64th Battery - diary of 83840 Gunner Joseph Lindsay
My route from Sheffield to South Africa. I was at 28 Bradwell Street, Heeley, Sheffield.
Left Sheffield at 8.15pm the 16th of Oct 1899 for Aldershot, arrived at North Camp, Aldershot at 1.00am on the 17th Oct 1899, staged in Aldershot till the end of the month, went to stables and gun drill during the third time had Generals Inspection on 29th Oct 1899 packed up.
The same day stayed at government sidings for departure to Birkenhead, got to Birkenhead on the 1st Nov 1899, got our guns, horses and baggage on board.
Met my little son and asked him where his mother is he told me that she was sat in that shed, went to see her first then the Volunteer band played the remainder of our men into Liverpool.
I then had to leave my wife for a little while to attend to the horses while the other men had their dinner. We had a good send off from Birkenhead by the people and I think all our men said the same, the name of the boat was the 'Thermstone Grange', we left the Liverpool docks at about 6 had a good voyage to Lisbon, arrived there at 2.00pm in the afternoon of the 8th Nov 1899.
Got coal and fresh meat only, set sail the same night at 8.00pm for Capetown had a great send off with the navy they played their band from their ship and the tune 'Soldiers of the Queen' and followed by 'Sons of the Sea'. So that finished up with three cheers for them, till we lost sight of them, we lost 9 horses during our sail to the cape; we saw plenty of sharks and whales following our ships. We had the swilling down to do and rifle practice; we had about 2 concerts on board our ship, we could grumble about the weather only that it was hot.
27th November 1899
We got into Cape town on the.we was going to land there but when we got in General Buller gave orders that we was to start for Durban at once, so we got coal and fresh meat for the men then we got once more on our way to Durban.
We started about 4pm now we had it rough from Cape Town wind at our head all the time so you can guess how it was.
We could not stop on the top deck more than 2 minutes we got into Durban Bar at 10am on the 1st Dec 1899.
1st Dec 1899
Went into harbour got our guns, Horses, Wagons and Baggage off the ship into a train the same day for Pieter MaritzBurg State from Durban by train at 6pm went onto Estcourt.
2ND Dec 1899
Arrived Estcourt went into camp there to wait for more troops to join us, stayed in this camp for 7 days.
Can hear the Navy fire their guns on the Boers.
9th Dec 1899
Left Estcourt for Frere arrived at new camp and stayed for 3 days, went out on Outpost Duty whilst in this camp, laid our guns into Chievely Station which the Boers were in possession of, we passed the ill-fated Armoured Train which the Boer's had blown up, our camp was close to it, there is at the side of the train a grave of all those that lost their lives on it.
12th Dec 1899
Left Frere for Chievely with 20,000 troops encamped here, in front of Colenso Heights struck camp at 3am of the 15th Dec 1899.
15th Dec1899
Made our Advance at 5am on Colenso, after taking their possessions and 8 hours of fighting, we retire back to Chievely, we took up the place of the Navy covering the retreat of all the troops at last and was the last to leave the battlefield, this is where the 14th and 66th Batteries got cut up, they lost 10 guns, we had wounded in that battle, 1 Lt Sgt, a gunner and a few horses shot, the total lads we had altogether was
5 Officers Killed, 36 Wounded. 160 Men Killed, 634 Wounded. Missing 21 Officers, 311 Men.
We went further back with our camp as the Boers were getting guns in range of our camp. Our Navy used to send them Breakfast, Dinner and Tea into their camp from our 4.7inch guns. We did not do anymore till Buller got some more troops.
25TH Dec 1899
We had our Sports Day today, we got a pint of beer and a pudding, if that's what they called it, but we could not eat them, a lot of our troops went back to sleep, now we have not many troops left here.
26th Dec1899
Resting today.
27th Dec 1899
We are on Drill Order today, all quiet our troops are on Outpost Duty, looking after the bases, and we are resting, ready for another fight with them.
28th Dec 1899
All is well; we rest in camp till Jan 6th 1900.
