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16 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 15 Jun 1900

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[FS/2/2/4/2/16] (1)

15 June 1900

[[1]] [First half of page missing]

A few days ago Grierson (Kitchener’s right hand man) told me he was going suddenly to commandeer the whole town for horses & to help this by supply V/O’s etc for examining them.

It was done suddenly at 1 o’Clock[sic] every horse ridden or driven was stopped, soldiers at

[[2]] [Continuation of page missing] not think it can be overlooked & it possibly [sentence continuation obstructed by pasted corner] promotion — but suppose that promotion took me to India! In that case we would be worse off than ever. However it might take me home through where I have no idea excepting it be Dublin in which case joy & rapture. I would put in my Three

[FS/2/2/4/2/16] (2)

[[1]] land for the purpose lent willing help to take them out of harness etc & tie them up in spite of all remonstrance. Fares were left sitting in their cabs unable to proceed, carts left in the streets without horses, even a hearse was commandeered on its way back from a funeral & both horses taken, by night we secured about 200, but we do not steal them we give receipt for their value & this not being done at the time owing to the hurry[.] for three days I held a pandemonium of enraged owners asking for receipts, others unable to find their horse & so on. I was glad when it was over but I had one little ex-perience[sic], two enraged ladies turned up with a written order from Lord Roberts to return their horses, one was Mrs Commander General Botha[1] the other Mrs General Lucas Meyer[2]. To make matters worse we could only find one horse belonging to Mrs Meyer, whereas we had taken two. I shall never forget the look of scorn & disdain with which she put Lord Roberts order into my hand, remarking that her position as

[[2]] a defenceless woman had been taken advantage of to take her horses away & so on, I did not pay too much attention for she was not the first woman by many who had visited me that day but most of them were quiet & in tears, she was furious & showed it. When I learned who my distinguished visitors were I unbent, of course we apologised for our soldiers having taken the property of two such distinguished Generals, that no stone should be left unturned to find the horse etc etc & the hope she would accept the assurances of my profound considerations. But after a long search it became evident that only one of the horses could be found & I had to break the news to her, at the same moment a happy thought struck me & that was to offer her another & I did so, asking whether there was any other horse she would select in its place, for the first time her face relaxed & looking at me she said in a half incredulous manner, Yes I should like that one — Then, I said, Madam please regard him as yours! But do you really mean it she said smiling sweetly

[[3]] I never was more serious in my life I replied, & in case he does not suit you take another, in fact I will send you up two & you can take your choice.

The victory was won, we talked chatted she came & sat down in a tent with us we sent for her carriage & parted the best of friends.

To day[sic] I made my offered call to know which horse she preferred, she hesitated to ask me in & I chatted to her in the verandah, she then apologised & said what would the people of Pretoria say if she the wife of a Republican General was seen entertaining a British Officer against whom her husband was fighting! I said that but for that remark I had intended paying both Mrs Botha & herself  a formal visit but that for the present I must postpone the pleasure & in this way we chatted for the best part of half an hour, during which time Roberts with Baden Powel[3] rode past (B.P. had just that moment arrived from Mafeking[)]. He returned my salute with it possible extra courtesy knowing not only a lady was there, but who she was for her house is next to his. So all is well that

[[4]] ends well Mrs L Meyer had found at least one British officer who treats her with consideration her idea was that we are all brutes & full of condescension .

There is a little boy by her husbands previous marriage, she told him to repeat his creed to me, it was to the effect that he would wage war against & shoot all Englishmen until his country was free again I told him the sentiment was excellent & in return I would come & play with him at horses in the garden the first spare day I had. She is as bitter as gall & would have liked to enter into a long discussion on the war, she said you are simply fighting for the gold & the Capitalists, I replied no Mrs Meyer the question is a much narrower one that[sic] that, we are fighting to decide who is to be the ruling race in South Africa the English or the Dutch. Still in spite of our differences in political faith we shall get on well together I am sure & I hope to see more of her & Mrs Botha before I leave Pretoria, they are certainly very interesting people to meet. She complained that Black & White[4]

[FS/2/2/4/2/16] (3)

[[1]] Had described her husband as a Hungarian Jew & over this she was most indignant. Still when I come to look at her she in not Dutch, she is spare & tall with a good figure which no Dutch woman has, they have fat round faces big bust & tummy, she has a long narrow face & a suggestively long nose. On the whole though she impressed upon me that she was born in the colony & was therefore originally a British subject she is somewhat Jewish in appearance & her hair is black

 

[Continuation of page missing]

[[2]] fate would put him under me especially as I was on the Natal side & he on the colony show.

