monumenta lly speaking queensland editionboer war committee bob hagerty & bill cross. fr. geoff...

Correspondence and Donations to: - The Secretary, Boer War Memorial Association, P. O. Box 165, Fortitude Valley, Qld. 4006 1

Queensland Chairman’s Report

Welcome to the twentieth Queensland National Boer War Memorial Association newsletter.

National News

Progress with our Memorial as at 31 May 15 The Sculptures First Horseman is now complete. It is waiting in Melbourne before being transported to Canberra.

Second Horseman The ½ scale model worked up to the point of detailing the costume and equipment is now complete. The clay model is programmed for completion in September 2015. The bronze figure is due for completion in March 2016. (Below)

Third Horseman is programmed for completion in September 2016 Fourth Horseman programmed for completion in March 2017 Storage of Sculptures at AWM As sculptures are completed they will be transported to Canberra for storage. The Design Development 95% Design complete – PM forwarded 95% Design + Tabulation of Responses to NCA Queries. Now awaiting NCA response. GSA has forwarded the drainage design /embankment detail from the hydraulic consultant to NCA.. Waiting on feedback to finalize this on CAD.

Funding as at 31 May 15 $1,826,955

Finance & Progress Report As I mentioned in our last newsletter, we now have Michael Crouch as the Chairman of our Appeals Committee. There are some terrific photos of the completed First Horseman available in this newsletter. To get the very latest Progress Report, please use the following Link http://www.bwm.org.au/documents/Nat_Newsetter_201506.pdf. Your funding has got us this far, please keep those donations rolling in, we have a way to go yet.

Queensland News We have just completed our second commemorative ceremony for 2015. The National Boer War Day commemorates the signing of the peace treaty at Melrose House, Pretoria. We held the ceremony in ANZAC Square Brisbane. There were approximately 80 at the ceremony, which was supported by 2/14 LHR (QMI) providing a Lance Guard as the Catafalque Party and a horseman in Boer War uniform from the Historic Troop. It was well attended by several Cavalry Associations, Victoria League, and South African Military Veterans of Australia, RSL War Widows Guild. A highlight was the presentation of an original letter from a Queensland Boer War Descendant, Mr Alan Lilley. The letter was hand written by Captain Charles G. Gehrmann of the 5th Q.I.B. advising of the death of Private William Lilley. (see page 3) Future Events On the 27th September 15 we are holding an afternoon at the Sherwood Indooroopilly RSL Sub-Branch. Commencing at 2.00 p.m., the topic for the afternoon will be “Fathers of the ANZACs”. Guest speaker will include Dianne Melloy, who was one of the 10 widows invited as guests of the Government at Gallipoli 2015.

Conclusion We are now in the construction phase and we are still chasing funding. Donation form is included in this newsletter.

Ron McElwaine OAM RFD ED

Chairman Qld Committee of NBWMA

Na t i on a l Boe r War Memor i a l Asso c i a t i o n

National Patron: Air Chief Marshal Mark Binskin AC Chief of the Defence Force

Monumenta l l y Spe ak in g - Que e n s l a n d Ed i t i o n Qld. committee newsletter - Volume 7, No. 2 - JUNE 2015


BOER WAR DAY MEMORIAL SERVICE, Sunday, 31st May, 2015 in Anzac Square

Boer War Committee Bob Hagerty & Bill Cross. Fr. Geoff Reeder

Maj Tim Stewart (2/14 LHR QMI) accepts a hand-written letter from the Boer War from Mr Allan Lilley

Dr Dale Kerwin and Rick Gross lay a wreath on behalf of indigenous veterans

Aspley State Hgh School students

(Left to right) Adrian McCabe DVA Qld, Greg Peake (3 Cav Vietnam Assoc Qld) and Phil Lilliebridge (2/14 LH QMI Assoc)

RSL Qld Deputy President, John Strachan (left) with BWMA Qld Committee Chairman, Ron McElwaine Members of the

South African Military Veterans of Australia (SAMVOA) who regularly support our events

2/14 LHR (QMI) providing a Lance Guard as the Catafalque Party

Members of the Lilley family with Major Tim Stewart

Celebration of Her Majestry’s

longest reign

On Sunday, 23rd August, 2015, at 9.30 a.m., a Commemorative Thanksgiving Service will be

held at St. John’s Anglican Cathedral, Brisbane, to celebrate Her Majesty, The Queen, beoming

the longest reigning Monarch.


Charlestown, Natal, S. A.

