Chapter XIX (2)

Colonel Lumsden said: Your Excellency, your Honour, Ladies and
Gentlemen,—I feel it, though a pleasure, a hard task to endeavour to
express the feelings of my men and myself for the very hearty welcome
we have received and the very kind speech which our Honorary Colonel
the Viceroy has given us this evening. Our Honorary Colonel mentions,
and with truth, his words of advice in speaking to us on leaving. We
no doubt did our best to act up to it in every way, and I am sure,
speaking for myself as leader, there was no difficulty to do so when
followed by such men as I had. It was not altogether a party of
pleasure. There were rough things and hard times, and I often feared
that the Indian man, accustomed as he always is to the well-known
_kai-hae_, would not take to the labour of the veldt as well as he
did. I can assure your Excellency that never at any moment when things
were at their worst did I hear a word that was not cheerful and
pleasant from my men. We have been a fortunate corps in more ways than
one. We have been specially fortunate in our health. As our Honorary
Colonel remarked, only two men in the whole corps died of sickness.
This I think shows in a great measure how well the soldiers were
treated. There have been many complaints, I believe, in several
quarters as to the treatment of the soldiers there. But taking the
class of men I had to deal with, the small percentage of deaths from
disease shows we had not much to complain about in that respect. We
were fortunate also in our list of casualties. We were all very much
touched by the Viceroy’s allusions to those who have gone. No better
man existed than Major Showers, no greater loss could be felt by the
corps than in his death. He died, I believe, as he often thought he
would. He was a soldier to the backbone, and nothing pleased him
better than being in the field. Five died besides Major Showers,
giving a total of six altogether. That out of 250 men may be looked
upon as a small percentage. On the whole, in spite of the hardships
the men have gone through, I think there is not one, if the call to
arms were sounded to-morrow, who would not love to go back again. We
were greatly honoured at having the Viceroy as our Honorary Colonel,
and that pleasure was deeply felt by the men and remained in their
memory throughout the campaign. When any meed of praise was bestowed
upon us one and all felt sure our Honorary Colonel would be pleased to
hear of it. I cannot make a long speech to-night. I think the Viceroy
himself touched upon most of the points of interest connected with the
corps. I can only say how pleased we are with the reception we have
got. When we landed in Bombay the Governor said a few kindly words.
The streets were lined by thousands of people, and we had a welcome
such as we can never forget. Another thing I would wish to touch upon.
I think all the corps are proud of the number of commissions our men
have got. For this we have entirely to thank the Field-Marshal the
Commander-in-Chief. From start to finish there is no doubt his love of
India led Lord Roberts to take a keen interest in our Indian corps.
Our welcome to Calcutta to-day will, I am sure, sink deeply into all
our hearts and be long remembered. I can only say on behalf of my
officers and comrades that I thank you all deeply and sincerely. In
doing so I feel certain I am expressing the gratitude of us all, not
only for what we have received, but what I am told we have yet to
receive. I thank you, Sir, very heartily indeed on behalf of the whole
corps for the extremely kind way in which you have spoken of us and
our work.

The temporary barriers having been removed, the men were soon busily engaged in conversation with their many friends and acquaintances. The band discoursed a bright selection of music for the remainder of the evening.

The ‘Englishman’ of Friday, January 4, 1901, contained the following:

Yesterday afternoon His Excellency the Viceroy and Lady Curzon
entertained Colonel Lumsden and the officers and men of the Indian
contingent to luncheon at Government House. The function took place in
the Marble Hall. The officers and men of Lumsden’s Horse, who were in
khaki, occupied two long tables running down the centre of the room at
right angles to that at which the Viceroy sat. The floral decorations
of the tables were of an exceptionally chaste and artistic character.
On the verandah the members of the Viceroy’s band were located, and
the most appropriate selection of national and patriotic music which
they rendered contributed largely to the success of the luncheon.
Ninety-two officers, non-commissioned officers, and men of Lumsden’s
Horse were present, and with the guests and Viceroy’s Staff the total
number sitting down to luncheon was 169. A pleasing feature of the
luncheon was the presence of Lady Curzon and the following ladies:
Lady Woodburn, Lady Palmer, Mrs. Harrington, Mrs. Tyler, Mrs.
Laurence, Miss Trevor, and Miss Law. The list of guests also included:
His Honour Sir John Woodburn, Sir Power Palmer, Sir Francis Maclean,
the Metropolitan, Sir Edwin Collen, Sir Arthur Trevor, Sir Edward Law,
Hon. Mr. Raleigh, Hon. Mr. Rivaz, Hon. Sir Henry Cotton, Sir Edward
Elles, General Luck, General Maitland, Surgeon-General Harvey, General
Wace, General Henry, General Dyce, Colonel Buckingham, Sir Patrick
Playfair, Mr. Justice Harington, Sir Henry Prinsep, Sir Allan Arthur,
Captains Taylor, Beresford, Noblett, Holmes, and Powell of Lumsden’s
Horse, Hon. Mr. Bourdillon, Colonel Masters, Colonel Meade, Colonel
MacLaughlin, Major Churchill, Colonel O’Donoghue, Captain Wilson,
Commander Petley, Colonel Swaine, Major Hoore, Captain Bradshaw,
Colonel Wynne, Major Ferror, Captain Ayerst, Rev. J. Hatton, Messrs.
Stuart, Sutherland, Elworthy, Kerr, Tremearne, Woodroffe, Turner,
Greer, and Apcar.

