THE THIRD BATTALION.
The Third Battalion of the Royal Sussex Regiment was embodied, under the
command of Col. the Earl of March, A.D.C., from December 11th, 1899, to
September 11th, 1902--probably the record embodiment for a Militia
Battalion during the war. The Battalion assembled at Preston Barracks,
Brighton, and, shortly before Christmas, 1899, volunteered as a whole
for service in South Africa. This offer was not, however, utilized until
early in 1901.
On the 30th March, 1900, the Battalion was moved to the Shaft Barracks,
Dover. Both Line Battalions being abroad, line details were attached to
it, ultimately amounting to three Companies.
The Battalion marched to Shorncliffe on the 30th April, and remained
there under canvas until the 18th October, forming part of a Militia
Brigade. On that date they moved into Napier Barracks. The latter part
of the time under canvas had been extremely wet and cold.
On the 2nd February, 1901, the Battalion took part in the lining of the
streets for the funeral of Queen Victoria. They paraded with the Colours
at 2.15 a.m., and entrained for London, where they were stationed near
Apsley House.
Early in February, orders were received for the Battalion to hold itself
in readiness to proceed on active service; and after many delays it
embarked on the "City of Cambridge," at the Albert Dock, on the 29th of
March. The numbers proceeding to South Africa were twenty-four officers
and 480 men. Already 123 men of the Battalion had been sent out to join
the 1st Battalion as Militia Reservists. One officer (Capt. Blake) had
also been attached to that Battalion for duty a year before.
Capetown was reached on the 23rd April, and the Battalion was at once
entrained for Bloemfontein, arriving there five days later. On the way,
a call was made at the Headquarters of the 1st Battalion at Norval's
Pont, and a football match played with them.
At Bloemfontein, the 3rd Battalion camped at Spitzkop, 4 miles west of
the town, and took over the "B" section of the outposts, which was
placed under the command of Col. the Earl of March. On the suggestion of
Col. Long, R.A., commanding the troops at Bloemfontein, a number of men
of the Battalion were trained as Mounted Infantry for local defence
purposes, first under Captain Papillon, and then (on his falling sick in
June) under Capt. the Hon. J. S. R. Tufton. By August, the 3rd Battalion
M. I. numbered eight officers and 225 N. C. O.'s and men.
There must have been, at this time, over a thousand men, in all, of the
Royal Sussex Regiment, doing mounted work in South Africa.
The mounted duties round Bloemfontein consisted of patrolling beyond the
outposts, and of escorting convoys to columns in the field. The men for
the most part knew nothing about horses to start with; they were,
however, very keen, and, under careful instruction, quickly learned the
rudiments of horsemastership, and finally constituted a really useful
body of M. I.
Capt. Tufton took over the post at Fischer's Farm with fifty men, in
July; and in September another seventy-five of the M. I. were sent,
under Lieut. Wilson (4th Suffolk Regt., attached) and 2nd Lieut.
Nicholson, to occupy Warringham's, beyond Thabanchu.
Although no opportunity is allowed for a militiaman to learn signalling,
yet the 3rd Battalion had taken this up on the voyage out; some
signalling equipment was obtained at Bloemfontein, and classes were
started, with the result that when, in July, the regular signallers at
Spitzkop had to be withdrawn, the 3rd Battalion signallers were able to
take over the station.
Capt. Hankey and Lieut. Parkin, with 100 men, had been sent to the
Supply Depot in Bloemfontein, in place of coming to Spitzkop. Shortly
afterwards Capt. Hankey went as A.D.C. to Col. Long.
On November 23rd the M.I. was broken up. Col. Long wrote the following
letter upon the subject:
The O. C. troops regrets to have to publish an order to-day for the
withdrawal of the ponies of the Sussex M.I. The Remount Department
have to furnish 600 horses for columns on the move in the next
week, and they are at present so short of fit horses that they are
obliged to call upon the Sussex to hand in the ponies they have so
well looked after and converted into serviceable animals. The
greatest credit is due to you and all concerned for the way you
have cared for these ponies. The G. O. C. regrets having to take
this step, but feels sure you will understand that this step has
only been taken owing to extreme pressure and the urgent
requirements of the service.
In December the Battalion was moved down to Volksrust, on the Natal
border. The first detachment left under Lieut.-Col. Godman on the 7th,
escorting a batch of Boer prisoners as far as Ladysmith.
On the 12th of December the following order was published at
Bloemfontein:
The Third Royal Sussex Regt. having been ordered away from this
station, the O. C. troops wishes to take this opportunity of
expressing his appreciation of their uniform excellent conduct, and
of the cheerful and thorough manner of carrying out the duties in
garrison by all ranks of the Battalion during the eight months they
have been at Bloemfontein.
