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[Transcriber's note: Obvious printer's errors have been corrected, all
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[Illustration: Twenty thousand men encamped under General Buller.]
WITH THE NAVAL BRIGADE IN NATAL
1899-1900
Journal of Active Service
KEPT DURING THE RELIEF OF LADYSMITH AND SUBSEQUENT OPERATIONS IN
NORTHERN NATAL AND THE TRANSVAAL, UNDER GENERAL SIR REDVERS BULLER,
V.C., G.C.B.
BY
LIEUTENANT BURNE, R.N.
LONDON
EDWARD ARNOLD
1902
FOR THE ARMY, OUR COMRADES AND OUR FRIENDS, THE NAVY HAS NOTHING BUT
THE DEEPEST RESPECT AND ADMIRATION.
INTRODUCTION
This Journal, completed before leaving the front in October, 1900,
does not assume to be more than a somewhat rough and unadorned record
of my personal experiences during ten months of the South African
(Boer) Campaign of 1899-1900 while in detached command of two
12-pounder guns of H.M.S. _Terrible_ and H.M.S. _Tartar_. Having been
asked by some of my friends to publish it, I am emboldened to do so,
in the hope that the Journal may be of interest to those who read it,
as giving some idea of work done by a Naval Brigade when landed for
service at a most critical time. A few notes on Field Gunnery are
appended with a view to give to others a few ideas which I picked up
while serving with the guns on shore, after a previous experience as
Gunnery Lieutenant in H.M.S _Thetis_ and _Cambrian_.
For the photographs given I must record my thanks to Lieutenant
Clutterbuck, R.N., Mr. Hollins, R.N., and other kind friends.
C.R.N.B.
_April_, 1902.
CONTENTS
CHAPTER I
PAGE
Outbreak of the war -- The Transport Service and
despatch of Army Corps from Southampton -- Departure of
a Naval Brigade from England and landing at Capetown and
Durban -- I join H.M.S. _Philomel_ 1-10
CHAPTER II
I depart for the front with a Q.-F. Battery from H.M.S.
_Terrible_ -- Concentration of General Buller's army at
Frere and Chieveley -- Preliminary bombardment of the
Boer lines at Colenso -- The attack and defeat at
Colenso -- Christmas Day in camp 11-21
CHAPTER III
Life in Camp and Bombardment of the Boer lines at
Colenso -- General Buller moves his army, and by a flank
march seizes "Bridle Drift" over the Tugela -- The heavy
Naval and Royal Artillery guns are placed in position --
Sir Charles Warren crosses the Tugela with the 5th
Division, and commences his flank attack 22-32
CHAPTER IV
Spion Kop and Vaal Krantz -- General Buller withdraws
the troops and moves once more on Colenso -- We hold
Springfield Bridge -- Buller's successful attack on
Hussar Hill, Hlangwane, and Monte Christo -- Relief of
Kimberley 33-44
CHAPTER V
Passage of Tugela forced and Colenso occupied -- Another
move back across the river to Hlangwane and Monte
Christo -- The Boers at length routed and Ladysmith is
relieved -- Entry of Relief Force into Ladysmith --
Withdrawal of H.M.S. _Terrible's_ men to China -- I
spend a bad time in Field Hospital--General Buller's
army moves forward to Elandslaagte -- Boers face us on
the Biggarsberg 45-58
CHAPTER VI
End of three weary months at Elandslaagte -- A small
Boer attack -- The advance of General Buller by
Helpmakaar on Dundee -- We under General Hildyard
advance up the Glencoe Valley -- Retreat of the Boers to
Laing's Nek -- Occupation of Newcastle and Utrecht -- We
enter the Transvaal -- Concentration of the army near
Ingogo -- Naval guns ascend Van Wyk, and Botha's Pass is
forced -- Forced march through Orange Colony -- Victory
at Almond's Nek -- Boers evacuate Majuba and Laing's Nek
-- Lord Roberts enters Pretoria -- We occupy Volksrust
and Charlestown 59-72
CHAPTER VII
Majuba Hill in 1900 -- We march on Wakkerstroom and
occupy Sandspruit -- Withdrawal of H.M.S. _Forte's_ men
and Naval Volunteers from the front -- Action under
General Brocklehurst at Sandspruit -- I go to hospital
and Durban for a short time -- Recover and proceed to
the front again -- Take command of my guns at Grass Kop
-- Kruger flies from Africa in a Dutch man-of-war --
Many rumours of peace 73-86
