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The 1st Battalion The Worcestershire Regiment in South Africa (January 1900 – June 1902)

Introduction

 This is a potted history of the 1st Battalion of the Worcestershire Regiment during the second South African War (1899 – 1902). It maps the primary movements of the battalion throughout the campaign and describes some of the operations undertaken.

The Battalion left Aldershot by train on 18th March 1900 bound for Tilbury Docks. They embarked for South Africa with twenty two officers and nine hundred and ninety one other ranks, under the command of Lt. Colonel H. Oakes, sailing the same day on the S. S. Braemar Castle. After a smooth passage they arrived in Cape Town on the morning of the 8th April. The Battalion left Cape Town by train on the 9th April initially under orders for Kimberley, but these were  subsequently changed for Edenburg in the Orange Free State, where upon arrival, they came under the orders of 17 Brigade commanded by Major – General C. E. Boyes, part of 8 Division commanded by Lieut. – General Sir Leslie Rundle, K.C.B..

Operations in the Orange Free State: (April 1900 –May 1902): The battalion was destined to spend the entire war on operations in the Orange Free State (later renamed Orange River Colony).

Wepener: The first action in which the battalion fought was conducted as part of operations to relieve the besieged town of Wepener and attempt to cut off the retreating Boers. Marching first from Edenburg to the Riet river on the 15th April, they continued the march to Reddesburg on the 16th and reached Rosandale on the 18th, joining up with the 3rd Division. After marching to Oorlogs Poort the battalion occupied the hills at Wakkerstroomverg on the 20th. It was here the battalion first came under fire from a strong force of Boers occupying the hills around DeWets Dorp (Dewetsdorp) . The Battalion sustained its first casualties during this action including a party of about thirty NCO’s and men carrying supplies from the outpost lines, who having lost their way wandered by mistake into the Boer lines, two men were killed, four were wounded and the rest taken prisoner.

On the 25th April the Brigade marched into DeWets Dorp, the Boers having evacuated the town on the 24th. On the 26th the march was continued to the Modder river, reaching Kabanyana on the 27th and Thabanchu on the 28th. Apart from a short period occupying an outpost position the battalion were involved in operations in and around Thabanchu until mid May. Leaving E and H Company to garrison Thabanchu and B Company occupying Israels Port, Battalion H.Q. with A, C, D, F, and G Company left for Ladybrand and occupied the town on the 21st May. Between the 29th July and the 8th August a number of company moves took place resulting in the following placements. HQ, with C, D, and G Company moved to Senekal via Ficksburg on the 6th. A Company moved to Hammonia via Ficksburg on the 7th, F Company arrived at Senekal via Ficksburg and Hammonia on the 8th. B and H Company arrived in Ladybrand via Thabanchu on the 6th, with B Company moving on to Ficksburg on the 8th. E Company remained at Thabanchu and H Company were left to garrison Ladybrand.

The Defence of Ladybrand: On the night of the 30th – 31st August news was received that a force of between three and four thousand Boers were advancing on the town. Lightly defended by H Company and two troops of the Imperial Yeomanry (about one hundred and fifty men), the O.C. Major Bulfin, knowing that the town could not be defended, ordered the destruction of all surplus supplies and ammunition and withdrawal to a hill overlooking the town.[1] Refusing a demand to surrender, the defenders withstood Boer unremitting artillery fire and fought off continuous frontal attacks, using their bayonets. Heavy shelling and unrelenting rifle fire went on day and night for five days, until a relief force under Lieut. – General B. Hamilton arrived on the 5th September forcing the Boers to retire. The defence of Ladybrand was a superbly organised defensive action by H Company of the Battalion and by the Imperial Yeomanry and fittingly brought high praise and a general commendation from the Divisional commander Lieut. – General Sir Leslie Rundle, K.C.B…

H Company withdrew from Ladybrand the following day and together with E Company marched to Winburg where they joined General Hunter. The two Companies then took part in operations near Doornberg. 16 Brigade had arrived in Ficksburg on the 8th September and advanced to Senekal on the 19th, Battalion H.Q. with all other Companies except E and H moved with it. The Battalion then rejoined 17 Brigade and marched to Zwring Krantz where they were rejoined by E and H Company on 20th September. The Brigade advanced to Bethlehem, arriving on the 22nd. On the 25th 17 Brigade moved north to Elands Kop encountering continuous sniping during the march. On the 29th September the Brigade including the Battalion started out for Reitz arriving there on the 30th. On the 19th October General Randle arrived with 16 Brigade and moved on to Bethlehem taking the Battalion who now became part of 16 Brigade, with it. The Brigade moved out on the 26th leaving the 1st Battalion and about sixty Yeomanry to garrison the town.

