Page 32 - Bulletin 11 2007

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December. Only those medically fit, over 5’3” tall, chest measurement over 33,5”, and with
no dependents at all, could be accepted. This latter condition naturally reduced the number

of applicants.

As the men were selected they entrained for the training camp at Simon’s Town above

Noah’s Ark Battery near Seaforth. The camp was on a most unsuitable site: sloping, rocky,
and subjected to gale-force winds for four or five days a week. (Figs. 1.16 - 1.18). Drill

took place on the slope; the wind blew stones against the corrugated iron buildings and
flattened the bell tents; and instructors lost their voices shouting above the wind. The

training syllabus was the same as that used in the UK for new recruits going to the Western
Front and good results were achieved despite the adverse environmental conditions. All of

them learnt to shoot and service their rifles, as well as a variety of other skills: field

engineering, bridge-building, bomb-throwing, signalling, pioneer and medical work,
driving, cooking, etc. Their pay was 1/- per day – the Imperial rate.

Towards the end of January 1916 the battalion moved to the plateau above Simon’s Town
where they conducted three days of field training and manoeuvres in the general direction

of Cape Point. After that a smoke screen was thrown over all troop movements, and on 9
February 1916 they left Simon’s Town in three trains for the Victoria Basin where they

embarked on HMT Armadale Castle for GEA. The vessel had been converted in Simon’s
Town Dockyard from passenger liner to an armed troopship with eight 6” guns. They

arrived at Kilindini seven days later and went into action on 7 March, 1916.

As the war progressed further recruiting campaigns occurred and the “no dependents”
st
specifications were relaxed: 6,000 men were enrolled for the 1 Cape Corps and 2,000 for
nd
the 2 Cape Corps; 1,000 for the Cape Coloured Labour Battalion; many for the SA
Artillery and Cape Auxiliary Horse Transport Companies; a South African Native Labour
Contingent was also formed in which 10,000 men were enrolled – it was based at the