NORTHERN FRONTIER

Otago Witness, Issue 2396, 1 February 1900, Page 24

NORTHERN FRONTIER

CAPETOWN, January 25. Major-general Franch's and General Gatacre's^ men are expressing much eagerness to advance.

January 26.

Tlie Boers give the following version of the recent capture of a patrol of the New South Wales Lancers and Australian Horse at Rendsburg : — Commandant De Lary" received information of the presence of an English patrol on a farm near Rendsburg. He sent three patrols to intercept it, and found 100 British, with three cannon. One patrol consisting of twenty-one Australian Horse was intercepted. Five were killed, three wounded, and eleven captured. The Boers escaped without any casualties.

January 27. General French's and ' General Gatacre's patrols have junctioned at Steynsburg, midway on the railway connecting Middleburg and Stormberg Junction.

LONDON, January 28.

Trooper Harold Booth, of the New Zealand contingent, was killed at Rendsburg on Thursday.

Trooper Harold Joseph Booth, the fourth,' member of the New Zealand contingent whohas~ died fighting for the Empire, was a member of the North Otago Mounted Rifles, and be* longed to No. 2 Company, General Gatacre holds control of all th& passes in his district

January 29.

The British occupied Thebits, an important position near Steynsburg, facilitating •communication between General- Gatacre's and General Kelly-Kenny's columns. Sixteen Australian prisoners have, &r« rived at Pretoria.