This splendid Volunteer Battery, manned by the 1st Northumberland Volunteer Artillery, did most excellent work throughout a great part of the campaign. They were furnished with six 12-pounder naval quick-firing guns, weight about 12 cwt, on field-carriages, the guns and carriages being manufactured by the Elswick firm. These guns and carriages were a present from Lady Meux to Lord Roberts. The battery landed at Cape Town about the end of April 1900. The battery was for a time in the Orange River Colony with Colonel Hickman's column, and was then taken to the Transvaal.
In July 1900 this battery and the Canadian Battery were the field artillery of Ian Hamilton's force, which was on the north or left flank in the eastern advance towards Balmoral, and then was taken north-west of Pretoria towards Rustenburg, and thereafter eastwards again to Belfast. They accompanied General Pole-Carew to Koomati Poort in September 1900 (see Lord Roberts' telegram of 13th September 1900), and a portion operated about Rustenburg during October (see 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers and Lord Roberts' despatch of 10th October 1900, paras 25, 33, and 41). Six officers and 5 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in Lord Roberts' final despatch. Two officers afterwards got the Distinguished Service Order and 2 men the Distinguished Conduct Medal. In Lord Kitchener's despatch of 8th July 1901 it was noted that one gun was with Major General Babington, one with Colonel Williams, both in the Western Transvaal; one with Brigadier General Bullock between the Delagoa and Natal lines, and one with Colonel E C Knox in the north-east of the Orange River Colony and in the Transvaal. A section was also for a time with Sir Henry Rawlinson in the Western Transvaal in 1901 (see the York and Lancaster Regiment). The weapons of the battery were admittedly very superior in range and otherwise to the ordinary field-gun, and their shooting was often most highly praised (see the evidence of Major General A H Paget and Sir Andrew Noble before the War Commission). One sergeant was mentioned in the despatch of 8th July 1901 for good service in General French's sweep through the Eastern Transvaal.
The personnel of the battery sailed for home on 28th June 1901.
