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Southland Times, Issue 14815, 17 December 1900, Page 2

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DETAILS OF CLEMENTS' REPULSE : OVKR 500 MEN MISSING. BOTHA IN THE FIELD WITH 1500 MEN. TROOPS GOING OUT FROM ENGLAND DE WET BREAKS THROUGH : GUNS, AMMUNITION AND PRISONERS TAKEN. NOTHUMUERLANIXS KXPE XD E D THEIR AMMUNITION: AGAIN HOLDING THE ENEMY TOO CHEAP. SOUTH AUSTRALIANS RETURNING TO THE FIGHTING LINE. London', Dec. 15. Received 16th, 4.30 p.m. Delarey's and Beyer's commandos attacked General Clements north-east of Krugersdorp at dawn on Thursday. Though tho first attack was repulsed the Boers occupied the Magliesbcrga, which had been held by four companies of the Northumberland Fusiliers. Tho enemy were thus able to command Clements' camp to the southward and he retired to a hill in the centre of the valley at Hekpoort. Fo\ir officers were killed, including Major Norton Legge, 20th Hussars, and there wore many casualties on both sides. Colonel Aklerson, from Pretoria, an<l French, from Johannesburg, hastened with reinforcements to Krugersdorp, and Broadwood is on the northern side of Maglieaberg, seven miles westward from Clements. Louis Botha, with 1500 men, is near Standorton. Eight hundred mounted infantry at Aldershot and 200 of the Army Medical Corps have been ordered to prepare for South Africa, and 400 mounted troops are being sent from Malta. Boerß removed four waggons of produce from Riverton Road Station, which w«w unprotected, burned the goods and destroyed the railway line. In the House of Lords, with reference to Lord Carrington's complaints of the manner in which wounded colonial soldiers were sent Home, Lord Raglan further explained that all wounded ana invalided hereafter would receive the comforts of second class travelling. Lord Carrington expressed satisfaction with that assurance. Received 16th, 5.9 p.m. General Clements reached Commando Nek unopposed. Five British officers and 9 men j were killed, and 18 officers and 545 men arc uiissing, chiefly of the second battalion of the Northumberland Fusiliers and a few Yeomanry. The Beers suffered severely. Received 16th, 12.50 p.m. General Khox droro De Woffi lYireo "iliim- ! sand to. the ThShaTiAVi-i^advbrand lino, which the British held. The Boers, assisted by a force operating from the north, desperately attacked the British, but lost considerably while breaking through and a portion arc still unable to pass the Hrilish. A fifteen pounder was captured at Dewetsdorp, also a pompom and several waggons of ammunition, and 22 prisoners were taken. General Clements reports that the Northuinliertiinds resisted until their ammunition was exhausted. Two thousand Boers attacked the hill, where a thousand wore in camp. The hill was carried at halfpast six in tlie morning, a company of Yorkshires failing to reach the top. Adelaide, Dec. 16. Received 16th, 12 50 p.m. Twenty-two soldiers on furlough have returned to South Africa and volunteers are offering to take the places of any others who have not sufficiently recovered to return.