A RETURNED TROOPER.
(Fbom Our, Own Correspondent.) WELLINGTON, October 26. Trooper Pat. Fitaherbert, who returned by the Tokomaru yesterday* is a son of Mr H. S. Fitaheilbert, barrister, of Palmerston North. Rejected from the fiust contingent on account of his youth, he nevertheless journeyed to South Africa in the Waiwera, and was at once accepted as a member of Roberto's Horse. With this troop he took f part in 42 engagements. Of the 800 men
which composed the foi'ce to which Trooper Fitzherbert belonged when it first set out, only- 40 sound men remained at the end of the operations. Speaking of the officers of the New Zealand contingents with which he came in contact, he extolled Captain Ward as a remarkably brave man, who had shown great coolness throughout the campaign. Major Madocks distinguished himself on several occasions, and is likely, Trooper Fitzherbert thinks, to receive substantial promotion and a distinguished service order. Lieutenant Hughes's services are also highly praised. The returned trooper comes back from I*he war with a poor opinion of British officers iii general, whom, he asserts, are brave enough, but treat their subordinates like dogs. Trooper Fitzheriberfc says the Canadian frontiermen were out and out the best men in the war, the New Zealanders coming next. The Australians, he thinks, are not in it with the New Zealanders. He was fighting almost continuously from December to July, and said he would sooner 'be fighting than subjected to the fatigue duty and other obnoxious* regulations foisted on his troop during the spells of peace. At Starvation Kopje Trooper Fitzherbert and his comrades subsisted for 14 days on one square biscuit per day, and rain water. ! Terrible rains were experienced, and they frequently slept in several inches of water at freezing point, with 'one blanket wrapped impotently around them. So exhausted did the men become at times that Trooper Fitzherbert admits having gone to sleep under fire on three occasions. He knows of a case coming under his own observation where a New Zealand trooper, seized with dysentery, was callously left behind on the veldt by his officers, and who,, being picked up three days afterwards and taken to the hospital, died.
A RETURNED TROOPER.
Otago Witness, Issue 2433, 31 October 1900, Page 31
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