The Record of a Regiment of the Line. Mainwaring George Jacson

time of Drake, and which still exist.

      A repeating of their history of the past, a record of the present, and an example for the generation to come.

CHAPTER I

       Table of Contents

EVENTS LEADING UP TO THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH

       Table of Contents

      1899

      On returning from the North-West Frontier of India at the close of the Tirah Expedition, 1897–8, the 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, which had served with distinction under the command of Colonel J.H. Yule in the campaign against the Afridi clans, was ordered to proceed from Peshawar to Jullunder, at which place it was quartered in 1898 and in the summer months of 1899, during which time certain companies and detachments were furnished for duty at Dalhousie, Kasauli, and Ghora Dakka (Murree Hills), and located during the hot weather at these places.

      Towards the latter end of August, 1899, news from South Africa appeared ominous, and war seemed likely to break out between England and the Transvaal.

      On the 8th September, 1899, confidential instructions were received from army head-quarters at Simla ordering the Regiment to get ready to move at short notice to South Africa, and a few days later further orders were received to entrain on the 16th September for Bombay en route to the Transvaal, which country the Regiment was destined not to reach for some months, and then only after severe fighting.

      The companies quartered at Dalhousie and Ghora Dakka with difficulty joined the head-quarters at Jullunder before the 16th, and the following marches are worthy of record:—

      The Dalhousie detachment marched to Pathankote, a distance of 54–¼ miles, in two days. Major Curry, who was in command, gave each man a coolie for his baggage, and ordered the men to get to Duneera the first day the best way they could. At Duneera they halted for the night, and the next day pushed on in the same manner to Pathankote, where they immediately entrained and proceeded to Jullunder.

      The Ghora Dakka detachment under Lieutenant Emerson marched to Rawal Pindi, a distance of fifty-four miles, in two days, and then entrained for Jullunder.

      No men fell out in either party, and considering the time of year and the intense heat, they were fine performances.

      Some officers were on leave in Cashmere, and only arrived at Jullunder as the Regiment was entraining.

      On September 16th, 1899, the 1st Battalion Devonshire Regiment, under the command of Major C.W. Park, left Jullunder by rail for Bombay with a strength as under:—

      25 officers, 1 warrant officer, and 842 sergeants, rank and file.

      The following officers accompanied the battalion:—

      Major C.W. Park, commanding.

       Major M.C. Curry, second in command.

       Captain M.G. Jacson.

       Captain J.O. Travers.

       Captain E.C. Wren.

       Captain E.M. Morris.

       Lieutenant P.H. Price-Dent.

       Lieutenant J.E.I. Masterson.

       Lieutenant A.F. Dalzel.

       Lieutenant N.Z. Emerson.

       Lieutenant G.H.I. Graham.

       Lieutenant T.B. Harris.

       2nd Lieutenant G.I. Watts.

       2nd Lieutenant D.H. Blunt.

       2nd Lieutenant H.R. Gunning.

       2nd Lieutenant S.T. Hayley.

       2nd Lieutenant H.W.F. Twiss.

       Captain and Adjutant H.S.L. Ravenshaw.

       Captain and Quartermaster H. Honner.

       Warrant Officer Sergeant-Major G.E. Mitchell.

      The following officers were attached for duty to the battalion:—

      Major Burnside, R.A.M.C., in medical charge.

       Lieutenant E.G. Caffin, Yorkshire Regiment.

       Lieutenant H.W.R. Cowie, Dorset Regiment.

       Lieutenant A.M. Tringham, The Queen's West Surrey Regiment.

       Lieutenant J.A. Byrne, Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers.

       Lieutenant E.E.M. Walker, Somersetshire Light Infantry.

      En Route to Ladysmith

      The following officers were absent from the battalion on leave in England:—

      Captain W.B. Lafone.

       Captain G.M. Gloster.

       Lieutenant H.N. Field.

      Colonel J.H. Yule, commanding the battalion, was appointed to the command of the Indian Infantry Brigade, South Africa, with the temporary rank of brigadier-general. Major A.G. Spratt was placed in charge of the depot and details left at Jullunder.

      The Regiment arrived without incident on September 21st at Bombay, having halted, for a few hours only, at the following places:—

      On September 17th at Aligarh.

       18th at Jhansi.

       19th at Hoshangabad.

       20th at Deolali.

      Embarkation took place immediately on arrival, the transport Sutlej taking five companies, head-quarters, band and drums, under Major C.W. Park; and the transport City of London taking three companies under Major M.C. Curry.

      On the latter vessel sailed also Sir George White's Staff and the Staff of the Indian Infantry Brigade.

      The Sutlej sailed at noon on September 21st, and it was reported that the ship was under sealed orders, and that her destination was Delagoa Bay.

      The days on board were occupied in keeping the men fit with physical drill, free gymnastics, etc., and with instruction in first-aid to the wounded and the use of the field-dressing and the method of adjusting it.

      On September 28th Agalega Island was sighted, and on the 30th the ship was off the east coast of Madagascar.

      On the 2nd October the S.S. Purnea with the 60th Rifles on board was spoken, and communication by flag signal established, both vessels inquiring for news. The Sutlej was the last to leave port, but had nothing new to communicate.

      At 7 a.m. on October 5th, in rough and foggy weather, the Sutlej arrived off the coast of Africa, and the fog lifting about midday, she ran down the coastline for two hours, and arrived outside the bar at Durban.

      The ships conveying the 60th Rifles and the 53rd Battery arrived an hour later. The Sutlej waited till 2 p.m. to enter the harbour, and arrived alongside the quay at 4 p.m., when disembarkation commenced at once in torrents of rain and heavy wind squalls.

      A deputation of the Durban "West of England" Association met the Regiment on arrival and presented an address.

      The first news received on landing was that war had not yet been declared, but that it was inevitable, that President Kruger had seized half a million of money on its way from Johannesburg to the Cape, and that orders had been given by him to shoot any one crossing the frontier. This may or may not have been true; a good deal of perfectly reliable information was being circulated about this time.

      On the night of October 5th-6th the Regiment left in three trains for Ladysmith. The rain and