Imperial units

1st Battalion

The 1st Battalion sailed in the Nubia on 20th October 1899, and arrived at the Cape about 13th November.  Along with the 3rd Grenadier Guards and 1st and 2nd Coldstream Guards they formed the Guards Brigade under Sir H E Colvile.  The work of the brigade has been sketched under the 3rd Grenadiers.

The battalion had very heavy fighting at Belmont on 23rd November.  Lord Methuen said, "The Scots Guards carried out their instructions to the letter, and gained the heights at the point of the bayonet".  Colonel Paget and three other officers were highly praised by Lord Methuen and General Colvile.  The battalion's losses were severe, being approximately 10 men killed, 3 officers and 34 men wounded.

At Modder River the battalion was on the right of the Guards Brigade, the 1st Coldstreams afterwards prolonging the line to the right.  The battalion suffered very seriously when, as they were advancing to the river, the enemy's fire suddenly burst forth.  In a few minutes many casualties occurred, their "maxim detachment were completely wiped out".  The battalion's losses were 11 men killed, 2 officers and 37 men wounded.  When Lord Methuen was wounded in the afternoon Major General Colvile took over his command and Colonel Paget acted as brigadier of the Guards.

At Magersfontein the Scots Guards were in support and had trifling losses.

After the brigade came back from Koomati Poort to Pretoria the battalion, now under Colonel Pulteney, was employed for a time in the Krugersdorp district.  On 7th November 1900 they were railed to Springfontein to assist in keeping De Wet out of the colony.  When the pressure was over in the south they were sent in December back to the Transvaal, and in 1901 in the column under Colonel Pulteney they did endless hard marching, taking part, inter alia, in General French's operations against the commandos who had defeated General Clements on 13th December.  In General French's great drive through the Eastern Transvaal in the first quarter of 1901, when he captured 7 guns, a maxim, and many prisoners, and in Sir Bindon Blood's operations between the Delagoa and Natal Railways.  In July 1901 the battalion was railed to Bloemfontein, where they remained a long time.  In February 1902 they furnished two companies as infantry for Colonel Lawley's column, which did much hard trekking in the north of the Orange River Colony and afterwards in the Transvaal.  When the battalion was at Vryheid in April 1901 General French addressed them in a speech deservedly printed in the Brigade Magazine.  No regiment ever received greater praise from a general.

In Lord Roberts' final despatches 29 officers and 27 non-commissioned officers and men of the Scots Guards were mentioned; these embraced both 1st and 2nd Battalions.  One major and 4 non-commissioned officers and men of the Scots Guards gained mention in Lord Kitchener's despatches during the war, and in his final despatch 9 officers and 8 non-commissioned officers and men of the regiment were mentioned.

2nd Battalion

The 2nd Battalion sailed on the Britannic on 15th March 1900, and arrived at the Cape on 5th April.  Along with the 2nd Grenadiers, 2nd East Yorkshire, and 1st Leinster Regiment, they formed the 16th Brigade under Major General Barrington Campbell, and part of the V111th Division under General Sir Leslie Rundle.  The work of the brigade and of the division has been briefly sketched under, the 2nd Grenadier Guards.

The 2nd Scots Guards were present at Biddulphsberg on 29th May 1900, but were not so hotly engaged as the Grenadiers.  The battalion's losses were approximately 5 men killed, 1 officer and 20 men wounded.

In September 1900 the battalion formed part of a column based on Harrismith under Campbell.  In October 1900, along with the 2nd Grenadiers and some Imperial Yeomanry, they were trekking with General Rundle in the Bethlehem district, and on 26th October, when marching back to Harrismith, a strong force of Boers were found posted on hills commanding the road.  The positions were cleared "in spite of a very stubborn resistance".  Rundle's casualties were 3 killed and 17 wounded.  Four weeks later Campbell again found the enemy in a strong position at Tiger's Kloof.  "After sharp fighting their main position was taken by the Scots Guards".  The casualties included Lieutenant Southey, shot through the head while gallantly leading his men, and Major E E Hanbury, hit in three places.  Strangely enough, the other casualties were only 1 killed and 2 wounded.

The battalion took part in many other operations in the north-east of the Orange River Colony during the remainder of the campaign.  In August they had a welcome break, being ordered to Pietermaritzburg in connection with the visit of the Prince of Wales to Natal.  In September 1901 they were, along with the 1st Oxfordshire Light Infantry, employed in the erection of a line of blockhouses running from Kopjes Station, near Kroonstadt, to Potchefstroom, in the Western Transvaal; thereafter they were taken east to Wakkerstroom, and were employed along with the 2nd West Yorkshire Regiment in building another line of blockhouses from that town to Piet Betief, near the Swazi border.

(Duke of Edinburgh's) Wiltshire Regiment

The 2nd Battalion sailed on the Gascon on 16th December 1899, and arrived at the Cape on 7th January.  Along with the 2nd Bedfordshire Regiment, 1st Royal Irish Regiment, and 2nd Worcestershire Regiment, they formed the 12th Brigade under Major General Clements.  The work of the brigade while they acted together has been sketched under the 2nd Bedfordshire.

The battalion had some heavy fighting in the Colesberg district after General French's mounted troops were withdrawn for the advance from Modder River.

On 12th February 1900 the enemy in great force attacked the positions about Rensburg.  On that day the battalion lost 2 men killed and 1 officer and 11 men wounded, the 2nd Worcesters losing much more heavily.  On the 14th there was again heavy fighting, in which the Wiltshires lost 12 killed and 45 wounded, and over 100 taken prisoners.

General Clements had found it necessary to order a retirement from the Rensburg positions on Arundel, in order to cover Naauwpoort Junction.  From the proceedings of the War Commission it appears that the general announced he would retire at 5 am, but that he altered the hour to 12.15 am.  Due notice of the alteration was not sent to two companies on outpost.  When they came back to camp it had been occupied by the enemy.  Endeavouring to follow the rest of the force, these two companies were surrounded and most of them taken prisoners, after making a good defence.  No one could blame the two companies; they suffered because there had been an inexcusable want of care in the collecting of the regiment.

Having moved north from Arundel via Colesberg, Fauresmith, etc., the brigade joined the main army at Bloemfontein on 2nd April, and when Lord Roberts moved north in May they occupied the line in his rear.  The brigade was ordered to occupy Senekal on 31st May, and this was done.  Here Clements remained until the big operations against De Wet and Prinsloo commenced in June (see 2nd Bedfords). In these operations there was much heavy fighting, particularly on 6th and 7th July at Bethlehem, on the 23rd at Slabbert's Nek, and on the 28th at Slap Krantz (see Royal Irish Regiment). The casualties, however, were not excessive for the great result obtained.

The brigade having been broken up, this battalion was, along with the West Riding Regiment (which see), put under Major General Paget, and did good work in the districts north-east and north-west of Pretoria.

In Lord Roberts' final despatch 13 officers and 23 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned.

In his despatch of 8th March 1901 Lord Kitchener says, para 9, that in consequence of De Wet's effort to get into Cape Colony he brought the troops under Generals Paget and Plumer from the Transvaal to Naauwpoort, Cape Colony, in February 1901.  The Wiltshires had some skirmishing about Richmond and other places, and some hard marching in February and the beginning of March.

In April 1901 the battalion was, along with the 2nd Northamptonshire Regiment, on the Pretoria-Pietersburg line.  Early in May the battalion provided four companies as the infantry of a column under Lieutenant Colonel Greenfell, which did very successful work in the Northern Transvaal.

One officer and 3 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in despatches by Lord Kitchener during the campaign, and in his final despatch he added the names of 5 officers and 6 non-commissioned officers and men.

 

Diary of Edward Cutler, (1878-1963) of the Scots Guard

Reproduced by permission of Carolyn Morgan

As a lad even before leaving school I had a longing to be a soldier and on every occasion when in London was attracted to Trafalgar Square,

Where one could find Recruiting Sergeants from many famous Regiments, from the resplendent Royal Dragoons in all the splendour of scarlet stable jackets to the less attractive infantryman.  There were Hussars, Lancers, Artillerymen, Guardsmen and Infantrymen, also Marines from the close by Naval Recruiting Office in Spring Gardens.  They all had attractions to me and many other lads and always added to my wish to become one of them.

