ELEVEN TO ONE.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 147, 22 June 1901, Page 5

ELEVEN TO ONE.

SPLENDID GALLANTRY

I ; THE LAST STAND OF TWO M ■ TASMANIANS. ; ■S" AN AMBUSH STOEY. The following (says the "Cradock Referee" of May 16) is a detailed account of the affair at Ganna Hock, w&en two Tasmanians withstood the attack of twenty-two Boers for several ihours. At 8.40 a.m. orders were received by No. 1 Division TasmaniairM.L to saddle up, and shortly after they were joined by a division of the Imperial lYeomanry, the combined force numbering about 45. They headed towards a road which led through the pass to the west of Mortimer. At this point (Lieutenant Bligh . ordered Corporal Brownell to take four men and move out on the right flank about a quarter of a mile from the main body. All went well until they reached some (thick scrub which lines the left bank, »f a sloot (a dry creek). The hill on their right rose tip almost., perpendicu3arly to a height of about 200 feet. [Finding it impossible for the flankers fto keep in .line, Corporal B. cantered over to the officer and suggested that tfche men should go in file 20 or .30 yards apart, which was agreed to, but he had Ho sooner got back to Warburton When the sharp crack of rifles rang but a few hundred yards in the rear. JThey immediately took cover in some Scrub and the officer whistled to the men to retire. The enemy commenced firm» rapidly on the retreating force, fcfld the two Tasmanians, finding themselves entirely cut off, kept in the scrub.

In the meantime the main body had tfetired under a heavy cross-fire, troopers Q. Saunderson and Burton iwere both alightly wounded in the head while retiring-, besides several ©them bavin? their horses shot under

them. The Boers, evidently thinking that all the men were now in the rear, came strolling- np the sloot in a very careless fashion. When level with the firstmentioneel Tasmanians, about 30 yards distant, these covered them, but hesitated to fire, thinking the Boers were part of some colonial corps. But the Boers spotted the horses, which were close by, and without a second's warning sent a dozen bullets whizzing round the ears of t£ie two men. The Boers found excellent cover under the bank of the sloot. and brisk firing was kept up on both sides for some time, the only cover the Tasmanians had being some small stumps about 9 inches in diameter. A In LI then took place for fully half an hour, during' which time the troopers shot ten Boer horses. They then took the sling-s off their rifles, rid themselves of belts, bayonets and other useless g-ear, and refilled the

magazines.

The second attack came very suddenly, and after a few minutes one of the enemy knelt up on the bank to get a g-ood shot at Brownell, but received a shot in the stomach from the Tasmanian. The Boers caught the man by his boots and pulled him under the bank. Another pause then took place of an hour's duration, the Boers calling- out "Hands up, you dogs." Seeing they had no chance. Brownell told Warburtou to shoot his horse, while he did the same to his. Rut, YV. refused. Eventually they shot both horses. The Boers had not fired at the troopers' horses, doubtless expecting to capture them. The poor animals had stood the racket of the firing splendidly, and it was hard to have to knock them over. The third and final attack soon came. The suspense felt by the troopers was awful. They had taken cover behind their dead horses, but thinking jtthis ;insuirieient, they crawled back about "ten yards to the rear of their former position and found shelter behind some small stumps. The enemy then pushed their attack more determinedly than ever, shouting- to the troopers as before, and Wiirbtuion was hit in the head, falling unconscious across Brownell, who nftor tiring the last shot in his magazine, surrendered. After putting down his rifle one cowardly wretch deliberately Hred at him, the bullet cutting away (he shoulder part of his tunic and shirt. It was a trying moment for him with fully a dozen rifles covering him when he got to work with bandages to dress his comrade's head, on seeing which the Boers cooled down, lie was soon stripped of all his valuables, including a belt and sheath knife and £4, ami a letter. All that was left him were his trousers and boots. After War burton's wound had been bound up, the Boer corporal took Bmwnell to his lieutenant, who gave him a dressingdown for trying to hold out against such superior numbers. Tt appears that the number who hah been around the two men Trere twentytwo. They said they had allowed the two to pass within twenty yards of i their hiding-place, and had they left I their cover to rejoin the main body they must inevitably have been riddled. The lieutenant would not allow any of his men to stay and assist Brownell with his wounded comrade, but. o-five them a blanket. It was a dreadful sight, Warburton lying in a semi-unconscious state, whilst the three Boers shot by them lay a few yards off. stretched out on blankets. The man who had been hit by Brownell was evidently sinking rapidly. Shortly afterwards they reached the ambulance and got back to camp. Next morning. Warburton. on being roused, said to Brownell. "Well, Dong, how did we shake them, up?" adding that he trusted in the Lord. In spite of every attention in flic hospital, the poor fellow expired. £c had a soldier's funeral in the village cemetery.