WITH KITCHENER’S HORSE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4307, 16 March 1901, Page 2

WITH KITCHENER’S HORSE

Albert Bezar, from whom little has been heard by his parents since he left in the Ormazan, writes—beginning 29th December —to his father, saying—'‘l am quite well, in fact I have not had a moment's sickness since I landed early in August. It would be impossible for me to give you in letters anything like an account of my experiences, 1 must leave it till I join you, which I hope wll be soon; then. New Zealand for me. I have been with Colonel De Lisle, Generals Knox and Clements, and have had plenty of fighting and hard work, after De Wet. We often thought him as good as caught, but he managed to slip us. We captured five of his guns, and convoy at the Taal River. On the 6th November we got eight more and his convoy, together with 123 prisoners, and left seventy-five on the field. That was my last brush under Colonel De Lisle. We then went under General Clements. You have no doubt read of that general's misfortune. We were attacked in the early morning by 5000 Boers, under General De le Eey. That number against 1500 with such a surprise was too much for us. They cut up our outposts, and before we could get our horses they were masters of the camp. Some of our men were shot in their beds*. The rifle fire was like thunder. Some of our men who were at Paardeburg ami Colenso say the fire on this occasion was greater than at either place. We, of course, had to retire, or they would have had the lot. instead of 400 men, part of the convoy and all our clothing. Our loss was about eighty. Corporal Clarkson and Trooper Sinclair were slightly wounded. Trooper Duthie severelv ('dum-dum bullets) and Corporal Letts killed. Those four came over with me. Troopers Fisher and Douglas have died of fever at Pretoria, and we lost Troouer Hepworth at Bothavillo. so you will see that the Ormazan grooms have had ill luck. I have escaped so far myself, though I have had three horses shot.

I can get no tidings of Fred (his brother in the New Zealand battery). lam trying to get transferred to the "Fifth Contingent, and hope to join him. ■ ■ T saw sohle of the Fifth at Pretoria whom I knew. I think we are going there again in the morning. General De la Rey is reported to be gathering 8000 men near there to make a dash at it. If he tries that I fancy he will he the one who will most regret it. It is rerouted here that De Wet is seeking terms of surrender. Let ns hope he will be successful. A convoy of 700 waggons went through Commando Nek two days ago towards Rustenhurg, hut had to return to-day, as the Boers were too plentiful on the way That means work to clear the road. The Boers took the last convoy that went that way, hut the y will not get this one I reo kon.

Did you read of a murder in our corps? Sergeant-Major Carpenter shot Lieutenant Berghugs. They belonged to my troop. Carpenter has since heen shot. As you may suppose this threw a great gloom over us, greater than the loss of several men in action would do, for we expect that. •Johannesburg is a very nice town, with fine buildings. Things are beginning to hum there now. It is rather a sad sight to see beautiful shops, which had been.looted, and the doors smashed in.