Jan 6th 1900
We make another attack on Colenso just to take the weight off the Ladysmith troops for the Boers are making a great attack on them, we shelled all the trenches, but they never returned any fire, they were to busy the other way.
Jan 7th 1900
We are standing fast, ready to turn out. The mail, has at last come in from England, received a parcel from my wife.
Jan 8th 1900
All quiet today
Jan 9th 1900
We had Drill Order today, I am on guard tonight, raining all night, and the Boers are using their Searchlight.
Jan 10th1900
We have first got orders to pack up and march from Chievely, to Springfield, march away from camp at 6am,got to Springfield then we have to go on further to Mount Alice, a distance of 36 miles, we got there at 11pm that night, the Boers are all around us.
Jan 12th 1900
Making gun pits
Jan 13th 1900
On Outpost duty today
Jan 14th 1900
Go into action today on the top of Mount Alice on some Boers, come back into camp. Made advance on Vaal Krantz, march about 8 miles on the Ladysmith Road, have to go round Spion Kop.
Jan 15th 1900
To cover the retreat of the troops, we had big battle here, lasted 8 days, and marched back to Spearmans Camp.
Jan 23rd 1900
On our way to Chievely while I was at this camp, I went to try and find Ben, but he had gone down country to the Hospital so I did not see him, we arrived back into Chievely.
Jan 24th 1900
Went out and attacked the Boers on Hussar Hill, this was the inlet to Ladysmith, we drove them from this hill and went on day and night fighting them.
Jan 25th 1900
Took first Boer camp.
Jan 26th 1900
We went to top of Monte Cristo Hill in the night this was another Boer camp, all surrounded by hills and if we had not got at the top of this hill, we should not have got them out of it as soon as it was daylight, we opened fire and took this camp at noon that day, just as that was happening our infantry had another large hill the name of Hlangwane Hill, we stopped in this base camp all night.
Jan 27th 1900
We made another advance at 6am,this was the day I got wounded in Mealy Field, it would be about 4pm when I got hit with abit of shell, the stretcher bearers carried me about 6 miles to a wagon. I heard that the Boers seemed to lost heart and left camp, after this it took me 3 days to get to Chievely in the wagon, stopped here for 4 weeks then went down to P.M.Burg. The name of the hills our men took was Green Hill, Pieter Hill, Hearts Hill, and Colenso Station Railway Hill.
I stayed in P.M.Burg about 4 weeks, met Ben here, see him off to England. When I was better, I went back to join my battery at Elandslaagte, the Boers opened fire on us, had to move camp back to Surprise Hill, Ladysmith. We stayed there about 2 weeks and got supplies, this where Serman took ill and died.
We went from here on a flying column, sound help, makes us on the Biggarsburg Mountains, got on the right flank of the Boers, chased them right through Dundee, stop in Dundee one night, go onto Newcastle next day stop there all night go onto the Ingogo Heights have a fight there.
We camped on the old battlefield of 1881 facing Amjuba Hill. We stopped here keeping the Boers busy, they were waiting for us to go onto Laings Nek way, but Buller would not have that, Buller gave Botha 3 days to surrender and while the time was going he got all his big guns into good positions and started on them as soon as the time was up.
June 3rd 1900
All quiet today, one of our guns firing at the hills where Boers are.
June 4th 1900
Got news into camp that Lord Roberts had took Johannesburg.
June 5th 1900
Still in camp here, I had a walk round the old battlefield of 1881 and looked at the graves of our poor fellowers. There is a monument in memory of the 60th K.R.R. (Kings Royal Rifles) with all their names on it that fell.
This is like the one I saw with a list of the men's names on all four sides, this side facing Majuba Hill.