Major Clarke, with seven officers and 181 N. C. O.'s and men, moved down
the line to Ingogo, in Natal, and took over a district and a line of
posts along the railway between that place and Mount Prospect; other
detachments were at Laing's Nek, Iketeni Nek (Majuba), and along the
line north of Volksrust. Col. the Earl of March took over command of
the troops at Volksrust, Capt. and Adjt. P. E. P. Crawfurd taking up the
duties of S. S. O.
At Christmas time the county of Sussex sent out to the Battalion a
generous gift in the shape of good fare and useful presents.
On January 5th, 1902, Capt. Aldridge came as Adjutant to the Battalion.
During the following months several attempts were made by Boers to cross
the railway at night; they were, however, frustrated by the heavy firing
of the block-houses.
On the anniversary of the embarkation of the Battalion, three officers
and forty-nine men had been invalided home, fourteen men had died, two
officers and fifty-two N. C. O.'s and men were in hospital, and
twenty-three officers and 452 N. C. O.'s and men were doing duty. A
draft had been received from the depot in February.
In May, the Peace negotiations were on foot, and Boer delegates arrived
at Volksrust on their way to Vereeniging. In accordance with orders,
they were treated with lavish hospitality.
Peace was declared on June 1st, and on the next day the Battalion
received orders to move to St. Helena for duty in guarding prisoners.
The various detachments collected at Ingogo, and moved down on the 9th
to Durban, where the "Wakool" was waiting for them; the weather was
however too rough to embark until the 14th, the intervening days being
spent at Umbilo Prison Camp. Major Clarke now commanded the Battalion,
Col. the Earl of March having returned for the Coronation.
St. Helena was reached on the 24th June. As the "Wakool" steamed into
the Jamestown anchorage, the signallers on H.M.S. Dwarf gave the news of
the King's illness, and of the consequent postponement of the
coronation, which should have taken place next day.
After five days quarantine the Battalion disembarked, and marched to
Broadbottom Camp, at the N.E. end of the Island, relieving the Buffs
Militia. Gen. Cronje watched the men go by from the house where he lived
apart; he was not very popular among the other prisoners--mostly
Paardebergers.
There were about 2,000 Boers at Broadbottom, including Gen. Ben Viljoen.
They were at this time just trying to make up their minds to take the
oath of allegiance. They were too loyal to their old Government to do so
without orders--which, however, they ultimately received. Those who took
the oath beforehand did not have a pleasant time.
The weather was extremely bad, and the camp a sea of mud. On July 19th,
a gloom was cast over the Battalion by the death of Colour Sergt.
Penfold, who was killed in trying to climb down a steep cliff.
On August 9th, Coronation Day was celebrated. A _feu de joie_ was fired,
and the Battalion was inspected by Col. Wright, commandant of the camp.
In the evening an enormous bonfire was lit upon the hillside. In the
crowd round it, Boers and British mingled freely, the latter tanned from
exposure, the former pale from a year or more mostly spent in their
tents. After loyalty had been satisfied, Col. Wright called for three
cheers for "our friends and fellow subjects, our late gallant enemies,"
which were heartily given. The Battalion embarked for England on board
the "Dominion" on August 11th, and arrived at Chichester a month later,
having travelled by way of Cape Town. At Chichester they were welcomed
by the Mayor and Corporation, and marched to barracks through decorated
streets.
The medals earned by the men were presented to them by Mrs. Kilgour
(Col. Kilgour then commanded the Regimental District), and the
embodiment, which had lasted two years and nine months, was at an end.
APPENDIX A.
THE 13TH M. I.
By CAPT. G. P. HUNT, Royal Berkshire Regiment.
In November, 1900, four new Battalions of M. I. were assembled at
Pretoria: and of these the 13th M. I. was one. It was made up of
detachments from various regiments, and No. 1 Co. consisted of seventy
N. C. O.'s and men of the Royal Sussex, brought up by Lieut. J. S.
Cameron from Lindley, and fifty-five of the Royal Berkshire Regiment
under Lieut. G. P. Hunt. The Battalion was commanded by Capt.
(afterwards Brevet Maj.) Pratt, of the Durham Light Infantry. Early in
1901 Lt. Cameron took over command of No. 1 Co.
December and January were mostly spent in training the men. Many of
these knew nothing about mounted work, and had first to learn to stick
on their horses (raw, untrained Argentines for the most part) somehow.
However, in a creditably short time a body of useful mounted men, if not
of expert horsemen, was turned out.
The 13th M. I. were first under fire at Hekpoort on 19th December, with
General Alderson's column. Gen. Clements was then conducting a combined
movement westwards up the Magaliesberg Valley. The Boers were eventually
driven out of their Hekpoort position. The Company came under a smart
rifle fire, and their led horses were pom-pomed: but they sustained no
casualties and saw no Boers.
