PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE
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PPEPE CO. 885
ALLY WITHOUT PERMISSION OF THE BE REPRODUCED PHOTOGRAPHIC- COPYRIGHT PHOTOGRAPH~NOT TO
24 PUBLIC RECORD OFFICE, LONDON
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The following permanent earth trenches were constructed by convict gangs under the direction of the Acting Chief of Police, Mr. T. Osment :—
1. A trench capable of holding about 50 men on Sion Hill, commanding Kings- town Harbour, 800 yards distant from the Government jetty (centre of harbour).
2. Battery Hill (to the west of the harbour), which is rocky and offers excellent cover for a small detachment of men, was made more secure and safer by sinking small trenches and sconces behind the rocks.
8. Below the Leper Asylum, near Fort Charlotte, a trench was sunk capable of holding about 15 men, overlooking the Ottley Hall Bay and cable hut, a distance of about 300 yards. Another trench was sunk 500 yards up the valley, on a short spur Boats capable of holding about 40 men, also overlooking the cable hut and bay.
A concealed track attempting to land would be enfiladed between the two fires. was cut along the side of the valley through the scrub from one trench to the other, while both trenches could be occupied without being observed from the sea.
4. A wooded rocky ridge overlooks the cable hut at Prospect Bay, about 100 yards behind it. This is occupiable from the rear without possibility of obser- vation. Small trenches were sunk behind suitable rocks, and sconces built up and narrow tracks cut through the scrub leading from one to the other. The whole of Prospect Bay and the adjoining small bay, Ratho Mill Bay, are commanded from this ridge.
In the event of attacks the following instructions were given to the second in command of the Volunteers and the Officer Commanding the Police for distribution of their forces; concentration of the forces to be altered according to the venue of attack:-
Barracks. Mr. Osment and 18 Police; one officer and 25 Volunteers. Battery Point or Ottley Hall.-Ten Police, Sergeant Jackson, of which two signallers to remain whatever happens.
Fort Charlotte.-Two men (Police).
Hazell's Wharf (Kingstown).-Sergeant-Major, 10 Police. Carpenter's Fard (Kingstown).—Captain Fraser and 20 men.
First line, Sion Hill.-Officer and 12 men, of which two signallers to remain whatever happens.
Calliaqua.--Colour-Sergeant and 8 men.
In the event of an attack from Ottley Hall, Volunteers to reinforce to extent of one officer and 25 men from the barracks, and Mr. Osment to take command on that side.
Captain Fraser to command operations on eastern side of harbour.
As it was unwise to keep all the ammunition at the police barracks for in case of a frontal attack and a forced hurried retirement it might not have been possible to remove it all from the barracks-it was distributed in the following places
(a) One hundred rounds per man was ready in packets for issue to the
men on mobilization.
(b) Four boxes were placed at Fort Cottage, adjacent to Fort Charlotte. (c) Four boxes at Bleak House (a house belonging to the family of Mr. T. Osment, Acting Chief of Police), situated near Battery Hill, on the road to Fort Charlotte.
(d) Four boxes at the Assistant Agricultural Superintendent's residence at
Mackie's Hill.
(e) Four boxes at Sion Hill (in the residence of Mr. J. M. Richards, a
Volunteer reservist).
(f) Two boxes at Cane Garden House (residence of Acting Chief of Police).
Eleven boxes at the police barracks in Kingstown.
All this ammunition was secretly transferred. The mountainous nature of the island and consequent difficulty in transport necessitated this wide distribution.
Red Cross flags were placed at the Colonial and Yaws Hospitals and at the Pauper and Leper Asylums. This was one of the first things that should have been done at the commencement of the war. Emergency bandages were prepared and got ready for use.
The manager of the Colonial Bank was interviewed with reference to taking precautions to enable him to conceal the property of the bank in case of attack, but
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after correspondence with his directors he stated that his instructions were to leave and documents in the bank safe, trusting to the Government to protect
all mo No guarantee of protection was given.
them.
The total direct cost to the Colony of the war from its outbreak until 31st March, 1915, was only £346.* This was principally due to the fact that the Volunteer Force, although called out for active service and liable to it at any moment, was still on a voluntary basis so far as pay was concerned, for they were not being paid. Nevertheless, the recruits turned out for drill two or three times a week after office hours; every Friday there was a parade, at which there was usually a large number; on Wednesday afternoons there were generally a number of men on the miniature range or snap shooting; and in every way the force evinced its desire to train itself in military knowledge. Route marches were from time to time undertaken, and the men were made familiar with the trenches and their environments. Short lectures were also given by the writer on the possibilities in connection with an attack, these lectures being so far as possible confined to con- ditions which were likely to arise. Signallers practised hard at signalling, the bandsmen became ambulance men, and in every direction possible it was attempted On one occasion the alarm to train the force for any eventuality that might occur. was sounded from the jetty by firing off the three guns signal, the men assembling quickly. This act, however, caused such anxiety and fear in parts of the town that One lesson learnt was that the it was decided not to repeat it unnecessarily. quickest and most effective way of sounding the alarm was by rockets instead of muzzle-loading guns. Rockets were subsequently obtained for this purpose.
The Police Force had all its civil duties to which to attend, but in addition to that every effort was put forth to promote their military efficiency as well, and they constantly took part in the parades and manoeuvres with the Volunteers.
In
On the 1st of April the Volunteers went in full strength into camp at Ratho They were chiefly Mill Point, where they remained for five days under canvas. exercised in extension movements, scouting, bayonet exercise, firing practice at casks moored out at sea, and in addition performed a night route march of fifteen miles over rough mountainous country to Mesopotamia and back. They benefited very much by this training, and it occurs to the writer that at the commencement of the war it would have proved of great advantage if the force had been made to undergo at least ten days' real hard training, so as to get them into condition and inculcate the necessary spirit of discipline, which is so often lacking in volunteer forces.
Up to the time of writing no enemy warship has put in an appearance. fact, by the middle of April all their men-of-war in these waters had been accounted for.
On the 28th November a piece of wreckage, consisting of a boat sail and spar, each marked S.M.S. "Karlsruhe," was washed ashore at Colonarie Bay on the St. Vincent coast. During the next fortnight a considerable quantity of small wreckage was washed up over an area sixty miles in length, stretching from St. Vincent to Grenada, right through the St. Vincent Grenadines. A great deal of this wreckage was marked "Karlsruhe," but it appeared to be wreckage of the "Karlsruhe's ' boats rather than of the ship herself. His Majesty's auxiliary cruiser "Edinburgh Castle" arrived on the 2nd December and cruised through the Her commander, Captain Grenadines examining and picking up wreckage. Napier, came to the same conclusion as the writer, that the wreckage belonged to the ship's boats and not to the ship herself. This surmise subsequently turned out to be wrong, as it appears, from information since received, that the ship blew up about the middle of November, possibly not far from Barbados.
The effect of the disappearance of the enemy's warships has been to reduce the keenness of the volunteer spirit, and if the enemy continues absent in these waters for the remainder of the war it will be very difficult, if not impossible, to retain Upon the slightest indication the degree of efficiency which had been reached.
that the enemy were scattering again through the oceans there is no doubt that the wave of enthusiasm would return with renewed force.
* Since the enemy's warships in these waters have been accounted for the local war expenditure has dropped to a minimum-under £100 per annum-as all the Police have been returned to their ordinary duties, although held in readiness, and the specially engaged rural constables discharged.
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