THE FINAL DAY'S WORK.

Press, Volume LXII, Issue 12177, 25 April 1905, Page 10

THE FINAL DAY'S WORK.

A NIGHT ATTACK. As a finale to the manoeuvres General Babington, tho Commander of the Forces, arranged a night attack to Ik? made on the camp. On Sunday night a force under Major Chaffey moved out to take up n position near Homebush, with tbe idea of opening an attack on the camp at daybreak. Major Charley's force consisted of aliout 120 mounted men, with two galloping Maxims, and a detachment of the E Battery Field Artillery, under Captain Treleaven, with a 15-pour.dor. The defence was entrusted to Lient.Colonol Smith, who hnd with him the wholo of the infantry, nnd about 50 mounted men, as well as the Garrison Artillery with two Maxims, and a detachment of tho X Mattery Field Artillery with two 15-poundcrs. At about 3 a.m. Major Charley's force moved out of their position, a detachment of mounted men, under Major Johnston, with the Amuri Mounted Rifles' galloping Maxim, being sent out near Darfield. tbe object l>oing smart-iw-st" of movement, and orders to retreat if necessary, tso as to draw the defending force towards Kimberley, where tbo main body of the attackers were suppo-ed to Ik* located. Another 1-ody of mounted men—C.V.C. and Ashburton Mounted Rifles—were dismounted and sent over the hills overlooking the camp, with instructions to advance, taking every advantage of cover until they could fire into the camp. The centre of tho attacking

force, under Major Chaffey himself, and consisting of tho Field Artillery, mounted men and a galloping Maxim, was on the Coalgate road. It had been reported to Lieut.Colonel Smith that the enemy was mobilising at Dunsandel, and advancing cavalry patrols were seen near Darfield early in the morning, also that an attack might lie expected at daybreak next day. At 4 a.m. the first body of troops were marched out of the camp, and in the heavy gloom tho steady tramp of tho men had a very martial sound. The strictest silence was enjoined upon everybody, and orders were ■liven to question all civilians. The jingle of saddlery as the mounted men, under Captain Macartney, inarched out .soiiHded with great distinctness in the crisp night air. Thero was a heavy nor'-wester blowing off the snowy range, the air being bitingly cold. At 4.53 a report was received from the standing outpost set by Captain Macartney that ho had succeeded in finding the enemy, and that Captain Macartney, with tho Canterbury Mounted Rifles and AVaimakariri Mounted Rifles, was endeavouring to hold him. Shortly after five a further message was brought from Captain Macartney, showing his outposts had found the enemy in strong numbers, and that he had turned their position. Messages by cycle and horsemen continued to reach Lieutenant-Colonel Smith in tho camp every few minutes, the system of communication being worked in especially ereditablo fashion. A picket on the Bluff road located a force of the enemy with a Maxim, but it could not bo reached, so had to be avoided. The troops wero by this time busily moving out of camp, with that' absence of noise gave their movements almost a ghostly appearance. A number of these \\e/a> sent to resist the attack on the centre of the position, whero the big field gun was busy throwing shrapnel and case shot on to any of the defenders' positions that were exposed. The defending troops lined the hedges, taking every advantage of cover, and as most of tfiem wore overcoats, it was difficult to pick them up, even when close to them. The Maxim camo galloping down the. road, evidently not suspecting the defenders to be in tho vicinity, and was immediately fired upon at about 15 yards distance by a body of about eighteen men of tbe City Guards and Sydenham Rifles, under Cuptain Bishop. Tho Maxim was declared out- of action for fifteen minutes, that being the penalty imposed by tho umpires in all cases of decimation or capture. The Engineers under Lieutenants Edinger and Luttrell, turned their attention to a small body of mounted men who were approaching in tho distance. The flash of their rifles exposed their position, and the big gun was turned upon them when they were ruled out of action. Captain Macartney had got in touch with the enemy, who wero attacking his position in force, and he was holding them near the right centre. In order to make the position positively safe, tho Lyttelton Naval*, under Lieutenant Foster, with their Maxim, were sent out to reinforoe that flank, followed by one big gun under, Lieutenant Duncan. Lieutenant-Colonel Smith had by this time got all his reserve forces out of camp to th© shade of tbo trees in tho Domain, as ho had reason to suppose that Captain Treleaven might be tempted to shell it. By this means he left an empty camp, in which little harm could bo done. As sooii as it was known tho Engineers had been ruled out of action, Captain Draytcn. with the No. 2 North Canterbury Battalion of Tnfantry, were sent out to defend the position on the Coalgate road. The City Guards and Sydenham Rifles were ni ed out of action, which enabled the £ Battery detachment to advance and take up a positionon the brow overlooking the rifle range, and almost, if not quite, commanding the camp. Captain Drayton had "with him the N Battery and Naval Cadets, nnd had • a Maxim As soon as he moved into position, Captain Treleaven opened fire at betw-e-n 2000 and 3000 yards distance, when Sergeant, Major I/ezard was ordered to take up a position, as soon as he could got enough light to sight his gun by. In the centre of the position Major Chaffey had steadily advanced, driving the dofenders before him, and he pushed forward his Maxim gun with great persistency. The plan of drawing the defenders towards Kirwee did not succeed, and at several places the attackers were repulsed, the guns under Lieutenant Dunran and Sergeant-Major Lczard doing excellent work. The C.Y.C.'s and Ashburton Mounted Rifle*, who had been acting as infantry, came down the liiil overlooking the camp, and made their attack in a very fine manner. At 6.20 " cease fire " was sounded, and tho forces marched back to camp to oreakfast. During tho attack Lieutenant-Colonel Slater, V.D.. Lieutenant-Colonel Day, V.D.. Lieutenant-Colonel Owen, Major Hobday, Captain Milton. Veterinary I Captain Thompson, and Major Stronach acted a.s umpires, and Colonel Bauchop I watched the operations closely in the centre position, while Major-Genera. Babington and Captain Campbell were located near the camp. After the troops had had breakfast. Colonel Bauchop issued the following j brigade order : —'* Brigade order, under • Liouten nt-Colonel A. Bauchop. C-M.G., I commanding: (1) The G.O.C. desires mc to convey to all ranks his warn*, appreciation of the real an! excellent spirit displayed by them during the operations just completed. Tlie work on the whole has been well and carefully carried out, clearly indicating that the treating of units has received careful

attention. The soldier-like bearing of the troops and uniformly good conduct is a matter also which he considers deserves special commendation. (2) To he read to all corps on parade. By order. H. Hobday, C.5.0." General Babington subsequently addressed the officers on the general work done during the camp. There was no decHon given as to the result of the battle, the whole thing being looked upon as a valuable tactical lesson. Whether the Blue force should have come out ahd fought the Reels is a n alter for doubt, but some at least ot the prominent officers think they should have done so. The object of the night attack was really to show if men could march silently to positions in the darkness, and it was a great success.