World War 1 - William Garriock	World War 1 - William Garriock	World War 1 - William Garriock	World War 1 - William Garriock	World War 1 - William Garriock

8th South African Horse (SAH)

After about one month I obtained permission to volunteer for active service on half pay. I found a half section and we decided to join the 8th South African Horse (SAH) callup number 5823 in (Mar/Apr?) 1916, so off were went to Roberts Heights (in Pretoria - later called Voortrekkers Hoogter). We passed our riding tests, my half side (section?) got on one side of the horse and fell off the other side - but got a pass! Poor me, I had to go through the whole test including crossing stirrups and galloping round the square. When we went to be attested we were told that we were under age and had to obtain permission from parents by wire. This I did but my half section told his parents not to grant consent. So there was I at Roberts Heights without a half section. Anyhow I managed to scout around and bumped into the man who was the lodger at one time with my aunt. So we decided to go together as a half section.

We collected our uniforms etc and were told that we were for the next draft, which would be leaving in two days time. I say "we" meaning 5th 6th 7th 8th and 9th SAH. We embarked at Durban and it took us four days (sea sick all the time) to reach Mombassa where we disembarked and caught a train for Nairobi. The camp was at Mbuni(ustrich)* from which we could see Mt Kilimanjaro quite clearly. The following day the officer called for one hundred volunteers who were to go to the remount depot, take saddles and bridles to collect five horses each, i.e. ride one and lead 4. So I volunteered thinking that I would be able to pick my own horse.

When I got to the remount depot I glanced over some of the horses and spotted a huge one 16 hands high, and I thought well if I get into a scrap he will get me out quick. I tied four other horses together, saddled up my horse and the column was ready to move out. My horses would not lead - they just stood. The column went on and left me behind, then I saw a small cloud of dust which was caused by the sergeant-major coming back to see what was wrong, called me all the names he could think of and took over the lead reign. Still the horses just stood. He told me to get behind them and use his sjambok, it had no effect, they just stood. I looked up and saw another small cloud of dust and this was our officer. He also called me all the names he could think of and told me that I should be back at school - he didn't want kids with him. Anyhow, he had a try to move them, but was unsuccessful so he simply threw the lead reign over them and said 'lets go back to the column'. I said that we could not leave four horses tied together as two may go one side of a tree and two the other side and that would mean that they would starve to death. So I undid each one and we galloped back to catch up the column. Just as we reached the column I looked back and there were the four horses following us.

The following day we had our first mounted parade. You should have seen how some men tried to get mounted with their rifles, it was really funny. Having not done it before they were completely at a loss. After a long struggle we all got mounted and lined up on parade. As soon at the officer gave his first word of command my horse bolted with me, and try as I would I could not stop him, even to do a thing I hate doing and that is to saw a horses mouth, so I thought that the best thing to do was to let him go and that he would get tired before I did. This happened and he walked all the way back to camp. What a reception I got from the sergeant-major and officer, so I asked them if I could change horses with someone who could ride (I having ridded cows, horses, pigs, calves and goats since I was six!). They agreed to let a farmer ride my horse on the next parade I should take his. The same thing happened on the next parade - my horse bolted as soon as the officer gave his first word of command. The next parade the officer took my horse and the same thing happened. Fortunately for me and unfortunately for my horse he developed strangles - a disease of the throat and the vet had to shoot him.

I was left without a horse. The next day, someone's horse threw him and broke his collarbone, and I was given his horse. Belly like a tub. So I called him Toby, as he reminded me of those fish that blow themselves up when landed. Anyhow, I got permission to take him on horse guard, so saddled him up, tied my greatcoat across the saddle in front of me, put on my spurs and borrowed a sjambok. I was determined to show the horse who was master. So I got mounted and he commenced to buck, so I turned his head to the hills, gave him a touch with the spurs, and a tap with the sjambok, and off we went, full speed ahead, and by the time we got to the top of the hill, he was walking. I never had anymore trouble from him! Infact just had to call him and he would come running. We were great pals.

Our regiment was issued with ten billies, an entrenching tool and a cane knife. We started out on trek within a few days. Each regiment had differently marked horses. Ours were all Greys under General Britz. The 1st 2nd 3rd and 4th horse were under General Van De Venter. Our orders were to ride four days ahead of the infantry, and when they caught up to us again, off we would go. During the four days we had the opportunity to do a little shooting especially for the pot, as were had to do our own cooking, not like the poor infantry who had their kitchens with them. Our mess consisted of eight and each one had a special job such as taking the horses to water, cooking, gathering firewood for the cook, drawing rations for selves and horses, skinning fatigue where we would pick the best meat and fat to cook with, and two would go out shooting for the pot and at the same time scrounge round any native huts for fowls etc.

