THE relief of Ladysmith, together with that of Mafeking, were defining moments in the Boer War, which was already almost a year old by the time the Malvern Gazette of September 21, 1900 appeared.

The Gazette was pleased to be able to bring its readers an account of the epic struggle from an eyewitness, Trooper Gatfield, "son of Mr. Henry Gatfield, in the employ of the District Council at the Malvern Sewage Farm".

Trooper Gatfield had enlisted in 1896 in the 1st Kings, Liverpool, and before war broke out he was stationed in Capetown.

In August 1899 he was drafted into Stewart's Mounted Infantry for Ladysmith "and was present at several engagements before he reached the town, in which he was afterwards to remain during the whole of the memorable siege".

The war proved both a shaking and useful experience for the British Army, who faced accomplished and well armed guerrilla fighters, who successfully advanced during the first months of the war, cutting off Ladysmith until the following spring, when it was relieved by General Sir Redvers Buller.

The war did not eventually finish until 1902, by which time 295,000 British soldiers had been sucked in and the Empire had had the dubious honour of inventing the concentration camp.

Trooper Gatfield survived being "exposed to the fury of Boer fire" in engagements at Dundee, Elandslaagte, Reitfontein and Lombards Kop, the latter he described as the "tightest fight" he had taken part in during the whole of the campaign, his horse being shot from under him.

"Trooper Gatfield, unlike some of those who volunteered for the front, does not complain of the treatment of Tommy Atkins while on active service," the paper noted.

"He admits that the rations during the latter days of the siege were scarce - three ounces of mealy meal and a four ounce biscuit per man, together with a piece of horse flesh.

"Yet he says that he and his comrades were quite content to put up with hardships which their isolated situation forced upon them."

He was not so contented after the siege, when "very weak" he caught enteric fever and dysentery and was eventually transferred to the hospital ship Trojan at Durban before being shipped home in the transport Oratava.