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The 2nd Battalion Mobilise, Oct 1899
Hildyard’s 2nd Brigade was the only infantry brigade that had the advantage of having trained together and become familiar with the commander’s methods. The East Surreys contained 378 soldiers below the age of 20 who were not sent out to the war. To bring them up to strength, reservists were called up, adding 683 men with an average age of 28, most of whom had gained experience with the 1st Battalion in India. They embarked at Southampton on 20 Oct 1899, less than two weeks after the order to mobilise. The following account of their time in South Africa is taken from the regimental history written by Hugh Pearse, a major, and second in command of the battalion under Richard Harris. After Colonel Harris was wounded and had to relinquish command at Pieter’s Hill, Major Pearse became CO.
The Voyage to South Africa
The battalion sailed on the 20th Oct on two ships, the Lismore Castle and the Harlech Castle. They had a strength of 26 officers, one sergeant-major, 58 sergeants, 53 corporals, 16 drummers, and 1,038 privates. The rest of Hildyard’s brigade sailed on the same day. The men were kept busy on board with training which was especially needed for the reservists many of whom had been civilians for the past 4 years. On arrival at Cape Town on 10 Nov the men had to remain on board. Orders were given on 11 Nov for them to proceed immediately to Durban in Natal in the northeast, so the ships continued up the east coast and docked there on 14 Nov. From Durban they entrained for Pietermaritzburg. The reason for their redirection from Cape Town was the fear of a Boer invasion of Natal.
Willow Grange, 18 - 23 Nov 1899
On 16 Nov the brigade travelled by train to Estcourt to take part in operations against the large concentration of Boers threatening Ladysmith. The first shots fired by the East Surreys were on 18 Nov when a section of D Company spotted Boers at a range of 1,200 yards. Joubert’s Commando were hovering around Estcourt and took measures to cut off Hildyard’s 5,000 strong brigade from any contact further south. On 20 Nov three companies of the battalion were part of a force sent to attack Joubert’s kraal but it was decided that the force was not strong enough and they were recalled after an exhausting reconnaisance.
The Assault of Brynbella Hill, 22 - 23 Nov 1899
Based on the information that he now had about the disposition of the enemy at Brynbella Hill, Hildyard sent a larger force under Colonel Walter Kitchener with the aim of capturing Joubert’s artillery.This was made up of 4 companies 2nd Queens, 4 of 2nd West Yorks, 7 companies of the East Surreys and a battalion of the locally raised Durban Light Infantry. They also had a battery of the RA and a 12-pounder Naval gun. On the afternoon of the 22nd the Naval gun was placed on top of Beacon Hill. As this was going on there was a heavy shower of hail that obscured vision so that they were able to hide the bulk of the force and, when the storm abated send the Queen’s companies and Durban LI towards Estcourt to give the impression of a withdrawal. On the night of the 22nd the East Surreys and the West Yorks made their way stealthily to the foot of Brynbella but the weather was very wet and cold, turning out to be the worst storm experienced in Natal for many years. However, when the rain stopped and the moon appeared, a section of the Surreys acting as a flank guard were mistaken for Boers and shots were exchanged. In this incident 2 men of the East Surreys were killed, Privates Hunter and Reeves, along with one man of the West Yorks. Five others were wounded. This could have alerted the enemy on the hill but for some reason not even the forward companies of the attack heard the shots so the advance continued. The Boers were taken by surprise and an attack made in three lines at around 3am cleared the plateau at the top of Brynbella. The Boer guns, unfortunately, had been withdrawn to the other side of the hill.
The Retirement for Brynbella, 23 Nov 1899
Daylight brought welcome sunshine to warm up the frozen soldiers and dry off their soaking uniforms.The Boers who had vacated Brynbella formed only a part of the enemy force. It soon became clear that the companies of West Yorkshires and East Surreys were not enough to prevent the recapture of the position by a superior number of Boers. They came under fire from the Boer guns and rifles so their only option was to retire. The Surreys descended first, covered by fire from the West Yorks. When it was the turn of the Yorkshiremen to leave the summit they would have suffered heavier casualties than they did but for the timely arrival of mounted troops. The Imperial Light Horse and the KRRC Mounted Infantry rode up the hill, dismounted and gave covering fire for them. The Queen’s and the Border Regiment formed lines at the foot of Brynbella to receive the Surreys and Yorks, and their combined numbers deterred the Boers from mounting an attack on them as they retreated.
The attack had failed to capture Joubert’s guns but it had the effect of unnerving the Boers. They were astonished at the perseverance of the attacking force, undeterred by the terrible storm, and having managed to climb the hill against the odds to take them by surprise. The casualties for the East Surreys were: two men killed and five wounded by friendly fire, and seven wounded in the action. The West Yorkshires suffered heavier casualties.