One hut we came to and knocked them up, the door was opened by a woman who was white with leprosy. It didn't take us long to clear away. While out shooting over and above for the pot, I managed to shoot a lion, and I am sorry to say a cheetah. I simply saw a steak of yellow and thinking that it was a leopard, shot from the hip, and by a fluke broke its back.


When we started out each regiment was about 600 strong. Sometimes if we were passing through a tetse fly belt we rode all night, and I remember on one occasion at about midnight an overhanging branch knocked my Helmut off, not having used my chin strap, so I had to fall out and wait for dawn to see. I could picture myself if I couldn't find it. Fortunately the horses following must have knocked it off the road, and I found it at daybreak, after listening to lions roaring all round, and I can tell you I was really scared, and it didn't take me long to get mounted and catch the column. At Wami River we were told that the Germans were entrenched on the other side of the river, and were going to put up a stand, which they did all that day.

That evening we were told that SA1 and SAH together with General Northey's and General Shepards columns were going to surround 'Jerry' at dawn. At dawn we were told that all columns had to be linked up and we were to close in. This we did, but Jerry must have skipped out during the night, so when we got there 'the cupboard was bare'. They left a considerable amount of arms and ammo, but took the bolts out of the rifles and threw them in the river, rendering the rifles useless. Just before getting to Morogoro our Troop of 27 men were handed over to that great Scout Mj Pretorious. He was keen on taking a short cut to Morogoro and when about five miles from there, there was a kopjie shaped like a tent where he said there was a German outpost and told us to take it while he investigated a footpath leading off the trail. We rode up to the kopjie, and instead of surrounding it first, we swarmed up the one side. Of course the Germans escaped down the other side. You should have heard Mj Pretorious when he realized what we had done. He called us all the names he could think of for not having surrounded the kopjie.

From there we rode straight into Morogoro, not knowing if the Germans were there or not. And what made it worse was that my half section and I were 'advance guard'. I tell you, I was expecting the Germans to open fire on us any minute. Only the one shot was fired, and that was from our Sergeant-major who galloped past my half section and self shouting to an African to halt and as he would not he drew his revolver and his horse still galloping he shot the African in the back of the head at about 25 yards. Fortunately for us Morogoro was empty of the Germans, they having retreated the previous evening. We were received into the town with open hands, rode up to the only hospital and met the only sister there, and was she pleased to see us. She had been commandeered by the Germans and made to attend to their sick and wounded. More about her later.

We met up with the column just before Kisaki where General Britz made the mounted regiments go into action without the support of the infantry. The bush here was very thick. We could hear Germans giving their orders, but could not see them and soon we were in a African corn field, so all we could do was lie flat and push the earth up with our hands to form a parapet while Jerry was shooting at us. I can tell you, I stuck my nose into the ground that day. Then were heard the retreat sounded on the bugles so we had to get out as fast as we could. We lost a few killed and quite a few wounded. When the infanrty caught us up, we went back and took Kasaki, then I fell ill with dysentery and fever.

Our regiment was only 96 strong out of 600. The majority having fallen out with blackwater fever and dysentery. I was told by the doctor to go back to the hospital and the ambulance would pick me up. This was a thatched hut open all around from about three feet from the ground to the roof. Nothing inside. I still hung onto my rifle, ammunition and billy tin. Later feeling thirsty I decided to go down to the river near the bridge, which appeared to be guarded by some of Van De Venters men, collected water, and cam back through a African corn field where I picked a few heads of corn, made a fire when I got back to the hut, (hospital) and cooked the heads of corn, and thus quenched my thirst. This gruel I think saved my life. Next day I was for Morogoro. Straight into hospital where the sister recognized me and could not do enough for me. The doctor ordered the screens around me and I was unconscious the first night and I am sure he didn't expect to see me alive the next day. He put me onto a pint of "Champaign" per day and nothing else for about ten days. From there tinned milk.