At the conclusion of the luncheon the toasts of ‘The Queen,’ ‘Colonel
Lumsden, Officers and Men of Lumsden’s Horse,’ and ‘The Viceroy’ were
enthusiastically honoured.

The same evening the members of Lumsden’s Horse marched to the
Cathedral to attend a special thanksgiving service for their safe
return. The congregation was a large and most representative one, and
included their Excellencies Lord and Lady Curzon, Sir John and Lady
Woodburn. The service was brief and bright, the musical portion
predominating. The hymns, being well known, were taken up heartily by
the congregation, and a magnificent rendering was given by the choir
of the ‘Hallelujah Chorus,’ to which result the inclusion of a number
of ladies in the choir and an orchestral accompaniment largely
contributed. The clergy present were the Metropolitan, Canons Luckman
and Cogan, Revs. Brown, Gee, Nansen, Kitchen, Clarke, Wickens, Otley,
and Campbell, The men of Lumsden’s Horse occupied the front pews, and
at the conclusion of the service filed out immediately behind the
choir and the clergy.

The following was the address which the Metropolitan delivered:

It is my privilege, brethren, to offer you in the house of God the
words of welcome which have been in all hearts, and upon all lips,
since your landing in India—the last words perhaps that shall be
addressed to you as a military force. It was here on the fourteenth
day of February last that you sought God’s blessing at a special
service before setting sail for the war, and it is here by a natural
consequence that you come again to render Him thanks on your return.

Brethren, we have followed you with earnest prayers in your long
absence. There has not been a Sunday when we have not entreated God to
bless you, and keep you safe, and to give victory to your arms, and to
bring you home in peace. You will not say or think those prayers have
been unheard. The memory of the friends who were far away, of their
care for you, and their sympathy in your perils must often have been
present to your minds. It may even have happened that you felt
strengthened and inspired, as others have felt by the consciousness,
of their intercession in your behalf.

Brethren, you have fought, not in a light cause, but for the Empire,
whose members and citizens you are. You have been the witnesses, and
in part the authors, of a new solidarity between the widely severed
forces of the Empire. That solidarity is the great fact, the permanent
result, of the war in South Africa. Its influence upon the destiny of
mankind will be more and more declared in the new-born century. A new
spirit of confederation has dawned upon the Empire, and it is your
spirit, and the spirit of men such as you.

May I remind you of a sentence spoken by a high authority on a
critical occasion in modern European history? Goethe relates that
after the battle of Valmy, at which he was present, he was asked by
his comrades in camp to pronounce an opinion upon its significance. He
said—and his language may have seemed extravagant when he used
it—‘From this place, and from this day forth, commences a new era in
the world’s history, and you can all say that you were present at its
birth.’ Brethren, the birthday of Imperial solidarity is likewise an
event fraught with issues of untold power and moment for mankind; but
that solidarity has been born in South Africa, and you can all say
that you were present at its birth.

Once more you have realised, and we too, how great and solemn is the
cost of an Imperial destiny. It is not by mere child’s play, but by
sorrow, pain, and death, that a wide-world Empire, like a Universal
Church, is achieved and maintained. You have hazarded your lives, some
of your comrades have laid theirs down, for that high cause; and the
issue of your sacrifice and theirs has been a solemnisation of the
Empire in the last year. It has been good for us that we have known
the reverses and anxieties which ennoble the ultimate victory. We have
felt the hand of God laid upon us. You who have come home, and we who
bid you so glad a welcome, shall spend the residue of our lives with
an enhanced moral seriousness, with a more profound apprehension of
the Providence which regulates and determines human ends.

Brethren, I shall not detain you longer in this holy place. Only let
your home-coming be worthy of your warfare. There are dangers in peace
as well as in war. Let the spirit, then, of your future lives be
grave, responsible, temperate, sublime, as befits your religion and
your race.