From January to April, 1901, Gen. Alderson's column was engaged on the
operations under Gen. French in the eastern and south-eastern Transvaal.
This column consisted of the 13th and 14th M. I., the Canadian Scouts,
the Yorkshire Light Infantry, "J" Battery, R. H. A., and a pom-pom; it
trekked along the Swaziland border to Ermelo, encountering very few
Boers by the way. The column waited for supplies at Ermelo for ten days;
but continuous rain and flooded rivers prevented the convoys coming out
from Newcastle, and mutton and mealies were all that men and horses had
to live on. The horses suffered severely from the lack of food, and from
standing about in the wet camp. Full rations were not obtained till 26th
March, more than a month later.
During April the column trekked through the difficult country between
Vryheid and Zululand, arriving at Newcastle on the 20th of that month.
By this time more than half the 13th M. I. were dismounted, and the men
were in rags. Gen. French's operations had cost the Boers 1,000
casualties, and the districts involved had been cleared, cattle being
driven in, and sheep used for rations or destroyed. The Boer families
were brought in to Refugee camps.
The 13th and 14th M. I. were remounted, and joined Gen. Bullock's column
at Volksrust. The horses supplied to the Company were mostly large raw
Hungarians, quite unsuited to the work.
Gen. Bullock's column, which was a large one, first trekked about the
Standerton and Wakkerstroom districts, and then worked in the northern
Free State, finishing up at Heidelberg in the end of July. There was no
serious fighting, although every day Boer skirmishers were encountered.
These would lie in wait for the scouts of the column, on the chance of
shooting them at short range, and then making off. Dogs proved very
useful to scouting parties: going on ahead, they would, by their
actions, give warning of concealed Boers.
The men kept wonderfully fit and in very good spirits; they were just
the type that Kipling describes in his poem "M. I." The horses, however,
suffered severely from the cold, which was very severe, particularly at
night.
At Heidelberg, Brig. Gen. Spens took over the column, which worked from
July to September in the N. E. Free State. This was a very eventful time
for the 13th M. I.; night marches were the rule rather than the
exception. Numbers of Boers were captured, wagons, cattle and horses
were brought in, and farms were destroyed. The column worked sometimes
by itself, and sometimes in conjunction with others; occasionally single
battalions went in different directions. The Boers had difficulty in
avoiding the troops, and were deprived of their wagons, spare horses,
shelters and means of subsistence, with a view to forcing them to
surrender.
One occasion in particular may be mentioned. On the night of the 6th of
August the column divided into two, acting in conjunction with
Rimington. After a night march, a laager was surprised at dawn, many
prisoners being taken.
The Company captured a number of Boers and wagons after a long gallop:
they only just avoided an engagement with Gough's M. I., which was
coming up from another direction.
On the 15th August Lieut. J. M. Hulton joined the 13th M. I. at
Kroonstad from the 5th Bn. Royal Fusiliers, and was posted to No. 1 Co.,
and given command of one of the Sussex sections. He had his horse killed
on the 18th, when on flank-guard, by some Boers who crept up a donga
just as the scouts were moving on. He fell under his horse, but one of
the section galloped back, helped him to get clear, and took the saddle
on to his own horse while Hulton ran by his side.
On the 3rd September the column rode down a Boer convoy and 300 Boers.
Cameron was in command of the advanced guard. Nearly all the wagons were
captured, some falling into the hands of Rimington's and Wilson's
columns. Many Boers were taken, and a number killed and wounded. Many of
the horses of the column had subsequently to be destroyed: for the men
rode over 50 miles that day, and the horses were utterly done up.
Towards the end of September Botha threatened to invade Natal, and Gen.
Spens' column, with others, entrained for that colony. Gough's M. I. had
suffered a serious reverse near Vryheid, the Boers being in superior
numbers. Botha had then attacked Major Chapman and his small force at
Fort Itala on the Zulu border, but had been repulsed after two days'
most severe fighting. He afterwards stated that it was here that his
power was finally broken.
The 13th, 14th, and Gough's M. I. moved out of Dundee on September 22nd,
crossed Rorke's Drift, passed Isandhlwana, and hurried on to help
Chapman, leaving the convoy to follow. The columns of Spens, Pulteney,
and Allenby, under Major Gen. Bruce Hamilton, formed up along the
Zululand border, and worked northwards through the mountainous Vryheid
district; Gen. Clements coming in from Dundee.
The main body of the Boers appeared to have gone, but a number of those
wounded at Itala were found in farms, and a number of fresh graves
showed that Botha's forces had suffered considerably in attempting to
capture Chapman with his small force and two guns.
