LETTER FROM THE LATE TROOPER DONKIN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXII, Issue 155, 2 July 1901, Page 5

LETTER FROM THE LATE TROOPER DONKIN.

The following- letter was received iby Lance-CorporaJ Botterill a few days ago from South Africa.- It was written, just before, his death, by the late Trooper Donkin, who was killed in one of the first encounters in which the Seventh were engaged. Trooper DonjuQ was one of six members of the (Auckland Engineers who proceeded to rthe front with the Seventh Contingent, and was the first to fall. The letter reads: —

Troopship Gulf, of Taranto

Dear Tom,—This letter will come to you as a surprise. You remember when you tried to get into the Sixth. i could not get in in Auckland, so Came on here (to Greymouth), and succeeded after a hard job

iWe had a good trip across and lots of inn. We are the- "Kowdy" Seventh. The New South Wales lot left Albany three days before us. Remember me (to and to the Bugler (McGregor); •tell him he will make a good hand if foe sticks to it;"tall him to write and fcend his address and 1 will write again feoon and tell you both all the news. *""'.' . .—I remain,, your old chum. W. dDONKIN. Trooper W. Donkin, killed in action »,t Doomplat, South ' Africa, on June 1, r&as the fourth son &£ Mr Henry Donlon, of Tararu, Thames'. He was the youngest brother of Mrs J. F. Stewart, of Claremont-street, Mrs G. E. Bishop, Epsom, also of Mrs H. Clark and Mrs S. Pairley. Great sympathy is felt for &is relatives by all members and his •Id. chums of the Engineers.