May the God of our fathers bless you all, and bring you all to Heaven!

The ‘Englishman’ of Monday, January 7, 1901, gave the following report of another interesting scene:

Immediately after the Thanksgiving Service held at the Cathedral on
Thursday, the officers and men of our pioneer corps celebrated the
closing function of their active military career. It took its form in
a dinner given expressly by Colonel Lumsden, and the guests included
Sir Patrick Playfair, the Hon. Mr. Buckingham, Colonel MacLaughlin,
Mr. Harry Stuart, and several friends of the non-commissioned officers
and men. After an excellent dinner supplied by Mr. Wallace, of the
Italian Restaurant, who also catered for the corps prior to their
departure in February last, the toast of the Queen was proposed and
received with enthusiasm.

Private Turner, in a very apt little speech, then asked the Colonel if
he would very kindly consent to present, on behalf of the men, to
Sergeant-Major Hewitt, Quartermaster-Sergeant Dale, and Sergeant-Major
Brennan, souvenirs to mark their appreciation of the admirable work
done by these three non-commissioned officers. They always had the
knack of taking the men the proper way. To Quartermaster-Sergeant
Dale, _alias_ ‘Daddy,’ or ‘Bobby’ Dale, was due the excellent form in
which the men found themselves. They looked none the worse for their
trying marches and watchful nights simply because the man in charge of
the food arrangements was Dale. Colonel Lumsden said he had much
pleasure in presenting, on behalf of the men, a silver flask to
Sergeant-Major Hewitt, a silver flask to Quartermaster-Sergeant Dale,
and a silver cigar-case to Sergeant-Major Brennan.

The Colonel then proposed the health of the Executive Committee, who,
he said, had worked so indefatigably when the corps was being
organised. Their labours did not end there, however, for always while
the corps was in South Africa, and still on its return, they were all
concerned in its well-being and interests. It was a pleasure to him
and to his men to have been the recipients of so hearty a welcome as
that which met them on their arrival at Howrah on the evening of the
2nd inst. The work which the raising of a force such as Lumsden’s
Horse entails is extensive, complicated, and laborious, but thanks to
the able committee formed on the inception of the corps, they were
able to be equipped and despatched to the country they had just
returned from with comparatively no delay. To Sir Patrick Playfair
particularly he was deeply indebted for his energy in seeing things
put through in such an efficient manner and without a hitch, and he
was proud of now having an opportunity of asking his men to drink the
health of the gentlemen of the Executive Committee, with three times
three cheers for Sir Patrick Playfair.

Sir Patrick Playfair, in reply, said that he was sorry another very
important public function required the presence of many of the
Executive Committee who otherwise would have been present at this
dinner, Colonel Lumsden, he thought, was too lavish in his praises of
the work done by the Executive Committee. The work was a labour of
love, in the execution of which every member of that Committee took a
pleasure and a pride. He had met and known Colonel Lumsden very many
years before a certain day in November 1899, when he received from
Australia a cable from Colonel Lumsden intimating his willingness to
raise and have equipped a suitable corps capable of giving a good
account of themselves in South Africa. He had the fullest confidence
in Colonel Lumsden, and knew that the class of men to whom Colonel
Lumsden had particular recourse were the right sort. He, therefore,
did his utmost to encourage Colonel Lumsden in accomplishing his noble
object. Great obstacles for a time blocked the way, but in time, by
virtue of the personal influence of His Excellency the Viceroy, the
War Office sanctioned the raising of a corps which has now returned
loaded with honours, complimented time after time by Generals and in
official despatches for gallantry in the field. The Committee always
followed with interest the operations of the corps in South Africa,
and it was a pride and an honour to them to be in a position to say
that they were so closely connected with its formation. He regretted
that a few men should have found their appointments closed against
them on their return, but he assured them that the Executive
Committee, and particularly himself, would only be too glad to help
any man in finding suitable employment. He said he had already made
reference to the cases of men so placed to the Lieutenant-Governor,
and had asked that, all things else being equal, the men who had
served in Lumsden’s Horse should have the preference when appointments
were vacant. Sir Patrick Playfair then thanked Colonel Lumsden, the
officers, and men of the corps for the hearty way in which they had
drunk the health of the Committee.

