Since the losses had not entirely been made good by drafts, the strength of Lord Roberts' army, as it stood ready to strike on February 10, may be estimated at 26,000 infantry, 4,000 cavalry, 3,500 mounted infantry, and about 120 guns, including the 6-inch howitzers of the siege train. It was by far the largest and the best organised wholly British force that had ever taken the field. Australians, Canadians, and Ceylon planters were among the mounted infantry; Afrikanders, among the Cape volunteers; but the great majority came from within the limits of the British Isles.
Composition of the Grand Army.
Lord Roberts' army was composed of four infantry divisions and one of cavalry, as follows:—
| FIRST DIVISION. | SIXTH DIVISION. | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| LIEUT.-GENERAL LORD METHUEN. | LIEUT.-GENERAL KELLY-KENNY. | ||
| 1st (Pole-Carew's) Brigade. | 9th (Douglas's) Brigade. | 18th (Stephenson's) Brigade. | 13th (Knox's) Brigade. |
| 3rd Grenadier Guards. | 1st Northumberland Fusiliers. | 1st Essex. | 2nd East Kent. |
| 1st Coldstream Guards. | 1st Loyal North Lancashire. | 1st Yorkshire. | 1st Oxfordshire Light Infantry. |
| 2nd Coldstream Guards. | 2nd Northamptonshire. | 1st Welsh. | 1st West Riding. |
| 1st Scots Guards. | 2nd Yorkshire Light Infantry. | 2nd Royal Warwick. | 2nd Gloucester. |
| 83rd, 84th, and 85th Field Batteries. | 76th, 81st, and 82nd Field Batteries. | ||
| SEVENTH DIVISION. | NINTH DIVISION. | ||
| LIEUT.-GENERAL TUCKER. | LIEUT.-GENERAL COLVILE. | ||
| 14th (Chermside's) Brigade. | 15th (Wavell's) Brigade. | 3rd (Macdonald's) Highland Brigade. | 19th (Smith-Dorrien's) Brigade. |
| 2nd Norfolk. | 2nd Cheshire. | ||
| 2nd Lincoln. | 1st East Lancashire. | 1st Argyll and Sutherland. | 1st Gordon Highlanders. |
| 1st King's Own Scottish Borderers. | 2nd South Wales Borderers. | 1st Highland Light Infantry. | 2nd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry. |
| 2nd Hants. | 2nd North Stafford. | 2nd Seaforth Highlanders. | 2nd Shropshire Light Infantry. |
| 18th, 62nd, and 75th Field Batteries. | 2nd Royal Highlanders. | Canadian Regiment. | |
| CAVALRY DIVISION. | MOUNTED INFANTRY. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| LIEUT.-GENERAL FRENCH. | ||||
| 1st (Porter's) Brigade. | 2nd (Broadwood's) Brigade. | 3rd (Gordon's) Brigade. | Hannay's Brigade. | Ridley's Brigade. |
| 6th Dragoon Guards. | 10th Hussars. | 16th Lancers. | ||
| 6th Dragoons. | 12th Lancers. | 9th Lancers. | ||
| 2nd Dragoons. | Household Cavalry. | Roberts' Horse. | ||
| G, O, P, Q, R, T, and U Horse Artillery Batteries. | ||||
| CORPS TROOPS. |
|---|
| City Imperial Volunteers (Mounted Infantry). |
| Kitchener's Horse. |
| Rimington's Scouts. |
| 38th Field, 65th Howitzer Battery. |
| Siege train (including four 6-inch howitzers). |
| Four 4·7-inch naval guns; four 12-pounders. |
That night of the 10th the search-light in the British camp answered the message of Kimberley with the glad words—"We are coming."
W. S. Small.] [From a sketch by G. D. Giles.
CLEARING THE ROAD TO KIMBERLEY: THE BRITISH CAVALRY CHARGING AT KLIP DRIFT.