CHAPTER VIII
Still holding Grass Kop with the Queen's -- General
Buller leaves for England -- Final withdrawal of the
Naval Brigade, and our arrival at Durban -- Our
reception there -- I sail for England -- Conclusion 87-100
CHAPTER IX
Gunnery Results: The 12-pounder Q.-F. Naval gun -- Its
mounting, sighting, and methods of firing--The Creusot
3"-gun and its improvements -- Shrapnel fire and the
poor results obtained by the Boers -- Use of the
Clinometer and Mekometer -- How to emplace a Q.-F. gun,
etc., etc. 101-120
APPENDIX I
Hints on Equipment and Clothing for Active Service 121-128
APPENDIX II
Extracts from some of the Despatches, Reports, and
Telegrams regarding operations mentioned in this Journal 129-145
APPENDIX III
Diary of the Boer War up to October 25th, 1900 146-152
APPENDIX IV
The Navy and the War: A Resume of Officers and Men mentioned
in Despatches for the Operations in Natal 153-156
LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS
_To face page_
TWENTY THOUSAND MEN ENCAMPED UNDER GENERAL BULLER _Frontispiece_
A BATTERY CROSSING THE LITTLE TUGELA 8
NAVAL BATTERY OF 4.7's AND 12-POUNDERS AT DURBAN 8
NAVAL BRIGADE PITCHING CAMP AT FRERE, DECEMBER, 1899 14
NAVAL GUNS IN ACTION AT COLENSO 22
LIEUT. BURNE'S GUNS FIRING AT SPION KOP 34
4.7 EMPLACED ON HLANGWANE 34
COLT GUN AT HLANGWANE FIRING AT BOERS 48
NAVAL 12-POUNDERS ADVANCING AFTER ALMOND'S NEK 70
4.7 ON A BAD BIT OF ROAD 70
BRINGING IN A BOER PRISONER 82
IN CAMP AT GRASS KOP 82
ONE OF LIEUT. HALSEY'S NAVAL 12-POUNDERS 82
LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR H. J. T. HILDYARD, K.C.B. 95
CAPTAIN PERCY SCOTT, C.B., R.N. 102
NAVAL 12-POUNDER EMPLACED 120
BOER GUN POSITIONS AT COLENSO 120
CAPTAIN E. P. JONES, R.N. 154
MAP _at end_
WITH THE NAVAL BRIGADE IN NATAL
CHAPTER I
Outbreak of the war -- The Transport Service and despatch of Army
Corps from Southampton -- Departure of a Naval Brigade from
England and landing at Capetown and Durban -- I join H.M.S.
_Philomel_.
During a short leave of absence in Scotland, after my return from
Flag-Lieutenant's service in India with Rear-Admiral Archibald L.
Douglas, that very kind friend, now Lord of the Admiralty, appointed
me (5th October, 1899) to the Transport Service at Southampton, in
connection with the embarkation of the various Army Corps for the war
in South Africa. As the summons came by wire, I had to leave Stirling
in a hurry, collect my various goods and chattels in London, and make
the best of my way to Southampton. I reported myself at the Admiralty
Transport Office on Monday the 9th, and at once commenced work,
visiting certain ships with Captain Barnard, the Port Transport
Officer, and picking up the "hang" of the thing, and what was wanted.
Captain Graham-White, R.N., came down in the afternoon to take charge
of our proceedings. From that date up to the 22nd, or thereabouts, we
Transport Lieutenants simply had charge of certain vessels fitting
out, and had to inspect for the Admiralty the many freight and
transport ships which came in from other centres, such as London,
Liverpool, etc., to be officially passed at Southampton; among others
the _Goorkha_ and _Gascon_, two Union Liners, came particularly under
me, and I shall always remember the courtesy of their officials,
particularly Captain Wait and the indefatigable Mr. Langley, who saw
that we transport officers were well looked after on board each day.
Everything in connection with this Line seemed to me during my time at
Southampton to be very well done, and so our work went swimmingly.
Besides myself were Lieutenants McDonald, Nelson, and Crawford, R.N.,
as Transport Officers, and we co-operated with a staff of military
officers under Colonel Stacpole, D.A.A.G., with whom we got on very
well, so that we ran the work through quickly and without a hitch. Sir
Redvers Buller left Southampton in the _Dunottar Castle_ on the 15th
October, and we all saw him off; in fact, McDonald and I represented
the Admiralty at the final inspection of the ship before sailing.