(click on the image to enlarge)
Lt Gusset, O'Colleen and Hawkinson drowned in crossing Songogo River after giving aid to wounded
Colour Sgt May, Buckingham, Prince L/Cpl Bristo, Nash.Bugler Howe
Privates Ashworth, Brown, Burnett, Baily, Bull, Bucket, Batton, Clark, Coldman, Colleyer, Corbert, Fenn, Forysth, Frebbins, Guthrie, Harris, Hodges, Hayter, Hanson, Howe, Jackson, Knowles, Lyman, Merry, Merchant, Millard, Mearray,
Morgan, Murphy, McNulty, McCanon, McCallough, Nelson, Pankhurst, Pheby, Pike, Russell, Radford, Stilson, Stunt Snooks, Smith, Seymour, Seymour, Somerville, Stae, Suckling, Tailor, Thomas, Woods, Wilson, and Watts.
Then a little further on there is a cross with some more names on it, it says 'In memory of John Collen McGregor, R.E. killed in action 1881'
(click on the image to enlarge)
We have lost two and buried them in the same spot, we found a Sergeant drowned in the Ingogo River, he had, had the fever and wandered out of the hospital, he was found drown on 30th May 1900.
June 6th 1900
Boers opened fire on our camp that was under Mount Prospect; our big guns went out towards Baths Pass. I am on guard tonight.
June 8th 1900
Have a fight, left Baths Pass at 6am on 10th June 1900 for the back of Majuba Hill, we are now going the same way the Boers came and beat us in 1881,camp about 4 miles off Majuba Hills to the rear of it.
June 11th 1900
March from here at 6am and turn towards our left flank, we are now in the Orange Free State and on the Drakensburg Mountains, came into action with the Boers and drove them in front of us.
Camped in a place I don't know the name of all night, the weather is very cold, marched away at 7am,we now come to another pass what they call 'Allermans Nek', we had a big fight with them here after we had quieten them down, General Buller gave our Major the order to send 2 guns over the neck and our 2 guns had to go, when we got there they were sending shots after us, but we could not see any of them, for they had set fire to the grass, so we had to return back, we lost our way coming back as the night was so dark and we did not find the remainder of the battery till late that night, we camped on the hills, our troops took all night, marched away at 8am and chased the Boers away from Volksrust, camped there all night after fighting hard. Went onto Charlestown the next day.
All the Boers had fled from Laings Nek and Majuba Hill; General Clery came marching over the neck as we marched into Charlestown.
We were the first troops to get to the Frontier. We pitched our tents for the first time in 5 months.
June 14th 1900
Still in camp close to Charlestown Station had a walk over to Laings Nek Tunnel, the Sheffield Volunteers Engineers in camp on Ingogo Heights.
June 15th 1900
In camp still all quiet
June 16th 1900
All quiet still in camp
June 17th 1900
On church parade, all quiet
June 18th 1900
Had a walk down to Laings Nek Tunnel, we heard that we were going up to Pretoria.
June 19th 1900
Left Charlestown at 8am, marching back towards Hollermans Nek Camp, close to it.
June 20th 1900
My Wedding Day, Marched off at 8am on our way to Standerton, we camped at Sand Sprute all night.
June 21st 1900
Arrived at Pardy Cop Camp, there all night
June22nd 1900
We are rear guard today for all baggage, marched off at 10am went distance of 15 miles, stop here for the night, don't know the name of the place.
June 23rd 1900
Rear Guard again today, marched off to Standerton a distance of 25 miles, last night was very cold.
June 24th 1900
Got into Standerton at 12am, the town surrendered, but the people look very sulky.
June 25th1900
Have a rest in camp today.
June 26th 1900
All quiet toady, still in camp at Standerton.
June 27th 1900
Nothing on today, the mail leaves for England.
June 28th 1900
Orders cancelled nothing else on today still in camp at Standerton, got letters from my wife and papers.
June 30th 1900
Had orders to move in the morning, alot of our troops left camp this morning after all.
July 1st 1900
All troops left camp apart from our battery.
July 2nd 1900
Still in camp at Standerton, weather very cold. We are about 2 miles out of town, got some rum tonight.
July 3rd 1900
I went up the hill facing the station watching them shunting an engine, one of the 18 we captured from the Boers at Standerton.
July 4th 1900
Nothing on still in camp here.
July 5th 1900
The same again today.