It was in 1895, when I reached the age of 17, that a school chum, John Masterton, and I set off one fine summer day to try our fortune with the Marine’s Recruiter.  John was successful but I was not, being turned down, but advised to try again later.  I left my chum and returned to my work as a grocer.  It was 34 years later before John Masterton and I met again.  Some few months later I decided to try the next best thing, so joined the Volunteers, to do so one had to pay an entrance fee in those days.  I joined the 2^nd Battalion London Rifles whose Headquarters were in Faringdon Street, was fitted out by a firm on Ludgate Hill and started to learn something about drill and musketry.  We were armed with the Martini-Henry rifle and did our firing at Rainham Essex.  This firing usually resulted in bruised shoulders or face until experience made one very careful and tended to spoil an otherwise pleasant outing.  My stay with the Rifles gave me a good idea of soldiering as a past-time.  I spent two summer holidays in camp at Aldershot, first at Bounty Bottom and then at Cove Common and always made myself believe I had spent a very enjoyable time, really they were very hard times for an untrained body used to a very different life behind a counter, still I always look back on those two camps as a good tryout of my soldiering and I made many good friends.

Early in 1898 I met a Recruiting Sergeant Crabbe of one of the Kent Regiments who again set me wishing and with his help I was attested for the Royal Horse Artillery Guards, but although passing the tests I was not accepted by that Regiment and was them advised by my recruiter friend to go into the Scots Guards, he passed me over to a Sergeant Coombes of the Scots Guards and I was duly accepted, passed and sworn in at the St. George’s Barracks (behind Trafalgar Square) on the 11^th February 1898, I was a soldier, received my first days pay 1s/6d plus a rations allowance of sixpence and told to report the next morning to be posted to my Regiment.  The only point I was not quite pleased about being that had only been allowed to join for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years with the Reserve but it was a start.  I reported early next morning and was later taken with two other recruits for the Regiment to Wellington Barracks, where we were placed in the Recruit Room, under the charge of a huge fellow, a Corporal Oakley, who made us as comfortable as possible.  In due course was fitted out with a full uniform, parted with my civilian clothes for many years to come and started on what was to be my life’s concern.

Next day was taken to be looked over by the Q.C.Scots Guards at Headquarters at the Horse Guards, the Q.C. was Colonel B.B. Douglas Campbell, his Adjutant was Captain J.W. Smith-Neill, who many years later helped me to my commission.  We were given a good look over, some advice as to our welfare and the information that we belonged now to the finest Regiment in the finest Army in the World, a piece of advice I have to find a truth.

At this time our depot at Caterham had an epidemic of scarlet fever and had been closed for reception of recruits, so we were squatted at Wellington Barracks, but later in the month it re-opened and I was one of a party of some 200 recruits of the Brigade who set off from London under the command of Lieutenant W. H Ingilby and several instructors for Caterham.  It was a trying journey as each man had to carry all his belongings, the march up hill from Caterham Station being a stiff and particularly difficult one.  On arrival at the Depot we dumped our loads and were then put to work scrubbing out the rooms we were to live in, then to draw bedding including straw to fill our mattress, after which dinner and settling in to start what is probably the stiffest period of training in the British Army, but it turns out the finest soldiers in the World.  I remained at the Depot until the end of May, by then I was very fit and had learnt my drill and improved my education and although very glad to be leaving had been very happy and had not been in any trouble. One didn’t get much chance of what Caterham outside Barracks was like, four drills a day with school, lectures and the continual cleaning of equipment and Barracks kept one rather short of time for walking out and the pay of 8 ½ d per day, less various small sums for extra cleaning kit etc, didn’t leave much to take one far away.  The food was good, discipline of the strictest and altogether it was a very testing time, but real training for a soldier.

I joined the 1^st Battalion at Pirbright camp, the Battalion was under canvass, at that time there were only a few huts at the one end of the camp, mostly used as stores and for housing the stuff of the camp.  The tents were of small marquee pattern with floor boards and accommodated about 16 men in each marquee.  The layout of the camp was much the same as in later years but smaller.  In after years I spent many happy and healthy months at this delightful camp.  A few weeks later the Battalion returned to London, to the Tower, where I had often wished to soldier, this was a short stay for we returned to Pirbright for training.  During this camp I took part in keeping the ground for the presentation of their first colours to the newly formed 3^rd Battalion Coldstream Guards, by H.M. Queen Victoria, at the Queen’s Parade, Aldershot.  We marched to and from Aldershot from our camp at Pirbright in white jackets and wearing our beautiful caps, out tunics and best trousers had been sent to the grounds of Government House where we changed, took our part in the parade, changed again and then marched back to camp.  A very hot day and a very trying march for a young soldier.  A memory of this reminds me that during one of the hourly halt, I removed my Bearskin, when the R.S. Major Adderley ( of whom I had a deal of real respect) quietly told me I was demonstrating that I was a young soldier, which fact I had arrived at, but I believe I returned my cap to my head.  We next returned to Wellington Barracks from where I did my first Queen’s Guard as a private, this is I suppose the big thrill of every young Guardsman and is usually accompanied by an extra drill or two after dismounting, I don’t think I was any exception to the rule.  Then came my first big manoeuvre, we moved from London to Luggenhall by train, wearing tunics and blue trousers with field service caps and white equipment and carried a spare pair of boots.  This training took place over Salisbury Plain and about the country now known as Tidworth Camp and finished at Dulford with the at that period usual big parade and march past, the inspecting Officer was I believe the late General Sir Reeves Buller.  This training lasted over a month and we were very fit but tired Battalion that returned to London and the Tower to winter.  In October I was given my first stripes becoming a Lance Corporal, the most difficult rank in the service and the most exacting.  It was about now that I finished my recruits training returning once to Pirbright for my recruits course of musketry.  Back to the Tower* where I spent my first Christmas in the Army and enjoyed it.  So finished my first year as a soldier and I always look back on it as a fairly full year.

*Guards occupied a deal of the duty at the Tower.  Main Guard from which the ceremony of the keys took place Spur? Guard to which was attached the “store kitchens” a cell we had to spend the night if unfortunately too late to pass the gates before midnight.  Wharf Guard under the Tower Bridge Magazine Guard and Royal Mint Guard, the Mint Guard ceased about the beginning of the South African War, as did the Sentry Posts on the Ramparts over looking Tower Hill.

Early in the Spring of 1899 we moved to Chelsea, later on to Pirbright where in addition to musketry, we trained in preparation  for the presentation of our Regiments first State Colour.  This ceremony took place at Windsor.  The 2^nd Battalion of the Regiment were stationed at Victoria Barracks and we joined them there for the parade my first meeting with our sister Battalion.  The presentation took place on the East Terrace of Windsor Castle.  The Flank Companies of the Regiment formed the Escort and I was one of them.  The 1^st Grenadiers provided the Guard of Honour, this Battalion had recently returned from Omdurman and the Queen’s Company with their new medals from this outing were certainly a splendid Guard even in a Scots Guardsman’s opinion and that means a deal.  This was my second ceremonial parade before Queen Victoria as a Guardsman, but I had a previous one with the Volunteers, having been with the “lining the street” detachment of the 2^nd London Rifles at the Diamond Jubilee procession of Her Majesty in 1897.

The Commissioned Officers of the Battalions at Windsor were Lieutenant Corporal Sir Arthur Praget and Lieutenant Inigo Jones, the Adjutant’s Lieutenant H.C. Lowther and Lieutenant Heriot-Maitland.

From Pirbright we returned to Chelsea, where I did many Queen’s Guards, always a very pleasant duty and I was always very proud as Corporal posting the Sentries around St. James Palace.  One of the Sentry Posts found was at the old War Office in Pall Mall and a guard in connections? which was discontinued about this time was the Tylt Guard in Whitehall.  Our 2^nd Battalion joined us at Chelsea after manoeuvres but by that time we had news of our taking part in the Boer War and we were not together long.  Each Battalion had 10 Companies, two of which were formed to be part of the 3^rd Battalion of the Regiment.  This Battalion came into being shortly after the 1^st Battalion left for South Africa.  We, the 1^st Battalion, had a quick mobilisation being inspected by the late King Edward VI, then Prince of Wales and the Duke of Connaught, our Colonel, who both gave us the usual praise and goodbye greetings,  We left Chelsea Barracks on the morning of the 21^st October 1899, a very foggy one which was somewhat fortunate as the Battalion were not in good form and did not earn any good marks from the Colonel who saw us away.  We were however all present, but one, who after joined us at Cape Tower having travelled out with the Coldstream Battalion which left England after us but arrived at Cape Tower before us.  The S.S. Nubia took us out not a great troop ship as such is now, the food was poor, often the ration included ships biscuits, probably the hardest of it’s kind ever baked, there was also pickled pork at times, a very unpalatable dish.  We had a half Battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers as shipmates.  The only incidents of the voyage was a stop at St. Vincent and the ceremony of crossing the Equator, with a fairly bad bit of weather near the Cape.  We disembarked on the 14^th November, recovered our good name and entrained  at once for Orange River where we prepared for the advance.  We had left London in red serge, blue trousers and white helmets with our white equipment, but had left this uniform at Cape Tower, donned khaki and now at Orange River tried to dull our bayonets, buttons etc with sand.  Our Brigade formed here consisted of the 3^rd Battalion Grenadiers, the 1^st and 2^nd Battalion Coldstreamers and ourselves under the command of General Colville.  We moved off on the 22^nd November, bivouacked at a farm and before dawn on the 23^rd moved off in battle formation to Belmont.  I remember that morning very clearly, our orders had included the fixing of bayonets and charging the hill, if we were successful in reaching the near vicinity of the hill without difficulty.  As dawn broke we reached within a few hundred yards of our position when I saw a figure on the top of the hill run back after firing off a round.  We received our order to charge and off we went and made our way right to the summit to see the Boers making off with the Lancers, who had charged up on our left, after them around the side of the position.  We had a few casualties here but had gained our point cheaply and easily.  The Grenadiers on our right had not been so fortunate and we moved off to their aid, but we had no further fighting and later bivouacked in rear and prepared for the next move.  On the 25^th we were in support at Graspan where a Marine attachment had a rather heavy time but moved the Boers out.  A memory of this day, a party of my Company under Lieutenant Cornwallis-West came upon some wounded Boers and whilst trying to aid them only just stopped one of them sniping our Officer.

