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.
_Tuesday, 2nd October._--Grass Kop. Still here with the Queen's and my
friends Major Dawson and Lieutenant Poynder. What an odd sort of
climate we seem to have in South Africa. Two days ago unbearable heat
with rain and thunder, and to-day so cold, with a heavy Scotch mist,
as to make one think of the North Pole; so we are shivering in wraps
and balaclavas, while occasional N.W. gales lower some of our tents.
The partridges seem to have forsaken this hill, so poor "John" the
pointer doesn't get enough work to please him; but his master, Major
Dawson, when able to prowl about safe from Boer snipers, still downs
many a pigeon and guinea fowl which keeps our table going.
_Friday, 5th October._--We are all delighted to hear that Lord Roberts
is appointed Commander-in-Chief at home; report says that he comes
down from Pretoria in a few days to inspect the Natal battlefields and
to look at his gallant son's grave at Colenso. I must try and see him
if I can. One of our convoys from Vryheid reported to be captured on
the 1st by Boers, the Volunteer escort being made prisoners and some
killed; this has delayed the return of the Natal Volunteers who were
to have been called in for good on that day.
_Wednesday, 10th October._--Still we drag on to the inevitable end.
The reported capture of a convoy turns out to be only a few wagons
escorted by a small party of Volunteers who were unwounded and
released after a few days.
This is a great week of anniversaries. Yesterday, the 9th, was that of
the insolent Boer Ultimatum of 1899 which brought Kruger and his lot
to ruin; to-day and to-morrow a year ago (10th and 11th October), the
Boer forces were mobilizing at this very place, Sandspruit; and on the
12th they entered Natal full of bumptious boasting. They were going,
as they said, to "eat fish in Durban" within a month, and many of them
carried tin cases containing dress suits and new clothes in
preparation for that convivial event. And they would have done so
except for the fish (sailors) and the women (Highlanders), as they
styled us, who, they said, were too much for them, combined I think
with the Ladysmith sweet shop, which proved their Scylla with Colenso
as their Charybdis.
Major Burrell of the Queen's was up here a few days ago and made a
special reconnaissance to Roi Kop under cover of my guns; he told us
many amusing stories of his experiences with Boer and foreign
prisoners at Paardekop while sweeping up the country round there; one
Prussian Major of Artillery had come in from Amersfoort and
surrendered, saying he had blown up seven Boer guns just previously by
Botha's orders. This German Major, it seems, was a curious type of
man; waving his hands airily he would say that foreigners were obliged
to come and join the Boers so as to study the art of war which only
the English got any chance of doing in their little campaigns; this
being so, he said, "Ah, I shall go back to my native land, then six
months in a fortress perhaps, after that, _sapristi_, a good military
appointment. _Eh bien_! what do you think?" He also said about our
taking of Almond's Nek that Erasmus, who was commanding at Laing's
Nek, had been told that we were turning his flank and was advised to
send ten guns to stop us; he thought a minute and said "No, I will not
send guns, it is Sunday and God will stop them." Perhaps the Prussian
Major's veracity was not of the highest class, but this yarn if told
to General Buller would no doubt interest him, because undoubtedly if
the Boers had had ten more guns defending Almond's Nek we should have
had considerable more difficulty in taking it. The following Natal
Army Orders of 17th July, 1900, will show how considerately we dealt
with the Boers and others in the foregoing operations in the matter of
paying for supplies.
SUPPLIES REQUISITIONED, ETC.
The following are the prices fixed to be paid for supplies
requisitioned, etc.:
No bills will, however, be paid by supply officers or others
until approved by the Director of Supplies.
Receipts will be given in all cases on the authorized form, and
duplicates forwarded same day to Director of Supplies. The
receipts will show whether the owner is on his farm or on
commando.
Oat hay, per 100 bundles 15s. to 18s. according to quality.
Manna hay, " 10s.
Blue grass, " 3s.
Straw, " 7s.
Mealies, per 100 lbs 5s.
Potatoes, per sack of 150 lbs. 10s.
