OUR SIXTH CONTINGENT.

Otago Witness, Issue 2509, 16 April 1902, Page 27

OUR SIXTH CONTINGENT.

HOW A TROUBLESOME NX.VI YV \.S CLEARED Ol 1". (Froh Our -.Own Corkespoxdhxi.) In the Field, .January 30. Perhaps a little account of our work smcilcawng WYttei-tioon on the 24th .Januaiy will be of interest The first daj out out right flank g"t into touch with the enemy, and had a little skirmish, the rango being, howe\cr too long to be enVctne. On the following night we took pint in a ino\<> nient to .surround Vethoek, a noted stronghold of the enemy, in a huge \ alien, uur rounded by high kepjet About 50 Boers had lomauifd, more or lc--, -tuirc, for months, occasionally raiding si nil li cnn\oys and sniping the g.irrisou m the line of jicl jac-eiit blockhou s cb. Ci'lonel \oilU. whose reputation as a fighting man is unequalled even U> the dashing Knningtrn. left camp at 10 p. in , and after a march of t-ewral houis Miccocded m lining the kopjes to thf son tli with l>iis!ir>K-n and inniint r d infantry At 11 p m. Colonel Poultney \wnt out with the Victorians and llus-;u~ to t.ike up a position on the other side of tho \allrj in Biltong. Captain Doyle, with the Commonwealth Regiment, lfft at midnight, and then Cohen's Corps (of winch we. the Sixth New Zealand Mounted RitiVs, foim 1 1 • < <h et pait) 1* ft at 1 a. in to nrt .is the <!ii\ing ijmiv A lie a\ % in. si liim^' <>\>r t)ir \.illlv a-, vi l, '.arched No on" v cu'ri !. i\r -np-po-ed that our men who occupying tho I kvtUtfS Oil eulier bide of v ? , §2 §i*tt 3 Vjia

everything. Eiccpt for the occasion*! tattle of a gun carriage or lis* neigh of a restles3 horse, not a sound broke the stillnoss of the, night. It was long otter daybreak before the* mist cleared. Cautiously we advanced, with fcout'S and advanced screen moving on ahead without transport, even without an ambulance. The column stole through into the valley, when suddenly a shot rang out : then another, then another, just as the mist cleared. Then we heard volleying on our right. Then we, who were with the guns as escort, wore ordered to the front. Major Retter brought his pompom quickly into action, and at full range enfiladed the ridges in front of us with belt after bolt. Then the heavy 15-pounders cpened. The Boers, about 50 in number, appeared to be making for the left, but so well had Plumer's forces been disposed that they came into touch with Colville'o force, who opened on them with a pom-pom. 15pounder. and a Colt gun. Once more they doubled back, and this time the New Zealanders put volley after volley into them. The Victorian pom-pom now came into action, and sent shell after shell after the fleeing enemy At last they sought refuge in a dee]) narrow kloof, but our men, sup ported hy artiliery, having dismounted, rushed in extended order and seized the high ground. Then a few pom-pom shells having been dropped too ciosc to be comfortable. the Boer*, ma.de a dash straight out ahead of us-, but where could they fly? They tried straight forward, and cam" in contact with a patrol of ours from Wakkedstroom. Whilst they hesitated what to do we were on to them afrnm. and up went the white flag In all 55 weie captured. Thus was cleared oi't a district which had been very tioub'esome. and which had put tip more than one good fight. Not a single "Joey" in the valley c soaped, according to the .statements of refugee women and Kaffirs February 16. Since writintr the nbove we have been working as arduously as ever, but without much luck. Wo have averaged three night marches a week. Occasionally we Have bagged one or two Bopm. and once or twice liad a lit-tlo skirmish ; but on the whole we ha\e lately had but a small return for much hard work. There was much disappointment for many of the men when the news came? that no discharges would be granted in South Africa. Many of the mon had thought of taking employment here or of join on° of the many colonial corps or the constabulary.