We have a big hospital here being badly run by young [Name redacted] lately a prisoner, he tries but has no sense or go [3 lines redacted]. I hear Rayment is sick at Wynberg with dysentery. I am sorry to learn it. Matthews is still at Bloemfontein I keep him posted up as well as possible, but only got my wire off to him to night[sic] relative to Pretoria affairs owing to [Continuation of page missing]

[No Valediction]

(Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study the electronic images of this document where possible)

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[1] Annie Emmett, wife of General Louis Botha (1862-1919), commander-in-chief of the Transvaal Boers, and leader of a guerrilla campaign against British forces

[2] Petronella Burger, wife of Lucas Johannes Meyer (1846-1902), President of the Nieuwe Republiek from 1884 to 1888

[3] Lieutenant General Robert Stephenson Smyth Baden-Powell, 1st Baron Baden-Powell, (1857 – 1941), was a British Army officer, writer, author of Scouting for Boys, founder and first Chief Scout of The Boy Scouts Association and founder of the Girl Guides.

[4] Black and White: A Weekly Illustrated Record and Review was a British periodical founded in 1891. It merged with The Sphere in 1912.

17 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 15 Jul 1900

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[FS/2/2/4/2/17]

15 July 1900[1]

Pretoria

1900

[No Salutation]

[[1]] They told me some curious stories last night of life in Pretoria before we arrived. They had the life of the devil, there were all sorts of secret societies formed for the purpose of finding out the political opinions of people even the women formed a detective society & gave information to the State. They related then an account of the meeting held by the Amazons of Pretoria before we came in. The women met & demanded to be armed the meeting was at 4pm  & most of the ladies were in evening dress & generally very low. They would allow no men to be present as they laughed at them, Mrs Meyer[2] & Mrs Botha[3] (pronounced Bota) were present

They tell me Mrs [1 word illeg] Meyer is a very disappointed woman, she is most ambitious & hoped one day to be Mrs President when she openly gave out she would [1 word struck through, illeg.] lead the fashion & show them how to dress. Poor thing! so long as we are here (& we have come to stay) she will take a back seat. It is rather curious how the extremes meet, the other day a hospital was opened the Palace of Justice having been converted into one. Lord R[4] opened it & signed his name in the book, then Lady R (who is here) did the same, then Mrs Botha & then Mrs Meyer. At the same moment firing was going on

[[2]] to the north of town & Botha & Meyer were giving us a hiding.

in[sic] that engagement Connelly of the Greys[5] & Pilkington of the Royals[6] were killed. I knew them both. Pilkington had been at my Field hospital only a day or two before for over a week looking after men. He had been captured in Natal & had been a prisoner for months. He reminded me that we watched together the first days fight on Spion Kop or where he lent me his telescope. Poor fellow he was very young barely 20 I should think. I told you of a similar case last week in Hobb’s brother.

You once spoke of Mrs Paul at W/wich[7] being well turned out. Paul is here, lives in a tent in the next compound to ours — he is a very good looking man & I think you said she was a handsome woman.

I forgot to send you [words redacted] picture, but I will do by this mail. I have carried it for you for weeks. Plenty of Cattle disease here. Pleuro-pneumonia has broken out again & I am busy inoculating some 4000 cattle. I hope they will do well. I have met the V.S to the Transvaal Govt. but I think I told you of this in my last[8]. He is a Swiss we have engaged him on the Police[?] & I think he will be true to him self[sic]. He is a very decent fellow & a scientist.