The sister had three hens which used to present her with one egg per day, and this she gave to me, beaten up in milk at first, then as I improved boiled. When I had gained sufficient strength I was entrained for hospital at Dar es Salaam, infact on the island of Zanzibar. When I arrived there, there was a draft ready to be sent back home by boat and instead of going to hospital I fell in with the draft for home. When the sergeant had finished calling the names and telling each one to get onboard the ship, I was left standing as naturally mt name was not on the list. We argued for a while when he gave in and told me to get onboard. Actually I should have been in hospital then.

I was so seasick and weak I simply flopped on the deck and was unconscious. The hospital onboard was simply overflowing with sick and wounded. When Durban was sighted it put new life into me and I managed to struggle ashore where a doctor examined me. I was put into an ambulance and remember nothing until I woke up in the Drill Hall on a hospital bed with two doctors and two nurses standing round my bed. I heard the name "Bandroom" being mentioned. After they had left me I turned over and saw a school friend of mine in the next bed and greeted him. He said that I was for the "Bandroom", I said where is that, and he said that was where they "laid them out". I thought well "that's it". Anyhow, two stretcher-bearers came in with a stretcher, rolled me onto it and took me to the "Bandroom". When I got there, the first thing I saw was two chaps having a pillow fight, so I thought that this is the place for me, and remained there three months.

Injections every day for the first two weeks and then I began to recover. When I was able to get up and walk around, I slipped out to the beach and had a swim and felt much better. On my discharge (unfit) from hospital, I was given three months pay..., [ When the Great War of 1914-1918 broke out, South Africa, as a nation state, had been in existence for a mere four years. Only twelve years had passed since the conclusion of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899-1902, a war which brought economic and political havoc on South Africa and its population. The Union of South Africa came into being on the 31st May 1910 as a dominion of the British Empire, consisting of the former British colonies of the Cape of Good Hope and Natal, and the two Boer republics, the Zuid-Afrikaansche Republiek and the Oranje Vrijstaat.

The Defence Act of 1912 prescribed that every South African citizen between the ages of seventeen and sixty was liable for service in defence of the Union in any part of South Africa, whether in or outside the Union. That prescription included service in German South West Africa (now Namibia), but excluded service in German East Africa (now Tanzania), North Africa, Europe and elsewhere. The prescription was overcome by volunteers wishing to serve elsewhere joining what were designated "Imperial Service" units.

The German South West African campaign started on the 18th September 1914 with a landing at Luderitz Bay, a rebellion in the Defence Forces from German sympathisers was suppressed, & the campaign was brought to conclusion in July 1915 when the governor of German South West Africa capitulated to General Botha. South African losses amounted to 241 killed and 263 wounded.

At the end of 1915, the British position in East Africa seemed critical. South Africa raised an Imperial Service Contingent consisting of 10 mounted regiments, 12 Infantry battalions, 1 motorcycle Battalion, 6 artillery Batteries and 2 Scout (reconnaissance) units. The first units arrived in Kenya and Nyasaland (now Malawi) in January 1916 and were engaged in the battles around Mt Kilimanjaro in February and March 1916. Under the command of General JC Smuts then Lieutenant General JL Van Deventer, the South Africans had as their adversary the wily German General Paul Von Lettow-Vorbeck who continued to fight until the end of the War.

During the advance from Mount Kilimanjaro to the Central Railway, the South Africans undertook the longest forced march of the First World War. After pausing to reorganize, the South African forces drove the German across the Rufiji river. In all, they marched 800 kilometres through some of the worst terrain in the World.








]

4th South African Infantry (Scottish)

but was only back at work six weeks when I signed on again (call up number 14585) for France on the 4th SAI (Scottish) in 1917. (dad wrote in : 4th South African Infantry (Scottish) - Transvaal Scottish, The 4th Regiment was rather different: it was the South African Scottish, raised from the Transvaal Scottish and the Cape Town Highlanders, and wearing the Atholl Murray tartan. An infantry depot was established at Potchefstroom. )

Critically ill - 8th South African Horse	1917 troops pop in center	1917 William Garriock	Bill Garriock - WW1	World War 1 - William Garriock

I was off to visit my Godfather (Harcombe) at Tumbridge Wells. It took us thirty-one days from Cape Town to England and I was seasick for thirty-two days. About two days from England we were met by four 'Greyhounds' fast submarine destroyers to escort us to harbor. At six pm we were sitting down to supper at long tables and benches to sit on. all of a sudden our ship swayed off at right angles to our course, and everything in the dining room fell onto the floor, supper and all, on top of us. We rushed up to top deck via the gangway and saw a long white line of foam just past our stern and were told that it was the wake of a torpedo which had just missed us. It appears that in those days a submarine had to surface to fire its torpedo and that the man in our crows nest had spotted this and raised the alarm with the result that the ship swung round just avoiding the torpedo. We were pleased to land at Southampton, form where we went to Woking.

