THE DEATH OF SERGEANT GOURLEY.

Otago Witness, Issue 2400, 1 March 1900, Page 12

THE DEATH OF SERGEANT GOURLEY.

LETTERS FROM OFFICERS. A RECORD TO BE PROUD OF.

The Hon. Hugh Goiuiej kindly placed at our dispobal oil Tuesday the following letters he had received from the officers of the JS^ew Zealand contingent conveying the sad news of the death of his son. Sergeant Gourley: — Camp, Slingersfontein, Cape Colony, 17th January, 1900. The Honourable 8.. G-ourley, Dunedin.

Dear Sir, — A& the oincer in charge of the division in which your late son served, I wish to convey to yon the deep sympathy the members of the company feel for you in your bereavement. From our respective positions of division leader and sergeant, I was in close contact with him from the time vro formed in Wellington, and I can honestly say that no member of the contingent worked harder or was more generally esteemed than your late son. The men of his division idolised him, as indeed they had every right to do, for his every thought was for their benefit. TVe feel his loss very sorely, and sincerely share in your sorrow. It may be some consolation to you to know that New Zealand has 110 son of whom she will be more proud when the facts .become known. I can say from personal observation that it was the rush of the handful of New Zealanders that saved the Boers fioni getting possession of the top of the _hill, and i., was the charge m which 3 r cur poor" son fell which converted probable defeat into victory. Several of his comrade? brought him out of thn zone of fire as soon an it wns practicable, and from Dr Burns ho received every attention. We had him cairied into camp, but the same night he peacefully passed away. I \mderstand Sergeant Hazlett is sending you details of the obsequies, and as they were such bosom friends he has also undertaken the custody of his personal belongings. Again I beg of you lo accept our condolences, and remain, yours sincerely,

Genera! French's Column. Slingersfontein, 17th Januaiy, 1900. The Hon. Hugh Gourley, M.L.C., Dunedin.

Sir, — Before this reaches you the news of thel noble death of your son will have reached you^ He fell in the front rank of a charge which] saved an important position — a position which, had the Boers succeeded in taking, would have endangered the safety of the camp. On hearing a call from Captain Madocks for New Zea* landeis to come to the assistance of the Yorksv who weie being driven from their post, your son was one of the first to turn lip, and one of the four men to lead the chnrge. He fell a> moment after leaving the shelter of our front sangar, just between myself and Captain Madocks (whose prompt and gallant action cannot be too highly commended), young Connell, who was shot at the same moment, being on. our captain's right. The Boeis fled, so your sou's sacrifice was not thrown away. As soon as possible I nwde my way back to your son, and did my best to bandage his wounds. He was partly conscious, and said he could not swallow the whisky I gave him from my flask. He also spoke the woid " father " twice. T called for volunteers to assist me in carrying him back over the barrier, as the spot in which' he lay was very much exposed, and I feared he would soon receive additional wounds. Dickin* son (Christchurch) and Mitchell (Balclutha), of his own division, I am proud to say, at once came ovßr the sangar, and assisted me in carrying him back, where Lieutenant Canavan (his 1 division leader) and Sergeant L'Estrange took him in charge, and stood by him until the surgeon (Dr Burns) arrived from camp, of course in the meantime improving on niy bandaging. The poor boy died hi camp the same evening; at 10 o'clock, and was buried at 1 a.m. yesterday with, the boy Connell, Major Robin conducting the service, and every man off duty being present. Sty dear t sir, I can assure you no man has had a sadder line of mourners behind him on his last journey. Sain, as I called him, when acting as his junior sergeant, and living and sleeping side by side as we were until my promotion, was, in spite of his always keeping the men of his division up to their work, without a doubt much beloved by them all, and had the fullest confidence of his officers. Captain Madocks said to me last night, when talking of your son, " It was just what I expected from G-Giirley," referring, of course, to his gallant exd. I hope, sir, you will not think my letter out of place, but being associated with your son as a non-com, in the "Dandy Third." as we proudly named his division, and being with him when he fell, I feel I nius'i wjite and tell you how sadly we miss him, an.l recall his manly qualities and kind heart. Nothing I can say will lessen your great grief I know, but rest assured, sir, that no man could meet a braver end, or leave sadder comrades behind him. — I am, etc., J. Gethin Hughes, Lieutenant, N.Z.M.R.

