Western Mail (Perth, WA : 1885 - 1954), Saturday 20 July 1901, page 25


THE SIX i H WA. CüKTlKGENT.

DESPAT* ¡I F H. I) M. CAPTAIN' CA.UP

Si:\ FMK KK.'HTlXt!.

Tili' u 11 i : i \\ i 11 «i de-patch (No. 4; lins ln'i II received ai lu>ai!(|iiai'!ers from Capiain Campbell, officer commanding tho Sixth

W. A.M.I -

'With General Kitchener's Column,

.>:.'ar Carolina. May 1!). ]!)()].

".Sir.

"I ¡iavi- lin' lillimur to report ilia! .-.ince leaving Middloberg wp have innieh. ?d aluin: ; evenly mile.-, reaching this pian-. Tile men are fairly lit. with few exception-. We have liad ,-ome na-i.v lighting. Tile first light took place at Bo-nian'.- Spruit on Tuesday. May l l a

iia!i-|iast 7 a.m. The day previous we limned ihe advance guard to the column, and. being informed that there were Boer- in the vicinity, gave chase, arriv-ing at a farmhouse some >ix mile- fruin the column.

"Here we found ,-ome women and cilia-ren in po--e.-sion of the farm, the men having ¡efl before our arrival. Theiv were on the farm some oxen (abott! six-teen), two waggons, anti three mule-. We brought on the oxen, mules, and women and children, and burnt the waggeii-. At about midnight, after inn-ing been on the mareil all day. I le!t camp, ac«ompanied by about forty men. and arrived at and surrounded thc1 farm at aboui 3 a.m.. having good reason Í.) suppose that the Hoers would return dur-ing the night.

. Hut 1 found no one there. At day-light I got information from a Kaffir that there were 100 cattle out a few miles with a Boer escort. I imme-diately mounted 20 men and went in the direction indicated. After travelling three miles, in looking over a ridge I found one waggon inspanned with Boers sitting round their fires having break-fast. I was then 600 yards off. I piU vjiiev- in the direction of the waggon, which caused Hie enemy to retire into seine scrub. The order to fix bayonets and charge was then given. Lieutenant Hawkins led tho charge, and compelled the enemy to retreat to a ridge about a mile off. We shot the oxen and burnt the waggon, together with the Boer-* blankets, food, and fodder. Then on our right front we made a drive at what

we thought to be about 800 head of cat-tle, which, af ter a little fighting, we man-aged to capture, and we returned witl. them to the camp.

'?During the operations my casualt'ewere : ~One wounded (Privat« Face), through the thigh, uir-1 three horses shot.

"On Thursday, the 16th. I received or-ders from General Kitchener to proceed to a farmliou'-e to pick up a Boer faniilv and take some waggons aud burn al! food and fodder in the house. On reach-ing tho place the women gave me some information about three waggons in a spruit. On crossing the spruit the Boers opened fire on us. I at once took a position and gave the order for dis-mounted duty : but, finding the enemy pretty strong. I remained in the position

for some time.

"I afterwards advanced on horseback ynd gave the order for dismounted duty, with fixed bayonets, and occupied a posi-tion further to tho front. Mr. Bell was on my light flank Mr. McCormack on my left, and Mr. Reid again on the ex-treme left with a division. Mr. Reid was driven back, after having been shot through the groin and having had one man wounded. After some heavy firing my right flank was driven in (under Mr. Bell), and the only thing left to me wa* to retire the main body. Our fire was most effective. The enemv's .strength was supposed to be 200. and mine was 80.

"During the operations on tin's day my casualties were:-Five killed and one officer and four men wounded. Themen killed were:-33.r, Private B. Fisher: 311 Private F. Page: 38,5. Private F T. Adams, 403. Private J. Semple: and 339. Private A. Planck (who has sinew

F l»itu by Greenham k Evans, BarmcV-sl.

THE LATE LIEUTENANT STANLEY S. REID. WHO

DIED IN SOUTH AFRICA. (See Page 33.)

PUuto bv A. J. boulton. William-st.

ERECTING THE RAILWAY ARCH-CLERICAL EMPLOYEES OF THE RAILWAY DEPARTMENT

WORKING ON THE ARCH DURING THE STRIKE.

died). Tile wounded were:-Lieuten-ant Reid. Corporal Cunningham, (485) Private H. Rule, and (437) Private WNicholls.

"The Fifth Contingent were operating on our extreme left, their casualties being also very heavy. I will write this despatch up more fully through the me-dium of my diary and will forward it on at the first opportunity.

"I hew to mention particularly Mr. Bril. During the retirement he came on a man dismounted, and tooK him on his horse with him. The horse fell with them both. and. being unable to remount. Mr. Bell covered the retreat of the man until he was safe. I wish also to mention Mr. Reid, as he again took his division into action after having been severely hit. I would particularly mention al-o

No. Ô10. Bugler E. N.' Blight, for his splendid service in the field.

"On Friday morning, after having bu-ried the men killed on the previous day. »ve had a pretty severe rearguard fight, but fortunata!v without anv casualties.

"Strength of the Contingent.-Fit for duty 203 : unfit for duty. 4 . killed in action, ¡i- wounded. 4. Horses.-Fit 200; sick lines. 16: killed inaction, 17; destroyed, ô.

"Saddler.-The saddles have proved to be of no use for service, owing to the padding being defective, and being too flat, causing the "ommel to bear on the withers, and the panels on the centre of the horses' backs. They a^-ear to me to be simpl- patched together.

"I have the honour to be. etc..

JOHN CAMPBELL.

captain."

The following casualty list was attach-ed to the despatch : -

Killed in Action.-Private B. Fisher (335), wounded in the chest . Private F. Page (341). in the head ; Private F. T. Adams (385). m the head ? Private J. Semple (403), in the abdomen.

Wounded.-Lieutenant Reid (severe-ly); Private Facie (490), in the rWit thigh (severely): Private Nicholls (437». in the left thigh (severely) ; corporal Cunningham, in the right shoulder (dan-gerously) ; Private Blanck. in the head (dangerously).