Hi All,
Transcribed below is a published letter written by Trooper Ronald McInnes from the Bushveldt Carbinners.
I have tried to reconstruct the article as printed with one additional correction for clarity.
Best Regards,
Robert
The North Western Advocate (Devonport) and the Emu Bay Times (Burnie), Tasmania.
Friday, 25 October 1901, Page 3
From the Front.
Trooper R. M'Innes, of Nook,
who is now attached to the Bush
-Veldt Carbineers, S.A.F.F., writes
from Spelonken, August 16: —
“Just as I finished my last letter
we were ordered out after some Boers
We went N.E. about some 50 miles
and captured the Boers, who had a
wagon and cart and a lot of cattle.
Selding these in with a dmall es.ort, [Sending these in with a small escort -ed]
the rest of us camped to wait for
some more Boers who were on the
trek that way, and one morning 20
of us set out and made another haul
of seven wagons, with ox and donkey
teams, a lot of cattle, rifles, ammu
nition, and 14 Boers. When these
were on their way to the fort, a
dozen of us made up our minds to go
after a notorious character named
Klopper, reported to be a great Hun
ter and crack shot, who had said he
would shoot every Englishman who
came within a mile of him. He had
five wagons and 12 other Boers with
him, which made them equal to us,
as we were 13. They were camped
about 70 miles from the fort. We
dropped on them about daylight and
surprised them, catching them with-
out firing a shot, and got them safe
ly to the fort. The prisoners have
left for Pietersburg, numbering about
43, with 30 wagons and about 800
cattle, most of which were captured
by our small party of 15 men! Capt.
Hunt, with 15 men and a sergeant,
rushed Viljoen's house in the night.
It was full of Boers; Captain Hunt
and the sergeant was killed as well
as Viljoen, another Viljoen, and four
other Boers., A stronger party fol-
lowed the Boers and had a fight, with
one wounded on each side. There is
some talk of us going to Lydenburg
shortly; there are not many Boers in
this part now. I do not know where
all the mails get to, as with the ex-
ception of one letter I have not
heard from Tassie since January. I
have three months to put in with the
B.C.V.'s yet. This war seems to be
going on for ever; a great many
Boers are in the field yet, and seem
to be doing well enough; it's good
fun, anyway!”
My Notes:
Trooper Ronald McInnes 288 1901-06-01 Dis: 1901-12-14 B.V.C.
See also: Private Ronald McInnis 153 2nd Tasmanian Bushmen
Captain Percy T. Hunt AO.336 1901-06-24 1901-04-16 Killed: 1901-08-06
Sergeant Frank Eland 148 1901-04-15 Killed: 1901-08-06
---
Veldt-Cornet Barend Viljoen Killed
Jacob J.Viljoen (brother) Killed
G. Hartzenberg Killed
Josef (Floris) Visser Killed following day
Sources:
trove.nla.gov.au/newspaper/article/64553346
Nominal Rolls BVC & 2nd T.B.
website with family photos and information from Glen Innis, Nook, Tasmania
Online Article with information from Mr. Charles Leach