Springfontein, January 15, 1900. Sergeant Goueley, killed in a bayonet charge. N.Z. Hill. Trusted by those 'neath whom he had to serve, Lovea and respected by his comrades all, Tender to thoss who sympathy deserve, Yefc strong to command", and first at duty's, call. DA. 0. Cavalry Camp, Slingersfontein,_ Cape Colony, S.A., Tuesday, January 16, 1900.

j Dear Mr Gourley, — Long ere this you will i know of dear old Sam's death. He died fighting, as any of us would wish to die. The No. 2 company left here at 3 a.m. on Monday, Sam, as usual, gojng with his own division. They arrived at a kopje called the " New Zealanders about 8 a.m. The firing was going on as they arrived. The Boers were in a posii tion on a small kopje far below our men,— there was a small valley between — and they . kept up a running fire, attracting our men's j attention ; at the same time they (the Boers) had the main body across the small valley, and at the base of the kopje we were on. They, had evidently got under cover during the night, and as daylight appeared they must have carefully crept up our hill undei cover of their own fire, and about 11 a.m. the alarm was given among our men that the Boers were on them. From what I can learn from those that were with him, Captain Madocks, Connell (who was shot through the heait), and Sam lushed over their own breastwork and! charged the Boers, Sam. calling out : " Come on, 3rd division." (The 3rd division consista of 33 men under charge of a lieutenant, with, Sam next in command, and under him one ' sergeant and three corporals.) It was some time before they could go down to his aid after being shot, owing to the terrific fire. He was conscious for a short time when they got to him, then he became unconscious and never recovered. He was brought in here to camp about 7 p.m., and was immediately attended to by Dr Burns and the surgeon-major of the column, it was found that he had three bullets through his skull, and had concussion of the brain through falling after the bullets grazed his skull. I was up with him till ho died, and he never regained consciousness. Dr Burns and Amos M'Kegg (of Henley) ware also with him. Poor old Sam died at 10 o'clock on Monday evening, the 15ih January, 1900. You can simply form no idea whatever of the esteem in which dear old Sam was held by every man of xhe New Zealand Contingent. I mjseli haye 1 lost a f ri'iicl such as I may never meet again. We buried him to-day at 1 o'clock, about 400 yards fiom the c?mp, on a nice little kopje overlooking the veldt. He is placed close alongside a, comrade (Council), who is. I believe, a son of Connell, of Connell and Moodie, the firm now incorporated with the Perpetual Trustees Company in Dunedin. We finished .up the grave with stones, and enclosed both his and t Comiell's with a low stone wall, so you can all j rest assured that he was looked after and buried' I as reverently and sacredly as if he had been in ! his own town. I might mention that everybody was exceptionally kind, Dr Burns especially so. He was completely broken up at the finish. Major Robin read the burial service at the sriave, which was a very affecting scene, tears being shed by nearly all the men. I enclose a list of the men who helned during the funeral and at the grave. This, I thought, you would be glad to see. I might say hero lint Srtin p?ssed away m complete peace with-o-at any pain whatever. I can write no more, as I am sfraid I am completely iipset. — Youra m great grief, Edgar C. Hazlett. Bearers. — Sergeant Grant (Oamaru), Sergeant I/Estrange (Wellington), Sergeant Ellis (0.H.. Dunedin), Sergeant G-. Watkin (Christchurch), Sergeant Tuck (New Plymouth), Corporal M'Kegg (O.H>, Henley), Corporal Muir (0.H., Waikouaiti), Corporal Byrne (Timaru). Gisvediggers. — Troope. Orbell (0.H., Wai-T--ou-.iti), Trooper Black (O.IL. Waikouaiti), Troooer Culling (Moernla),- Tiooper Forsyth (0.H., Portobello), Trooper Harry Smith (Invercargill), Trooper K. G. Smith (Balclutha), Tioooev Geo. Smyth (Balclutha), Txooocr Renton (Balclulha). Firing Party.— Palmer (0.H., Dvinedin), Seelye (Dunedin), Waldie (Dunedin), Hastio (O.H. runedin), M'Doiiald (Wellington), Haselnr (Auckia-id), D. M. Johnstone (Oamaru), Towuscnd (0.H.. Waikouaiti). Mitchell (Balclnlbn). Dickinson (Clnistchurch), W. Johnston (Brlc'.ulha). {O..BL.~Piase HgsanyjA