There was, of course, a scene of great enthusiasm, and many people
were there, among whom were Sir Michael Culme Seymour, Alexander
Sinclair his Flag-Lieutenant, and Lady and Miss Fullerton. All this
time we were more than busy inspecting and getting ships ready up to
the 22nd, when the departure of the First Army Corps commenced; we got
away five transports that day within half an hour of each other, all
taking some 1,500 men; they were, if my memory serves me, the _Malta_,
_Pavonia_, _Hawarden Castle_, _Roslin Castle_, and _Yorkshire_; the
next few days we did similar work from 8 a.m. till dark, getting away
about three ships a day on an average.
During the week Commander Heriz, R.N., and myself, representing the
Admiralty, inspected the hospital ships _Spartan_ and _Trojan_ before
their start; they had been fitted out under the Commander's
superintendence, and were perfect; in fact, one almost wished to be a
sick man to try them! All these continued departures aroused great
public interest; on one day we had the Commander-in-Chief (Lord
Wolseley), Lord Methuen, Sir William Gatacre, and many other Generals;
and on another the Duke of Connaught came to see the 1st Bn. Scots
Guards off in the _Nubia_ and gave them a message from the Queen; he
came again a few days later to see his old regiment, the Rifle
Brigade, off in the _German_, and he and the Transport Officers were
photographed many times. I was told afterwards that my own portrait
appeared very often in the cinematographs of these scenes, which were
then very popular and were exhibited to crowded audiences in all the
London and Provincial Music Halls and elsewhere. I was very pleased on
this occasion to meet my old First Lieutenant of the _Cambrian_, now
Commander Mark Kerr, R.N., who was also seeing the Rifle Brigade off
with a party of relatives whom I took over the _Kildonan Castle_.
Here I may mention, to show the different rates of speed, that the
_German_ carrying the Rifle Brigade, actually arrived at Capetown some
hours after the _Briton_ (in which I myself left later on for South
Africa), although it started ten days before us. I have very pleasant
recollections of being associated with Major Edwards of the Berkshire
Regiment in embarking the Reserves of the 3rd Bn. Grenadier Guards in
the _Goorkha_, which ship I had been superintending for so long; I was
able to get their Commanding Officer, Major Kincaid, two good cabins,
for which I think he was much obliged to me. These Reserves were going
to Gibraltar to pick up the main Battalions of their regiment which
took part later on (3rd and 4th November) in Lord Methuen's actions at
Belmont and Graspan.
After the 27th October the transport ships left Southampton in ones
and twos, and we were not so hard pushed; in fact, the work was
becoming rather monotonous, till, on the evening of the 2nd November,
our Secretary, Mr. Alton, R.N., rushed up to me with a wire telling me
to be prepared immediately to leave for the Cape. I was very pleased,
and thought myself extremely lucky to get out to the scene of war with
a chance of going to the front; and after saying a hurried good-bye to
all my friends I left Southampton on the 4th November in the _Briton_;
my father[1] saw me off and gave me some letters of introduction; Lord
Wolseley also kindly wrote about me to Sir Redvers Buller; all my old
colleagues of the Transport Service gave me a most cordial send-off,
and we steamed out of the docks about 7 p.m. in heavy rain, which did
not, however, damp the enthusiasm of hundreds of people who waited to
see the last of us. In saying farewell to the Transport Service I
could not help thinking how much courtesy and assistance we transport
officers received from the captains and officers of all the ships
under our inspection, and how much we admired their keen feeling and
hard work in the interests of the public service. I hope this may be
recognised when war rewards are given.
[Footnote 1: General Sir Owen Tudor Burne.]