On the 28^th we came up with the Boers in force at Modder River, we had a sharp pull up here between the Reit and Modder River, where a new weapon to us, the Pompour (pom pom) quick firing gun was let loose  on us from the banks of these rivers, our machine gun and team were put out of action, the Sergeant killed and the Q.C., L….? Elwes and most of the team wounded.  The Battalion was held up most of the day, the enemy being well entrenched on the deep river banks, whilst we had to lie it out in the open under constant rifle and pompour fire.  That night we bivouacked in our empty reservoir under orders to attack at dawn next morning, but when dawn arrived we moved off only to discover the Boers had moved off, we advanced and made camp at Modder, where we were to rest for a few days to await reinforcement but it turned out to be longer stay by some weeks.  We had a larger number of casualties here than at Belmont.  About now we had a draft from home and Lieutenant  Dalrymple joined Right Flank and my section.  Lieutenant Dalrymple later the Earl of Stair, was my commanding officer and became a very good friend in my career.  The Boers were now making a strong position in front of some low hills at Magersfontein and on the afternoon of the 10^th December, a Sunday, we moved off to attack them.  It was a wet and very dark night when we moved forward, the Highland Brigade being in front, the Guard’s Brigade in support.  The Highlanders had a very bad time getting mixed up in barbed wire entanglements and shot to pieces in the dark, we moved up in the morning but had to dig in as best we could, where we remained until turning back to our camp at Modder River.  The Blackwatch  had a very heavy casualty list, they had been caught in the wire by their kilts and shot whilst trying to get clear.  The Brigadier General Wauchope was killed and many senior Officers of the Brigade were also killed and wounded.  We had very few casualties but a very unpleasant time. It was said that a British ex soldier had assisted in fortifying this position for all the Boers, in any case it had been well done.  We later on went through this series of trenches and wire protection and discovered that the Boer was a master at this work.  We remained at Modder River until February 1990, built and occupied forts and spent our first Christmas in South Africa, a day very much like any other, no special dinner, but I think we were given a pint of beer, whilst here Major Baden-Powell, brother to B.P. of Scout fame and Mafeking, experimented on a man carrying a box kite, in which men of the Battalion were invited to try their luck.  I didn’t try it.

There was plenty of bathing to enjoy, although not always swimming, as the river dried up a good deal, despite this I nearly finished my career one day, I trod into a deep hole in mid stream and had to be rescued by a lad, after a bad fright.

Towards the end of February General French took his cavalry around the flank of the Boers and our  Brigade made a frontal reconnaissance, openly to find the Boer position empty, evidently left in a hurry for we found their dinner cooking and signs that we were only just too late to capture them.  We also noticed that they had evidently had their families living with them in the trenches.  The Cavalry went on to relieve Kimberley and we trekked to a point on the Reit River, about 20 miles from our camp, a very trying move, without blankets or coats and with very scanty rations and cooking utensils, to make matters worse it was the rainy season and we had no tents and were on half rations, two biscuits and a very small portion of  meat daily, this lasted for several days during which time the Column surrounded Paardeburg further along the River, capturing the Boer General Cronje and about 2000 of his men and women, for they still had their families with them.  We fed and guarded them for one night, very much hating to see them having a full ration, whilst we were still going very short.  Our nights here were about the worst experiences, groups of men laid down hugging each other to keep warm, no coats or blankets and lots of rain and the nights could be cold.  After getting rid of our prisoners we moved off to Driefontein and thence to Bloemfontein a long and very trying march.  We had worn out our clothing and boots as well as ourselves and were anything but smart as we marched past Lord Roberts on entering the town.  We refitted here and were issued with the new service dress and putties? and slouch hats.  We made one or more moves out to drive off raiders from the railway at our rear, mostly travelling by rail.  The Boers were very mobile with their ponies and gave us many surprises, most of their farms were small arsenals where they had buried arms and ammunition and after our taking prisoners disarming them and letting them return to their farms after promises to stop fighting they would rearm from these dumps and start off again in our rear, surprise and disarm small guards, blow up the railway and make off.  They were also very clever at ambush work.  One day a few Boers were seen riding apparently aimlessly not far from camp, Colonel Trotter also a Grenadier and Colonel Codrington rode out to see what was going on and they ran into a nasty trap, the Adjutant was shot dead, Trotter lost an arm, a very costly outing and when a larger party went to capture the Boers, they had of course vanished.  About this time Enteric fever got a hold in camp, the Coldstream Guards suffering very badly and we were not sorry to move off about the 1^st May on the trek to Pretoria, 300 odd miles away, we were now well clothed  again and after a period of full rations very fit and for some days the average 15 mile trek was not too bad except the feet in our new boots, the Doctor was very clever though and his sick parade was at the end of each march instead of before moving off and his usual verdict medicine and duty.  The Medical Officer then was Major Guise Moores a Regimental Officer and not a very popular one with the men, but he eventually became on of the Army’s principal Medical Officers.

Towards the end of May we reached Johannesburg where we had a somewhat triumphant entry, there being lots of folk there who were glad to see us and we had no opposition.  Thence a few days later we reached the outskirts of Pretoria which town we entered on the 5^th June.  We just missed capturing President Kruger and his Government, in fact we were in time to see his train steaming away, we did d however get part of the supply train and I remember my Company has a hand in this prize and we well stocked our haversacks before leaving for our bivouac on the outside of the town.  We camped outside the town for a short period and then moved on coming in contact with the Boers at Diamond Hill and later at Belfast thence onto Koomatic Poort.  The country on this trek was wilder and more hilly than any we had before trekked over and we came into contact with quite a number of wild beast.  One evening we disturbed a couple of lions and on another night during railway repair work a party of my Company whilst resting had a n adventure with a very large snake probably a boa which was crawling over a man whilst he was laying down, we despatched it with our shovels.  The bush in part was very difficult, particularly that part, thickly covered with prickly bush which had short thorns two or three inches long.  We had many rivers to cross on one days march we waded a very winding ferrow? about 6 times, sometimes almost waist deep.  The country around Belfast was very mountainous and gave us a number of thrills.  On one occasion a Boer sniper well placed on a hillside overlooking a very steep and winding road or track completely held up for some hours during which our Brigade and some field guns expended a large quantity of ammunition without dislodging the sniper, a patrol of Cavalry eventually got behind him and enabled us to move on.  Marching through bush country we came to a railhead, with a deal of destroyed railway stock and food spoiled by paraffin, the railway had also been torn up, culverts destroyed, and we had to get to work repairing the damage to enable the advance to get along and ensure the passage of food and supplies for the force.  For this purpose a Company for each Battalion was posted to a repair detachment whilst the main body continued the march to our destination, the frontier of Portugal, East Africa.  My Company was one of these left behind on the repair work and didn’t reach the frontier but joined up with the Battalion on the return journey to Pretoria by train after the necessary repairs were completed.

At Pretoria I got my next promotion that of Corporal.  It was approved that the Campaign was about over.  Lord Roberts left for home with several of the Volunteer Units.  A number of N.C. Officers were offered posts in the new formed Johannesburg Police some of whom made a good career for themselves, notably Sergeant Miller of my Company and who had been a Metropolitan Policeman during his recent service he became the Chief of the Johannesburg force eventually.  The War was not however over, several very clever Boer Generals saw to that notably De Wet, Smuts and Botha amongst others and the Battalion trekked back and fore many hundreds of miles, for myself in December 1900 I got a bad attack of Enteric fever which resulted in my being invalided home early in 1901, sailing from Durban and arriving home on the 28^th February 01.