July 6th 1900
Drill order this morning at 8am. I received a parcel today with writing paper, Hankerchiefs, Razor, Knife and Cigarettes.
July 7th 1900
Dig in Gun pits, on guard tonight.
July 8th 1900
Church parade, meet 2 men in the West Yorkshire Regiment that live in Sheffield.
July 9th 1900
In train our two gun wagons and horses to Waterval Bridge, arrive at 10am.
July 10th 1900
Making gun pits, Boers all around us, we are looking after Railway Line and Large Bridge here.
July 11th 1900
Went out on Drill order, and while we were out we made 2 more gun pits, and then returned to camp.
General Buller went by here yesterday for Standerton; he had been up to see Lord Roberts.
July 12th 1900
Still in Waterval, and making more gun pits.
July 13th 1900
Making gun pits, the Boers have pulled up the line about 6 miles away, so we can't get our mail in.
July 14th 1900
Was on guard last night, digging gun pits today.
July 15th 1900
We are having a rest today, no church here today.
July 16th 1900
Digging gun pits had to stand to our guns, Boers all around the camp but they won't come in range of our guns.
July 17th 1900
In camp still at Waterval, all quiet today received no mail now for 3 weeks.
July 18th 1900
All quiet today, nothing on.
July 19th 1900
No letters yet, can see the Boers slope line.
July 20th 1900
Nothing on today went to see doctor with pains in my head, and my cough.
July 21st 1900
Am a lot better but attending hospital.
July 22nd 1900
All quiet today
July 23rd 1900
Was on guard last night, all's well.
July 24th 1900
Having a rest day
July 25th/26th 1900
All quiet today
July 27th 1900
Not received any mail yet.
July 28th 1900
Have been doing my washing today, all quiet.
July 29th 1900
On guard tonight
July 30th 1900
Boers attack our camp, 4 men missing belonging to Strathcona's Horse.
July 31st 1900
Have found 2 of them shot dead, burying them today, one was a young lad, and I was talking to him the night before he was shot.
August 1st 1900
All quiet
August 2nd 1900
Drill Order, look for Boers but find none.
August 3rd 1900
A very misty day, all quiet.
August 4th 1900
Another miserable day, went out of camp last night at 11.45pm to burn down a farm, got there at daybreak, took man, wife and children prisoner, and cattle, burned all his things with his home.
August 6th 1900
Bank Holiday, on guard tonight
August 7th 1900
Trench digging
August 8th 1900
All quiet today, waiting for mail to come in.
August 9th 1900
All quiet today.
August 10th 1900
Move our camp to fresh ground, Boers all round our camp had to turn out. One of the PM's got killed but the Boers soon eased when they saw us. Mail in today letters and 2 parcels, one from Sheffield, one from Edinburgh.
August 11th 1900
All quiet today
August 12th 1900
200 Boers surrendered to us toady, we took all their rifles and ammunition and let them go to their homes after taking an oath that they would not fight anymore.
August 13th 1900
A few more Boers came in today, all quiet in camp.
August 14th 1900
On guard tonight, All quiet, Boers keep coming into camp and surrendering.
August 15th 1900
All quiet today, about 12 more Boers came in today. Got parcel from home that I thought I had lost, everything spoilt by a tin of sardines.
August 16th 1900
All quiet today
August 17th 1900
All's well, we are still at Waterval Bridge.
August 18th1 900
All's well, weather getting warmer.
August 19th 1900
All quiet today, nothing to do but sleep the day out.
August 20th 1900
Nothing on today.
August 21st 1900
A few more Boers came into camp this morning and gave up their arms.
August 22nd 1900
All quiet today, no mail in yet.
August 23rd 1900
On guard tonight, all quiet.
August 24th 1900
The mail came in today, all quiet.
August 25th 1900
All's well today
August 26th 1900
All quiet, drew 10/- from master.
August 27th 1900
All quiet
August 28th 1900
Has Drill Order this morning, played football match this afternoon, lost 4-2
August 29th 1900
On guard tonight, the wet weather has started, all quiet.
