A MISTAKEN REPORT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2424, 30 August 1900, Page 30

A MISTAKEN REPORT.

Trooper T. M. Freeman, of Waimste, a member of the second contingent, who returned invalided from the front by the Gothic, arrived in Lyttelton on Saturday moiiimg by the Rolomahana. Ko is experiencing (says the Press) the peculiar feelings of a man leturned from the g raye i his death having, in error, been reported to his friends. The mistake aiose in this vaj : — Trooper Freeman was at Bloemfontein at the same time that a New South Wales Lancer, of the fame surname, die-c! and was buried, and the authorities reported that the New Zealander had died. A peculiar coincidence was that the New South Wales Lancer's number was 207, whilst Trooper Freeman's number was 007. At the Lancer's grave it appears a dispute arose as to his identity — some maintaining he.was the New Zealander. It was not until Trooper Freeman reached Capeto^Ti that he learned of the mistake from a mate, who told him that notification of his death had been read out in orders. As may be imagined, Trooper Freeman's friends have suffered considerably through the error made. After the fight at the Yet River, Major Cradock put Trooper Freeman in an ambulance, with instructions to loin him in a day's time, but the medical officer ordered him back to the hospital. Trooper Freeman, however, managed to get possession of a horse, rifle, and bandolier, and started off on his own to find the New Zealanders. He fell in with General French's column instead, and fought with the Inniskillings outside Kroonstad. After a day and a-half's endeavour to get uu with the contingent, the fever got hold of him, and on getting off his horse he found it impossible to get on again, and was ultimately nicked up on the veldt by some dragoons. He was four days in a field hospital ; the same peiiod was taken in transport to Bloemfontein, and during throo days he lay unconscious. Pte was three or four week? in hospital at Bloemfontein, and made an ineffectual attempt to clear out and rejoin the contingent. Fe was sent to Wynberg Hospital, in Cape Colony, where he was for about a fortnight. He was then sent to the bass hospital at Maitland. where he was put on light duties for about 10 days -prior to leaving for New Zealand. _ Trooper Freeman thinks Soutl. Africa is a good coimtry to fight in, but uol so desirable to live ir>. Despite the hardships encountered, and which one got used to, ho liked campaigning, and he felt so much_ recovered in health when lie reached Wellington that he saw Colonel Penton and asked to be allowed to return to South Africa in a month. Colonel Penton, hew ever, would not hear of the proposal. The other members of the contingent from "Waimatc— the Goldstones and Butcher— ware doing first class. Speaking generally of the treatment receive:! by tho colonial troops, Trooper Freeman said it was very good, and as good as could be expected.