TOPIC:

Firstly, some confusion in the Blackburn Times as to the family surname - Jacob Howarth received a letter from his son, Private John Robert Haworth, 1st Coldstream Guards. I've searched and there was a John Robert Haworth born in Blackburn, in the last quarter of 1879, so it would seem that Haworth is the correct surname.

Secondly, was it Ronkers Spruit or Bonkers Spruit? Poor definition of the capital letter in the paper.

"Our last fight was on June 12th at Swartz Kop, .onkers Spruit, about 20 miles north-east of Pretoria. We marched about eight miles and came into action about 4 o'clock in the afternoon. About 4 30 the firing was terrible; the bullets fell around me like hailstones. one went clean through my haversack. Then we got the order to advance, and I had just raised my head and shoulders when I was struck in the chest, the bullet loging about two inches above my groin. I tell you it put me out of wind for ten minutes or so. I thought somebody had hit me with a sledge hammer. I have had the bullet extracted and am going on fairly well, so don't trouble about me. I have the privilege of saying I fought and bled for my Queen and country, and that is more than a good many can say. We are now lying very comfortable in the State Girls' School at Pretoria."

Berenice
SAFF gives "858 Pte. R. Howarth" of 1st Bn., CG as Wounded at Diamond Hill on 12th June, 1900.
Regards
IL.

Hi Berenice
I think it may be Donkerhoek Spruit?


Dave.........

Hi

About 50 kms to the east of Diamond Hill, before one reaches Middleburg, is Bronkhorstspruit.

Berenice thank you for your multitude of posts. The letters sent home. such as the one you refer to, are an interesting read.

Best regards
Peter Jordi

Thank you, IL, Dave, and Peter. Soldiers in South Africa would usually just hear a placename spoken, and not written down, so in their letters home we sometimes get misspellings, which is what has happened here. The spelling of Cape Town and Capetown in letters home is about 50:50. I need to dig a bit deeper into birth records for Jacob and John Robert Haworth/Howarth, but I have two further references to it being J. R. Haworth, and one to his father being Jacob Haworth.

Incidentally, the hospital he was writing from was the State Girls' School, Pretoria.