[No Valediction]

 

 

(Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study the electronic images of this document where possible. (https://vethistory.rcvsknowledge.org//archive-collection/fs-working-papers/)

[1] Annotation in pencil – possibly added at a later date

[2] Petronella Burger, wife of Lucas Johannes Meyer (1846-1902), President of the Nieuwe Republiek from 1884 to 1888

[3] Annie Emmett, wife of General Louis Botha (1862-1919), commander-in-chief of the Transvaal Boers, and leader of a guerrilla campaign against British forces

[4] Lord Roberts {1832-1914), Field Marshal and overall commander of the British forces in the Second Boer War

[5] Possibly Royal Scots Greys cavalry regiment

[6] Possibly First Royal Dragoons

[7] Woolwich, where the Royal Artillery Barracks were located.

[8] Arnold Theiler (1867-1936)

18 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, Aug 1900

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[FS/2/2/4/2/18]

Kroonstad

1900

[No Salutation]

[[1]] I see Churchill is home, & other correspondents & men I knew out here. I cannot tell you how envious it makes one. Watson Cheyne[1] the surgeon practically lived in  our mess at Pretoria & by this time he has been home some weeks & living on the fat of the land. What would I not give to exchange places with him for a week. In one of the service papers I saw a letter from an old officer complaining that men in rude health were walking about London playing polo etc after being invalided from S. Africa & suggesting that they had better return & give others an opportunity for a change who had never missed a day’s duty. I quite agree with the old gentleman

I have bought a soldiers suit of Khaki serge from the Ordnance price 18/- most excellent. Hallet & I are putting on it a roll collar, outside pockets & cuffs to make it look an officers serge. At first he said it could not be done, but having got a bit of serge I cut out paper patterns finally got it right & to day[sic] we have put the roll collar on & it looks ripping, to morrow[sic] the pockets go on. I told Hallet to bring out his sewing

[[2]] machine & to my surprise he said Oh it wont[sic]  work. I told him I would soon make it. He then produced a thing which must have come out of the Ark, no handle & delightfully rusty. I had no idea he possessed a machine, so he must have thought me the very devil incarnate to have divined one was in his possession. It is a bit of loot he found in this house.

Well he worked for the best part of a week to get the thing going & failed. With great luck I had it going in less than ten minutes after starting with it, I fancy he thinks I am “terrible clever”. Well about the jacket, you shall see what excellent pockets & collar I have cut. I always told you that if I had a pattern I could make a dress. I am now positive of it. I laboured in paper until I got the thing right & then cut out my stuff. Its great luck getting the serge to make the Collar etc with, & this serge has a history. My clerk ‘save the mark’ the ‘Orish’[sic] gentleman who poses as my clerk but does nothing more clerkly than grease

[[3]] my boots & go to the telegraph office with messages was a short time ago taken prisoner with a convoy. The Boers robbed the convoy & carted the prisoners over the Free State, but before leaving the waggon[sic] which contained clothing my faithful boot greaser helped himself to a bale of serge cloth the sort of useful thing a soldier loots & having carried it for scores of miles  & subsequently being recaptured by us plus the serge, he gave it to another man for a pillow — Hearing I wanted serge he went for the pillow & I have a lovely bale of the stuff the exact colour of my coat & overalls. I am also using it as a pillow, for I have no intention of parting with that serge. Oh my boot greaser is a ripper I think I told you he was copying a report for me in which I used the expression [“]We cannot make Bricks without straw[“]. He copied it “We cannot make drinks without shame”. I think this is quite capable of capturing the historic biscuit! Its the unconscious nature of Irish humour which is so delightful.

[[4]] 30 Augst. Well it poured with rain for hours. This morning is fine, but the hospital is a sight, tents blown down mud over a foot in thickness & everything as miserable as possible the — dry bed of the river I cross every day is a rushing torrent — I find I cant cross water moving quickly across one’s front without getting giddy — I could feel my horse going round & round in a circle, the horses in front of me were doing the same & though I did not feel sick in the least I felt very uncomfortable. Had the water been deep it would be very risky.

