SIDELIGHTS OF THE WAR

Marlborough Express, Volume XXXIV, Issue 294, 15 December 1899, Page 4

SIDELIGHTS OF THE WAR

A OHRIRTORUROH BuY WOUNDED. Many people will remember the late Mr D. 8. Melville, at one time manager of the Union Bank of Australia m Ohristohuroh. Mrs Melville and her family are (says the Ohristohuroh Press) now m Natal, and m a piivate letter, dated 24 eh October, written from Batstone's Post, Utuzinkula, to a friend m Ohristchurcb, Mrs Melville says that her four sons were engaged at the battles of Qlenooe and Elandtj Laagte, and that one of of them, Hugh Melville, was wounded. Bhe says:— "My four boys joined the Border Mounted Rifles some few weeks ago to see some fun, as they said. They took two prisoners at the battle of Elands -Laagte, and 1 am thankful to say none of the volunteers were killed or wounded. They were at onoe sent to Latysmith, a miserable town, and are encamped outside the town. Thera was a great deal of dust m the place, but now the rain has eet m their farms will be open to them when they return. The Boers fought, they say, like demons at the battles of Glenoue and Elands Laagte. There is much distress m Durban and other places now, caused by the war. The weather he»e is very cool still, although we are nearing summer. This is the rainy season, which accounts fur the coolness, and I oall the climate a perfect one. We (Mrs and Miss Melville) are liv ing all alone ie a small cottage m the bush, and our Kaffir servant leaves us ac night." In a later addition to her letter, dated 25th October, Mrs Melvilln says : — *• I have ju«t received a telegram from Leslie saying that they were all fwhtin;'; again on Monoty last, and that .Bugh was wounded, but doing well, and that there is n<> necessity lor me to go to Ladysmith." In the postscript, dated 26th Oct., Mrs Mcl villa" concludes:- "I have just ro'ceived a telegram that Hugh has been shot through both lungs, and we are off to Ladysmith."