Today in Kimberley's History
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57 days since beginning of the Siege of Kimberley, 1899
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
At daybreak the welcome sound of the guns of the Relief Column was heard in one continuous boom for nearly five hours. It brought an indescribable feeling of joy and gaiety to think that we were in touch with Englishmen.
From observations from the Conning Tower and Sanatorium it was gathered that a big artillery battle was going on at Spytfontein, some seven to ten miles off, where, probably, the Boers had been in a magnificent position on the kopje many days before.
At 9 a.m. I went with Major McGregor to the Belgravia Fort and mounted up to the Conning Tower, where, with glasses, we could see the English balloon apparently watching the progress of affairs. The gun-fire was then slackening off, and we all hoped that some bayonet practice was following up the shelling.
News came in, while we were at this Fort, of Lord Methuen's slight wound at the Battle of Modder River; and also of a disaster to the Highlanders, who were surprised by the Boers while alighting from a train, but this has not since been officially confirmed(54). We could see nothing of the firing, but men on the Wesselton look-out could see shells bursting on Magersfontein Ridge.
This evening a very pleasant open air concert was given at the Mounted Camp, crowds of people turning up and listening with enjoyment to a long and varied programme, performed almost entirely by the hard-worked Troopers themselves. Electric light, and the moon, and many refreshments, added to the pleasure and as the hours of 8 to 10 p.m. are the sleepiest and laziest of the Boers, we were allowed to enjoy ourselves without even an alarm being given.
Extract from "The Diary of a Doctor's Wife – During the Siege of Kimberley October 1899 to February 1900" by Winifred Heberden.
At daybreak the welcome sound of the guns of the Relief Column was heard in one continuous boom for nearly five hours. It brought an indescribable feeling of joy and gaiety to think that we were in touch with Englishmen.
From observations from the Conning Tower and Sanatorium it was gathered that a big artillery battle was going on at Spytfontein, some seven to ten miles off, where, probably, the Boers had been in a magnificent position on the kopje many days before.
At 9 a.m. I went with Major McGregor to the Belgravia Fort and mounted up to the Conning Tower, where, with glasses, we could see the English balloon apparently watching the progress of affairs. The gun-fire was then slackening off, and we all hoped that some bayonet practice was following up the shelling.
News came in, while we were at this Fort, of Lord Methuen's slight wound at the Battle of Modder River; and also of a disaster to the Highlanders, who were surprised by the Boers while alighting from a train, but this has not since been officially confirmed(54). We could see nothing of the firing, but men on the Wesselton look-out could see shells bursting on Magersfontein Ridge.
This evening a very pleasant open air concert was given at the Mounted Camp, crowds of people turning up and listening with enjoyment to a long and varied programme, performed almost entirely by the hard-worked Troopers themselves. Electric light, and the moon, and many refreshments, added to the pleasure and as the hours of 8 to 10 p.m. are the sleepiest and laziest of the Boers, we were allowed to enjoy ourselves without even an alarm being given.