The rain has washed the railway away in several places & traffic is quite suspended. I have just copied poor D’s letter. I have left out two words for obvious reasons. How strange his last sentence now reads “Farewell — till we meet again”. I met General Sir A. Hunter[2] to night[sic], I went there to have some tea with King. He is a man of very few words. Absurdly young looking for a Lt General. Looking through the illustrated papers he said as he came to the Adverts “When this campaign is over I think I’ll stand myself a dressing bag”. Strange a man in his position & a bachelor not having one!

[No Valediction]

 

 

(Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study the electronic images of this document where possible. (https://vethistory.rcvsknowledge.org//archive-collection/fs-working-papers/)

[1] Sir William Watson Cheyne, 1st Baronet, (1852 –1932) was a Scottish surgeon and bacteriologist, served during the Boer War as a consulting surgeon for the British military in South Africa from 1900 to 1901.

[2] General Sir Archibald Hunter, GCB, GCVO, DSO, TD (1856 – 1936) was a senior officer in the British Army who distinguished himself during the Boer War

Frederick Smith’s Official War Diary Book A – 11 Jul to 22 Sep 1900

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19 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, Sep 1900

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[FS/2/2/4/2/19]

Bloemfontein

Kroonstad 1900

[No Salutation]

[[1]] [15 lines redacted] or these changes above noted will bring in three or four new D.V.O with one of whom I might exchange. So you see how the case stands.

Well when I wrote my last letter the lady of the house her goods chattels, cocks & hens, cattle etc were waiting with her children to come into occupation of my house. I did not only sat tight, all that day & all the next.

[[2]] I gave them breakfast, was very polite but refused to budge, on the saturday[sic] night they found it was no go so went off to some other place. On Monday morning the daughter came to me & said she wanted to get some furniture. I said certainly your hats [3 words illeg.] wardrobe & I have taken great care of them, [3 words illeg.] more than once, but she wanted more than hats she required the table looking glass & a cupboard where I kept my “kittels” & even the Clock! I was astounded, repented extremely but really I could not part with anything, & only to fancy her having asked for the 8 day clock I brought with me from America. Could’ not be done very sorry — Well I must have the glass, very sorry cant[sic] be spared. Cant[sic]  even give you the hair which was in the drawer of it as I had it burned not expecting you to turn up. I gave her three picture papers & she went off, much to Hallett’s relief & mine. I have not seen her since & strange to say dont[sic] want to. I think they rather calculated on the seductive style of the damsel, for I heard she threatened to pay me a visit the first after-noon[sic], but I told Hallet to say that I felt the heat very much in the afternoon & made a point

[[3]] of taking off all my clothes [1 line redacted] whether he delivered this I dont[sic] know (I rather doubt it) but the damsel did not put in an appearance.

Two or three obliging hens come & deposit an egg in my garden every day or so. I keep Jugguroo the syce[1] on the watch. He came in the other day in great glee & reported that a hen had ‘borned’ an egg under the stone, the latter being a rock she sits under. Faithful Jugguroo! his reward is the shell when I have emptied it. I never

[Continuation of page missing]

[[4]] infernally envious & when I see the pictures of the home coming of the Duke of Norfolk[2] I cannot help but smile I suppose he was not a fortnight or three weeks in the Field & I have been nine months. I seem to have been out here all my life! Most of the correspondents have gone home, lucky dogs. I saw a photo of a group of them including Basil Gotto[3]. How I envy them, & yet I want to see the show out.

