South Africa 1899 - 1902
In January 1901 The King’s Dragoon Guards returned to Aldershot prior to embarking on the 8th of that month in the ‘Maplemore’ for South Africa, under command of Lieutenant Colonel Mostyn Owen. But a detachment of the KDG commanded by Lieutenant Wayte Wood had gone to Australia to take part in the Centennial celebrations, as part of the Imperial Representative Corps. On 1 January 1901 they ‘processed through the streets of Sydney - received great reception - unparalleled enthusiasm of people - crowds, on the 17th they were in Brisbane, where they received a telegram from the War Office, ‘Detachment K.D.G.s proceed Cape direct as soon as possible'.
However, from Brisbane they went to Hobart and then Melbourne, where they boarded the Orient on 15 February, arriving at Cape Town on 8 March. It was July before this detachment caught up with the main body of the regiment up country.
Ten months later, in November 1901 the Queen’s Bays sailed in the troopships ‘Orotava’ and ‘Fortunants’ from Southampton for South Africa. They landed at Cape Town on 6 December with strength of 24 officers and 513 men, 43 chargers and 445 troop horses. Lieutenant Colonel Dewar was in command, with lieutenant Colonel Fanshawe, Major J. A. Walker, and Captains T. Ward and R. D. Herron as the senior officers.
The King’s Dragoon Guards on arrival, like all other reinforcements, had to move north by rail to join the army. The first sign that they were nearing the field of operations was their coming to the railhead of De Aar, described by one officer:
At its best De Aar is a miserable place. Not made - only thrown at the hillside, and allowed by negligence and indifference to slip into the nearest hollow. Too far from the truncated kopjes to reap any benefit from them.
Close enough to feel the radiation of a sledgehammer sun from their bevelled summits - close enough in summer to be the channel of every scorching blast, in winter every icy draught. Pestilential place, goal of whirlwinds and dust devils, ankle-deep in desert drift, as comfortless by night as day.
Here the KDG were formed into a cavalry brigade with the Prince of Wales’s Light Horse, and ‘G’ Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery, who had come down from Pretoria; the whole under command of Colonel E. C. Bethune. The brigade, later joined by the 3rd Dragoon Guards, was to be employed in chasing the elusive Boer Commando commanded by De Wet.
The KDG concentrated at Naauport in the Orange Free State, with two squadrons detached to reinforce the column commanded by General Plumer. De Wet had invaded Cape Province with from 2,500 to 3,000 men plus some artillery, and Plumer had located him at Philipstown, scaring him into a retreat towards De Aar and the Orange River Railway. Kitchener thought that he had managed to surround the area in which De Wet was operating, but the Boer leader, doubling back on his tracks, was too wily to be caught. Late in the afternoon of 13 February Plumer found De Wet laagered at De Put. The weather had broken and both sides halted knee deep in water. The rain continued to pour down all night. The following morning Plumer attacked the Boers, holding them to their position, with The King’s Dragoon Guards and the Imperial Light Horse containing them in front while he turned the Boer line from the west. The Boers then sent off their waggons, following them round to Bas-Berg, but the pursuit was bogged down by yet another storm and progress on the veldt hampered by mud two feet deep. On 16 and 17 February the chase was continued, but De Wet had doubled back north towards the Orange Free State, where he was briefly contacted by Plumer as he rested his tired commando at Gras-Pan. The contact was made by a small party of the KDG, who attacked a Boer rearguard position unsupported and were all captured. The pressure on De Wet was such, however, that once he had disarmed the prisoners and taken their horses, he let them go.
On the 21st intelligence was received that De Wet’s guns were just ahead of the column at Slyp-Steen, and that their animals were exhausted. The troop horses of the KDG were also near foundering, but the advance was pushed on, with the KDG in the lead. After a chase of three hours Colonel Mostyn Owen sighted two guns ahead on the road to Disselfontein, surrounded by a body of Boers. In spite of the fact that the pace of the pursuit had foundered many of the regiment’s horses, at the sight of the column bearing down on them as they prepared to laager, the Boers panicked and fled. By nightfall, when Plumer’s column had joined Bethune’s at Disselfontein, two guns and their ammunition carts and 102 burghers had been captured.