31st. 1. 02 Mr. J. Lilley Redbank, Queensland. Dear Sir, It is with great regret that I have to write you on so sad a matter. No doubt by now you have been advised officially, and Dave will have written you. Your son No. 127 Pvt. W. Lilley met his death bravely in an engagement on January 4th when our regiment suffered very severely. He was one of my best men and was the life of all his troop. His death has cast quite a gloom amongst us. His cheerful manner made him a favourite with both officers and men, and I regret his death very much. He was always willing for any work and although not present myself at the time of his death, his example on the field was a lesson many a man could follow and be a credit to his country. Allow me to sympathize with you and your family in your sad bereavement and I pray the Almighty to be with you in your sad affliction and make it easy to bear. I trust nothing will happen to your other son and that he will be spared to return to you safe and sound. He also is a credit to his company and is a very promising young officer. I must apologize for not writing earlier, but I have been in hospital since beginning of the month, hence this delay. Hoping that the Almighty will be with you in your trouble and that Dave may be spared to you. I remain Yours sincerely Chas. G. Gehrmann. Capt. 5th Q.I.B.

MEDALLIONS without case $38 + $2 postage MEDALLIONS in jewel case $46 + $8 postage

This superb BOER WAR Memorial Medallion depicts the first of the four 1.5 times life size mounted troopers which will comprise the central theme of the National Boer War Memorial in Canberra. The wording “THEIR SERVICE + OUR HERITAGE” with the colours of the Queens and Kings South Africa Medals surround the central 3D image. On the reverse there is provision for descendants to have the name of their Veteran ancestor engraved as well as the unit in which they served. This medallion will become a valuable item in your family and you will have helped put a piece in the Australian National Boer War Memorial

Size 50mm Diameter

To NBWMA (Victoria)...P. O. Box 2006, Blackburn South, VICTORIA 3130

Please send me ...... Boer War Memorial Medallions [(in jewel cases) cross out if case not required]. Enclosed please find my cheque for $ .................. My postal address details are: NAME ...>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> STREET ......................................................................................................

TOWN.SUBURB ......................................................................................... STATE ..................... POSTCODE ...........................

PLEASE DO NOT SEND CASH IN THE MAIL


Part 2. (Continued from the previous issue of Monumentally Speaking).

British Boer War - Instances and Characters “Military Incompetence”

Michael O’Mallon

General Sir Redvers Buller - The leading character was the commander-in-chief, General Sir Redvers Buller. According to a contemporary description, there could be no finer choice for our South African adventure: “There is no stronger commander in the British Army than this remote, almost grimly resolute, completely independent, utterly fearless, steadfast and vigorous man. Big-boned, square-jawed, strong-minded, strong headed ... smartness ... sagacity ... administrative capacity. He was born to be a soldier of the very best English type, needless to say the best type of all.” Unfortunately this assessment was at variance with the facts in all but two particulars. Firstly, he was indeed big. Secondly, though sadly lacking in moral courage, he was undoubtedly brave when it came to physical danger. In this respect, as in many others, he was not unlike Raglan of the Crimean War, and indeed some other commanders of subsequent years. Of Sir ‘Reverse’ Buller, as he came to be known by his troops, Rayne Kruger writes: ‘At the risk of marring [the] contemporary description ... it should be mentioned that his big bones were particularly well covered, especially in the region of the stomach, and that his square jaw was not especially apparent above a double chin. He had entered the army with no disadvantage, his mother being a Howard and niece of the Duke of Norfolk, and he was very wealthy, which was fortunate in view of his preference for a diet of ample good food and champagne.’ Kruger attests to his bravery. ‘His record was something to conjure with. Since the age of 21, he had fought in five campaigns, including the Zululand wars when he was the dashing leader of irregular cavalry. A winner of the V.C., he had such a reputation that many people thought he, and not Wolseley, should have been head of the British Army.’ Never has a nation been more wrong-headed in its selection of a general. ever has a general been more disastrous in the execution of his duties. Like Raglan, Buller had no experience of commanding a large body of men. For the previous decade, he had held a number of different posts in the War Office. According to contemporary accounts he was bereft of creative imagination and totally lacking in discrimination, he was also without that gift of intuition, which impels a good general to choose the right course of action. His first step towards disaster was to shelve the official British strategy. This was to capture Bloemfontein and then Pretoria, thus knocking out those centres of the Boer movement, the Orange Free State and Natal.

