A Collection of Medals relating to the Boer War formed by two brothers Early skirmishing:
‘As the enemy retired, Major Gore pressed forward on the west of the railway with his own regiment, the 5th Dragoon Guards, and one squadron of the 5th Lancers. Gore’s objective was to turn the right flank of the position on which the Boers had posted their guns. The Boer gunners on the ridge saw them, and for a short period they were exposed to well-directed fire from a distance of around 1,800 yards (1,650 m). To escape this fire, the ten wire fences that enclosed the railway were cut by Captain Mappin and Sergeant Instructor Read and the two squadrons crossed over the railway line to the east and to a location not far from the Elandslaagte station from where they could see the reverse slope of the Boer position and thus any possible Boer retreat ... ’
Keeping an eye on the enemy:
‘Over to the left, near the station, Gore’s cavalry continued to watch and wait. The station building was searched and found to be empty except for some Boer hospital orderlies and a few prisoners who were quickly liberated. At one point, Gore and his staff, who had crept forward for a better view, were fired on by a group of 50 Boers and had to run back to their horses. Receiving no orders at all during the afternoon, Gore’s men had an anxious wait as they could hear the infantry engagement but see nothing of it ... ’
The charge:
‘A number of Boers had already surrendered when the crest had first been rushed. Others surrendered now, but the majority mounted their ponies and rode northwards across the veldt in the direction of Newcastle to escape. It was against the retreating Boers that the cavalry now charged. White’s despatch understates the part played by the cavalry, saying simply:
“The cavalry squadrons on our left who had been closely watching the progress of events now charged through and through the retreating enemy inflicting much loss and capturing many prisoners.”
From within a fold of the veldt, Major Gore, with his two squadrons, C Squadron of the 5th Lancers and D Squadron of the 5th Dragoon Guards, was able to observe the whole of the rear of the enemy’s position. With what little light remained, Gore observed the retreat of the Boers. He had received from Haig the order to ‘pursue with vigour when you see Boers beginning to fall back… press the enemy with the lance if you can.’ Gore ordered his two squadrons to advance in extended line. The squadron of the 5th Lancers, under Captain Oakes, was on the left, the squadron of the 5th Dragoon Guards, under Captain Darbyshire, on the right. The ground to be crossed was broken and stony, and a ravine impeded the left of the line. As the extended men topped the rise, which had hitherto concealed them, they found themselves across the Boers’ line of retreat. About 300 yards (275 m) in front of them was a group of mounted Boers, moving at a leisurely trot from the field of battle.
Major Gore gave the order to “Gallop!”
With lances levelled and sabres bared the two squadrons galloped forward across the stony ground and rode over and through the Boers. As soon as the Boers heard the sound of approaching horses and the cries of the troopers, they opened out and tried to save themselves by flight. But with so small a start their little ponies were no match for the big cavalry horses, and the cavalry reached them almost before they realised that they were being pursued.
Some tried to open fire with their Mausers, some threw themselves on the ground, others knelt down and asked for mercy. For a mile and a half the Dragoons and Lancers over-rode the fleeing Boers. Gore, who had led the charge, found himself some 400 yards (365 m) in front of his troops as he was able to pick his way through the stones. Then they rallied, wheeled and galloped back to complete the havoc and to meet some of the Boers who had escaped the first pass.
In the second gallop more prisoners were taken. The scattered troopers were again rallied. They fell in. Major Gore gave a short address and called upon the ‘two fifths’ for three cheers.
Lance-Corporal Kelly of the Lancers, seeing two Boers riding away on one horse, killed them both with one thrust of his lance. Kelly was later to be killed himself. Trumpeter Shurlock, aged 14, and armed with a revolver and not a lance as he was a bugler, shot three Boers during the charge.
After the battle, General French said to Major Gore “You have had the honour of commanding the first real cavalry charge since the Crimea.” French must have been carried away by the moment for this was not the last charge since the Crimea. It was however one of the last ever set piece charges by the Army.
To the credit of the British troopers, although they had carried out the duties required of them, they did show some charity to their foe. Quite how much charity was a matter of no small debate in the press around the world for weeks after the event. The savagery and barbarism of the action was the focus of this discussion. British M.P. Michael Davitt resigned from Parliament in protest at the British conduct of the war, travelled to South Africa and wrote a detailed book on the subject. Davitt described the charge as “this disgusting spirit of British civilised savagery.” Such was the enmity engendered by the charge that the Boers swore to kill any Dragoon or Lancer they subsequently captured.
On the night of the battle, Gore wrote his official report. He said:
“At 5.20 p.m. the enemy were seen coming out of their positions into the open plain, and taking a line of retreat in the direction of Glencoe. I then gave the order to advance. My two squadrons were formed in line at extended files, and charged right across the line of retreat which the enemy were taking. The latter were going away quietly at a trot, till our men’s heads appeared over the crest of the hill; they then changed their direction and galloped straight away in front of us and in all directions. Their ponies, however, were no match for our horses, and we rapidly overhauled them. Those men who still tried to escape were attacked with the lance or pistol and those who jumped off their horses and threw down their arms were made prisoners of. Unfortunately, it was now quite dusk, and it was extremely difficult to see where the enemy were. The first charge was from a mile and a half to two miles in length. The two squadrons were then halted, faced about and reformed. They then charged back again over almost the same ground, and encountered a good many more of the flying enemy.”
The small amount of remaining light saved many of the Boers that night. They were able to ride away and evade the cavalry who would have charged again had they been able to see. The darkness was also potentially treacherous for the cavalry as this account by Captain Watson of the 5th Dragoon Guards relates:
“A man with a lance – evidently after some one whom he had lost - saw me, thought I was his man, or would do just as well. I saw his lance come down, and it suddenly dawned on me that he was riding at me! It all happened so quickly that I had no time to think. I just managed to blurt out that ‘I was all right.’ I couldn’t think of anything else to say. He called out cheerfully ‘Oh, beg pardon, Sir!’ As well he might!”
The darkness ended the charge and, with it, the battle of Elandslaagte. As Steevens then concluded:
“It was over – twelve hours of march, of reconnaissance, of waiting, or preparation, and half an hour of attack. But half an hour crammed with the life of half a lifetime.” ’
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