Royal Engineers
History of the Corps
Until 1716, Engineers and Artillery were not separately organised. Colonel Blood, then Second Engineer of Great Britain, commanded the Artillery at the battle of Blenheim in 1704. The officer only Corps of Royal Engineers (the ‘RE’) was so named in 1787 by direction of King George III. In 1856 the soldier Corps of Royal Sappers and Miners joined them. RE Private Soldiers were thenceforward called ‘Sappers’ to recall the distinguished campaign service of their former Corps under RE officers. The officer element was permanently established in the 1660s, descending from the King’s Engineers of Norman times. The ‘soldier’ element began life in the 17th Century Trains of Ordnance, then evolved via companies of Soldier Artificers; the first being raised in Gibraltar in 1772. The Corps has pioneered the military development of Combat Engineering, Diving, Submarine Mining, Aeronautics, Mechanical Transport, Tanks, Signalling, Searchlights, Port Operating and Movement Control, Bomb Disposal, Survey, Parachute and Beach Assault Forces, and Army Postal and Courier Services. REs have always operated in the front line, in attack or defence. King William IV granted the Corps motto “Ubique quo fas et gloria ducunt” (Everywhere, where Right and Glory Lead) in 1832, recognising RE achievements in all major campaigns. Up to mid 2009, 51 Victoria Cross and 17 George Cross winners had worn the cap badges of these Corps. There have been five RE Field Marshals; including Lord Kitchener. Since 1904 the reigning Sovereign has graciously assumed the appointment of Colonel in Chief. The Corps has a long standing Alliance with the South African Engineer Corps, recalling their professional fellowship and campaign service together in both World Wars.
In June 1899, most of the Natal garrison were stationed at Ladysmith, an important railway junction between Natal and both Boer Republics. Great quantities of stores and food supplies had been collected there, as were many of the incoming reinforcements, but there had been no plan to occupy or defend it. The single RE unit at Cape Town was not quickly deployable and more REs were urgently required. The 23rd Field Company from Aldershot reached Ladysmith on July 14th, sending one Section to the advance guard at Dundee. The HQ and one Section of the RE Telegraph Battalion and the 2nd Balloon Section arrived on October 27th just before communications were interrupted. 45th Fortress Company was mobilised for Steam Road Transport duties, under Lt Col Templer KRRC the Chief of the RE Balloon Factory at Aldershot. These engines began operating near Estcourt and Frere, then supported general manoeuvre at all of the subsequent crossings of the Tugela.
See Angloboerwarfor an in depth look at the regiment site
23rd Company first enlarged the military cantonment and its hospitals (where ‘Tin Town’ now is). Many batteries, magazines and ‘bomb proof’ shelters were constructed, and lines of obstacles were made, especially near Wagon Hill and Caesar’s Camp; the key to the Southern defences. Electrical and mechanical mines were improvised, and roads made to various key posts. Two bridges were built over the Klip River. No 1 Section under Lt Turner took part in the Talana Hill battle, and some REs deployed to the Elandslaagte battle. After Lombard’s Kop on October 30th, the British force concentrated around the town, being surrounded then isolated on November 2nd. From then until the relief, the 23rd Company was continuously employed in improving the defence works, with a Company officer taking charge of each sector. Work was usually done by night, due to harassing artillery fire by day. The ground was difficult; the supply of tools inadequate. Most Boer guns were sited beyond their effective shrapnel range, so positions could be built without overhead protection and were easier to conceal. Before long the Sappers became so weak from sickness and want of food that they had to be taken to their work in wagons, but their determination and self-sacrifice received the highest praise from Sir George White.
On November 26th Gen Buller took personal charge of the operations to relieve Ladysmith. Shortly afterwards, ‘A’ Pontoon Troop and the 17th Field Company arrived and had heavy work extending the camps for the troops. Water supply was an especially serious problem. RE Searchlights proved successful in communicating with Ladysmith by means of ‘cloud signalling’. With RE Railway Staff and RN assistance, 17th Field Company also prepared some armoured trains. Thus began the nickname ‘Hairy Mary’ from the rope splinter mats used to protect the engine.