Bethlehem: The garrison of Bethlehem was at the time completely cut off from all outside communication. Every outpost was subjected to daily sniping from dawn until dusk. Garrison duties included manning outposts and making foraging, reconnaissance and raiding patrols. During these patrols many skirmishes occurred during which the battalion suffered a number of casualties. On the 27th October A and B Company under Major Conynham moved out in search of firewood. Meeting a strong force of Boers a sharp encounter took place, after two hours the two companies withdrew having had one man killed and two wounded. On the 23rd November General Campbell and a large force arrived with supplies and mail, leaving again on the 25th. At the beginning of December Heliograph communications were established with Reitz and then to Harrismith by occupying Volhunters Kop about two miles to the south of the town. A reconnaissance patrol on the 9th December led by Major Clarke was engaged by a considerable force of Boers. One sergeant and twelve men of H Company were surrounded. It was found impossible to extricate them and after seven of the men had been wounded they subsequently surrendered. Major Clarke again led a patrol on the 16th with the aim of burning down a farm used by Boers snipers, a fight ensued during which one gunner was killed and two men from the battalion wounded (one of whom later died). A further three men were injured on patrols on the 23rd January 1901. On the 31st January H Company was detached from the battalion for mounted infantry duties. The remainder of the battalion moved with a force under Colonel Harley for Ficksburg where they arrived on the 4th February.

The battalion occupied Ficksburg from 4th February until 5th March during which time they carried out offensive patrols including, after considerable resistance, the destruction of two mills at Fouriesburg in the Brandwater Basin on the 17th February. On leaving Ficksburg the battalion proceeded to Warringhams occupying a line of outposts between Warringhams and Eden Port. The battalion with Colonel Harley’s column left to return to Ficksburg on the 28th March, arriving at Clocolan on the 1st April and Ficksburg on the 4th. On the 13 May the battalion was left to garrison the town with two guns. Duties again consisted of manning outposts and offensive and reconnaissance patrols. On the 12th June a party captured one Boer and took four horses. On the 10th August a small expedition was sent out to a farm to bring in much needed wagons, the patrol came under fire and one officer was seriously wounded. General Campbell arrived on the 29th August and carried out a tour of inspection on the 1st and 2nd of December, expressing himself well satisfied with the arrangements. On the 28th December B, C, and E Company proceeded to Brindisti and occupied a blockhouse between Bethlehem and Retief’s Nek. The early part of January 1902 was spent in strengthening the outpost positions, Ficksburg then being used as a base for four or five columns operating in the area. On the 1st March the battalion and Ficksburg passed from under the command of 16 Brigade to Bloemfontein. On the 19th April B and C Company moved to Harrismith, then by train to Bloemfontein and finally by road to Sannas Post, arriving on the 23rd. E Company followed and joined them on the 25th, the three Companies held a line of blockhouses from Israel’s Poort to Boesman’s Kop (Bushmans Kop). On the 31st May 1902 the war was ended with the signing of the peace treaty in Pretoria, the battalion finding out on June 1st. On the 30th June a party of ten NCO’s and men under the command of Captain E. S. F. Hobson left for England to attend the Coronation of His Majesty King Edward VII.

Though the battalion did not have the good fortune of participating in any of the major actions of the war it showed, when called upon, the same gallantry and devotion to duty that had distinguished it in many former great campaigns. During the war the Battalion suffered twelve  NCO’s and men killed or died of wounds, forty eight NCO’s and men died of disease or by accident, a further four officers and thirty  three NCO’s and men were wounded.