Milk, per bottle 6d.
Eggs, per dozen 1s. to 1s. 3d.
Fowls, each 1s. to 1s. 6d.
Ducks, " 2s. to 2s. 6d.
Geese, " 3s. to 3s. 6d.
Turkeys, " 6s. to 8s.
Butter, per lb. 1s. to 1s. 6d.
_Saturday, 13th October._--Many exciting things have crowded
themselves into the last few days. The Boers who had slipped away from
the Vryheid district are again moving north, and are reported in some
force at Waterfal on the Elandsberg, 20 deg. N.E. of us. They are said to
have a Pom-pom and two Creusots; it seems to be the Wakkerstroom
commando and Swaziland police, some 300 strong; the Ermelo commando
has also moved on to the Barberton district. These commandos have been
raiding cattle and horses every day, keeping well out of reach of our
guns; many rumours of their intent to attack us at Grass Kop have been
brought in but we are quite ready for them. This raiding has had the
effect of bringing all the Dutch farmers and their sons flying back to
their farms to look after their stock; they are highly indignant with
the looters, have all surrendered and taken the oath at Volksrust, and
ride up here to the foot of the hill every day with many reports and
much advice about their former comrades' movements, and how to attack
and kill them! Many old Dutch women have come also to the hill in
tears over their losses from Boer marauders and say they are starving.
All this gives Major Dawson and Lieutenant Poynder, Adjutant of the
Queen's, a great deal of work and many walks down the hill to
interview these people.
Our Naval camp has been strengthened by building stone sangars round
our tents to prevent any risk of the enemy creeping up and sniping us
in our sleep; still, with barbed wires round the hill, hung with old
tins, and trenches and sangars to protect the position, we feel pretty
safe, although the gallant Cowper of the Queen's has gone down with
one company to reinforce Sandspruit and we miss him greatly.
To go back a few days, I must now mention that on the 11th October
came a wire from Admiral Harris to Halsey telling him to arrange the
return of our remnant of Naval Brigade to Natal as soon as possible,
our brother officers and men who were with Lord Roberts on the other
side having left Pretoria on the 8th and arrived at Simon's Town. This
wire, as may be imagined, caused us much joy up here after a year's
fighting, and I personally celebrated it with the Queen's by a great
dinner on some partridges and pigeons that I had bagged down hill on
the 10th.
To cap this telegram I received one forwarded on from Standerton next
day: "Admiral, Simon's Town, wires, Burne appointed _Victoria and
Albert_ Royal Yacht; he should proceed to Durban whence his passage
will be arranged." This came as a surprise to me, but at my seniority
to serve Her Majesty once more on her yacht, where I was a
Sub-Lieutenant in 1894, is a very great honour. I cannot well get away
however just yet, as arrangements are being made for the relief of all
guns by garrison gunners, and I am intent to "see it out," and indeed
I must do so in order to turn over all the ordnance and transport
stores and accounts for which I am personally responsible, and which
after six months mount up a bit. I expect therefore to leave this hill
and the front with our Naval Brigade next week, and then for "England,
home, and beauty" once more. I shall hope, when able to do it, to
revert to my gunnery line by-and-bye, as it has stood me in good stead
in the past.
_Monday, 15th October._--Another wire from Halsey, who is at
Standerton, telling me he hoped to arrange for our leaving together on
the 18th for Durban, so we are busy preparing, and I send off to-day
my returns of ox transport, which show that out of 84 oxen we have
lost 17 in action and otherwise. Old Scheeper, the Boer farmer at the
bottom of our hill, whose son is Assistant Field Cornet with the
Wakkerstroom commando, has sold me his crane and is making a cage for
it. I shall take it down to Maritzburg and present it to the Governor
(Sir Walter Hely-Hutchinson), who has done me kindnesses in two parts
of the world. I am also busy packing up my collection of Boer shells
and relics of Colenso, Vaal Krantz, Almond's Nek, and Grass Kop. We
may yet be attacked before leaving, as Boers were reported about ten
miles off last night moving south along the Elandsberg. Sir Redvers
Buller passed through Sandspruit on the 14th _en route_ for Maritzburg
and England, so it is quite on the cards that I may go home in the
same ship which will be interesting.