At the Colenso battle on December 15th, the HQ and one Section of 17th Company was attached to the 2nd Brigade
(Maj Gen Hildyard) in the centre, and two Sections to the 5th Brigade (Maj Gen Hart) on the left flank. Lt Meyricke succeeded in reaching the Colenso road bridge under heavy fire, finding it intact and still usable. However, none of the British troops crossed the Tugela. Buller concluded the Boer position was too strong, retiring to Frere to await reinforcements.
On December 7th a night attack captured Gun Hill, East of Ladysmith, driving off the Boers. Capt Fowke and Lt Turner, with a few Sappers, destroyed a 6 inch Creusot gun and a 4.7 inch
howitzer with gun cotton. Three days later, Lt Digby Jones, accompanied a raid on Surprise Hill, destroying another 4.7 inch howitzer and earning himself a Mention in Despatches.
The Fifth Division with Lt Col Sim as Commanding Royal Engineer arrived in late December; bringing 37th Field Company and a further Section of the Telegraph Division. Its Balloon Section was improvised from spare equipment stored in Cape Town, doing good service. Hearing of Buller’s intent to advance again, the Boers aimed to capture Ladysmith before help could reach it and prepared to attack Wagon Hill on January 6th.
A force of about 2,000 Burghers was organised to seize it before daylight. On Wagon Point a small garrison of Imperial Light Horse and some of the 23rd Field Company under Lt Digby Jones, with a working party of Gordon Highlanders and Sailors, had arrived to complete positions for two more guns on the summit. 2Lt Denniss RE had charge of this sector of the defences. About 2.45 AM the Boers advanced. Digby Jones stood his men to arms, opened fire, and checked them. Both Imperial Light Horse officers were wounded, and Digby Jones was in command until 5 AM when more Gordon Highlanders arrived in support. By 10.15 AM the Boers had apparently been driven off. But, in the early afternoon the Free State Boers attacked again. A group led by Commandant de Villiers rushed the crest while the Sappers were having their dinners. Digby Jones seized a rifle, rushed on the Boers, and shot de Villiers. He was then shot dead whilst
encouraging the infantry, who had been badly shaken by the sudden attack. 2Lt Denniss was killed a few minutes later.
After severe fighting, the Boers eventually abandoned their attack and withdrew. The RE lost two officers and six men killed, and five men wounded out of a 33 strong detachment. Lt Digby Jones was awarded one of the earliest posthumous VCs.
By January 8th, Buller decided to attempt a relief by outflanking the Boers via Potgieter’s Drift about 16 miles to the West of Colenso. Two divisions would attack; the Second (including 37th Field Company) and the Fifth commanded by Lt Gen Sir Charles Warren; including 17th Field Company (Maj Massy) and ‘A’ Pontoon Troop (Maj Irvine). Bad roads from Frere via Springfield to Potgieter’s Drift required several streams to be bridged with trestles or pontoons to get the transport wagons through. Despite strenuous efforts, progress was slow. he Boers had plenty of time to move their forces to the right and form new defences. At Potgieter’s Drift, Buller decided their positions were too strong to attack frontally and ordered Warren to use Trichardt’s Drift, four miles further West, where they arrived early on January 17th. Maj Irvine was ordered to bridge the Tugela at this difficult site; the banks were high and the stream ran swiftly. But, careful preparations got the bridge across within three hours of starting work. A second bridge for heavy traffic was completed by evening. By the following day, the whole of the Fifth Division and its transport had crossed and assembled on the North bank ready to advance. Meanwhile, the 37th Field Company had established a ferry at Potgieter’s Drift, enabling part of the Second Division to cross. For four days unsuccessful attempts were made to drive the Boers from their positions on the hills opposite Trichardt’s Drift. On the evening of January 23rd Warren issued orders for the capture of Spionkop; intending to by pass it immediately to the West. Maj Massy with part of the 17th Field Company was detailed to accompany the column, which reached the summit at 3.30 AM on the 24th, driving off the Boer picquet. Trenches were hastily laid out in front of the 11th Brigade as directed by its commander (Maj Gen Woodgate), to be occupied as firing positions by the infantry. Construction started immediately, but the work was very difficult. The hill was rocky with very shallow topsoil; the
infantry mostly disinclined to dig; and there was no suitable material with which to form parapets. Sandbags stockpiled for the purpose had been bypassed in the dark and left behind. Soon after daylight the Boers opened fire from surrounding hills causing many casualties, including the Brigade Commander. Maj Massy was killed whilst helping Lt Col Thorneycroft to rally the forward infantry. Lt Falcon was severely wounded. Reinforcements arrived and the position was held all day under very heavy fire. Nearly all the REs on the summit became casualties. That night, Lt Col Sim was sent with the rest of the 17th Company to complete ‘gun slides’ up the hill, then to construct positions for RA mountain guns and Naval 12 pounder guns. Before these could be brought up, the summit was abandoned. Buller cancelled any attempt to outflank the Boers opposite Trichardt’s Drift and instructed Warren to withdraw across the Tugela. A new pontoon bridge was completed on the morning of January 26th; 17th Company made the roads leading to it. After the whole Division had crossed, this was rapidly dismantled.
