NEW ZEALANDERS AT THE FRONT.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 10867, 17 January 1901, Page 5

NEW ZEALANDERS AT THE FRONT.

THE FIGHT AT RHENOSTERKOP

GREAT GALLANTRY DISPLAYED. (FBOM OCB SPECIAL CORSES PONDEXT.) LONDON, December 7. Accounts have b«n received of the recent desperate fight with the Boers, General Paget's forces being engage-d, including the New Zealanders, who are reported as behaving with magnificent gallantry, but also as unhappily suffering severe losses.

It appears that on Novembar 26th, the troops under General Paget came in contact wi'Jh th. Boer forces under Commandants Eras-nuts and Yiljoen. After three days' fighting the Boers fell back on their main position at Rhenoeter Kop, about 40 miles east of Pretoria, aud 18 milts from the line of railway. Tbe er.eniv'. strength was estimated at 2500 men, witii five cuus, two pom poms, and one maxim. On the 29th General Paget assaulted the Boer position. The British forces met with a stubborn resktanc-, and a fierce 'battle, tho front of which *x.ended seven miles, was soon in progress. Along the whole s.ve:i miles oi f'.v.neu the contending forces were in contact for some considerable time, und the fire terrific

There was a slight lull in the firing as the Bor_. mads a, daring attempt to turn the British left flank, held by Cradock's Nc-w Zeaiand troops. The Boer advance was made iv the usual manuci—short nishe-e-, with halts to take cover and pour in vollej-s. In this way t.he enemy made" some headway down the kopje, but. the New Zealaisder's held their ground .stubbornly'and the Boer attackers w.:e cheeked and driven back with loss. General Paget then initiated a coun-ter-attack in the shape of an attempt- by the British right to turn the Boer left iiank. In this movwrumt the. Mu_-te_s «ihl the West Riding Regiment bare the- brunt ofthe fig-htin-c, and twice they-advanced with a view to charging with the bayonet. On each occasion, however, they' found the Boer fire too severe, aud had "to retire. It was late in the afternoon when t.he fi; _t distinct success was gained by our troops. The New Zealanders with great gallantry rushed the Boer positions, which were occupied after some sharp fighting. Darkness had fallen when tlw Boers eventually retired, and pursuit was cut of the question, but next morning the defeated enemy fell foul of Lyttelton's brigade, and were severely handled. Altogether in the fighting, the Boers lost eighty killed, and a much larger number wounded and captured. Considering tho formidable position occupied b.y the Boers during the fight on the 29th November, and that our men had to attack with practically no cover on tho open plain, it is marvellous that our casualties were not heavier on that day.

The New Zealand Red Cross men were sent cut to collect tha wounded. The enemy, disregarding their emblem of neutrality, concentrated a, heavy fire upon them until tho New Zealanders, in disgust, discarded their Red Cross flag. Several of the New Zealanders displayed conspicuous gallantry in bringing wounded comrades from the firing line to the rear.

The casiualty lh-t issued by the War Office in connection with this engagement includes the names of the following New Zealan .i.rs —Killed: New Zealand Mounted Infantry —G. Hyde Oppeijiheim, Corporal RodneyDevereux, and Sergeant F. Russell. Weverely wounded—J. A. Boriase, J. Goldstunc, Corporal 0. C. Hageuson, W. E. Hawthorne, 0. Dyke, A. Mcßeath, R, J. Foreman. E. G. Hill, Corporal C. E. Clews, J. Anderson, A. L. Moßride, Lieutenant J. E. Montgomerie (gunshot wound right hip), Lieutenant C. L. .Somerville (gunshot wound left arm), H. G. Swainson, and R. J. Brown. Slightly wounded —A. A. Wood, Sergeant C. H. Street. Wounded, degree unknown —Captain G. Crawshaw, Captain S. C. Godfray, Lieutenant Tucker. Dangerously —Sergeant R. E. Smith.