August 30th 1900
Thunderstorm and Rain in torrents had to dig trenches all round the horses and tents, so that we should not be washed away. No mail yet.
August 31st 1900
All quiet today.
Sept 1st/2nd 1900
All quiet
Sept 3rd 1900
Drill Order
Sept 4th 1900
All quiet
Sept 5th 1900
The mail came in today, had a letter from my wife and one from my Uncle Sam, also one from Miss Gordon, all quiet today.
Sept 6th 1900
All's well today.
Sept 7th 1900
On Outpost duty in the trenches tonight, our troop went out yesterday, PM's with our Lt to bring in some Boers, that said they wanted to surrender, when our troops got to them which only numbered about 30 men, the Boers killed 5 of them, wounded 4 and took the rest prisoner, but let them come into camp, when they had took their arms from them and their horses. Our Lt went up to Graylingstad for reinforcements; he got there all right.
Sept 8th 1900
We got reinforcements from Standerton with General Clery; he is camped about a mile from our camp.
Sept 9th 1900
We have been making shelter pits for the horses, all quiet today.
Sept 10th 1900
General Clery has moved with his column at 5a.m, all quiet.
Sept 11th 1900
Mail came in today, went down to the river and done my washing, played Devon Regiment at football beat them 1-0.
Sept 12th 1900
My Birthday, 28 years old, got a new pair of bootlaces, putties, and 1lb of Tobacco, on guard tonight, sent letter home dated 12th.
Sept 13th 1900
Drill orders, this morning, all quiet.
Sept 14th 1900
All's well today, doing my washing.
Sept 15th/ /16th 1900
All quiet.
Sept 17th 1900
Nothing on.
Sept 18th 1900
On guard tonight, wrote a letter to Uncle; mail came in, but no letter from my wife.
Sept 19th /20th/21st 1900
All quiet, nothing doing.
Sept 22nd 1900
Making a stable for our officer, he has just had word that we are to join another battery.
Sept 23rd 1900
All quiet, Lt left this morning for Pretoria; we now have got a nice little fellow as an officer.
Sept 24th 1900
Have not yet received any letter from home, on outpost tonight in the trenches.
Sept 25th 1900
All quiet, waiting for mail to come in.
Sept 26th 1900
All quiet, got mail in.
Sept 27th 1900
All's well.
Sept 28th 1900
Got our kits from Standerton, all quiet.
Sept 29th 1900
All quiet.
Sept 30th 1900
On outpost duty tonight.
Oct 1st 1900
The Devon Regiment is leaving this camp today; we have heard that the C.I.V's leave for England today, General Clery has gone by our camp chasing Boers, the Scottish Rifles in place of the Devon's.
Oct 2nd 1900
Waiting for the mail to come in.
Oct 3rd 1900
All quiet today.
Oct 4th 1900
The Boers have blown up a railway culvert about 2 miles from here. I had to stop in the pit with the gun, all night and keep a sharp lookout for Boers around camp as we heard they were going to attack our camp in the night.
Oct 5th 1900
The Boers did not come, we went out to burn down a farm, 6 of our own men went out scouting for Boers, all quiet in camp, had no mail from my wife only papers.
Oct 6th 1900
All quiet.
Oct 7th 1900
Had a sandstorm, things very quiet.
Oct 8th 1900
All quiet today, am very sick and attending hospital.
Oct 9th 1900
No mail in yet, all quiet.
Oct 10th 1900
No mail in yet, had a cricket match with The Scottish Rifles they beat us by an innings, and runs.
While we were at the match,4 of our men stole a lot of drink and when the stuff was missed one of men was speaking about it when one of the men that stole it came and shot him in the foot with a revolver, all the 4 men was put into the guard tent waiting a court martial.
Oct 11th 1900
On outpost tonight, got mail first in 15 days, all quiet, them 4 men have gone down to Standerton to be tried.
Oct 12th 1900
All quiet, sent a letter home with a Krugeran Half Crown and a 2 Shilling piece in it.
Oct 13th 1900
Had to stand to our guns all night, Boers all round us had a sandstorm, the railway line pulled up in two places close to our camp during the night.
