Diary and letters relating to the service of Stanley Spencer Reid, 1900-1901 - Part 2

14

I am sorry to say that

most of our officers

here turned out rank

Cowards & thoroughly

incompetent; & the men

Complain bitterly against

them. One expects his

officer to be willing to

incur the same risk

as himself. My wallet  

& swag are becoming

filled with curios.

Useless & otherwise; many

have to be cast aside

as there is a very 

limited scope for

storage. I hope you 

will not have been

15

anxious at the non-

arrival of a letter for

Some weeks past;

such things are unavoidable.

Most of our horses 

are becoming pretty

well knocked up with

the constant work &

won't stand much 

more. Mine is pretty 

well cooked. The 

weather has been wonderful;

no rain since the 

night previous to entering

De Tar; it is only during

the summer months

that rain falls & not in

winter. The frosts though

are very sharp.

16

Now the real end of my

letter approaches. I hope

with all my heart you are

both well, & not worrying

about me. Everything
is pretty well over &
a few weeks ought to
see us homeward
bound. Give my love to
the kids, Frank & Jane
& your two selves.
I am
Y^r. loving Son
Stanley.
PRO4267
 

Pretoria
1
June 15^th 1900
My dearest Father & Mother
We have just returned
again to Pretoria from Donker's
Kloof about 20 miles out,
when there was a vary
severe engagement with the
Boers; after a day's fighting
they retired during the night.
This is about the warmest
battle there has been. In fact the
General's orders are that we
are not be be allowed to
jeopardise our lives in these
engagements, as we are too
valuable as scouts when
on the march. The reason
 

 
2
for our return to Pretoria
is due to the fact that the
W.A. Contingent is ordered
back to the Rhenoster River
to do patrol work there, as
some disaffection has
cropped up. We arrived
her last night & just now
the sergeant intimated that
a mail was to close at
10.30 this morning, & we
march at 12 noon. So as
you will see, very little
time remains. But I
want you to know that
I am well & very much
kicking. We have not had
very hard work lately
but constantly on the
 

3
move & no chance whatever
of writing a line. We
had thought that after
this last engagement we
would have a good chance
of returning home again,
but such is not to be the
case; it is very hard luck
but it's no use complaining.
From to-day we will
be separated from the 11^th
Division & the Guard's
Brigade under General
Poole-Carew; the General
is to be round this
morning to address us
& I suppose congratulate
us upon our work
while with him. Our
horses are nearly all
 

4
knocked out; for it has
been constant work day
after day, & that plays up
with a horse all over.
At any rate the Rhenoster
River is nearer home than
here, which is a good
sign. Also when there
more mails will go
probably. We have all
been living well, & on
that score have nothing
to complain of; except
that during a couple of
days we were separated
from all transport with
neither rugs nor food &
then it was a bit rougher.
The country up here is
 

5
very much the same as
down further, but with
beautiful plantations
of gum & firs, but besides
these there is little or no
timber. Some of our fellows
have had pretty close
shaves, but needless to say
I look after my own hide
pretty well. One of the great
advantages of this country
lies in the splendid way
it is watered; springs
everywhere. We know
still very little of the
general state of the war
except from rumour &
that can't be depended
upon. Please remember
what I said about not
 

6
worrying if you do not
hear from me, for as you
will know by this time
it is often impossible to
send mails. No mail
has arrived from Australia
since we left Bloemfontein
many weeks ago
so I am in a worse position
than you; we are daily
expecting so the arrival
of one but so far have
been disappointed. I am
just now seated in a
rather chilly morning
atmosphere by our camp
fire fir writing in my notebook
w. a fountain pen
& using my knee for a
 

7
desk. How shabby we are
becoming; clothes worn
out nearly & many of us
with boots ditto. I find
that the big sombrero felt
I wear now far more
comfortable than the
helmet which I discarded.
Several of our sick men
have returned so now
our diminished numbers
are slightly increased.
To-day we are to go by
train as far as Johannesberg
at any rate,
which is a very much
superior way of travelling
than by horseback
especially when all the
 

8
horses are tired & uncomfortable
to ride. Now
I have one other letter to
write & must start it, if
time remains after I will
extend this letter a bit.
No time remains mother
dear; we march at 10 a.m.,
& all my kit has to be packed
Give my love to the kids &
boys & with all best love
to yourselves
I am
Y^r loving son
Stanley.
P.S. I do hope a mail
comes soon & lets me
know how everything is
S.S.R.