George Prideaux at the Boxer Rebellion

George Prideaux MBE 1872-1965

BOXER REBELLION EPISODES.

A Guy Fawkes Day in China.

In the Boxer rebellion no town or city had such a black record for atrocities and inhuman cruelty to foreigners as the walled city of Pao-Ting-Fu. Situated about 85 miles south-west of Peking, or as it is now called Peiping, it was the centre of the anti-foreigner storm in that area, and very few escaped with their lives. After Peking and Tientsin had fallen, these cities were placed under military control by Britain, France, America, Germany, Russia, Italy and Japan.

The British forces were under the command of General Gaselee, whose headquarters were in Peking, while Major General Sir Lorne Campbell was in command of the Tientsin forces. It was under the latter general that the Victorian Naval Contingent led by Commander F. W. Tickell were attached. Lieut. O. Burford was also in the unit.

As the Boer War was not over, the British forces in China were drawn exclusively from the Indian Army; excepting the artillery, the troops mostly came from the native regiments. Included in the artillery in the early fighting were the famous heavy naval field guns from H.M.S. Powerful on field mountings designed by Captain (afterwards Admiral) Sir Percy Scott, and used by the naval brigade in the relief of Ladysmith. After the fall of Ladysmith, these guns were rushed away to China for use by the naval forces in the fighting on shore in the attacks on Tientsin and Peking. Ordnance being my department, these mountings had a special interest to my self.

When Tientsin and Peking had settled down to military control it was decided to send an expedition against the city of Pao-Ting-Fu before the freeze set in, for this part of China is ice bound from about the first week in December to the first week in March, all rivers, canals and lakes being covered with ice with a thickness of 20 inches during those months. Two columns set out, one from Peking, and the other from Tientsin, the latter being under the command of Sir Lorne Campbell. The Tientsin column were fortunate in that Pao-Ting-Fu could be reached by river and canal, so that all transport could be carried on Chinese junks, the land column marching parallel to the river a few miles away.

IN 1900, on the outbreak of the Boxer Rising the Royal Victorian Navy volunteered to a man for service in China. Two hundred officers and men were selected from the Permanent Naval Force and the Naval Brigade for service overseas. The Victorian contingent was under the command of Commander F. Tickell. He had under him Lieut. J. Biddlecombe, Lieut. O. Burford, Engineer Robertson, and Gunners Kearns, Bates, Stone, Hearne and Marwood. I had the honour of being selected to go as Chief Armourer.

They were a splendid body of men, particularly those from the Naval Brigade. Among them were a good percentage of men who had been pulling in the international tug-of-war contests at the Exhibition building that were a popular feature of naval and sporting life in those days. For armament the contingent had two twelve-pounder quick-firing Nordenfeldt guns. These guns were of a type that had been submitted to the British Admiralty but not adopted, and accordingly had been dumped on the Victorian Navy. They were at the same time both too light and too heavy. Gun mountings were hurriedly designed, and the Newport railway workshop engineers were given the job of manufacturing them. These guns and the heavy mountings had to be hauled by drag ropes and it was found on arrival in China that the task of hauling them imposed too great a strain on the gun crews, and they were accordingly scrapped. Apart from their heaviness lack of roads in China would have made it impossible to use them.

The contingent was addressed at Parliament House steps, Melbourne, and given a wonderful send-off. The streets were thronged, barricades being necessary to keep the roads clear as the men made their last march. We left Melbourne on August 4, 1900, in the White Star liner Salamis.

At Sydney we picked up the New South Wales contingent of 200 under the command of Commander Gillespie, RN., who, being senior officer, was in command of the combined force.

On arrival at Hong Kong we saw the squadron of five new German cruisers of the Kohn class. They were superior to anything we had in Chinese waters of similar type and excited a good deal of comment in British naval circles. At Shanghai we renewed acquaintance with H.M.S. Orlando, which shortly before had been flagship on the Australian station.

We were detained a couple of days at Wei-hai-wai. On arrival at Taku, the sight that met our view was a very memorable one. Fully 100 warships of all nations were there. Suspicion of what other nations were going to do was possibly the reason for such an Armada being in those waters.

Corpses Floating Down.

Having transferred into flat-bottomed transport barges we were towed up the Pehio river to the huge city of Tientsin. Along the banks of the river could be seen pigs devouring human bodies which had floated down from the fighting higher up stream. I resolved that no matter how hungry I might be pork should be on the "index" - a vow I scrupulously kept.