Battle of Colenso, 15 Dec 1899
Black Week culminated on 15 Dec 1899 with the Battle of Colenso in Natal. General Sir Redvers Buller’s advance towards Ladysmith was blocked by Louis Botha’s well constructed trenches north of the Tugela River. Not only had the Boers tricked Buller into thinking that the trenches were high on the kopjes when in fact they were nearer the banks of the river, but they had also dammed the river to make the water higher, and sabotaged the drifts with barbed wire under the water. They had left a bridge intact to entice the British over at that point where a trap was prepared. Buller sent Fitzroy Hart’s Irish Brigade to cross on the left of the line and the artillery was sent to cover the advance of Hildyard’s 2nd Brigade which was supposed to cross the bridge and assault the kopjes to their front, constituting the main thrust of Buller’s attack. As it turned out, Hart’s brigade was misdirected by a local guide and was caught in a natural salient formed by a loop in the river so that they suffered heavy casualties. But the greatest error was made by the artillery commander, Colonel Long who took his six 12-pounder Naval guns and two 15-pounder RA batteries on to the plain just east of the town. Long did not realise how near he was to the Boer trenches and so put his guns in jeopardy.
Two battalions of the 2nd Brigade were sent forward; the 2nd Queens advanced on Colenso town and the 2nd Devons headed towards Long’s artillery to give assistance. The 2nd East Surreys were in the second line, ordered to spread well out as they moved forward, a strategy that considerably reduced their casualties. They were able to lie down and take cover behind ant-hills. The Devons crossed the railway line towards the beleaguered guns and half of the East Surreys under Major Pearse were sent to support them. But around mid-morning Hildyard ordered the Queens and Devons to retire while the East Surreys were to stay in place to cover their retreat. Part of the Surreys companies occupied a trench that had been previously dug by the Durban Light Infantry. Major Pearse’s companies remained in place, within range of the Boer Mausers until there was no-one left to fall back. Finally, at 3.30pm they arrived back in camp.
Lieutenant Wade of the Royal Lancaster Regiment was attached to the East Surreys and carried out a rescue of wounded men stranded in the open ground. He took a section of B Company and organised their recovery to a safe place. They worked under heavy fire from the enemy trenches until all the wounded were recovered. Lt Wade, popular and respected by all ranks in the East Surreys, rejoined his regiment shortly afterwards and was sadly killed at Spion Kop. The casualties of the battalion at Colenso were one killed, Private W Taylor, and 31 wounded, but one wounded man, Private G Moss died of wounds at Netley Hospital.
Diversionary Operations, 6 Jan 1900
The 2nd and 6th Brigades remained in the Colenso area, camped at Chieveley, to keep a check on Botha’s force while the rest of Buller’s army marched to Frere. On 6 Jan the Boers besieging Ladysmith attacked Caesar’s Camp and Wagon Hill, and the two brigades were ordered to threaten Botha’s entrenched force at Colenso, to cause a diversion and prevent them from joining the attack on Ladysmith. This time they did not risk an infantry assault but left it to the artillery to bombard the Boer position. The brigades, however stayed at Chieveley until 10 Jan, when the 2nd Brigade marched to Springfield to link up with Buller, who with his main force, was attempting to relieve Ladysmith before his replacement, Lord Roberts, arrived.
Attack on Bastion Hill, 21 Jan 1900
The main part of the force was ordered to cross the Tugela river at Trichardt’s Drift. On 19 Jan the East Surreys were given outpost duty at Venter’s Spruit. On 20 Jan an attack was made against the Rangeworthy heights by the 5th and 11th Brigades. The battalion remained inactive except for one company that supported mounted troops under Major C B Childe who had captured Bastion Hill. The rest of the battalion took up positions for a flank attack on Bastion Hill while the West Yorkshires made a frontal attack. This was a badly planned and ultimately unsuccessful attack. F Company was in reserve but so exposed that all the officers were slightly wounded, and one, Lt Porch, who had joined the attack despite receiving a head-wound days earlier, was severely wounded in the leg. The flank and frontal attacks were too widely separated to help each other and were not numerically strong enough to penetrate the Boer defences. After 3 hours, at 11am, the attack was called off, having incurred 100 casualties. Half of the East Surreys remained in position until dark when they withdrew under heavy fire. They bivouacked at the foot of Bastion Hill which actually was still within range of Boer snipers. The other half of the battalion, under Major Pearse, remained in position throughout the night and the following day, 22 Jan. it was not until 8pm that they were withdrawn, having been in action for 36 hours.
