SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20250, 30 May 1931, Page 11

SOUTH AFRICAN WAR.

COMMEMORATION OP THE PEACE. VETERANS' PARADE. NEW ZEALAND'S PART IN THE CAMPAIGN. .Tust .as Anzac Day (April 2pth.) commemorates the valour and sacrifice of tho New' Zealand Forces in the Great War, «o is June Ist forever dedicated to the 6000 volunteers who, 14 years before, upheld and increased their country's honour in the campaigns of South Africa. A reunion of veterans to-night and their memorial service at the Chrißtchurch Cathedral. will mark the 29th anniversary of the . peace which onded the Boer War. Through the mists of 20 years, the celebrations will recall tho dangerous guerrilla fighting, the hot engagements with the enemy at close quarters, the ! long rides over parched veldt, the good fellowship of the camps, and the disease and fevers with which so many of the volunteers were stricken. Yet even in these hard and unaccustomed conditions the New Zealand troops did so distinguish themselves that in ''The ' Times''■ Official History it was written of them that " aftey they liad .a little experience thoy were by general consent Tegarded as the best-mounted troops in South Africa." Although the total white population of New Zealand 'was than only 772,000, no fewer : than 6416 men for service in South Africa. The responsibility of the war was accepted by New Zealand cheerfully and with enthusiasm. • On September 28th, 1899, the House of Representatives decided to send two companies of Mounted Eifles to the aid of the Imperial Annies in South Africa, and, in addition, to make itself responsible for their 'pay -and equipment in the field. By June Ist, 1902, when peace was de- , clar&l, th,e Dominion had sent 10 contingents arid proportionately a greater : number* of men than any other pirt of ! the Empire. New'Zoaland was the first of all the Colonies to land troops in South Africa, and her Tenth Contjri- ■ gent was the laßt to reach there beforo. ! the signing of the peace. The New Zealand Contingents. .. The following - ia a record of the 10 First Contingent, left Wellington October 29th,- 1899—215 officers;and men. . Second Contingent, .left Wellington January 20tli. 1900—268 officers iand men. Third Contingent, left Lyttelton .Fobruary 17th, 1900—264 officers and men, j Fourth Contingent, left Dunedih March 24th and..Lyttolton March 31st—--466 officers and men. • . t . Fifth Contingent, left Wellington March 315t—595 officers and men. *j Sixth Contingent, -left .Auckland January 30th, 1901—682: officers and. men; Seventh Contingent, left Wellington April 6th-»-593 officers and men. : Eighth Contingent, North Wand Battalion, left Auckland February 15t,1902; South Island' BattaJion loft- Lyttelton February. Bth—ll7o officcrs and men. • Ninth l Contingent, South Island" Battalion left Dun'edin March 12th, North Island Battalion Auckland March 19th—rlOOO officers and men, and details. Tenth Contingent, North Island Battalion left Wellington April ,16th; Souih... Island Battalion left Lyttelton. April 19th—1000 officers and men, and details. : It is interesting' to recall that the Casterburj- volunteers in th& mounted regjinenta were trained at the Addington Show. Grounds, and put through their, tests in Hagley Park. The horses were taken to Lyttelton over, the Bridle Path, sometimes ridden, .sometimes led. First Taste of Wax. Shortly after their arrival, the First Now' Zealand Contingent gained its first experience o£ war. at In company with the New South Wales men they made a reconnaissance, drawing the enemy's, men, and. without mishap to themselves repulsed the Boers.. From December, 1899, onwards they were almost constantly in active engagements. So high were -the 'spirits of ths men that after several successes in the field they offered, when approaching Colesburg, to' capture the enemy's big guns. General however, though admiring their pluck, declared .that th 6 operation would be too dangerous. On January 15th the famous New Zealand Hill affair took place.. A.. company of the Yorkshire Begiment and a few „New Zealanders, under Major Ma'ddocks, holding their pluck, declared that ;t}ve;operanpar Rerisbtirg, repulsed the. cnetny attack with a memorable baypnei charge. The first New"'Zealander to fall in the war wis Harold Booth, of the First Contingent. He was kilted -at Slingersfontein. 1 on January; 25tlu The. Contingent ttas;.frith 'French When hemadq bis famous Telie'f march to l£imberiey.