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Post by shred on Dec 16, 2012 14:32:40 GMT
Trooper Albert Oakes, D Squadron 6th Dragoon Guards, with General French, writes to his wife at the Windmill Hotel, Pendlebury, on January 24th as follows: After having been out two days and two nights, I was glad there was a missive for me. I was tired out, though anxious to read what the letter contained. I have had some near shaves of being shot since I wrote you last, but I am glad to say I have escaped so far. We have only lost one man since I sent my last letter. We go out every day from camp, and our regiment does some good work. We have been very lucky, for though our losses have been so few we have been under heavy firing as much as any regiment out here yet. Yesterday we went out early in the morning and came back to camp at night. All the day we were out we kept in touch with the enemy, our artillery doing good work killing many Boers. We made them glad to retire. All the time we were fighting we had only one wounded – one of the Life Guards. We could net tell exactly how many Boers were killed as one of our artillery shells killed seventeen of them. We could see the Boers galloping across the plains. It was all quiet the rest of the day, so then we came back to camp and had a good night’s rest. We are now at a place called Sprotsfontein, near Colesberg. We expect to take Colesberg in a few days. The day before yesterday we went out to find the enemy’s position with the Remington scouts. They are a fine lot of men to go out scouting with. We had a good day with them. Returning to a farm at night, where they had killed a dozen sheep and a bullock for us. It was dusk when we got to the farm and it was an agreeable sight to see those hanging up in the farm yard, and we did not enquire twice asking to help ourselves. First we made fires with some sticks and then got our knives out to cut them up. We had a good feed, the best we have had since we came out here. We shall be able to keep a lot better now as they would not allow us to loot in our own country. We can commandeer anything we like now we are getting into the enemy’s country. The only thing we are short of is a good drink of coffee or cocoa. We are glad to get water sometimes. We have not yet got the Queen’s chocolate. I have not yet seen Alec Whitworth (this is the name of a Swinton soldier in the Hussars) since Christmas Day when I had a few hours with him. He is not many miles from here, and was all right when I saw him. I could not finish this letter last night. It is our turn to have a day in camp. We can do with a bit of rest and ir is now 6am Wednesday 25th. We can hear our artillery guns shelling the enemy, and it may be that we shall have to turn out any minute. The Boers don’t like the cavalry. The artillery shell them out to the rocks, and we wait for them as they come out to give them cold steel in the open. They won’t come out to fight so we fetch them out somehow. This is the reason why our troops have lost so many lives at other places. Where we are now we have got the Boers surrounded. They are in the hills, and we have them hemmed in. We are trying to stop the wagons so that they cannot get any food. Then they will have to come out or starve. I think a month or so see the war at a close. We are only five miles from the Orange River, and when we get over we shall be in the Free States. They seem to think that the Free States will not fight. I hope not. Then the war will soon be over. It will give us a better chance to get on if we can only get into the Free States as it is nearly all flat country. The Boers are now making for Bloemfontein, where, I think, there will be a big battle.
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Post by shred on Jan 20, 2013 14:51:02 GMT
Private R H Jackson, of 103 Manchester Road, Clifton, of the 2nd Scottish Rifles, with the Ladysmith Relief Column, General Littleton’s Brigade, writing to his sweetheart at Moorside, on Jan 27th, says:- “ We had a big battle on the 24th and 25th. It seemed impossible for a man to live in the storm of bullets and shells that fell amongst us. There were dead and dying in every direction. We lost a lot of our regiment, some of them old friends of mine, one from Bolton, and other places. It was a sight that would soften a heart of stone. We were without water and food for 27 hours, and marching and fighting most of the time, but, thank the Lord, I came out without a scratch, and glad I was when the fight was over. We have slept out in all kinds of weather for a fortnight, and had nothing to cover us with only what we had on and a top coat. Sometimes we wake up wet through, and sometimes we have to walk about at night to keep ourselves warm. If you get a paper with the battle of Spion Kop in it see if it mentions our regiment. We lost four officers killed and six wounded. I will tell you more when I come home, if I am spared. The letter may not be properly stamped. The reason is I have had no money for a long