Oct 14th 1900
All quiet, Very windy, 3 of those men got off; the man that shot the other got 2 years in prison and is going to England to do it.
Oct 15th 1900
All quiet.
Oct 16th 1900
All quiet got mail a letter from my wife.
Oct 17th 1900
On outpost duty tonight, all quiet.
Oct 18th1900
All's well
Oct 19th 1900
Gun pit digging, all quiet.
Oct 20th 1900
Nothing on, gun drill for us.
Oct 21st 1900
Gun pit digging, I am on outpost duty tonight.
Oct 22nd /23rd 1900
All quiet.
Oct 24th 1900
All's well, raining very hard.
Oct 25th 1900
The Boers attacked our camp, but we drove them back, raining very hard.
Oct 26th 1900
Had church parade, chased Boers out of range of our guns.
Oct 27th/ 28th/29th 1900
All quiet.
Oct 30th 1900
Waiting for mail to come in.
Oct 31st 1900
Nothing on, that Sheffield chap of the P.M's the name of Morton left camp this camp this Waterval to join his regiment to get disbanded, no mail yet.
Nov 1st 1900
General Clery is camped about 4 miles from here, mail in from wife and Rubin.
Nov 2nd 1900
All quiet, wet and miserable and on outpost duty tonight in the trenches.
Nov 3rd 1900
It was raining all night, and has kept on ever since it was reported that Dewer was captured and it says in today's paper that the government had ordered Lord Roberts to send home the reserved men as soon as possible.
Nov 4th 1900
On outpost tonight, all quiet, had church parade, have sent a letter to my wife, I wrote it at the pumping station, Waterval.
Nov 5th 1900
All quiet, another day of enjoyment missed at home.
Nov 6th 1900
All quiet.
Nov 7th 1900
The mail came in today, all quiet.
Nov 8th 1900
On outpost duty tonight, all's well.
Nov 9th 1900
All quiet wrote 3 letters yesterday to my wife, Uncle Tom, and his daughter.
Nov 10th 1900
No sign of coming home yet all quiet.
Nov 11th 1900
All quiet in the day, the Boers attacked our camp in the night.
Nov 12th 1900
All quiet
Nov 13th 1900
All's well.
Nov 14th 1900
The mail came in had letters and papers from home, wrote back, on outpost duty tonight in the trenches waiting for the Boers to come.
Nov 15th 1900
A few Boers opened fire into our camp at daybreak, but we soon blessed them off, later at night the Boers attacked Val Station, there was about 400 of them and they.................. (Pages 40 and 41 are missing)
Dec 4th 1900
All quiet, no mail in yet, gun pit digging, raining very hard.
Dec 5th 1900
Raining very hard, gun pit digging, no mail in, wrote letter home.
Dec 6th 1900
Digging gun pits, all quiet, had a very bad, bad, storm.
Dec 7th 1900
The storm passed over this morning, on gun pits had to stand to, ready to turn out at a minutes notice, Boers around the hill.
Dec 8th 1900
Went out today, on drill order, saw a few Boers but they did not fire, all quiet here the Boers held a train up between Standerton and Nlaklasktes and captured 126 horses, wounded the driver in front of our peoples eyes and they got away with them.
Dec 9th 1900
All quiet, Gunner Heare (No Hair) left our battery this morning to join the 7th Battery at Pretoria.
Have sent a letter to my Uncle Tom, and one to Edinburgh.
Dec 10th 1900
Had to turn out at 1a.m.went about 12 miles to keep in touch with another column and met all Boers they missed us.
Dec 11th 1900
All quiet, on guard tonight, got mail in today.
Dec 12th 1900
All quiet.
Dec 13th/14TH 1900
Nothing on.
Dec 15th 1900
It is rumoured that the Boers are going to make an attack on our camp tonight, have to find a double guard.
Dec 16th 1900
The Boers did not come, all quiet.
Dec 17th 1900
All quiet.