Wagons and carts were found in the most incredible places on the slopes
of mountains, and were destroyed. A good number of cattle also were
captured from the few Boers looking after them. In the meantime, the
convoy had such difficulty in getting up the roads that for three days
it could not reach the battalion, which had to do without rations; and
both men and horses felt rather done up and very empty after climbing up
and down the rugged hills in the rain. Several horses were unable to get
on and had to be shot, but fortunately only two of the Company's.
Gen. Spens' column reached Vryheid on the 22nd October, and, returning
to Newcastle, got fresh supplies for a trek in the Orange River Colony.
Standerton was reached in November, after operations along the
Drakensberg.
At the end of November began the series of captures by Gen. Bruce
Hamilton, made possible by the wonderful intelligence obtained by Col.
Wools-Sampson. Half of Spens' column and half of Col. Rawlinson's, with
the corps of surrendered Boers, made a night march of some 25 miles from
Ermelo on the 4th December.
Led by Wools-Sampson's native boys, they came on a laager at dawn the
next morning. Unfortunately there was not time to surround it, and
another small laager beyond was warned by the firing, many of the Boers
jumping on to their ponies and galloping off. However, the columns
pursued and captured a good many, and all the wagons, etc., were
captured. The totals were ninety-one prisoners of the Bethel and
Standerton commandos, including the Landrost of Bethel, twenty wagons,
thirty Cape carts, 2,000 head of cattle, and 5,000 sheep, many rifles,
ammunition, etc. During the pursuit the Sussex section captured fifteen
Boers, and one man killed a native with the butt of his rifle, who had
just fired at and missed him.
The column now camped at the head of the Standerton-Ermelo block-house
line, which was progressing at the rate of about two block-houses and
one mile of barbed wire fence a day. December was spent in clearing the
surrounding country. A number of Boers were brought in, and a great deal
of stock.
On the 19th December, the 14th M. I. were surprised by Britz's commando
at Tweefontein, while searching farms; they lost two officers and
thirteen men killed, and several officers and men wounded.
The Boers were dressed in khaki, having red cloth tabs with B.S.
(Britz's Scouts), and numbered some 300 or 400. It was noticed that
after the fight they destroyed their own rifles, taking away those they
captured, as they preferred ours. The remainder of the column, which
moved to join the 14th M. I. in the morning, did not hear of the attack
by the Boers in time to assist, but drove off the commando, inflicting
on the Boers some few more casualties. The column moved towards
Amersfort, where Christmas was spent, and then made two successive night
marches (27th, 28th December), towards Tweefontein and Standerton, in
which twenty-seven Boers, six armed natives and 600 cattle were
captured, and forty-four Boers were obliged to surrender on the
block-house lines. Some of the arms and equipment of the 14th M. I.
were recovered from the prisoners.
For about six weeks the column had its headquarters at Ermelo, which
became an important station at the junction of three lines of
block-houses. Bruce Hamilton now had five or six columns under him,
which he sent out in any direction according to the Intelligence
obtained by Wools-Sampson's boys.
The night marches that ensued resulted in the capture of a great many
Boers, including that of Grobelaar's laager and 100 men. The scattered
pursuits that followed the discovery of a laager became very like
hunting without hounds--with the added excitement that occasionally the
enemy would stop to fire. Only the fittest horses were taken out, and
the Boers were ridden down or driven onto lines of block-houses. The men
had to act by themselves in following up single or small parties of
Boers, as a column often got spread over many miles of country.
From 23rd February to 8th April the column was detached, still under
Brigadier General Spens, and acted in the low veldt and the Vryheid
district, also going through Utrecht and Wakkerstroom. The principal
idea of this trek appears to have been to complete the clearing of those
districts of cattle, and for this purpose some 200 Zulus were called
for, under a chief of north-western Zululand, to assist in bringing in
the cattle. The majority of the natives in those districts with whom the
Boers had left their cattle were of Zulu origin, but it was difficult
for the troops to sort the Boer from the Zulu cattle. This, however, the
"impi" did with ease. Going out into the kraals at night, they would
persuade the natives to bring in the Boer cattle themselves, as they
were allowed to kill as many as they could eat; and the "impi" grew and
grew until it was more than ten times its original size. By day it would
trek along at a jog trot beside the convoy, the men singing their war
songs; for they were not allowed to carry rifles, but only carried
assegais for self-defence at night. When the column returned to the high
veldt, the Zulus, though loath to do so, had to return to their own
country.
