Brave hearts of the Boer War

Brian Courtney

The Boer War ended 100 years ago and the people of Belfast, and most other cities and towns in the north of Ireland, joyously celebrated victory and the end of a three-year conflict which had cost the lives of 20,000 British soldiers, some 1,500 of them from Ireland. It had been Britain's biggest war since the Crimean, and it was the first to involve contingents of the Empire on a large scale - Australian, Canadian and New Zealand units fought alongside British regulars in the often bloody campaign against the Boers. For the Boers, it had been a hopeless but gallant attempt by the two republics of Transvaal and Orange Free State to defeat the might of what was then the greatest Empire the world had ever known.

The Boers had a maximum of 80,000 men under arms, while the British could call on unlimited manpower - at one stage there were 250,000 British and Empire troops in South Africa. But, the Boers made up for their deficiency in numbers by their gallantry and their ability to use the terrain to the utmost advantage and, by the time the war had ended, they had inflicted a number of costly and bloody defeats on the British, including Spion Kop. The British also had their heroes and, as a nation, they were united in admiration of the courage and fighting qualities of the Irish regiments which had fought in the war. Most of the great Irish regiments, from both north and south, had been involved and, in the early part of the war, as defeat after defeat caused dismay back in Whitehall, it was the news of the gallantry of the Inniskillings, Royal Irish Fusiliers, Dublin Fusiliers and Connaught Rangers at Colenso and Dundee which provided considerable consolation and was seized on by the media to be fed via war correspondents back home to a grateful public. Queen Victoria was so moved by the gallantry of her Irish soldiers that she authorised the raising of a new regiment of foot guards - the Irish Guards - and the presentation of shamrock on St Patrick's Day to her Irish regiments. And she also paid a surprise three-week State visit to Ireland to reward her Irish subjects for their loyalty and to demonstrate her personal gratitude to her soldiers for their courage.

Half of the British soldiers who died in the war were victims of disease like typhoid and this also claimed the lives of some 20,000 Boers, mostly women and children. They had died in assembly camps, or concentration camps, set up by the British as temporary homes after Boer farmhouses had been burned, depriving the commandos of rest and recuperation. The farm-burning policy produced decisive results, but the death of the innocents in the concentration camps from disease produced a legacy of bitterness towards the British by the Afrikaaner people, which has lasted to this day. By the time the Boers had agreed, by a majority vote of their delegates, to accept the surrender terms and sign the Treaty of Vereeniging, their position was hopeless, and their brave leaders like Smuts, De La Rey and De Wet, accepted the harsh reality. The Treaty was signed on a Sunday, so celebrations in the north of Ireland did not get under way until the following day. Ironically, as word was being received about the Boer surrender, Ulster soldiers were on their way to South Africa, or preparing to go. Three hundred men of the Royal Inniskilling Fusiliers were setting off from Enniskillen the previous day, and a huge crowd was at the railway station in the Fermanagh county town to wish the 'Skins' bon voyage.