Anyhow, I was taken to the barracks, which was converted, from a woman's jail at Woking, about five miles from the village. I soon got very fit 163 lbs. Sixteen of us were selected to represent South Africa against all the other regiments, Australian, Canadians, New Zealanders, Imperials etc and we came 4th - not too bad considering some of the Canadians were Sergeant instructors etc. This was done at Aldershot in front of King George the V. Incidentally King George used to go to Aldershot for his holidays, fourteen days every year and would only have his Bodyguard and horse guard selected from two regiments - the South African 2nd and 4th Regiment. I was lucky enough to be selected once on 'Bodyguard'. Sixteen of us fell in everyday at 9am sharp, inspected by him and dismissed for the day, so I saw him quite a few times.After our three-month training at Woking we were sent down to the docks to cross the Channel that night in a paddleboat. But as the Channel had not been swept for mines, we had to go back to barracks and try the following night.

There must have been two thousand of us consisting of Australians, New Zealanders, Canadians, South Africans and some conscripts from Britain. The next night we went down to the docks and were told that the Channel had not been swept yet, so back we came to barracks. Being fed up with this, I borrowed a notebook and some stripes, which I pinned onto my arms and called for twelve volunteers to try and break camp, to which I had no trouble. I fell them in, and marched down to the gates, which were manned by two red caps (army police). When we arrived near the gates the sergeant of the Red Caps asked where we were going, and I produced a notebook and told him that we were to go to the docks on fatigue... Then the twelve others just made a rush for the open gates, and scattered, the Red Caps after them, leaving the gates wide open for the rest of the draft to "go to town", which they all did and had a wonderful "booseup" that night.

The next night we were all put on a paddle steamer and sent across the Channel to France. At Le Treport the steamer had to come around the breakwater to go up the river to Reuon. The Captain of the paddle steamer took the corner too fine and bumped against the breakwater. We thought we had struck a mine. Anyhow, after sending up S.O.S.s for about an hour, a tug came along and took us up to Reuon. From there we could hear the big guns from the front line and we were moved up to join our battalions in the front line. We were told that we would have four days in the trenches and eight days out, but on most occasions it was eight days in and four days out. MUD SLUSH SHELLHOLES AND DUCKBOARDS (in Summer). After a few months of this, our battalion was sent up to Dunkirk.

I said sent, I mean marched thirty miles a day, full marching order. Anyhow, we had fourteen days holiday watching the beaches. No civilians were allowed on the beaches between the hours of sunset and sunrise. On the beaches the Belgian fishermen had 1" stakes knocked into the sand about 5' long 8' apart. These were connected at sea level with fishing lines and at about 1' apart attached 8" of line with a hook baited. Which meant that when the tide came in, soles were caught and left high and dry when the tide went out. This meant that during the hours of dawn to sunrise, we could stroll along the beach * sunrise picking up fresh soles which we had for breakfast. After fourteen days of this we marched right back into the front line.

A few months of this and I received a lovely "Blighty". During a heavy "Gerry Blitz" a piece of shrapnel a little larger than an egg hit me on the shoulder near my neck (collarbone) on the 9th December 1917. I had on my equipment, great coat, tunic, goat skin, shirt, vest and a splinter about the size of my little fingernail broke off the shrapnel and went through all the above and went into my lung. The first shell hit my gun and splintered the butt. (Imagine if grandpa had been wearing a bullet proof vest - invented in 1975! There was no anti-biotics nor penicilin til 1941, a scratch/infections killed people in those days. I remember Grandpa telling me, that in hospital, they put a large needle into his chest as a drain, and the tube attached to the needle would fill quart-glass bottles that were under his bed on the floor).

[ The Light Horse Regiment (LHR), formerly the Imperial Light Horse (ILH), is a reserve unit of the South African Army.

The unit was raised in Johannesburg for service in the Second Anglo-Boer War on 21 September 1899 by Col. Aubrey Woolls-Sampson, Maj. Walter Davies, Sir Percy Fitzpatrick and Capt. Charles Mullins, it was named the Imperial Light Horse with the approval of Queen Victoria. First muster of the Regiment took place in Pietermaritzburg.