Kitchener in his dispatch wrote:
The close pursuit of the various columns had the effect of driving De Wet north to the orange River, west of Hopetown, where, being hotly pressed by General Plumer, his 15-pounder and a pom-pom were captured by our mounted troops under Lt-Col Owen, 1st Dragoon Guards. De Wet eventually crossed the river, but over 200 prisoners, all his guns, ammunition, and waggons fell into our hands. He undoubtedly quitted Cape Colony with great loss of prestige.
An officer of the KDG was not quite so sanguine:
Almost before the last of the horses had been detrained, the whole nature of, and necessity for, the movement had changed. In short, everything had turned out as the Brigadier had anticipated. Plumer, with the tenacity for which he is famous, had clung to the rearguard of De Wet’s column, snatching a waggon here and a tumbril there, until he himself could move no further. De Wet had outlasted him, and had, moreover, seen that it would be useless to carry out his original programme. So he doubled and doubled again, with the result that the cleverly devised scheme of relays of driving columns was out of joint, and a dozen units were uselessly spread out over the veldt a hundred miles from the place in which the invader was catching his breath, within jeering distance of the column which had run itself stone-cold in his pursuit. So within forty-eight hours of the start the whole plan had to be reconstructed.
The tedium and exhaustion of the endless treks across the barren veldt were graphically described.
The column swung out into the great dry Karoo prairie. It was a comfortless trek. Earth and sky seemed to have forgotten the rain of the preceding days, or it may have been that the storms which had distressed us had been purely local, for we have struck a great waterless plain which showed not the slightest sign of moisture. The shuffling mules and lumbering waggons churned up a pungent dust, a great spiral pillar of brown cloud mushroomed out above the column, no breath of air gave relief from the vertical rigour of the sun, the great snake-like column sweated and panted across the open, reporting its presence to every keen-sighted Dutchman within a radius of fifteen miles. At midday the Brigade came to a halt at some mud holes, which furnished sufficient clayey water to allow the sobbing gun-teams and animals to moisten their mouths. Neither was there shade from the merciless sun. Men crawled under waggons and watercarts if they were fortunate enough to find themselves near them, or, unrolling their blankets, extended them as an awning, burrowed underneath. The oppression of that still heat!
The King’s Dragoon Guards remained with Bethune’s Column during the months of March, April and May 1901. The force was strengthened by the addition of six squadrons of the Imperial Yeomanry, when they moved to the north east area of the Orange River Colony to take part in a series of drives and mopping up operations under General Elliott. In June the KDG were formed into a separate column, together with the 4th Imperial Yeomanry, under command of Colonel Lowe of the 7th Dragoon Guards, Brigadier General Broadwood, who also had overall command of both columns, commanded another column, consisting of the 7th Dragoon Guards and the 12th Imperial Yeomanry. Lieutenant Wayte wood rejoined the regiment from Cape Town on 16 July, and his diary gives a graphic account of each day’s work, with both its boredom and occasional excitement.
July 18th Commenced trekking from Vredeford Road, marched about 12 miles.
Greyhounds killed several hares en route. July 19th. Marched through very pretty defile. Destroyed farms en route. Struck the Vaal River, camped in open ground with small copje (sic) overlooking us. One man 7th D.G. taken prisoner, and one man ’B’ Squadron. As we entered the defile saw a grey horse of the 7th D.G. which had been shot in the shoulder. Guns fired off 4 or 5 shots up the valley when we halted at midday. July 21. ‘A’ and ‘B’ [Squadrons] with convoy. ‘C’ Squadron, Quicke, Grey and Langton went out at midnight, captured 5 waggons and 4 Cape carts. July 22. Right Flank Guard started 6 a.m. through beastly drift. July 23. Arrived Clerksdorp in time to water and feed before dark. Entered Transvaal from Wolman’s Drift.