Instead, distracted by the sieges of Ladysmith and Kimberley, he split his army into three unequal parts, for the simultaneous relief of these beleaguered towns and the capture of Stormberg Junction. While his motives for this move are not entirely clear, it was certainly consistent with three characteristics of the man. Firstly, he was a kind and gentle creature, and therefore undoubtedly distressed at what he imagined was going on behind the sieges. Secondly, he lacked confidence, particularly for the role of active Supreme Commander. As he remarked to Lord Lansdowne: ‘I have always considered that I was better as second in a complex military affair than as an officer in chief command. I had never been in a position where the whole load of responsibility fell on me.’ Thirdly, he lacked singleness of mind, contrary to popular belief at the time, which was based on two grossly misleading clues - his appearance and his bravery, he was in fact the antithesis of the steadfast son of Mars: irresolute, indecisive and without faith in his own plans. As a consequence of these traits, Buller lost no time in trying to rid himself of any direct responsibility for the conduct of the war, by handing over the reins to sub-ordinate commanders to whom he gave no further directives. This abdication, as opposed to delegation, might have passed unnoticed had the subordinates been men of great ability. Unfortunately they were not. As a consequence, within five days three battles had been lost.

General (Lord) Methuen – Buller’s subordinate Methuen, with 8,000 men was very nearly defeated by 3,000 Boers. Methuen’s objective was the Modder River, a natural defence-line for the Boers. Accordingly, without any reconnaissance, he ordered his troops to make a frontal attack. Since he could not see the enemy

he wrongly assumed that no enemy was there. Led by their officers, the men advanced across the flat and open veldt towards the river. All went well until they were within easy range of the Boers, who had con-cealed themselves, with what was subsequently des-cribed as fiendish cunning below the deep banks of the river. Those of Methuen’s army who were not killed outright by the sudden blast of fire from the invisible Boers, spent the day lying prostrate under a scorching sun. In a temperature of 110° unable to move forward or back, they (including the seventy wounded) suffered extreme discomfort from thirst and slowly blistering skin. Methuen’s remedy was to direct heavy artillery fire on to the Boer positions. Thanks to the latter’s use of cover, this barrage had very little influence on the course of events, apart from killing a number of his own troops through faulty range-finding.

Lord Methuen

General Sir

Redvers Buller


It was only under the cover of darkness that the British eventually withdrew, leaving behind 500 dead and wounded. Because the Boers also used the night to pull back their line, to the Magersfontein range behind the river, Methuen claimed the action as a victory. Others were not so sure. According to one observer, Methuen failed to display a much higher degree of general-ship than a promising young subaltern straight from Sandhurst. According to another: ‘Everyone here is furious with Methuen for his bad general-ship. He goes slap bang at the position with a frontal attack and never thinks of turning the flanks’. Yet others noted that Methuen had studiously ignored two sound, if obvious observations, by Lord Roberts, one of the great generals of that time. The first was that modern weapons make frontal attacks over open ground impossible. The second was that the first duty of a commander is reconnaissance. While all this may seem obvious, it evidently did not occur to Methuen. Within a few days of his performance at Modder River, he confirmed the worst fears of his critics in the even more disastrous battle of Magersfontein. On the quite unjustified assumption that the Boers were occupying the Magersfontein hills, he subjected their deserted slopes to an intense artillery barrage at considerable expense to the British tax payer. Total enemy casualties from this enterprise were three Boers killed. With a confidence born of ignorance he then ordered a frontal assault by the Highland Brigade. This was made at dawn, following a night march. Unknown to Methuen, the Boers were concealed in narrow trenches some distance in front of his objective. As at Modder River, they waited patiently until the British came within easy range. Surprise was complete. When they opened fire, a hail of lead swept through the ranks of the Highland Brigade. Within minutes the ground was carpeted with dead soldiers, including the Highland Commander, General Wauchope. It was too much for the remainder; despite their train-ing and their discipline; despite the honour of the regiment; despite all those factors which the high command fondly believed would induce uneducated soldiers to sacrifice themselves for the shortcomings of their generals, they broke ranks, turned tail and fled. As they did so, they were further pounded and demoralized by hitherto undetected batteries of Boer artillery. From his position well behind the firing line, it should have been clear to Methuen that the only way to save the day was to outflank the Boer positions. This he refused to do. He could only order ‘Forward, forward the Highlanders’, and then watch the rising tide of defeat as the Highlanders fell back. The battle ended with his army, less a thousand dead and wounded back at the starting line. It is worth comparing the cerebrations of the British command with those of the Boers. While Methuen, despite his very recent experience at Modder River, could still respond only with frontal assaults, the Boers had applied some thought to their defences. They reasoned that much was to be gained by surprise and