I was posted back to the 3^rd Battalion at Wellington Barracks fitted out with home service kit and proceeded on furlough.  It was some months before I was back at duty the fever had left me a bad leg, which nearly ended my soldiering but I eventually persuaded the M.O. to let me try doing duty instead of being boarded out unfit.  From then onwards I didn’t trouble the Doctor but my leg tired me a good bit during several years of my service with the 3^rd Battalion at Windsor until the end of the South African War and the return of the 1^st and 2^nd Battalion home.  I moved upwards to the rank of Sergeant whilst at Aldershot (Marlborough Lines).  I became a married soldier on the strength moved to the Tower in 1903 and became a father in 1904.  At this period I was put on the staff as Sergeant of the Regimental Police, stationed at Vauxhall and as such took part in the Army manoeuvres at which the Brigade marched from Chelsea to Clacton on Sea.

As a lad even before leaving school, soon after I was 12 years of age, I had a wish to become a soldier, and on every occasion when in London was attracted to Trafalgar Square where one could find Recruiting Sergeants from many Regiments.  From the Splendid Royal Dragoon in all his glory to the rather less attractive Infantryman, Hussar Horse Gunner, Lancer Guardsman and A. I. Corp and Sergeants were all there in full dress uniform and everyone of them very smart.  There was also the Naval Recruiter and the Marine Gunner and Infantryman from Spring Gardens close by.

It was not however until 1895 that with an old school chum, John Masterton, I made my first venture, I was the 17 and so tried the Marines that service being available at that age.  My chum was successful and became a Marine Gummer, but my luck was not so good I was turned down and advised to try again later on.  Masterton and I parted and never met again until 1929, thirty four years later.  I went back to my counter at the grocer’s shop.

Some few months later I decided to try the Volunteers and paying my subscription joined the 2^nd Battalion London Rifles, was fitted out as a Rifleman by a firm of tailors on Ludgate Hill and commenced to learn a little about drill and musketry, the later taking place at Rainham and the musket a Martini firing a cartridge more like a small shell and if one was bold and didn’t hold the gun very securely the result of loosing off a few rounds generously left memories of the otherwise pleasant outing of bruises on different parts of ones shoulders or face.

During my stay in the Rifles I spent two summer holidays in Camp at Aldershot, one at Bounty Bottom, the other Cove Common and always liked to think how enjoyable they were, but really they were pretty hard work for one straight from a life in a shop, but still I always look back to those two years as a very fine try out of my soldiering hopes and made many friends.

Early in 1898 I met a Recruiting Sergeant, by the name Crabbe, of one of the Kent Regiments who again set me wishing, the result being my attesting for the Royal Horse Guards.  I was inspected and passed fit at the Recruiting Depot in the New Kent Road and really thought I was on the way at least, but no, I was not approved by their Colonel and had to think again, being advised by my recruiting friend to join the Foot Guards, go to Caterham and try and transfer from there.  This seemed the only way so was again filled on to the Attestation form and directed to St. George’s Barracks, behind Trafalgar Square, where I met Sergeant Coombes, Scots Guards, I was quickly snapped up and sent before the Doctor, who gave me the pass, was then sworn in, and on that day 11^th February 1898 I realised my ambition, I was a real soldier and a Guardsman.  The only thing not quite satisfactory I could only sign on for 7 years with the Colours and 5 years on Reserve.  Was then given my first days pay 1s/1d plus sixpence for rations and told to report the next morning, I was very proud.  The next morning after reporting early was taken with two other fellows to Wellington Barracks put in the Recruits Room under the care of a huge fellow, Captain Oakley and in due course taken to the stores and fitted out with my uniform, quite a large amount of clothing and kit which I soon got into and left civilian clothes for many years to come.

The next day was taken to Regimental Headquarters to pass the approval of the lieutenant Colonel, this office was then at Horse Guards, Whitehall, the Colonel being Colonel B.B. Douglas Campbell and his Regiment Adjutant Captain J.W. Smith-neill.

I was duly approved, given some words of advice and so back to Barracks.  At this time the Depot at Caterham was closed having had one of it’s periodical attacks of infection, this time Scarlet Fever and it was not until later in the month that a Brigade party of about 200 set off under Lieutenant  Ingilby and several instructors for Caterham, each man carrying all his belongings, no transport those days, but it was only when we arrived at Caterham and faced the very formidable hill outside that we really started soldiering, what a climb.  We eventually arrived and were marched to our different barrack blocks, put down our kits and at once were set to work scrubbing out our rooms, drawing bedding and filling our beds with straw, after all of which we were fed.  I was at the Depot until the end of May.  A very strenuous time on parade 4 times a day and then to school and then cleaning up for the next day.  A good thing was one hadn’t much time to spend the pay, which after the various deductions, reached about

8 ½ d a day, paid out each other day.  Food was good but not over plentiful and the appetite usually exceeded supply.  I joined the 1^st Battalion at Pirbright where they were camped in large marquees, but the layout of the camp was much the same as today.  Soon after arrival at Pirbright I took part in my first Ceremonial Parade.  The presentation of  their first Colours to the 3^rd Battalion Coldstream Guards by Queen Victoria on the Queens Parade at Aldershot.  This parade for us took the form of marching to and from Aldershot in white jackets and Bearskin caps, we got our tunics at Aldershot, changing ion the grounds at Government House.  An incident of this march I well remember, I was at the front of the Battalion we had halted for the usual 10 minutes and I removed my Bearskin, but was reminded by the Sergeant Major Adderley that I was demonstrating the fact that I was a young soldier.

This stay at Pirbright was a great change from the Depot and one really began to feel quite an experienced soldier, apart from the very healthy training we were having over those delightful old commons.  I have since spent many happy periods at this camp and its neighbourhood.  And so to London and my first stay at the Tower, where in October I got my first lift to unpaid Lance Corporal, the most difficult position for all young soldiers, one is every bodies lackey from the Colour Sergeant down and constantly on parade.  I find I have missed out one of the biggest of this years doings, the 1898 training and manoeuvres which we took part in, before going to the Tower, they were carried out on Salisbury Plain, over the countryside now occupied by Tidworth Camp and were carried out in tunics, blue trousers and field service caps, the weather and the marching was very trying and we had a very strenuous time, but very healthy and at times very amusing.  I believe they were the first of their kind over this district and a large force took part including Marines.  Shortly after this training I again went to Pirbright, this time to fire my recruits musketry course, returning to the tower, one of the places I had often wished to stay in, and in after years saw much of.  After spending the winter at the Tower we moved to Chelsea Barracks and I had my first duty as a Lieutenant Captain on Queen’s Guard, this was  always a very pleasant duty but also very exacting and one never knew how or when you might make a bloomer with unpleasant after results, however it was all part of the Guardsman’s great training.