At the end of July General Elliot formed The King’s Dragoon Guards into a separate column commanded by Colonel Mostyn Owen, who was given two guns in support, in order to carry out a sweep with other columns west of the Kroonstad Railway. ‘On 2nd August near Gras Pan Captain Quicke, King’s Dragoon Guards, of Colonel Owen’s column, with two squadrons of his regiment, effected the capture of a laager of 65 waggons and 4,000 cattle.’ Gras Pan, close to Wonderfontein, was to be Broadwood’s bivouac for the night of August 2nd and Wayte Wood’s diary records the action:
Big day, 19 hours in the saddle, no food, no drink. Captured large number waggons and few Boers. My horse fell twice heavily through holes in the ground - under fire for a short time - got waggons to camp at midnight. ‘A’ and ‘B’ Squadrons turned out to assist us, but 7th D.G. arrived first. Took us for Boers! 55 waggons and 12 Cape carts captured.
Next day ‘A’ and ‘B’ squadrons brought in a further seven waggons and some more Cape carts. On 4 August, ‘Trekked to Besters Rust Camp doing rear guard. 4 more waggons and one or two Cape carts captured by ‘A’ and ‘B’ Squadrons - ‘A’ Squadron took 21 waggons and 17 Cape carts.’
So the tiring and mainly tedious work of drivers and trekking continued. On 19 August Wayte Wood reported,
To Rietfontein, Sgt Baker and my Troop right flank. Crossed bad drift - ground very difficult - high stoney copjes. ‘A’ Squadron advance flushed Commando of 50 Boers. We got into camp a 2. P.m., having started at 5 a.m. August 20th. To Worago with main body. Boers fired on flank guard - about a dozen of them came galloping in. Pom-Pom and one squadron yeomanry went out. August 22nd. Arrived Brandwater Basin after 5 ½ hours’ march with General Broadwood. Posted 24 men on two Neks and copjes - with Pom-Pom and a few 15 pounders. Charlton shot in arm, one man wounded severely - died. Halted at Nek 5.30 p.m. Looking thought stones on hill looked like Col Beard’s detachment of the Black Watch Mounted Infantry. Marched to their relief. August 23rd. 2 Officers and 65 men of the Black Watch [arrived] at evening. We arrived at scene of Black Watch position 7 a.m. Beard’s detachment surrendered yesterday about 9 p.m. They had one man killed, 2 or 3 wounded. August 25th. Chased Boers, Pom Pom cleared them. Yeomanry went out in afternoon, lost two horses. Boers buried man found at farm. August26. Mealie Mill blown up with gun cotton - destroyed contents three farmhouses, burnt some of the outhouses - started out 10 a.m., returned 2.30 p.m.
The drives and cordons went on through September, with the Boers for the most part eluding the columns, who methodically laid waste the countryside in order to destroy the commandos’ means of support. Wayte Wood records:
1st September. Reveille 6 a.m., started 8 a.m. Held Nek to Moolman’s Hoek - watched battle in valley - guns fired three or four times. Boers fired 75 to 100 rounds with no effect. September 3. Revellie 5.30 a.m., started 6.46 a.m. as Advance Guard. Climbed copje, and led horses down bad bridle path. ‘A’ Squadron exchanged shots with Boers on Left flank, guns fired 5 or 6 rounds.
Early in September the KDG were transferred to De Lisle’s column.
12th September. De Lisle’s column 5.30 a.m. went over old grounds, crossed drift, and two farmhouses examined. Captured 50 waggons and 20 Cape carts. Interviewed 12 prisoners. Quicke received Brevet Major, Champagne but damned bad dinner. September 22nd. Reveille 5.30 a.m., marched 8 a.m., crossed drift into a hollow, and we were no sooner over than the Boers opened fire. Quicke and self occupied ridge on left rear. Boers made good shooting at us, bullets coming uncomfortably close! I fired about 35 rounds, guns pooped off something like 40 rounds. At this spot we have lost one man killed, one wounded and six taken prisoner. September 24th. Boers sniped until driven off by guns. We ran into Colonel Brigg’s [KDG] column and heard his Pom Pom working hard. September 25th. Met another convoy on its way to Bethlehem. Guns pooped off a few rounds. ‘A’ Squadron captured one prisoner - soft-nosed bullets on him. September 26th. Met man who told us 17th Lancers had been mauled, 3 Officers killed.