14 Septr. Well I did not go to the dance after all I was busy writing & moreover was not keen on it. I dont[sic] know why. It closes [Continuation of page missing]

[No Valediction]

(Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study the electronic images of this document where possible. (https://vethistory.rcvsknowledge.org//archive-collection/fs-working-papers/)

[1] A horse groom (especially used in India)

[2] Henry Fitzalan-Howard, 15th Duke of Norfolk (1847-1917)

[3] Captain Basil Gotto (1866-1954), sculptor who worked as war correspondent for the ‘Daily Express’ during the Second Boer War, and as staff officer for musketry during the First World War

20 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, Oct 1900

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[FS/2/2/4/2/20]

*[1]

*[2]

[No Salutation]

[[1]] to a rice lover like me begins to pall after a time. We have tried washing the rice for the last day or two to get rid of the sticky mass & get the grains separate. The result would have amused you it was converted into a water pap which I duly swallowed, but I have requested not to trouble further with this process but run on the old lines. In spite of being conservative I did think a fresh pudding would be useful, so I directed a bread pudding to be made. You might ‘Dear Madge’ follow the recipe carefully as you will find it invaluable for home consumption or for the purpose of giving permanent indigestion to your many friends; here it is — Take a sufficient number of slices of bread, place in a commandeered (otherwise stolen) pie dish, cover with water, sprinkle on sugar to taste & bake. Serve hot, & if it is not the nastiest, doughy, indigestible, pasty poultice like mess you have ever seen or tasted you will surprise your ever affectionate Fred ‘Madge’. We did not repeat Madge’s experiment. Even I could not

[[2]] tackle it, it nearly killed the [illeg.] & paralysed the chef. We are still eating plain boiled rice. & the funny thing is that when I get to India I will get little else. You might send me a prescription for a pudding, a beef steak pudding & a currant dumpling would be to me at the present moment as much source of satis-faction[sic], as a big dinner at the Cecil is to many people to night[sic]. Its the crust of the puddings which at present defeats us.

Now breakfast is quite good I get my oatmeal from B’f’tein[Bloemfontein]. I steal my eggs & a paternal Govt provides me with some excellent fat bacon. Butter I have practically not tasted since I left England I cannot eat the tinned filth & practically never think of it. It never occurs to me that I go month after month without even seeing it. But my breakfast is a great success, & Hallet is positively crushed if the meat turns out tough, or the rice insufficiently boiled. I have taught him how to make a stew; good thing I like stews for I have two a day month after month. Yah! that would suit you! Our idiotic hen took it into

[[3]] her red head that she wanted a family, so she gave up “borning” eggs, & took to sitting in one place all day. How Hallet prides himself on his know-ledge[sic] of poultry, but he reported that the hen was “terrible” slow in laying (everything is terrible with him, my mare is terrible thin, or Tommy is terrible fat) & took all day over it & then did nothing. With my intuitive genius in these matters I grasped the situation, & directed Jugguroo to pour over the devoted would be mother a pint of water every time she was found sitting in the nest. The results were quite good, she went off in the sulks for a few days, but has returned with renewed vigour, & brought a pal back (not a male) & these two fight like the devil in the morning for the use of the one nest, for the honour of laying an egg for master.

So Hallet is cheering up, he was much depressed when the hen went off. Now see what a thin veneer civilisation is, & how the savage will come up, I have finally made up my mind that the day I leave here for good, I shall eat that hen & taste poultry for the first time for many weeks. How low one is capable of falling!

[[4]] My cat has kittens, but they never appear at the family mansion. They lie in an outhouse & are positively wild, they spit, fight, bite & scratch any innocent hand extended towards them. I dont[sic] invite ‘Tiddles’ into my part of the show, for to tell you the truth I am not sure she whether her habits are strictly sanitary, at any rate I dont[sic] like the smell. She is fond of the horses & rubs herself up against Tommy’s legs.

The Baccy has arrived. Excellent stuff not quite like I smoked last time but very good. It may be a trifle strong & I want something weak, please therefore send me Wills Capstan Navy Cut Yellow Label Mild & I will try that & see whether that or the Scotch mixture suits me best. I fancy though always a poor smoker that I am not as good as I was.

