“War was declared between England and the Boers in October 1899 and from the
beginning it was my wish to go to Africa and have a go at the Boers, but, my
chance did not come until 25th December, three months after the beginning.
(On Christmas Day) I received a paper from the South Notts Hussars headquarters
asking for Volunteers for Active Service in South Africa – so I
volunteered.”
So wrote Trooper Joe Haywood, of the South Notts Hussars, at the beginning of
his Boer War Diary written in a neat hand in several faded exercise books more
than one hundred years ago.
This is Joe’s story, pieced together from his Diary written in the heat of
battle, as it happened, all those years ago.
*
Volunteer Joseph Haywood from Hucknall near Nottingham, a 21 year old Trooper in
the South Notts Hussars, was
plucked from his modest home in January 1900 and set down in hostile territory,
to fight for Queen and country.
In June that year, after six months of hard fighting, troops had thought that
the Boer War was almost over now that the Dutch farmers were on the run.
Ladysmith and Mafeking had been relieved, but, at Lindley, the Boers were
fighting back, the British were surrounded – and Joe was in the thick of it.
All around him Joe could hear battle raging - soldiers yelling - horses
whinnying. Everywhere could be heard the crack of rifle fire; the guttural
cries of attacking Boers and the moans of the wounded.
Facing overwhelming odds the order to “Retire” was sounded and as the soldiers
were retreating towards the town of Lindley, Joe Haywood glanced behind him.
In that moment he saw a bullet strike his Commanding Officer, Colonel Rolleston,
knocking him from his saddle.
Reining
his horse to a halt, Joe turned and under heavy fire, galloped over to the
fallen officer. Dismounting, he knelt beside the Colonel and tried to help
him mount his horse.
It was hopeless. The Colonel’s injuries were too severe. His arm was broken
and a back wound appeared to have paralysed his limbs. The officer was never
going to remount!
Lieutenant Knowles, who was nearby, rode off for help whilst Trooper Haywood
stayed behind to guard Colonel Lancelot Rolleston of Watnall Hall, near
Hucknall – a
man who was not only his Commanding Officer, but the local squire - someone Joe
had looked up to for most of his life!
The Colonel didn’t stir for a long
time and Joe, convinced he was dead, was overjoyed when the officer reached for
him. "Haywood," he gasped, "it's too late for me, I'm done for. Go and
fight the damned Boers.”
"Lieutenant Knowles has gone for help.” he told his Commanding Officer. “He’ll
be back soon with a stretcher party. Hang on, sir." Joe was rewarded with
the ghost of a smile as the officer closed his eyes.
Standing in the gathering gloom, Joe's thoughts were cheerless. The officer
and soldier appeared to be completely alone - isolated in a dreadful theatre of
war. The Boers had momentarily retreated and the cries of his comrades seemed
far away.
Evening drew on and, as it got dark, it became colder; Joe, taking off his
tunic, draped it across the shivering man. "Won’t be long now, sir, “ he
whispered, amazed that the Commanding Officer still clung to life.
Eventually the Colonel seemed to rally and cried out in a weak voice :
"Haywood," he gasped, "take my pocket book from my tunic. If I don’t survive
hand it to my wife, Lady Maud, and tell her I died a soldier's death."
Joe took the pocket book and whilst his attention was distracted, failed to
notice enemy Boers returning to the battlefield under cover of darkness.
Taken by surprise, Trooper Haywood
was captured by the enemy.
As he was marched away Joe could only glance back with pity at his Commanding
Officer who lay deathly still on the hostile soil of the South African Veld,
convinced that they would never meet again.
*
The following year, Trooper
Haywood, was leaning on the upper deck rail of SS Mongolian, when the
troopship entered Southampton harbour. He was one of the few who had
survived the war apparently unscathed.
His contingent, the South Notts
Hussars, was placed on a Nottingham bound train and on arrival at the Midland
Station mid-afternoon, were whisked onto another train and disembarked at Lenton
station just outside the City.
They were surprised to find an enormous crowd waiting to greet them as heroes
back from the War, but, best of all, Joe saw Sir Lancelot Rolleston accompanied
by his wife, Lady Maud!
Lining up on the platform with the rest of his comrades, he was overjoyed to see
the Colonel - now fit and well, scarcely believing that this was the same
officer that he had left for dead on a foreign field!
From Lenton, the men marched to Wollaton Park, where the South Notts Hussars
were holding their summer camp and later,
that same afternoon, Joe saluted smartly and stood respectfully to attention in
the tent of his Commanding Officer.
"At ease, Trooper." said the Colonel in the clipped military way he had of
speaking. “How did you escape the enemy, Haywood?” he barked.
“A few months after I was captured, the Boers were in retreat after being
defeated at Belfast. I was released with the rest of the prisoners and marched
to General French’s camp about ten miles away, Sir.”
After a brief pause, Colonel Rolleston’s tone softened and he said: "I remember
your kindness at Lindley, Haywood, and this I will never forget. Fortunately,
after you were taken away they came looking for me with a horse ambulance. I
was taken to a hospital and then sent to Kroonstad, where Lady Maud, nursed me
back to health. Against my wishes they invalided me home.”
It was with
great satisfaction that Joe returned the Colonel's pocket book.
