NEWS OF THE THIRL) CONTINGENT

Press, Volume LVII, Issue 10738, 18 August 1900, Page 8

NEWS OF THE THIRL) CONTINGENT

In a letter to Archdeacon Cholmondeley, dated Pretoria, June 28th, Sergeant Choimondfeiev says:

'Since our arrival at Pretoria we have had two days' ha.<_ fighting, twenty miles north. Out of 750 New Zealand men only 95 had horses or were fit to go on this last march. We came upon the Boers in a very strong position early one morning, and aifcbough we had four brigades banging at them, we failed to shift them an inch for the first two days, and then just as our big siege guns were coming up with Lord Hoberts they all cleared out at night. We could not follow them up, as we had no rations, and were, in fact, starving, when we got back here, eight miles from Pretoria. We took with us only two days' rations, and were away six days. A frund of mine (Russell) was driving doctor's Cape cart, and on the second day's fig—ting was going back to Pretoria, as his horses were "done up" and unable to proceed further. He had not gone two miles when the Boers collared him, which I am very sorry for. the more so as he was unwell. An Australian in the fighting line next to mc had his heel taken off by a lllb shell, and his foot had to be amputated. The fire was very hot indeed, but the.cover en both sides excellent. We don't know when the war will be over, and when we shall return, and we can ascertain nothing.