The Ashcroft Diaries: Part 1

No, not the musings of Lord Ashcroft, the non-dom Tory Party donor and VC collector. Instead, just the everyday writings of a private soldier sent off to fight in South Africa in the Second Anglo-Boer War.

In 1900, Wilfred Ashcroft of Barrow-in-Furness was a member of the local Volunteer Force, being a private in the 1st Volunteer Battalion, King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). When the War Office made a call for men to serve in South Africa he, along with many other members of the Volunteers, agreed to enlist for a period of twelve months in the Regular Army, forming the First Active Service Company of the King’s Own (Royal Lancaster Regiment). This unit sailed from Southampton to South Africa on the S.S. Tagus on March 16th, 1900, arriving at Cape Town on April 4th, 1900 and subsequently joining the 2nd Battalion on active service in Natal after trans-shipping to Durban on the S.S. Nile. His service in South Africa was curtailed by illness (presumably either dysentery or enteric fever) and he was invalided home and discharged from the Army in early 1901, although he received the Queen's South Africa Medal in recognition of his services.

The 1st Active Service Company on parade at Bowerham Barracks, 1900 (King's Own Museum).

During his period in the Regular Army he maintained a detailed diary, extracts of which were printed in the local newspaper. In due course I'll publish all of them, or at least as many as are available, for they suddenly stopped appearing in the paper. Whether this was because he had ceased writing, or perhaps the newspaper no longer wanted to print them, I'll never know. Whatever the reason, it is a shame, because his (un-pc) writings provide far more colour and insight into the life of an ordinary soldier of that time than a dry regimental history can ever do.

I have a photograph of Private Ashcroft, or at least I have a group photograph of the 1st A.S.C., although I don't know which of the men he is. He volunteered again in 1914, rejoining the King's Own and serving in France with the 1st Battalion. His soldiering days finally ended at the Heidenkopf Redoubt, near Serre, on July 1st, 1916 - one of the nearly 19,000 British dead on the first day of the Battle of the Somme. In 2003 the body of a King's Own soldier killed that day was found on the site of their attack on the Heidenkopf Redoubt. It is just possible it was 18062, Private Wilfred Ashcroft.

Friday, March 16th. – Embarked at Southampton; sailed half an hour after embarkation. Paraded at 7 p.m. for hammocks. Slung hammocks and made beds. Fell in bed at 10.p.m. Lights out 10.30.

Saturday, March 17th. – Got up at 7 a.m. Breakfast at 8.30. A lot of sickness but I am well. In the Bay of Biscay. Nice weather, but a heavy swell. Rough weather last night, everything lashed down and all troops below at 7.30 p.m. Passed a German steamer, name “Hedwie Woeman," and she was very low in the water and rolling heavily. Still a lot of sickness.

Sunday, March 18th. – Had a rough night, and was ready to get up this morning, and we went on deck as soon as could get, but had to stow hammocks and tidy up a bit. I saw some porpoises this morning, the first fish I have seen since starting. It is very rough, and the spray is wetting everything through. We got out of the Bay of Biscay about ten this morning, but are in rough weather yet. We are having church service on board to-day, when it is a bit finer and get coffee and bread. We passed a barque, but could not read her name. I am fairly surprised at my good sailor qualities, as I have never felt a bit sick yet, and have never missed a meal. I got some oranges this morning. I am fairly champion now, but had a bad cold when we set off, and it was snowing very hard, so you see we went from Barrow in snow, and left Lancaster, and we had snow on board yesterday.

Monday, March 19th. – It is a very fine day, and I am sitting in the sun on the deck near the guard-room, as I have to go on guard at one p.m., and then again at the same time tonight. We have seen no more boats since yesterday morning. We have our quarters on the lowest deck, and it is very musty in the morning, as there are 108 of us in a place not that big. We passed a full-rigged barque this afternoon, her name being “Dundonald,” bound for Africa. I saw some porpoises this afternoon, and you should see them jump. We are out on deck all night, and it is very nice, better than being below. We captured a prisoner tonight. They brought him out of hospital, as he was out of his mind, and they put him in the cells, as he was dangerous. He is one of the Imperial Yeomanry, and a fine, big fellow. He tried to get overboard the other day, and they caught him and took him to the hospital, and then he tried to cut his throat. So you see we had to watch him. They say it was the sea sickness that sent him mad, but I think he had too much whisky aboard, as he said to me when I went on sentry at the door “Give me a pint of bitter, sentry.” I said “You will get it next watch.”

