TOPIC:

James Douglas Wilson Tapson

Lieutenant, Kaffrarian Rifles – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony and Wepener to Lieut. D. Tapson, Kaffrarian Rif.
- Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902 to Lieut. J.D. Tapson, Kaffrn. Rif.

Douglas Tapson (as he was known to one and all of his acquaintance) was born in East London in the Eastern Cape on 22 January 1879 to James Tapson and his wife Mary Jane Tapson (born Wilson). Mr Tapson senior was a Grain Farmer by occupation. Being the first born Douglas wasn’t to be lonely for long with siblings John Theodore Tapson; Wallace Evelyn Tapson; Claude Crofts Tapson; Alfred Gordon Tapson, Norman Calvert Tapson; William Septimus Springett Tapson; Muriel Kathleen Tapson; Cecil Trevor Tapson; Elma Ethel Mary Tapson; Walter Noel Tapson, Youriel Miriam Frere Tapson and Anthony Ewart Tapson joining the family ranks in rapid succession. With 13 children born over the period spanning 1879 until 1900 Mrs Tapson must have been a very busy woman – if her children weren’t demanding her attention her husband certainly was.

Mr Tapson farmed in various parts of the Eastern Cape and a young Douglas would have been familiar with small villages like Berlin and Komga as he grew up in an almost idyllic rural environment. Finding himself in East London at the turn of the previous century he joined the ranks of the local regiment – the Kaffrarian Rifles – on 18 October 1899. This was exactly a week after the southern tip of Africa had erupted into open war between two recalcitrant Boer Republics, the Transvaal and the Orange Free State, on the one hand and the might of the British Empire on the other.


The portrait of Tapson donated by Col. Price. The "R.S" badge can be seen at bottom right of the picture.

Initially the Boer Commandoes focused on investing the key towns to the south (Ladysmith) and the west (Mafeking) of the Transvaal as well as Kimberley to the west of the Orange Free State but it wasn’t long before some elements forged a way south and into the Eastern Cape - the home of the Kaffrarian Rifles. Various other colonial units such as the Border Horse, Gorringe’s Flying Column, Brabant’s Horse and the like were raised to help counter the threat. The K.R. formed part of General Gatacre’s divison tasked with keeping the Boers at bay. Initially the Commandoes swept the veld at will taking small towns like Aliwal North and Colesburg in their stride but the pendulum swung back in favour of the Imperial forces and their gains were gradually reversed.

The seminal action in which the Kaffrarian Rifles took part was centred on the small hamlet of Wepener in the southern Orange Free State and Tapson was to play his part therein. On 2 April 1900 the regiment was ordered to Wepener to reinforce Brabant’s Horse. De Wet, the Boer Commandant most active in the area was headed that way in a drive to take the village. Other Imperial units soon joined the ranks of those holed-up in Wepener and on 3 April it was decided not to hold the east bank of the Caledon River or even the village itself, but rather to occupy a series of kopjies (small hills) some 5km to the north-west of Wepener near the western bank of the river. This was deemed to be a strong defensive position which also commanded the bridge over the river as well as the roads converging on it.


Tapson and his brother officers.He is second row from behind and second from left

By the evening of 4 April entrenchments were being dug and scouts sent out to gather information on the Boer forces approaching to invest them. The garrison now comprised as many as 1787 men and 111 officers including 370 men from the K.R. with 23 officers of whom Douglas Tapson was one. The forces at Lt. Colonel Dalgety’s disposal were now dispersed with the high ground between the Ladybrand and Dewetsdorp roads being held by A and B Squadrons of the Kaffrarian Rifles under Capt. Price and Tapson. The Boer forces now numbered in the region of 6000 and, under truce, demanded the surrender of the garrison to prevent needless bloodshed – this was derisorily rejected whereafter the siege proper commenced on 9 April but not before the garrison had time to dig trenches for shelter. The only non-Colonial outfit was a detachment of the Royal Scots and a story in which their name is mentioned will feature anon. Each morning the procedure was to stand to arms at 04h00 and then return to the camps at the rear for rest and breakfast at 06h30 but on the 9th things changed! As the men returned to camp a shell burst in the Royal Scots’ camp followed by rifle fire from nearby where a group of Boers, undetected by the sentries had ensconced themselves. At first it looked like Price’s men were the main target and many of their horses were killed but this changed when a determined attack was made on the Cape Mounted Rifles nearby.

