At the start of the war the Natal Carbineers was commanded by Lt Col E. M. Greene and had three Squadrons in Ladysmith, one Troop in Dundee and one Troop in Colenso.
On 2nd October the Natal Carbineers were ordered to patrol the Free State Border and observe the passes, and within the next few days the cyclists of the Durban Light Infantry were patrolling from Colenso to Springfield, covering 80 miles on bad roads in twelve hours.
On 12th October war was declared, the enemy entered Natal, and their movements were reported by the Carbineers. When Major Taunton reported the enemy's movement, the Intelligence Department discredited this, and he had to send a patrol to locate, or rather look into, the hostile laager. On the 17th, No. 1 squadron of the Border M.R., under Captain Royston, was fired on at the foot of the Tintwa Pass; and on the same night Captain Wales, Volunteer Staff, with a troop of Natal M.R., set out to patrol the Waschbank Valley, passing through several parties of Boers and covering 126 miles in forty-eight hours.
On the 18th Sir George White asked the Natal M.R. for a bodyguard of 24 non-commissioned officers and men; Captain F. S. Tatham of the Carbineers was chosen as commander. On this date the enemy advanced in force, and the Border M.R. from Acton Homes and the Carbineers from Van Reenen's and other passes had, according to the GOC's orders, to retire nearer to Ladysmith. On the 20th the Umvoti men reported heavy firing at Dundee. This was, of course, the severe engagement fought by General Penn-Symons in order to drive the enemy off Talana Hill, which commanded his camp. It will be remembered that the general was mortally wounded. His successor, Brigadier-General Yule, finding that he was being threatened by very superior forces, started at 9 pm on the 22nd to withdraw his force to Ladysmith. Colonel Dartnell, chief commissioner of the Natal Police, was on the staff of General Penn-Symons at Talana Hill, and was beside the general when he fell. Two of the police acting as orderlies to Colonel Dartnell were wounded in the engagement. On the 20th No. 4 squadron of the Carbineers captured four Boer scouts.
On the 21st General French and Sir George White fought the battle of Elandslaagte. In his despatch of 2nd November 1899, para. 14, Sir George mentioned that before that battle the Natal Field Battery moved out with General French at 4 am; some of the Natal M.R. and Carbineers were also with him.
On the 23rd Colonel Royston got permission to send out Captain Wales and 24 of the Carbineers (Dundee troop), who had themselves arrived in Ladysmith from Dundee on the 22nd. Captain Wales was to endeavour to come into contact with Yule; he found the column at Van Tonder's Pass, to which place it had been led by Colonel Dartnell.
In his despatch of 2nd December 1899 Sir George White mentions that the Natal Mounted Volunteers were with him at Rietfontein on 24th October (see Imperial Light Horse). After the engagement was well developed "the Natal Mounted Volunteers, who had been with the Cavalry, had been recalled, and as the enemy showed some disposition to work round my left flank as if to cut me off from Ladysmith, I sent this force under Colonel Royston to work round the Boer right and cover my left flank, a movement which was most successfully performed." In a report to the Chief-of-Staff Colonel Royston drew attention to the gallant manner in which Major Taunton, Natal Carbineers, afterwards killed, and Major Sangmeister, Border Mounted Rifles, seized a kopje under heavy fire, and bringing a maxim gun into action speedily cleared out the enemy. Also, on the same date, to the gallant behaviour, and devotion to the wounded, under a heavy fire, of Captains Platt and Buntine of the Volunteer Medical Staff. Colonel Royston also detailed gallant acts on the part of Troopers Seed (Police) and C. E. J. Miller, D. A. Shaw, and Rowland Watts (Carbineers). The gun team alluded to lost 2 killed; the other casualties among the volunteers were - Border M.R. 9 wounded, Carbineers 2 killed, 10 wounded, and Natal M.R. 3 wounded.
