1st Contingent of 58th Company, 15th Battalion Imperial Yeomanry in Cape Town 1901 prior to return to England

Trooper John Beach Bradfield

For the men of the Berkshire Yeomanry the first significant encounter with the enemy was at Boshof, north of Kimberley, on 5 April 1900 during which action the Boer commander was killed. Initially the war was conducted through a number of set piece battles culminating in the capture by British forces of Pretoria, the capital of Transvaal, in June 1900.

From this point the war developed into a period of insurgency and sudden raids by the Boers. Imperial Yeomanry units were involved in constant patrolling, escort duties, and hunting down small parties of Boers. Eventually the Boers succumbed to the much larger British forces and sued for peace in the spring of 1902.

Partly because of the poor horsemanship and marksmanship evidenced by many of the untrained volunteers, the Boer War proved that the British Army needed to able to call on mobile reserves of well trained volunteers, who could shoot and ride. At last a clear role for the Yeomanry had emerged. To meet this requirement, along with other Yeomanry regiments, the Berkshire Yeomanry was expanded and re-equipped on more modern lines. Realistic and demanding training was carried out, particularly at Annual Camp.

In 1901 the Regiment was re-titled the Berkshire Imperial Yeomanry and by 1902 had adopted khaki uniform as the day-to-day service dress. The Regiment comprised a Regimental Headquarters (strength of 56), which included a machine-gun section, and four Squadrons, each with a strength of 135 men: A (Windsor) Squadron, B (Reading) Squadron, C (Newbury) Squadron, and D (Wantage) Squadron.

The Regiment trained to a high standard and the regular location for Annual Camp was at Churn on the Berkshire Downs, ideal for cavalry manoeuvres. In 1901 the Lee-Metford rifle had been introduced replacing the Martini-Metford carbine, in use since 1896, which had proved to be too short-ranged, and in turn in 1910 the Lee-Metford was replaced by the SMLE (Short Magazine, Lee Enfield). Although the sword was formally withdrawn, it was still carried by SNCOs and officers when mounted.

The following letter has been kindly furnished to us by Mrs Tracy, of South Street. Dorking, and is from her son who is serving with the Berkshire Yeomanry in South Africa

Potchefstroom, Southern Transvaal
August 1st. 1900.

Just while the guns take breath and cool themselves, I will find time to drop you line; I had no time for details in my last from Bank Station, so will go back as far as Krugersdorp, whither we had come by train from Kroonstad.

As you will remember, I told you about the rugged kopjes along from Krugersdorp to Rustenburg. We heard that Baden-Powell was hard-pressed at Rustenburg, so about three o'clock in the afternoon we marched. The roads were so bad that we only covered four miles between three o’clock and dusk, and had no fewer than five waggon wheels break which, of course, meant stopping the transport and putting others on, often having to unload the waggon. About two miles out we discovered the enemy, and exchanged a little rifle fire, and then for the next three days went right on to a place called Oliphant’s Nek. We pursued and shelled them from kopje to kopje, and to finish up with, we drove them all through a mountain pass and dropped shells into them. When they got the other side Baden-Powell was waiting for them, and they caught it hot.

We had a nice camp at Oliphant’s Nek in an orange grove. There were not many oranges, but we had a few. That was on Saturday, and Sunday had three services, two of which I attended. The one at 6.30 was very hearty, as we had chopped several trees, and made a huge fire, round which all sat. Five of our Yeomanry had been shot dead, but I am glad say our company lost none.

After we had rested for two days at Oliphant’s Nek. during which time we received congratulatory telegrams from Lord Roberts on the good work done by the Yeomanry during the previous four days, we started on the march to Bank Station, where we arrived with only little fighting. The Boers were holding the station and had blown the line and wrecked a train, but they decamped after firing a few rounds at us. It was a drenching night, with such peals of thunder I have never heard before, and as it poured incessantly all night you can guess we were pretty miserable. The train was completely derailed, the engine lay at the bottom of the bank on its side, and the trucks were all topsy tnrvey.

We started from Bank Station about four in the morning en-route for here. We soon found the Boers, and had to fight our way nearly into the town. The people here were very glad to see us. There are several English here, and they were afraid the Boers would take their goods. This is a quaint old town, called the Garden of Eden on account of its beauty. We had hardly got up yesterday morning when the booming of 15-pounders and naval guns told us that someone else was having a go at the enemy, so we all had to turn out with eight guns. With Smith-Dorrien on one side and our guns the other we made them shift faster than they had for some time. The gunners dropped the shells right into them, and I sure their casualties must have been very severe. We had one man severely wounded, and several horses were lost through being done up.

