Alfred Lewis Collett Diary, Battle of Spion Kop page 2;
24th January 1900 + drowning footnote, 7th January (transcription).

{return to contents page}


going up in the front to get knocked down like rabbits. all we had was a few biscuits and a tin of Machonichies and a bottle of water and a L.eut of my C.oy went down this terrible hill to get some water for the men and he came back alright and we have never seen him since poor fellow I suppose he got knocked over and was never seen nor heard of since but it was reported that he was dead since well they can talk about war but I call it taking men into a slaughter house and nothing else. this hill. was 4,000 feet above the level of the sea so dusk came and we had the order to retire and I can tell you that every man that came down from there alive

can thank the Lord that he is living now if he is a not we went down the hill which took us hours and it was so dark and some layed in the road as they did not knowing where to find our H.Q. The next morning some found the regt. and some did"nt and when our Coloniel saw what few men he had left he nearly cried and said it was not my fault I had an order and I had to obey it we lost a lot of poor fellows 103 killed, wounded and missing. signed, A.L.C.

7th January 1901
One of my chums named Ellicock was on the right flank and he got into the Buffalo River about 21 ft of water and got drowned.


{{previous page of battle transcription

 

{battle account pages}

{back to diary: 7th January 1901. }

{contents}