Talana Account and Medal Roll Update 1 By David Biggins 1 Introduction to Update 1 In compiling the Talana book, more information was researched than could be included and this update is comprised of this information and also some recent discoveries of medals with the Talana clasp that have appeared on the market. The intention is to produce regular updates to this book and the other Boer War titles. Within this update can be found the dispatches and evidence given to the Royal Commission by General White and the diary of Governor Hely-Hutchinson. Several eyewitness accounts are also included that give perspectives of the battle itself, the view from Pietermaritzburg and life afterwards. Two accounts by the Town Guard are included and also examples of poetry that was written to commemorate the battle. There is a roll of bronze medals earned by Indian recipients and a short section on the postal commemoration of the battle of Talana. I hope you find the update interesting. For a copy of the book, please contact Token Publishing. This document can be downloaded from the web site, free of charge. Follow the links to the Talana page. www.angloboerwar.com Please use this site to contribute information about Talana, the Boer War or take part in the forum. To provide feedback to the author please use the forum or the email address: [email protected] David Biggins March 2012 2 Contents Introduction to Update 1 ....................................................................................................................................... 2 British Army organisation ...................................................................................................................................... 4 Butler’s report of 14th June 1899 .......................................................................................................................... 7 Martial Law Proclamation, 23rd October 1899 ...................................................................................................... 9 Hely-Hutchinson’s diary 13th – 26th October ....................................................................................................... 11 White’s despatch of 2nd November 1899 ............................................................................................................ 21 White’s evidence to the Royal Commission ....................................................................................................... 24 Account by Major J F Donegan, RAMC .............................................................................................................. 31 Letter by Captain C Hensley, RDF ..................................................................................................................... 36 Account by Major F M Crum, KRRC ................................................................................................................... 42 Account by Lieutenant R Johnstone, KRRC ...................................................................................................... 58 Letter by Sergeant A Harrington, KRRC ............................................................................................................. 60 Account by Major P Marling, 18th Hussars ......................................................................................................... 62 Account by Major H Greville, 18th Hussars ......................................................................................................... 66 Account by Lieutenant Cape, 18th Hussars ........................................................................................................ 71 Account by Corporal Padwick, 18th Hussars ...................................................................................................... 75 Letter from Pte Burrows, Leicester Regiment .................................................................................................... 78 Reminiscences by Mr S B Jones, DTG .............................................................................................................. 81 Diary of William Chegwidden, DTG .................................................................................................................... 86 Report by Mr P Littlejohn, NGR .......................................................................................................................... 93 Account by Michael Davitt .................................................................................................................................. 97 Memories of Right Reverend Baynes ............................................................................................................... 110 Pen pictures of the War .................................................................................................................................... 121 Bronze medals to Indian recipients .................................................................................................................. 132 Postal commemoration of the battle ................................................................................................................. 143 Poetry ............................................................................................................................................................... 144 Bibliography ...................................................................................................................................................... 151 Index ................................................................................................................................................................. 152 3 QSAs with the Talana clasp In the short period between the completion of the manuscript for the book and this update, there have been only a few Queen’s South Africa (QSA) medals that have appeared on the market. The details of these men were already captured in the book with one notable exception, the group to Lt O C Du Port, RHA, which was sold by DNW in December 2011. The group consisted of DSO (GV), QSA (6) (Lt A Bty RHA), 1914-15 Star (Major RFA), BWM and VM with MID (Lt Col). Osmond Charteris Du Port was born on 9 July 1875. He was educated at Harrow School and the Royal Military Academy. He was commissioned on 2 November 1895. He served in the Boer War in Natal from 1899, including the actions at Talana and Lombard’s Kop and during the siege of Ladysmith where he was slightly wounded. He next served in operations in Natal, March to June 1900, including the action at Laing’s Nek, operations in Transvaal, east of Pretoria, June to November 1900, including the action at Lydenberg. For his services he was mentioned in despatches and awarded the QSA with 6 clasps. During the Great War he served in France and Flanders, from 31 May 1915 to 11 November 1918 and was in command of 35th Brigade RFA between 11 March 1916 and 4 February 1917. He was five times mentioned in despatches, awarded the DSO and received the brevet of Lieutenant Colonel on 3 June 1919. At the end of the War he was appointed Lieutenant Colonel in the Reserve of Officers on 2 May 1919. Afterwards he farmed in Southern Rhodesia, was a member of the legislative Assembly of Southern Rhodesia, 1924 to 1928 and a Minister of Agriculture and Lands 1927 to 1928. He died on 21 June 1929. 4 British Army organisation This section explains the structure and organisation of the British Army at the time of the Boer War. Terms such as battalion, company, battery and squadron are used throughout the book and these are described in more detail here. The section is divided into infantry, cavalry and artillery as each used their own terms. Infantry An infantry battalion consisted of around 1,000 men commanded by a Lieutenant Colonel. The battalions were numbered 1st and 2nd and each consisted of 29 officers, 2 warrant officers, 25 sergeants, 16 drummers, 40 corporals and 900 privates. Their main armament was the .303 Lee Metford Mark I or Mark II rifle with a bayonet. Each battalion had one machine gun. The battalion was sub-divided into companies of 100 men commanded by a Major. Companies were identified by letters, A, B, C etc. A company was divided into half companies commanded by a Lieutenant and a half company was divided into sections commanded by a corporal. Mounted troops from the battalion were referred to as the mounted infantry (MI). Four battalions were combined into an infantry brigade commanded by a Major General. The total strength of an infantry brigade was nearly 5,000 men, the battalions being augmented by brigade staff, a company of the ASC, company of the RAMC and a field hospital. The 1st Battalion Leicester Regiment at Ladysmith Cavalry A cavalry regiment was made up of 531 men and 536 horses. In addition, each regiment had a machine gun and carriage pulled by two horses and 13 transport wagons. The armament of the cavalry was the .303 Lee Metford carbine with 30 rounds for the men and a Webley mark IV .455 calibre revolver and 12 rounds for the officers. The cavalry regiment was divided into squadrons of around 100 men. Artillery There were three types of artillery in the Boer War; the Royal Horse Artillery, Royal Field Artillery and Royal Garrison Artillery. Only the RFA was represented at Talana. The role of the RFA was to support infantry and for this purpose was equipped with shrapnel shells only. The basic unit of artillery was the battery. The RFA battery consisted of six 15 pounder field guns, three transport wagons