The 9th (Welsh) Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry was a unit of the British Imperial Yeomanry (IY) raised for service in the Second Boer War. Equipped as Mounted infantry, the battalion served in South Africa from April 1900 until the end of the war. Its companies took part in numerous anti-guerrilla 'drives' with mobile columns that eventually brought the war to an end.
Imperial Yeomanry Following a string of defeats during Black Week in early December 1899, the British government realised that it would need more troops than just the regular army to fight the Second Boer War, particularly mounted troops. On 13 December, the War Office decided to allow volunteer forces to serve in the field, and a Royal Warrant was issued on 24 December that officially created the Imperial Yeomanry (IY). The Royal Warrant asked the established part-time Yeomanry regiments to provide service companies of approximately 115 men each for one year. In addition, many men who could ride (initially these were mainly mid- to upper-class) volunteered to join the new force.Amery, Vol III, pp. 11, 14–9.Dunlop, pp. 104–18.Owen, pp. 128–44.Rogers, p. 228.Spiers, p. 239.IY at Anglo-Boer War
Organisation
The three Welsh Yeomanry regiments raised four companies for the IY, which constituted the 9th (Welsh) Battalion under the command of Colonel Henry Howard, commanding officer of the Denbighshire Hussars:Amery, Vol IV, Appendix to Chapters I-XIV, pp. 503–14.Frederick, pp. 370–1.Hart's, 1900.IY Companies at Roll of Honour. 29th (Denbighshire) Company – sponsored by the Denbighshire HussarsFrederick, p. 28.Denbighshire Yeomanry at Regiments.org. 30th (Pembrokeshire) Company – sponsored by the Pembroke YeomanryFrederick, p. 48.Pembroke Yeomanry at Regiments.org. 31st (Montgomeryshire) Company – sponsored by the Montgomeryshire YeomanryFrederick, p 43. 49th (Montgomeryshire) Company – sponsored by the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry
The two Montgomeryshire companies mobilised at Welshpool on 4 January 1900 and began training at Welshpool and Newtown respectively. For advanced training the two companies moved to Wynnstay, the country estate of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, 7th Baronet, the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry's commanding officer, whose younger brother Captain Robert Williams-Wynn commanded the 31st Company. They were joined by a section of two Colt machine-guns on 'galloping carriages' that had been provided by public subscription. The 29th Company sailed first for Cape Town and arrived on 5 March. The other three companies embarked on the Elder Dempster Lines' SS Montrose at Liverpool on 13 March and landed on 8 April.
Service At Cape Town the three companies went to a remount camp at Maitland until 24 April, and then began a long rail journey with other IY units, reaching Bloemfontein on 12 May. On 16 May they joined a column tasked with clearing the Boers out of the district between Abraham's Kraal and Boshof. On 23 May the column returned with its prisoners to Bloemfontein. From now on the companies were detached on separate duty, and 9th Bn was not re-assembled until February 1901.
White's Column On 24 May 1900 the 31st Company moved south-east to Dewetsdorp, where the Orange River Colony (ORC) was proclaimed. It remained there until 8 August, when it moved to rendezvous with the 30th Company, and they trekked via Thabanchu back to Bloemfontein. On 18 August the two companies joined up with the 29th Company in Lieutenant-Colonel White's Flying Column, which also included two field guns of 38th Battery, Royal Artillery, and two infantry companies from the Royal Irish Rifles. The column moved by train to Ventersburg West, then marched to Ventersburg where there were contacts between the scouts and Haasbroek's Commando, leading to some casualties. The column then entrained again for Winburg where patrols were sent out to find Olivier's Commando but there were no contacts as the column scoured the veldt back to Bloemfontein. At Bloemfontein on 1 September the column was attached to Major-General Bruce Hamilton's brigade for a march to relieve a garrison of the Royal Wiltshire Yeomanry besieged at Ladybrand by Fourie's Commando. After this was accomplished the column (reinforced by the Royal Wiltshires and a detachment of the 16th Lancers) accompanied Lieutenant-General Sir Archibald Hunter's column in a sweep over the veldt to Brandfort and then into the Doornberg uplands. During the trek some members of the Pembroke Company were ambushed and captured, but released to make their way on foot to Ladysmith. From 23 September Major Wentworth Forbes (31st Company) was in command of the three Welsh IY companies in the column.
From mid-September White's Column was active in the Bethulie district, organising town defences and provisioning British garrisons. On 6 October the column's yeomanry played a prominent part in the relief of Philippolis and later engaged Haasbroek's and De Wet's commandos in a sharp action at Aasvogel Kop and Quagga Laaghte. On 8 December the column arrived at Smithfield after a forced march from Bethulie; the Welsh Yeomanry companies now totalled 185 fit and mounted men. Here White linked up with Maj-Gen Charles Knox's Column to drive the scattered Boers northwards into a planned encirclement (the 'Second de Wet Hunt'). From 11 to 14 December the column maintained contact with De Wet's rearguard, but De Wet then used Haasbroek's Commando to draw off the pursuers while he broke through the trap at Springhaan's Nek. The Welsh Yeomanry companies and 16th Lancers charged home, using their rifles as clubs against Haasbroek's men and causing considerable casualties, but De Wet and the main body got away. The pursuit continued across north-east ORC to Winburg and Heilbron. White's Column was withdrawn on 21 January 1901 and returned to Bloemfontein, then went by rail back to Bethulie to rejoin Hamilton's brigade in a further drive. On 9 February 1901 the column, with 29th, 30th, 31st Companies, IY, reached Silk Spruit.Amery, Vol V, pp. 38–43.Kruger, pp. 393–4.