Spion Kop, 23 - 26 Jan 1900
On 23 Jan the battalion were put to work at 2 a.m. digging trenches at the foot of Bastion Hill. Meanwhile the battle on Spion Kop was in progress. On 24 Jan they were marched to Picquet Hill along with the 2nd Devons to support the troops on Spion Kop. But they remained in this position, inactive until 26 Jan. The fighting on Spion Kop came to an end on the 24th and the many wounded men were brought down the next day. The East Surreys were the last unit to retire from that area, just after midnight on 26 Jan, and were fired on by the Boers, wounding two men. The battalion’s casualties during the operations at Bastion Hill and Spion Kop were 5 men killed and 21 wounded. On 30 Jan they received a draft of 130 men from England so that the battalion strength was 1,013.
The Bombardment of Vaal Krantz, 7 Feb 1900
The British infantry remained in camp near Springfield from 27 Jan to 4 Feb. On 3 Feb, Redvers Buller ordered the capture of the high ground of Vaal Krantz, to be carried out by Lyttelton’s 4th Brigade, supported by the 2nd and the 5th. The 11th Brigade was to divert Boer attention with a feint attack on the enemy’s right. The Royal Artillery effectively softened up the Boers on Vaal Krantz so that despite heavy fire from other Boer positions, the 4th Brigade captured the heights by 4 p.m. Of the 2nd Brigade, the Devons held positions below the heights, and the East Surreys were still at the Tugela, with one company only having crossed the new pontoon bridge. On 6 Feb the infantry were inactive until dusk when the 2nd Brigade were tasked with relieving the 4th who had been busy building defences on the summit. Two companies guarded the pontoon bridge on the north side while the rest of the battalion took up positions just below the rear crest of Vaal Krantz. The Devons were at the base of the hill. The night of the 6th/7th Feb was hard work for the three companies that had taken over the defences of the 4th Brigade. They searched for stones in the dark to build up the sangars, but three supporting companies had to rely on the steepness of the ground to protect them.
At dawn on 7 Feb the Boer artillery opened a lethal bombardment that lasted all day. The East Surreys bore the brunt of the shelling and there was little they could do but remain in place in blistering heat and watch men being blown apart. The Boer guns were placed on Spion Kop, Doorn Kop, and Brakfontein so the firing came from different directions. That night the brigade was ordered to evacuate the position, a procedure that required great skill and care. But there was a bottleneck at the pontoon bridge causing troops to concentrate on the north bank where they could have been wiped out. However, the enemy were kept in check by effective covering fire and the brigade crossed the Tugela safely in the early hours of 8 Feb. The casualties in the East Surreys were two men killed and 12 injured.
Disaster on Wynne Hills, 23 Feb 1900
From 14 Feb until 21 Feb the battalions in the 2nd Brigade were heavily engaged capturing first Cingolo Hill, then Monte Cristo. On 21 Feb a new pontoon bridge was constructed on the Tugela near Hlangwane and the 10th Brigade advanced against the Boers at Onderbrook Spruit. But they were unable to capture the enemy position and Buller decided to attack again the next day but in greater strength. On 22 Feb the 11th Brigade commanded by Major-General Wynne launched an attack on two hills just above Onderbrook Spruit which came to be called Wynne Hills. The attack was supposed to have been supported by the 2nd Division but this failed to happen. Wynne himself was wounded and his brigade was in trouble. The 2nd Brigade, on the Colenso Kopjes were ordered to go to their aid but the only troops able to reach the 11th Brigade were the 3rd Battalion KRRC from the 4th Brigade.
The 2nd Brigade reached a point half a mile south of Onderbrook Spruit with the East Surreys as lead unit. Lt-Col Harris was ordered to take his battalion to reinforce the right of the advance a.s.a.p., and the Devons to support the left. This was a very difficult movement as the ground was unknown to them, very hazardous, and it was pitch dark. They managed to reach the spruit and find the foot of the two Wynne Hills which were joined by a nek. They made contact with the men of the 11th Brigade who were desperate for ammunition and more men. Col Harris decided to distribute his battalion to support the two flanks of the endangered brigade. He himself took four companies, A, D, E, and G to the right and Major Pearse took B, C, and F Companies to the left. In the darkness Harris and A and G Companies became separated from D and E, commanded by Major Smith.
