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African Wars 1881 – 1902
The Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding Regiment)
In June 1896 the natives of Mashonaland, Southern Africa (modern day Zimbabwe) rebelled and a small Field Force was quickly assembled to deal with the escalating situation. This Field Force included 333 officers and men of the 2nd Battalion who were at the time stationed in Salisbury, Natal.
The 1st Battalion arrived in South Africa in January 1900, three months after the outbreak of the South African or Boer War. The 2nd Battalion stationed in Burma sent a mounted company and the 3rd (Militia) Battalion were mobilised subsequently arriving in theatre in March 1900.
The 1st Bn took part in the famous march of Lord Roberts’ force from Modder River to the relief of Kimberley. Their opening engagement of the was as Klip Drift on the morning of 16th February 1900 and they fought or marched almost continuously until night fall on the 18th.
After the ‘relief’ the conflict spread to the Boer capitals of Pretoria and Bloemfontein. On 18th February a Boer force was attacked at Paardeberg, and after an investment of nine days the Boers finally surrendered having lost 4,250 men. After this defeat, the Boers changed the nature of the fighting to years of guerrilla engagements.
This action dragged on for two years and at one of the more serious engagements, at Rhenoster Kop the Commanding Officer of the 1st Bn was killed by the attacking Boers. In 1900 Sergeant Firth won the Victoria Cross for his gallantry in the face of the enemy at Plewton’s Farm. His citation read;
During the action at Plewton’s Farm, near Arundel, Cape Colony, on the 24th February, 1900. Lance Corporal Blackman having been wounded and lying exposed to a hot fire at a range of 400 – 500 yards, Sergeant Firth picked him up and carried him to cover. Later in the day, when the enemy had advanced to within a short distance of the firing line, Second Lieutenant Wilson being dangerously wounded and in a most exposed positioned, Sergeant Firth carried him over the ridge, which was being held by the troops, to shelter and was himself shot through the nose and eye whilst doing so. (London Gazette, 11th June 1901)
Consequently the The Battle Honour South Africa 1900 – 1902 was granted to the Regiment for their services. |
