| Description | Letter from Frederick W Davidson, in the Boer War, to his aunt, in which he tells her that he is grateful for the letters and papers that she has sent to him; he went on another flying column but it was a failure, he describes what happened and remarks that he has just returned from the worst three weeks of his life; they rode through Bloem Fontein and were making for the Vaal River when their ration was cut off and they had to survive on two hard biscuits and a pint of water per day; they finally made their escape with 67 killed, 35 wounded and 11 missing; he met Bob Boyd from Stuartfield and describes their encounter; their camp is full of Gordon Highlander Volunteers; three men from Ellon, one from Monymusk and three from Kemnay are in hospital with enteric and dysentery; his mother never writes and he is almost afraid to think of her; he describes family letters; they heard today that Mafeking has fallen and if true, the war is good for another six months, 2 April [1900]. |