Tuesday, March 20th. - I have been up all night, and am now having a rest down below as I am not on duty. We passed the point of Madeira this morning, and did look a rocky coast, and I was glad we were far enough off them. We saw a big steamer pass the other way this morning, but it was too dark to make her out, as we could only see her lights and hull. The officers have been having revolver practice this afternoon on the forecastle head at a tin can, and there are some marvellous good shots among them. They could hit it every time, left hand as well as the right. Our officers are very quick with the revolver, and could draw very quick. They were much applauded. We have been getting complimented on our smartness and soldier like manner. The Yeomen call us Militia, but we can show them how to drill.

Wednesday, March 21st. – Getting very warm weather here, and all the awnings are put up on deck and that makes it nice and cool underneath. We had physical drill on the bridge deck after dinner, and it makes us very warm. The Yeomanry officers took our photos as we were doing it. I don’t know how we will look. Some of the men have been inoculated, and it has made them very ill for a day or two. They say it is a proof against fever.

Thursday, March 22nd. – I went on deck this morning, as it was so hot down below, and it was like being in a tent, so nice and cool. It was stifling below decks. We expect to land at St. Vincent tomorrow morning, and then we will take coal and set off again. It will be strange to see land again after such a long sail. We are having firing exercise this afternoon, and it is surprising how you can see the bullets strike the water a mile or so away. It is a good boat this, and makes about 13 to 15 knots an hour. Her best run in 24 hours was 373 miles. I hope I can keep as well as I am now all the time I am away, and then I won’t grumble. I often go in the forecastle, as there are a lot of darkies in the crew, and they are very good on the fiddle and banjo. They can sing some good songs, and it passes the time away better than lounging about below. We have very good rations on board, stewed beef and bread for breakfast and beef for dinner, and then we have bread and butter for tea, and it is very good bread and is made on board every day. I have only tasted biscuits twice. Once when on guard we had some biscuits and coffee, and we got some served on deck once. I like them better than bread for a change. I was in bed or hammock soon after sunset, and it is quite comfortable. It takes two or three nights to get used to them, for if you are not careful you fall out, and then you get a nice bump.

Friday, March 23rd. – We arrived here soon after breakfast, and it is a beautiful harbour, but the land is solid rock without a tree on it or a bit of grass. We were in sight of land when we got up, and I never thought there was such a rocky coast about here. It was not long before the coal barges arrived, and it is a treat to watch the niggers working. They work like horses, and go about three times as much as an Englishman, and they are as strong as horses, and never stop work to speak to one another. There are dozens of men and boys selling fruit, and we can get as many bananas or oranges as we can lift for 6d. I don’t know where they get them from, but they are as sweet and big as ever I saw, I have been wondering if there is coal here, or if they have to fetch it from other places. There are many different kinds of fish here, and one of the men caught a small shark. Flying fish and some fish like gold fish, but a lot bigger and shaped like a roach, and there are thousands swimming around the ship in swarms. If we throw a piece of bread in they come fairly thick after it. The men and boys can swim and dive like ducks, and they never miss a copper if thrown in to them. It does look like a dried up land, and I don’t think the fruit can grow here. There is a fine cruiser, name “Cambrian” here, and we are anchored close to it. The bluejackets were pleased to see us, and came in boats to take our officers ashore. The darkies are very frightened of them, and clear out of the road as soon as they turn up. The darkies are the very same colour as the rocks, that is, copper colour, and a finer set of men I would not wish to see. They should be too, as they get plenty of exercise with swimming, rowing and coaling boats. One of their boats had a nice lot of fish, and they were all a nice gold colour, and some big ones as large as a big cod. They say there are a lot of sharks about, but the boys don’t mind them, as they have been diving all day. I should think we have taken 800 tons of coal in, as there were eight barges full, and we sail again at seven p.m., so you see the darkies can work, and they never sweat over it. It has been the hottest day we have had yet, and we are brown as the niggers, but more colour, as they have no red in their cheeks. I wish you could have had a trip out here in your younger years, as it would have suited you grand, and if I was an engineer I would soon be at sea and see all the sights of this beautiful world. We are four days off the line, so we will cross about Tuesday. You have no idea of the heat of the sun. I never thought I should ever see the sights I have seen, and be in the hottest part of the world, but I shall soon have been, and in such a strange way I am as happy as a lark. I think I have said enough for today.

To be continued.........