D Company was ordered by the commander of 11th Brigade to reconnoitre along a railway line on the right, but the area was found to be clear of the enemy. Then Smith was ordered to take his two companies to extricate the KRRC companies who were in difficulties. They climbed to a part of the hill that had a large depression near the summit. There were wounded soldiers here, and he deployed his men with fixed bayonets to wait for first light to advance. As they did so they were aware of A and G Companies on their right. Smith told Major Treedy commanding G Coy to let Col Harris know what he was doing. On reaching the KRRC who were sheltering in a kraal, Smith’s men took up positions to cover their withdrawal. But the Boers started up a rapid fire on them from quite close by. All the Riflemen were brought out, although some wounded were left behind, and Smith's companies withdrew, but as they did so they lost eight men killed and 16 wounded. Major Smith himself was hit and carried out of the fire zone by Privates Humphrey and Thurston.
The four companies were lined along the southern crest of the plateau shortly after daybreak on 23 Feb 1900. Harris realised that A Company was poorly position so told them to move forward. This attracted heavy fire and many casualties were sustained including the Company commander, Lieut Hinton and Harris himself. Before long both these men were hit again, Hinton being killed and Harris receiving his second, and more serious injury. Throughout the day, the men of all four companies were pinned down. They had managed to build sangars in the night but they gave scant protection and many men were shot as they lay there in the hot sun, hungry and thirsty. Col Harris received seven more wounds and others were similarly wounded several times. However, they returned fire on the Boers and after the battle the rudimentary stone defences were littered with empty shell cases. There were many acts of heroism where men reached comrades with water and bandages. The most notable feat was carried out by Private Alfred Curtis who reached Colonel Harris and with the help of Private Morton carried him to safety. What made Curtis’s act all the more reckless was that in the heat of the firefight he returned to where they had been to retrieve his equipment and that of the Colonel. He was rewarded by being the first East Surrey man to be decorated with the VC. Morton was given a DCM. The other wounded men who lay near the Colonel had to stay where they were and most died on the spot. Another act of bravery was performed by Sergeant Leavens who was the most senior man in A Company. He brought his company out and made sure that the less severely wounded men were helped down the hill. Leavens also received the DCM.
The companies under the command of Major Pearse suffered far less injury due to the fact that their sangers were better built and, on advice from an officer of the 11th Brigade were built up to protect their left flank. They had a machine-gun section which was employed tirelessly all day on detachment, and was subjected to heavy fire that severely injured Lance-Corporal Fisher. The companies withdrew at noon on 23 Feb which was the costliest part of the action in terms of casualties. Twenty other ranks from these 3 companies were killed or wounded and two officers wounded. The casualty figures for the whole battalion after the failed assault of Wynne Hills was 6 officers and 80 other ranks, killed or wounded. The battalion was at first allowed a day’s rest to recover from their ordeal, but Major-General Hart’s brigade had suffered heavy losses in an unsuccessful attack on the previous evening and was in dire need of reinforcements. The East Surreys, now under the command of Major Pearse, were immediately available and in the early hours of 24 Feb they were sent along the banks of the Tugela, a march that resulted in 9 men being wounded from enemy rifle fire. On reaching General Hart they were ordered to attack Railway Hill straight away. Thankfully this attack was postponed and the battalion were held in reserve for the rest of the day. On 25-26 Feb they guarded Hart’s right flank, until, on 26 Feb there was an armistice with the Boers for the retrieval of wounded men and burial of the dead. The surviving men of the East Surreys who had lain out in the open for two days and two nights with multiple bullet wounds, were at last brought back for medical treatment.
Battle of Pieter’s Hill, 27 Feb 1900
Early in the morning of 27 Feb, orders were given to four infantry brigades to attack the Boer defences on the summits of Pieter’s Hill, Railway Hill and Hart’s Hill. The East Surreys’ objective was Hart’s Hill, this being appropriate as the hill was named after their former CO, Fitzroy Hart. The Fusilier Brigade, commanded by Maj-Gen Barton, began the attack, against Pieter’s Hill and, after a gruelling approach which involved a precipitous 500 ft climb, succeeded in surprising the Boer defenders and routing them. Next came the attack on Railway Hill, the lower slopes of which, were successfully stormed by the 11th Lancashire Brigade. The 4th Brigade was given the task of attacking Hart’s Hill, in conjunction with the East Surreys, and 1 Rifle Brigade.
As the battalions advanced, Major Pearse was ordered by Buller to transfer half of the Surreys to reinforce the Lancashire Brigade on Railway Hill. The Scottish Rifles were also given a similar order. But on reaching Railway Hill they were told by Brigadier-General Walter Kitchener, commander of the Lancashire Brigade, that reinforcements were not necessary and he had not asked for any. Unfortunately the Boer artillery at this point bombarded Railway Hill causing several casualties among the East Surreys. Kitchener told Pearse to keep his men there until he permitted them to join the others on Hart’s Hill at dusk. The attack on Hart’s Hill had been successful, with the four companies of the East Surreys playing a prominent part. Private H Brady was awarded the DCM for conspicuous bravery. However, it was a source of great frustration for the four companies that had been sent on a fool’s errand to Railway Hill, where, to add injury to insult, they had sustained unnecessary casualties. This whole action was named as the Battle of Pieter’s Hill and, for the East Surreys caused the death of 5 men and the wounding of 34.