When the siege commenced the following were part of the garrison:
|
|
Volunteer Staff, including Medical and Veterinary |
11 |
|
|
Natal Carbineers |
390 |
|
|
Border Mounted Rifles |
260 |
|
|
Natal Mounted Rifles |
200 |
|
|
Natal Naval Volunteers |
65 |
|
|
Hotchkiss Detachment |
20 |
|
|
Natal Police |
40 |
|
|
|
986 |
These formed the Volunteer Brigade under Colonel Royston, with Lieutenant Colonel H. T. Bru-de-Wold as Chief Staff Officer. The Naval volunteers were generally split up throughout the siege, part being on Caesar's Camp and part at Gordon Post. Between 1st November and the end of February the Natal Mounted Volunteers were frequently engaged. On 2nd November they were, with other troops, out reconnoitering; on the 3rd they were sent to cover the retirement of another force. On this occasion the Carbineers had Major Taunton and Sergeant Mapston killed, and the Border M.R. lost Captain Arnott and 11 men wounded. Section D of the defences of Ladysmith was placed under Colonel Royston. This included the thorn country north of Caesar's Camp and the Klip River Flats. Colonel Royston lost no time in building sangars and digging trenches, and soon had his section greatly strengthened. On 9th November the enemy attacked, firing 800 shells into the town; but their attack was driven off. On the 14th the Volunteers were out with Major-General Brocklehurst, and, along with the Imperial Light Horse, seized Star Hill; but it was not held permanently. When Sir Archibald Hunter made his deservedly famous sortie on 7th December to destroy the Boer guns on Gun Hill, his force consisted of 500 Natal Mounted Volunteers under Colonel Royston, 100 Imperial Light Horse (see that regiment), and a few Royal Engineers, artillerymen, and guides. The storming-parties were 100 Carbineers, Major Addison, and 100 ILH, Lieutenant Colonel Edwards. Two big guns were destroyed and one maxim brought back. Colonel Royston was among those specially mentioned in the body of the despatch. Sir George White had the ILH and Volunteers paraded on the following day, and, addressing them, said " that he did not wish to use inflated or exaggerated language, but the men of Sir Archibald Hunter's party were a credit, not only to the colony, but to the Empire. There was a lot of severe fighting to do, but it was a gratification to a General to have the help of such men."
The town and camps were during the siege constantly under shell-fire, and on 18th December one 6-inch shell bursting in the camp of the Carbineers killed 4 men, wounded 6 men, and destroyed 10 horses. The times were trying, but hard digging, sangar building, and brigade sports kept the men fairly fit. In the repulse of the great attack of 6th January 1900 the volunteers took a prominent part. The following is the report furnished by Colonel Royston to the Chief of the Staff : "I have to report that on Saturday, 6th inst., at about 4.15 am, I received information by telephone from headquarters that the enemy were making an attack on Wagon Hill. I at once despatched 80 men of the Natal MR, under Major Evans, to strengthen the outposts on the Flats, then held by 1 officer and 40 men Natal Police, attached to Volunteers, and 1 officer and 20 men Natal Carbineers.
Sixty men of the Durban Light Infantry formed part of the personnel of the armoured train which at this time patrolled daily from Estcourt to Colenso. On 15th November a rail was removed or twisted, and the train was attacked; 2 men of the Durban regiment were killed, Captain J. Wyllie and 15 were wounded, and 19 were taken prisoners, of whom 8 were wounded, 1 mortally. A squadron of Carbineers and one of Imperial Light Horse came out to the help of the armoured train. These reinforcements drove back the enemy, killing 3. Some of the Durban Light Infantry, Natal Royal Rifles, a squadron of Carbineers, and some of the Police were present in the action at Willow Grange on 22nd and 23rd November under Colonel Martyr (see General Hildyard's Report of 24th November 1899). Four guns of the Natal Artillery were out on reconnaissance work in the same district about this time. On the 27th the Volunteers moved forward to Frere, but when General Buller arrived he sent most of them back to the lines of communication. On 9th December a detachment of Naval Volunteers, 2 officers and 47 men, joined the Naval Brigade of Captain Jones, RN, and with him worked the big guns throughout the relief operations. It was soon found that the services of the mounted men would be needed at the front, and a composite regiment was made up, including 1 squadron Imperial Light Horse, 1 squadron Carbineers, some regular Mounted Infantry, and some of the Police. This regiment was, on 15th December, in the battle of Colenao with Lord Dundonald, on the right, at Hlangwane Mountain; the Volunteers were heavily engaged, losing 4 men killed, 2 officers, Lieutenants D. W. M'Kay and R. W. Wilson of the Carbineers, and 6 men wounded. The regiment accompanied Dundonald to Potgieter'e Drift, Trichard's Drift, and Acton Homes (see Imperial Light Horse and South African Light Horse). The regiment remained with Dundonald throughout the great struggle to break through the chain of Boer defences. Like the remainder of Dundonald's Brigade they did fine work at Acton Homes on 18th January 1900, where the Carbineer Scouts were the first to discover the enemy; also at the seizure of Cingolo, Monte Cristo, and other important positions (14th to 27th February). In these operations the Volunteers suffered a few casualties.
At the crossing of the Tugela on 17th January Troopers D. Sclanders and F. T. Woods of the Natal Carbineers saved several men from drowning, and Sclanders got the Royal Humane Society's Silver Medal.
When Dundonald rode into Ladysmith on the evening of 28th February, he was accompanied by some Carbineers, Natal Mounted Rifles, Border Mounted Rifles, and Natal Police, the officers being Major D. M'Kenzie, Lieutenants Silburn, M'Kay Verney, Richards, Ashburnham, and Abraham. None of those present will ever forget this ride, probably the most memorable occasion in the lives of any of them.
