David Gullan Winter
DAVID GULLAN WINTON-GUNNER IN THE NNV ARTILLERY: From October 1899 TO March 1900-Winton came from Wooler, Northumberland, England.
OCTOBER 25th 1899
After this went and saw the mechanism of the maxim gun, which was explained by one of the Gordons. It is a single-barrelled rifled weapon, mounted on a pair of wheels and easily drawn by a team of men. It has an automatic action, the recoil after firing the first shot being made to eject the spent cartridge, take a fresh one from the feed belt, place it in position and fire it and so until the ammunition s exhausted. It can fire 600 rounds per minute and at 800 yards could mow every man down. The rapidity of fire causes it to get tremendously hot, so the barrel is cased with a water jacket holding four or five pints. It was sighted to the same range as an ordinary rifle, so it can do a lot of damage when in action.
November 3rd
Learned that we were to be attached to the 7th brigade and joined the Manchesters…..
November 16th
Further strengthened gun pit. It is now of greater thickness and we have divided it by a partition. We have named the two spaces Fatigue Alley and Ring Shell Terrace, rather comical names. Our fort we have called Fort Escombe.
November 28th
The next reference is to the shell that fell in the NNV galley
The shell split the rock to bits, sent the coolie a few yards back down the face of the hill, missed our two boys), but tore one of their overcoats to shreds and then burst, covering the place for a second or two with smoke and dust
. We thought all was over but our two NNV came smiling out and the first question we put was, “is the dinner spoilt”? and to our delight it wasn’t. It wanted about five minutes before it was to be dished out. (this would be Hatch and Bennett whose names appear on the rock at the galley). The next was inquiries for the coolie and he was picked up and stunned. The powder from the shell split his shirt on his back open and set fire to it and covered his back with powder. He, however, soon pulled round, but refused to work any more that day.
December 18th
One of the Manchester cooks killed by a Pom Pom while at his work; another badly wounded today.
December 20th
Since enteric broke out amongst us we each have to take a teaspoonful of carbolic medicine, diluted in water, every night after tea.
January 5th 1900
We have been ordered to move the Hotchkiss gun to a different position as soon as dusk came on, so nearly all of us after we had tea fell in for fatigue and took the Hotchkiss limber to the gun-pit. Limbered up and came across the hill. Found that the position chosen was nearer to Wagon Hill and right on the edge of Caesars Hill. We had to make three journey’s before we brought everything clear of the gun-pit. We passed the Manchester’s’ outpost each time and were halted occasionally by the patrols. At last we moved all the ammunition across and by this time, an]bout 10 pm, we were tired, but had to get some big stones out of the place selected and make the wall of the pit larger. So we worked on by candlelight, with picks and shovels and a coil of rope. Assisted by the Manchester’s pickets we pegged on until we could hardly keep our eyes open. Some fellows would sit down and by sheer exhaustion immediately fell asleep, but our drill instructor made matters lively for them and at length we got the biggest of the stones away. How we pulled and strained to ease it out. To express our feelings at these particular moments no words are adequate. On the one hand the all but over powering desire to rest, on the other the indomitable determination to accomplish what we had been set to do; the knowledge of the urgency of our task and the whisperings of anticipation of an achieved accomplishment.
January 13th 1900
“….the Indian field tent was different to the normal bell tent, in fact, resembles an equilateral triangle placed on the ground….Dr. Campbell was in charge of this ward
January 24th
One of our N.N.V. died yesterday afternoon. Almost sure to be referring to 107 Gunner J.S. Bennett who died of disease on 23rd January 1900 at Intombi.
January 25th
A son of one of our petty officers on Caesars Hill died this morning. There was a gunner R. Kisch who had the same name as a 2/PO and would probably be him.
March 3rd 1900
Following General Buller came the Royal Scots Fusiliers, Royal Welch Fusiliers, Royal Irish Fusiliers, 1st Battalion Royal Dragoon Guards, Royal Horse Artillery, 8th Hussars, 13th Hussars, South African Light Horse, Howitzer Battery, Queens, Devons, West Yorks, L.® Surrey Stretcher Bearers, 28th Battery RFA, 78th Battery RFA, Border detachment, Camerons, KRR’s, plus many others ending with the Royal Navy. Our troops we allowed to lie down as soon as the first company of a new brigade passed. The passing troops looked bronzed and in splendid spirits. Their soiled kharki showed what hard work they had come through, but they were happy, glad of accomplishing our relief. It was amusing to see them throw their tins of bully and their spare biscuits to the Tommies lining the street, who eagerly caught and divided these gifts on the spot with their next companion in arms. When the last of the Brigades had passed, General White was presented by the mayor of Ladysmith with a printed testimonial on behalf of the civilians for his tact and ability in preventing the Boers from taking the town.