The final stage of the war was now reached. It was short. The Boers that
were left in the field were practically all enclosed in areas surrounded
by lines of block-houses and barbed wire fences, which they themselves
called "Kraals." Single men were known to have got through from one area
to another, but it was practically impossible for many to do so without
storming a block-house. It therefore only remained for us to sweep one
area after another, and this was done by an extended line of mounted
troops with its ends marching along block-houses. The block-house lines
on either flank and in front of the sweeping line were strengthened by
infantry trenches between the block-houses, which made them impassable
by day or night; and when either of these happened to be a railway line,
armoured trains patrolled the line to assist. The mounted troops
remained in their column organisation, and each column was bound to keep
in touch with the next by day and night, in order that every hiding
place should be searched and the Boers prevented from breaking through
as far as possible. By day a continuous chain of scouts advanced
supported by small bodies, at intervals in rear; and mule wagons
followed in rear of the centre of each column with supplies, blankets,
and entrenching tools. At night a continuous line of trenches about 50
to 200 yards apart was formed, and as far as possible a continuous
obstacle of barbed wire was put up in front of the trenches.
1ST DRIVE.--The 13th M. I. were always on the right of Spens' line, the
14th M. I. in the centre, and Gough's M. I. on the left. The Company
being No. 1 of the 13th was on the extreme right, and consequently on
them fell the onus of keeping touch with the next column through all the
drives.
On 10th April the columns under Bruce-Hamilton lined up from Ermelo,
through Carolina, to the Middelburg-Belfast line, and in three days'
swept the area to the Standerton-Heidelberg line.
On the last night of this drive some Boers made a determined effort to
get through the line, attacking Gough's M. I.; but not more than forty
were supposed to have succeeded, the remainder being beaten back. The
column picked up altogether ninety-five Boers out of a total of 134
captured, and a good many Boers were killed in attacking the line.
On 12th April some of the advanced scouts were ambushed by a party of
Boers, Pte. Leadbetter, of the Royal Sussex Regt., being killed and two
temporarily captured.
2ND DRIVE.--From the 18th--20th April the columns swept the area from
the Vaal-Springs line to the Bronkhorst Spruit--Middelburg line.
There were six columns extended, the Scots Greys joining in from
Springs; but the results were very small, the Boers having got through a
gap between two other columns on the left.
3RD DRIVE.--On 26th--27th the line went back over the same ground, going
over forty miles on the second day.
4TH DRIVE.--From the 3rd--5th May the columns swept the country from
Standerton--Heidelberg--Vereeniging southwards to Frankfort--Heilbron
and the main railway line, and then on in one day to the
Kroonstad-Lindley line; Elliot's columns holding the Liebensberg Vlei on
the left. The Boers made a great effort to break through the next
column, and some 200 succeeded; but the result of the whole drive was
294 prisoners and eleven killed, which was very satisfactory after the
long and arduous drive. The distance traversed on the 6th alone was over
forty miles, as the crow flies, which meant a good deal more for
everyone, if the unevenness of the land and the continual straining of a
line some sixty miles long be taken into account. But this told more on
the poor horses, which had to be sacrificed to accomplish the necessary
steps for finishing the war. Officers and men not only rode these long
distances, wearied by the monotony of trekking hour after hour at the
walk, on tired horses, but were hardly able to sleep at night during the
drives on account of the possibility of having a trench rushed at any
moment, and also on account of the continual firing all along the line,
everyone being ordered to fire on the slightest suspicion of Boers being
in front. By this time many of the horses were considered incapable of
keeping up with the line in a long day's drive, and were sent in to the
railway, leaving the Company only about half its original strength.
Everyone looked forward to the rest which Lord Kitchener promised us we
should soon have, but we had one more drive to accomplish--the return
drive to Heilbron and Frankfort, and this proved to be one of the most
eventful days for No. 1 Company.
LAST DRIVE.--The drive took place on 9th May, 1902; the 13th M. I.
started from Lindley, and finished at a point about twelve miles out of
Heilbron towards Frankfort. Starting at dawn, No. 1 Company joined hands
with McKenzie's column at 7.30, and the line halted for an hour at
10.30. The units being so weak, about four scouts per Company were sent
about half-a-mile in front, and the remainder of the men extended to
keep touch. The guide on the left of McKenzie's column, at the time of
the halt, said he had already come a mile over his line of advance, and
refused to come further; meanwhile Garratt's column on the left had gone
off to their left, leaving several miles to be covered by Spens' column.
The columns on the left were evidently under the impression that the
majority of the Boers were opposite them, and some firing was heard in
that direction on moving on again. But the Boers had chosen their piece
of ground well, and it turned out to be just in the line of advance of
the Company, a very few of the Boers having attracted attention by
firing on the left. The scouts had just reached the top of a rise, when
they saw a number of Boers cantering towards them only about 150 yards
to their front. The Company was then extended to about fifty yards
between men. The scouts fired, and the Boers fired with their rifles
laid across their saddles; but there was no time to warn the line, in
fact a low rise divided the Company, so that only some twenty men could
see the Boers coming on, in a long disordered crowd, with natives
leading spare animals. About ten men, immediately in front of the Boers,
galloped together, forming a small group round a sergeant, and fired at
the column of Boers which was coming straight towards them. The
remainder of the Company came galloping in from the left one by one, and
formed another group which opened fire, but not until the Boers had
already passed through the line. They had steered off from the first
group and cantered on, and nothing remained to be done but to pick up
what they had left, as the long driving line was going further and
further away. Several horses and mules were found loose; some were
wounded and had to be destroyed. One man was captured with a dislocated
shoulder, having fallen off his horse, and another was found in the
grass, shot through the temple. About twelve rifles were picked up and
destroyed, and other signs were found indicating that men and horses had
been wounded.
