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Page 10
The half battalion which had retired with the rest of the force into
Ladysmith on October 30th received orders at 10 a.m. on the 31st to
strike camp, move off and form part of the garrison of section "A" of
the defences of Ladysmith, under the command of Colonel W.G. Knox, C.B.
The second half battalion followed them.
CHAPTER II
SIEGE OF LADYSMITH
1899-1900
The siege of Ladysmith had now commenced; communication to the south was
interrupted on November 2nd, and on the same day the Boers had their
guns in action on Bulwana Mountain and were shelling the works and town
freely.
The perimeter of Ladysmith was divided into four sections, A, B, C, D,
under Colonel W.G. Knox, General Howard, Colonel Hamilton, and Colonel
Royston respectively. Section A extended from Devon Post to Cove
Redoubt; on the west of this was section B, extending as far as Range
Post on the Klip River. Section C included Maiden Castle, Wagon Hill,
and C�sar's Camp, whilst the plain between C�sar's Camp and Devon Post
was held by the Natal Volunteers under Colonel Royston.
The battalion was ordered to take up the two posts of Cemetery Hill and
Helpmakaar Hill. These were the most eastern kopjes of the defences.
They skirted the Helpmakaar road and were immediately under Bulwana and
Gun Hill. These were distant only some five thousand yards, and
dominated Devon Post.
The battalion was distributed: three companies on Helpmakaar Hill, two
companies on Cemetery Hill, with three companies in reserve near the
road and river-bed immediately beneath Cemetery Hill.
Devon Post received its first shells on the morning of the 3rd. These
were aimed at the tents of the reserve companies, which were rather
ostentatiously pitched on the plain by the river-bed under Cemetery
Hill. The shells were fired from a high-velocity 3-inch gun on Bulwana.
The tents were immediately moved closer under the hill, where they were
out of sight from Bulwana. The Boer guns were then trained on to the
working parties, and some fifty shells were burst in the works (just
commenced and affording little cover) on Helpmakaar and Cemetery Hill
posts, but without doing much damage. After this, owing to shell fire,
it was impossible to work except at night, or when Bulwana was obscured
by fog. The fortifications and defences were, however, hastily pushed
forward, and the platforms for the two large and ancient howitzers known
as "Castor" and "Pollux" were soon completed.
Shortly after the commencement of the siege one of the few shells fired
into Ladysmith which did any damage, burst amongst a party of Natal
Carbineers on the road under Cemetery Hill, killing five men and seven
horses.
On November 5th the Intombi Camp was formed, and all the wounded and
most of the women and children, with a few of the able-bodied male
civilian inhabitants of Ladysmith, were moved into the neutral camp.
On November 6th and 7th, with the exception of a shell or two, things
were quiet on Devon Post, but on the evening of the 7th a furious
bombardment began at four o'clock, the Boer guns all round firing into
the town and at anything they could see moving. No damage was done.
In addition to the works on Devon Post, which were manned by the
Regiment, a half-company picquet was told off nightly. This picquet
extended and lay down across the main road at the foot of the forward
work. It mounted after dark and was relieved before daylight in the
morning. Many will remember the spot where this picquet was posted as
the most ill-chosen, inconvenient, and hard platform for a bed on a
rainy night.
The nights of the 6th, 7th, and 8th were occupied in making the works
stronger and building additional works.
On November 9th the Boers made their first attempt against Ladysmith.
The attack commenced at 6 a.m. with heavy musketry fire directed on to
the northern defences; and three hours later the attack developed on
Helpmakaar Post and C�sar's Camp. Shells came very thickly from two
howitzers and three high-velocity Creusot guns into Devon Post. This
lasted till about 2 p.m., when the action was concluded with a royal
salute from the naval batteries and three hearty cheers, which, started
by the Naval Brigade, were taken up all round the defences in honour of
the birthday of H.R.H. the Prince of Wales. A curious ending to a
battle.
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