time, and don’t know when I will get any. In fact, if we had money we could not use it only for paper and stamps and a little food now and then, and when we have a little time to ourselves we spend it in washing our clothes and patching them, for we are in rags and ribbons. Some have no boots to their feet. I have only the part of a coat to wear, I was cooking my dinner and set fire to it, and my pants are in rags, but I expect to have my others soon. Things are rather dear out here. In Ladysmith they want 14s 6d for a dozen eggs, and £5 for a bottle of whisky. I have paid 1s 6d for a packet of cigarettes when there was some to be got. It is seldom there is. You may know, for we have been smoking tea. We are all in good earnest, and need to be to beat the Boers, for they are a hard lot of men, and have given us some rough times when we have attacked them. I will stop talking about the Boers, for I am sick of them, but not afraid. I have just been stopped writing while I had a little tea. I will tell you what it consisted of: A small piece of biscuit like you see in a window for dogs, and a drop of tea with very little sugar in it, but its no use grumbling. I suppose we are here to look after our country’s rights. I should be glad of a paper containing the news of the war. Give my kind regards to all friends. Mr Samuel Wolstenholme, landlord of the Clifton Arms, Clifton, has also received a letter from Private Jackson: I have a few minutes to spare, and thinking of the old place and folks I might never see again, I thought I should like to hear from them. Our brigade has been in two big battles and two small ones. In the first two we lost about 147 men killed and wounded. I never thought I should have lived to see the end of the battle. There were dead and dying in every direction. Men may think they are badly treated at home, but let them join the army and go through what I have gone through. It is a very nice country, only for the hills. We have to climb them. The Boers are a hardy lot of men, and want some beating, but they will get that in time, if we have to fight to a man. The general came this morning to thank us for the great service we had rendered him in the nick of time. Before you get this letter, you will probably see our name in the papers. The King’s Royal Rifles were with us in the fight. You would have thought that Sweeney Todd, the Fleet St barber, was at work again, the way men were going out of sight.
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Post by shred on Jan 20, 2013 18:44:16 GMT
March 2nd 1900
Private Charles Harrison, of the 2nd Shropshires, has sent his wife, residing at Hilton Square, Pendleton, a box of the Queen’s chocolate. It was exhibited at the concert at the Town Hall on Monday night.
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Post by shred on Jan 20, 2013 18:44:49 GMT
Private James Taylor, of the Manchester Volunteers, son of Mr T Taylor, plumber, Pendlebury, has been accepted for service at the front, and will leave for Aldershot tomorrow. Private Taylor is the third member of the Pendlebury Football Club that has been called up, the other two being Private A E Faulkner, brother of Mr Faulkner, corn and flour merchant, who arrived at Cape Town on Saturday, and Private A Whitworth, who has been in active service with general French, and from whom several letters have appeared in the “Journal.”
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Post by shred on Jan 20, 2013 18:53:24 GMT
MORE ECCLES VOLUNTEERS FOR THE FRONT
The Eccles Companies of the 1st V.B. Manchester Regiment, Major Andrew in command, are contributing more men for active service at the front, Sergt T Bull having been accepted as one of the corps of sharpshooters and Private Joseph Blakeley as an ambulances bearer. Both men have passed the medical examination, and are pleased at being selected. Sergt Bull, it will be remembered, was anxious to be one of the first batch selected and offered to join the section as a private rather than be left at home. He is a fine shot, and one of the smartest men of the regiment with which he is connected. The Eccles companies will thus have furnished nine men for service in the field.
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Post by shred on Jan 20, 2013 19:03:09 GMT
RESERVISTS’ DEPARTURE Yesterday afternoon week Private William Hamer, of Moorside Rd, Swinton, who has been allowed a brief furlough, left Moreside and Wardley station. He was dressed in khaki, and whilst waiting on the platform at London Rd station for the train to Chatham, he was ??pied by some students from Owen College, who carried him shoulder high on the platform, and gave him a hearty send-off. He embarked for Cape Town on Saturday with other reservists of the 2nd Lancashire Fusiliers. George Hamer, a younger brother, a Reservist in the 1st Manchesters, also left for Aldershot to rejoin his regiment. Hundreds of people crowded near the station, and on the platform, and George was also given an excellent send off.
