Students of South Africa's frontier wars, commonly known as the Kaffir Wars -may- notice how often occurs the name Davies or Davis. Between 1846 and 1850 mention will be found of Lieutenant of the 90th Regiment, a field adjutant, a captain and a superintendent of Kaffir Police, all of that name in its alternative spellings.

Throughout 1851-2-3 there appears a Commandant Davies in charge of Levies and twenty five years later, during the war of 1877-8 we find a Captain Davies raising a local Yolunteer force in the district of Berlin. It would seem that for some three decades the family of Davies was shouldering an inordinate share of the frontier's troubles; the truth is more remarkable for the reports all refer to one man.

David Davies was one of the most extraordinary figures of South Africa's frontier history yet he is virtually unknown. He was born at Oswestry on April 28th 1805, the son of David and Elizabeth Davies and evidently received a good education - probably at St. Oswald's Church School house. In 1821, when only 16, he enlisted into the 90th (Perthshire) Regiment and during the next four years served in Malta and the Ionian Islands. He proved a smart and resourceful soldier and was wounded in the head by a cutlass when capturing a local pirate chief. By 1826 he had risen to sergeant and when a transport returning part of the regiment to England struck rocks off Sicily he distinguished himself by saving many lives from the wreck.

Depot

After several years at home the 90th were ordered to the East Indies in 1835, but Davies, now a colour sergeant, was left behind as acting Sergeant Major of the Depot. For a while in Ireland and then at Dover he so established his worthiness that the officers presented him with an inscribed swagger stick and in April 1840 he was commissioned. About this time he married ElizaAnn Wharton of Barnard Castle and was posted to the service companies in Ceylon. Appointed adjutant and advanced to lieutenant in April 1845 he survived the cholera which carried off so many of his comrades but his health was poor and he returned home with his family.

South Africa

Early in 1846 the Perthshires were called upon to reinforce the troops engaged in South Africals 7th frontier war and Davies joined them in September. During subsequent operations he served as Field Adjutant and came to the notice of the Governor of the Cape, Sir Peregrine Maitland. The idea had been conceived of raising a force of Kaffir Police and in January 1847 Davies was invited to train them.

He accepted, was apponted Superintendent and selected 50 Gaikas. Headquarters was set up at Fort Cox and Davies soon brought his men to an impressive standard of discipline. They commanded respect and confidence among the tribesmen who gave Davies the name Ingoonyama - the lion. The force was increased to 200 strong and besides dealing with law breakers it was employed on various military operations. When the war subsided the Kaffir Police continued normal policing duties so successfully that the strength was doubled by the formation of a 2nd division.

Sir Pottinger had succeeded Maitland as Governor but he was quickly replaced by Sir Harry Smith who was returning to once familiar territory fresh from his triumphs in the 1st Sikh War. Trouble was brewing on the frontier throughout 1850 and Sir Harry twice hastened to the area. In December he was escorted by Davies and his men to Fort Cox at which place the Kaffir Police had its HeadQuarters. Here also were mustered nearly 500 men from the 6th and 73rd regiments and the Cape Mounted Riflemen. With Davies and 90 Police going ahead the British Commissioner Col. Mackinnon marched out to confront Chief Sandile and, after advancing up the Keiskamma Valley the column entered the rocky gorge of the Boomah Pass.

8th Kaffir War

The Police and C.M.R. emerged safely but when the infantry were passing through the narrowest defile they came under attack. Some 20 officers and men were killed or wounded before the troops fought their way through and reformed on the plain beyond. The 8th Kaffir War had begun.

The loyalties of the Kaffir Police were now stretched to breaking point. Many had families at Fort Cox and upon returning to barracks they slipped away in droves. Davies' personal servant went with them but his devotion to his master was strong and he returned some weeks later bringing with him Davies' stolen horse. The country was now ablaze and Fort Cox cut off. Sir Harry Smith was still there and after an abortive attempt to reach Fort Hare he successfully made a dash for King William's Town, guided by Davies and escorted by Cape Mounted Riflemen.

