Anglo-Boer War

The Decimation of the Lancashires at Spion Kop.

Sergt. W. Riding, of the 1st South Lancashire Regiment, writing to friends in Ormskirk from Pietermaritzburg under date Feb. 1st, says : -
You will have heard of the terrible disaster that has befallen our regiment, who suffered a very heavy loss during the first baptism of fire at Spion Kop. Our regiment formed the escort to the guns, consisting of two companies, and they left about 300 men strong, but they only returned with about 20 men. We lost a few officers besides. There were only about 400 men left out of our regiment now, and we marched out of Preston 1082 strong. We have only buried three men from sickness, so that this will give you an idea of the awful extent of the casualties. The whole Lancashire Brigade suffered severely, the Lancashire Fusiliers coming out with a very heavy loss. Those that are left of the four regiments have been made into two regiments. This will affect the whole of Lancashire, and I say, "God help the wives and families, more especially the children, who have been bereaved." Our two companies which formed the escort to the guns came under a cross-fire from three different directions from the Boers' lines. It was mostly concentrated to pick off the gunners belonging to the batteries. It was just the same as sheep being led up to be slaughtered and butchered right and left.
After darkness had set in, the Boers continued to drop shell after shell on to our wounded. We had our General, who was in command of the Brigade, severely wounded. General Buller has given out that he is going to take the same position at all costs, even if he has to take it at the point of the bayonet ; and then go straight into Ladysmith ; so we shall have another heavy list of casualties.

(Waterloo & Crosby Herald, 3 March 1900)
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Lieutenant Brighouse.
The County Coroner, Mr. Brighouse, was on Saturday informed that his third son, Samuel, who is serving in South Africa with the 32nd Company of the Imperial Yeomanry, has accepted a lieutenancy. He became a trooper in the D Troop of the Lancashire Hussars at the time when there was a great rush of volunteers, some eighteen months ago, and when volunteers were asked for in April last he joined the 32nd Company as a trooper. He was made corporal, and afterwards sergeant at Aldershot, and later, in South Africa, he was promoted to paymaster-sergeant. Lieutenant Brighouse was a well-known and esteemed member of the Ormskirk Golf Club, and his many friends will be pleased to hear of his promotion. Prior to volunteering for active service Mr. Sam Brighouse was studying law, and serving his articles with Mr. F. A. Jones, his father's partner and deputy-coroner, at the Southport office of the firm. He was enabled to leave his legal work by the resolution of the Incorporated Law Society which enabled articled clerks to obtain leave of absence from their legal duties whilst on active service. His work in Africa has been chiefly in connection with the forwarding and convoy of stores, and he was recently ordered up to Pretoria.

(Waterloo & Crosby Herald, 23 November 1901)