Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1908 edition. Excerpt: ... CHAPTER I. FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE WAR TO THE HALT AT BLOEMFONTEIN, MARCH 1900. The long negotiations with the Presidents of the 1899 Transvaal and the Orange Free State having ended 0ctobe in a declaration of war, the British Government was compelled to organise an army corps of some 47,000 troops to reinforce the weak British garrison in South Africa. A force of 10,000 had been sent in September, mainly from India and the Mediterranean, but it was not till the 7th of October that the reserves of the home army were called out, when three infantry divisions and one cavalry division were mobilised. Of this force the 2nd Battalion of The Black Watch formed part of the Highland Brigade, commanded by Major-General Wauchope. The Reserves answered the call almost to a man, and the mobilisation was caried out as smoothly as it was rapidly. Of the 1011 officers and men who embarked for South Africa, 581 were serving with the Battalion, and 430 belonged to the first class army reserve, all of whom had served previously with the regiment. On the 22nd of October the Battalion entrained at Aldershot for Tilbury Dock, where it embarked on the transport Orient, though a slight accident to the screw, followed by a thick fog, delayed the departure for thirty-six hours. The following were the officers of the battalion: --Officer Commanding--Lieut.-Colonel Coode. Second in Command--Major Duff. Adjutant--Captain MacFarlan. Quartermaster--Lieutenant Studley. Medical Officer (Attached)--Lieutenant Douglas, R.AM.C. "A" Company.--Captain Eykyn; Lieutenant Wauchope; 2nd Lieutenant Nunneley. "B" Company.--Captain Stewart; 2nd Lieutenant Ramsay; 2nd Lieutenant Bulloch. "C" Company.--Captain Cumming Bruce; Lieutenant Edmonds; 2nd Lieutenant West "D..".