Dec 18th 1900
I am writing a letter home, all quiet have to send a gun back to Waterval Bridge Camp. Yesterday no mail in yet, still attending the doctor here.
Dec 19th 1900
All quiet, on guard tonight, is a little better today.
Dec 20th 1900
All quiet in camp, raining all day and night. There is a balloon one the plain a few miles off Mafeking, the Boers up.
Dec 21st 1900
All quiet, had a fine day, we had a railway disaster on Thursday truck ran of the points and turned over, it was full of men; they had to jump clear, when 2 of them fell under the truck and was killed. They are buried here; they were 2 men going to join the Mounted Police.
Dec 22nd 1900
All quiet.
Dec 23rd 1900
A lot of Boers round our camp, out of range of our guns, the 5"is facing at them, and we are going on church parade just now. The gun at the top of the hill has burst and killed 3 men and wounded 4, church parade cancelled, we have to move our gun on top of the hill.
Dec 24th 1900
The cavalry and Scottish Rifles have gone to join a column that is a few miles from here, they are firing their guns very hard at the Boers, this is the day before Christmas and the most miserable one I have ever had, it's like being out of the world altogether up here.
Dec 25th 1900
Christmas Day, nothing on, no sports day, not anything else on, the worst Christmas I have ever had. No mail yet.
Dec 26th 1900
Boxing Day, Had to stand to out guns this morning, to cover a convoy the column has captured from the Boers, convoy comes into camp safely, no mail yet, sent letter home.
Dec 27th 1900
All quiet, wrote letter to Uncle Jim, no mail in from home.
Dec 28th 1900
All quiet.
Dec 29th 1900
Have heard that we are to join the column, the camp is quiet but plenty of Boers about.
Dec 30th 1900
Move on the column tomorrow, all quiet.
Dec 31st 1900
Have to stop in camp today, march away in the morning at 6am.
Jan 1st 1901
March to Groot Spruit.
Jan 2nd 1901
Still in camp, here but have to go down to Standerton for men, kits stay at Standerton till the 5th Jan 1901.
Jan 5th 1901
Got back to camp, the battery is out fighting the Boers, and thousands of them round here.
Jan 6th 1901
All quiet, still in camp at Groot Spruit went and had church parade, sent letter home.
Jan 7th 1901
All quiet, we are now in Vayeliternfontein, I am attending guard tonight.
Jan 8th 1901
On guard tonight, a few of our troops went out this morning and fired a few pom-poms into the Boers.I am now on guard and we have news that we are moving to Moscow.
Jan 10th 1901
Marched about 15 miles, fighting all the way, camp at Kaffersspruit.
Jan 11th 1901
Fighting today around our camp.
Jan 12th 1901
I stay in camp today with our gun and 2 companies of the R.Botha's Troop; rest has gone out to bring in 7 Boer families.
Jan 13th 1901
March form here about 12 miles, we had a fight with the Boers and drove them away and burned 3 farms and took their cattle.
Jan 14th 1901
March away about another 14 miles and camp, see the Boers sighting with lights at night, the Boers are all around us.
Jan 15th 1901
We return to our old camp after doing damage to their farms and bring their families.
Jan 16th 1901
I am with a convoy and we are returning back to Vlaklaaget, the Boers attack the convoy and come to us to within 200 yards, but we drove them off with heavy loss and the battle lasted about 8 hours, then we pitched our tents.
Jan 17th 1901
We marched to Vlaklaaget station and camp there for 5 days rest.
Jan 18th 1901
All quiet, have had news that we move soon for a standing camp between Vlaklaaget and Waterval Bridge.
Jan 19th 1901
All quiet.
Jan 20th 1901
Got orders to pack up ready to start to Moscow, all quiet.
Jan 21st 1901
March away from here at 6am,got half way to Waterval Bridge, I was on guard last night.
Jan 22nd 1901
We are making gun pits and trenches, this is a standing camp for a little while, and I got my photos this morning, all quiet.
Jan 23rd 1901
All quiet, mail came in.
