kept in reserve and as a guard to the transport and horses.

On 26 May there were, in and around Lindley, the commandos of Smithfield under Commandant Potgieter, and part of the Bethlehem Commando under Commandant Michael Prinsloo, in all about 800 men. The next day de Wet sent Prinsloo with orders to harass Colvile, but, finding the 13th Imperial Yeomanry attempting Northern koppie to bar their entry into Lindley, he prepared to surround Spragge.

On the evening of 27 May, Spragge sent a message to Colvile, which was received at 07.00 on the following morning: 'Found no one in Lindley, but Boers; have 500 men but only one day's food. Have stopped three miles back on Kroonstad road. I want help to get out without great loss.'

Soon after sunrise on 28 May, the Boers commenced firing from positions occupied by them to the south, west and north of the British position where the 47th Company and Lord Longford's 45th Company came within rifle range. They replied in kind and were joined by a Colt gun. The Yeomanry held their positions on 28 May and, on the next day, even turned out Boer snipers from the river. Spragge, meanwhile, ordered one of his men to Kroonstad and hoped for relief. During the second day, the Boer fire grew less in intensity, believed to be due to Rundle's force, 60km away, coming to the aid of Spragge's men.

Although casualties continued to increase, Spragge remained confident in his ability to hold his position. He sent a message to Rundle on 30 May, reiterating the concerns he had expressed on 27 May, but also drawing attention to the plight of his men who were surrounded and under attack by the Boers.

By the evening of 29 May, de Wet arrived with three guns and a Vickers Maxim. Prinsloo also approached Lindley, leaving some of his men to observe Colvile at Heilbron. On the morning of 31 May, Captain the Earl of Longford, with fifty men, was sent to recapture the position. The Boers were surprised and driven off by a bayonet charge. By then, however, Spragge was compelled to recall Lord Longford's men closer to his headquarters, as Prinsloo had brought a gun into position near Lindley.

Under cover of this fire, Michael Prinsloo with 200 men galloped up to the southern koppie which was being held by a few men under Lt R Alexander. They ensconced themselves amongst the boulders on the lower slope. Coming under concentrated rifle fire, Alexander retreated to the second koppie, which was held by Lt C M Robin. Reinforcements from the 54th Company arrived, but it was too late to save the position.

With the southern koppie already in Boer hands, Lt Robin ordered a ceasefire. This brought the valley in which the transport was parked into Boer hands. The remainder of the British position became untenable. Seeing the futility of further effort, Spragge also surrendered. Lord Longford, with the 45th Company to the north, and Capt. Maude, with the 46th Company in the west, held out for a little longer but they too finally surrendered. All firing ceased at about 14.00.

Of Spragge's men, 379 were marched into captivity, three managing to escape. There were 28 British wounded left in hospital in Heilbron, seven of whom had suffered mortal wounds.

Captain the Hon. Douglas Loch, who was with Methuen, described his experiences: 'The town is full of our own sick, many of Spragge's men - among others L[or]d Longford who was shot through the neck. It was a close shave but he is practically right now, walking and riding about looking quite fit'.

On 6 September 1900, Captains Lord Longford, Humby and Robin appeared before a Court of Inquiry held in Pretoria. The Court exonerated all concerned.

As Longford’s servant, Manifold would have been kept to tend to the needs of his severely wounded master. He does, however, appear on the list of Prisoners of War which appeared in the newspaper The Warder of Saturday, June 9th 1900.



Thomas Pakenham the noted historian and author of The Boer War and, coincidentally, the grandson of the Earl of Langdon of Lindley fame provided a more jaundiced view of the debacle:

“A still more humiliating coup (inflicted by De Wet’s brother, Piet) was the capture of 13th battalion of Imperial Yeomanry at Lindley on 31 May 1900. To British eyes, this mounted battalion was the social and political show-piece of the new volunteer army: a company of Irish MFH’s, known as the Irish Hunt Contingent, including the Earl of Longford and Viscount Ennismore; two companies of Ulster Protestant Unionists, including the Earl of Leitrim, a whisky baronet (Sir John Power), and a company of English and Irish men-about-town, who had insisted on paying their own passage to South Africa.