The Pirbright training this year produced another great Ceremonial, this time the presentation of our first State Colour by Queen Victoria on the East Terrace at Windsor Castle for this event, after much training we proceeded to Victoria Barracks, where our 2^nd Battalion were stationed.  The two commanding officers were Lieutenant Colonel Sir Arthur Paget and Lieutenant Colonel Inigo Jones, the Adjutant Lieutenant Lowther and Maitland a very fine set of mounted Officers.  The Guard of Honour was from the 1^st Battalion Grenadiers recently returned from Omdurman and they were particularly smart even in the eyes of us Scots Guardsmen.  I was in the Escort found from the two Right Flanks and a very proud soldier.  We were commanded by Captain Heyworth.  We had a great day and were made very much at home by our sister Battalion whom we were to meet again after their return from the 1899 manoeuvres to Chelsea Barracks where we lay together until we left for South Africa in October.  We received our orders for this great event early in October and after many inspections, one by the Duke of Connaught, who was at that time our Colonel, and another by the late King Edward VI, then Prince of Wales.  We embarked on the S.S. Nubia at Southampton, this event didn’t give us any great praise for we had been given too great a time from duty and the result was rather bad, bringing discredit.  However we left Chelsea in red serge, blue trousers and white helmets on a very foggy 21^st October and so were not perhaps too conspicuous.  Our Q.C. was still Sir Arthur Paget and he made things a bit warm for us on the trip out, which was anything but a good journey as such are known now a day.  Salt pork and ships biscuits were the usual ration and not much of that.  However it was a good voyage until we moved? Cape Town where we ran into rough weather.  We disembarked on November 14^th and regained our good name, a creditable  landing and entraining and then up country on a long journey to the Orange River, having left a rear party at De Arr.  We now commenced trying to make ourselves as inconspicuous as possible by dulling all our shine.  I n our Brigade were the 3^rd Brigade Grenadiers and the 1^st and 2^nd Battalion of the Coldstreamers, Colonel Colville commanded the Brigade and Lord Methuen the Column, and so to our first action at Belmont in the early morning of the 23^rd November.  We had very few casualties but the 2^nd in command Sergeant Wilson one of our best rifle shots was killed, it was quickly over, the bayonet being the deciding factor.  I remember marching along in the dawn and suddenly seeing a figure standing up in the morning light, a shot fired and then the order to fix bayonets and charge of the reaching our objective and seeing two Regiments of Lancers charging round the foot hill after the running Boers, but they are tough fellows and knew all about shooting.  We went on, and on the 25^th at Graspan they gave a Marine Depot a bad mauling.  On the 28^th we reached the Modder River and here it was our turn to get a surprise our only machine gun with its team under Lieutenant Elwes was wiped out and the Battalion got a pretty bad time from the Boers Pompours (pom pom) a one pounder quick firing gun which was our bogey for a long time.  At this point we pitched camp between the Modder and the Reit rivers and eventually held position here until February.  On the 11^th December or to be correct the evening of the 10^th the Division moved out to attack the Boers who had dug well in at Magersfontein a very dirty dark night and a bad one for the Highland Brigade who got badly cut up losing some hundreds of men, who became entangled in the barbed wire stretched across in lines and distanced from the Boer position to enable them to judge just how far to fire when they heard the tins and other rattles moved by our troops.  The kilts of the Highland Brigade held them badly in the wire.  The Blackwatch suffered very heavily losing hundreds killed and wounded, mostly caught and shot in the wire, the Highlanders Brigadier General Wauchope and many senior Officers were killed and the Brigadier were withdrawn early next morning, the Guards taking up their position but behind the wire, we didn’t move far but made what cover we could with our bayonets whilst lying down and retired the next day, the 13^th, back to our camp at Modder River and set to work making redoubts and outposts which we manned for the next few months, until the end of February.  Except for the days and nights spent in the forts about one day in four we spent a very pleasant time in camp including Christmas 1899, but not exactly a say like those spent at home or even during the Great War or the present one.  If I remember correctly we had bully for dinner and a pint of beer in the evening, still it was Christmas and there was no home to look forward to.  During this period a deal of sickness occurred Enteric and Dysentery were bad and the casualties from these diseases were very heavy.  But all this is very old news so to finish off this period Johnny Boer had been setting fight and properly getting us rattled but towards the end of February 99 General French had collected a largish cavalry force and got around the Flank of Magersfontein, which set the Boers moving, French’s cavalry after them to beyond Kimberley which had been besieged for sometime.  Our Brigade whilst this cavalry was taking place made a reconnaissance from the front, finding the position empty but only just, we found their hot dinners cooking and they were good and found from the layout of the position that they had their wives living in the trenches with them, in fact they had been quite at home and left everything very hurriedly when our cavalry galloped up.

We left Modder River on a very wet night and trekked over 20 miles without coats,, cooking utensils, in fact we had nothing except our arms and equipment.  We bivouacked at a narrow part of the Reit River not far from Paardeburg, where a day or two after the Boer Cronje, his wife and about 2000 of his commando were captured, we afterwards had the task of guarding this crowd and watching them eat a full ration of bully and biscuits, we had been on almost quarter rations for some days, less than half a pound of what had been trek Oxon and two biscuit’s a day, we usually charged for the biscuit crumbs in the empty tins.  We were away from our lines of communication and in front of our transport.  Fighting casualties were few but food and living conditions where terrible.

On to Driefontein and a 36 mile march to Bloemfontein where Lord Roberts watched our Brigade march in, men with a blanket worn like a kilt, their trousers having literally fallen off in rags, one man in my Company, John Brookman, a giant of about 6 foot 9 inches marched in with his feet in bandages without boots.  We camped here for about a month during which time we received an issue of service dress, I believe the first time this dress had ever been issued, we were also issued with the slouch hat and parted with our helmets which were very badly bent.  We were not left entirely to rest during this period, several trips by train were made back to hunt off parties of Boers who were constantly causing trouble to the lines behind us.  As we pushed on parties of Boers captured would be disarmed and swear to go back to their farms, but no sooner had we gone on they would dig up some more rifles and ammunition and commence attacking our lines of communication and capturing our rations and sometimes small guard parties left to protect our rear.  This went on for months until lord Kitchener established the Blockhouse System.

These Boers were cunning on one occasion whilst at Bloemfontein a few mounted Boers had been seen to come out of a small ridge some miles north, Colonel Crabbe his Adjutant of the Grenadiers, Captain Trotter also Grenadier and Colonel Codrington, Coldstreamers decided to go and see what was happening but they rode into an ambush, the Brigadier Adjutant was killed, Trotter lost an arm and they all galloped back badly tricked.  A huge grin for Johnny Boer.

During this month of April we also suffered very severely from Enteric, The Coldstream perhaps the worst and many Guardsmen were buried at Bloemfontein.

At the beginning of May newly equipped and well fed and fit we set off on the 300 mile trek for Pretoria and marching an average of 15 miles daily with an occasional days rest in bivouac and again feeling the strain of sun and half rations.  We go to the outskirts of Johannesburg, had very little opposition and had a somewhat triumphant march through this notable town to Elandsfontein and then onto Pretoria, which we entered on the 5^th June, just missing the special train taking President Kruger and his family on the road to the Portuguese  frontier, we however captured their food train and stocked our haversacks with reserves of tinned food of all sorts.  Eventually we camped on the far side of the town, the prisoners camp was captured and our men released, and then for another pleasant rest in a very good camp.  But our Battalion were not good, the old complaint, drink, and the Battalion was punished by being sent on convoy duty to Rustenberg, some distance north into the bush country, a very rotten trip.  Whilst here we had one of the 48 hour rains which delayed the convoy following, the oxon falling dead, some hundreds of them, as we had to return over this same route the stench of the rotting bodies and the hundreds of vultures who were picking their bones didn’t make it a pleasant journey.  Back at Pretoria after a lecture to the Battalion on it’s future conduct by Lieutenant Colonel Pulteney before the last days trek.  Within a few days we formed part of the force which set off after the Boers on the most interesting, to my mind, part of the campaign.  Two good Battles, Diamond Hill and Belfast, with few casualties, took us through some very fine country and as we were following the railway our supplies were better until the Boer started his wrecking behind us.  We occasionally met with lions, monkeys of all sizes were many and the birds were just beautiful.  There were also some biggish snakes.  The country was also wilder on one days trek we forded one river which wound about a deal no less than 4 times, one most interesting bit of country was at Waterval Boran with Waterval Onder lying far below in a valley the railway between the two places being worked by a system of cogged engines and coaches.  It was during the march between these two places that the Boers showed us a bit of his cunning.  When the advance troops were passing a stretch of the defile down, a Boer sniper picked off so many men that the whole force had to halt, Battalions were set to work firing for an hour or more at that point from which the sniper appeared to be working, but to no account, he still kept on and not for some time was he caught from the rear by a cavalry patrol which had made a considerable detour and climb the opposite side of the valley.  He, the sniper, had a perfect nest from which he, one man, had succeeded in holding up our entire force and I suppose allowing the Boers to get out of a tight corner.  Shortly after this we began to come across destroyed railway stock, supplies damaged, mostly saturated with paraffin and other signs that we were getting close up and at Kaapmuiden we found practically all their kit and supplies destroyed.  From there it was only about two days trek to Portuguese East Africa but through thick bush country, bushes many of them with thorns inches long and very strong, they would make very nasty wounds when made contact with.  I did not do this part of the trek as my Company was detailed to do labour work repairing the wrecked railway culverts and lines and although only at this job a few days it was pretty strenuous it was whilst at this one night when our party were resting on an embankment that a fellow near by suddenly noticed a huge snake as thick as our wrist coiling itself about the back of one of his near by chums, with the aid of a pick he pushed it off and it was killed, I believe it was a boa.

The Boers we had been chasing had now been dispersed and the troops thought the war was over, but is from now Guerrilla war started and of course lasted for many months.  Battalions and Units were moved about in every direction, we first went back to Pretoria and here I was promoted full Corporal and felt was getting quite an experienced old soldier, just over two years service, several of our Non Coms who had been on the Reserve before the war were offered and accepted good jobs on the newly formed Johannesburg Police and many made a good career out of it, one in particular, Sergeant Miller who had been a Metropolitan Policeman eventually became it’s chief.

