“HIT!” ANOTHER EXPERIENCE

New Zealand Times, Volume LXXI, Issue 4396, 29 June 1901, Page 4 (Supplement)

“HIT!” ANOTHER EXPERIENCE

Your article “Hit!” (writes “Scout” in the “Outlook”) prompts me to send my own experiences in a similar case.

It was at a fairlv critical period with the Natal Field Force, and wo were out on the right flank of Title guns, which wo expected would s(i!)n come into action. The night before had been a beastly cold one, and I was out on “Cossack post,” shivering, but with my eyes skinned. With the others of ours, it had been a case of “Stand to yojir horses” the whole night through—a command that becomes monotonous when repeated too often. A few of the enemy could be seen far away on the horizon to our left front, and we all knew that they meant business soon, and wo felt glad, for we had had enough of wearisome warfare month after month, and we all wished to finish it. I had my eye on a donga ahead that might hold anything. It appeared to run diagonally across our front from right to left. Taking ten men with me, I gak loped “half-right” to a small kopie about eight hundred yards away, from which I could obtain a good view, halting the remainder of my men, and signalling the guns to await my report. We had quite enough misfortune near the railway station at Colenso with artillery, and did not want a repitition of it. Wo were galloping for all wo were worth, and had but two hundred yards to go. I had a feeling that we were covered by rifles from either the donga or the rocky hill ahead, though not a feather was to bo seen. I had raised my rifle out of the gun bucket, ready to dismount', like a flash, and reach our objective. Suddenly a dulness came over my sight, and all was dark. Again my bead felt like a nest of minah birds, all of them on the twitter. After that I felt as though water was drop, drop, dropping inside ray head, and some seconds afterwards I knew I was sways ing in the saddle as my horse eased down his speed near the base of our objective. Almost instantaneously ho sank under me, while I rolled clear, rifle and reins in hand, over his left fihonldor. There wo both lay, and I imagined 1 had boon half stunned by his foil. I could hear rifle shots quite near mo, and knew wo were engaged. We had met the extreme left flank of the enemy’s line. I could hear an oecaeionnj 15-ponnd .shell whizzing through the air, as I lay there, quite content, if not happy. By and by a stretcher came along, unci'l was hoisted on to it, but, strange to say, 1 felt no inquisitiveness as to my state. The sight of my left eye was very bad when we reached the field hospital. I can remember very little for the first couple of days. About the third day, however, two of the Medical Stalf doctors came over to my stretcher cot, and began to whisper—a thing I loathe—especially when I know I am Jlie objtct of discussion.

“I don’t feel Quite well, doctor,” I said. ’‘That was a narrow graze I had.” “Graze, bedad \” said he. “Things ap» pear to equalise themselves in this world. I suppose you were born with too much brains? Do you drink?” said ho. “Whenever I can,” said I. “Well, don’t do it ever again,” said he, “for if you do. they’ll have you in Richmond Lunatic Asylum, as sure as my name’s Maguire.”

After some days I was allowed to get an, but the bandages were not taken off my head for about three weeks, and then only to put on afresh, and I was kept on low diet. My sight for a long time was very bad, and even now my left eye is not by any means as clear as it used to be. I was very deaf in ray left ear, and the singing and buzzing still occasional!;/ comes on; but at longer intervals each time. A Mauser bullet had gone clean through my brain, and as I am now walking about, and as fit as a fiddle, I suppose I am what the faculty call “a remarkable case.”