Neither of the Kaffrarian Rifles positions had been completely entrenched and there were inevitable casualties. Fighting on the first day of the siege had begun early and continued throughout the day, being the mostly cost in terms of deaths in the whole siege. From now on the only means of communication were via heliograph although there were exceptions and this is where Tapson stepped up to the plate! Page 112 of the Kaffrarian Rifles history by Francis Coleman referred to the incident thus:

“At the conclusion of the final Commanding Officer’s parade on 14 November 1912, Colonel Price presented the Regiment with a large photograph of the late Lt. Douglas Tapson, who had served in the Kaffrarian Rifles during the Boer War. Attached to the picture was a red badge on which was embroidered the letters “R.S.”. After outlining Lt. Tapson’s rapid progress from private soldier to commissioned officer, Colonel Price explained the motivation behind his gift. He had sent Tapson one night, as a volunteer, to take a despatch to a column operating on the Colonel’s right. Galloping along in the moonlight, Tapson noticed enemy scouts. His choice was clear – a lengthy detour or a mad gallop through the Boer force, hoping that there would be no chance, unlucky shot. He galloped: and one of the scouts, thinking he must be the advance guard of a patrol, retreated, allowing him to pass. But in so doing the Boer’s hat fell off and Tapson could not resist stopping to pick up the souvenir. On the hat was the red badge of the Royal Scots. In short, as Price put it, although the Boer might have got the better of the Scot, the Kaffrarian Rifles. Had got the better of both! The badge was later given by Tapson to Colonel Price.”

The next day of the siege saw the K.R., to the right rear of the village, come under fire at dawn. The Boer artillery were aided by snipers who had infiltrated across the river and taken up positions from which it was hard to dislodge them. Rifle fire and artillery shells were exchanged day and night from then on, the Colonials found living in trenches an uncomfortable experience with heavy rains during the nights adding to their woes. A newspaper correspondent in the village wrote on 28 April as follows,

“After three days of mere desultory sniping and artillery fire and intense discomfort to our men in the soaked trenches from heavy rains, the Boers started heavy fire at about 06h30 on 21st from two new positions with five guns. The southern trenches of the Kaffrarians were enfiladed and hundreds of shrapnel shells were distributed over the defensive positions without favour. The traverses in several of the Kaffrarian trenches alone saved the men from heavy loss and the half-moon shape of other defences most fortunately adopted by Captain Price served the purpose.”

The end was however, near – on the morning of the 22nd heavy gunfire was heard from the west and south and the next day the beleaguered troops noticed that the Boers were moving to engage the forces headed their way. Two days on an enormous train of wagons, carts and horsemen were seen in full retreat along the Ladybrand road. The siege was over with the outcome being regarded as indecisive by both sides. For his role in the action Tapson was awarded the Wepener clasp to his Queens Medal.

From then on the Kaffrarian Rifles pursued the Boers into the Brandwater basin in the eastern Orange Free State where they were repeatedly in action mopping up, with the assistance of other Colonial units in the Division, a number of small towns previously occupied by the Boers. Another action of some significance occurred at a place called Tabaksberg (Tobacco Mountain) on 29 January 1901. Colonel Crew who commanded the Colonial forces wrote to the Mayor of East London as follows on 2 February 1901,

“I am sure you will be pleased to hear of the gallant conduct of the Kaffrarian Rifles at the recent engagement at Tabaksberg on January 29th last, when the force under my command, some 700 in all, were engaged by the forces of De Wet and Steyn. With odds of 2500 to 700 against us, we were able to successfully maintain our position owing to the extreme bravery of the men. Where all did well the Kaffrarian Rifles did especially fine service. To Major Price (Tapson’s O.C.) much of the success is due. I am sorry there were so many casualties, but pleased to say the wounded, who were left by me at Bloemfontein are doing well.”

