THE LATE ASSAULT ON LADY SMITH.

Evening Post, Volume LIX, Issue 12, 15 January 1900, Page 5

THE LATE ASSAULT ON LADY SMITH.

OFFICIAL LIST OF THE BRITISH CASUALTIES. FALL OF SOME NOTABLE MEN. LONDON, 13th January. An official list of the casualties suffered on the British side in repelling the Boer assault on Ladyt>mith last Saturday has just bean, published. It shows that fifteen officers of the garrison were killed, among them being — The Earl of Ava, eldest son ot the Marquis of Dufterm, formerly LordLieui/. of India and at another time Gov-ernor-General of Canada. Colonel Dick-Cunyngham, V.C., of the second battalion of Gordon Highlanders, who was previously wounded at the Battle of Elands Laagte. Captain R. S. Cowen, of the King's Royal Rifles. Captain Digby Mackworth, of the first battalion Royal West Surrey Regiment. Major olaude Miller-Wallnutt, D.S.O. of the second battalion of the Gordon Highlanders. 'iwenty-five officers were wounded, including Major "Karri" Davies, of the Imperial Light Horse (and also of Jameson raid lame), and of Dr Hornibrook (formerly of Adelaide), who at Elands Laagte single-handed secured the surrenuer of forty Boers. The list also shows that 135 men were killed and 244 wounded. A summary of the oasualties is as follows :— * Killed. Wounded. Officers ..„ „., 15 25 Men „".« „.. 135 244 150 ' 269 Total casualties, 419. [Col. W. H. Dick-Cunyngham, V.C., was the officer who, after being wounded in the leg at the battle of Elands Laagte, philosophically lighted his pipe and smoked while he watched the remainder of the engagement. He was a man with a distinguished career. He took part in Lord Roberts'st famous advance on Kandahar, during which his gallantry was twice mentioned in despatches, and he also saw much service in other Indian fighting. In the Kandahar march he was under Sir George White, then Major of the Gordons. How he famed his Victoria Cross is thus related y " Lord Bobs " himself :—" Large bodies of the enemy were moving up the slope of the ridge from the villages near Beni Hissar. To check this movement, and prevent the already veiy difficult Afghan position .being still further strengthened, Major White, who was in command of the leading portion of the attacking party, turned ( and made for the nearest point on the'^idge. It was now a race between the Highlanders and the Afghans as to who should gain the crest of the ridge first. The artillery came into action at a raiwe of 1200 yards, and under cover of the fire the 92nd, supported by the Guides, rushed up the steep slope. They were met by a furious onslaught, and a desperate encounter took place. The leading officer, Lieut. Forbes, a lad of great promise, was killed, and Colour-Sergeant Druramond fell by his side. For a moment even the brave Highlanders were staggered by the numbers and fury of their antagonists, but only for a moment. Lieutenant Dick-Cunyngham (now Colonel of the regiment) sprang forward to cheer them on and confidence was restored. With a wild shout the Highlanders threw themselves on the Afghans, and quickly succeeded in driving them down the further side of the ridge." The Earl of Ava, who was in his 37th year, formerly held a lieutenancy in the Seventeenth Lancers, and volunteered anew for service at an early stage of the present war. Captain Mackworth served in the Burniah expedition of 1887-8, and in the West African expedition against the Binduris (1897-&),. when he was mentioned in despatches.]