Preface
COMING home from the Cape on board the "Tintagel Castle" a very general
desire was expressed amongst us to possess some such record of our small
share in the great South African struggle as is contained in the following
pages, but it seemed that no one was willing to undertake the task of
writing it. After being some time at home, and seeing that otherwise the
proposal was likely to come to nothing, I was persuaded to take the matter
in hand. I have endeavoured to write a plain story of our work and
experiences during sixteen months of service, but I fear it will be found to
have lost much of what might have been its chief attraction -life and vigour
- from having been written almost entirely from memory after some lapse of
time. While intended primarily for the members of the two West of Scotland
Yeomanry Companies, it may prove of interest to the friends who, in our
absence, showed such a lively and practical interest in our welfare; and
last, but not least, it will answer the two questions they one and all ask
us:- "Did you have any fighting in Africa?" and—"Did you see any Boers?"
My best thanks are due to Mr. J. Hannan Watson of our company, who has so
enlivened the book with his sketches, and to Mr. R. E. Wilson for a chapter
on the Bethlehem fighting.
A.S.O.
Contents
Chapter I.—Mobilisation—January 1 till February 23, 1900
Chapter II.—On
Board s.s. Carthaginian—January 23 till March 21, 1900
Chapter III.—Base
Camps—March 21 till May 9, 1900
Chapter IV.—.With General Sir Archibald
Hunter—May 9 till July 1, 1900
Chapter V.—With General Hunter
(continued)—July 1 till July 19, 1900
Chapter VI.—With General Bruce
Hamilton—Wittebergen (by Trooper R. E. Wilson)—
July 19 till August 4, 1900
Chapter VII.—With General Macdonald—August 4 till
August 31, 1900
Chapter VIII.—We come under Colonel Le Gallais—August 31 till October 14,
1900
Chapter IX.—With Colonel Le Gallais—Bothaville--October
14 till November 9, 1900
Chapter X.—With Colonel Pilcher—First
Trek—November 9 1900, till January 12, 1901
Chapter XI.—With Colonel Pilcher—Second
Trek—January 12 till February 1, 1901
Chapter XII.—With Colonel Pilcher—Third
Trek—February 1 till March II, 1901
Cbapter Xlll.—With
Colonel Pilcher—Fourth Trek—March 11 till May 12, 1901
Chapter
XIV.—Conclusion
Roll of 17th Company
Roll of 18th Company |