At Tientsin we were met by the reed band of an Afridi regiment (Pashtuns from Khyber) and played to our camp at Shooter's Hill. As the men had not had boots on for six weeks while on the transport, the four miles was quite far enough, for the pace set by the Afridi was terrific, or so it seemed to us. We were soon hardened by route marches and shortly afterwards were sent on our first stunt against some forts inland and to the north of Taku. This operation entailed a forced march of 19 miles. We started with 150 men and at the end of the march had only 90. The terrific heat and our being yet on the green side accounted for the losses by the wayside. Each man had been warned against drinking any water except through his pocket filter. The doctor who issued the instructions was the first to break the order. He eventually died of typhoid fever. The New South Wales contingent had been ordered to Peiping, or, as it was known then, Peking.

A "Monocle Officer."

The attack on the forts was to be a combined one, bombardment from the sea and from the rear by troops. All approaches had been mined and many casualties occurred when going over bridges. The forts were demolished. Camped alongside us were the Hong Kong Regiment, a magnificent Sikh regiment with men of a minimum height of 5ft. 11in. Among their officers was Lieut. Barrett a "monocle officer." To us Australians the sight of that monocle caused much amusement until we saw that same officer put the battalion through their facings on the parade around. To a man we "dipped our lids" to him. Never again did I judge a man because he wore a monocle.

After having met the Australians for the first time Lt. Barrett was heard to remark at dinner, "I can't make out these Australian sailors, when they pass you they not only say 'Good day,' but actually ask you how you are." To appreciate his remarks you have to imagine his very pronounced Oxford accent. We got to like him exceedingly. After we had been on the march with his battalion he said, "Give me six Australians with a crow bar, and I will go through China from one end to another, for their burgling propensities are beyond belief. On the march they will rob a fowl house, pluck the bird and have it ready for the pot when bivouacking for the night."

The Impressive Blue ensign.

We left Tientsin in October, 1900, with an Armada of 72 Chinese junks under the command of Col. Retalick, whose flagship was some distance down the line. The duty of protecting this column fell to a detachment of the Victorian Naval Contingent under Lieut. Burford, well known in this State afterwards as D.N.O., Fremantle. When leaving Victoria we brought with us a large blue ensign 12ft. by 6ft., and this flag was hoisted on the leading junk, the Brian-Boru, on which junk we had our 12-pounder guns and maxims. All other junks had small Union Jacks. This large ensign was a gold mine to our junk, for we were taken for the flagship by the officials of the towns and villages through which we passed, and all peace offerings of fruit, poultry, eggs, etc., were with Chinese courtesy presented to us, and, of course, gratefully received and placed below hatches. Never did troops live so well as we did on that expedition. Progress was slow, as the vessels had to be propelled by poles and tow lines from the banks of the river or canal.

In October General Sir Lorne Campbell was sent against the walled city of Pao-ting-Fu, 85 miles south-west of Peiping. This city had a very bad record, and had been the centre of antiforeign activities. Of all the foreigners in the city only the Revd. Mr. Green, his wife and child escaped death. The main column marched by tortuous roads, while transport went up the river by an armada of 72 Chinese junks. Lt. O. Burford and his company were entrusted with the defence of the convoy. I had charge of the guns in the leading junk, the Brian Boru. The Junks were propelled by poles against a four-knot current.

Eventually both the Peking and Tientsin columns arrived at the rendezvous for the attack on the city. Just as the attack was to commence messengers arrived with a flag of truce to say the city would not be defended, and that all four gates of the city had been opened for the entry of the troops. The city was then entered and placed under martial law. The general demanded that all the leading officials and citizens responsible for the government of the city be given up for trial. These were tried by court-martial, and sentenced to be shot. In all, 50 were condemned. The task of shooting these officials was offered to Commander Tickell but this very sensitive officer declined the offer. The shooting was carried out without compunction by native Indian troops. The condemned officials were ordered to dig a long trench, then stood on its edge and when shot fell into the grave they had dug for their own burial. As a further punishment on the city all four corners of the walls of the city were mined and on leaving these were exploded, and the wall levelled with the ground.

Of all the foreigners in the city only the Rev. Green and his wife escaped death. They together with their infant child, were hidden by friendly Christian Chinese until the arrival of the relieving force. The awful experiences through which they had passed proved too much for the child, for it died just as we entered the city. A small coffin was made, and the infant was placed on a sampan and towed behind our own junk, the Brian-Boru, and brought back to Tientsin for burial in the European cemetery in that city.

Capture of War Junks.

