History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902 Part 9

[Sidenote: Rifle practice.]

The Republican Governments had not been satisfied with the mere issue of arms. As early as 1892 in the Transvaal, and 1895 in the Orange Free State, rifle practice, at the periodical inspections of arms and equipment, called Wapenschouws, had been made compulsory for the burghers. For these exercises ammunition was provided free, and money appropriated from the State funds for prizes. Every effort, in short, was made to preserve the old skill and interest in rifle-shooting, which it was feared would vanish with the vanis.h.i.+ng elands and gemsbok. If the skill had diminished, the interest had not. A rifle had at all times an irresistible fascination for a Boer. The Bedouin Arab did not expend more care upon his steed of pure Kehailan blood, nor the medieval British archer upon his bow, than did the veld farmer upon his weapon. Even he who kept clean no other possession, allowed no speck of dirt on barrel or stock. On the introduction of the new rifles, not only had shooting clubs sprung up in all quarters, but, in aiding them with funds, ammunition, and prizes, the Republican authorities, before they disappeared, had given at least one lesson to Governments, that of fostering to the utmost any national predilection which may be of service to the State.

THE REGULAR FORCE.

Regular forces of similar, if not identical, composition were authorised by the const.i.tutions of both Republics, consisting in the Transvaal of artillery and police, and in the Free State of artillery only. These differed in no respects from similar units of any European organisation, being raised, equipped, officered, instructed, and paid in the ordinary manner, and quartered in barracks or forts.

[Sidenote: Regulars.]

The regular forces of the Transvaal consisted of:--

(a) The State Artillery.

(b) The South African Republic Police.

(c) The Swaziland Police.

[Sidenote: Artillery.]

The State Artillery of the South African Republic was as complete and efficient a unit as any of its kind in existence. Originally incorporated with the Police at the inception of both in 1881, it was reorganised on a separate footing in 1894, in which year it also first saw active service against Malaboch in the Blue Mountains. At this time the strength of the Corps was but 100 gunners, 12 non-commissioned officers and 7 officers. After the Jameson Raid, however, the force was quadrupled and reorganised; the field and fortress departments were differentiated, larger barracks built, and steps taken generally to ensure the greatest possible efficiency and readiness for instant service, the avowed object of the Government being to make the Corps "the nucleus of the military forces of the Republic."[69] The only qualifications necessary for the 300 additional men required by the scheme were citizens.h.i.+p, either by birth or naturalisation, age not to be less than 16, and the possession of a certificate of good conduct from the Field Cornet. Service was for three years, with the option of prolongation to six years, after which followed a period of service in the reserve until the age of 35 was reached.[70]

[Footnote 69: Law of Reorganisation, 1896.]

[Footnote 70: Pay of Officers of the State Artillery:--

Commandant 700 per annum.

Major 600 "

Captain 500 "

First Lieutenant 350 "

Second Lieutenant 275 "

All ranks received a horse from the Government, a special board supervising the purchase and issue of remounts. Rations and uniforms were also free issues, and on a most generous scale to officers and men alike.

The pay of non-commissioned officers and men was as follows:--

Warrant Officers 180 and 150 per annum.

Farriers and Sergeants 6s. 6d. a day.

Corporals 5s. 6d. "

Gunners 5s. 0d. "]

[Sidenote: Military courts.]

For the maintenance of discipline the Corps had three Military Courts of its own, whose powers extended from detention to death. They differed in no way from similar tribunals in the British army save in one respect, that convicted prisoners had a right of appeal from a lower Court to that above it. Drill was on the German model, but the language was Dutch. The Boer gunners were ready pupils, having much the same natural apt.i.tude for the handling of ordnance as is observable in British recruits. Only 20 rounds per gun were allowed for the yearly target practice.

[Sidenote: Artillery divisions.]

The State Artillery was divided into the following princ.i.p.al departments:--[71]

(a) Field Artillery.

(b) Fortress Artillery.

(c) Field Telegraph.

[Footnote 71: There were in addition an Intendance Service, Medical, Educational, Farriery, and Artificer staffs, and a band of 20 performers; all maintained in a high state of efficiency.]

[Sidenote: Artillery weapons.]

At the date of the outbreak of hostilities the modern armament of the field artillery was as follows:--

6 Creusot Q.F. 75 m/m (about 3 inches), supplied with 11,009[72] rounds.

4 Krupp Howitzers 120 m/m (47-in.), supplied with 3,978 rounds.

8 Krupp Guns Q.F. 75 m/m, supplied with 5,600 rounds.

21 Vickers-Maxim (pom-pom) 375 m/m (about 1-1/2 inches), supplied with 72,000 rounds (14,000 pointed steel, 58,000 common).

4 Vickers Mountain Guns 75 m/m. Ammunition not known.

4 Nordenfeldts 75 m/m, supplied with 2,483 rounds, 1 Armstrong 15-pr. Ammunition not known.

1 Armstrong 12-pr. Ammunition not known.

[Footnote 72: During the war about 26,000 projectiles of various patterns were manufactured in Johannesburg. Both at that place and at Pretoria an immense amount of manufacturing and repairing of war material was effected, including the making of a new 120 m/m Howitzer and the shortening of a 6-in. Creusot.]

In addition to this the field artillery possessed 12 Maxims for 303 rifle ammunition, and 10 for the 450 Martini-Henry. For the latter 1,871,176 rounds of nickel-covered ammunition were in store. The total modern armament of the field artillery, therefore, capable of service in the field, was--excluding the 22 Maxims--49 pieces. The following more or less obsolete weapons were also in charge of the Corps:--

4 Krupp Mountain Guns, 65 m/m.

6 7-pr. Mountain Guns.

3 5-pr. Armstrong Guns.

[Sidenote: Manning of artillery.]

The personnel of the field artillery was, on a peace footing, 12 officers and 394 N.C.O.s and men, but in the field this was found to be very inadequate, and was eked out by the incorporation of volunteers from the commandos.[73]

[Footnote 73: As many as thirty-nine ordinary burghers were noticed doing duty with a battery in action.]

The fortress artillery had 9 officers and 151 N.C.O.s and men, but, like the field artillery, drew many willing helpers from the burgher ranks. Its armament consisted of:--

4 Creusot 155 m/m (about 6 inches),[74] supplied with 8,745 rounds.

6 Hotchkiss 37 m/m on parapet mounting, supplied with 3,663 rounds.

1 Mortar 150 m/m. Ammunition not known, 1 Howitzer 64-pr. Ammunition not known.

[Footnote 74: The 6-in. Creusots were of somewhat peculiar construction, having narrow iron wheels, not at all promising the mobility which the Boers attained from them. The sh.e.l.l weighed 94 lbs., charge 20 lbs. black powder, bursting charge for shrapnel 5 lbs. melinite. Recoil was absorbed pneumatically.]

Besides these, a few guns of odd and mostly obsolete patterns, including three Krupp, were on the books of the Fortress department.

The third division of the State Artillery, the field telegraph section, comprised 2 officers and 65 N.C.O.s and men.

The State Artillery of the Transvaal, to sum up, was (excluding Maxims) armed with 61 effective and about 20 semi-effective weapons, manned by a personnel of about 800 men (including reservists).

THE POLICE.

[Sidenote: The Police, Transvaal.]