concealment. They also reasoned that a high-powered rifle fired at ground level has more chance of finding a target than one fired down from above. Thus The Times History refers to the Boer trenches as ‘one of the boldest and most original conceptions in the history of war.’ Moreover, Methuen was by no means the most fool-hardy of the generals. There was General Feather-stonehaugh who, at the battle of Belmont, insisted on riding up and down in front of his men in full regalia, thereby announcing his importance to the enemy and effectively hampering the fire of his own men. It was not long before the Boers rectified his error by shooting him off his horse. Maj Gen Fitzroy-Hart - Then there was General Hart who at the battle of Colenso, inflicted thirty minutes’ parade ground drill on his brigade before marching them shoulder to shoulder in barrack-square precision across the open veldt against the Boer position. Since it was broad daylight, his densely packed column provided an irresistible target for every Boer gun and rifle within range. In this battle, the British were defeated with the loss of 1,139 casualties and 10 guns, against Boer losses of 6 dead and 21 wounded. In the words of a German staff historian: ‘The general and not his gallant force was defeated.’ Lt-Gen Sir William Forbes Gatacre - General Gatacre, whose performance at the battle of Stormberg Junction was singularly lacking in panache. To capture his objective, Gatacre settled for a night march followed by a dawn attack. Not only did he not know the route, but he succeeded in forgetting to bring along the one man who did, a certain Captain of Intelligence. As a result of the appointment of two ‘guides’ (who knew no more than he did), dawn found him and his army behind the hills he was supposed to be in front of. After some moments of consternation, during which he lost all sense of direction, the general resolutely faced his army the wrong way with their backs to the enemy. Having recovered from the novel experience of being attacked by an army which appeared to be moving in reverse, the Boers opened fire with such devastating results that within half an hour Gatacre’s force was in full retreat. When they finally reached their original starting-line, they were delighted to find they had suffered only 90 casualties. Their euphoria was short-lived, for a second count revealed that by a mere oversight’ 600 British soldiers had been left behind on the enemy-held hills. Since nobody had told them to retreat, they became prisoners of the Boers. As for other blunders by senior commanders in this and other

Lt. Gen. Sir William

Forbes Gatacre

Maj.Gen. Fitzroy-Hart


wars, a cover story was soon put out to preserve the general’s reputation. On this occasion Gatacre had been treacherously led into an ambush’. In mitigation it might be claimed that since attack is more difficult than defence, men like Methuen and Gatacre were disadvantaged in their conflict with an enemy who were, after all, defending their own terrain against an invading army. Two points, however, deserve to be made. Firstly, British Army training up to that time had always laid great stress on attack, and secondly; an almost total neglect of defensive tactics. There are good psychological reasons for this one- sided preparation for war, a bias in training for which Britain paid dearly in subsequent conflicts. In the Boer War, the Army was doing what it had been trained for. While in the battles so far described, British troops were on the offensive, there were other military events in which they occupied a defensive role, as for example in the sieges of Ladysmith and Mafeking. Sir George Stuart White - This makes it possible to examine the suggestion that military incompetence was confined to the handling of offensive rather than defensive actions. When we do so, however, the hypo-thesis is found untenable. Even in defence, incompet-ence was still evident. The best example is that afforded by Sir George White, V.C., Commander-in- Chief, Natal, who, in trying to resist the enemy, failed to carry out the most elementary precautions. Like a householder who refuses to lock his door when he knows burglars are about, White omitted to carry out any measures to deny the Boers use of their most valuable mode of access - the railway. He failed to mine passes, block tunnels, blow up bridges, or in any way destroy their prime means of transportation. Of this serious dereliction, The Times History comments: ‘The least damaging explanation is that Sir George White never fully realized that the Boers were civilized opponents who could make use of a railway for military purposes’. Sir George White, whose statue can be seen near Broadcasting House in London, was subsequently made a field-marshal and Companion of Honour (against the advice of A. J. Balfour). Psychological stress upon decision-making - It is at this point that it becomes necessary to introduce another concept, which is relevant to the conduct of the South African War. It is that of the effect of psychological stress upon decision-making. It is perhaps in their resistance to stress, in their ability to carry on when things go wrong, that good generals are most easily distinguished from poor ones. By this standard, General Buller, physically so huge, failed dismally. Irresolute from the outset, the three defeats at Magersfontein, Stormberg Junction and

Colenso sapped whatever confidence he ever had. From being weak and fearful he became a veritable jelly of indecision. His plans became vague and indefinite, and his specific orders scarcely more enlightening. His lack of moral courage in the face of adversity revealed itself most clearly in his propensity for making scapegoats of his unfortunate subordinates, those admittedly incompetent generals, who had blundered on without direction or assistance from above, while taking none of the blame himself. Nothing in his dispatches at the time, or later in his evidence before the Royal Commission [convened to investigate the reasons for the series of defeats] suggests that, even in the most roundabout way, that he, who planned the whole campaign was in any manner responsible for its failure. The nearest he came to such an admission was a reference to “bad luck”.