Sergeant Fraser then, in a very humorous speech, announced to the
Colonel the intention of the men to present him with a sword of
honour as a memento and a token of their respect and esteem. Within
the last few days they had heard the Governor of Bombay, the
Lieutenant-Governor of Bengal, and the Viceroy himself, express warm
admiration of Colonel Lumsden for the manner in which he had
conceived, organised, and led the corps. But he ventured to consider
that the men of Lumsden’s Horse were even in a better position than
these exalted gentlemen to express an opinion upon Colonel Lumsden,
for they had been with him in South Africa and seen with their own
eyes what he had done. It was in consequence of what they had seen
that they now asked Colonel Lumsden to accept from the men who had
been his comrades a sword of honour as the highest compliment they
knew how to pay him. He would remind them that Colonel Lumsden,
during the action at Ospruit, had ridden out to the rescue of a
wounded trooper, placed him on his own horse, and led the horse back
at a walk a distance of 200 yards, all under heavy fire.[14] Colonel
Lumsden had never asked his men to go where he did not lead himself,
and it will be within the recollection of all of them, after
climbing kopjes representing Kinchingjunga at six stone, that they
invariably found the Colonel on top busy with his binoculars, whilst
they themselves were helpless from loss of breath. His concern had
always been for his men without regard to his own convenience, and
it was because Colonel Lumsden had proved himself both gallant and
unselfish, that they desired to present him with the sword. If they
had a fault to find with Colonel Lumsden, it was that he was too
lenient with misdemeanants. They had frequently seen men marched
before him and sternly interrogated regarding their sins. But the
end of such interviews was generally a private conversation
regarding old times in Assam, or elsewhere, and no punishment. The
result was that the men swore by their Colonel, even those he had
been compelled to send to ‘cells’—there was one of these, half rear,
at the present moment loudly applauding all he was saying. Colonel
Lumsden was not only their commanding officer, but a personal friend
to each man, a combination which had led to the maintenance of an
extraordinary degree of discipline. They were all proud of the corps
they had the honour to belong to, but they were prouder, if
possible, of the officer whose name the corps bore. The only fault
they ever found with Colonel Lumsden was that he was too lenient
with the men, and in the goodness of his heart refrained from meting
out punishment where it was perhaps well deserved. However, it is
not every delinquent who would regard that as a fault. The men
regretted that time had not given them an opportunity of providing
the sword for presentation that night, but it would come in the
fulness of time. The Colonel’s health was then drunk with musical
honours, the men shouting themselves hoarse.

Colonel Lumsden, in reply, said that this was truly and in every sense
the proudest moment of his life. He had already had the pleasure of
making a few speeches since the corps was raised, but he found it a
difficult thing to hit on words to express at all adequately his
appreciation of the eulogistic terms in which Sergeant Fraser, on
behalf of his comrades, had referred to him. He always had the
greatest confidence in his men and relied on their honour rather than
on strict and rigid discipline for the execution of his orders. He
knew his men thoroughly, and saw that they were prepared to play the
game as it should be played, and he felt proud, as any officer must,
of the men he commanded. The sword of honour proposed to be presented
to him would be his most treasured possession—he would always be proud
to refer to it and the happy associations it recalled. The past twelve
months had been the happiest in his whole career, and nigh forty-eight
summers had passed over his head. Turning to Sir Patrick Playfair’s
remark, he said that he, too, would do his utmost to have the men
without billets provided for. He was a believer in the great future in
store for South Africa, and wished every success to those of the corps
who had remained behind. He also said that Captain Petley had very
kindly placed the ‘Koladyne’ at the disposal of those who had no
friends to stay with in Calcutta, and that they only had to signify to
Captain Petley, who had taken a deep interest in the corps, their wish
to avail themselves of this kind offer. He would now say good-bye and
God-speed with every good wish for their future welfare, requesting
that, before breaking up camp, every man should promise to send his
photo.

The men were visibly touched by Colonel Lumsden’s speech, and, after
cheering him over and over again, chaired him and all the officers,
and Sergeant-Major Stephens, at great risk to those chaired.

The Sword of Honour, exquisitely wrought by Messrs. Hamilton & Co., of Calcutta, and presented to Colonel Lumsden with such gratifying evidences of good-will from those whom he had commanded, was of silver with ring-mountings of gold, and bore upon its scabbard the following inscription:

SOUTH AFRICA, 1900.

CAPE COLONY.

ORANGE FREE STATE.

JOHANNESBURG.

PRESENTED TO LIEUTENANT-COLONEL D.M. LUMSDEN, C.B.,
BY THE N.C.O.S AND MEN OF LUMSDEN’S HORSE

AS A TOKEN OF THEIR PERSONAL REGARD, AND AS A MARK OF THEIR APPRECIATION
OF HIS HIGH QUALITIES AS A COMMANDING OFFICER.

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Footnote 14:

Trooper Betts has since been awarded the D.C.M. for accompanying the
Colonel on this occasion—to carry in Franks, who was mortally
wounded.

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