World War I
The Regiment took part in the German South-West Africa Campaign as the 5th Mounted Rifles as part of South Africa's contribution to World War I, where the battle honour Gibeon was won by the 2nd ILH. Individual members served in the German East Africa campaign, in Egypt, Palestine and France. After the end of the war, the Regiment was placed on reserve until the Second Rand Revolt of 1922, when it was again mobilised to assist the South African Police and fought in the Battle of Ellis Park.

*****

1st South African Infantry Brigade

The Imperial Government requested South Africa to provide further troops for service in other theatres as early as April 1915. As a consequence, the 1st South African Infantry Brigade was formed for service in Europe under command to Brigadier general HT Lukin. The 1st South African Infantry Brigade, comprising four regiments, namely, 1st SAI (Cape Province), 2nd SAI (Natal and Organge Free State), 3rd SAI (Transvaal and Rhodesia) and 4th SAI (South African Scottish), numbered 160 officers and 5 468 other ranks when it arrived in England in November 1915. Although the Brigade was trained for service on the Western Front, it was sent to Egypt where it, together with other Imperial forces, engaged the Senussi supported by the Ottoman Turks. The campaign was successfully concluded and by 20 Avril 1916 the Brigade disembarked at Marseilles in France to enter the European theatre of War.

Launched on the 1st July 1916 after a week's bombardment, the Battle of the Somme ended in the mud in November. As a component of 9th (Scottish) Division, the South African Brigade moved into the battle zone on the 2nd July and by 4 July was embroiled in relief operation at Glatz Redoubt, near Montauban-en-Picardie. By 8th July, elements of the Brigade were in Bernafay Wood and, by 10th July, supported the British attacks on Trône Wood. Its first week in the battle cost the Brigade 537 casualties.

Between 15th and 20th July 1916, the Brigade consisting of 3153 men, having entered Delville Wood, a tactically important salient protruding into the German second line, was subjected to an onslaught of such unrelenting and unmitigated violence that the wood itself disappeared, shattered and sundered by the ferocity and intensity of the artillery bombardments of friend and foe alike. Having expended their ammunition, the men resorted to hand to hand combat. When the Brigade was relieved, a mere 142 souls emerged from the shambles. Eventually 780 men of the Brigade assembled ; 1709 had been wounded and 763 killed (457 killed in action, 120 died of wounds and 186 missing in action, their deaths assumed).

The Brigade remained on the Somme and in October 1916 was involved in the Battle of Warlencourt. It later fought on the Arras front and in the 3rd Battle of Ypres. In March 1918, during the German offensive, it was almost annihilated at Marrieres and Gauche Woods on the Somme. The remains of the Brigade fought in April and May at Messines, Wytschaete, around the Mont Kemmel and, reduced to a battalion-scale, they took part in the capture of Meteren in July. The Brigade left the 9th (Scottish) Division, was re-formed in England and joined the 66th (East Lancashire) Division in September 1918.

Fatal Casualties
11575 South Africans lost their lives during the Great War. Of them, more than 3000 served in Imperial units.

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The commander of the brigade, Brigadier-General Lukin, was appointed to command of 9th (Scottish) Division on 2 December 1916.
In 1917 the brigade took part in the Battle of Arras and in the Third Battle of Ypres. In the latter battle, in a successful advance at Bremen Redoubt near Zonnebeke, Private William Hewitt of 2nd Regiment won the VC.

Possibly the most impressive feat of arms by the South African forces in the war took place in March 1918, when the Germans attacked in Operation Michael. The brigade fought a staunch defence on the first morning of the attack - 21 March 1918 - at Gauche Wood, near Villers Guislain. By 24 March they had carried out a fighting withdrawal to Marrieres Wood near Bouchavesnes and there held on, completely unsupported. They fought on until only some 100 men were left, yet it was only when ammunition ran out that the remnant, many of them wounded, surrendered.

When the enemy launched their second major offensive of 1918, on the Lys, the South African brigade - now in Flanders - was ordered to counter attack at Messines. It did so, with some success, but the enemy attack was overwhelming and over the next days the fight continued with the South Africans being pushed back from the Messines ridge and up the gentle slope to Vierstraat.

