The fiftieth AGM of the Society was opened by the Chairman, Malcolm King. He paid tribute to Colin and Marjorie Dean who have resigned from the Committee after many years of service. There was a gift voucher presentation to them both and each received a large bunch of flowers.
Malcolm then gave the Chairman's report outlining the activities of the past year. Next, Joan Marsh, the Secretary/Treasurer of the Society, presented the Treasurer's report. The Society had an excess of R9072 over expenditure despite the rise in the cost of postage for the Journal.
The prizes for the best lectures in 2015 were then announced and presented. For the Main Lecture of a meeting the Dr Felix Machanik Memorial Prize was awarded to Jan-Willem Hoorweg for Adolf Galland: German Fighter Ace [Feb]; second was John Myburgh for Unification or Death - events leading up to WWI [April] while third was Terry Wilson for 1815: Rev Savory and the Waterloo Sermon [June].
For the Curtain-raiser, the George Barrell Memorial Prize went to Kevin Garcia for Roosevelt and the birth of the modern American Navy [Oct]; second place went to Ivor Little for A Name amongst Seafaring Men [March]: and third place was a tie between Ian Thurston for Audie Murphy [May] and Dirk Uys for The Jerrycan Story [Dec].
This was followed by the election of the new Chairman, Jan-Willem Hoorweg. This was a special moment for Jan-Willem as it was exactly 10 years since his late father Flip had been elected to the chair. Jan-Willem paid a moving tribute to Malcolm King, the outgoing chairman. The remaining committee members were re-elected en bloc
. There were matters arising: a visitor suggested that some of the Society's accumulated funds be used to finance some post-graduate research by students working on South African history projects; the committee would be happy to consider this. Another member raised the issue of buying a much higher-powered projector but it was felt that the one provided in the auditorium was of good quality.
There was only one speaker after the AGM and this was Robin Smith who is well known to us. His topic for the evening was The Imperial Light Horse in the Anglo-Boer War. In 1899, when war between Great Britain and the South African Republic seemed certain, a number of prominent industrialists provided the finance for the raising of the regiment, recruited almost solely from the ranks of foreigners living on the Rand. Two of the founders of this regiment - the Imperial Light Horse - were the Australian-born Walter Karri-Davies and the South African-born Aubrey Woolls-Sampson - the latter had set the whole idea in motion. The officer commanding in Cape Town refused the offer of such a regiment but the military in Natal were more receptive. The name Imperial Light Horse was approved by Queen Victoria but the authorities stipulated that the corps be commanded by a regular British Army officer. As the news of the approval of the scheme was published in Rand newspapers on 22nd September, the Imperial Light Horse celebrates it birthday on 21st September every year.
Meanwhile, Woolls-Sampson and Karri-Davies were busy buying equipment and horses plus recruiting men. They were determined to have only the best of everything. Col JJ Scott-Chisholme of the 5th Royal Lancers was given command of the corps with Woolls-Sampson second in command.
Gen Johannes Kock and his commando captured Elandslaagte station. The ILH, the Gordon Highlanders, the Manchester and Devon regiments supported by artillery and cavalry fought a set-piece battle and drove the Boers from their positions. Two Victoria Crosses were awarded to the ILH for their gallantry in this battle.
By the end of November, at Ladysmith, the heavy and accurate fire from Gun Hill by two guns, Long Tom and Silent Susan, was making matters very difficult. Thus, a raiding party was organized which included 105 men from the ILH and Royal Engineers, armed mainly with sledge hammers and explosives. It was a daring raid and both guns were blown up, although the 90kg breech-block from Long Tom was carried down the steep rocky hillside to the ILH camp. It is now displayed in the Ladysmith Siege Museum.
The ILH was then deployed to Wagon Hill where the natural cover on the hill was used for defense. Early on 6 January, 1900 the Boers commenced their attack. The ILH held on to its position with great difficulty and a Boer foray at Wagon Point was repulsed resulting in two more VCs being awarded. After setbacks at Colenso and Spion Kop the last Boer resistance was broken at Pieter's Hill and a combined column of ILH and Natal Carbineers rode into Ladysmith on 28 February.