| October 8th. Marched to meet convoy from Harrismith. Quicke, Gray and Longworth with 100 men marched at 10.30 p.m. to surprise some Boers in farmhouses, and almost succeeded, brought back with them eight beautiful horses from one farm, and 70 to 80 good trek oxen. October 14th. Yeomanry advance, Boers fired volleys at them - 60 Boers. 15 pdr and Pom Pom came into action and pooped off a few rounds at the retreating Boers, who scattered in all directions. They were followed up by the Yoemanry, but they did not wait. October 27th. At 1 a.m. two troops under Quicke and Gray surrounded a farm, and were fired at from the farm. The inmates had had warning through the dogs barking. Qucke, whilst rounding the corner of a kraal, was shot dead through his left hand, both lungs and heart. All deeply regret his untimely end. Renton attacked an outpost at 11.30, killed two Boers, and wounded some five or six at least. |
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October 28th. Reveille 3 a.m., marched 4 a.m. to same place as yesterday, where we again met with some resistance. Guns fired 40 to 50 rounds. Bullets coming unpleasantly close. My Troop (13 men) fired 450 to 500 rounds. I fired a good many too. October 29th. Started out at 4 a.m. Long copje shelled for some time, Boers in strong position on a hill like the side of a house. A few men from ‘A’ Squadron got up, but had to retire post haste! We were with General Broadwood and the guns.
Wayte Wood wrote home:
We are kept on the move the whole time, no rest at all, but it does us no harm. About every third night we are on some night enterprise rounding up farms or getting into position to try and catch the slim ‘Bohee’ - it is a most difficult task for many reasons. In the first place he has naturally got the best horse, since he can rest him as soon as a column goes by, and wait for the next, whereas our poor horses never have rest, and many have to be shot from sheer exhaustion. The wear and tear now is immense. From the papers you will have seen that the Regiment has been fighting every day. Poor Major Quicke was a very sound fellow. He was my Squadron Leader and got his brevet for capturing the 58 waggons and 12 Cape carts on 2nd August last, a part in which I am pleased to say my Troop took, and was first in a the finish. It was exciting and my horse fell twice through putting his foot in a hole galloping through the long grass. I rode him to a standstill and the poor thing had to be shot a day or two later. We were 19 hours in the saddle without food or water.
In a letter home in January 1902, Wayte Wood described the November activities of the KDG:
We were in the Squadron, Captain Quicke, Captain Williams, Gore, Langton, Harris and myself. In the three weeks poor Quicke and Williams were shot dead, and Harris wounded in the foot - it is all so sad - the latter it is feared injured of life. On the 28th November we came in touch with De Wet about 4 o’c in the afternoon, having galloped 5 or 6 miles - we had been trekking all the morning. The Boers waited for us to come into range, and then let us have it! They were in a very strong position with a deep wide donga between them and us. De Lisle counted the shells that they fired at us - 40 x15 pdrs. They also fired between 300 and 400 rounds right under the horses - one heard in the distance a faint pom-pom and wondered where the shells would drop. Eight rounds in line ripped the ground up behind me and the next lot I heard whistle over my head - the shots drop a little way in front of me. This happened whilst we were retiring for cover behind a ridge…..
One day we saw quite 1500 Boers. We disturbed them in holding a conference, in which it was said at the time that they voted 5 to 2 to continue the war for two years, and if they met with no success in that time, they would surrender. Unfortunately they have met with some success. The capture of Col - - -‘s [sic] column has given them new life, but we hope it won’t last long. As I write, a report has come that 900 Boers are just outside Kroonstadt. The 4.7 gun has fired half a dozen rounds at them. So far none of the Boers have been seen from the blockhouses, and I suppose they want to break through the line.