Lord Roberts now left for home having completed his job as did several Volunteer Units including the C.I.V. and when shortly afterwards we suddenly set off south by train, many of us thought we were on the home road, we were however only off after one of De Wets Commanders which was getting very troublesome and we went away down to Cape Colony, but not for long.  This however was my finish for here I got a bad attack of Enteric and although I was taken with the Battalion by train back north beyond Johannesburg.  I remember very little of that journey and was carried off the train to hospital, I spent Christmas 1900 there, on a water diet.  A few weeks later Having got over the first stage of the fever was moved to general hospital under canvas in a Johannesburg park.  Whilst here learnt of the death of Queen Victoria.  In February was again moved this time down country to Newcastle in Natal.  On this journey although still supposed to be on a convalescent diet our rations reverted to bully and biscuits.  But we were hard and it didn’t seem to have done much harm.  This proved to be a clearing hospital and shortly was sent on to Durban and the ship home.  Arrived at Southampton on the last day of February and was given two months sick furlough.  I then joined our new 3^rd Battalion which had recently been formed and stayed with them until the Battalion was disbanded in 1906.  The fever left me with a bad leg which remained with me for many years and was nearly the cause of ending my career, the M.O. however gave e a chance to try duty with it and I didn’t worry any M.O. again for years.

Soldiering at Windsor with this Battalion , formed many services, was a bit difficult particularly for N.C.O.s, I was now a Lieutenant Sergeant and had many rough experiences, drink being pretty heavy with the men and the cause of trouble.  We had a very difficult Provost Sergeant by name Chandler who just existed to make all the capital he could out of this and it was quite a common thing for him to run in 8 or 10 cases in one evening.  A result of this drastic punishment started by the C.O. Lieutenant Colonel Dalrymple Hamilton which consisted of the finding a patrol, by the Company, for every case of drunkenness within the Company, and as there were to be nightly and continuous, it was not too long before nearly  the whole Battalion was on this punishment.  The streets of Windsor became a Barrack Square every evening after 8pm.  However one very fine summer evening nearly every N.C.O. and man, not on other duty, were to parade, but they decided otherwise with the result that this punishment ceased.  Instead of parading the men opened up the windows and shouted “No parade” and other things at the Drill Sergeant who was then waiting to form up the parade.  The Sergeant Major Ma…? came on the scene and probably sensing the temper of things got the only Officer in Barracks to cancel the parade and confine the Battalion to Barracks.  The C.O. lectured the Battalion next morning and so that finished, but not our very keen Police Sergeant who continued to make his bag, despite the other Sergeants many exploits to check him.  We would go out in groups and way lay him and on one evening he nearly got a bath in the river, this at the hands of several Horse Guardsmen, who were also his victims, they planned to pick him up on Windsor Bridge and tip him over, but the plan went wrong.  Despite these happenings it was a very happy period I spent at Windsor which we left to make way for the 1^st Battalion on their return from South Africa in 1902.  We moved to Corunna Barracks, Aldershot for a short stay then to Malplaquet Barracks, North Camp.  It was now 1903 and in January of that year I married my dear partner who afterwards soldiered with me for 30 years.  I was promoted Sergeant this winter and shortly after came on to the married establishment and moved into married quarters.  I then extended my service and settled down to become a real old soldier.  This was rather an uneventful year but fairly strenuous, Aldershot always was and we had a very strenuous Company Commander Major Ruthven with whom I served for many years and we got to know each other very well and became quite good friends.  At the next change we moved to the Tower where my wife spent a year in a one room quarter with no indoor water or convenience, and here my daughter Kit was born in May.  I only spent the winter there going to Pirbright in the spring and from there to Chelsea.  On returning to London I was sent on my first staff job as Sergeant on the G.M.P. where I spent an interesting time including the 1904 manoeuvres on the east coast.  The Police party were attached to the Brigade Headquarters and had a fairly busy time as in addition to the stiff march the Brigade marched from London to Clacton, we had to attend to and erect the Brigade Camp each day and afterwards do duty in the various towns and villages during the evening, but it was interesting and quite pleasant outing.  We were under the orders of the Brigade major and worked with a W. Officer by name Pritchard, ex Grenadier, he was not a good fellow, and his practices were anything but a Guardsman’s.  I didn’t get on with him too well owing to this, and it was only a short while after the manoeuvres before I returned to duty.  In the Autumn we returned to Aldershot and had another quite usual and uneventful training year.  1906 found us at Wellington Barracks, also the disbandment of our splendid Battalion.  One of these periods which have cropped up so often when the Government of the day have decided there was no need for so many soldiers, this particular year they decided to do away with most 3^rd Battalions of Infantry and several Cavalry Regiments.  Our Battalion and the 3^rd Battalion Coldstreamers were to go from the Guards.  The 3^rd Battalion Coldstream Guards however got away with it, volunteered for foreign service and instead of disbandment went off to Egypt where they remained for 5 years.  Our Battalion commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Lawrence Drummond was disbanded in September.  Many of the Battalion went to the Reserve, a number of senior N.C.O. were given positions on the Territorials, the remainder of the Battalion were absorbed into the Battalions of the Regiment.  I was sent on a short tour of duty to our Reservists here at the Tower to hold the position whilst the Quartermaster  Sergeant, who had been appointed to the vacancy, was closing down the stores of the old Battalion.  This was my first introduction to store work but I soon dropped into the run of things, chiefly through the help of store man Private Munsie a good sensible fellow, strange to relate, many years later when starting in my position at the House of Commons, my invitation into the new life was splendidly helped by my old friend Munsie who was the assistant in the office of my appointment.

I was at the Tower about 3 months before rejoining the 1^st Battalion at Chelsea Barracks and within a few weeks was acting Colour Sergeant as a relief for furlough, and in February 1907 was given E Company and promoted shortly afterwards.  In addition to the promotion our second daughter, Nancy, was born and as my good fortune went steadily forward so did Nancy succeed to continual good luck.  Was at Chelsea until the Autumn 1909 during which period nothing much happened when we moved to Aldershot.

During 1910 we lost our King Edward VI and of course took part in the funeral ceremonies and later in the year at one of inspections we learnt that the Battalion was to relieve the 3^rd Battalion Coldstream Guards early in 1911 in Cairo.  This was great news and we started making our arrangements straight away, we were taking our families with us.  Another addition to my little crowd arrived in February on the 12^th anniversary of my enlistment, Ada, and I still keep our anniversary.  In the Autumn the Battalion moved to the Tower and soon starting preparing for our trip and in February 1911 we left Southampton on the H.M.T. Soudan, quite a pleasant 14 day voyage except for a pretty hefty storm in the Mediterranean.  We called in at Gibraltar and at Malta, at both places was able to go ashore and take my dear wife.  We disembarked at Alexandria by train to Cairo right into Barracks at Qasr-el-Ni.  I was lucky to get a very nice quarter overlooking the Nile.  Our stay here was most interesting, trips to the Pyramids, up the Nile in both directions and better still each of the two summers, with our families, spent about 24 days at the sea near Alexandria, living in marquees furnished on the sands, our food was dealt with by caterers, four splendid meals a day, and each and every day entirely free to do as one wished, they were most delightful holidays.  We also had trips to the many splendid spots on the outskirts of the desert and on the 30^th anniversary of Tel el Kebir, nearly all the members of the Sergeants Mess visited that Battlefield by train and then over desert by donkey, some very tiny, mine was such and when he got tired I just put down my legs  and walked whilst also astride my moke.