Relief of Ladysmith, 28 Feb 1900
The battle of Pieter’s Hill on 27 Feb caused the Boers to retreat and opened the way to Ladysmith. Buller did not have enough mounted troops to pursue the Boers so he concentrated on bringing supplies into the besieged town. Lord Dundonald and a small force of mounted men entered the town on 28 Feb, the day officially recognised as the Relief of Ladysmith. Redvers Buller marched in on 1 March, with a large convoy of food and medical supplies. A ceremonial march through the streets was performed on 3 March. The 2nd Brigade camped near Surprise Hill from 4 - 8 Mar during which time they received a change of clothes, as they had worked and slept in the same tattered uniforms since 14 Feb. Service rendered by the men who had been involved in the Relief of Ladysmith was recognised with a single clasp on the Queen’s South Africa medal, although they had fought several battles in Natal and suffered hunger, thirst and sleepless nights to achieve it. The total casualties of Buller’s relieving force were 5,405. The 2nd Brigade had more than 1,000 casualties, and the 2nd East Surreys had 243. Up until 27 Feb the battalion had lost one officer and 26 men killed, 8 officers and 208 wounded. Of the wounded, 6 men died of their injuries or related sickness.
Sunday’s River Camp
On 8 Mar the 2nd Division left Ladysmith and established camp between Elandslaagte and Sunday’s River. The Boers, commanded by Louis Botha, had long-range guns positioned on the Biggarsberg at a distance of 5,000 yards from the camp, and it was at 8 am on 10 April that they opened fire. The East Surreys were located in the middle of the large camp and received the first shell which narrowly missed the officers’ mess tent, which would have left the battalion leaderless. The bombardment lasted four hours and resulted in the moving of the camp to the Elandslaagte ridge. The battalion covered the move and spent the night along the railway line in case the Boers made a night attack. On 12 April the battalion was reinforced by more than 200 men and 4 officers. Officers were sorely needed and it was a severe blow to the battalion that four captains fell ill with typhoid fever and had to be sent back to England. This is an indication that a high proportion of the men were also struck with the same illness.
Uithoek Hill, 13 May 1900
On 7 May, after a long period of inactivity, Buller moved his army through northern Natal to clear the Boers from the Biggarsberg and secure the rail link to the Transvaal. The East Surreys at this time were under the command of Major H W Benson who had taken temporary command when Major Pearse fell ill on 1 May. Pearse did not return to the regiment until the end of June. Buller ordered an advance against Vermaak’s Kraal in which the East Surreys formed the advance guard.The next day there was an attack on Boers occupying Uithoek Hill which was very steep sided and regarded as inaccessible. The 2nd Brigade was given the task of capturing it, which they succeeded in doing. The Surreys remained in reserve while the Queen’s, the Devons and the West Yorks attacked. It was all over by 11.30 am and the Boers withdrew to Helpmakaar and then fell back on Beith. The infantry marched north to Newcastle and it was here, on 18 May that an unfortunate incident occurred. Burning grass destroyed some rifles and equipment, and Major Benson and 3 men were injured by exploding ammunition.
Spitz-Kop, 5 June 1900
The Boers were concentrated in strength in the area of Lang’s Nek and Buller initially attempted to come to terms with them but they declined the peace offer. The first action taken was the capture of Van Wyk’s Hill and the placement of four heavy guns. This was a prelude to the forcing of a passage into the Drakensberg mountains which would allow the British to outflank the Boers. On 5 June the 5th Division attacked Botha’s Pass. The 2nd Brigade were given the task of capturing the high point of Spitz-Kop. The Devons and West Yorks were in the first line and the Surreys and Queens were in the second. As the attack progressed, the first line moved fast and Major Benson sent four companies forward to support the Devons and four to support the West Yorks. One company escorted the Maxim guns and pom-poms. They climbed up a steep spur of Mount Inkweloane which was very rough ground. At the summit the enemy trenches were found to be placed 3,000 yards from the crest. It was a perfectly flat plateau so that the approach to the Boer positions was hazardous. The enemy fire was heavy but ineffectual, and died down at dusk. They spent a bitterly cold night on the summit and at daybreak found that the Boers had gone.