The old brigade was effectively destroyed. 1st, 2nd and 4th Regiments were temporarily merged, while other, British, units were attached to carry on the fight. The composite battalion took part in further defensive fighting, at Mount Kemmel. Later in the summer, it took part in the capture of Meteren, as the British Army executed a successful advance in Flanders.

On 11 September 1918, the brigade finally parted from 9th (Scottish) Division and moved to join the 66th (2nd West Lancashire) Division. The best known event while with this Division was the recapture of Le Cateau on 17-18 October 1918.

By the armistice, the South Africans had suffered some 15000 casualties in France, of whom one third were dead.
******

To join British Imperial Forces for the war in Europe, 4th South African Infantry Regiment was raised (also known as the South African Scottish) because the 1912 Defence Act restricted the Active Citizen Force from operating outside of South Africa. This was a kilted unit wearing the Murray of Atholl tartan and two companies were drawn from members of the Transvaal Scottish.

After a short campaign in North Africa against a Turkish attack on the Suez Canal in 1915, the SA Scottish were sent to France. Here they took part in the Battle of Delville Wood as part of the Battle of the Somme in 1916. In the days between July 15 and July 19 the total casualty rate was at 74 percent of those who had gone into action. By the end of July the South African Scottish suffered 868 casualties. The final German forces were driven from Delville Wood after an Allied assault on 3 September 1916. After Delville Wood the shattered SA Scottish were reformed and served on the Western front, in particular at Vimy Ridge, the Somme, the Battle of Passchendaele, Marrieres Wood and the Battle of Messines.

After the conclusion of hostilities at the end of World War I members of the Regiment returned home and after demobilisation, continued with their civilian lives.

Regimental symbols
##The regimental tartan is the "Murray of Atholl", except for the pipers who wear the "Murray of Tullibardine". Both tartans symbolise the regiment's connections to the Dukes of Atholl, and thus to the Atholl Highlanders. Since 1938, members have worn the red hackle on their khaki tam o'shanter as a symbol of the regiment's connection with the famous Black Watch Regiment. As part of their formal uniforms, officers and Warrant Officers Class I of the regiment carry Basket-hilted claymores instead of the more typical swords.
##The regimental badge depicts a Scottish thistle on a scroll bearing the motto Alba nam Buadh (Gaelic for "Well done, Scotland" or "Scotland, home of the virtues"). It is surrounded by a heraldic strap and buckle bearing the regiment's name, all on the Star of the Order of the Thistle.
##The regimental March is the "Atholl Highlanders".
]

Lilly - Pops half-section in France - 1917	World War 1 - William Garriock	World War 1 - William Garriock	World War 1 - William Garriock	World War 1 - William Garriock - "our hut"

This put me in Blighty * three months in Richmond hospital. From hospital to Eastbourne for fourteen days recuperation, then back to Woking where I found that I could not wear 'full marching order' on account of my lung, which incidentally still had the splinter of shrapnel in it, so I volunteered to go on a gas course to pass out as a gas instructor at Aldershot. This I did and passed out as a gas instructor with the rank of "Acting Unpaid Lance Corporal" with a protection stripe only until the amastice was signed at 11am on 11th November 1918, after which the brigade was transferred to Pertam, Salisbury Plains, * awaiting a ship for a few months to return to South Africa (home).
(Anti-Gas Training Instructors Ceryificate. Date 28.10.1918; No.14585, Lance-Corpl. Garriock, N has qualified as an Anti-Gas Instructor at the Aldershot Command Anti-Gas School.... Unit 2nd (R) Bn. S.A.I.

While at Perham Downs the army bought out an education course to keep us occupied. It was for anyone who wished to continue their education as engineers, carpenters, farmers, teachers etc. The army would arrange tours of factories etc. Four of us wrote to the Duke of Athol who was our honorary Colonel to ask if we could come up to Scotland, Perth in fact to have a look at his estate as we were farmers and were interested. Actually, only one was a farmer, and that we were prepared to pay our own expenses. To our surprise, a reply came back from him to say that he would be only too pleased to receive us as his guests for fourteen days. To our complete surprise two taxis met us at Perth station, took us to the Sanetarian Hotel and were placed at our disposal for the duration of our stay. The Lord major of Perth was at the hotel to meet us and arranged our itinerary. The two taxis were waiting each day for us after breakfast. Took us to his cattle estate and we were very interested in his milking machine which had just been invented. Saw his sheep with backs as flat as tables, saw his horses and were lucky enough to see the champion Shetland Pony. I expected to see one the size of a pointer dog. I was just itching to jump on his back for a gallop round. The Duke was offered four thousand pounds for it by an Argentinean and he refused it - he said he wanted five thousand and would get it. He was also offered two thousand pounds for a foal from it but refused.

