CONTENTS

CHAPTER I

Outbreak of the war - The Transport Service and despatch of

Army Corps from Southampton — Departure of a Naval

Brigade from England and landing at Capetown and Durban

-I join H.M.S. Philomel

PAGE

1-10

CHAPTER II

-

I depart for the front with a Q.-F. Battery from H.M.S. Terrible

- Concentration of General Buller's army at Frere and

Chieveley - Preliminary bombardment of the Boer lines at

Colenso-The attack and defeat at Colenso-Christmas Day

in camp

II-21

CHAPTER III

Life in Camp and Bombardment of the Boer lines at Colenso-

General Buller moves his army, and by a flank march seizes

"Bridle Drift" over the Tugela-The heavy Naval and Royal

Artillery guns are placed in position-Sir Charles Warren

crosses the Tugela with the 5th Division, and commences his

flank attack

22-32

CHAPTER IV

Spion Kop and Vaal Krantz-General Buller withdraws the troops

and moves once more on Colenso-We hold Springfield

Bridge-Buller's successful attack on Hussar Hill, Hlangwane,

and Monte Christo-Relief of Kimberley

33-44

CHAPTER V

Passage of Tugela forced and Colenso occupied-Another move

back across the river to Hlangwane and Monte Christo-

The Boers at length routed and Ladysmith is relieved-Entry

of Relief Force into Ladysmith - Withdrawal of H.M.S.

Terrible's men to China-I spend a bad time in Field

Hospital-General Buller's army moves forward to Elands-

laagte-Boers face us on the Biggarsberg

PAGE

45-58

CHAPTER VI

End of three weary months at Elandslaagte—A small Boer attack

-The advance of General Buller by Helpmakaar on Dundee

-We under General Hildyard advance up the Glencoe Valley

-Retreat of the Boers to Laing's Nek-Occupation of New-

castle and Utrecht-We enter the Transvaal-Concentration

of the army near Ingogo-Naval guns ascend Van Wyk, and

Botha's Pass is forced-Forced march through Orange Colony

-Victory at Almond's Nek-Boers evacuate Majuba and

Laing's Nek-Lord Roberts enters Pretoria-We occupy

Volksrust and Charlestown

-

59-72

CHAPTER VII

Majuba Hill in 1900-We march on Wakkerstroom and occupy

Sandspruit-Withdrawal of H.M.S. Forte's men and Naval

Volunteers from the front-Action under General Brockle-

hurst at Sandspruit-I go to hospital and Durban for a short

time-Recover and proceed to the front again-Take com-

mand of my guns at Grass Kop-Kruger flies from Africa in

a Dutch man-of-war-Many rumours of peace

73-86

CHAPTER VIII

Still holding Grass Kop with the Queen's-General Buller leaves

for England-Final withdrawal of the Naval Brigade, and

our arrival at Durban-Our reception there-I sail for Eng-

land-Conclusion

87-100

CHAPTER IX

Gunnery Results: The 12-pounder Q.-F. Naval gun-Its mount-

ing, sighting, and methods of firing-The Creusot 3"-gun and

its improvements-Shrapnel fire and the poor results obtained

by the Boers-Use of the Clinometer and Mekometer-How

to emplace a Q.-F. gun, etc., etc.

PAGE

101-120

APPENDIX I

Hints on Equipment and Clothing for Active Service

APPENDIX II

121-128

Extracts from some of the Despatches, Reports, and Telegrams

regarding operations mentioned in this Journal

129-145

APPENDIX III

Diary of the Boer War up to October 25th, 1900 -

146-152

APPENDIX IV

The Navy and the War: A Résumé of Officers and Men men-

tioned in Despatches for the Operations in Natal

153-156

1

8

NAVAL BATTERY OF 4'7'S AND 12-POUNDERS AT DURBAN

NAVAL BRIGADE PITCHING CAMP AT FRERE, DECEMBER, 1899

NAVAL GUNS IN ACTION AT COLENSO

LIEUT. BURNE'S GUNS FIRING AT SPION KOP

14

22

34

LIEUT.-GENERAL SIR H. J. T. HILDYARD, K.C.B.

95