Our voyage was a good one, being calm enough after the first day, and
all going well up to Madeira (where I landed for the sixth time) as
well as on the onward voyage in which we went through the usual
routine of ship life until we arrived at the Cape on Monday, 20th
November. The Bay was full of transports, and they seemed still to be
pouring in every hour; we did not hear much news except that
Ladysmith was still safe, and we at once entrained for Simon's Bay, a
pretty train journey of about an hour and a half, where the fleet were
lying. Now commenced the bad luck of the Brigade "wot never landed,"
we all got drafted to various ships instead of going to the front in a
body as we had hoped and expected, and my lot was to join the flagship
_Doris_. Much to our disappointment a Naval Brigade had been landed
the day before our arrival for Lord Methuen's force; we ourselves were
therefore regarded for the moment as hardly wanted, and the Admiral
was, we were told, dead against landing any more sailors. So we were
both afflicted and depressed. I had, however, a pleasant time on the
_Doris_, and found myself senior watch keeper on board. At night many
precautions were taken in the fleet; guards were landed in the
dockyard with orders to fire on any suspicious boat, and a patrol boat
steamed round the fleet all night up to daylight with similar orders;
we ourselves often went on shore for route marching and company drill
and had a grand time.
I may mention, in passing, that all the bluejackets who were landed at
Simon's Bay for shore duty were fitted with khaki suits, viz., tunics
and trousers and hat covers, drawn from the military stores. With the
trousers the men wore brown gaiters, and each man was provided with
two pairs of service boots; they all wore their white straw hats
fitted with khaki covers and looked very workmanlike in heavy marching
order. The Marines also wore khaki and helmets, and had stripes of
marine colours (red, blue and yellow) on the helmets to distinguish
the Corps. Each batch of bluejackets that were sent to the front,
about twelve men in a batch, was allowed two canvas bags to hold spare
clothes and other gear, and took three days' provisions and water. The
haversacks were all stained khaki with Condy's fluid, and the guns
were all painted khaki colour.
We saw a great many people at Capetown, and while there, Colonel
Gatcliffe, Royal Marines, the head Press censor, told Morgan and
myself a lot of instructive facts about the work at the Telegraph
Offices, and how all foreign telegrams in cipher to South Africa
giving news to the Boers, as well as those from them, had been
stopped. Some 300 telegrams sent after Elandslaagte by Boer agents at
Capetown had been thus suppressed. When we saw Colonel Gatcliffe he
was busily engaged passing telegrams, which had to be read and signed
by him at the Telegraph Office before they were allowed to be
despatched.
All went well at Simon's Bay until November 24th, when we heard of
Lord Methuen's fight and heavy casualties at Belmont, followed soon by
news of the heavy loss (105 killed and wounded) incurred by the Naval
Brigade at Graspan chiefly among the marines. I think that the general
idea in the fleet was admiration for our comrades and gratitude to
Lord Methuen for giving the Navy a chance of distinction; but I am
told these views were not shared by our Chief. A force of forty seamen
and fifty marines were now ordered off to the front at once to fill up
these casualties. Naturally we all wanted to go, but the Admiral could
not send us and drafted us off to various ships, my own destination
being H.M.S. _Philomel_, then at Durban, which I reached in the
transport _Idaho_, a Wilson Liner. We had on board a Field Battery and
other details with six guns and 250 horses. I was much interested in
the horses, who had a fine deck to themselves and were very fit; they
were in fact _'Bus_ horses, and very good ones.
There were some Highland officers and others on board who had been
wounded and were now going back to Natal after recovery; they told us
how cunning the Boers were in selecting positions; one saw nothing of
them, they said, on a hill but the muzzle of their rifles; they are
only killed in retreat; they pick out any dark object as a man, such
as a great-coat, training their rifles on it so as to fire directly he
rises and advances. One of the officers told us how he saw at
Elandslaagte a Scotchman who had been put by the Boers in their firing
line with his hands tied behind his back because he had refused to
fight for them; apparently the man escaped uninjured and was taken
prisoner with the rest after the fight by our Lancers, swearing when
liberated many oaths of vengeance on the Boers. Colonel Sheil told one
of our officers, Commander Dundas, who was in charge of him and other
prisoners on board the _Penelope_ at Simon's Bay, that the only fault
of our men was their rashness, and our Cavalry did not, he said, throw
out sufficient scouting parties, missing himself and others on one
occasion by not doing so; the Boers had not reckoned, he said, on
Naval guns being landed, and placed great reliance on European
interference. In his opinion, the war would be over the moment we
entered Boer territory, and everything seemed at the moment to point
to this conclusion. These Boer prisoners, who were all got at
Elandslaagte, talked English well, and appeared, by all accounts, to
have a good feeling and respect for the English, but they were very
down upon the capitalists and others whom they blamed for the war.
