Bru-de-Wold: not a Marburg Settler

Hilmar Theodor Bru-de-Wold is sometimes mistakenly referred to as a Marburg settler, but in fact he had arrived in Natal much earlier, in 1862, when he was in his twenties. Born in Trondheim he grew up on a farm in Orsta, but had been aboard a Norwegian naval training ship as a cadet when, after an argument with the commander, Bru-de-Wold deserted the vessel when it was about to leave Durban. He decided to stay in Natal.

He found employment as a labourer on an Isipingo sugar estate and later married his employer John Bazley's daughter, Sarah, in 1871 (they had three children); he was at that date manager of a coffee estate.

By the time the Norwegian immigrants arrived to settle on the Umzimkulu in 1882, Bru-de-Wold owned his own farm, Eidswold, in the Umzimkulu area and he was able to be of help and guidance to the Marburg settlers.

In 1865, Bru-de-Wold joined the Alexandra Mounted Rifles and at the time of the Anglo-Zulu War 1879 he was Sergeant-Major, getting a mention in dispatches for his services. He received a commission in 1880.

When the Umzimkulu Mounted Rifles was formed in 1884, largely as a measure of protection for the new Norwegian population in Alfred County, Bru-de-Wold, by that time holding the rank of Captain, became the unit's first (and only) commanding officer.

In 1888, all the volunteer coastal units amalgamated to form the Natal Mounted Rifles, and Bru-de-Wold was appointed second-in-command, as Major. In 1894, the NMR was divided into two corps - NMR and Border Mounted Rifles - and Bru-de-Wold became first commanding officer of the BMR.

His first wife Sarah died in 1892, and he married a daughter of J D Shuter.

When he became District Adjutant for Southern Natal in 1895, he had to resign from the Regiment, but during the Anglo-Boer War served on Col W Royston's staff during the Siege of Ladysmith. Bru-de-Wold was badly wounded in the jaw by shrapnel and reportedly replied to enquiries from his men 'Thanks, boys, I feel damned sick but I would feel much better if I could just speak one good swear, instead of only thinking one or two, at that swine who fired that shell at me'.

For his service during 1899-1902 he was commended by General Sir George White and awarded the C.M.G.

In 1902 after the war he was promoted to Colonel and became Commandant of Natal Volunteers, in which post he served during the 1906 Rebellion. He was awarded the D.S.O. for his part in this campaign.

He retired in 1907, died at Port Shepstone in 1912 and was buried at St Patrick's Church, Umzinto. His only son was KIA at Delville Wood, 1916.

Bru-de-Wold's Zulu name was uWolo.

Group of Umzimkulu Mounted Rifles and Alexandra Mounted Rifles officers July 1887.

Front Row: Lt Fitzjames Arbuthnot (AMR), Capt H T Bru-de-Wold (UMR), Lt H Lugg (UMR), Lt R Vause (AMR) Back Row: Lt F Rethman (UMR), Lt V W L Blake (AMR), Lt W Sangmeister (UMR) Lt Barnes (UMR)

Isipingo Mounted Rifles 1878-1879

Early Natal Volunteers

This corps, the Isipingo Mounted Rifles, was formed under the command of Captain Dering Stainbank in 1878 primarily for local defence when the various Natal volunteer units departed for service in the Zulu War.

However, after a brief training period the unit was sent to the Zululand border in March 1879 where, together with the Alexandra Mounted Rifles, Durban Mounted Rifles and the Natal Hussars, the Isipingo Mounted Rifles was involved in guard duties. The I.M.R. did not cross the Tugela into Zululand, but half its members volunteered to serve in the composite unit the Natal Volunteer Guides. Captain Stainbank was among those who volunteered and was appointed second in command to Captain Friend Addison in the N.V.G.

At the end of the Zulu War most of the I.M.R. members transferred to the Alexandra Mounted Rifles, and the unit ceased to exist.*

On formation the following men were in the I.M.R.:

Stainbank, Captain D
Quested, Lieut. W.
Bower, Quarter-Master
Murray, Sgt-Major
Rockey, Quarter-Master-Sgt.
Chapman, Sgt.
Birkett, Corporal
Ramsay, Corporal
Haines, Trumpeter
Buckston, Trooper
Clarkson, Trooper
Chapman, Trooper
Cass, Trooper
Daddy, Trooper
Fayers, Trooper Q. R.
Fayers, Trooper W. F.
Gilbert, Trooper
Hillary, Trooper
Hogart, Trooper
Ingle, Trooper
Kenton, Trooper
McDonald, Trooper
Madore, Trooper
Munn, Trooper
Prince, Trooper
Pugh, Trooper
Robinson, Trooper
Royston, Trooper **
Sinart, Trooper
Smith, Trooper W
Platt, Trooper
Platt, Trooper
Stewart, Trooper
Stainbank, Trooper
Steel, Trooper
Westley, Trooper 
Westley, Trooper A.C.
Skinner, Trooper

The uniform of the I.M.R. was blue cloth, with scarlet facings and white metal buttons; a helmet was worn. No badge or motto is recorded. The members were armed with the Swinburn-Henry .450 carbine and the officers carried swords.

*'The Armed Forces of South Africa' by Major G Tylden.