Alleman’s Nek, 11 June 1900
On 10 June the brigade made a long and tiring march into the Orange Free State, and bivouacked on the Klip River at Gansvlei. Seven miles away was the narrow gorge of Alleman’s Nek (Almond’s Nek), through which the army had to advance to reach Volksrust. The 10th Brigade attacked the ridge to the right of the Nek while the 2nd Brigade moved against the left. This time the East Surreys and the Queens were in the first line. The Surreys on the right of the line attacked the Nek itself as well as the hill to the left of it. The position was strongly held and they were fired on by pom-poms as well as rifle fire. The companies in the Nek, commanded by Captain Ionides had to rely on those units attacking the Boers up on the hill before they could progress. Ionides pursued the retreating Boers to a kraal and ‘did some execution amongst them’ according to Benson’s report. The casualties of the East Surreys at Alleman’s Nek were 4 killed and 12 wounded. One of the wounded was 2nd Lt P B Stafford who was shot through the head from side to side and amazingly survived.
Garrison at Platrand, Nov 1900
The 2nd East Surreys were posted to Standerton in July, and then Volksrust, while three companies were then posted to Platrand. The Volksrust garrison was weak but thankfully did not come under attack. The rest of the battalion were moved to Platrand on 4 Nov. Major Pearse had returned to command the Surreys at the end of June and was now in command of the garrison at Platrand. Four companies were detached to Zandfontein, Leeuw Spruit, Krondrai and Katbosch. On 10 Nov, E Company, commanded by 2nd Lt Appleyard, was posted at Goedgenug Ridge (Good Enough Ridge) and were busy building a small fort when it came under fire from long range. They completed the building work and the fort proved very useful in deterring the enemy from disrupting the railway. On 14 Nov Pearse led a small column of 2 companies, a troop of Bethune’s MI and 2 guns of 64 Battery to Boshoff’s Farm to capture a large quantity of mealies on which the Boers relied. Another farm was searched to reveal a cache of dynamite intended for blowing up a bridge. This farm was destroyed, the only one in the Platrand area to be burnt in the war.
Splitting the Battalion, April - July 1901
For the rest of 1900 and early 1901 the battalion was involved in clearing the area of any food that might be useful to the Boers. The defences at Platrand and other outposts were strengthened thanks to the engineering talents of many in the battalion, especially Major Benson. These duties were all designed to improve the lines of communication, but on 1 April the East Surreys were relieved of this duty and ordered to join mobile columns. The headquarters and four companies joined Colonel Colville’s Column, and the other four companies were allotted to Colonel Rimington three weeks later. Colville’s column marched to Wit Poort, Hartebeestfontein and Vruischgewaagt. On 2 May they were ordered to take part in an unsuccessful drive from Uitkyk. The four companies in Rimington’s Column were commanded by Major Benson and started out from Standerton. They marched to Vaalbank, Brakspruit, Vlaklaagte and various places until reaching Naudesfontein on 20 May. They left the column on 8 July 1901 and travelled by train to Zandspruit where the two halves were reunited as a battalion.
Blockhouses at Zandspruit, July - Oct 1901
The water supply at Zandspruit was considered permanently unfit for human consumption, but after much hard work, the battalion improved the situation. Cartloads of garbage were removed so that the previously dirty area was cleaned up enough to make a marked improvement in the men’s health. The area guarded by the Surreys was from Paardekop to no.4 Bridge on the railway. They also manned the blockhouses at Greno and Roodewal which had been constructed to guard vulnerable parts of the line. The nature of the mountainous countryside made it easy for the enemy to approach the line, to cross and maintain contact between the Boers of the Free State and Transvaal. To a large extent the patrols and night ambushes prevented these crossings. On 29 Nov the battalion was moved to Paardekop where they remained until the end of the war.
Action at No.4 Bridge, 5 Feb 1902
On 3 Feb 1902 a column under General Plumer made a drive from the east through Blaaukop which brought about a determined attempt by 200 Boers to cross the line. They made 9 separate attempts in the space of four hours. The most serious attack was against the East Surrey outpost at No.4 Bridge. This post was under repair and manned by Sergeant Brady DCM and six men of G Company. In the attack, Sgt Brady was killed and three men wounded. The remaining men were fighting for their lives but were saved in the nick of time by an armoured train that was able to disperse the attackers. Other actions were fought to prevent the enemy crossing the line and the battalion were also called upon to take part in drives. In this period the East Surreys provided sub-units for the Mounted Infantry.
