AN AMBUSH STORY.

New Zealand Herald, Volume XXXVIII, Issue 11690, 27 June 1901, Page 5

AN AMBUSH STORY.

j THE LAST STAN!) OF TWO 1 MANIA NS.

•SPLENDID GALLANTRY. The following (says the Cradoek Referee of May 10) is a detailed account of the affair at Ganna I Jock last week, when two Tasmanians withstood the attack oi 22 Boers for several hours). At twenty mi nates to i ins ; m. orders were received by No. 1 Division Tasinar.ian Mounted Infantry to saddle up, and shortly after they wcro joined by a division of tho Imperial Yeomanry, tho combined force numbering about 4.5. They headed towards a road which led through the pass to the west of Mortimer. At this point Lieutenant iiiv-'a ordered Corporal Brownell to *. its four men and move out on the right llatik about a quarter of a mils from the main body. Ml went well until they reached sumo I hick scrub which lines th« 3 left bank cl" a sloot (a dry creek'. Tin) hill on their right ro.ie tip almost perpendicularly, to a height, of about 200 ft. Finding it impossible for the. iiaukers to keep in lino. Corpora.! Browned cantered over to the officer, and pujfgosiotl that the men should go in iilo 20 or 50 yards apart, which was agreed to, but he had no sooner got back to Warburton when the sharp crack of rifles rang out a low hundred yards in the rear. They j immediately took co\er in some scrub, and the officer whistled to the men to retire. The enemy commenced firing rapidly on the retreating form, and the two Tasuuuiia.ns, finding thomselves entirely cut, off, kepi ia the scrub. In the meantime the main body had retir.d under a heavy cross fire. Troopers B. Sauuderson and Burton wero bosh slightly wounded in the head while retiring, and several others had their horses shot under them. Th:: Boers, evidently thinking that j all the men were now in the rear, came 1 strolling up the sloot in a very careless fashion. When level with tho first-men* | tinned 'jCasia.an.i.'rs, about 30 yards distant,. i

J n>f>ce covered them, but hesitated in fir®, I thinking the Doors were, part of some colonial corps. But the Boers spotted this horses, which _ were close, by. 3!-!'? without a second's warning, sent a, dozen bullr'-' whizzing round the ears of tin t,<o r.?n. The "10-i* found excellent coyer under the bank of the Bloat, and bri»k iiring was kept up on both sides for romo i lime. 0: . only rover tho Tassisniatia bad J being some small stumps about .line inches ! ii diftnif.-i-T. A lull then took place for j ! ■;!!•,' half ,;n hour, during which time the , Hoopers shot 10 Boer horses. They then I took the shtigs off their rifl'*, rid themselves !of It-, bayonets an.l ether useless gear' j and refilled their magazines. j The -••■;:?!•.! attack earn* very suddenly, j mi■! after a few minutes one of the enemy j knelt up on the bank to set a Rood shot at. ; Brov,-n'»!l, but ;■■••'..-.! a shot in the storm-',h i from the Ta=-n ir>i»p. The Boers caught lie? I .nan by hi- boots, and pulled him under the \ brink. Another pati-e Men took place of an J hour's duration, th.-s Boers calling on', j "Hands up, you -•- dogs." Seeing they bad no chance, "I'-rowiioM ' told Warlmrtcn to shoot hi? bor--e, win* • ho did the same to Id', but Wurb.nr'ou refused. Eventually they shot both horses. Tie- Boor* had not fired at the ttvopers' ho;"*', doubtless exreefing in capture them. Tho poor animals hail stood the racket of the firing splendidly, and if v.\»s hard '~ have to knock them over. l'Jio third an," 'if! at ark won canon. The uspi"is<' felt iv the troopers was awful. They had t.'d'in cover behind their dead horses, but. thinking this insufficient, they crawler! bark tv'.cnf 10 yards to tie? rerr of their form* pi l -ition. end found shelter bohind pone- small stump". 'Tim enemy then ij;r;'i> ! their attack mors determinedly than ever, shouting to the troopers as before, and Warlntrton was hit in tlo head, falling unconscious across Brownell, who, after firing the last shot j'.i his magazine, surrendered. After putting down his lifie. one cowardly wretch deliberately fired at him, the ballot cutting airay the shoulder part of his tunic and shirt. It ",a« a trying moment for him with fully a dozen rifles covering him when lie trot to work with bandages to dress his comrade's '.lead. 0,1 seeing which tho Boers cooled down. Tfo was soon stripped of all his valuable. ■. including a bell and sheath knife, £4 and a letter. All that was left him wero his trousers and boots. After Warbmtou's wound hail been bound up, th» Boer corporal took Brownell to his lientenant, who gave him a dressing dawn for 'iv.'.v to hold out against such superior numbers. ]!■ appears that ice number who had been sround the two m-n wero 22. They said they had allowed the two to pi,>-« within 20 yards of their hidbuf-place, and had they left their cove- to rejoin the main body, i!i: v must, inevitably have been riddled. Tho lieutenant would no! allow any of his men to star end assist Bvowne'l with his wounded comrade, but trave I hem a blanket. It was a dreadful sigh'. V'.'• burton lying in ~ semi-conscious ...*.-., whilst the* three Boers rhot iv !',,ei.| 1 -;.- a few yards off, stretched out on blankeis. Too man who had been hit bv !'.-!..vnell* was evidently sinking rapidly. Shortly afterwards they reached the ai.'.b'.danre, and got back to camp. Next morning Wnrburton, on bciug roused, said to Brownoll, " We.U,_ Doug.. how did wo shake them up ';" ndding that he frus'cd in the Lord. It) spite, of every attention in the hospital, the poor fellow expired. He had a, soldier's funeral in the village cemetery. Jack Warburton' stuck to his comrade gallantly, and his courag-s ■$«.» of the V.C. order. j!e was a great favourite in the division, and Ids memory will be. cherished by ail.