THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

Daily Telegraph (Napier), Issue 9938, 8 December 1900, Page 3

THE TRANSVAAL WAR.

THE BATTLE OP REITFONTEIN.

Further Details.

Hot Engagement.

The Colonials' Task.

The New Zealand Officers' Wounds.

United Press Association. By Electric Telegraph. — Copyright (Received Dec. 8, 1 a.m.) i London, Dec. 7. Further details of the Reitfontein engagement show that 4000 Boers formed a crescent seven miles long. Their left rested on the Rhenoster river, with ridges in the centre and small kopjes in the rear. A hundred and fifty Queenslanders seized the heights on the left, where they were so hotly engaged at 800 yards that they were reinforced by 100 Victorians and a section of the 38th Battery. Then the Bushmen and New Zealanders crept up on the right, occupying a ridge. The Australians were continuously exposed to a terrific fire, as were the gunners of the Battery. The left and centre received their ammunition with difficulty. They were compelled to jump up, fire, and then lie prostrate. The colonials had the utmost task to bold their own. The 38th Battery compelled the enemy to slightly waver, and then a general advance followed, after which there was a deadlock for hours. The Munsters, colonials, and others were exposed to the entire zone of the Boer fire. After the Boers' ultimate retreat 30 new graves were discovered. Captain Crawshaw's and Lieutenant Tucker's wounds are slight. Lieutenant Montgomerie received an i injury to the bone of his right hip which is believed to be severe. Sur-geon-Captain Godfray and Lieutenant Sommerville are suffering from fractured bones, the former's wound being severe.