_Friday, 19th October._--Still not relieved. The railway line has been
cut two nights running between Paardekop and Standerton, and about a
mile and a half of it torn up, and this perhaps accounts for the
delay. We hear that General Buller has had a great reception at
Maritzburg as he deserves and that he goes on to Durban this week; he
is undoubtedly the "Saviour of Natal," as they call him. The Governor
accepts my Transvaal crane for his garden, so I shall take it down in
the cage I am having made for it and leave it _en route_ down at
Maritzburg.
_Saturday, 20th October._--Anniversary of Talana Hill. Sir Redvers
Buller arrived to-day in Durban and had a great reception. All the
newspapers praise him, and the earlier and difficult days of our
rebuffs on the Tugela are wiped out in public opinion by subsequent
brilliant successes. The General is, indeed, immensely popular with
the army he has led through such difficult country and through so much
fighting and marching. Very pleased to meet at Volksrust to-day
Captain Fitz Herbert of the South African Light Horse who came out
with me in the _Briton_ a year ago. He was originally in the Berkshire
Regiment, but joined the South African Light Horse at Capetown and
was taken prisoner by the Boers at Colenso. His experiences with the
Boers for four months as a prisoner were, he tells me, somewhat awful.
The first week he was handcuffed and put in the common jail for
knocking down an insolent jailer, and he had to live all his time on
mealies, with meat only once a week. He shows the marks of all this
and is quite grey.
_Sunday, 21st October._--A wire at last ordering us to leave on
Wednesday for Durban. Off I went, therefore, to Volksrust to close my
ordnance accounts with my middy, Mr. Ledgard, from Paardekop, who had
met me with his papers. Hard at it since the 15th, turning over
stores, making out vouchers, answering wires, and writing reports.
_Tuesday, 23rd October._--I gave over my guns here and at Paardekop on
Sunday to Lieutenant Campbell and Captain Shepheard, of the Royal
Artillery, and to-day we are all busy packing, and doing the thousand
and one things one always finds at the last moment to do. As we are
off at 7 a.m. to-morrow, to catch the mail train at Sandspruit, the
Queen's are giving me a farewell dinner to-night, while Bethune's
Horse are dining my men. Rundle, French, and Hildyard are reported to
be closing in all round in a circle (this place being the centre), and
5,000 Boers within the circle are being gradually forced slowly in
towards us. The many men who come in to surrender report that the main
body will be obliged either to surrender or to attack us somewhere to
get a position. I wired yesterday to General Hildyard, who is at Blood
River, sending my respects to him and his Staff on leaving his
command, and I received a very kind reply to-day: "I and my Staff
thank you for your message. I am very sorry not to have seen you
before you leave, but I hope you will tell your gallant officers and
men how much I have appreciated their cheerful and ready assistance
while with me during the campaign."
My men have to-day hoisted a paying-off pennant with a large bunch of
flowers at the end of it. This looks very fine and is greatly admired
in camp. Much to our surprise we had a little excitement in the
afternoon as the Boers round us bagged a patrol of Bethune's Horse,
and on coming within shell fire to drive oxen and horses off from
Parson's farm, my beloved gun in this position was brought into action
by the Garrison Artillery under Lieutenant Campbell (who had taken
over from me on the 21st), four shells bursting all round the
marauders and scattering them at once.
Later on the Boers sent Bethune's captured men back to Grass Kop,
having shot their horses and smashed their rifles before their eyes.
Poynder and the Major gave me a big farewell dinner, and we all turned
in early this evening expecting an attack during the night, but
nothing happened. So next morning, the 24th, we got under way, with
our paying-off pennant streaming in the wind from a wagon, after
saying good-bye (amid cheers and hand-shakings) to all our kind
military comrades and friends at Grass Kop. I was more than sorry to
leave the Queen's.[5]
[Footnote 5: Poor Poynder! I was dreadfully sorry to hear he
died of enteric at Kronstadt just a year after this event;
there was never a nicer chap or a better soldier, and it's
hard lines losing him.]