Wayte - Wood’s diary of 9 November described Captain Williams’ death:
‘C’ Squadron advance, my Troop right flank, Gray left, Longworth and Harris with Hulton centre. Day ended badly. Boers in strong position, and guns nowhere. Williams shot through the stomach, also Hughes of my Troop; former succumbed after about an hour. Harris shot through the ankle. My Troop had a narrow squeak of being badly mauled, had we not taken cover. Got right onto top of copje, seven horses shot. Dill narrowly escaped, his horse shot through the saddle and back, but still alive. Boers stripped Williams of almost everything. November 10th. Buried poor Williams. Hughes died. More scrapping today, guns used. ‘C’ Squadron down to 50 men. November 11th. Advanced on nasty looking ridge, killed a Boer and wounded another mortally. Guns killed two of three in rear. November 13. ‘B’ Squadron sent on, lost 4 or 5 horses shot. Sgt Allen shot in foot. ‘B’ Squadron in nasty corner. November 27. Fighting on left flank, Eastwood wounded in shoulder and arm, and three others in ‘B’ Squadron.
A court of inquiry described how Hughes, KDG, met his death. Corporal Burbidge, KDG, stated:
Mr Wood sent me our in charge of a patrol of three men in advance of the Troop. When I was approaching the kopje, I saw one or two Boers on it, and opened fire on them. Seeing them retire, I advanced onto the kopje, sending Private Gunthorpe to the right, myself and Private Britain working up the centre, whilst the late Private Hughes went to the left. We were all well extended. As we ascended Hughes disappeared round the left corner, and reached the summit first. He came on some kraals, which were occupied by the Boers, who opened fire on him, and on me as soon as I showed myself. There were also some Boers to my right, high up, whom we could not outflank. The fire being severe and having no cover, we retired thinking that Hughes would do the same. Mr Wood covered my retirement, and when I was sent forward again, I found Hughes, lying wounded by a kraal. He told me that 7 or 8 Boers sprang up, and said ‘Hands up’, an order which he could not help complying with. After they had taken his arms and ammunition, and rifled his pockets, a young Boer, about fifteen years of age, shot him through the stomach.
The Queen’s Bays arrived in South Africa in December 1901. Shortly afterwards Lieutenant Colonel Dewar was invaded home, to be succeeded by lieutenant Colonel Fanshawe. Based in Colesberg, the men were armed with rifles and bayonets, with 150 rounds of ammunition each. The regiment moved in January 1902 to Winburg in the Orange River Colony, where Captain Smyth, VC, rejoined from Egypt. The Queen’s Bays were at once engaged in chasing De Wet as part of a column, which included the 7th Hussars, and which was commanded by Colonel Lawley. After several skirmishes, and having suffered a number of casualties, the column captured several hundred prisoners, some thousands of head of cattle and large quantities of stores.
In an incident on 28 February 1902 Lieutenant Ing was wounded and thrown from his horse. Trooper Roberts, Bays, seeing his plight, galloped up, dismounted and placed the wounded officer on his horse, remounted and brought Ing back safely in spite of being pursued by a party of Boers.
In March the Regiment was moved up to Springs in the Transvaal, where Lawley’s column was to operate against Poet Viljoen’s Commando, which had possibly been joined by the Heidelburg Commando under Alberts. On 31 March the column was at Boschmanskop, when information was received that two small groups of about 200 Boers each were encamped near Enkeldebosch and Steenkiilpruit farms, some twelve miles away. At 1 a.m. on 1 April The Queen’s Bays were to make a night march to surprise the Boers at Enkeldebosch, while next morning the 7th Hussars were to attack Steenkoolspruit, where the Bays would join them. As there was the possibility of a third Boer laager further on, the Scouts would reconnoitre, and, if necessary, the column would deal with that later. The Bays marched at 1.30 a.m. with a strength of 284 NCOs and men. At 3.15 a.m. a farm was reached, which was surrounded and searched, but found to be empty, the Scouts in advance then crossed a stream and sound some horses hobbled near a laager. On receiving this information, Colonel Fanshawe decided to attack. ‘B’ Squadron was sent to surround the laager, while the other two squadrons would go straight for it. As the Bays attacked the Boers were completely surprised: many of them fled and a lot of their horses were stamped, through some Boers fought for a short while, firing from their waggon line.
