South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6 (of 8): From the Occupation of Pretoria to Mr. Kruger's Departure from South Africa, with a Summarised Account of the Guerilla War to March 1901Creswicke, Louis
History
South Africa and the Transvaal War, Vol. 6 (of 8): From the Occupation of Pretoria to Mr. Kruger's Departure from South Africa, with a Summarised Account of the Guerilla War to March 1901
Creswicke, Louis
South African War, 1899-1902; Transvaal (South Africa) -- History
(7) Several employers of a small number of men may join together to form
a company.
(8) The duties of the Town Guard will consist in guarding positions,
picket and patrol duty usually undertaken by the regular forces now being
withdrawn for service further afield. The area of service of the Town
Guard will be the limit of the Municipality.
(9) No member of the Town Guard will be employed for more than
twenty-four hours at a stretch.
(10) The duration of service will not exceed three months; if, as all
hope will prove to be the case, the danger to the peace of the Western
Province be removed earlier, the Town Guard will be disbanded before the
three months have expired.
These conditions applied equally to town and suburb.
In response to the "call" came a spontaneous, remarkable, almost mad rush
of recruits. No such scene of martial ardour had taken place since the
outbreak of the war. The excitement was intense. The Drill Hall, where
Colonels Girouard, R.E., and Southey, and Captain Chester-Master were
presiding, became a pandemonium, every man anxious to know how best he
could assist, either by his personal efforts or by allowing those in his
employ to "sign on," and the streets, and clubs, and public conveyances
literally buzzed with enthusiastic volunteers, who were itching to be
"each of them doing his country's work."
It appeared that no section of the public would consent to be left out in
the cold. Streaming to the banner came numbers of prominent townsmen,
among them Messrs. R. M. Maxwell, Cecil Jones, L. Cloete, J. Rawbone
(Somerset West), T. Bromley, Abe Bailey, G. Kilgour, C.E., A. Myburgh, E.
Field, Colonel Coates, W. Duffus, and W. G. Rattray. Mr. R. Stuart
Solomon was busily engaged as recruiting officer of the Defence Force,
and was beset by volunteers Colonial born, who, when asked where they
would like to serve--town districts or Colony--replied unanimously,
"Anywhere!"
[Illustration: (Corporal). (Private).
THE 2nd NORTHAMPTON REGIMENT.
The Uniform, with the exception of the Badge and Buckle, is the same for
the Middlesex, Lincolnshire and Devon Regiments.
Photo by Gregory & Co., London.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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