Fog signals were placed on the rails as the train, crammed with young Ulstermen eager to see the action on the other side of the world, steamed out of the station amid loud cheering. That same morning in May, 1902, a draft of 100 men of the Royal Irish Rifles left Londonderry for South Africa - the latest in a long line of recruits who had rushed to join the 'Stickies' and the other north of Ireland regiments. When word of the Treaty reached Belfast, just before the start of the evening church services, the news was announced to congregations by the ministers. The News Letter immediately posted the text of the telegram with the news in their office window and telephoned the information to the Ulster Club, the Reform Club and the Union Club. During the service at Windsor Presbyterian Church, the Rev John Irwin led the congregation in the singing of the doxology. The minister gave thanks for peace and made supplication for the future well-being of South Africa. In Bangor, the news was received with rejoicing and the event was celebrated with the ringing of the joybells of the parish church for one hour. The following day - a gloriously fine day - the flags were flying from the Royal Ulster Yacht clubhouse, the Coastguard station and several of the hotels. At intervals, a small piece of artillery was fired from the new pier, and as darkness approached, four bonfires were set alight. In Londonderry, a message announcing the signing of the terms of peace was handed to the preacher in St Columb's Church of Ireland Cathedral, and he read it to the congregation who then sang the Te Deum and the National Anthem. Monday saw the crowds out in large numbers in Belfast and other Ulster towns, celebrating in the streets. Buildings were dressed with bunting, the Royal Standard floated from the Town Hall and Union flags were displayed in all the leading buildings. Many schools were given a day's public holiday, and large numbers of shipyardmen in Harland and Wolff and Workman Clark's yards downed tools in celebration, and, in Clark's, the day was declared a public holiday. The 'Islandmen' and other workers from the linen mills and foundries paraded through the Belfast streets waving flags, cheering lustily and singing patriotic songs. At night, a large number of bands turned out and marched through the streets playing lively airs, many of them 'Goodbye Dolly Gray', the most popular song with the soldiers including the beloved Royal Irish Rifles, pride of Belfast and counties Down and Antrim.

It was the same in the provincial towns, and in Armagh city, a garrison town and depot of the Royal Irish Fusilliers, which had served with distinction in the Boer War, the bunting and flags appeared on shops and other establishments. A huge bonfire was set alight in Callan Street and the Conservative Band attended and played "loyal music". Ballymena, a town with strong links to the Rifles, celebrated with great rejoicing, and it was the same at Ballymoney. In Coleraine, the factory horn of Messrs Gribbons' was blown at intervals, and the bells of St Patrick's Church tower, the Town Hall and Killowen Church rang out. All creeds and classes rejoiced in Dromore, where the bells of both the Church of Ireland cathedral and the Roman Catholic church rang out for a considerable time after the news. As news of the victory reached Dungannon, a large Union Jack was hoisted on the church tower, and, at intervals during the day, peals were merrily rung on the church bells. There was a bonfire that night in Market Street, following a procession through the town. It was the same story in Lisburn, Lurgan, Portadown and other towns throughout the Province.

In Portadown, Lambeg drumming parties turned out and paraded the streets, and linen workers were given the day off to celebrate. The celebrations in the south of Ireland were not just as joyful, as only a minority had supported the Boers. But there was deep pride in the heroics of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, Connaught Rangers, Munster Fusiliers and other regiments. In Dublin, Kingstown, Bray and other parts of Wicklow, where there was a sizeable unionist population at that time, the enthusiasm was intense. When news of the British victory reached Dublin, most of the centre, and many of the adjoining districts, were bedecked with Union flags and other emblems of loyalty. It was not just the Protestant working classes of North Strand or South Circular Road who flew the flag. They were flying from many Roman Catholic houses as well, and there was a feeling of unity and common pride in the fighting prowess of the Irish soldiers of the British Army which had not been equalled before. Everyone wanted to celebrate the glory of 'The Dublins' and gallant soldiers like young 14-year-old Bugler Dunn, who had been wounded in the arm and the chest at Colenso, and was later presented with a new bugle by Queen Victoria. She had been moved to tears by his heroism and that of his wounded comrades from Ireland - a boy who symbolised the island's great contribution to the war effort. Trinity College celebrated the news of the British victory by lighting a large bonfire which lit up the sky for a considerable distance, and the bells of St George's Church rang out a merry peal in honour of the occasion.

In Cork, news of the Boer surrender created a profound feeling of thankfulness. While the service was in progress in St Finbarre's cathedral, the Rev Alan Lucas read a telegram announcing that peace terms had been signed. Prayer was offered and the bells rung at the close of the service. That feeling of thankfulness was the prevailing mood after the day-long celebrations had ended. There was delight that victory had been achieved, and pride in the Irish contribution to the British Army's triumph. But there was a realisation that the three-year war had brought sorrow to many homes, not least to those of the 1,500 men of the Irish regiments who would not be coming home from South Africa.