[Illustration: _Photo by Knight, Aldershot._
Lt.-Gen. Sir H. J. T. Hildyard, K.C.B.]
I won't describe the journey down at length; the entraining at
Sandspruit and meeting all the rest of the Brigade; the farewells and
cheers and "beers" from the Queen's; and the false bottle of whisky
handed to Halsey by Colonel Pink, D.S.O., which I could not get him to
open on the way down. We saw Reeves, R.S.O., at Charlestown, and
many other old friends, and ran through to Durban by 8 a.m. on the
25th. Unluckily, I and the middy were in a carriage from Maritzburg in
which we couldn't get a wash, so one's feelings at Durban may be
imagined when we got out dirty and tired, and saw a large crowd of
officers and the Mayor of Durban and others ready to receive us on the
platform. What a welcome they did give us! The speeches, the cheers of
the crowd, the marching through the streets, and the breakfast, I
leave an abler pen than mine, the _Natal Advertiser_, to describe:
sufficient to say, I felt very proud of our men who looked splendid,
hard as nails and sunburnt, in fact, _men_; and Halsey surpassed
himself when he was suddenly turned on to return thanks to the Mayor
in the street, and later on at the breakfast. The witty and
appropriate speech also of Colonel Morris, Commandant, will make him
to be remembered by the men of the Naval Brigade as the "Wit of
Durban," and not the "Villain of Durban," by which title he described
himself.
Here is what the _Natal Advertiser_ says of the day's proceedings:--
Among the first of the "handy men" who, with their 4.7 guns, went
to the front, were those of H.M. ships _Philomel_ and _Tartar_.
Though in many of the reports H.M.S. _Terrible's_ men got the
credit of the work done, the duties were equally shared by the
two other contingents from the cruisers. On October 29th,
twenty-nine men of the _Tartar_ left Durban, and on November
11th, thirty-three men and two officers of the _Philomel_ were
entrained to Chieveley. These men went forward to the relief of
Ladysmith, and had to face many hardships and many a stiff fight.
To-day the last of them returned from the front. Out of the
twenty-nine men of H.M.S. _Tartar_ that went forward, only
eighteen returned; and out of the thirty-three men and two
officers of H.M.S. _Philomel_ twenty-three men and two officers
came down. These losses speak eloquently of the tasks performed,
and the hardships endured. Of those who could not answer the
roll-call this morning, some have been killed in action, others
died of disease, while a few have been invalided. After the men
of the _Powerful_, the _Terrible_, and the Naval Volunteers
returned, the _Philomel_ and _Tartar_ contingents were kept at
their posts, and, even on their return they had trouble at Grass
Kop and Sandspruit. The officers in charge of the men were
Lieutenant Halsey, Lieutenant Burne, and Midshipman Ledgard.
Shortly after 8 o'clock this morning a crowd began to assemble at
the Railway Station, awaiting the arrival of the down mail train.
On the platform were: the Commandant, Colonel Morris, the Mayor
(Mr. J. Nichol), Commander Dundas, of H.M.S. _Philomel_, the
Deputy Mayor (Mr. J. Ellis Brown), Lieutenant Belcombe, Mr. W.
Cooley, Surgeon Elliott, and Paymaster Pim. About 100 men of
H.M.S. _Philomel_, under Sub-Lieutenant Hobson, were drawn up in
a double line outside the station. The train was a trifle late in
arriving, but as soon as it drew up, the warriors were marched
outside. A ringing cheer from a crowd of nearly 1,500 welcomed
them as soon as they took up a position and were called to
attention.
The Mayor addressed them, and, on behalf of Durban, offered them
a hearty welcome back. These men, he said, had been entrusted to
go to the front to defend the Colony, and they had done it well.