11 Oct — Kruger[3] declared war this day last year & we are still at it. A force Force came in here this morning & was sniped at a man being shot killed within a mile or two of this place. I should declare peace & then hang every man caught. I would offer a good price & get all the ring leaders. I was so busy yesterday that I could not touch this letter

[No valediction]

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[1] This letter bears no address or date, presumably because it is incomplete

[2] Annotated with ‘3’ (presumably the page number)

[3] Paul Kruger (1825-1904), President of the South African Republic 1883-1900

21 – Letter to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, 29 Oct 1900

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[FS/2/2/4/2/21] (1)

Kroonstad 1900

*[1]

*[2]

[No Salutation]

[[1]] yesterday morning or Monday night by a bullet in the neck while asleep. I only saw him the day before & told him how much better he was looking & he said he felt wonderfully better poor chap he is gone, another victim to our policy of humanity & civilization. I am sorry for his wife & poor little boy. I have thought of them many times to day[sic]. I wonder whether he would even have thought of mine? Prince Christian Victor’s death came in this morning[3] — flags half-mast high.

I still hope my photo by Moore may turn up but I begin to doubt it. I thought it would amuse you to read of the people who wanted my house. I dont[sic] intend they shall have it until I’ve done with it & goodness knows when that will be. The ‘washer-lady’ was an awful caution. I had no idea there was a second one in the world.

Well we are laying the whole of the Free State desolate it is necessary. every town & village is a Boer stronghold, the people feed them, hide them & keep ammunition for them. The whole place is being razed to the ground & the women & children brought in. I pity the latter poor little things what an experience. You

[[2]] can only conceive what it is by having an armed party come to the Croft[4], give you a few minutes to take out your personal property such as money & then the damage begins. All the windows are just pulled out to use the wood for firing then everything is piled up in the middle of the rooms on the table & the fire lighted below, after the whole place is burned out, the walls are blown down with dynamite & this is being done everywhere.

The whole village of Botha-ville[sic] has been levelled to the ground except the Dutch church. It was here that de Wet[5] drew his supplies from. By destroying the country we prevent the men from living, they carry no food or ammunition & therefore have no transport every farm feeds them. But where there are no farms they must give in or starve. Its horrible work thank Heavens I have to take no share in it. This morning I saw women being escorted in by Tommies[6] with Rifle & bayonet

I dont[sic] why. One had an immense woman with the hideous black bonnet like this[7] [illustration] that they all wear which hides their faces

[[3]] completely, had eight children all of a size, behind walked poor T.A.[8] hating the job most heartily, I expected any minute to see him pick up one of the tiny stragglers & carry it. It would have been a touch to have completed the picture; one child was crying & that always distresses me. All these people have Kruger[9] Steyn[10] & certain English MP’s to thank for all the untold misery they are suffering. Talk of pacifying the country. Why as long as you & I live it will be a second Ireland. Much better deport the lot, & give them a place to themselves. I dont[sic] blame the war, it was inevitable, these people made up their mind to drive us into the sea & divide South Africa between them — that is the other side of the picture. The present business will last for months, probably a year or two, we will wear them down by slow degrees, but they are very obstinate, it would not last three months if we undertook to do the job thoroughly but it is no use burning one farm & leaving its neighbours standing. The Scotch hospital has gone home & most of the sisters with it. They seemed to

[[4]] have very little else to do but boast & go about with cameras. I heard that they nearly had so many they could not employ them all. There are fewer now. I fancy there must have been many engagements for the students (who came out as hospital orderlies) nurses & doctors were very thick. I do not think they are of the same class as the Netley sisters, lots of them appeared on very friendly terms with the men. There is a Dutch nurse here who originally belonged to a Boer ambulance. She is a very fine young woman & very pretty. She has settled down here apparently as a monthly nurse — [13 lines redacted].

[Letter Incomplete — No Valediction]

(Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study the electronic images of this document where possible. (https://vethistory.rcvsknowledge.org//archive-collection/fs-working-papers/)

[1] Annotated with, presumably the page number, ‘2’

[2] Annotated with ‘Majr J Hanwell RA’

[3] Prince Christian Victor of Schleswig-Holstein (1867-1900) died in Pretoria of enteric fever on 29 October 1900. He was the grandson of Queen Victoria

[4] Smith’s home – The Croft, Little Heath, Charlton, in South East London

[5] Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (1854 –1922) was a South African Boer general, rebel leader and politician.