Jan 24th 1901
All quiet, we hear that the queen died at 6.30pm.I went down to Vlakelaaget station this morning on guard over our gun for it is condemned and we are getting a new one, we have to stand to at 3am every morning.
Jan 25th 1901
On March towards Graylingstad, stop at Waterval Bridge.
Jan 26th 1901
March to Graylingstad, we had no fighting on the way.
Jan 27th 1901
We had a voluntary church parade in camp, today march away.
Jan 28th 1901
Convoy march to Bushmans Kop.
Jan 29th 1901
Take all convoy from Graylingstad to French's column.
Jan 30th 1901
March away to Whitworth's stores in camp.
Jan 31st 1901
All quiet today, we have a very long march to Moscow.
Feb 14th 1901
Marched from Ermelow with sick and wounded and Boer families from General French's column, we are now within 16 miles of Standerton and are on half rations, have wrote a letter to my wife today but don't know.............
The diary ends at this point.
Appendix
1.Kafferspruit Located in the South African Republic, 15 km north of Ermelo. The farm takes its name form the right bank tributary of the Vaal River
2. Bushmanskop Probably Bosmanskop, 15 km north of Hendrina or Boesmanskop/Bosmanskop 25 km north-east of Springs.
3. Ermelo. Town 50 km east of Bethal On the blockhouse line from standerton the Wonderfontein.
4. French, John Denton Pinkstone (Born Ripple Kent on 28/09/1852 died Deal Kent 22 /05/1925) Youngest son of Commander JTW French and his wife Margaret Eccles. Educated at Eastman's Naval Academy. left the navy in 1870 and joined the Army in 1874. Served with distinction in the Sudan and India. Returned to the UK where he was actively involved with reforms in the cavalry. in 1897 he was appointed as commanding officer of the 2nd Cavalry Brigade. During the War he took part in the battles of Ealndslaagte and Modderspruit. He was actively involved in the relief of Kimberley. After the fall of Bloemfontein he was involved in the battles of Karee Station and Thabanchu. He played an important part on the left flank during the march to Pretoria. After the occupation of Pretoria he took part in the battle of Diamond Hill and the occupation of Middelburg and Barberton.
From January to April 1901 he was charge of the offensive in Eastern Transvaal. From June 1901 he was in charge of the offensive against the invading forces of General JC Smuts in the Cape Colony. In August 1902 he was appointed officer commanding at Aldershot. During the First World War he was commander in chief of the expeditionary force in France. He died in 1925 after a serious operation.
5. R Botha's troop - it must refer either to a troop in one of the Irregular South African regiments or the South African Constabulary.
6. Greylingstad is a small town some five kilometres from the railway station with that name. The Natal army's 2nd Division commanded by Lt-Gen Sir CF Clery moving along the railway line on 2 July 1900 occupied the station. Later that month it was grouped at greylingstad prepared to prevent General CR de Wets commando's from breaking into the South African Republic, but its main role was to protect the line between Greylingstad and Standerton.
7. Hlangwane - hill three kilometres east of Colenso
8. Biggarsberg Mountains - range of mountains south of Dundee and Glencoe
9. Ingogo Heights. Highest point of a ridge south of the river with the same name in the Newcastle District
10. KRR - King's Royal Rifles
11.Alleman's Nek - 20 kilometres west of Volksrust - a pass in the Versamelberg in the south eastern corner of Transvaal
12 Volksrust - town on the border between Natal and Transvaal - 40 kilometres north of Newcastle, it was garrisoned by the British army and became an important supply depot.
13. General Sir Cornelius Francis Clery: Born Cork Ireland 13/02/1838 Died London 25/06/1926 Trained at Sandhurst joined the 32nd Foot. After several promotions he was appointed as instructor in tactics at the Staff College. He took part in the Zulu War of 1879 and served for a short spell in Egypt. On the eve of the Anglo-Boer War he was appointed Lieutenant General in charge of the 2nd Division. He was sent to natal to secure the Railway line. He took part in most of the important battle in Natal and was also active in Eastern Transvaal. Returned to Britain in October 1900 most unexpectedly. He retired four months later.
