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A Cyclist in the Boer War 6 years 6 months ago #60962
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William Erasmus Meek
Cyclist, Prince of Wales Light Horse – Anglo Boer War Private, 6th South African Infantry Private, Cape Peninsula Garrison Regiment – WWI - Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State & Transvaal to Cyclist W. Meek, P of W Lt. Horse - British War Medal to Pte. W.E. Meek, 6th S.A.I. - Victory Medal to Pte. W.E. Meek, 6th S.A.I. William Peek was born in Cape Town in and around the year 1886, the son of John Meek and his wife Mary Ann. Quite where the Erasmus in his name came from is a mystery as this is normally a surname found among the Dutch or Afrikaans sectors of the community. Meek was very young when the Anglo Boer war broke out in October 1899 and was only 15 years old when, on 14 January 1901, he enlisted with the Prince of Wales Light Horse for service. This wasn’t unusual as most boys fabricated their age in order to get “in on the action”. Assigned no. 26839 he was mustered as a Cyclist with the unit and was just in time to help deal with the entry of De Wet into the Cape Colony in the beginning of February of that year, leading to the expulsion of that worthy and his Commando before too much damage could be wrought. The Prince of Wales's Light Horse had only recently been raised at Cape Town and, together with 'G' Battery of the Royal Horse Artillery, had been put under Colonel Bethune, and had assembled at Naauwpoort. Meek and his unit were engaged near Colesberg about 12th February. When De Wet moved west from the Colesberg district, Bethune's force also crossed the De Aar line, and the pursuit was continued through Britstown, and afterwards in a northerly direction to the Hopetown district. In this pursuit all De Wet's waggons, his guns, and most of his ammunition were taken. The hard riding involved a terrible strain on the pursuing columns, horses falling daily by the score. The newly raised and newly arrived troops naturally felt the strain very severely, but all stuck to their work well. It can only be imagined how Meek must have battled under the conditions on his bicycle. Colonel Bethune's brigade "left Orange River on 1st March, and two days later attacked and dispersed a body of about 1000 Boers at Open Baar. The brigade moved north-east, and reached the Modder River, near Abraham's Kraal, on the 8th. On this date the Boers attacked an empty convoy returning from Colonel Bethune's column to Bloemfontein. The escort held its own, and being reinforced by a detachment of the Prince of Wales's Light Horse, drove off the enemy". Colonel Bethune's Brigade now moved to the northeast of the Orange River Colony, where, under the general direction of Major General Elliot, they and numerous other columns took part in many operations. During March and April the corps suffered casualties on several occasions. Lord Kitchener’s despatch of 8th July shows the Prince of Wales's Light Horse to have been 500 strong shortly before that date. The corps was afterwards taken to Cape Colony, where they had a good deal of skirmishing but Meek, who took his discharge Time Expired, on 31 July 1901 would not have been present at some of these actions. His Record of Service, completed in Cape Town, credited him with 184 days service and a Character rating of Good. His home address was provided as Warwick Street (off Mill Street), Cape Town. Interestingly there is a comment on his form which reads: “Claims to be Cyclist and is entitled to 2/- per dieu allowance or the bicycle in lieu thereof.” Having handed in his rifle and ammunition to the Depot in Greenpoint, his active military service came to an end although the medal roll from which his Queens Medal was issued states that he went on to serve with the 1st Battalion of the Cape Peninsula Regiment with no. 763 – the C.P.R. were essentially the Cape Town Guard. Meek’s medal has, apart from the Cape Colony and Orange Free State clasp to which he was entitled, also the Transvaal clasp but it is not clear from the rolls that he earned this. Meek returned, it is assumed, to his family’s bosom until he was old enough to set up house for himself. We next encounter him on 6 November 1913 when at the Magistrate’s Court in Cape Town, he wed Petronella Gertruda Maria Prins, a 21 year old damsel who resided at The Priory, Bloemendal, Mowbray. Meek himself was now 27 years of age and a Salesman by occupation, living at 50 Coventry Road in Woodstock, Cape Town. The couples domestic bliss was to be short-lived; on 4 August 1914 the world was at war and South Africa was called upon to “do her bit” for the Empire. Initially a force was put together with the objective of taking German South West Africa from the Germans and, after this had been successfully accomplished by 9 July 1915, the South African Government set her sights on German East Africa. A number of regiments were called into existence to serve this purpose with the 6th South African Infantry being one of them. The 6th S.A.I. was primarily a Natal-based unit with most of her initial intake coming from veterans of the South West Africa campaign who had fought with one of the regular Natal units. Meek was one of those who first saw service after the G.S.W.A campaign. On 25 April 1916 he completed the Attestation Papers at Cape Town for service in East Africa and was assigned no. 11636 and the rank of Private. His papers confirmed that he and his wife had been busy since their marriage with two children already born of the union. Meek claimed to be 30 years of age and still a Salesman by occupation. He had moved to 35 Park Road in Woodstock and confirmed that he had served in the Boer War with the P.O.W.L.H. and a further 5 years with the Cape Peninsula Regiment. Physically he was described as being 5 feet 8 inches in height with a fair complexion, grey eyes and brown hair. He sported a small scar on his right cheek by way of distinguishing features and was a member of the Presbyterian Church. Having been taken on strength of the 2nd S.A. Infantry Brigade Depot he embarked at Durban aboard the H.M.A.S. “Armadale Castle” on 8 June 1916 bound for East Africa where after arrival he was posted to “C” Company of the 5th S.A.I. in July 1916. A transfer to 6th S.A.I. followed on 11 December 1916 by which time he had already succumbed to the ravages of Malaria – being admitted to 52 Casualty Clearing Station at Morogoro on 23 October 1916 followed by treatment at 2 S.A. Filed Ambulance at the same place on 14 November. It has been said that conditions in the German East Africa campaign were not suited for men of European descent and this was certainly true of the vast majority of South Africans who served there. Almost without exception they fell prey to mosquitos leading to Malaria as well as other diseases which flourished in the pestilential climate of the sub-tropics. Meek, showing no signs of long-term improvement was one of the many repatriated to South Africa. He set sail for South Africa on 8 April 1917 and, on arrival in Durban, was admitted to No. 3 General Hospital at Springfield for Malaria treatment. The following day he was transferred to No. 4 General Hospital at Roberts Heights where he was until being released to a Convalescent Camp on 8 May. On 31 May 1917 he was granted 3 months recuperative leave at the expiry of which he was to report to Potchefstroom. On 9 September 1917 he reported to Potchefstroom where a Panel of Doctors boarded him “Permanently Unfit for Tropical Service, but Temporarily Unfit for non-Tropical Service.” For Meek his war was not quite over – having returned to Cape Town he enlisted with his old unit – now named the Cape Peninsula Garrison Regiment – as a Private with no. 1267. He served with them in a non-combative role from 2 November 1917 until being demobilised on 31 July 1919. For his efforts he was awarded the British War and Victory Medals named to the 6th S.A.I. William Meek passed away in Cape Town in 1956 at the age of 69. 
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A Cyclist in the Boer War 6 years 6 months ago #60972
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A Cyclist in the Boer War 6 years 6 months ago #60973
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That would be nice Adrian - I believe you have my e-mail address
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