[6] Slang term for soldiers in the British Army

[7] Illustration by Smith of a black bonnet.

[8] “Tommy Atkins” Slang for common British Soldier.

[9] Paul Kruger (1825-1904), President of the South African Republic 1883-1900

[10] Martinus Theunis Steyn (1857-1916), president of the Orange Free State from 1896 to 1902

22 – Undated partial letters to Mary Ann Smith from Frederick Smith, c. Jul-Aug 1900

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[FS/2/2/4/2/22] (1)

*[1]

Kroonstad 1900

[No Salutation]

[[1]] of some use to him, & in return he gave me the Chateau in which I am now living. further I can arrange with him to keep it on when I go away inspecting[2] at any time. We were talking about the destruction of the farms here by burning. We are burning 35 belonging to rebels & the poor little children & women are sent in here. Its a sad sight for war to be made on children but so it is. He told me in confidence that an officer sent out with type written orders so that no mistake could be made actually burned down the farm & home of a loyal subject!! There are some fools outside the A.V.D[3]!

Hallet does all my mending, quite good on socks. He has also put a new tail to my shirt, at first he used a piece of rough flannel belonging to an old shirt of his own, but that scrubbed the J.B off me. Then a bold plan suggested itself & that was to cut up the worst shirt in order to repair the best & that has been done with great success.

My drawers have got two big eyes in the seat of them these will also have a bit of flannel let into them. He takes quite an interest in this work, but he must not be hurried he has but one pace as you know — I have a clerk an Irish Yeoman oh! such a beauty he can neither take nor deliver a message he can write, but cannot read my copy very well

[[2]] Here is an example of his intelligence. He was copying something I was sending to Duck[4] in which I said “The A.V.D are asked to make bricks without straw: — My clerk wrote “The A.V.D are asked to make “drinks without shame”! I think that takes the biscuit. You can see what a really useful man he is.

King G.O.C[5] to Hunter[6] has just been in he was going away today but could not get off, we met last night at dinner & tonight we are both dining with the same fellow. He is a bright cheery fellow full of yarns he was shut up in L’Smith with Hunter. Describing Hunter he said that his utter indifference to danger is remarkable & is in fact absolute recklessness. He would stand up on a parapet to let a pow pow get turned on him & then coolly get down on the enemy’s side of the earth work & pick up the pieces of shell. On one occasion a shell was heard screaming over head[sic]. Hunter rushed to a rock & King thought that for the first time he had seen Hunter unwilling to face the music, but not a bit of it, he jumped up on the rock, tapped himself on <the> waist &

[[3]] said “now just watch it going to hit me in the Tummy”! It passed just over his head & burst behind him. Such a man does not know what fear means; the brave man is the man who experiencing[sic]  fear, yet has so much control that he never shows or exhibits it.

McMahon (who I have mentioned to you before) told me rather a characteristic tale the other day. During a recent march he invariably went to a Farm House for the night & had a bed there rather than sleep in the open. The people were always unfriendly to start with, but in one place they positively refused to let him in. Well he said it is no use your saying that for I am both going to eat & sleep here to night[sic] & if you dont[sic] admitted[sic] me of your free will I will force myself on you. They most unwillingly consented & he had dinner. Shortly they had a song then one sister (there were only the two sisters in the house) played while the other danced with McMahon & finally he danced with both in turn! Is it possible to imagine anything more funny, after the manner in which they received him. They had very little idea they were dancing with a Baronet. If you saw this on the London

[[4]] stage you would say what far fetched rubbish.

All the women in the Free State expected to be assaulted, a man at Brandfort sent his 15 yr old daughter away for safety to Lindley — & yet at this very place the hated “rooinek”[7] turned up & yet strange to say his daughter was not molested!

Lea[8] has a relation in the A.S.C[9]. I have never met him but quite by accident I heard he was here the other day. I at once went to try & find him, but he was out & the next day had gone. I was very sorry as I should very much like to meet him as you may imagine.