This patriotic band was commanded by a British regular, Lieutenant Colonel Basil Spragge; and Spragge proved himself a regular ass. They were supposed to join General Colvile, who was desperately short of mounted men. When they arrived at Lindley on 27 May, they found Lindley had somehow slipped back under the control of the Boers. Instead of making a fighting retreat towards Kroonstad, as he acknowledged was perfectly possible, Spragge sent an S.O.S. to Colvile. Then he and his men sat down astride some kopjes just outside Lindley and waited to be rescued. Unfortunately, Colvile, who had been ordered to be at Heilbron by 29 May, and was not fully aware of Spragge’s dangerous situation, decided not to delay his brigade by returning to rescue the mounted troops; he marched on to Heilbron, leaving them to their own devices.

On 1 June, when the rescue column – three Yeomanry battalions led by Lord Methuen – reached Lindley and stormed the kopjes, they found the hills already strewn with dead; Spragge’s dead. The rest of Spragge’s Yeoman had surrendered to Piet De Wet on the previous day, when De Wet brought up field guns. The surrender of Spragge’s Irish yeomanry was to cause a ripple of mirth in nationalist circles in Ireland.

In fact there was a gallant Last Stand, made by the Irish Hunt Company. Lord Longford, blood streaming from wounds in the neck, face and wrist, ordered his men to fight to the end. “I knew it be madness,” said one of the gentleman-troopers (son of the Irish Lord Chancellor), “and so did everyone else, I think, but not a man refused.’



In general, raw Irish yeoman fought no better than British regulars had fought in similar situations. A respectable total of 80 were killed or wounded before the white flags went up. Piet De Wet’s bag totalled about 530, including Spragge, Lord Longford (seriously wounded), Lords Ennismore, Leitrim and Donoughmore all captured and the whiskey baronet killed. The wounded were left at Lindley, the others were marched away northwards towards the Eastern Transvaal; their captors evaded the net of 20 000 British troops trying to rescue them.”

Manifold stayed on in South Africa and, according to his papers, took part in the actions at Bethlehem, Heilbron, Vredefort and Oliphant’s Nek before, after 250 days, heading back to the United Kingdom, time expired, on 6 November 1900. Having reached England, he was discharged at his own request on 3 December 1900.

Manifold returned to his family home in Ireland and was there when the 1901 Ireland census was taken. Interestingly, he was described as being a 26 year old “Timber” Clerk by occupation. The other occupants of 27 Lower Rutland Street, Dublin were his parents and many siblings. All, save for the pater familias, a Roman Catholic, were described as being members of the Church of Ireland.



Having had a taste of the action Manifold was not going to rest on his haunches for long. On 22 April 1901 he completed the attestation papers for service with the Cape Police at 59 Bolton Street, Dublin. He confirmed that he had been recommended by Lord Longford, 2nd Life Guards and that he had spent 2 years and 4 months in South Africa. He also claimed to understand “Kaffir and Dutch” and confirmed his previous service of 18 months with the Cape Police District II. His Discharge Certificate had been lost, according to him, “when captured at Lindley.”

Having sailed to South Africa he signed the Oath of Allegiance at Kimberley on 1 June 1901 and commenced service with no. 1005 and the rank of Private. Manifold was to see out the remainder of the war with the CP, earning himself the Kings Medal to go with the Queens Medal he had earned. Both medals, like the CGHGSM were awarded off the Cape Police rolls.

The war over, he elected to remain in South Africa, as did many of the men who had come out from England to fight. He took his discharge from the Cape Police on 21 June 1903 and was next heard from when, in the Roman Catholic Parish of St. Michael’s in Rondebosch, Cape Town on 25 August 1906, he wed Elizabeth Finigan of Observatory. He was a Time Keeper in the employ of the Cape Government Railways at the time of his nuptials.

Two years later, on 16 June 1908, he and his wife boarded the Damascus destined for London. His South African odyssey was over and he was heading home for Ireland. The 1911 Irish census shows him as a 35 year old Legal Clerk in an Insurance Office. Both he and Lizzie were now Roman Catholics living at 8 Glengariff Parade, Dublin.

William Manifold, after many an adventure under the African sky, passed away in Dublin at the age of 44 in 1918.

Acknowledgements:
- Mentioned in the work above
- Ancestry for Medal Rolls, RSG and IY papers
- Anglo Boer War Forum as a general resource
- The Lindley Affair by Steve Watt published by the SA Military History Society

Always a pleasure to read your posts Rory

Thank you for sharing Williams story.
.
Best wishes

Dave ....

Thanks Dave - your comments are always appreciated. I was very happy to add Manifold to my collection when he was made available.

Regards

Rory