On the way back information was brought to Colonel Retalick, that nine large armed war junks were in hiding at the far end of a lake through which we passed. Lieut. Burford and the four naval ranks were detailed to make a capture. We took an additional force of Indian troops to assist. Our junks were made to appear like innocent traders. Guns were masked and all troops placed below hatches, only the Chinese crew being on deck. The war junks were found snugly tied to the lee of a small island on the lake. Sailing close in, our junks were quickly run aground, and the seamen and troops jumped over their sides. In a few minutes the ships were our prizes without a shot having been fired. It only wanted one shot from the pirates and there would have been a great loss of life, for we were well supplied with machine guns and it was point-blank range. Prize crews were placed on board, well armed, and sail was hoisted for the return journey. The captured war junks could show us a clean pair of heels, for we were easily out sailed. On November 4 we tied up at a spot near the village of Tu-Loo for the night. It was a Monday, and round the fires we fell to discussing the possible winner of the Melbourne Cup to be run next day, for among our party was an exbookmaker. On Tuesday, November 5, the crews of the war junks were paraded and put on the pay roll of her Majesty Queen Victoria. They were separated and distributed among other ships of the flotilla. Thus were cut throat pirates converted into honest seamen, at least for the time being.

The vessels were thoroughly searched and the contents of the magazines conveyed on shore. It made a huge dump, and consisted of powder, caps, shell, bombs, ammunition of all makes, detonators, and a miscellaneous assortment of explosives of Chinese manufacture. Lieut. Burford, sensing the danger to the vessels and lives of the seamen and troops, had the dump moved 200 yards inshore, a precaution that future events proved a very wise course. A guard of four Indian soldiers were placed at the dump to prevent the Chinese from interfering with its contents. A large quantity of other rubbish was also deposited on the heap. It was useless to us, but evidently precious to the Chinese, for they overwhelmed the guard in search of treasures. China had the reputation of being the dumping ground for the arms of every maker in the world. Included in the armament of these vessels were rifles of every known brand. These had been laid out on the ground not far from the dump.

A Terrific Explosion.

I was in the act of making an inventory of these arms when there was a terrific explosion. I was blown to the ground. Glancing over my shoulder I saw bodies being hurled hundreds of feet into the air. I scrambled to my feet and a fearful sight presented itself. Men were lying about in all directions; others were rushing about with their clothing in flames, for the Chinese padded garments of cotton wool are very inflammable. All available assistance was rendered the sufferers, but the supply of oil soon ran out. A signal was heliographed to the land column two miles away for medical officers and stores. The explosion had been heard distinctly by them, but no notice was taken as they were of everyday occurrence. When the doctors inspected the injured, those who were burnt beyond hope of recovery were mercifully despatched by the sikh orderly. The Chinese, seeing the orderly dispatching these hopeless cases, removed some of their badly injured relatives on board the junks before they had received medical attention. Next day, when attending the injured, the doctors found these unattended sufferers, who were in most cases dead. Of the Indian soldiers guarding the dump nothing was found of them excepting a button from one of their uniforms.

When the roll was called, it was found that the dead numbered 50 and the injured 88— a truly tragic Guy Faukes [sic] Day. In life the Chinese received very scant ceremony from the Indian troops. It was found that quite a large percentage of the Chinese dead were of the Mahomedan faith, and it was most interesting to see the great deference shown the Chinese dead by their fellow Indian religionists which was denied them when living. The graves were dug about two feet deep. with an earth pillow for the head to rest upon. All roots and twigs were scrupulously cut away, and before the body was laid to rest an Indian lay in the grave to see if it was a comfortable resting place for the dead.

The Freeze Sets In.

Peiping having fallen, as well as other centres of Boxer activities, we settled down to garrison Tientsin for the winter, the freeze having set in on December 4. In winter all water was frozen to a depth of 20 inches, the thermometer registering as low as minus 14, or 46 degrees of frost.

A memorable event happened on June 8, 1901* -- the memorial service for the death of Queen Victoria. The order of the service was for all British troops to be paraded and brought to attention while 81 minute guns were fired. The thermometer stood at 6 degrees (a comparatively warm day) and we stood stock still in that intense cold while 81 guns were fired. It showed a lamentable lack of appreciation of the circumstances of the moment and brutal would not be too strong a word to apply to the occasion. In low tones the men poured imprecations on everybody who had anything to do with the service. At the completion of the service the band was to have played the Dead March in "Saul," but the valves of their instruments were frozen and so could not be played. The service was a nightmare, and I consider it one of my worst experiences.

The thaw commenced on March 5, 1901. As soon as the river flowed freely we were transported down stream, where the s.s. Chingtu was waiting at Taku to bring us back to Australia.

* sic. It was most likely the 28th of January. They were out of China by June, June is spring/summer, I think somebody mistranscribed a handwritten 'Jan 28th'