Mounted Infantry, Nov 1900
In Nov 1900 each infantry battalion was ordered to provide a company to operate as mounted infantry. Captain Ionides commanded the East Surrey company which consisted of 50 men and was part of the 2nd Division MI, later, in July 1901, to be called 26th Battalion MI. They were trained at Standerton and employed in clearing supplies from Boer farms. Their first action was on 26 Dec 1900 when they were surprised by a force of 300 Boers. They sustained one injury and killed 3 Boers. On 26 Jan 1901 they joined Colville’s column. One of their hardest treks was made from 10 Feb 1901 when they escorted a convoy of a 100 wagons carrying Boer women and children and wounded soldiers. Additionally there were 6,000 head of cattle an 30,000 sheep. They were attacked by Commandant Britz and his Blaaukop commando, although the column kept them at a safe distance with four 15-pounder guns, but they captured most of the sheep and some cattle. One private of the East Surreys MI was wounded. The rest of the time was spent skirmishing and on outpost duty at night. They returned to Standerton completely exhausted.
Vaal River, May 1901
On 12 May 1901 the 2nd Division MI joined Colonel Colville’s column, operating along the Klip River. Their MI battalion had been commanded by Major Kay of the KRRC but in May 1901 he was replaced by Major Wiggin of the 13th Hussars. On approaching Villiersdorp, Wiggin ordered Captain Ionides to take his company and attack a Boer position on a small hill on the banks of the Vaal. Normally Boers would run away from charging mounted men but Ionides was surprised that in this case they remained in position. Then they became aware of a barbed wire fence with only a small opening. As the riders went through the gap they were at first fired on but the Boers lost their nerve and retreated. They only managed to shoot the last man to get away. One other Boer was captured by Major Wiggin who had joined the action. None of the Mounted Infantry were hurt but five of their horses lay dead near the barbed wire fence.
Capture of a Boer Convoy, 6 Aug 1901
Colonel Colville organised a mounted force from his column to attack and capture a Boer convoy near Waterval. The MI were accompanied by 2 field guns, a pom-pom and some infantry from the Queen’s Regiment in wagons. They set off at 2 am on 6 Aug and caught sight of the convoy at daybreak. The East Surrey MI galloped for 10 miles, overtaking most of the wagons, but their horses were tired by then. They captured 21 prisoners, 21 wagons, 2,000 rounds of ammunition, 1,500 head of cattle, 2,500 sheep. Two Boers were killed and 8 wagons burnt that could not be moved. On the return journey the Boers sniped at the Surreys who acted as rearguard. Private Connor was dangerously wounded in the head and there were several casualties among the horses.
Operations, 20 Aug - 25 Sep 1901
On 20 Aug they trekked through the Gemsbockhoekberg Hills where the infantry camped, at Botha’s Pass, while the mounted troops made a night march towards Natal. They captured cattle and some Boer families, and crossed the Drakensberg over Muller’s Pass. This pass was very narrow and a good place for an ambush. It was the first time that British troops had been through it since the war started. They delivered the cattle and Boer families to Newcastle and returned to the camp, then moved on to De Lange’s Drift. After a few days they left the Drift and travelled west. On 5 Sep 1901 there was a skirmish which resulted in a man being left behind wounded. Sergeant J Lane volunteered to fetch him back and did so under heavy fire. On 6 Sep the column crossed the Vaal at Robert’s Drift. Several men of the Surreys were wounded, acting as rearguard, including two officers. Lt Matthews was dangerously wounded and Lt de la Fontaine slightly wounded. Sgt Lane was also wounded. On reaching Ermelo they heard that Louis Botha intended to invade Natal and received orders to march to Volksrust which the column reached on 25 Sep.
The Blockhouse Line, Nov 1901 - Jan 1902
The column was employed in covering the construction of blockhouses which formed a line as far as Piet Retief and the Swaziland border. The column remained on the border to discourage the enemy from gathering there. There were many night marches and raids on farms which netted a haul of prisoners, wagons and livestock. At the end of Jan 1902 they combined with General Plumer’s column for a drive. On 25 Jan heavy rain prevented the whole column from joining in the drive so only the mounted troops were used. This involved a terrible night march where every ditch and stream was swollen with water and created almost impossible obstacles. When they did link up with Plumer’s force they helped to catch Boers who were trapped by the drive. There followed more very long night marches in an attempt to catch up with Louis Botha.