To-day, at sea, as I write this (28th November), a S.E. breeze makes
it delightfully cool. Indeed, I found the climate of Capetown,
although the hot weather was beginning, delightful; a regular
champagne air and a very hot sun, yet altogether a nice dry heat which
quickly brought all the skin off my face at Simon's Bay after one
day's march with the Battalion up the hills. I expect to find Natal
much damper, and no doubt it will be very wet and cold at night in the
hill country.
_Thursday, 30th November._--The wind which has been blowing in our
teeth has now moderated, so we may reach Durban earlier than we hoped,
as we are only about 300 miles off. I watched the battery horses being
exercised and fed this morning; they are mostly well accustomed to the
ship's motion, but it is amusing sometimes to see about a dozen
stalwart gunners shoving the horses behind to get them back to their
stalls and eventually conquering after much energy and language, and
after desperate resistance on the part of the horses; these old 'Bus
horses are strong and fit, and have very good decks forward and aft
for their half-hour exercise each day; while they are exercising,
their stalls are cleaned out and scrubbed with chloride of lime. It is
most interesting to watch their eagerness to go to their food, for
they are always hungry!
[Illustration: A Battery crossing the Little Tugela.]
[Illustration: Naval Battery of 4.7's and 12-pounders at Durban.]
_Friday, 1st December._--We arrived at Durban at 5 a.m. and anchored
in the roadstead. In the Bay are H.M.S. _Terrible_ and _Forte_; also a
Dutch man-of-war, the _Friesland_, a fine looking cruiser; there are
also eleven transports at anchor. Inside the Bay are the _Philomel_
(my ship) and _Tartar_, besides a lot of other transports, including
my old friend the _Briton_. Durban is a striking place from the sea;
very green and cultivated, and with rows of houses extending along a
high ridge overlooking the town. It all looks very pretty and one
might fancy one's self in England. A strong breeze is blowing, so it
is quite cool. An officer from the _Forte_ tells us that Estcourt is
relieved and that the Boers are massing south of Colenso ready for a
big fight. Our army have apparently to bridge some ravines before
advancing. The guns of the _Forte_ and _Philomel_ are at Estcourt
with landing parties. Commander Dundas and Lieutenants Buckle and
Dooner join the _Forte_ and I join the _Philomel_. Tugs came out at 1
p.m. and took us in over the bar; we passed close to the _Philomel_
and were heartily cheered; then we went alongside the jetty, where
staff officers came on board with orders. Commander Holland (Indian
Marine) is here in charge of Naval transport and is an old
acquaintance, as we met last year at Bombay. I got on board the
_Philomel_ without delay and found myself Captain of her, as her
Captain (Bearcroft) had gone to take the Flag-Captain's place with
Lord Methuen's force, and Halsey, the First Lieutenant, was at
Estcourt with some 12-pounder guns. About thirty men of the _Philomel_
are on shore under two officers, and one of her 4.7 guns is up at
Ladysmith. I hear that all guns north of Pietermaritzburg are under
command of Captain Jones, R.N., of the _Forte_; and, in fact, all the
ships here at present, viz., the _Terrible_, _Forte_, _Philomel_, and
_Tartar_, have landing parties at the front.
I reported myself to Commander F. Morgan, senior officer of the
_Tartar_, who was pleased to see me as he is an old friend, I having
served with him in 1894 in the Royal yacht (_Victoria and Albert_),
from which we were both promoted on the same day (28th August, 1894).
I also called on the Commandant of Durban, Captain Percy Scott of the
_Terrible_, at his headquarter office in the town. I found him busily
engaged in making-up plans and photos of Durban, as well as his
designs for field and siege mountings for the 4.7 and 12-pounder guns,
to forward to Admiral Douglas, my late Commander-in-Chief; he showed
them to me, and ordered me to take over command of the _Philomel_ for
the present. I have met a lot of old friends, and find the ship itself
clean, smart, and comfortable. The weather is changeable and very
hot. Captain Scott has ordered martial law in the town, and everyone
found in the streets after 11 p.m. is locked up. The story goes that
Captain Scott himself was locked up one night by mistake!
_Tuesday, 5th December._--Captain Scott sent on board a kind letter
from the Governor of Natal (Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson) who has spoken
to Sir Redvers Buller about me. An early advance is expected on
Colenso, and it seems on the cards that some strategic move will soon
be made to outflank the Boers and commence relief operations on behalf
of poor Ladysmith.