- ; Encumbered: by. a fiUpply train,, to .covered 75, miles in. four days, fighting two' engagements :qn; the Way. JTho' New Zealanders gave valuable assistance in the important: mOvemeifta preceding the occupation of Kimberley, and their scoiiting vteork was, praised highlyv On Xtarcfy 18th, the New Zea-land-Contingent under ijajor Kobin, repollod a Boer attack on a conyoy 'at Dricforitein, and also greatly dis- ■ theßiseivM ai': ther Koornspruiti Ambusli, where one of them,C;aptiiin Coutts, was awarded for his gallantry ofte; of the* much-coveted Queen's Bparves. ; .On April Ist the Second- Con; tingept, under Lieutenant Criwshaw, Occupied Kenhardt. sifter a long- and weary march; . . Lord Eciberts's Prfiise. • Towards tiie' end of itliat month, the Third- Contingent, called ','th.e; ..rough riders,'' had their-first .taste of: battle in the- operations for tho relief of Weponer. Karly in May, general Hutto.ny tomijianding "a Colonial Division, among which wore 'the' First and Second New Zealand Contingents, arrived unexpectedly cast, of Bratndfort and captured the town. , In the middle of July the Now Zealanders met disaster in an engagement, at Eietvlei. A party of them was outflanked. by the Boers, who took 16 prisoners arid wounded others. I The RUenoster Kop aJfair, in which the I Second and Third : New Zc&lari<Jcrs | played a' most : important.. part, . took 1 place at : the end. ofNovember, 1900, Colonel Cradock, of New Zealand, held ' the • key position in • an attack on the Boers, and the New Zealanders, und6r heavy- fire, advanced to within. 400 yards of the .enemas -position. So Impressed Was Lord Bobbrts latest action Cpptiagents that & sent e ; special cabla iaessage to .the Of New Zealand in whicli he said tha.t he hsfl- rocejved from Lord . Kitchener ;an : •• aeepnnt of tb«l aetion. The men of ander Genera! Paget, hj«

cabled, had' borne themselves with 11 even more conspicuous gallantry than was their custom. General Paget has specially mentioned for gallantry Captains Crawshaw and Chaytor. "New Zealand," the Field-Marshal ended, "may well be proud of such men." The .Fourth Contingent, under Lieu-tenant-Colonel Erancis, Was attached early in January, 19.01, to General Babington's column. After . doing use-, ful work in various parts, they were, placed in. occupation of Ciferfontein, strengthening its defensive works, and accumulating stores and ammunition'. In this operation they were, associated with the Fifth Contingent, the ,two regiments forming pSirt of the Rhodesian Field Force. On March 21st, 1901, a mixed force of New Zealanders and New South Welshmen, under General Babington, captured.,nine guns, 150 prisonors, and all De X<a Key's convoy. In thanking the men afterwards, Colonel Grey spoke of this, as one. of. the finest pieces of work done in the later part of the "war. Lord Kitchener promoted many of the troops for gallantry, and congratulated General Babington on the capture. While the Fifth Contingent was broken up into several sections, the Fourth, was almost continuously on the trek, although at one time the fighting force was reduced to 124 men. One of its men, SergeahtMajor Hardliam, 1 gained the Victoria Cross. In token of the work of the Contingent, Lord Kitchener sent tivo guns home with it. The Later Contingents. "When the greater part of the First, Second, and Third Contingents returned to New Zealand by the Tongariro, leaving late in March; 1901, the Fourth and Fifth Contingents, with later the Sixth, continued to uphold the reputation of their predecessors in South Africa. The Sixth was sent to Pretoria immediately on arrival and was attached to Plumer's column which was celebrated for its fast marches. On June 13th, 1901, the Fourth and Fifth Contingents left Cape Town on their return, being relieved by the Seventh under ~ Lieutenant-Colonel Porter." The sixth continued with Plumer, and was occupied in a succession of forced marches, skirmishes, ~and pursuits, without being concerned is any important engagement. On July 26th, while the column was near Poplar Grove, 4he -scene of Lord Roberts's famous battle, the South African Constabulary found themselves in a tight corner, an'd a body of 10 New Zealanders dashed up to help them, lending their relief, th'ey held at bay 200 of the'enemy for two , hours. In August the Contingent was transferred from Colonel Banks to Major Andrew, of the Hyderabad Lancers,, and thereafter it experienced the most arduous work and the most exciting incidents of the wan From the beginning of December until the regiment left the field, enteric fever was very prevalent in its. ranks, and soveral deaths occurred from this virulent disease. In liis valedictory spQech, General plumer said .that this regiment had done as good work as any former, contingent from New Zealand, and'ho was thoroughly well satisfied \vith it. The Sixth Contingent returned to New Zealand in the middle of June, 1902. : .! "The Best la the Field." , The Seventh Contingent, nearly 600 men in .all, sailed from Wellington on April 6th, 1901, under ;Lieutenant-Col-oneL Porter, In September, on the illness of Colonel Porter,- the contingent was attached to a special mobile column, composed of picked men arid under' the direct orders of CoJjtriel. Garrett. The mounted men, comprising volunteers from New Zealand and 'Queensland,' numbered about 700, "and there i wero about SOO infantry, srith details. , the work on which the column was «n-. • gaged demanded chiefly rapidity" of action, the mounted men came-in for almost ill of .