Mafeking : $b a diary of the siegeBaillie, Frederick David
History
Mafeking : $b a diary of the siege
Baillie, Frederick David
Mafikeng (South Africa) -- History -- Siege, 1899-1900; South African War, 1899-1902
Captain Brown. On the eastern front, Ellitson’s kraal, Musson’s fort,
De Kock’s fort, with Maxim, recreation ground fort, and so back to the
convent, on the left of which lies the hospital fort--all these, unless
otherwise mentioned, garrisoned by Town Guard. These so-called forts
are garrisoned with from fifteen to forty men, and furnished with head
cover and bomb proofs against artillery. Bomb proofs have been
constructed everywhere, traverses erected at the end of streets,
trenches giving cover leading from every portion of the town and
defences; and it is possible to walk round the town without being
exposed to aimed fire. The trenches are constructed with a view to
being manned in case of need. Telephones are established in all the
headquarter bomb proofs of outlying forts, and are connected with the
headquarter bomb proof, thus securing instant communication and avoiding
the chance of orderlies being sniped, which would assuredly otherwise be
the case. These defences were all improvised on the spot--every
conceivable sort of material being utilized therein.
23rd, Monday. Bombardment threatened, so commenced by forestalling it.
Two guns under Captain Williams, B.S.A.P., and Lieutenant Murchison,
Protectorate Regiment, started at 3 a.m., to take up a position at our
end of the waterworks and the rail head temporary line, respectively,
with orders not to fire unless fired on. I rode out with them and saw
as pretty an artillery duel in miniature as one would wish to see. We
waited patiently, Lieutenant Murchison laid his gun on the enemy’s
seven-pounder, which we could distinctly see in their trenches at the
head of the waterworks. We were under cover from view. At last a puff
of smoke came from their gun, and before it was well clear of the muzzle
ours had answered, and that gun was out of action for a considerable
period. In the meantime, both of our guns were playing gaily on their
trenches and remaining gun. This went on intermittently till mid-day,
and then both their guns ceased fire altogether. We then returned, and
since heard that their guns were rendered useless for some time. On the
south-western portion of the defences a similar seven-pounder fight was
going on, and the Boers then fired their twelve-pounder high velocity
gun a few times. Their ninety-four-pounder Creechy (an abbreviation for
Marguerite) or, as the men call her, Creaky, has arrived and taken up a
position at Jackall Tree, 3400 yards S.S.W. of Cannon Kopje, accompanied
by some field guns.
24th. Creaky commenced her ministrations by firing about forty shells
and damaged property but hurt no one. The convent of course was hit,
and the twelve-pounders also joined in the fire. Marvellous escapes
reported all round.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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