As the Company went on to join the line, two more Boers were captured in
a farm and taken on, the line arriving at its destination in driblets an
hour after dark. The number of Boers which passed through was estimated
at from 150-200, said to be under Mentz; they were evidently the same
party that had broken through McKenzie's column on the 6th. It seemed a
pity that they have got off so easily within a mile of the stronger line
of McKenzie's column, but doubtless these last two experiences, with the
prospect of more, influenced them in the peace meetings they were now
allowed to hold without molestation.
The Column was ordered to make its way to Heidelberg, where it stayed
inactive until it was broken up. On 6th August, 1902, the horses were
taken to the remount depot near Johannesburg. And on the 8th the two
detachments started to rejoin their regiments.
APPENDIX B.
THE 21ST M. I.
By LT. E. C. BEETON, Royal Sussex Regiment.
1901.--The two Companies of the 21st M. I., made up largely of men of
the Royal Sussex Regiment, were trained at Shorncliffe during March and
April, 1901. No. 2 Co., commanded by Major Anderson (late 60th Rifles),
was composed entirely of men of the Regiment, and was 130 strong,
though, with the exception of Lieut. Drinan, it was officered from other
regiments. No. 3. Co., commanded by Major Hearn, late 21st Lancers and
K. D. G.'s., was 136 strong, and was made up of a section of Royal
Sussex under Lieut. Beeton, a section of Dublin Fusiliers, a section of
Buffs and a mixed section of the West Kent and Loyal North Lanes. Regts.
No. 2 Co. left England at the end of April, and was followed three weeks
later by No. 3 Co.; the latter Company disembarked at Durban on the 14th
June, proceeding to Elandsfontein for remounts, and thence by train to
Klerksdorp. Meanwhile No. 2 Co. had joined the 21st M. I. on Colonel
Williams' column in the Western Transvaal, where it took part in various
minor engagements against Potgeiter's and Vermas' commandos, and did
good work in the Orange River Colony, and on the Magaliesberg mountains,
assisting in the capture of several Boer convoys during July, August,
and September, 1901. During the latter part of September Col. Williams'
column succeeded in taking nearly 100 prisoners and over sixty wagons of
the enemy. About October 20th No. 2 Co. was sent into the base at
Klerksdorp for garrison duty, and was relieved by No. 3 Co., which had
been on almost continuous convoy-escort duty between Potchefstroom and
Ventersdorp, with headquarters at Potchefstroom. Though no serious
fighting had occurred, the convoys were frequently threatened and fired
at by small parties of Boers. No. 2 Co. had also been working with
General Wilson's column, assisting in the capture of Cdt. Holls. In six
weeks Gen. Wilson took 140 prisoners, and cleared a large stretch of
fertile country.
In October, the 21st M. I. was operating on Col. Hickie's column in the
Western Transvaal. From Nov. 10th to Nov. 20th this column, then only
800 strong, was held up by the combined commandos of Generals Delarey,
Kemp, and Liebenberg, about 2,000 strong, at Brakspruit, 14 miles west
of Klerksdorp. The column was very strongly entrenched, and the entire
perimeter of the camp encircled with barbed wire. The enemy did not
attack, and the column was subsequently relieved by Lord Methuen's (1st
Division) column coming up from the south, and Col. Kekewich's from the
east. A squadron of the 11th Yeomanry, belonging to Col. Hickie's
column, were surprised and captured by Delarey on Nov. 12th, when on
reconnaissance. The 21st M. I. were sent out in relief, and met the
squadron of Yeomanry returning on foot, stripped of all rifles and
clothing.
On Dec. 8th Major Hearn was relieved of command of No. 3 Co., and
appointed commandant of Col. Kekewich's Base Depot. Lieut. Beeton took
over command of this Company.
From Dec. 8th, 1901 to Jan. 23rd, 1902, Col. Hickie's column was
trekking through the Western Transvaal and down to the Vaal River
without much result; very few Boers were found owing to the very heavy
rains. Many small expeditions for mounted troops, with four days'
rations on the saddle, were undertaken.
1902.--On Feb. 3rd an attack was made at dawn on Commandant Alberts'
commando by the 21st M. I., Scottish Horse, and 11th Co. I. Y., in which
General Alberts and fifty Boers were captured, together with a number of
wagons. The British casualties were one officer killed and two men, and
about twenty wounded. The Boer casualties were four killed and about
twenty or thirty wounded.
