I've been lucky enough to be given a copy of a diary kept by Private 3503 Richard Draper, C Company, 1st Battalion Devon Regiment, which he started while on board S.S. Sutley, en route for Port Natal. He writes almost daily throughout the defence and relief of Ladysmith, and then through the next year. The final entry is on 3rd October 1900: 'Still here and rumours of break up generally. Lets hope we are in the break up. Yarn is that Gen. Buller starts home from here.' Can anyone tell me what the movements were of the Battalion following that entry - did they start home? Richard Draper survived relatively unscathed, complete with diary - any suggestions [tactically speaking] for the diary ending there? Regards - Sue Sue Light Lancing [West Sussex] [email protected] www.unchangedbytime.co.uk Sue Light Lancing [West Sussex] [email protected] www.unchangedbytime.co.uk