Diary of Lieutenant Harold Orpen- Palmer - THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH

Ist Battalion Royal Irish Fusiliers

August 23 1899 – Wednesday 28 February 1900

157 handwritten leaves - written on the recto of each page of an untitled A5 leather bound note book in very legible script in black ink, starting to work loose at page 9, but holding on to the netting, otherwise in very good condition.

The diary entries were written daily and describe in great detail life in the camp and the encounters with the Boers during the Siege of Ladysmith, which was a protracted engagement in the Second Boer War, taking place between 2 November 1899 and 28 February 1900 at Ladysmith, Natal.

A few extracts follow:

On page 14 dated Thursday 26 October 1899 he commences his entries under the title Ladysmith Siege Diary
Sunday 26 November: Enemy fired a few shells today contrary to their usual custom on Sunday. At midnight a 12 pounder naval gun passed our post on the way to Caesar's camp.

Saturday 16 December: We only heard one or two shots from Buller today. Boers are celebrating Dingaan's Day today, so we were moderately quiet. There was an eclipse moon tonight, nearly half of it being covered.

Wednesday 28 February: Lord Roberts sent in the following message yesterday 'General Cronje and all his force were captured unconditionally at daylight this morning and he is now a prisoner in my camp.

The diary ends abruptly on this day with the following lines: We were visited by a terrible thunder storm in the evening which I hope will prevent the Boers from trying a successful trek. All night long our big guns kept giving Bulwana Tom odd shots, so I hope they will stop his going.

Royal Irish Fusiliers (Princess Victoria's) 1st Battalion
The 1st Battalion sailed from Alexandria, Egypt, on 24th September 1899, and arrived at Durban on 12th October. They were at once taken up country, unfortunately without their baggage and much of their equipment, which was to follow, but never reached, the battalion.

On the 29th the battalion was ordered to provide six companies as part of a column under Lieutenant Colonel Carleton, consisting of these companies, about six companies of the 1st Gloucestershire Regiment, and the 10th Mountain Battery; the force to take 300 rounds per rifle, two days' cooked rations, no water; no wheeled vehicles to be allowed. At 11.15 pm the column marched out towards Nicholson's Nek, which it was intended they should hold. The Irish Fusiliers led, followed by 45 mules with ammunition, etc, then the mountain battery with 135 mules, then 59 animals belonging to the Gloucesters, who brought up the rear. (see page 14 of the diary)

The two companies of the Royal Irish Fusiliers who had been left in Ladysmith held 'Red Hill' and 'Range Post' in the western defences during the siege. They seem to have done excellently, and kept watch so well that they were not molested except by shell-fire.

Two men of the 1st Battalion were mentioned in General Buller's final despatch of 9th November 1900 for continuous good work. Eight officers and 12 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in Lord Roberts' final despatch, but these latter embraced both 1st and 2nd Battalions.

Four officers and 6 men of the Royal Irish Fusiliers were mentioned during the war in Lord Kitchener's despatches, but the number of the battalion to which they belonged was in most cases omitted in the Gazettes. In the final despatch 7 officers and 7 non-commissioned officers and men of the regiment were mentioned.

Lieutenant Orpen Palmer's details can be retrieved at the end of this article as follows:
Orpen-Palmer H B H Lieutenant 1st Battalion Source: QSA roll Queens South Africa Medal https://angloboerwar.com/?option=com_content&view=article&id=649

The Queen's South Africa Medal (QSA) was awarded to military personnel who served in the Boer War in South Africa between 11th October 1899 and 31st May 1902.https://www.forces-war-records.co.uk/medals/queens-south-africa-medal