Stephen Huggins

A Gentleman in khaki ordered South Stephen Huggins

When George Stokes enlisted into the British Army in 1895 he used an assumed name and gave a false age. He was only sixteen. Four years later Stokes was sent to The Transvaal to fight in the Second Anglo Boer War. This conflict was to have a far reaching impact on the future development of South African politics and was also significant in what it revealed about Britain and her imperial destiny. This is one man's personal account of his experience of that war and he has much to tell: After the guns had kept up a constant fire for a considerable time we were ordered to fix bayonets and climb the kopje as soon as the big guns had ceased firing. After waiting anxiously for some time we began the climb, scrambling over huge rocks and dead and wounded as they fell. It was a terrible climb and one I shall never forget for as I neared the top a bullet passed through the left sleeve of my jacket but there was no time to think of that for with a last effort we all reached to the top and the enemy fled but a great many who could not get away had 9 inches of cold steel. Some of them threw their rifles down and asked for mercy. They got it very soon. When we had finished with those we caught on the kopje we lay down utterly exhausted after 9 hours severe fighting... Here is the diary of Corporal George Stokes who was 'a gentleman in khaki ordered South.'