WAR SKETCHES.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 12420, 1 August 1902, Page 3

WAR SKETCHES.

THE NIGHT ATTACK ON SHIPS LAAGER. DELISLE'S SOUTH AUSTRALIANS ' AT WORK. ffiy Captain F. B. Mum. South Australian Mounted Rifles.)

You. have seen a highly-coloured almanac representing a fight at night—hones reined up, dust flying (rem their feet, little spurts of.flame from tha rifle muzzles, tho enemy tumbling out of their blankets round the camp fires, tho mem overhead. Well, it was just like that. Wo ha-.i moved out of camp at Elizabothsnist, on the. Tail River, south-west from Klerksdorp, at 11 p.m., according to orders received from the Brigadier (Colonel De Lisle), grumbling and swearing as is the way of soldiers at losing our sleep, yet keen as mustard at the chance of a fight, with instructions to make for the drift on the Vet River at G'roolvallci, and hold it until the column came along the next day. By doing so wc would bag any Boon or waggons who attempted to cross, &nd our force was small enough to hide in tho river bed and strong enough to defend itself if attacked by numbers. Our commanding officer, Major Shea (15th Bengal Lancers/, was in charge, and we hoped for sport. Soon we were clear of the camp and outposts, and moving silently in our usual night formation—column of fours, no limits or talking, cold as charity. Now and again we dismounted and walked to warm ourselves and ease the horses. We soon discovered that our guide, a Dutchman, was not sure of his ground, so relieved him of his duties. "When wo find the drift I'll have you rolled in it," said the CO. quietly to the guide. About 4 a.m. we halted in a' hollow, and sent three or four good men out to locate the blessed drift, which seemed to have lost itself. They have scarcely gone before one of them is back with word of a fire, a succession of fires, on o.ur right front. On tho instant everyone was alert. " Mount, walk, march " was tho quiet order, and wo moved towards tho lights. As we rode the CO. reasoned thus: "This must be Smit's commando, 300 or 400 strong"—(we knew it was in the neighbourhood).—" so no drift for us to-night. We'll go for the northern end of theii laager; its nearest to our own column." In about 20 minutes we were within 200 yards of the fire, which outlined a farmhouse. Figures we saw in the moonlight moving about among the' horses, tethered round the house. Dawn was near, hut as yet they had not seen or heard us, and we had disturbed no picket. Then came short, sharp orders: "Two troops to the right of the farm; two troops to the left; the other squadron in reserve; surround the farm."' A minute to tell off the troops, "All ready, sir," from the adjutant, and we are galloping over that 200 yards at racing speed, yelling like fiends, the leaders firing from their horses' backs, and everyone with their hearts in their months. At once tho commando came to life, shouts, shrieks, curses, the crack of the rifles, dust and seeming confusion everywhere—the left flank troops stopped, they "had ridden into a wire fence—the reserve squadron could not sit still, and galloped like mad right at the farmhouse-t-an opening was found in the wire fence—everyone seemed to be shouting- "Hands up."' Bv this.time the leaders had dismounted, and made for the house with the bayonet. Down went one man, stabbed as he ran—two. three—" Ee careful you dcu't shoot your own men" an officer shrieks, emptying his revolver as he went— the leader rode at a Boer who had hurriedly mounted and_ was making off; forgot he had a loaded carbine in his hand, and hammered the Boer with the butt of it. catches him, and takes up a central position to work the fight. A small party dismounted behind a small dam not 30yds from the farm -loor, and a deadly short-range duel went on. Oa the other side the enemv made for the trees, but our men were there first. A Boer climbed a tree, but was soon persuaded to follow his rifle down. The cursing was awful, and the peculiar metallic • irack of the rifles at such a short range had r. deadly significance—the shooting slackened a little—mounted men moved alone; the fence, which delayed the left flank: but although we were within 30vds of them, in the .uncertain light we took them for onr own men—they were Boers escaping—had we only known! Day was now breaking, and ? final rush was made for the house, and it was ours. There were a few scattered fhots still, and the senior officers rallied the JJjen, and collected tho prisoners and dead. The doctor attended to the wounded, of whom only two are curs, and soon tho rest of us were in position to renel any counter attack which the rest of the commando might have made on us. As it got lighter we saw (hem ridine round us °on three sides, ( but the north 'side, whovo our column would come from, was- clear—volunteers were called for, and Captain Legm? (N;S.W.) and three men rode out to meet the column and tell them to hurry on as we were outnumbered three to one. The Bopi-s chased them a mile or two, and then gave it uo, turning their attention to us- * feeble long-range fire was opened on ns, but they were too demoralised' by the suddenness of our attack to be in earnest. About 8 a.m. we saw mounted men coming over the northern sky-line, and shorllv afterwards the welcome flash of a helio. indicated our reinforcements. We flashed to them, "Two of ours wounded: enemy's loss, five killed, one wounded, 16 prisoners." and got in reply, "Good." Shortly after the advance guard of the column arrived, and the enemy dispersed for good. Wo were congratulated bv the whole of the brigade on the success of the night march, and during the afternoon a note was brought round to.the CO.'s tent: "Please convey to tho sallant regiment under your command mv hearty apDreciation of the success of the voir dashing night attack on the Grontvallei farm this morning.—Yours, etc. H be B. De Lisle, Lieutenant-colonel."' Extract from Army Orders. Pretoria, August, 1301. Major J. S. If. Shea, 15th Bengal Liuicw to be a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order, for dashing lcauing in a nMit attack on Grootvallei Farm, August 1, against superior numbers. Troopers Kermode and Brandt, South Australians, to be corporals for gallantry on the night of August 1. ' Corporal Kermode to receive tho Di°tingmshed Conduct medal for gallantry on (he HJght of August 1, 1901.