-the fighting. • The New Zealanders had before repeatedly earned tbo highest, praise of those in. author-' Ky, and. it was Boon after this regiment joined-his'column that Colonel Garrett described his mounted men as the best he had ever Eeen in the field. At the beginning bf^ October a three days' fight took place "with a force of 2000 Bom. On the third day the New Zealanders charged and. captured the first position, holding it under exceptionally heavy fire. Soon after this, part of the Contingent was. transferred to i Natal for a six weeks' campaign on lines of communication. • ■ A Hot Engagement. ■ - • On January 25th, the Seventh Contingent, attached to Garrett'a column with; the South African Ligfit Ilorse, ' the Queensland Bushmen,- and '.the Yeomanry, met the hottest engagement. of.-the campaign. At Leeuwspruit the column, had fallen in with a. part of-De-forces, when about 100 .of Weasel's command rushed and.drove;in? the guard of.the Light Horse.'Sd vpntyp/ De Wet 's bodyguard,- wearing British■> cavalry cloaks, opened fire under coVOi of heavy rain. Another ilorcb bold'y charged ou the Light Ilorse. and the position was critical when' the -New Zealanders, with' a,' v pom-pom and ' ia maxim gun, scattered the Boers «t SQO, yards. The- Contingent" was ' specially,; mentioned for. its gallantry *in ' this action. Subsequently in- the "lighting at Bothasberg,'the'Seventh Covered lt : self with distinction and earned • the warm praise of * Lord'. Kiteh'endr himself. The remaining ' Contingents,* . the Eighth, NiiitH,'. an(l Tenth,', all . .djfltin-1 guished themaelves in the field, although i the last two arrived in South Africa only a short period bofore the peace Pension for the Veterans. I When the Ex-Soldiers'. Rehabilitation Commission was /sitting in 1529-30/ it' was established that there . were, then about 4000 veterans of • the South African War. still-surviving.. F6r] the past nine years the efforts of tte South. African Veterans' Associations and of •their Dominion Conference, have, been directed towards in increase and an • extension of the pensions gra,iitod i to veterans of the war; th ,1929 "the Associations put tlicir case - before the Commission 1 askiiig that a pensicfn of. £SO a- year should be granted to all- veterans-irre-spective. of health or. ftniat'clul' standing' Or/to all v'eteraris. rp'achirig the ago' of 65. years (or earlier if ..any. : disability should become apparent); and that tlie age of Eligibility for tlie...old-age pension' should be reduced, ir: the; case of. such veterans, from Go to 60 years.", . While, the Commission would make no recommendation for.the £SO pension, it agreed with the second, request and ' recommended the change. "We think that, prima facie," ' said 'the,, report, "such a loading, of five years .on the. age of. an applicant; for ,au old-age pen-, sion.ia not unreasonable. on. the life of oiie who .served in such a campaign as the South African Waf.Vaiidmay "be viewed as a species of disability. We therefore recommend. . that, where . a South Africa veteran is otherwise qualifield for "the old-age 'pension his age should, for pension purposes, lie in- ' creased by five years,, to> make him eligible at an! actual age of 60 years. '.' Unfortunately, this recommendation has never been 'put into' 'effect; and the different Associations have Mow on tlieir hands a number of caseiv of - praiftature failure,, due undoubtedly to; the strain Of the war or to-the eaterie. fever, dj'»- . entery,' and -other which '■ th<j men Contracted on-i active service. The efforts; are still' being continued,' and: It .is hoped that before" Ipng: the Veterans will have' this small assistance towards mooting the' infirmities of their old ago. ; The Celebrations. -As usual, the; Veterans' Association, 6f Army, Navy, and Auxiliary Forces will hold, their annual smoke • concert and rennion at the Jelliootf Hall'this

evening. The ..celebrations-.will bo eon.tiiiued to-morrow, when the ; veterans will assemble et tho King Edward racks at £.15 p.m., for their \ annua! parade.,' The Jnefliorial efiTYic.e 'at the Christchureli Cathedral will be conducted, by the chaplains, the Revs. -A. 11. Korria and F..A; Too ley, and the Rev. T. Fieldeii-Taylor, Wellington City Missioneiy, will pf each on "Social Service Work." ' . ■ : After the ; service, the parade will Hiarchto Victoria square,-.where wreaths will«be laid on the statue of Queen yicto/ia and last Post will be Bounded. . the' march back; to the » ar w C^B » the aenior ojlicer, Colonel Sir B. Heaton Ehodes. and' Major E. A. How,- take- tbo : ' aalute before theCathedral. The lessois at ths. service wi" be read by Colonel Sir K. Heaton ®Mdos.M»<t Lieutenant-Colonel J?. W,