They were among the first in the field and were the last to
leave, and he felt sure they had done their duty faithfully,
honestly, and well. (Applause.) They might be relied upon to do
that in any part of the world, wherever or whenever called upon.
They were looked upon as the "handy men," the men who had done
the greatest portion of the work during the campaign. They and
their guns saved the situation. Even when they were marching
down, he understood they had had some fighting. On behalf of
Natal, he thanked them for what they had done through these
trying times. (Applause.)
Lieutenant Halsey, replying, said that after forty-eight hours in
the train it was difficult for them to take a reception like
this. The men and officers of the Brigade had done their duty,
and would do it again if called upon. (Applause.) They were glad
that they had been able to do anything in the fighting line, and
they thanked the Mayor for the kind welcome extended to them. He
called for three hearty cheers for the Mayor.
The crowd joined in the response, and raised another for "Our
Boys." Lieutenant Halsey called for cheers for the Naval
Volunteers, who had helped the Brigade so ably during the war.
The concourse of people had now greatly increased, and the Post
Office front was thronged. The Brigade were given the word to
march, and cheers were raised again and again until the men
turned out into West Street. Headed by the Durban Local
Volunteers' Band, the _Philomel_ and _Tartar_ men marched along
to the Drill Hall. They were followed by Captain Dundas' piper,
two standard bearers, and their comrades of the _Philomel_. At
the Drill Hall arms were piled and the men again fell in, the
band playing them along to the Princess Cafe, where they were
entertained. The Mayor, the Commandant, Major Taylor, Mr. J.
Ellis Brown, and Mr. E. W. Evans received them. At the order of
the Commandant one khaki man sat between two white men, the
comrades of the warriors being dressed in their white ducks. At
the order of the Town Council Mr. Dunn had provided a most
substantial breakfast, to which the men did full justice.
The loyal toast having been duly honoured.
Colonel Morris proposed "Our Guests," and said he did not know
why the "villain of Durban" should be called upon to take up this
toast, or why the honour of proposing it had been conferred on
him. He begged to tell them, for the information of those fellows
who had just come down from the front, that he was the "villain
of Durban." (Laughter.) He meant that if any of these chaps were
out after 11 o'clock at night he would find for them nice
accommodation in the Superintendent's cells. There was a long
time between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m., and he trusted they would not
get into trouble. The villain of the piece had to propose the
health of these fellows who had come down from the front.
(Cheers.) Now, these Navy fellows, if they could do so well on
land, how much better could they not do at sea? (Cheers.) They
knew how Jack had fought in the old days of Trafalgar, St.
Vincent, and at other great battles, and if they had to fight
again they might depend upon it that Jack the "handy man" was
just as good to-day as he was then. (Cheers.) Jack had proved
himself a splendid fellow ashore, and he wondered what any of
the landlubbers would do at sea. (Laughter.) The sea was a
ripping good place to look at, but from his point of view he
would rather be on land. (Laughter.) Anyway, Jack did not like
the land; he preferred to be on sea. Therefore, when at home on
the sea Jack would do a hundred times better than he had on
shore. (Cheers.) He recommended any people who thought of
fighting them on sea to take care what they were going against.
He did not believe that the British Navy was to be beaten here or
hereafter--(cheers)--and he was positively certain, from what he
saw of the Navy when they were at the front, that those who went
to look at them would say, "No, we will not play the game with
you on the water." He was positively certain that they would all
be admirals in time. (Laughter.) That was if they only waited
long enough (cheers), and if they did not come across the
"villain of Durban" they would be all right. He wished them all
thundering good luck, and he was sure that every one of them
would grow younger, because he did not believe any naval man grew
older. When they got their feet on board again they would feel
like chickens. He hoped they would all see the dear old country
soon. (Applause.) If they did not see it soon they would see it
later on. (Laughter.) Now, if they came across an enemy at sea he
knew exactly what would happen, and what they would read in the
papers--that the enemy had gone to the bottom of the sea.
(Laughter.) He dared say the Navy would be able to respond to the
toast. He did not know their capacities for talking, but Jack was
never hard up for saying something when he was called upon to do
so. Again he wished them jolly good luck. (Cheers.)