** J.R. (John Robinson) Royston had not yet turned sixteen when he joined the Isipingo Mounted Rifles. He was ordered to confine his services to defence duties on the Zululand border, but he defied authority, crossed the border into Zululand and reported to Captain Addison of the Natal Volunteer Guides, who enrolled Royston as a special scout. In this capacity Royston took part in the battles of Inyezane, Gingindhlovu and the Relief of Eshowe and remained with the Guides until the end of the Anglo-Zulu War.
During the Anglo-Boer War he served as Sgt-Major in the Highflats Squadron of the Border Mounted Rifles. After the Relief of Ladysmith he joined the Volunteer Composite Regiment as Captain and later commanded the West Australian Mounted Infantry operating in the Transvaal and Orange Free State. He was awarded the D.S.O. In 1906 he raised and commanded Royston's Horse and was appointed Honorary Lieutenant-Colonel in the British Army. In 1910 he commanded the 2 000 troops of various units which attended the coronation of King Edward VII, to whom he was presented. The King conferred on him the C.M.G. At the outbreak of World War I he was authorized to recruit a Regiment to be called the Natal Light Horse. In 1915 he was on the Staff of General McKenzie in the German SWA campaign, and later appointed OC 9th Mounted Brigade. Subsequently he commanded Australian 12th Light Horse Regiment and then the 3rd Australian Light Horse Brigade in the Palestine Campaign, 1916-1917. The name Galloping Jack was given to him at the Battle of Romani, when he rode up and down the lines calling: 'No surrender, Men'. In 1935 at the age of 75, Brigadier-General Royston announced his intention to offer his services to the Emperor of Abyssinia to raise a brigade and 'take part in the struggle of this unjust war.'

['Rough But Ready': An Official History of the Natal Mounted Rifles and its Antecedent and Associated Units 1854-1969' by Eric Goetzsche]

Muster Roll of Alexandra Mounted Rifles 1892.
Members of the Isipingo Mounted Rifles transferred to the AMR
when the IMR was disbanded.

Natal Volunteer Units: Alexandra Mounted Rifles 1865-1888

The Alexandra Mounted Rifles: this corps was formed in 1865, with the aim of covering the area from the Illovo River south to the Umtamvuna River and inland for 50 miles. Organised in three troops, its strength varied from 70 to 130.

According to G T Hurst*, the unit adopted khaki for its field service uniform in 1874, apparently the earliest recorded use of that colour for military purposes in South Africa. [A possible exception is the 2nd Highland Light Infantry (74th Highlanders) who in the 8th Frontier War 1850-1852, fought in doublets of that colour.]

Their badge was the monogram A.M.R. surmounted by a crown and worn on the front of the white helmet. There is no record of the unit adopting a motto or collar badge. Members were armed with the Terry and Snider carbine up to 1875, officers carrying swords. Later the Terry and Snider carbine was replaced by the Swinburn-Henry carbine, with bayonet - another unique distinction for the unit as this was the first occasion on which the bayonet was used with the carbine. It proved unsuccessful and was discontinued. Members provided their own horses and saddlery while the Government supplied arms, ammunition, some field equipment and an annual grant to each member for maintenance of his horse.

On formation, Major W J Dunbar Moodie was Commanding Officer; others who followed were Capt W T Arbuthnot, Capt Frank U Reynolds and Capt Fitz-James Arbuthnot, all from the Umzinto area.

In 1873 a detachment of the AMR joined the force under Capt Harry Escombe, accompanying Theophilus Shepstone to the Coronation of Cetewayo in Zululand.

In December 1878 the unit, commanded by Capt W T Arbuthnot, joined the invading British force at the start of the Anglo-Zulu War. The following members reported for service:

Arbuthnot, Capt. W. T.
Cooke, Lieut.
Kirkman, Lieut J.
Kirkman, Quarter-Master T.
Parkin, Sgt. Major
Bru-de-Wold, Acting Sgt. Major H. T.
Archibald, Sgt.
Bazley, Acting Sgt.
Arbuthnot, Corporal F. J.
Arbuthnot, Trumpeter St. George
Arbuthnot, Trooper M.
Arbuthnot, Trooper N.G.
Bazley, Trooper G.
Crocker, Trooper T.
Crocker, Trooper W.
Pennington, Trooper J.
Prescott, Trooper C.
Pigg, Trooper G.
Fayers, Trooper T.
Pearce, Trooper
Reynolds, Trooper S.
Shooter, Trooper B.C.
Shooter, Trooper W.
Reynolds, Trooper C.
Knox, Trooper A.
Hawksworth, Trooper F.
Hawkins, Trooper W.
Thomas, Trooper S.
Saunders, Trooper C.

The unit crossed the Tugela into Zululand as part of Colonel Pearson's Column and proceeded to Eshowe.

With the Durban Mounted Rifles, Victoria Mounted Rifles, Stanger Mounted Rifles, Isipingo Mounted Rifles and the Natal Hussars, the Alexandra Mounted Rifles kept up communications between Potspruit, Krantzkop, Balcomb, Thring's Post, McDonald's and Stanger.

The Battle Honour South Africa 1879 was awarded to the Alexandra Mounted Rifles for the campaign. Two of its members were mentioned in despatches for their services in the field.

When the Isipingo Mounted Rifles disbanded in 1880, members of that unit joined the A.M.R.

In 1884 the southern portion of the A.M.R. separated from the unit to form the Umzimkulu Mounted Rifles under command of Captain Bru-de Wold. The A.M.R. despite a reduction of numbers continued to function until 1888 when, after 23 years of service, it was absorbed into a larger entity with the amalgamation of all small units on the Natal coast to form the Natal Mounted Rifles. Nevertheless, muster rolls of much later date for 'the Alexandra Contingent of the Natal Mounted Rifles' show the continuity of family names from the Umzinto area: Arbuthnot, Pearce, Langton, Archibald, Smith (William Dixon) Arnott, Royston, Bazley, Gold, Cole and others.

In 1894 the left and right wings of the Natal Mounted Rifles became separate entities, named respectively the Border Mounted Rifles and Natal Mounted Rifles.

* 'History of the Natal Mounted Rifles' by Col. G T Hurst, 1935