Douglas Tapson was with the Regiment throughout only taking his release on 30 June 1902 a month after the hostilities had ceased. He was awarded the Queens as well as Kings South Africa medals. Back in peacetime he seems to have taken leave of the Eastern Cape and trekked north to the Witwatersrand – this was not an uncommon occurrence as it was widely held that Johannesburg and its Gold was the place to be where fortunes could be made. In 1905 he was sworn in as a member of the Free Masons joining there Fordsburg Lodge.

A bachelor up until this point he set about changing that status by marrying Effie Elizabeth Cory (born Whittle), a widow aged 35 who hailed from King William's Town, on 10 April 1907 at All Saint’s Church in the Goldfields Division of the Diocese of Pretoria. Aged 29 his address was given as 132 Jorrison Street, Johannesburg. After this the couple moved to Zeerust in the North West Transvaal where Tapson was a Prospector and Farmer growing crops of wheat and oranges. It was barely three years after their marriage that he succumbed and, on 16 September 1910, passed away at his farm “Willow Park”, Nooitgedacht in the District of Marico. His Last Will and Testament left specific instructions that, “I desire no tombstone be placed over my grave and that my burial be as plain and modest as possible.” He was survived by his wife and minor son, Darrel Lee Tapson.

James Douglas Wilson Tapson was dead at the age of 31.

An officer at Wepener? How fantastic,

You were too fast for me - I'm still loading the photos etc.....

OMG a great pair and photos......

I am just waiting for Rory to adopt me........

Thanks Rory......

Mike

Welcome anytime Mike!

Hi Rory
As usual, a magnificently researched recipient!
What especially intrigued me was the photo of officers of the Kaffrarian Rifles. Can you put a date to the photo and names to the officers?
I have the DSO & QSA to Capt John Percy Farrar and I would love to know what he looked like, although I do not know if he returned to his regiment after the War when the photo was probably taken.

Farrar is first mentioned at Wepener in Dalgety’s Despatch : “…Captain Farrar of the Kaffrarian Rifles was invaluable in obtaining supplies from Wepener on the 6th, 7th and 8th.” The Regimental History by Francis Coleman elaborates on this: “Most importantly, Capt J P Farrar and a supply officer, Mr Williams, made great efforts to stock the camp with foodstuffs, fuel and slaughter cattle and sheep. Not a tin of fish, meat or preserves escaped their attention, whilst every kilogram of sugar, tea, coffee and rice in the shops of Wepener was requisitioned.”
In the months after Wepener the Kaffrarians continued to operate in the Eastern Free State. On 27 May 1900 Capt Farrar was nearly captured on patrol to Commando Nek (near Ficksburg) whilst attempting to climb the mountain to locate an enemy laager. He only just reached his horse, under continual sniper fire.
Early in August 1900 the Kaffrarians moved into the Transvaal. On 31 August 1900 the 3rd Cavalry Brigade under Col Little and the Colonial division under Col Dalgety were marching for Krugersdorp when they were attacked on the farm Quaggafontein (11 km east of Derby) by some 450 burghers with guns from Asst Cmdt-Gen de la Rey’s commando. During the action De la Rey arrived with some 600 more burghers and artillery, and Dalgety sent the Kaffrarian Rifles on an enveloping attack around the left flank of the Boer position, where they bore the brunt of the enemy fire as the cavalry pulled back. Once this was accomplished, the Kaffrarians advanced, only to be pinned down by a withering hail of bullets from Boers who had been waiting for them on a group of rocky kopjes. They remained in this exposed position until sunset when firing ceased. The British lost 11 men KiA and 6 officers and 26 men wounded. Capt Farrar was severely wounded in the groin at about 11h00, but continued to direct his men until he was ordered to retire at sunset. He was subsequently awarded the DSO (See Coleman, p77, and the “Gazetteer” by Jones)
On 19 September 1900, as the Kaffrarians moved down the railway line to Viljoen’s Drift on the Vaal river, an ambulance train passed them carrying in it Capt Percy Farrar on his way home to England. This popular officer received a great cheer as the train rattled by.