Another person who is here is Gibley’s Brother with the Australian Contingent, quite by accident I was discussing affairs with a colonial officer & hearing he came from Coolgardie[10] I asked him whether he knew a doctor of the name of G. Why he replied he is out here & named the station where he is just north of Kroonstad. I sent him a message by this fellow.

A fellow sat next to me for some time before I knew him to be an Australian V.S. he came over with one of the contingents & had just returned after Typhoid. He asked me whether I knew Stanley of Warwick.

[5 lines redacted]

[FS/2/2/4/2/22] (2)

[[1]] [3 lines redacted] hear something of some time ago, I believe they all turned out well medico’s, solicitors etc. She was a Governess in an [3 lines redacted]!

So you see its[sic] a small world, & yet all the world is here. It is very interesting to hear from other fellows who are a bit more in the ‘Know’ than I am so far as society is concerned, that if a chap turns up at any function unless he has lost a leg or arm or otherwise knocked about, the universal question is “Why are you not in South Africa” “What are you doing at home”.

Scores & Scores of men I learn on the best authority came out here for the reason that they got so tired of being asked the same question — Pirie[11] the M.P. was actually driven out by his constituents, hated it, but could not remain.
We made a good bag close to here the other day 4000 odd. King was with Hunter at the time & tells some funny tales about the surrender which you will hear some day. very[sic] indicative of the ‘Slim’ Boer. Finally King had to take the Boer ‘chief of the staff’ to see de Wet[12] & tell him that the surrender of Prinsloo’s force had occurred. The C of S was a man of the name

[[2]] Of Grobler. King says he was an absolute pig at the table & in addition he had to sleep in the same tent with him as Grobler was a prisoner of war on a special job. He saw him take the following mixture, boiled fowl two helpings on one plate over which he dolloped half a dozen sardines with plenty copious oil, at that moment raspberry jam was placed on the table & he seized it & actually put it over the sardines.

King says wherever he took him he had to apologise afterwards for his behaviour. They drove here from where the force surrendered & Grobler used to blow his nose in his fingers & wipe the latter on poor Kings travelling rug which they were using as a driving apron!!! Such are the manners, customs & civilization of some of the leading Boers! I’m not having any thank you at present; I was more put off by the rug story than the filthy mass the brute compounded for himself — I dont[sic] know why it is but I have no difficulty in getting

[FS/2/2/4/2/22] (3)

[[1]] [top half of page missing]

of them, they will be very interesting reading in the future. He has

 

I forgot to tell you that Theiler[13] knew me through my physiological work which is very gratifying — Mr Watkins-Pitchford a civil V.S. out here was shut up in Ladysmith, Theiler knew it & was very fond of Pitchfork[sic] so he tried to send him in some cigarettes but was not allowed, still it was very thoughtful of him & showed a nice spirit.

 

[Letter Incomplete – No Valediction.]  

(Please note that work on this transcript is ongoing. Users are advised to study the electronic images of this document where possible.)

(https://vethistory.rcvsknowledge.org//archive-collection/fs-working-papers/)

[1] Annotated with ‘3’, presumably the page number

[2] Smith was inspecting field veterinary hospitals and individual units across the region at this time

[3] Army Veterinary Department

[4] Veterinary Colonel Francis Duck (1845-1934)

[5] General Officer Commanding

[6] General Archibald Hunter (1856-1936), senior officer in British Army

[7] Rooinek = an English person or an English-speaking South African (used chiefly by Afrikaners).

[8] Arthur Sheridan Lea, physiologist (1853-1915)

[9] Army Service Corps

[10] Coolgardie, Western Australia

[11] Duncan Vernon Pirie (1858-1931)

[12] Christiaan Rudolf de Wet (1854 –1922) was a South African Boer general, rebel leader and politician.

[13] Arnold Theiler (1867-1936), veterinary scientist

Frederick Smith’s Official War Diary Book B – 22 Sep 1900 to 14 Jan 1901

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Frederick Smith’s Official War Diary Book C – 15 Jan 1901 to 26 Feb 1901

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This material is Crown copyright, and contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government License v.3.0.