One of the prisoners said that there was another laager higher up the spruit, and Colonel Fanshawe, thinking this to be the second laager, decided to attack it. Major Vaughan, 7th Hussars, the column intelligence officer, had been with the flanking squadron and had captured Commandant Pretorius as he was trying to escape in a Cape cart; but later that night Pretorius managed to slip away.
As The Queen’s Bays moved to attack what they thought to be the second small laager, they came under fire from the front and flank. The flashes from the Boers’ Mausers soon showed that they were faced by a very much larger force that their intelligence had indicated, and the order was given to retire. The squadrons went files about and galloped back some 300 to 400 yards u a slope, where they dismounted and opened fire on the Boers, who were advancing from their laager. The position was unsatisfactory, as it was overlooked and had an open flank, so Colonel Fanshawe determined to make a stand around a rocky kipje about a mile away, where the regiment could hold out until reinforcements could reach them from Boschmanskop. ‘C’ Squadron was ordered to seize the kopje and duly occupied the south and north-east crests, and then the other two squadrons retired and took up positions prolonging the line to the north west, with the horses being left to the west. It soon became apparent that the new position was not as good as had been hoped, for the line was too extended and the ground allowed the enemy to come too close. Added to this, in the darkness and the rain it was not easy to organise the defence.
The first attack came in against ‘C’ Squadron on the right, who were already under heavy fire from the direction of the Boer laager to the north east. A mounted Boer Commando then charged from the south east, firing from the saddle and shouting as they came on. The Bays at the point where the charge was made were very thin on the ground, but they kept up a steady fire and managed to beat off more than one attack. However, the Boers renewed their pressure, and as more and more men were hit, the enemy managed to gain a foothold at the south-east corner of the kopje. By this time the adjutant, Captain Mullens and Major Vaughan of the 7th Hussars had all been wounded, but they continued in action.
As dawn broke it became clear that the Boers were in great force, and that they were working around both flanks of the Bays’ position. Colonel Fanshawe decided to retire to a dominant crag some three miles back, called the Leeuwkop, or Lion’s Head, which was close to the Pretoria-Standerton road. ‘B’ Squadron fell back about a mile to a ridge from where it could cover the withdrawal, followed by ‘A’ Squadron, leaving ‘C’ Squadron as rearguard. ‘C’ Squadron’s retreat was conducted by Lieutenant Allfrey, as the squadron leader, Captain Ward, and Lieutenant Hill had both been wounded, and twenty-three killed and wounded Bays were left on the ground.
Capt Smyth V.C. Sgt Foweracker, Sgt Clerk, Cpl/Saddler Day, Cpl Webb, and 4 others remained behind in a slight hollow on the East side of the Kopje as their horses had been shot, and continued to fire for another 15 to 20 minutes, though being continually called upon to surrender. Capt Smyth then managed to crawl away through the long grass, (the rest of the party being all down shot or wounded), catch a riderless horse, and gallop back to the regiment.
By the time that the three squadrons had reached the intermediate ridge, the Scouts brought the news that the Boers had already occupied Leewkop. Fanshawe then ordered the regiment to retire to some small kopje near Boshof’s Farm, and on to some rising ground to the west and to the north west of Leeuwkop. As they retired, the Bays drove off some Boers on their left flank, reached the rising ground north of the Pretoria road, and there made a stand. A further withdrawal was then made to a height to the west of their position and some six and a half miles from Boschmanskop, where a long front was adopted to prevent the Boers from out-flanking the regiment, who by this time were outnumbered by four to one. ‘B’ Squadron, under Major Walker and Captain Mullens, was in a strong position on the right, near the Leeuwkop-Boschmanskop road. ‘C; Squadron was about a mile to their left. The Boers soon outflanked ‘A’ Squadron, forcing a further retirement, when Major Walker was killed.
