The Ashcroft Diaries: Part 4

Here's the final instalment of Wilf Ashcroft's journal. It ends abruptly on April 19th, 1902. He gives a clue as to why he didn't continue with it - his book was full - but I feel that someone so committed to recording his activities and thoughts would have been able to overcome that obstacle without too much difficulty. Whatever the reason, it's a pity, because I find this sort of narrative so much more interesting than the higher-level accounts penned by the military historians.

The newspapers did continue to print letters from other men in the Active Service Company and in due course I'll publish a selection of them.

Saturday, April 7th. – Our men have been on watch all night, and it is time this boat was cleaned up a bit, as she is filthy, and it will show the crew how it should be. I get out of it all with being orderly at mess, but have to wash up and clean tables and decks ready for inspection. There is no butter served on this boat, and no milk in the tea, so it is pay, pay, pay, to the crew for our own grub.

Sunday, April 8th. – We arrived at Port Elizabeth at six o’clock on Saturday night, and anchored outside about one and a half miles from the shore. It is a little place, and not much to see. It is the first time our chief officer has been this way, and as the captain is very ill we have to go very slowly. It is a bad coast, so it is safer. We set off for East London at 4.30 this afternoon, and we landed only about 16 men at Port Elizabeth.

Monday, 9th April. – We arrived here this morning at 7.30, and we are about half a mile offshore. We are landing about 400 men of different regiments. We will likely sail again tonight. The “Avondale Castle” is here, and she is a fine boat, and looks a lot better than this miserable ship of ours. You will have read the report about this badly managed boat, and I hope they get fined again. Although I am not taking any harm, and will look after myself. There are a lot on this boat been in several engagements, and are going back. I wish this book had been three times as big, and then I could have kept it and told you how I went on to the front. I must cut it short, and write letters occasionally, and then you will know.

April 9th, 1900 s.s. “Nile,” East London, South Africa. – Dear Mother, I am writing a few lines, hoping you are all well, as I am in the best of health, and can eat anything that comes on the boards. I tell you it is no Mayor’s dinner or supper either, but it comes on, and is soon put out of sight, and no complaints. It is a very poor boat, as you will know before you get this, but I won’t be sorry when we leave her, as we have only two days more on her, and then we will be at Durban, We will proceed to Pietermaritzburg and then to Ladysmith. This is a very nice place to look at from where we are, half a mile from shore or more, and I can only see anything through glasses, and that is not much. We landed here this morning about 7-30 or 8 a.m., and will sail tonight. There are a lot of men staying here, and are just leaving this boat. I tell you they are ready for anything, as they have 100 rounds of ammunition and two days’ rations, and have to go to Bloemfontein from this station. That is a nine mile march; they are the Bedford and Norfolk and Lincoln Militia, and they are a proper rough lot. I pity the Boers as they meet. We have just heard that Lord Kitchener has lost 1,100 men, but cannot think it is true, as there are no papers to read. I have filled my diary book very near, and will send it on later. I wish it had been bigger. You will read all particulars in it, and know how we are enjoying ourselves. We got served out with hammocks last night, and it was the first time for four days and nights. There were no blankets, and we did not want any. I slept like a king till six this morning, and could have slept all day if they would have let me. I have no stamps, but are as well without, as a letter will come just the same without. We are better accommodated on this boat than on the “Tagus,” and two of the men are just settling matters in the way of a fight. They could not keep their feet, as the decks are so slippery in hob nailed boots, and they are just about done up. If you write you must not forget the number, and this is how to address it:- Private Ashcroft, (No. 7305), 1st Volunteer Company Royal Lancaster Regiment, Field Force, South Africa.

Tuesday, 10th April. – We stopped in harbour all day and night, and will set off on Wednesday. There a lot of men left us, and I am not sorry, as the Militia are a coarse lot. Now there are only volunteers left on board.

Wednesday, 11th April. – Left here this dinner time, and set off for Durban. I am told off for watch from 12 till 4 in the morning and night, and it is a lot better on deck. I wish we were off this boat as I am sick of sailing.

Sunday, April 15th. Elandslaagte Camp. I am writing a few lines to let you know that I am quite well, and hope you are the same. We are in camp in this place, where General Symons was killed, and we have been sleeping with arms and ammunition by our side, as we are lying in wait for the Boers coming this way at any moment. I wish they would come, and we would attack them and show them the way. I daresay you know more about the war than we do, for we have seen nothing yet, and don’t think they will let us know much. I have been put in the signallers, and will know more about the war than the other men. The other signallers have been shot or wounded. I was talking to one of our signallers at Pietermaritzburg, He was doing heliographing, and a bullet struck the glass, and he was shot in three places.

Wednesday, April 18th. I am writing this morning to let you know that we were out doing the attack in fun, and I was glad when it was over, as it is so hot. Carrying 150 rounds of ammunition is no fun to carry about and run over rough kopjes and through long grass up to our waist, and through trenches and barbed wire fences. There are about thirty thousand troops camping around here, with over 15 miles of a front, and we are in the centre and have big guns on all sides. There are 15 of us in a tent, and we have to make the most of the small space and have everything ready for our hands. I have to go to the outpost tonight, and there are 20 of us Volunteers told off every night.

Thursday, April 19th. This morning I came in off outpost, and it is a very risky job, as we have to keep our eyes and ears open. I was posted at a colliery where the Boers had been and blown it up, and they had made a smash of it. There are two collieries, and one is working after it had been blown up, as they had a spare engine. We had to lie down among slack coal and make ourselves as comfortable as possible, and take a nap after we came off sentry, as we have only one hour on at a time, and all sorts of funny sounds come along the veldt as Kaffirs, dogs and cattle come straggling along. It began to rain, and made us very miserable, as everything was wet and black, and it is just the time the Boers are expected, and you have to be ready any second. The captain came round and he was soon challenged, and he asked me to keep my eyes open for any signal from a suspected farm, and I saw them signal “C.O.,” and reported it to him, and he sent a patrol to see what it meant, and they could not find out what it was, but are keeping it under supervision, and I pity the man who gets caught. I could see the flashes from the Boers in front, about six miles away, and reported that, and they are supposed to be moving big guns and are getting ready for a move. I hope you get this, and let me know if you received my diary. I had a good wash in water like mud, and cannot get more, as the river for good water is four miles away. I am sending you a bit of fern, like maiden hair fern; there are thousands of different varieties.