Source: Lady Brigg's book 'The staff work of the Anglo-Boer war, 1899-1901'
In dealing with the work done during the campaign by the army field transport, it would be impossible to omit the mention of the invaluable services rendered to the Government by the firm of Julius Weil & Co., whose name is well known to all in connection with the provisioning of Mafeking, during the nine months it was besieged, and the assistance the firm rendered in every way to General Baden Powell during that trying time. As far back as 1887, Julius Weil was called "the man that moves the army."
In the ordinary way, this firm of contractors carry on a business something like " Carter, Paterson," with this vast difference : that their carrying or transporting work has to be done over large tracts of thinly populated country, instead of conveying goods to teeming multitudes in a circumference of a few square miles as in London and the suburbs.
The firm of Julius Weil & Co., Government contractors, were merged into " The Imperial Transport Service," their officers being given temporary army rank. To distinguish them they wore the initials of I. T. S. on their shoulders, and of course they were clad in khaki.
It was quite a study to work out all the distinguishing initials and badges, tabs and stars, ribbons straight and ribbons askew, with bits of tartan here and a patch there, together with feathers and tufts of all descriptions; but by degrees one remembered them all.
What England would have done in the South African crisis without the loyalty and help of such firms as Julius Weil, both at home and in the affected districts, it is hard to say.
The tract of country between Mafeking and Pretoria was largely served by the Imperial transport service, and, indeed, the advance convoys were sent as far as Machadodorp, if not actually as far as to Pilgrims' Eest. The firm employed over 2000 waggons, which required about 40,000 oxen to work; and as large quantities were from time to time captured by the enemy, numbers of oxen killed through one cause and another, it needed no less than from 85,000 to 100,000 oxen to keep up the efficiency of the service. The firm employed in drivers and leaders nearly 7000 men (natives), in overseers, conductors, and inspectors (who had all to be mounted), about 500. The clerical staff alone exceeded 200 men. The number of miles travelled backwards and forwards by the oxen was considerably over 25,000; and this enormous distance was covered by these slow-going beasts under the most trying circumstances, such as forced marching and within range of the enemy's fire.
The difficulties to be overcome by the contractors can be better appreciated when I explain that as many as 200 waggons, with their teams of sixteen oxen each, have been captured at one time; the loss being made good immediately, and the work of transport proceeding without delay. Captured convoys (Government) of 400 waggons have several times been reported in the papers, and what a loss each entails may be gathered from the fact that the purchases of waggons and teams have been made at almost full original value; the actual work of buying animals and waggons being also done at great risk.
The officers employed had to obtain waggons and teams by voluntary sale from various farmers, in small lots and at great distances; they then had to collect them at given points and get them away in safety a feat that was not always successfully accomplished, as De Wet or some other Boer general would be first at the given points and swoop away the lot !
The oxen used in the Imperial transport service were all South African bred, and those purchased to fill up casualties had to go on foot to the chief centres of the firm, as the rolling-stock of the railway was all required for the movement of troops.
Convoys have to carry, in addition to military stores, a large amount of baggage for their own use on the road, as well as for the troops that escort them. They take with them such uninteresting things (which are also very heavy) as buck-sails, iron pails, pots and pans, waggon grease, lifting jacks, picks, shovels, extra reims, bolts, screws, shackles, and a variety of tools that appear to me to belong to a forge or a blacksmith's shop.
As the Boers made a point of burning up the grass behind them, extra weight had to be carried in fodder for the oxen, which at other times grazed on the veld; and, as a matter of fact, they thrive better on the stumpy grass, however scanty, than on the best forage that could be given to them.
Convoys are often the medium of communication between different forces, as was the case at Elands River, where a telegraphic connection was maintained with General Baden- Powell at Rustenberg, by Colonel Hore and, when the wires were cut, and it was clear enough, it was maintained then by heliograph.
In out-of-the-way places like Beira, and thence to Bamboo Creek, the transport was carried on with even greater difficulties. There was nothing but a two-foot-gauge railway to convey the troops, horses, and stores between these places.
The sixty-three miles that separate these towns usually required twenty-four hours for the journey, during which time excitement was provided by various parts of the train derailing, from the engine down to the last carriage.
When the first contingent of Australian Bushmen took this journey the train ran off the rails sixteen times.
The country between Beira and Bamboo Creek is perhaps the most malarious in Africa. It is known as the "Fly Country," and certainly the mosquitoes are too terrible for words to describe. The mortality amongst the horses was very great, and most of the men suffered from fever, though in the majority of cases they happily did not succumb to it. Both men and animals were kept on the ships instead of being landed for as long a period as possible, as the lesser evil.
The difficulties of transport and the loss of life have been something stupendous in this war, and if in future campaigns traction engines can be so perfected and rendered reliable, a great saving will be effected, but so far as they have been employed, except in Cape Town and on fairly good roads, they have not answered satisfactorily in South Africa, and much the same may be said of the motor-cars. One day they will do well, getting over the ground with great speed, but the next there are breakdowns that take hours to repair, with the result that everything is thrown into confusion by the irregularity of their behaviour. It is better to be slow and sure in times of war, if celerity and punctuality cannot be combined.
To keep an army of over a quarter of a million of men fed and mobile over a whole continent, 6000 miles from the main base, is a feat that any army and its organisers may feel proud; and in spite of all that may be said to the disparagement of the War Office, the Admiralty, and the Treasury, the nation has every reason to be satisfied with the achievements of all the public departments, and with the contractors employed by Government.
As for the work done on the spot by the soldiers, sailors, and civilians that make up the South African field force, nothing but praise is due to them from their fellow country- men for their loyalty and devotion to duty.
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