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Born in April 1877, Frankland Smith grew up in Maryborough,
Victoria. He was working as a surveyor's assistant when the
Boer War broke out.He joined the 4th Contingent early in 1900.
DIARY ENTRIES, March
1901
March 13th
Grahamstown: It was the
only town we have struck in Cape
Colony where the inhabitants are all British. They
gave us a
great reception. The ladies nearly killed us with
kindness; they
kept coming into camp all day with baskets of
fruit and cake,
and books for us to read; one very pretty girl
gave me a bible.
But these good things did not last long.
March 23rd
On the 23rd I went out on patrol with Lieutenant
Mason and 14
men. We had only gone about 3 miles from camp and
were just
going over a small kopje (hill) when we saw about
500 mounted
men coming towards us. At first we did not know
who they were;
we could see a lot of them were dressed in khaki;
but we were
not left long in doubt, for they had extended
along in front of us
and around each flank and opened fire on
us.
As 15 against 500 was rather long odds we thought
it best to bolt.
We had only one way to go and that was across a
plain back to
camp. I will never forget that gallop. The bullets
were coming from
right and left, and behind them, and the explosive
bullets were
cracking over our heads like stockwhips.
I was on the little roan pony that I got at De
Aar. He battled along
bravely, but was soon left behind by the big
horses, and when we
got about half way across the plain he was hit in
the leg by a bullet,
and went down, but he got up again and started off
better than
ever. The bullet had only grazed the bone and he
took me out of
range, to where the others were waiting for me
behind a kopje.
They heard the shooting from the camp and came out
to help us,
and although there were only 200 of us we soon
drove the Boers
from the kopjes, and chased them for several
miles.
None of our chaps were hurt, but several had
narrow escapes.
Some had bullets through their clothes, and Jack
Barry from
Maryborough, was wounded in the hand
slightly.
We lost several horses. And my pony, although very
lame for a few
days, is all right now.
Source:
Dunolly-Maryborough Advertiser, 29 May 1901
* Information and photo provided by Frank Smith's proud
grand-
daughter Sharon Broad, who seeks help in
identifying the other
men in the photo.
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Laurie
Marshall
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