On 8 April, the ILH were sent by boat and train to Kimberley in order to join a column to relieve Mafeking. A serious engagement took place at Maritsani on 5 May but later the same day Col Plumer's column advancing from Rhodesia joined them. The relief column entered Mafeking the next day and camped in the town square.
In September 1900, the same column led by Mahon was part of French's force on their way to Barberton. This was the most important town in the Eastern Transvaal. Here they captured Boer railway equipment. French's telegram to HQ in Pretoria caused much hilarity - it read: "Have captured 40 engines, 70 wagons of stores and 80 women all in good condition."
At this time, Lord Roberts relinquished his command to Kitchener and all volunteer corps were disbanded except for the ILH. There, officers and men who wished could retire and, in the end, only 50 of the original men opted to remain. However, there was no shortage of good men from other regiments and Yeomanry who wished to join. With Woolls-Sampson in command, the regiment was part of the force that opposed de Wet and Liebenberg at Fredrickstad. The result was a six-day siege that finally defeated the strong Boer force.
The 2nd ILH was formed at the end of 1900 with Lt-Col McKenzie in command. On 5 February 1901, 2nd ILH formed the rear-guard of a convoy to Lake Chrissie and, en route, they camped near the village of Bothwell. At 3am on 6 February the Boers charged the camp's pickets but met with very spirited resistance so they retired. The mounted corps set off in hot pursuit resulting in the seizure of 100 wagons, 18 000 livestock and 21 prisoners. The high command was delighted.
Meanwhile, on 5 January 1901, 13 men of the Regiment were killed in a confused action in long grass. This resulted in Woolls-Sampson being transferred to the Intelligence Department and Briggs taking over the command. On 22 March, Briggs led 3 squadrons of ILH to the farm Geduld where they were soon hotly engaged by a strong commando and forced to retire back to Hartebeestfontein. The squadrons were able to retire in line and managed to reach good positions near the camp. General Smuts later described the rear-guard action fought by the ILH as the most brilliant one he had ever seen fought by either side during the whole campaign.
Col Broadwood made a night march on Reitz on 10 July and succeeded in capturing most of the OFS government but unfortunately, their President escaped. Then, in September, Briggs determined to raid Reitz and 450 men of the ILH set off on the evening of the 26th. Reitz was completely surrounded before daybreak and 21 burghers were captured including de Jager, de Villiers and the landdrost but de Wet was not among them. Briggs was determined to return to Bethlehem by a night march but as they left Reitz the Boers set fire to the grass behind them. Silhouetted by these fires the ILH made for good target practice but still made it back to Bethlehem.
On 17 June the ILH marched through Johannesburg with Col Briggs leading the 1st ILH and Col McKenzie leading the 2nd ILH. John Stirling commented on them in his book “no other [regiment] had quite the same opportunities, and none used their chances to finer purpose.
In closing, Robin mentioned that one of the most treasured artifacts of the ILH is the King's Colour of Edward VII. A unique honour, this was presented by the King's sister, Princess Helena [Princess Christian of Schleswig Holstein]. The colour is naturally now a little tattered and so kept in a glass case.
Pat Henning
Scribe
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING
Any member wanting copies of the Chairman's report, the treasurer's report and AFS, or the minutes of the 49th AGM, please contact Joan at the letterhead address.
FORTHCOMING LECTURES
Johannesburg:
For Cape Town details contact Johan van den Berg 021-939-7923 warbooks@mweb.co.za
For Eastern Cape details contact Malcolm Kinghorn 041-373-4469 culturev@lantic.net
For Gauteng details contact Joan Marsh 010-237-0676 scribe@samilitaryhistory.org
For KwaZulu-Natal details contact Ken Gillings 031-702-4828 ken.gillings@mweb.co.za
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