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Post by shred on Jan 20, 2013 22:31:09 GMT
March 9th 1900
Letter from Cadishead Soldier
Mr J Banks, of Moss Lane, Cadishead, one of the foremen at the canal coal tips, has received a letter from Private D Morgan, who was employed as a shunter, of the 2nd North Staffordshire Mounted Infantry, now at the front, dated Orange River Feb 12th. He says: “Just a line to let you know I am alive and enjoying the best of health. We have little time to write during the day, and we dare not have any lights in the tent at nights, so you can see we are a little fast. Our Mounted Infantry have been formed into different regiments, and ours is called Colonel Ross’s Light Horse. We are expecting to march straight into the Transvaal and take everything before us. There is altogether about 1,500 of us, all mounted men. They (the Boers) will have to look out somewhere. We have a champion Colonel, and he treats us like his own brothers. You were telling me it would be over before I got there, but I think we have got something to go through before it is over, and I have no doubt we shall get through it all right; everyone is confident and in the best of spirits. I want you to specially tell the boys that I cannot write to all of them, and that I would be only to pleased if I could do so, but I shall always keep up corresponding with you, and you can remember me to the lot, and I will always remember you. We expect to start up the country on the 18th of February, so we shall have had a brush with them before you get this letter. It is Very hot out here, and we feel it more with it being winter when we left England. I have not had a shave since we left the ship at Cape Town, and we are looking 20 years older. I cannot give you any news until I get further up the country and see a bit of action, so give my best respects to all my old chums, and rest assured that I will prove myself worthy of the kindness which you have bestowed on my dear wife and children.
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Post by shred on Jan 21, 2013 21:14:10 GMT
March 9th 1900 Letter from Cadishead Soldier Mr J Banks, of Moss Lane, Cadishead, one of the foremen at the canal coal tips, has received a letter from Private D Morgan, who was employed as a shunter, of the 2nd North Staffordshire Mounted Infantry, now at the front, dated Orange River Feb 12th. He says: “Just a line to let you know I am alive and enjoying the best of health. We have little time to write during the day, and we dare not have any lights in the tent at nights, so you can see we are a little fast. Our Mounted Infantry have been formed into different regiments, and ours is called Colonel Ross’s Light Horse. We are expecting to march straight into the Transvaal and take everything before us. There is altogether about 1,500 of us, all mounted men. They (the Boers) will have to look out somewhere. We have a champion Colonel, and he treats us like his own brothers. You were telling me it would be over before I got there, but I think we have got something to go through before it is over, and I have no doubt we shall get through it all right; everyone is confident and in the best of spirits. I want you to specially tell the boys that I cannot write to all of them, and that I would be only to pleased if I could do so, but I shall always keep up corresponding with you, and you can remember me to the lot, and I will always remember you. We expect to start up the country on the 18th of February, so we shall have had a brush with them before you get this letter. It is Very hot out here, and we feel it more with it being winter when we left England. I have not had a shave since we left the ship at Cape Town, and we are looking 20 years older. I cannot give you any news until I get further up the country and see a bit of action, so give my best respects to all my old chums, and rest assured that I will prove myself worthy of the kindness which you have bestowed on my dear wife and children. I believe that the above letter was written by Daniel Morgan, of 292 Liverpool Rd, Cadishead. The census record hereunder shows his family living there in 1901, the recorder has written the words "husband at war" after his wife's name. The family immigrated to South Africa in 1902. Daniel died in 1916.
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Post by shred on Jan 22, 2013 19:43:01 GMT
NEWS FROM ECCLES VOLUNTEERS
The members of the 1st Volunteer Company Manchester Regiment who left Eccles on February 9th and afterwards embarked on the SS Greek have written to their relatives and friends, and the following is a good description of the journey up to Teneriffe [sic], which has been received by Major Andrew, JP, commanding the Eccles Companies: SS Greek, February 20th 1900. Dear Sir, On behalf of my comrades, I send you a few lines as to our doings since we left Ashton. We left Southampton last Wednesday and have had a rather rough voyage up to today. The ship has been rolling and pitching heavily, and when we sit down to our meals it is a case of eating it quickly and getting up on deck again, or else you are very liable to be covered all over with sundry fragments of eatables that are flying about at every heavy roll. The weather is much warmer already. Today it is glorious; beautiful blue sky, splendid breeze, and the sea fairly calm – rather a violent contrast to Old England the last time I saw it. We get very good food, and as much of it as we want to eat. We sleep in hammocks at night, and the day we spend between eating, smoking, and exercising. We have not done any drill up to now, but we are having target practise this afternoon, when we shall have an undress rehearsal of “Briton and Boer.” We are in first class condition now – fit and ready to go anywhere or do anything. All the Manchester Volunteers are down in our parts of the ship, and we are as thick as thieves. We have sing-songs at night; in short, we are all very comfortable – got our sea legs on and got our sea appetite, too. I think. We are just in sight of Teneriffe, where this letter will be posted. We all send our kindest regards to you, sir, and to our comrades of the 1st VBMR, I will write you again as soon as possible – I remain, sir, your respectfully, H Jones, Corporal 1st Vol. Co. M.R.
