Relief Lionel James

Lionel James, correspondent with the Times was on the scene when Gough entered Ladysmith and disputes Churchill’s story that he was the first. He says that “neither Churchill or Dundonald were at the Drift nor were they at the Whites HQ. About 5pm Hubert Gough (16 Lancers) and major McKenzie with a section of Natal Carbineers crossed the Drift where the Ladysmith Natal Carbineers had their camp. Sir George White met them. James was ready to leave town immediately with his “scoop”. He approached General White for permission and a pass for “me and Coates”, which was granted and White asked James to go straight to Buller with a request to send the cavalry after the Boers who were retreating towards Modderspruit. This James duly done and on reaching Buller (his HQ was on Pieters Hill) he handed him the message. It would appear that his report appeared in the Times in London the following morning. When he saw that Buller was not making any effort to comply with White’s suggestion James asked Buller why to which the General replied “that he did not consider Ladysmith to have been relieved until his (Bullers) men signalled to this effect from the top of Umbulwabe”. Buller did however agree to send on James’s report to the Times as soon as he could. On 1st March Churchill arrived at Bullers HQ requesting that as he, Churchill, was the first into Ladysmith it should be his despatches that were sent first. Buller stood by his agreement with James.