THE ORANGE COLONY COMMANDOS.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue 7379, 4 February 1902, Page 2

THE ORANGE COLONY COMMANDOS.

ANOTHER SHARP SKIRMISH WITH THE BOERS.

NEW ZEALANDERS TO THE

FORE.

Received February 3, 11.15 p.m.

London, February 3.

Prisoners report that a pompom killed ten Boera on the 19th at Liebenbergsolei. Fourteen were captured at Blaawlseichspruit.

Except a few hundred in the South of Orange Colony, all the Fr6e Staters in the field are confined to the north eastern Orange districts. They show plenty of fight, though constantly hustled. Rains prevent the columns from heliographing.

A sbarp engagement took place on tbe 25th at Leeuwspruit, with a portion of De Wet's forces and Colonel Garret t's column, comprising tbe South African Light Horse, New Zealanders, Queenslanders, Bushmen, and Yeomanry. A hundred of Wessels' commando rushed and drove in the South African Light Horse's rearguard. Seventy of De Wet's bodyguard, wearing British cavalry cloaks, and under cover of heavy rain, opened fiie, while another force on a hill in the vicinity charged boldly on the Light Horse, hoping to capture their pompom. The New Zealanders with a Maxim and a pompom scattered tbe Boers when within 500 yards. Five were killed and many wounded. The British loss was slight. De Wet with six men fled up the Liebenbergsoter river.