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Post by shred on Jan 22, 2013 22:03:45 GMT
AN ECCLES SOLDIER’S EXPERIENCE
Private J O’Brian, [sic] writing from Waterfalls, near Pretoria, on January 19th, to his brother and sister, Mr and Mrs Deveny, 12 Elizabeth St, Winton, says that he is in the best of health, but has a very bad bit of news. Continuing, he says – I daresay you read in the papers about the battle of Dundee. I and Martin were in the same battle together, and I am very sorry to say that Martin met his death. I was with him, and he went through no pain whatever, as he was shot through the head. He was no way disfigured. The burial party went out next day, and I went out with them. I saw Martin buried in a little churchyard in Dundee. We were in another battle afterwards at Moddenspruit Hill, six companies of ours and six companies of the Glousters. What were left of us were taken prisoners, and we are now in a place called Waterfalls, about twelve miles from Pretoria. You need not fret about me, as I am all right at present, but you can tell James Butler about Martin and where I am. You must excuse me for not writing before, as I have had no chance. I must also let you know that Martin was killed on the 20th October. After the war is over I will see and get everything belonging to him and send them to you. The writer concludes by asking that all his brothers and sisters should be informed about him and Martin and with the promise to write again as soon as he has the chance.
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Post by shred on Jan 25, 2013 21:52:37 GMT
FROM AN ECCLES DRUMMER
Drummer W Hall, C company, 4th Battalion King’s Own Lancaster Regiment, under date February 10th, from Naauwpoort, writes to his father and mother as follows: No doubt you will be waiting to hear from me. We landed at Cape Town February 1st, and we are now at a place called Naauwpoort near Colesberg. We have to keep our eyes open here, I can tell you. We were expecting a lot of Boers coming past our camp on Friday night who had been driven from Colesberg. I think it would have been God help them if they had done, because we were waiting in the trenches for them for twelve hours. There is no wonder our poor troops losing so many. You should see the hills here. It was a grand sight on the train to see all the hills. They nearly clammed us to death on board. We were three weeks on the water, and it took us three days on rail to get here, but we are living like lords here. I have had two pounds of chocolate, and we get grapes every morning. We are going to have a smack at them before we come home. You should see the poor darkies how glad they are because we are here to stop the Boers from forcing them to fight. We don’t know a minute when they will fire into our camp, but if they do we are ready for them. We have about 19 guns here. It will make it bad for us if they get on the hills, but we watch them at that. I have no rifle to defend myself with, but I have a big sword, and it gas been sharpened. You should have seen some of the troops that came over from Modder River. Some were shot through the leg, the back, neck, and palm of the hand, but they all seemed happy. I have got about three pounds of grapes by me side while I am writing this.
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Post by shred on Jan 26, 2013 12:59:47 GMT
LETTER FROM PRIVATE KAY
Private James Kay of the 1st Lancashire Regiment, wrote on February 6th to his sister, Miss Ellen Ann Kay, of Moorside Rd, Swinton, as follows:- I am at present in hospital with dysentery, but I am getting all right. I was in the last big battle just outside Ladysmith, at a place called Spion Kop, and our regiment lost about 300 killed and wounded. I got a splinter in the right thigh, but it did me very little harm. I expect to go up to the front again in about a fortnight or so if I am strong enough. The doctors won’t let me go yet, as I have been very bad. I am at Durban, about 300 miles from the front where they are fighting, and I am on a ship belonging to America, lent for English troops sick and wounded. They are splendid doctors, and the food they give you is a treat – four or five courses each meal, for those that are getting better. I am not allowed it yet. I am on light food and port wine, but I’ll soon be strong again. I have seen some funny sights here, hundreds lying dead and wounded. My mate lost half his head and one of his legs. It was an awful night, but when we got close up to the Boers with our bayonets we gave them some “What Ho.” They pray for us to let them alone, but they have to have it. I do wish it was over. When we get them past Ladysmith, we’ll warm them. They will be on the plain then, and have no big hill to hide on. We will soon be at Pretoria when we pass Ladysmith, but they will kill thousands of us before we get there. I hope I am not one of the unfortunate ones that go first. I have two clasps to my medal if I live to wear it.
