Captain Thwaites

An eyewitness account at the battle of Platrand 6 January 1900.

Thursday 9^th January

I am just getting through with a bad bout of fever, which on the top of my previous dose knocked me completely over. I have been confined to my tent since the 4^th inst. I was unable consequently, much to my annoyance, to accompany the gallant battery into action on the 6^th inst. When the Boers made their second and determined attack on our defences. They seized the end of wagon Hill about 3 am and pressed their attack home all along the heights of that hill and Caesars Camp. The battle raged from 3 am till 7pm, seventeen hours. The battery did great execution from the mimosa scrub at the foot of Caesars Camp and played on the Boer supports advancing up the eastern slopes of Caesars Camp to great advantage and effectively prevented these from joining their comrades on the heights, also forcing them to retire. All this while it was subjected to a terrific fire from the guns on Umbulwane and Gun Hill, more than 1100 rounds falling between and about the guns. Owing to the ground being very soft little damage was done, except by direct hits which fortunately were few. Poor sergeant Bously (should read Bossley) of no. 2 sub-division was sitting on the handspike of his gun waiting for his turn to fire, resting his left elbow on his knee, when a Long Tom shell hitting him direct removed both his left arm and leg. He shouted out, “throw me on one side lads and go on working the gun” and again when being carried away on a stretcher. “Buck up 53^rd Battery”. Very fortunately he was the first on the operating table in hospital and his life was saved by skilled treatment. His successor, Bombardier Cook, was badly hit by the very next shell and being battery orderly, insisted on handing over his roster book for the next for duty before he was removed. Gunner Pollard, limber gunner of no. 1 sub-division, was also hit in the leg, by a shell fragment, which subsequently had to be amputated. There was also a direct hit by a twelve pound shell on the perch of one of the wagon bodies, the burst of the shell considerably upsetting the team for a while. These were the total casualties for the day for us.

 Quartermaster Sergeant Fogarty performed my duties to Abdy’s entire satisfaction. I may say the battery was so instrumental in saving the day that Sir George White personally thanked Major Abdy for his services. It came on to pour with rain about 5 PM. And the battery retired under cover of this. The heights were finally cleared by the Devons under Colonel Park at about 6 PM. This battalion is out and away the best in the force. Our killed and wounded had to be left out all night: the latter must have suffered a great deal. It was without doubt a brilliant victory for us. The Boers are supposed to have lost over a thousand killed and wounded. We lost four officers and 100 men killed, 23 officers and 216 men wounded. The Boers got the worst knock they have yet had. Orders from Pretoria insisted on Ladysmith being taken without delay. On Friday night, a mass meeting of the picked commandos, all Free Staters selected for the attempt were held. These swore they would take the place or die. A good many of them died I fear. They fought deuced well and at times got to within twenty yards of our infantry. Wilson, our vet, came back to camp about every three hours to tell me how things were going. The sound of rifle fire all day was tremendous.