Our Sergeant Major Tam Ross was the great thinker out of most of these events and in one of the issues of Cairo Monthly Illustrated paper, he had a front page photo to himself, styled  Cairo’s Napoleon of entertainment but Tam just wrote out his ideas then called upon those that appeared likely workers and ordered them to do the rest of the business.  One of these into which I was called was to be a grand summer trip up the Nile to which he prematurely invited all his particular cronies mostly from outside Barracks, there were many and although the Sergeants Mess was to finance the trip only a few of it’s members knew of the outing.  Tam had arranged for the band of the Suffolk Regiment to go and a grand total of about 200.  It was to take place on a Sunday and on the day before he sent for me and told me of his intentions and asked me to go with him to the boat dock to see that all was in order.  We set off after midday in one of the Battalion’s rowing boats only to find on arrival that one of his supposed cronies, the master of this particular boat company and the man that had promised a boat to carry 200, had left Egypt for home on his holiday some days before.  His relief said he knew nothing of the arrangement and in any case he hadn’t a boat  ready that could take over 100.  This of course got Tam very upset as his Sergeant Majors usual persuasive methods would not apply here, we left I wondering what not if any boat would turn up the next morning.  On the way back Tam told me all about his great idea and didn’t really know how to deal with the crises, so of course I was asked for suggestions and invited to go on the trip as caterer taking my family.  I advised him to get in touch with many of them, explain the matter and suggest a future trip for those disappointed, he hadn’t the face to do this and asked me to do it, being careful not to offend his particular friends.  He gave me the list and the use of the O. Room phone.  At the top of the list was the Garrison Sergeant Major and his family, the Garrison School Master and his family and several other largish family parties. This gave me an idea, to cut out the families and I set to work starting with the Garrison Sergeant Major at Headquarters, I explained the matter to him, he was very Sergeant Majorish, said if his family couldn’t go he wouldn’t, he also asked if this effected all invitations as many of the invited were present there, at a whist drive, I told him yes and at once the next on the list gave me a similar reply and before putting down the receiver I had practically completed my task. But I thought it best not to tell the old man more of the truth than necessary until next day.  I just put him comfortable for the night but I believe Tam never recovered the so called friendship of most of them.  The boat duly turned up, I went along early and put aboard my stock of refreshments. Reported to Tam and went along to get my family, of which purpose I told him, but on my return the boat had left and was slowly steaming away, this was Tam’s thanks, however someone aboard had seen us hurrying along and the boat was turned back.  I was for refusing the trip but my chums aboard made excuses for the accident and so we went and spent a really good day.  Many of these schemes were a great success, a ball for instance, after the season, for which he managed to obtain one of the largest hotels in Cairo, the “Semiramis” a good affair.  Then he managed to stage two very successful open air military tournaments and a really first class regatta.  One rather amusing, to most, of his bright ideas was a try out to break away from the usual Hogmanay celebrations.  Wines and spirits were cheap and easily obtained in Cairo for instance whisky could be got at 2s/6d a bottle in Barracks.  For this particular day Iain managed a midnight torch tattoo and dance on the square, all the big noises of Cairo had been invited to see the display which was to take the form of the Highland dances to commence as the Barracks clock chimed the New Year in, but something had gone amiss for as the chimes started nearly every other man taking part in the sets produced a bottle of whisky and commenced dancing around with the bottles held aloft.  This disaster to the scheme Tam took along while forgetting and we the members of the Sergeants Mess were blamed, although we really had nothing to do with it and it was as much a surprise to most of us as to Iain himself, but it provided a really good show for the visitors, and the show a good night for the troops.   There were only a few of our joys of Cairo, the training on the desert, athletic duets with other Units, mostly with our men on top, and gatherings, both Regimental and private, all went to make this a very interesting and enjoyable bit of service.  It didn’t last long enough for in December 1912 we were suddenly ordered home being relieved by the Gordons from India.  We sailed for home on the 19^th December aboard the H.T. Soudan, spending Christmas at sea and arriving at Southampton on New Year’s Eve, where we anchored and disembarked on the 1^st January 1913.  We had another trip ashore at Malta, a rather bad storm in the Mediterranean and a very poor Christmas day to say nothing of Hogmanay except that it was bad.  We were also unlucky for Barracks on arrival being split in two half Battalions, one half at Chelsea and the other half at Wellington, whilst the families were divided up all over London mostly on the lodging list.  Nothing very interesting happened from now on to the autumn when the Battalion moved to  Aldershot and we settled in at Ramillies Barracks for what was to be a very exciting period.  Shortly after arrival we had what one usually expected at Aldershot an outline of the training to come but there was a difference this year everyone seemed to feel something was coming out of the usual and when the Adjutant told us of a partial mobilisation as part of the spring training and hinted that a full dress item might follow at the end of the training, we really thought something was in the air and in fact War became the topic of most military talk, and the training we started and continued with certainly helped on the expected event.  It was the most intense I had so far experienced and we certainly became very fit and ready.  In October 1913 the four Company Organisation came into being and I became Company Sergeant Major of ‘C’ Company, one of the first of that rank in Infantry Units.  This rank became class II Warrant Rank in 1915 and I received my First Class Warrant and dated later than my Senior Warrant.

The 1914 training went on according to plan until in mid summer when we set off on Divisional Training only to be suddenly ordered back to Barracks, War seemed nearer and one heard Officers referring to De Tag very frequently.  August Bank Holiday drew near and orders were issued that leave for this could be given but all proceeding away from the station must leave a prepared telegram form filled in “return at once”.  We had now quite made up our minds as to the outcome of it all.  The telegrams were duly sent off on the evening of the Declaration of War, some hours before the actual declaration.  About 6pm  we were sent for  and given the ‘word’ “Mobilise” and things then began to move in less than 24 hours, reservists were arriving, stores were being issued and in 3 days our Battalion were ready to march.  It was not however until the early morning of the 13^th August that we left our station and our homes for France and War.  Those last few days were busy ones but everything went along very smoothly and it was not until about 8pm on the 12^th that we received our instructions to issue the last item, the ammunition and to parade about 2.30am next day and what a move, the only folks that saw us leave were a few of our wives, scarcely a word was spoken on that never to be forgotten march from North Camp to Farnborough Station.  On two such mornings the Aldershot command slipped away and very few of that Corps saw home again.  The finest body of troops that ever left Aldershot determined, silent and sober.  Our Commanding Officer was Lieutenant Colonel Lowther our Adjutant Captain Stevens, my Company Officers were Captain R Stracy, Captain Ashley Corbett,

Of the War a lot has been written so I am not trying to do so.  We duly arrived in France and a few days later were on the way north towards Belgium, passed through Maubeuge and got to Grand Reng just in time to start back on the retirement from Mons a very trying show which didn’t alter until we had reached a point South East of Paris.  During this trek we only came directly under fire once near Guise and then nothing very bad, but the Brigade had some casualties losing some guns and the most of the Munster Fusiliers.  We also lost a lot of sleep and our coats and other equipment during this very trying march which we finished near Rosoy, where we turned towards the Marne.  I was Colour Sergeant in charge of my Company’s Ammunition, transported on two white ponies which had spent most of their lives as pit ponies in the coal mines and had not yet recovered their sight.  I had to get them over a narrow footbridge crossing a fairly deep brook, I started off no.1 with his leader, he took a roll into the brook on the right, whilst getting this beast out of his trouble, I had to get no.2 over, he did exactly the same only off the other side of the bridge.

From the Marne onto the  Aisne, here we stayed for a few weeks.  On one occasion when taking over a section of this position I had to receive a few wounded Boche soldiers whilst looking them over was surprised to hear one of them speak to me in good cockney, he had been a barber in the Vauxhall Bridge Road until just before War started and claimed to have cut my hair, I had in fact used the shop he spoke of.  During our stay on this position I promoted Regimental Quartermaster Sergeant and as such left the front line for the Quartermaster’s party, to this promotion or position I undoubtedly owe my safety if not my life for during the next few weeks at Ypres practically all the Battalion were either killed, wounded or captured and when in November the 75 survivors and Captain Stracey (the only Officer) left the front line for rest.  I had become the Senior Warrant Rank and was promoted temporary Regimental Sergeant Major later in April confirmed in the rank.  At this period we were billeted near Bailleul and immediately commenced to re-organise drafts come out from home and we soon became near strength, several Officers who had been wounded rejoined including Colonel Lowther, who however soon left us to take over the Brigade, Colonel Ruthven becoming our C.O..  One day the Adjutant C.J. Balfour startled me by asking if I would like leave to go home for about 96 hours and if so to write out a pass which he would get the Brigadier to sign.  Not taking this too seriously, a few hours later the O Room Sergeant Charley Wood and I, both very happy set off for the railhead at Hazebrouck on route for London and home, our lovely passport being a half sheet of notepaper stating on leave to the United Kingdom and signed by the Brigadier.  This was the first leave party for the men of the B.E.F. . After this bit of paradise it was not long before we went back to grimmer things.  One wet December evening we set off with our now Battalion on a hard 20 mile march to Bethune, want of training told it’s tale and we lost a number of men on the way, one or more never joined up, however 24 hours later, after a good rest at Bethune these same men went up into action in front of La Basse and fought as good as the best, many of them their first and last fight.  We spent part of Christmas in billets at Bethune but almost before dinner was finished we received orders to return at once to the firing line in the same district, it was here that the famous truce took place between the two sides when Germans and British troops left their trenches and fraternised in No Mans Land.  We remained in or near this district for some weeks with periods of rest and trench.

In January 1915 we lost a big number of the Battalion at the Brickfields near Givenchy, a mine was blown up by the Jerry and a sector of trench our Battalion was holding was blown out of existence and we had a very hefty day.  I remember taking over an ammunition reserve and being kept very busy getting it up to the forward area, we held them.  The wet weather made things very unpleasant the men having to march through water up to their waists to and from the front line, they were in terrible condition when getting back to a brief rest after one or more days in what were little better than ponds or ditches and relays of dried socks and blankets had to be provided for.  Later on we moved into a quiet spot on the Ren le Epuiet where our support line was in farm buildings.  Here Lieutenant Colonel Romilly our C.O. was badly wounded whilst visiting the billets, a shrapnel shell burst just above our Headquarters party and he received the most of it, the Adjutant getting a number of small hits and I, lucky as usual, was only splashed with blood, the C.O. received the full force of the shell and we thought he was killed, he however recovered.  A few days later Lieutenant Colonel Hore-Ruthven rejoined to command us bringing with him his old servant, a man of good age and long service, over 30 years.  The day after they had joined us a shell hit the building in which the Headquarter staff was billeted and the Battalion Officers used as a Mess Room, lunch was being eaten and over 20 Officers was lunching, everyone got out unhurt except the C.O.’s servant who had been waiting at table, we found him dead, with his head smashed apparently with the base of the shell, he had been in the country lass than 2 days.

