Christmas

Christmas Day in South Africa falls almost at midsummer and the sun rises early, as did the Boers in 1899, immediately sniping at the town and sending over their big shells. Later in the day two of these shells land in the town but failed to detonate. On being opened, the engineers found that the detonators had been removed and the space filled with Christmas pudding. Written on the outside was the message “With the compliments of the season”. Captain Thomas McDermott with the RAMC was called on to test the Christmas Pudding the Boers sent in a shell on Christmas day to see if it was edible as there was such a shortage of food.

In the afternoon several regiments indulged in various forms of recreation such as running races, tug of war, until the Boers resumed their shelling of the town. The more musically inclined played what instruments they had and often improvised using shell cases and tins. The Gordon Highlanders performed with their Bagpipes, which was always a favourite. 

As was to be seen in the two big conflicts yet to come, where children were concerned there was no shortage of support, born out by the 120 pounds of sweets, quantities of cakes, lemonade and ginger beer. Rhodes and his team managed to obtain many presents as almost everyone donated something, even old toys were repaired and Regimental Sergeant Major Bill Perrin of the Imperial Light Horse took on the role of Father Christmas.

At 7.30 pm the party commenced and each child was given a ticket which they presented to father Christmas at the tree to receive a gift. Altogether about 250 children received 3-4 presents each.

Once the children’s party was over it was the turn of the adults. The floor was cleared and a dance took place. Towards the end of the evening Christmas songs were sung, culminating in “God Save the Queen” followed by “three cheers” for Her Majesty. The Christmas fare was meagre as food prices had rocketed. Eggs were priced at twelve shillings a dozen, Whisky at five pounds a bottle and potatoes at three pence each. It was rumoured that some senior officers enjoyed champagne and chestnuts with their dinner whilst others had pork and chicken.

Message from Queen Victoria to the Somersetshire regiment on 25^th December 1899: “I wish you and all my brave Soldiers a Happy Christmas – God protect and bless you all.” The Queen also sent each man a box of chocolates.

A comment from a member of the Rifle brigade is worth a mention. “Luckily for us the Army Service Corps had apparently considered the possibility of being incarcerated in Ladysmith at Christmas and had accordingly kept a supply of currents and raisins for the occasion and which was issued to all the troops. This enabled us to enjoy plum-puddings of a sort, the difficulty of there being no suet or grease of any sort being overcome by clarifying some Dubbin, which had been used by our transport officer to grease the wheels of his wagons, and using that.” For me, and a lot of men my age, Dubbin will always remind us of the once-a-week cleaning of football boots and certainly not for consumption. Brian Kaighin.