The Duchess of Athol asked us to supper and we were pleased to hear that she was in government house during the Boer War, so we had quite a chat about old "sleepy" The Lord Mayor, who incidentally was a 'hangman' at one time, and came to dinner with us every night and at 9pm we had to help him into his car 'Bloto' and we were just getting talkative. And I thought Scotsman could hold their drink! What made us feel like heels was that they would not accept a thing from us, not even a cigarette, and as for offering to stand a round of drinks, the roof nearly lifted. Every farm we went to was for us to come in and have a 'Double Whiskey'. Well, with four of those each a day to start with, scotch whiskey couldn't get us down - we were 'too fit'.

Then back at Perham Downs to await ship and back home and into harness after appealing to the Govoner General's fund for assistance to purchase a civi suit, they gave me #6-0-0 and suits were #12-0-0 - that's the welcome I got! (Grand-pa came back from World War 1 completely bald - at the age of 21(?))

After World War 1

Back to work on the SAR in the Railway store depot, where after a while I heard of a vacancy in the Native Labor Department in Pietermaritzburg (still SAR), so applied and knowing the Zulu language managed to get the job as clerk. The staff then was one compound manager/ward master, caretaker and myself. The duties were to keep up the supply of native labor working on the line from Umlaas Road to Charlestown and all the branch lines, with a record of everyone, supply them with rations monthly and meat weekly. There were about one thousand employed in Pietermaritzburg alone and about three hundred Indians. I then decided to get married - on #24-0-0 -per month. My wife I had known from a baby, in fact nursed her on occasions. In August 1924 we decided to marry. Fortunately my wife (Babs) had a little money left to her and I had a third share in the property in Ingogo.

I bought a semi-detached house in Boshoff Street Pietermaritzburg for three hundred pounds, and after a little alteration i.e. a window here a door there and an electric light, and after living in it for a year, sold it for six hundred pounds. We thought that this was the way to make money. A four-acre plot came up for sale in Chapel Street extension, so we decided to buy it for 4000 pounds. I sold an acre on each side for 1000 pounds and that left me the centerpiece of two acres for 2000 pounds. We got a contractor to build us a three-roomed house for 1200 pounds in which we lived for about a year. On the Railways the government decided to employ European labor and after seeing how spick and span we kept the compound in Pietermaritzburg, decided that the rooms were quite suitable for Europeans and were going to employ a lot of Afrikaaner laborers to replace the natives mostly to increase the white votes in Natal. In the mean time the compound manager was removed for some domestic reason, and the ward master was made compound manager and ward master. He got into trouble with the church and had to make a flit which left me as acting CM, a clerk and the caretaker to run the place. We left our house in town and moved to the compound manager's house in the compound.

I was told that if I ran the compound efficiently for six months I would get the job. We had a sixteen-bed hospital, dispensary and a doctor who visited daily. My salary would be #24-0-0 per month less one sixth rent for the house and hours of duty were 24 hours per day and be called out at any time day or night with a promise of an increase in salary. There was a small hospital but were always admitting patients as natives were often being injured at places along the line and sent to hospital. Under the supervision of the doctor I had to perform small operations and administer to the anesthetic. Any native who happened to die during any hour of the night, the orderly would wake me up and I would have to lay him out ready for the postmortem in the morning, when I would have to cut him open, take notes of the amount of fluid, remove his kidneys, lungs, heart, etc ready for the arrival of the doctors OK, then replace everything and stitch him up and phone the undertaker. Just as a few examples of the hospitals work, one patient took me four hours to dress every day. He had been to a beer drink on a Saturday up country, and as the grass was long he wished to speak to a pal of his about two hundred yards away, so he climbed up one of the electrification pylons and caught hold of one of the wires, was thrown to the ground, and was burnt from the tip of his toes to the top of his head. His only request was to have his bed put out in the sun each day. All the skin came off his body and he lived for four days. The doctor said that if we had pulled him through the fourth night that he would have lived. But fate had it the other way.