As the squadrons retired, halting in turn to check the pursuit, they came at last in sight of Boschmanskop, but at this point Captain Herron, commanding ‘A’ Squadron, was killed. When they were two miles from Boschmanskop, they saw the 7th Hussars riding towards them. The Bays formed up once more and stopped a final charge of the enemy, and then two British guns opened up from Boschmanskop. A 7 a.m. the Boers started to retire towards Leeuwkop. A squadron of the 7th Hussars pursued the retreating Boers, and a party of The Queen’s Bays followed to assist the wounded.
During the retreat some thirty Bays had been taken prisoner when their horses were shot under them, and the Boers returned these men the following day, having stripped them of their arms and equipment and some of their clothing. It then transpired that the Boer force was a concentration of ten Commandos under General Albrechts, numbering between 1,000 and 1,200 Boers. The Boer losses were variously estimated at between 30 and 75 killed and 40 wounded; among the killed were Commandant Prinsloo, Barend Prinsloo, Field Cornet Niekeik and two other field cornets; and Commandants Scheepers, Farel and Viljoen, with Hans Botha’s son, wounded. The Queen’s Bays lost 2 officers and 13 men killed, and 3 officers and 59 men wounded (8 of whom subsequently died); 120 of the Bays horses were killed or badly wounded. (A list of the Queen's Bays men killed and wounded can be found in Colonel Dewars Diary which is listed in the Diaries Section of this site. There are also other diaries there relating to this campaign).
December 1901 saw The King’s Dragoon Guards in De Lisle’s column together with the 3rd and 7th Dragoon Guards and some mounted infantry. They were given the task of patrolling the blockhouse line between Kroonstad and Harrismith, a distance of 130 miles. The objective was still to catch De Wet, but he proved too wily and elusive.
On 8 December Wayte - Wood wrote:
Saw more Boers than I ever have, 600 to 700 travelling to our left, and 300 to our front towards the hills, besides numerous small parties - about 1500 altogether. Colonel Bing, Broadwood and De Lisle all had a smack at them. December 26th. Sniped at, a few shots as soon as we appeared on the skyline. Marched all night, arrived at farm and captured 7 Boers, two more caught on flank by 7th D.G. December 28th. De Wet and his crowd located - came under shellfire and pom-pom from him, strange sensational!
On 16 February 1902 a party of 500 KDG, 7th D.G. and 6th Mounted Infantry were sent out on a forced march to capture De Wet, who was supposed to be at Elandskop. The column marched forty-two miles in less than six hours, to capture six elderly Boers and one helio, and to find that De Wet had been nowhere near. Peace negotiations were now in process, but the KDG were employed in a number of drives right up to the end of hostilities.
Two officers of The King’s Dragoon Guards achieved distinction during the war serving away from the regiment and in very different fields. Lieutenant Colonel W.H. Birbeck became the Assistant Inspector of Remounts in South Africa. The going had been so hard, and the wear and tear on horseflesh so tremendous, that the supply of remounts became crucial to the success of the campaign. Haig commented, ‘No one could have done this remount work as well as Birkbeck has’. Major C.J. Briggs commanded the 1st Regiment of the Imperial Light Horse from early in 1901 until the end of the war, gaining great distinction. On 22 March 1901, at Geduld Farm, near Hartebeestfontein, Briggs with 175 men was suddenly charged by 400 of De La Rey’s Commando. The ILH were dismounted, but quickly remounted and then slowly, squadron by squadron, retired over a distance of four miles, holding off the enemy and fighting their way back to their mountain camp. Briggs, whose horse had been shot under him, conducted the whole operation ‘armed with a cigarette and a knobkerrie’. For the loss of two officers and five men killed, and some sixteen wounded, Briggs inflicted about two dozen casualties on the Boers and earned from General Jan Smuts, who was with the Boers, the verdict:
‘The rearguard action fought by the I.L.H. was the most brilliant one I have seen fought by either side during the whole campaign’. Briggs leadership at Cyferfontein in January 1901 and at Rooiwal on 11 April 1902 increased his reputation.