Sixty men of the Durban Light Infantry formed part of the personnel of the armoured train which at this time patrolled daily from Estcourt to Colenso. On 15th November a rail was removed or twisted, and the train was attacked; 2 men of the Durban regiment were killed, Captain J. Wyllie and 15 were wounded, and 19 were taken prisoners, of whom 8 were wounded, 1 mortally. A squadron of Carbineers and one of Imperial Light Horse came out to the help of the armoured train. These reinforcements drove back the enemy, killing 3. Some of the Durban Light Infantry, Natal Royal Rifles, a squadron of Carbineers, and some of the Police were present in the action at Willow Grange on 22nd and 23rd November under Colonel Martyr (see General Hildyard's Report of 24th November 1899). Four guns of the Natal Artillery were out on reconnaissance work in the same district about this time. On the 27th the Volunteers moved forward to Frere, but when General Buller arrived he sent most of them back to the lines of communication. On 9th December a detachment of Naval Volunteers, 2 officers and 47 men, joined the Naval Brigade of Captain Jones, RN, and with him worked the big guns throughout the relief operations. It was soon found that the services of the mounted men would be needed at the front, and a composite regiment was made up, including 1 squadron Imperial Light Horse, 1 squadron Carbineers, some regular Mounted Infantry, and some of the Police. This regiment was, on 15th December, in the battle of Colenao with Lord Dundonald, on the right, at Hlangwane Mountain; the Volunteers were heavily engaged, losing 4 men killed, 2 officers, Lieutenants D. W. M'Kay and R. W. Wilson of the Carbineers, and 6 men wounded. The regiment accompanied Dundonald to Potgieter'e Drift, Trichard's Drift, and Acton Homes (see Imperial Light Horse and South African Light Horse). The regiment remained with Dundonald throughout the great struggle to break through the chain of Boer defences. Like the remainder of Dundonald's Brigade they did fine work at Acton Homes on 18th January 1900, where the Carbineer Scouts were the first to discover the enemy; also at the seizure of Cingolo, Monte Cristo, and other important positions (14th to 27th February). In these operations the Volunteers suffered a few casualties.
At the crossing of the Tugela on 17th January Troopers D. Sclanders and F. T. Woods of the Natal Carbineers saved several men from drowning, and Sclanders got the Royal Humane Society's Silver Medal.
When Dundonald rode into Ladysmith on the evening of 28th February, he was accompanied by some Carbineers, Natal Mounted Rifles, Border Mounted Rifles, and Natal Police, the officers being Major D. M'Kenzie, Lieutenants Silburn, M'Kay Verney, Richards, Ashburnham, and Abraham. None of those present will ever forget this ride, probably the most memorable occasion in the lives of any of them.
On 15th June General Buller issued an order recording his high appreciation of the services rendered by Brigadier-General Dartnell and the Natal Volunteers, and he asked the brigadier to release those men who required to go to their homes, and with the remainder to protect Dundee and the eastern portion of the Natal frontier. The latter duty involved much hard and responsible work. Captain Foxon and several men of the Natal Carbineers were wounded on patrol duty about the end of July 1900.
On 21st September 1900 authority had been obtained from Lord Roberts to raise among the Natal Volunteers a composite regiment of 300 mounted men to take over the duties hitherto performed by the Volunteer Brigade, and thus facilitate the return of the remainder of the Brigade to their daily avocations. The Volunteer Composite Regiment was made up as follows:
|
|
Officers |
Men |
|
|
|
Natal Carbineers |
6 |
125 |
|
|
Natal Mounted Rifles |
5 |
32 |
|
|
Umvoti Mounted Rifles |
1 |
13 |
|
|
Border Mounted Rifles |
3 |
48 |
|
|
Natal Field Artillery |
- |
19 |
|
|
Natal Royal Rifles |
- |
8 |
|
|
Durban Light Infantry |
- |
39 |
|
|
Hotchkiss Gun Detachment |
- |
6 |
|
|
Volunteer Medical Corps |
1 |
4 |
|
|
|
16 |
294 |
The regiment, under Lieutenant Colonel Evans, Natal MR, did much hard and effective work down to the close of the campaign.
Sir R Buller's despatches: 30th March 1900: Carbineers: Trooper F. C. Farmer rescued Lieutenant Mackay, who was wounded, under very heavy fire at Colenso.
Sir G. White's Despatch 23rd March 1900: Lieutenant Colonel E. M. Greene, Carbineers.
Lord Roberts' despatches: 2nd April 1901: Natal Carbineers - Major D. M'Kenzie.