Another case was a ganger's boy who had his foot run over, and the skin on the sole of his foot separated and got cinders etc in. I stitched it up and he's OK. After having completed my six months acting, I wrote into head office reminding them that my confirmation was due. All the reply I received was that my application was receiving consideration. The seventh month the same reply, eighth month the same reply, so I submitted my resignation, as I could no longer stick the long hours etc. This was accepted. So the next month we decided to come to Rhodesia.

Joe Garriock (Pop's brother)	Grand-pa's letter	Grand-pa's letter	Grand-pa's Newspaper cuttings

newspaper clippings

INGOGO NOTES.OBITUARYIt is our very sad duty to record the death at Ingogo early on Thursday morning last of Mrs. Garriock, wife of Mr A. J. Garriock, of the Ingogo Hotel. The deceased lady gave birth to a daughter about two weeks prior to her death, from the effects of which she did not recover, although all that medical skill could do was done to save her.The late Mrs Garriock will be much missed amongst those with whom she had spent some years at her late home. Unostentations, she was ever ready to help others, and to her young family (two sons and infant daughter) and husband, her loss will be irreparable. To them we tender our respectful and sincere sympathy.The funeral which was largely attended, took place in the local cemetery yesterday afternoon, the body having been bought down to Newcastle from Ingogo by rail – the sad cortege leaving the railway station about 2 o’clock. The husband and his brothers were the chief mourners. The funeral service was conducted at the graveside by the Rev. W. Cliff, in the absence of the Rev. E. Wilkinson, of Holy trinity, the deceased being a abherent of the Engilish church.THANKS--Mr A.J.Garriock and family desire to tender thanks for all messages of sympathy sent in their recent sad bereavement. Also for all floral tributes. They also specially thank Nurse Hatley and Drs. Briscoe and Nolan for their great kindness and untiring attention. FOR THE FLAG 20/11/1916NATAL’S ROLL OF HONOURThe following casualties amongst members of the Union Imperial Service Contingents have been officially communicated to the Press by the Defence Headquarters:-CITY CASUALTIESTRP. WILLIAM GARRIOCK, 8th S.A.H. DANGEROUSLY ILL – Trooper William Garriock, of the 8th South African Horse , on active service in East Africa , is reported to be dangerously ill with dysentery. Garriock is the nephew of Mr A. Bradbury, of Kitchener Road, Town Hill (Chapel Street Extension) whose son was wounded recently in France.DID THEIR DUTY 20/11/1916NATAL’s ROLL OF HONOURWe are enabled from information compiled by the local branch of the Defence Department and from official information received by relatives, to publish the following details of the latest casualties affecting Natal:-CITY CASUALTIESTRP WILLIAM GARRIOCK (5823) 8th S.A.H. – Condition Critical – The condition of Trooper W. Garriock, of the 8th South African Horse on active service in East Africa, who was notified on Saturday as being dangerously ill with dysentery, is still said to be critical. Tpr. Garriock is the nephew of Mr A. Bradbury, of Kitchener Road, Town Hill. MARRIAGE AT BELLAIR – 25th Feb 1892An interesting wedding took place at Bellair on Thursday last, the occasion being the marriage of Mr John Andrew Garriock, stationmaster at Northdene to Miss Lizzie Harcombe, daughter of Mr James Harcombe, Maintenance Department, N.G.R. of Bellair, who gave the bride away. Mr Lee, Stationmaster at Wallacetown attended as best man, and the ceremony was performed by the Rev W.M.Douglas, B.A. The Bellair New Hall, filled with the youth, beauty and fashion of the district, presented a very pretty picture, the proceedings being watched with interest. The bride looked charming in a handsome white satin dress fluted with Maltese lace, with the usual wreath of orange blossoms, and a very handsome ornamental veil. She carried a splendid bouquet, presented to her by Mr Wakes, of Bellair. The bridesmaids, five in number, were sisters of the bride, dressed in rich cream silk dresses, while the younger brother attended as a page dressed in a suit of black velvet with a deep Maltese lace collar. After the wedding the bride and bridegroom left for home, but on reaching the railway crossing found to their dismay that the gates, which were prettily decorated with banners and a triumphal arch, had been locked to impede their progress, and amid a shower of rice and slippers the newly-wedded pair had to beat a hasty retreat in another direction. Arrived at the house of the brides father and the Rev. W.M. Douglas made a very appropriate speech, and about thirty friends sat down to breakfast, after which the happy couple drove off to spend the honeymoon.