28. Captain Johnny Gough

On the night of 5th December, Captain Johnny Gough of the Rifle Brigade made a raid on Thornhill’s farm outside the lines. Each night Boer sharpshooters had occupied the farmhouse but this night it was deserted. Gough used two local men as guides, Harry Thornhill and Sydney Ashby.

29. Johnny Gough's Raid

Gough’s diary entry reads: “Got leave last night to try my scheme on Thornhill’s farm. I had 2 Coys i.e. 6 officers and 177 men. It was raining and a pitch black night. Everything went off splendidly and we completely surrounded the building ½Coy going as far as the railway. I then searched the houses but found there was no-one there. Cruel hard luck as all my plans worked out splendidly. Better luck next time.Reached the camp at 4.15 a.m., on the way back we looted some vegetables. I am certain if any Boers had been there that I would have bagged the lot – the farm is about 1½ miles out.”

41. Colour Sergeant Jack Archer

There are several first-person accounts of what happened that night. Deneys Reitz wrote a short version in Commando. There is a much more detailed account in the diary that he wrote during his time in exile in Madagascar. This diary is now in the Oppenheimer’s Brenthurst Library in Johannesburg. Dietlof van Warmelo also
wrote about his experiences. Lieutenant Hugh Dawnay wrote a report entitled the Attack on Surprise Hill for the Rifle Brigade Chronicle of 1900. Colour Sergeant Jack Archer wrote a letter to his mother in the form of a diary and including a sketch of the action. This document is in the Liddel Hart Centre for Military Archives in London. Captain Johnny Gough and Major George Thesiger also wrote diary entries.

44. Robin Smith's map of the attack

At the foot of Surprise Hill ‘B’ and ‘G’ companies formed outwards to try and prevent the Boers working round the flanks. Captain Johnny Gough and ‘A’ Company had been chosen to lead the attack. His company advanced straight up the hill but with a gap in their line in case the Boer gun should open fire. Clearly, the British believed their climb would be detected long before they reached the top. British army footwear from the Victorian era until 1958 was so-called ‘ammunition boots’ – BGS or Boots General Service. They were unlined ankle-boots with leather uppers and sides, iron heel-plate and toe-plate, and an iron-studded leather sole. They were designed to be hard-wearing and
long-lasting rather than comfortable. By the time they were half way up, any idea of not being heard seemed out of the question, as the noise of ammunition boots on the rocks, and the constant clatter of men slipping and stumbling sounded terrific to their ears. Only very near the top was there a challenge from a Boer sentry – “Wer da?” repeated twice and followed by a shot from his rifle. Metcalfe, as had been pre-arranged, shouted out “Fix bayonets!” and the
Riflemen gave wild cheer and charged over the crest.

45. Major George Thesiger's diary account

Thesiger’s ‘H’ company deployed on the left and right, arriving at the top in an excellent line. Thesiger said “It
wasn’t till we got within about ten yards of the top that we were discovered. We then fixed swords and charged. Johnny’s lot killed the man at the gun. My lot went half left and cleared out a ‘doss house’. The Boers ran and we carried on about 70 yards beyond the gun and then laid down and fired volleys.” Most of the Boer defenders on the hill had been asleep at the rear of the emplacement under a bucksail. They escaped in the darkness but, realizing that there was no further pursuit, found suitable places to open fire on the attackers.

47. Ambush by the Pretoria Commando

The order to retire was given by Metcalfe and the retirement down the hill commenced. The men were in a jocular mood after what seemed to have been a totally successful exploit. Laughing and joking they made their way towards Ladysmith and the safety of their camp. The Boers had been completely outwitted and the “good old Rifle Brigade” had triumphed. In fact, the Boers had been aroused and numbers of them had taken positions from both sides and were waiting to open fire on the retiring British. Dawnay reported that they were about a third of the way down the hill when they were met by a withering fire. Orders were given not to return fire, and only to use the bayonet. Thesiger commented that they were in a pretty tight place and Johnny Gough was grazed by shrapnel from a shot fired by a Free State gunner on Telegraph Hill.