‘A’ Troop moved to Potgieter’s Drift to prepare another bridge. Maj Irvine was highly complimented by Sir Redvers for the
admirable manner in which the bridging operations had been carried out. The 17th Company also marched to Potgieter’s Drift, working there with 37th Company on a road and ‘gun slide’ to haul naval guns up Swart Kop, a commanding position opposite Vaalkrantz on the North bank, past which it was now proposed to advance. This was the original historic site of the ‘Swart Kop Challenge.’ On February 1st ‘A’ Troop built two more bridges; one at Potgieter’s Drift and another under Swart Kop; a difficult site with banks 30 to 40 ft high and very steep. The orders for the Vaalkrantz attack were given on February 5th, and a third bridge was built under heavy fire in three-quarters of an hour with a loss of eight Sappers wounded. Maj Gen Lyttleton’s Brigade then crossed the Tugela and captured the Vaalkrantz heights after some severe fighting. The following day, the second bridge was taken down, and a fourth was built immediately under the Vaalkrantz ridge by ‘A’ Troop. The Boers continued to resist with considerable enterprise and on February 7th Buller decided the Vaalkrantz approach was also impossible, ordering his whole force to retire to Chieveley Camp North of Frere. After everything had crossed the Tugela, the bridges were dismantled, the pontoons and other stores packed, and ‘A’ Troop and the two Field Companies marched back to Chieveley.
Buller then decided to try forcing his way over the hills to the East of Colenso. Firstly, ordering the capture of Hlangwane Hill South of the Tugela. Maj Irvine selected a crossing site where the river was about 100 yards wide, ‘A’ Troop building a ‘Heavy Bridge’ under Boer artillery fire to enable the infantry to cross and attack the heights opposite. After near continuous fighting for four days, it was decided to reposition this further downstream. During the night of February 26th, it was dismantled and then carried with great difficulty over the hill and re-erected on the new site in less than three hours on the morning of the 27th. This renewed attack caused the Boers to withdraw, opening the way into Ladysmith and enabling the siege to be lifted on February 28th.
The 2nd Balloon Section, under Maj Heath, did excellent work during the siege. A balloon was filled on October 30th, and well used that day during the battle of Lombard’s Kop, especially in directing artillery fire. Two balloons were sent up on the 31st, both being hit by shell fragments, but with no serious damage. During November the balloons were frequently used, providing good information on the positions and movements of the Boers, who particularly disliked this new implement of war. Unfortunately, it became impossible to obtain gas of suitable quality, and work with the balloons had to cease, after which the Section was employed on defence works, especially at Wagon Hill and Caesar’s Camp. After the relief, it was converted into the 3rd Field Troop, to work with the Cavalry. The REs were also actively engaged in building the Hospital camp at Intombi, improving water distribution and in manufacturing ‘Chevril’.
55 Royal Engineers and 5 attached members of the Army Post Office Corps lost their lives in the siege and its relief. Their memorials and graves are at All Saints Church, the Ladysmith Town and Ntombi cemeteries, at Wagon Hill and Wagon Point, on Spion Kop, and in smaller numbers at Chieveley, Spearman’s Farm, Fort Napier (Pietermaritzburg) and at Tin Town.
See Colonel Walker account
See Captain Bloy account.