All save the guests rose, and led by the Commandant's stentorian
voice, sang "They are Jolly Good Fellows."
Chief Petty Officer Munro returned thanks on behalf of his
comrades, and said that the reception had been quite unexpected.
They had had very hard times, and they had had very good times.
They had done what they did willingly--(applause)--and they were
ready to do the same thing again for Her Majesty and the Empire,
and also to uphold the good old name of the Navy. (Cheers.) He
advised the fellows to keep out of the clutches of the
Commandant, for from what he saw of him he thought it would be
better. (Laughter.) When nearly twelve months ago they landed at
Durban, the people were a bit more excited than they were to-day.
Lieutenant Halsey asked the men to drink to the Mayor and Council
of Durban. Everybody outside knew, he said, how kindly Durban was
looked upon. Durban was one of the best places in the
station--(applause)--and it was on account of the wonderful way
everything was managed by the Mayor and Council. (Cheers.)
The toast was pledged with enthusiasm, and the Mayor said they
were proud to have them here, and to entertain them.
The men then fell in again in Field Street, and marched off to
the Point, the Durban Light Infantry Band playing "Just a little
bit off the Top" as a march.
The _Philomel_ and the hospital ship _Orcana_ had been dressed
for the occasion, and a number of their comrades assembled at the
Passenger Jetty and cheered them on arrival. They were afterwards
conveyed to the cruisers.
Among the Navals who returned from the front this morning is a
little canine hero, "Jack" the terrier, which has shared their
fortunes throughout the war. When they left Durban ten months ago
a little fox terrier followed them. While at the front he never
left them, although he was not particular with whom he fed or
what kind of weather prevailed. The firing of a 4.7 gun did not
discourage him, and through the booming of big guns and the
rattle of musketry he stuck by his adopters. Through every
engagement he went, and has come back bearing an honourable scar
on the head--shot by a Mauser bullet. The men, needless to say,
idolise the little hero, whose neck is decorated with a large
blue ribbon from which is suspended a Transvaal Commemoration
Medal.
After inserting this account, there is, perhaps, nothing more to be
recorded except to say how grateful we all felt to the Mayor and
people of Durban for the kind and indeed magnificent reception they
gave us; and we could not but add our thanks to Commander Dundas of
the _Philomel_, to whose energy and good will, as senior Naval
Officer, the success of the reception was greatly due.
_Tuesday, 30th October._--After saying good-bye to many old friends of
the _Philomel_, and others, and undergoing lunches and dinners (of
which the most amusing and lively one was with Captain Bearcroft of
the _Philomel_ who led the Naval Brigade under Lord Roberts and whom I
was glad to have met before sailing) I got on board the _Tantallon
Castle_, finding Commander Dundas on board and coming home in the same
mail. We left Durban on a beautiful day, and I was glad to find myself
in possession of a large cabin. And so I must end this long and
rambling Journal on seeing the last of Natal, merely adding that we
had rather a rough passage, after touching at Port Elizabeth, up to
Mossel Bay, a most picturesque place on account of the towering peaks
and ranges of hills running close to the coast-line. We reached
Capetown on the 5th November, and I found Table Mountain and the
general view much more striking than I had previously thought. We had
to wait here till the 8th November, when we finally bid farewell to
South Africa which with every beat of the screw gradually faded from
view into the dim shadows of an interesting past.
While the revolving wheel of life bears one on to other scenes and
toils, with dear old England looming once more on the horizon, we
leave South Africa behind with the problem of the war still unsettled,
and with desultory but fierce fighting still going on. But let us hope
that the shadows will lift, and that the glory of a rising sun will
eventually dim and absorb the sea of blood which has submerged that
wonderful and hitherto unfortunate land. The lines from the "Light of
Asia"--
"Om Mani padme Hun, The sunrise comes,
The dew-drop slips into the shining sea"--
express, I think, the hope of every British heart for South Africa, as
they do that of my own.