Operations Until Disbandment, Feb - Sep 1902
The column spent 3 days holding a line from Zandspruit to the Drakensberg in case the enemy tried to get away from a big drive in northern Orange River Colony. They were then posted to Newcastle until 10 Mar 1902. While there Captain Ionides was sent away on detached duty, and command of the East Surrey MI was given to Captain de la Fontaine. From 10 Mar they trekked near Vryheid and the Assegai River to chase Cris Botha’s commando, but capturing only a few Boers. On 11 April they were directed to Wakkerstrroom, and Colonel Colville handed over command to Colonel Mills. On 16 April they camped at Knight’s Farm near Utrecht and made a night march to capture 6 Boers at a farm near Blood River Poort. On 5 May the column marched to Vryheid but the night before the planned attack, the 60 Boers were massacred by Zulus at Holkranz Farm near the Pivaan River. The war ended while they were at Vryheid and 650 Boers surrendered there, to General Bruce Hamilton. But this did not end the duties of the column. From June to the end of August they trekked about the hilly country between Vryheid and the border of Zululand to keep the peace between the Boers and Zulus. At the end of August they were marched to Natal and the column disbanded at Mooi River on 6 Sep 1902.
Casualties of the Mounted Infantry
During the period that the 2nd East Surrey Regiment Mounted Infantry operated in the Boer War, from Nov 1900 to Sep 1902 they only lost two men killed; Private W Connor and Private E Morris. The wounded included Captain de la Fontaine, Sergeant J Lane, Lance-Corporal E Thorn and Privates Howard, Goodey, Reid, Sadgrove and Tierney. Captain Ionides was promoted to Brevet-Major.
Demobilisation of the Reservists, July - Sep 1902
At the declaration of peace on 31 May 1902, the strength of the 2nd Battalion East Surreys was 31 officers and 1,036 men. They started the process of demobilisation on 5 July 1902 when the first party of 100 reservists were sent back to England. The remainder followed soon after, and on 18 Sep the battalion was reduced to a strength of 320. They marched to Volksrust and stayed under canvas until 5 Jan 1903 when they travelled to Durban. On 9 Jan they embarked on the ‘Syria’. The battalion was under the command of Lieutenant-Colonel Hugh Wodehouse Pearse and was made up of nine officers and 306 men. Additionally a draft of 103 men, including the band, joined the battalion at Durban.
Total Battalion Casualties for the War
The number of casualties sustained by the 2nd East Surreys in the Boer War was one officer and 45 men killed, and 10 officers and 234 men wounded. By far the largest number of casualties were as a result of the fighting up to the Relief of Ladysmith (one officer and 36 men killed, and 8 officers and 208 men wounded).
2nd Battalion in India, Jan 1903 - Nov 1914
The battalion sailed to Bombay and arrived on 23 Jan 1903. They travelled to Lucknow and relieved the 1st Battalion who returned to England. Many of the 1st Battalion remained in India and so the strength of the 2nd Battalion was increased. Most of the officers had not been granted leave while serving in South Africa but were now permitted to take extended leave, so there was a shortage of officers during the first two years. The battalion paraded at the end of January 1903 to receive their Queen’s South Africa medals, and again on 22 Oct 1903 to receive the King’s South Africa medals. They were in Lucknow for 2 years and then moved to Sitapur in Jan 1905. Here the command of the battalion was transferred from Lt-Col Pearse to Lt-Col Dunsterville. During the hot summer months half the battalion spent their time at the hill station of Ranikhet. In 1906 they moved to Mhow. The battalion was inspected and found to be in a high state of efficiency. Also the health of the battalion was exceptionally good.
2nd Battalion in Burma, Sep 1910 - Jan 1914
Lt-Col Dunsterville retired and was replaced by Lt-Col Sloman in 15 Jan 1909. On 13 Sep 1910 they travelled by train to Bombay and sailed to Burma. They disembarked at Rangoon and travelled up river to post their HQ and 4 companies at Thyetmyo, 2 companies at Mandalay and two at Meiktila. The river journey was made in the rainy season so proved to be very uncomfortable. In Feb 1911 the battalion HQ and 3 companies were relocated to Shwebo. The Mandalay detachment also at this time moved to Bhamo. In Feb 1913 six companies were sent on exercise to Myothit on the Yunnanese Frontier. They performed well and received a glowing report for their level of training and enthusiasm. It was not until January 1914 that the detachments were reunited and returned to India.
Return to India,1914
This time the battalion went to East Bengal, an unusual posting for British soldiers. The Battalion, with a strength of 922 men, now commanded by Lt-Col Lawrence (since 3 May 1911), disembarked at Chittagong. There was much work to be done there to win the hearts and minds of the inhabitants as false rumours had been spread about the British army having committed atrocities. From Chittagong they marched to Dacca for divisional manoeuvres, then by river steamer to Digha Ghat near Bankipore. From there they took the train to Bareilly and Katgodam and marched to winter quarters at Chaubattia. But World War One broke out and they had to travel to Bombay, from where they sailed to England in Nov 1914.
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