Between 18 and 20 April The Queen’s Bays took part in their last operation of the war, a drive across the veldt, which proved to be abortive except for some Boers captured at Palmiefontein on 6 May. By now peace negotiations were in hand. Between 8 April and 10 May the regiment had marched 900 miles, arriving on 20 May at Heidelburg. Peace was signed on 31 May 1902.
With the peace signed, The Kings Dragoon Guards formed a part of the Army of Occupation and was stationed at Potchefstroom in the Transvaal. The Queen’s Bays were ordered to Middleburg in June 1902, being present at the surrender of Louis Botha’s Commando at Kraal Station on 5 June, and were then posted to Pretoria in August. The King’s Dragoon Guards had eight other ranks killed, whilst twenty-seven other ranks died of disease; twenty-nine other ranks had been wounded; two officers were captured and five other ranks were posted as missing. The officers killed were Major F. C. Quicke, and Captains A.H.M. Edwards and J. C Briggs, Major H. de C. Eastwood, who was wounded twice, Captain Rasbotham and Lieutenants L. S. Denny, Harris and F. H. Charlton. The Queen’s Bays lost seventy-eight other ranks killed, fourteen other ranks died of disease; four officers and fifty-one other ranks were wounded. Two officers were killed, Major Walker and Captain Herron. The wear on the horses was terrible: out of 775 with which the Bays landed, 748 had been lost by the end of the campaign.
Five officers of the KDG were awarded the CB, Colonels A. H. M. Edwards, and S. Bogle-Smith, Lieutenant Colonel H. Mostyn Owen, Captain C. L. Bates, and Major and Brevet Lieutenant Colonel W. H. Birkbek. There were four DSO’s awarded to Major H. de C. Eastwood, Captain C. L. Bates, Lieutenant J. J. Brock-bank, and Lieutenant Colonel W.J. Lockett who was attached to the 14 Hussars Sergeant T. Gilton was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal. Twelve officers and four non-commissioned officers and one trooper of the KDG were mentioned in dispatches, some of whom were serving attached to other units. Sergeant F. Webb of the Queen’s Bays was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal:
In the action at Leewkop, on the first kopje occupied by the Regiment, he continues firing from the eastern edge of the position, with a party of about four men, in the face of a commando of Boers who were outflanking his party at about 50 yards, and who were repeatedly calling in our men to surrender. Corporal Webb, when his Squadron was withdrawn, covered its retirement by continued firing, after the men round him were all hit. After keeping the Boers in check for several minutes, he was dangerously wounded, and unable to move. Shortly after this, the Boers, finding the close range fire had ceased, streamed over the position.
Colonel Fanshawe gained a fourth mention in despatches, while Captains S.P Sykes, P.M. Sykes, J. Ward and Quartermaster Hopkins all received mentions, as did Sergeant Pope, Farrier Quartermaster Sergeant O. Preston and Trooper J. Roberts, the Former for having commanded a troop in action following the wounding of his troop officer, and the two latter for rescuing Lieutenant Hill under heavy fire. Captains Smith and Mullins were promoted to brevet-majorities, and Corporals C. Ginn and G. Buff were promoted sergeants for gallantry.
The King’s Dragoon Guards returned to England during 1903 and were quartered at Hounslow. The Queen’s Bays remained in South Africa, where at the end of 1902 Lt.Colonel Dewar was forced to give up command of the regiment because of ill health. They returned to England in January 1908, relieving The King’s Dragoon Guards at Hounslow. On leaving South Africa the commander in chief wrote, ‘The conduct of the 2nd Dragoon Guards (Queen’s Bays) has been irreproachable in action, on trek and in camp.’
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