At the end of February the 21st M. I. were transferred to Lord Methuen's
column, subsequently commanded by Col. von Donop.
On Feb. 25th Col. von Donop's empty convoy of 160 mule wagons (2,000
mules) was attacked and captured at daybreak 8 miles from Klerksdorp by
General Delarey and 1,500 Boers. The convoy was trekking from
Wolmeranstadt to Klerksdorp for supplies, under an escort of 360 men,
composed of Yeomanry and two or three companies Northumberland
Fusiliers, with two field guns and a pom-pom and a maxim---all of which
were taken by the Boers. Major Anderson, commanding the escort, sent in
to Klerksdorp for reinforcements, and Major Hearn, with Lieut. Beeton,
and about thirty men of the 21st M. I. (who had been sent in to
Klerksdorp for remounts) moved out of the town towards Wolmeranstadt
about 7.30 a.m., and were subsequently joined by two troops of Scottish
Horse, some men of No. 2 Co. 21st M. I., with Lieut. Drinan, and other
details, making up a total of perhaps 250 men. This force, commanded by
Col. Grenfell, 1st Life Guards, galloped 6 miles towards the scene of
the disaster, subsequently reaching high ground from which the captured
convoy could be seen, turned about and moving off in an opposite
direction. The woods on the right of the road were occupied by large
numbers of Boers, who could be clearly seen, as well as a great number
trekking away over the hills. Col. Grenfell's men dismounted and opened
fire at 1,000 yards. Part of the force charged down the hill in an
attempt to recapture half-a-dozen wagons, which had been blocked and
overturned in the Spruit; whereupon the Boers in large numbers formed up
and galloped, firing from their saddles, down the hill opposite, towards
the British, compelling them to retire, with a loss of several horses
killed and two men of the Scottish Horse wounded. The Boers did not
continue the pursuit, being satisfied with the capture of the entire
convoy, and the guns, with the exception of the maxim, which was
galloped into Klerksdorp on a pack horse. The casualties among the
convoy escort were over 200. Two officers of the Northumberland
Fusiliers were killed, and three severely wounded.
On March 14th Lord Kitchener concentrated a large force in the vicinity
of Klerksdorp with the object of destroying Delarey's commandos. Col.
Grenfell, 1st Life Guards, took command of all mounted troops belonging
to the three columns (Col. von Donop's, Col. Kekewich's, and Col.
Grenfell's), together 1,500 strong. The first of the combined drives
began on March 16th and occupied five days, the enemy being driven from
S.-W. to N.-E., in the direction of Klerksdorp. Owing to a gap left by
General W. Kitchener's column, most of the Boers escaped over the hills,
near Brakspruit, 9 miles from Klerksdorp. The 21st M. I. came in touch
with a party of Boers quite unexpectedly at nightfall, and after
galloping a few miles in pursuit drove them in the direction of General
Kitchener's column, where sixteen subsequently were taken prisoners.
From March 16th to April 1st, small three days' operations took place
from Vaalbank (50 miles W. of Klerksdorp), the men carrying rations on
their saddles. Many men had to be sent on to Klerksdorp for remounts,
owing to considerable losses in horses from exhaustion and
horse-sickness.
On the evening of April 4th the mounted troops moved from Middlebult at
7 p.m., rationed for three days, in very heavy rain. The night was pitch
dark. At daybreak they attacked and captured a Boer convoy and large
herds of cattle and sheep, after a long gallop.
On April 9th the mounted troops of the combined columns started from
Middlebult to join General Ian Hamilton's big drive and enveloping
movement against General Delarey's commandos. After two days' march they
arrived at Rooival, passing the scene of Col. Cookson's engagement,
which had occurred five days previously, when Delarey surrounded the
column, killing all Cookson's horses. Col. von Donop's troops finally
took up their position in the driving line on the extreme right, and
entrenched for the night. On the following morning, two hours before
daybreak, word was brought by the scouts that the combined commandos of
Delarey, Kemp, Liebenberg, and Potgeiter, 2,000 strong, with four field
guns and two pom-poms (those captured from Col. von Donop's convoy six
weeks previously) were halted 6 miles away on the right. Col. von
Donop's column, being on the extreme right, was the first to move, the
21st M. I. being ordered to furnish the screen and supports of the
advanced guard. At about 6 a.m. the screen came over a rise, and was at
once face to face with Delarey's commandos, who were partially concealed
in large mealie patches less than 4,000 yards away. Although apparently
surprised, the enemy quickly formed into two or three long lines, and
riding almost knee to knee, charged through the screen, shouting, and
firing from the saddle. The 21st M. I. dismounted, and those horses
which were not shot were galloped to the rear, the men lying in the
grass and firing at the Boers as they galloped through. Many of the
latter and of their horses were shot as they passed von Donop's main
body, which by this time had had sufficient warning, and received the
charge with a very heavy fire. At the same time Gen. Rawlinson, whose
column had come up, met and repulsed an attempted turning movement. The
Boers were now effectively stopped, their casualties being very large.
