TOPIC:

Dear All,

Another POW question based on an extract from the BSAP Commissioner's 1901 - 1902 Annual Report.

"On March 7th 1902 Sub-Insp. Agar and 23 men on escort duties were captured."


Gibbs in his history of the BSAP(p.247 Vol 1) says Lt (not Sub-Insp) Agar and 18 men were captured at
Klip Drift.

The Commissioner said four members of the Force were killed - named them as Rhodes, Campion, Coney and Cakebread.

Four from 23 is 19. This seems to suggests Gibbs is in error saying 18 men were captured.


Whether the Boers captured 1 plus 19 or 1 plus 18 isn't too important.


What I'd like to know is what the Boers likely to have done with their P.O.W.'s on this occasion?

The BSAP k.i.a. on 7 March 1902 were

Trp. 1177 Edward Mortom (or Newton) Cakebread No. 2 Division

Trp. 1123 William Joseph Campion No. 2 Division

Trp. 1423 Sidney James Coney No. 2 Division

Sgt. 785 Charles Edward Rhodes - Division unknown

All died at Tweebosch in the Transvaal and were initially buried at Klip Drift.
Sometime in the 1960s all graves were moved to another site at Ottosdal.

Hickman covers the deaths in Vol.2 of his "Rhodesia served the Queen" pages 278 and 323. He doesn't.
however, say what happened to the Sub-Insp Agar and the other BSAP P.O.W.'s

Years later after the war, Agar wrote to Hickman and details of the letter were
included in "RSQ". Agar, doesn't, however, seem to said what the Boers did with
him and the other members of the Force once they had been taken prisoner.

Any assistance, comments and a possible reference would be much appreciated please. I suspect,
however, the Boers held onto their prisoners for a day or even just a few hours, took all the
prisoners valuables, including boots (and possibly trousers) and let them walk back to their bases
minus their weapons and dressed only in their shirts.


Kind regards,


Geoff

Hello Geoff

The official report on the action at De Klip Drift (WO108/372) states the prisoners "were soon released" and the next day walked to Maritzani.

Regards
Meurig

Hi Geoff

In Agar's letters to Hickman he mentions how he was relieved of his footwear and other pieces of clothing. It would seem that he walked to Maritzani with puttees wrapped around his feet.






Henk

Dear Henk and Meurig,

Many thanks much appreciated. My questions answered.

Kind regards,

Geoff

Dear Meurig,

That reference WO 108/372 you gave me as being the official report on the "battle" at De Klip Drift
- is that a UK National Archives reference please?

If it is and before I rush over to Kew am I likely to find similar official reports on the events that
took place at Eland's River in August 1900, Warmbaths on 3/9/1900, Treurfontein on 21/1/1902 and
Tweebosch on 7/3/1902 please?

Kind regards,

Geoff

Hello Geoff

WO108/372 is a UK National Archives ref, it is a marvellous report on incidents where British soldiers surrendered. Most entries are a single line with a sentence or two on the circumstances of the surrender. For larger affairs there are special reports, so Tweebosch/De Klip Drift is included. The other battles you list are not no surrenders occurred.

Regards
Meurig

quickies wrote: Dear Meurig,

That reference WO 108/372 you gave me as being the official report on the "battle" at De Klip Drift
- is that a UK National Archives reference please?

If it is and before I rush over to Kew am I likely to find similar official reports on the events that
took place at Eland's River in August 1900, Warmbaths on 3/9/1900, Treurfontein on 21/1/1902 and
Tweebosch on 7/3/1902 please?

Kind regards,

Geoff