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Post by shred on Jan 26, 2013 14:36:39 GMT
LETTER FROM PRIVATE S MORTON
Mr M silk, Swinton Hall Rd, Swinton, has received a letter from Private S Morton, of the 1st Battalion Manchester Regiment, dated Estcourt, February 4th. Private Morton lodged at Swinton before embarking on the SS Canada on November 30th. He says: I am living well considering it is active service. We get plenty to eat, bacon for breakfast and tea and plenty of meat for dinner. Butter is a luxury. Eggs are 6s a dozen here and 30s a dozen in Ladysmith. We are expecting the Queen’s gift of chocolate every day. I expect we will get it as soon as Ladysmith is relieved. They are offering as much as £3 and £10 for the box of chocolate. They have got about one thousand given them at Modder River. You might think we know how every bit of the war is going on, but we are worse off than yourselves, although we are only a few miles from it. I have not been able to pull my clothes off for six weeks. We have to sleep with our rifles under our heads in the trenches every night, and 100 rounds of ammunition in our pouches as we expect the Boers coming every hour. There has been about three weeks rain without stopping, so I will leave you to guess what state we are in with nothing but the sky for a cover. I hope the war will soon be over, and that I may come back with a few Kruger’s diamonds.
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Post by shred on Jan 26, 2013 15:04:17 GMT
MORE ECCLES MEN FOR THE FRONT
On Friday evening Private Gardiner, of Salter’s Lane, Eccles, left by the 8.30pm train to rejoin his regiment, the 1st Royal Scots. He was escorted to the station by the brass band and a large concourse of people, who sang patriotic airs and displayed a large number of flags. On Monday Sergt T Bull of Patricroft, of the 1st V.B. Manchester Regiment, left the Central Station, Manchester, by the noon train for London to join the 67th Imperial Yeomanry Sharpshooters.
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Post by shred on Jan 26, 2013 15:31:18 GMT
March 23rd, 1900
LETTER FROM A CADISHEAD SOLDIER AT THE FRONT
The following letter has been received by Mr F Banks, Moss Lane, Cadishead, from Private D Morgan, with Colonel Ross’ Light Infantry, dated February 28th:- Just another few lines. I told you that we would be in action shortly. After I wrote your last letter we went on the march the same night and we got to a place called Reif’s River Drift. We were behind the big force escorting the convoy with all the rations and ammunition belonging to our Seventh Division which had gone on in front of us and we were attacked by a strong force of the Boers, about 2,000 of them, we only being 200 strong. They were on a kopje behind the rocks, and they did not forget to pepper us. We had to lie on our stomachs from five o’clock in the morning until eight o’clock at night, bullets showering on us like hailstones. We dared not move only to keep firing on them, and we held our own until four guns and 1,000 of our men came back from the main body. I never experienced anything like it in my life before, everyone crying out for water and the sun striking down on us. We lost out of our mounted company one officer, 13 men, and 17 horses. I escaped without a scratch. The Boers captured three parts of our convoy, and we went another four days march to this place. Paardeberg Drift, where we had another big battle, fighting for twelve hours and losing heavy on both sides. We fought every day from the 18th to the 27th, when we had a proper pitched battle, defeating Cronje’s forces, capturing all the Boer guns, and 3,500 prisoners Cronje included. Lord Roberts was in command. We don’t expect it will last very long now, providing we have good luck at Bloemfontein, which we expect will be our next principal fight. We have been on half rations since the 20th up to the time I am writing, but another lot of rations has come up, so we shall get our full rations, and not before we wanted them. We have had no tents, no coats, and wet weather all the time, being pretty uncomfortable lying in the water and being wet through, but we are all sticking like the Old Bull Dogs of yore, and I have no doubt we shall make them (the Boers) dance before long. I am so pinched for paper and time, and we have to write when we get the chance.
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