Col. von Donop's Scottish Horse were then ordered to charge the enemy,
who made a big wheel to the left towards some hills covered with scrub
and small trees. The British guns then opening fire caused the whole
force of Boers to break and scatter in all directions, though their guns
still replied in a desultory way. The British pursued throughout the
day, the Boers with their guns and wagons scattering in parties all over
the country. By 4 p.m. all their guns and many prisoners had been
captured. The 21st M. I. suffered more casualties than any other corps
in this engagement, losing two officers and a colour-sergeant killed,
and five out of nine officers dangerously or severely wounded, including
Major Roy, of the Sherwood Foresters, then in command.
The Boer casualties were given as forty-five killed and many wounded,
Potgeiter being killed and Kemp badly wounded. The next day Col. von
Donop received the following message from General Ian Hamilton:--"My
best congratulations to you and your gallant troops. I shall have great
pleasure in telling Lord Kitchener of their steadiness when attacked and
their dashing pursuit."
The combined columns moved rapidly back to Brakspruit (near Klerksdorp)
in order to rest horses and troops and procure remounts. Many of the
horses had been killed or had given out from exhaustion.
On May 5th von Donop's column halted for a week at Rooijantjesfontein,
40 miles west of Klerksdorp. They started from here on the last big
drive into the Mafeking Line, which occupied five days, through an
almost waterless tract of country. The columns commanded by Col.
Kekewich were again posted on the extreme right of the driving line,
which extended southward 30 miles to Vryburg and beyond. Their right, at
the termination of the drive, rested on Saltpan Siding. During the last
two days they captured about forty or fifty Boers, the total bag for the
whole drive being 400.
The 21st M.I. then returned to Klerksdorp, whence, after peace was
declared, it was sent out to bring in many of the surrendered parties of
Boers.
During June and July, and up to the 24th August, the 21st M.I. were
camped 4 miles outside Klerksdorp, subsequently marching to
Bloemfontein, which town was reached on the 28th August. Here
Lieutenants Beeton and Drinan, together with all N.C.O.'s and men of the
Royal Sussex Regiment, rejoined the Regiment.
APPENDIX C.
Names of officers and numbers of men sent out to South Africa by the
Volunteer Battalions of the Royal Sussex Regiment.
1st Volunteer Battalion:--
Capt. S. W. G. Tamplin (1st Active Service Coy.),
Lieut. W. H. Findlay (2nd " " " ),
Lieut. J. G. Cockburn (2nd " " " ),
Lieut. T. O. B. Ruthven (3rd " " " ),
and 105 N.C.O.'s and men in all.
2nd Volunteer Battalion:--
Capt. and Hon. Maj. Sir W. G. Barttelot (1st Active Service Coy.),
Lieut. B. J. D'Olier (1st " " " ),
Capt. S. W. P. Beale (2nd " " " ),
and 81 N.C.O.'s and men in all.
[N.B.--Col. the Duke of Norfolk, E.M., K.G., served in South Africa with
the Sussex Imperial Yeomanry; Capt. Lord Zouche served with the Rough
Riders; Surgeon-Capt. G. Black served with the R.A.M. Corps].
1st Cinque Ports:--
Lieut. A. F. A. Howe (1st Active Service Coy.),
and 128 N.C.O.'s and men in all.
APPENDIX D.
Honours and rewards bestowed upon officers and men of the Royal Sussex
Regiment for the South African War:--
C.B. Col. the Earl of March, A.D.C.,
(3rd Battn.)
Lt.-Col. B. D. A. Donne.
Brevet Lt.-Col. Major L. E. du Moulin.
Brevet Major Capt. A. R. Gilbert,
Capt. E. H. Montresor, etc.
D.S.O. Lieut. and Adjt. R. Bellamy,
Major A. R. Gilbert,
Capt. F. Robinson,
" E. L. Mackenzie,
Lieut. E. F. Villiers,
" C. E. Bond.
Lieut. A. R. Hopkins was specially promoted for services in the field to
a Captaincy in the Manchester Regiment.
_Medals for Distinguished Conduct in the field_:--
Sergt.-Major S. S. Thwaits, Sergt. T. Gates,
Color-Sergt. T. Jones, Lc.-Sergt. A. Ockleford,
" A. Nye, Corpl. P. Hoad,
" A. Weston, Pte. J. Gill,
" H. Snaith, " T. Say,
Q.-M.-Sergt. C. Pittman, " C. Nevill,
Sergt. G. Weston, " T. Scrase.