After moving around the district for some months we moved back to the St Qiner area where the Guard’s Division was formed under the command of the Earl of Cavan.  A good rest period was spent whilst we trained ready for what we were informed was to be the greatest fight in history and in September we marched and went into action at Loos where in company with many other units we had another big casualty list.  It was at this period the Prince of Wales, afterwards King Edward VII and later the Duke of Windsor, entered the rank of our Division.  I remember seeing him pushing a bicycle whilst on the march up to Loos and during the Battle whilst trying to get ammunition through to the Battalion.  I met him in company with Lord Bury at the mine entrance at Lens a place known to the troops at the time as the Tower Bridge.  It was a fairly warm spot and the shell fire was very heavy that morning.  I was introduced to him and went on my way.  Some few weeks later I again met him when he visited our Headquarters at Vermelles, and whilst he was making his call the car in which he had arrived was blown to bits and the driver killed, he was a very plucky man and went into many dangerous spots making a great name amongst the troops.  We spent many weeks in this area with lots of trench warfare and short spells for rest, we alas lost many good Officers and men.  Christmas came around again and I managed to get a leave which gave me Christmas day at home and a very happy one too, despite the fact of having to start back on Boxing day.

The past year had been a good on e for me having been promoted to Regimental Sergeant Major and granted the M.C. which gave me another leave and the great honour of attending an investiture at Buckingham Palace, to receive my decoration from H.M. King George.  Sergeant Major Ivor Hill of the 3^rd Battalion Grenadier Guards was also decorated that day and with our wives we spent a glorious day together before returning to France.

Life in 1916 went on much the same in and out of the trenches in various parts of the line, mostly in Ypres sector, a rather warm spot mostly.  It was during one of these periods that the R.S.M. Kirk returning from leave to his Battalion of the Irish Guards was killed whilst passing through the Square at Ypres and by some error I was also reported killed, the rumour even getting home to Regimental Headquarters and thence to Mary.  I went on leave shortly after and going round to Headquarters the following morning caused quite a sensation on the wing, myself being told I was supposed to be dead.  In any case I was very fortunate to be very much alive as on this trip from Ypres to Peperinghe by an ambulance car we were shelled all the way along the road which was during the dark of an early morning.  On going to entrain at the siding at Peperinghe the train was bombed and we were very lucky to get away safely, my luck was continually good

Before going to the Somme the Division went into Reserve, well back from the front to train for our coming attacks but before we had settled down orders came for us to go back to the Ypres area where the Canadians were in difficulty at Zillebeke.  We were moved up hastily by road transport and after pulling up at the Canadian camp for guides and instructions went on to Zillebeke Lake and took over the Canadian Line where they had been heavily attacked just previously.  I must say that we found their methods very different from ours.  In their lines at the camp discipline seemed very slack, gambling was very much in evidence with all the ranks intermixed and on arrival at the front their trench rations and stores, which we took over, were certainly different to that we were accustomed to particularly the rum stores of which there were many gallons both at Battalion Headquarters and Company Headquarters in the Line.  These rations were promptly removed out of “danger”.  This trip lasted only a few days but it spoilt our rest and training for we shortly afterwards started our trek to the Somme.  During this trek we had an unfortunate accident, we had received a quantity of Mills Bombs which were dumped at Battalion Headquarters during one of our halts, the Bombing Officer was talking to me about their disposal in the barn where they had been dumped, which was being used at the line as the Battalion Orderly Room, there were two clerks there, whilst talking the Officer without thinking apparently had picked up a bomb and accidentally released the pin and spring, without hesitating he clutched the bomb to his body and ran to the door of the barn to dispose of it, but a C.S. Major was approaching the building and it was too late the bomb exploded blowing off the Officers hands and terribly wounded him in the lower part of the body, he died before reaching hospital, but undoubtedly saved the lives of several others including myself, the Officer was Lieutenant French.

Early September saw us on the Somme and on the 15^th of that month we again went into the big job.  It was on this date the tank first made it’s appearance and it’s initial attack the night previous to the 15^th.  I remember we laid white tracing tapes along the roads to guide the tank drivers and to help them avoid turning over at the road sides which were mostly edged with ditches for although these first tanks could take anything in their advance they were easily turned over sideways.  They did a good job and work and put the wind up the Jerry very much on this occasion.  I was one of a party of all ranks left in rear Trones Wood for this Battle and had a good show of the casualties and German prisoners coming back.  I had one rather amusing experience here we were often reminded that the Boche used their lines for leaving behind spies dressed in our uniforms.  Whilst looking for any returning casualties of ours I noticed a suspicious looking Officer rather badly rigged in Grenadier kit he was acting rather queerly asking questions and generally appearing unusual so I notified Division Headquarters who sent along and arrested him, but he was afterwards discovered to be genuine and to be working for the same Headquarters and of course released, on which he came along and made a bit of a fuss with me.  He turned out to be Lieutenant Wiggins of the Grenadiers and I often got in his company after the war and we recognised one another and I mostly avoided him.  After our show on the Somme, during which I as usual kept clear of the casualty list with the exception of a slight dose of tear gas and a near shave from our own howitzers, one of which I was passing in front of on a very dark night when it was fired just missing me but giving me a very bad shock, I was well below the muzzle which was fortunately firing almost straight up into the air and so safe once more.

From the Somme we went back to Divisional Reserve during which another leave came my way.  This leave started with an interesting journey and finished with my staying home for a long spell.  Going off from the Battalion I joined company with .? Sg.Bryant, Grenadiers and the Drum Major Irish Guards.  We entrained and got to Abbeville late at night when we had to detrain, the Officers being allowed to go on to Rouen whilst the other ranks were to march out to camp near by.  This idea I didn’t care for and after a lengthy argument with the Military Police and the transport Officer I obtained permission for myself and companions to travel on with Officers and on arrival at Rouen decided to follow the way some of the Officers eventually arriving at a large hotel about midnight.  At first we were refused admission but with some persuasion obtained a room with one bed for the 3 of us.  We made the best use of it and spent quite a comfortable night, a bit cramped but satisfied.  In the morning after cleaning up and breakfasting we found the station and set to finding a way to get a train, here we heard that the Officers were to board a train from Abbeville.  After yet another wrangle we managed to board the Officers train and get through to Havre.  Here the real difficulty occurred how to get a boat but our luck was right in , walking towards the Harbour we met and were recognised by Lord Bathurst a Grenadier who happened to be on the staff there, we told him our difficulty and he took us along to his Headquarters gave orders for food and rest for us and arranged for our leaving by a boat at midnight and so home at last a day earlier than had been expected.

Reporting at Regimental Headquarters next day the Lieutenant Colonel informed me that he was keeping me at home and sending out the Sergeant Major of the 3^rd Battalion in my place.  I was not very keen on this change but it had to be and I started home life and soldiering again, but hoping to get overseas again at an early date.  I was given quarters in Barracks and soon settled down with plenty to do particularly as the air raids on London commenced and became frequent during the next months.  There were many drafts for overseas to prepare, nightly air raid with the large picquets to send out to many buildings etc and time didn’t really drag very much.  I had several opportunities of commissioned rank, one as an Adjutant in the fast growing Air Force and then later I was practically ordered to take a commission in the Regiment which I had great difficulty in avoiding, I couldn’t afford this well meant offer and only after getting my C.O.’s help in convincing the Lieutenant Colonel of this fact that I was excused.  He then realised my position and promised that I should be recommended for a Quartermasters commission later.

In August 1918 I was detailed to return to the 1^st Battalion in France to take over Quartermaster duties relieving Major Kinlay who was to come home for a rest.  I left Wellington Barracks on the 13^th August arriving at 1^st Battalion Headquarters on the 15^th and took over my new duties at once.  At this time the Allies were on top and pushing back the Boche pretty fast and we were continually o the march pushing forward eventually reaching Mauberge, the fort on the Belgium frontier which we had passed through in 1914 when making towards Mons and passed on the retirement a few days later, this time however we were victorious and advancing, we took quarters in the Barracks on the 9^th November 1918 and on the 11^th the Armistice was declared.  It was over.

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