Album of 89 prints, each 90 x 90 mm, slipped into window mounts in contemporary photograph album in half dark brown roan leather with pebble-grained sides – the spine is missing and the front cover and first leaf of the album are detached, all edges gilt.
Each photograph is captioned – many are of railway bridges showing damage and reconstruction.
The following inscription appears on the front free endpaper:
Photos taken by W.N. McClean, Lieutentant in the Ry. Pioneer Regiment, 1900 & 1901 Transvaal War.
Stationed
Norval Pont Apr & May 00.
Zand River June & July
Springs Aug 00 to Feb 01
About 18th December 1899 recruiting for this corps was opened at Cape Town; and before Lord Roberts commenced his advance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria the first regiment was organised, its work being to assist in protecting the railways and to repair bridges, culverts, and lines when broken. Without outside assistance the corps of Royal Engineers could not have faced the enormous amount of work naturally falling to their department. From the Railway Pioneer Regiment they received very valuable help. On the other hand, the Railway Pioneers were leavened by officers and non - commissioned officers of the Royal Engineers, who are always so efficient that they can infect all those who serve with them with esprit de corps in a marvellously short space of time. Of such value was the work of the Railway Pioneer Regiment that before the close of the war a fourth battalion had been organised. The battalions were employed chiefly on the Cape-Pretoria railway, but they were also on the Krugersdorp line, and sometimes operated as a fighting force a considerable distance from railways. The regiment also did admirable service on the armoured trains which did so much to make railway traffic possible during the guerilla stages.
In his evidence before the War Commission, vol i p 445, Lord Roberts said: "An enormous amount of reconstruction was carried out by the Railway Pioneer Regiment and the Railway Companies Royal Engineers. The Pioneer Regiment consisted almost entirely of civilian refugees, mostly mechanics from Johannesburg, and it rendered excellent service. To its aid and that of the Royal Engineer officers and men we were indebted for the fact that the railways very seldom lost touch with the fighting portion of the army, and that we were able to seize Johannesburg and Pretoria, distant about 1000 miles from our base upon the coast, and 260 miles from Bloemfontein, our advanced depot, with such rapidity that the enemy were unable to concentrate their resources and offer a strongly organised resistance".
From: http://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/south-african-units/459-railway-pioneer-regiment
- Size: Album: 240 x 150 mm
- Sold By: Clarke's Africana & Rare Books
- Contact Person: Paul Mills
- Country: South Africa
- Email: [email protected]
- Telephone: 021 794 0600
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- Trade Associations: ABA - ILAB, SABDA
