Smiths

A COMMEMORATIVE SILVER WATCH FROM H.M.S. 'POWERFUL' FOR THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH, 1900

A COMMEMORATIVE SILVER WATCH FOR H.M.S. POWERFUL AT THE SIEGE OF LADYSMITH, 1900 the 1¾in. enamel dial signed for R. Smith & Sons, 9 Strand, London , counter-signed Swiss movement with fob wind, contained in full hunter silver case with cover engraved SIEGE OF LADYSMITH / 118 DAYS / 1899-1900 / A. FINNAMORE / P.O. 1st. Cl. / H.M.S. POWERFUL -- 2in. (5cm.) diam.; together with a facsimile cast cap badge for Queen Victoria's Rifles 9th Battalion; and a book by J.B. Atkins: The Relief of Ladysmith , 1900 (3) The 118-day siege of Ladysmith by Boer forces took place between 2 November 1899 and 28 February 1900. As the Boer advance into the Natal Colony continued from the north, Ladysmith was directly in its path and was the primary focus of the British forces in the area. H.M.S. Powerful , one of the largest warships of the time, was returning from the China Station when she was diverted to Durban via Mauritius, where they collected a battalion of soldiers stationed there. Aware that the forces at Ladysmith urgently needed more powerful guns, Captain P. Scott of H.M.S. Terrible devised special carriages to transport four 12-pdr naval guns and two others to Ladysmith. The operation was overseen by the Naval Brigade from Powerful, initially by special train, then oxen, but when these died, the sailors took over and pulled the guns themselves through the wild and broken country... arriving in the nick of time to save the town. Although the Boer attackers were kept at bay, the Naval Brigade became besieged themselves, requiring their own relief expedition from Terrible . By the time Powerful returned to Portsmouth on 11th April 1900, her exploits were common knowledge and her men were regarded as heroes. On 24th April, the people of Portsmouth hosted the crew of Powerful to a banquet at the Town Hall (now the Guildhall), and it was at this dinner that the Mayor presented a silver watch to each member of the crew, a gift from members of the Naval and Military Club, Piccadilly, now St. James's.