I am getting quite an old soldier; I have been in action 14 times. I did not participate in yesterday’s fight as our troop sergeant had his horse shot under him and he rode my horse. We heard with great joy last night that 5,000 Boers had surrendered to Gen. Hunter in the Free State. The life out here is very trying, and I begin to realise what nerves are, as we sleep with our eyes and ears open. Glanders has broken out amongst the horses and we have had to burn one camp.

Our Colt gun came into action for the first time last week and, as the cooling apparatus, which is worked by the compressed air from the barrel, did not suffice, it got jammed after about 500 rounds. Lord Methuen will not let us use lyddite against the Boers, as says he had had orders from Lord Roberts to be merciful. If I had my way I would shoot every man jack of them, for they use explosive bullets, poisoned bullets, elephant bullets (which killed one of our men the other day), and all sorts of dastardly ways, and yesterday, when they were all scurrying away in the open, Methuen would only let one pom-pom be used. The troops are “very wrath” about it. However, I trust Mr Boer will soon see that the game is up.

Biscuits are getting short. We are served with Kaffir corn, used out here for fatting pigs; still, I am very fit, and so is Ned, and I am sure the discipline will do both good.

On August 15th, when we left Kroonstad for Krugersdorp. We brought all available horses with us and left half our men behind to bring up the convoy. We fought four days along the Maggelsberg Mountain, and worked across to Bank Station, and then fought four days into Potchefstroom, where we arrived much done up, both men and horses.

We then went to Friederichstad, where we met 500 C.I.V.'s infantry. They had been having a lively experience. When they neared Friederichstad they were passed by a train full of provisions, and several soldiers guarding it, travelling at about 25 miles an hour. Later on they heard the whistle going for about half an hour, and as the road ran by the rail they soon came up to the train, and what a sight met their eyes. Dead and mangled lay 50 men (13 killed outright and 37 wounded), and the enemy were hovering round the kopjes like vultures. However, they set to, and with the help of the small garrison at the station they got the wounded into the hospital. They then dug a. hole and buried the other 13 poor fellows.

They then struck camp for the night, and whilst taking their coffee and biscuits next morning a Boer rode into camp under a white flag and informed Smith-Dorrien that he would be given half-an-hour to surrender. Meanwhile, three of the C.I.V.’s who were picquet on an adjacent kopje saw several men coming on horseback, dressed as Yeomen, with cloaks and helmets on. They thought it was some more Yeomanry coming in, especially as they were given the order. “Fours, right.” When within about 50 yards of the kopje however, one of our men thought them peculiar looking fellows and so let off his rifle. The effect was instantaneous, the bullets whined in a perfect hailstorm, the C.I.V.’s crept up on their hands and knees, and were forced retire. Two stretcher bearers went out get in a wounded man, and both were shot dead. One poor fellow, who was shot through the throat was eight minutes dying, and four men had hold him, his agonies were so great. Just then two 15-ponnders came into action, and the Boers fled like flocks of sheep. Our cavalry pursued them till about one o’clock, and gave them good waking up. We buried the two C.I.V.’s on top of the kopje, where they fell, put two crosses over their graves, and planted some shrubs. Smith-Dorrien addressed the men next morning, and said how deeply he regretted the loss of two such brave fellows, who had none of the excitement of being in the actual firing line, and yet were exposed to so much danger.

A day or two after this we were out (patrol of about 20 men and one officer) looking, round the hills to see what the enemy were at, and came to place about eight miles from camp, where there was only room for two horses abreast to go through. When about half-way through the officer was lighting his pipe and the men were watching some monkeys, when they were subjected to a heavy rifle fire from the steep rocks on either side of them. Two men were down directly, and before they got out of the pass seven horses were shot. The General was frantic, as he had given orders to the Lieut, not to attempt this pass, and he had gone eight miles, whereas he should only have gone four.

The ambulance went out, and found one fellow had been shot through the forehead, the bullet coming out behind his ear, another through the stomach, the bullet passing out of his back. We found one of the Royal Engineers under the culvert on the railway with his head nearly severed from his body. We stopped at this place a week, always being sniped at as soon as you got out of camp.

39th: Flankers to column moving in distance

One night we heard that De Wet was within four miles of our camp, and still marching with 3,000 men, so at nine o’clock we did a “moon-lighter”, and marched to Nalverheird and on to Bank Station. Next afternoon we were joined by Kitchener, Hart, Broadwood’s Cavalry Brigades, Life Guards, Grenadiers. Hussars, and Lancers, some 30,000 men, all mounted, after De Wet.

The sergeant of my troop had had his horse shot. 7 horses died from glanders, and 5 from other causes, so there were several dismounted men, and I being one have come down here by rail, and look forward to a week’s rest. The staff officer here says we shall get no remounts, and thinks we shall not go up country again, so, if right, my fighting days are over, and I am not sorry.
Trooper Tracey