Rundle's Column Meanwhile, the 49th Company and MG Section had been left at Bloemfontein, suffering several casualties from Enteric fever before marching out on 29 May 1900 to join Lt-Gen Sir Leslie Rundle's Column at Senekal. In July an operation involving several columns to drive the Boers out of the eastern ORC and prevent them infiltrating south saw the 49th Company active in the Senekal, Winburg, Trommel and Witteberg districts. The operation succeeded in capturing Marthinus Prinsloo and about 4000 Boers, but De Wet and his men got away, leading to a series of 'De Wet Hunts' (see above).Kruger, pp. 327–36.
Hickman's Column
In early August the 49th Company went by train from Winburg to Pretoria where with other IY companies and the MG section they were formed into a Provisional Battalion under the command of Col Howard. On 16 August this battalion, together with a squadron of Tasmanian Mounted Infantry, became the mounted arm of Col Hickman's Flying Column operating under Maj-Gen Arthur Paget's division. The yeomen were soon in action, clashing with the Boers at Dredepoort, Onderstepoort and Haman's Kraal between 17 and 20 August, 49th Company suffering a number of casualties. From Haman's Kraal Hickman's Column took part in the pursuit of De Wet north of Pretoria, with clashes at Pienaar's River, Warm Baths and Nylstroom, and 49th Company engaged in a sharp fight at Buiskop. During September the column was in almost constant action, protecting Lord Roberts' flank as he marched on Lydenburg. Later the column operated along the Pretoria to Pietersburg railway.Amery, Vol V, pp. 60–4.
There was a perception that the war was almost over and future operations would be of a police nature. Lord Roberts handed over command to Lord Kitchener. On 2 October 49th Company was ordered back to Pretoria to begin the journey home, but this was quickly countermanded. Depleted by sickness and transfers to the British South African Constabulary (BSAC), the company continued in service with Hickman's Column. During October and November it operated in western Transvaal, including Hickman's successful raid on Jericho. On 29 November Paget made a frontal attack on Ben Viljoen's force at Rhenoster Nek with his infantry while swinging his mounted troops round the Boers' right flank. Hickman's column of yeomanry and Queensland Mounted Infantry came up on the flank of the infantry but was held in check. Although the attack was ultimately successful, casualties were heavy and the Boers got away. The column then moved by forced marches to Hebron to take part in operations against Koos de la Rey. On 29 December 49th Company was sent back to Elandsfontein, near Johannesburg, to rest and refit. On 2 February 1901 it entrained for Bethulie and then joined the 29th, 30th and 31st Companies at Silk Spruit to unite the 9th (Welsh) Battalion for the first time.
Great de Wet Hunt During early February 1901 De Wet broke back through the British lines and invaded Cape Colony, sparking off the 'Great de Wet Hunt'. On 10 February White's Column including most of 9th (Welsh) Bn moved through Bethulie to the Orange River, where the mounted men swam their horses across, and pursued the Boers non-stop. By 3 March the men were on half rations and their clothes were in tatters, but De Wet had retreated back across the river, losing his guns and waggons. The column continued through Aliwal North sweeping up stragglers as far as the Basutoland border, then returned to the ORC. At different times, detachments of 9th (Welsh) Bn also served with columns under Maj-Gen John Maxwell (29th and 49th Companies) and Lt-Col G.E. Benson. The battalion was concentrated at Edenburg in May.Amery, Vol V, pp. 131–53.Amery, Vol V, pp. 218–20.Kruger, pp. 402–11.
Second Contingent
The men of the first IY contingent were now free to return home after their one-year term of service, a Second Contingent having arrived from home to replace them. Where enough veterans volunteered to extend their service, existing companies in South Africa were reinforced by relief companies from home, but many new Second Contingent companies were raised directly by the War Office, bypassing the Yeomanry regiments, and the recruits were often of poor quality. The new 88th (Welsh Yeomanry) and 89th (Montgomeryshire) Companies were exceptional in being formed and trained by the Montgomeryshire Yeomanry at Wynnstay at the same time as the relief companies for the 31st and 49th (Montgomery) Companies (sometimes referred to as the 'New' 31st and 49th, or '2/31st' and '2/49th'). The Second Contingent of the IY landed in South Africa by the end of April 1901. On 23 May the original 29th and 49th Companies set off for Cape Town, followed by the 30th and 31st on 1 June.Amery, Vol V, pp. 72, 79–82.Amery, Vol V, p. 246.Kruger, p 387.
The relief companies were not destined to serve together as 9th Bn, but were sent off in pairs to join various columns. 29th and 49th Companies remained with White's Column and saw action at Macabe's Nek on 3 June when the column attempted to relieve Jamestown. The two companies were transferred on 26 June to Col Rochfort's Column operating under Bruce Hamilton in the southern ORC. The 30th and 31st Companies were placed with Maxwell's Column in central and eastern Transvaal. After sweeping backwards and forwards between Aliwal North and the blockhouse line that he been established across the veldt the two Welsh companies were transferred to Maj Frederick Damant's Column. The two new companies, 88th and 89th, were under Lt-Gen Lord Methuen in western Transvaal.
Rochfort's Column