Extracts and Comments
(from Sources as shown) | |
Murray: CRONE.
B5172: next of kin in HM Navy Eng.
URL1: CROWE photo #362.
URL2: Private R LYDEN-CRONE, who is well known in the Central District, and is at present serving with the Sixth Queensland contingent is South Africa, writes to Mr. M LAVERCOMBE, Winton, under date Jan. 12th [1902]. The writer was engaged at that time in building blockhouses on the veldt going to Vrede, in the Orange River Colony. He says - "My last, I think, was from Vryheid. Well,
we left there and went to Pandewanna, the scene of a very bloody fight in the Zulu war. While there we located Cherrie EMMETT's and GROBELAAR's laager. Seventy-five Queenslanders under TUNBRIDGE made a midnight march, but found they had gone. On returning, we were attacked at the Velooe River. Thirty of us formed a firing line on the flat beneath a kopje, while the remainder got the
horses away on top, and then were to volley them on our retreating to them. After about an hours' firing, and we had dropped ten of the Boers, we found ourselves surrounded by them. Our ammunition was done, and no volleys coming from above, Lieutenant BOLAND (the great footballer), in company with a corporal, got to the top and found the colonel had retreated to a big kopje across the valley with all the troops and our horses. There we were, on the side of a hill, peppered at by Boers, and 10 miles from camp, with out any chance of getting there. Well, the commando charged on three sides, and Lieutenant BOLAND, two corporals, and seven men, 10 in all, including your humble servant, were captured, and two men wounded. The fault of it was that the whole of the firing line never got the order to retire. On being stripped of our uniforms, belts, rifles, &c., we had to walk 14 miles over rocky hills, barefooted into camp, accompanied on the road by a lovely thunderstorm. What with climbing kopjes barefooted, and being pelted with hailstones, we were dead beat on reaching camp. I don't know if I told you that my brother James was shot here in January of last year. He was in the IL Infantry, and they have erected a monument over him in Newcastle, Natal. To-day we had a very sanguinary encounter at daybreak. Major General BULLOCK had the 18th Hussars turned over to him and they were in action by daybreak. They heliographed for assistance, when Colonel GARRETT ordered out the NZ and QIBs 500 strong. We got
there, had a bit of a fight, and then the ambulance came out, and we saw 1 dead,
7 wounded, and 15 captured. Four of the seven have since died, so that makes five. In conclusion I may say we are fighting DE WET, but he won't stand." Later. - "I have just seen where QLA SYMINGTON was wounded in PLUMER's engagement on 4th December [1901]- 'Scotty,' of the 'Dry Stage.'"
URL4: Pte. 220 James CROWE [marked ?CRONE] enlisted Imperial Light Infantry 11.11.1899 died in hospital 1.1.1901.
URL5: James CRONE Pte 220 ILH died of disease at Newcastle 1.1.1901.
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