Commandant

The defection of the Police did not reflect on their Superintendent, for very shortly the Governor appointed Davies Commandant of Levies. His experience of the country and understanding of the native mind was invaluable and during 1851 he participated in numerous operations. Conspicuous by his energy and bravery he was repeatedly singled out in despatches and came through unscathed until September when Sir Harry dcided the fastnesses of the Fish River Bush needed attention. The mountainous country and thick undergrowth suited an enemy who looked to avoid open battle and to strike from ambush so that when Col. Mackinnon stood upon the heights above the Fish River on September 9th 1851 he was suitably cautious. With 1,250 men under his command he ordered a detachment of the 2nd regiment under Capt. Oldham to enter the valley while Lt.Col. Michel took the heights on one side and he held the other ridge.

Scouting ahead of Oldham's force of 200 men was Commandant Davies with 50 of his levies. Burning huts as they went the levies moved quickly and too rapidly for the regulars behind them. A volley from the dense bush brought down Davies, Quartermaster Ebden and four of his men. Ebden was killed and Davies was wounded in his right hand and breast. Some way behind them the men of the 2nd Queens were assailed from all sides and before extracting themselves lost 20 percent of their numbers killed or wounded. Davies' men held together and carried him through the ambush to safety at the end of the valley. Meanwhile MacKinnon and Michel had also been heavily engaged, losing 78 officers and men, and the wounded were conveyed to Fort Peddie.

In a G.O. of September 17th, Davies was listed as "severely wounded" and the D.Q.M.G. Lt.Col. Cloete eferred to his "unvaried gallantry in the bush". Only a month before Eliza Davies had given birth to her fourth child at King William's Town and doubtless nursed her stricken husband.

David Davies never fully recovered the use of his hand and specimens of his handwriting both before and after the wound can be seen in the P.R.O. Although he did not again take to the field he retained command of the 1st Corps of Levies until peace came and all Levy forces were dissolved from March 1st 1853. He was then appointed Commandant and paymaster of the newly raised Border Fingo Corps but this was short-lived and he threw himself into farming and civil life.

Over the next few years he acquired various properties at Alice, King William's Town, Hanover and Berlin and was always prominent in municipal matters. Still a regular officer he had gone on half pay in 1849 and finally sold his commission in December 1858. In 1866 he was made a Justice of the Peace for the territories of British Kaffraria and with six children all thriving he must have been a contented man. In spite of increasing years he remained active and the community looked to him as so many had done in war and peace.

Rebellion

In 1877 the Gaikas again rose in rebellion. Farmers around Berlin, where Davies had lived since 1871, sought refuge in the town and appealed to him to organise the defences. He raised a local corps of 40 men, was elected Captain and called the unit the Berlin Light Infantry Kaffrarian Volunteers. One of his sons served as a Liutenant. The volunteers were armed with long Sniders and regularly patrolled the district at least until August 1878 when Captain Davies is recorded as being on "farm patrol". For his services Davies earned the clasp "1877-8" to attach to his S.A. 1853 medal--a rare combination. Two sons received the S.A. G.S.M. also with "1877-8" clasps while a third qualified for an 1879 clasp for serving in the operations against Moirosi.

That snow fell on Berlin on August 9th 1883 was sufficient to mark it as out of the ordinary but there was another reason for the date to imprint itself on the minds of its inhabitants for it was the day David Davies was laid to rest. He had died on the previous day aged 78 years. Regretably, he left no personal account of his adventurous life but I managed to unravel enough of it to appreciate that had Davies written his own story it must have been of the kind to thrill the most demanding reader of the "Boys' Own Paper".

NOTES

My monograph "David Davies, Soldier & Frontiersman", 60 pages of text, sources and illustrations, can be found in the O.M.R.S. Library and at the National Army Museum. Only 20 were produced, being distributed to repositories here and in South Africa, and to a few friends.

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