Part 3 to be continued in September

THE BOER WAR 1899-‐1902

Val Hunter CANADA was also one of the colonies of Great Britain which supplied men to assist the Mother Country during the Second Boer War 1900-1902. The following details were given by one of the soldiers who served with the 2nd Royal Horse Artillery. “As part of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, I sailed from Canada on 21st February, 1900. We had 18 officers and 352 other ranks plus 268 horses. Our arrival in Cape Town was on 21st March, 1900. Between 22nd and 24th April, 1900, B Squadron was involved in action against the Boers. In July the Regiment escorted 2 RHA guns, and again became involved in heavy action. Soon after, when all seemed quiet, a troop of the Regiment was on outpost duty and a sentry reported that a number of animals – Springboks – were frequently bounding in the air. This gave the impression that the animals were alarmed. The officer called an immediate stand-to-order, to drive off a large number of Boers, because he knew that the Boers were adept at making a stealthy approach. The Commanding Officer was Colonel Lessard, and when he heard of this event, he requested authority to take the image of a bounding Springbok as their Regiment badge. Approval was given in 1913. During the second half of the 19th century, the Orange Free State was an independent Boer sovereign republic in South Africa. The Flag of the Orange Free State was used from 1857 to 1902 – at which time the Orange Free State ceased to be a republic, with the signing of peace at Vereeniging on 31st May, 1902. This year, 2015, in Canada on 31st May – 113 years later, the flag from the Orange Free State has again been brought on view. It will remain a treasured reminder of the heroic actions of the Royal Canadian Dragoons during the Boer War in South Africa 1899 – 1902. Cont. page 7

Sir George S. White


This flag was wrapped around the medals awarded to the father-in-law of the man who, today, presented the flag of the Orange Free State to Warrant Officer John S. Barrett CD, for it to be on display and valued by members of the Royal Canadian Dragoons.

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NBWMA QUEENSLAND SUPPORTERS Only $15.00 per annum. New subscribers receive a badge, a car sticker, and a Certificate. Everyone has the satisfaction of knowing they are supporting a worthy cause, as all funds received are used toward the Boer War Memorial in Canberra. Three newsletters per annum keep you informed of the progress of the monument, upcoming memorial services that are held annually, as well as very interesting articles. Memorial services are usually followed by an interesting and informative talk, whilst enjoying a scrumptious morning or afternoon tea prepared by the Women’s Auxiliary. It also gives everyone a chance to socialise. Application forms available from National Boer War Memorial Association Qld. Supporters, P. O. Box 100, Corinda, Qld. 4075 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Have you registered all your Boer War Ancestor’s Descendants? Please include all your known close relatives to the National Boer War Memorial Association Database website -‐ www.bwm.org.au. Alternatively, contact us for an application form and we will carry out research on your behalf. Being on the Queensland database entitles you to a Newsletter, and an invitation to all Memorial services. The database will enable future generations to trace their ancestors.

******************* Do you have a Boer War story you want to share? If you have a Boer War story, please send to [email protected] fgfgfgfgfgfgfggfg

5th Q I B Headstone in the Winton Cemetery – Thanks to Gary

***********************************************

A great present !

‘CARVINGS from the VELDT -‐ Part Two’ Rifle carvings from the Anglo-‐Boer War

1899-‐1902 The author has decided to sell off remaining stocks of

this book. Hard-‐covered book with 350 pages in A4 size. 306 weapons are featured -‐ all with carvings or engravings (including rifles, carbines and handguns used by both sides). 95% of the 1,400 photos are in full gloss colour, which show great detail of the weapons.

The book includes four rifles used by Boer Generals and over 70 weapons named to Australian and NZ troops, with interesting service histories and many photos of the veterans. Also a selection of swords, bayonets, bandoliers, ammo, medals and a large selection of unit badges and headgear worn by both sides -‐ British, Colonial and Boers. Also chapters on Anglo-‐Boer War re-‐enactor groups and POW trench-‐art (e.g.: pipes, artefacts and jewellery).

Price now $40.00 (was $90) + $13 postage.

Of great interest to Boer War descendants, Rifle Collectors and Military Historians.

Don't worry about avoiding temptation as you grow older, it will avoid you

-- Winston Churchill

Author: Dave George Ph: 02-‐ 6676 4320 (8.30am to 5.00pm NSW)

monumenta lly speaking queensland editionboer war committee bob hagerty & bill cross. fr. geoff...

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