TOPIC:

LETTERS FROM THE SEAT OF WAR.
A SWANSEA DOCTOR'S
EXPERIENCE.

"SICKENED ME OF WAR."

"Amongst the besieged at Ladysmith is Dr. Willie Davies, the son of Dr. Ebenezer Davies, the medical officer of health at Swansea. Dr. Willie Davies was, after the Jameson Raid,
arrested as one of the members of the Reform
Committee, and as everybody now knows he was
eventually released. He, under parole, resumed
his practice at Johannesburg. Directly it was
seen at Johannesburg, where he had a large
practice, that hostilities were imminent, Dr.
Willie Davies lost no time in leaving Johannesburg
and now it appears that he only did so in
time to prevent his services as a medical man
being commandeered by the Boers. He reached
Natal and volunteered for service with the
English, and thus is now among the invested
at Ladysmith with the rank of Surgeon-major,
and attached to the Natal Light Horse. He has
written to his parents an interesting letter from
which we give extracts. After describing the
fight at Elandslaagte, Dr. Davies proceeds:-
"Our men behaved magnificently, and the
local paper can give no-one idea of the brilliancy of their
courage.
"Wools-Sampson fell with a bullet wound through his thigh early; then Colonel Chisholme was shot through the foot slightly, nearly at the end of the fight. He was lifted up by Lamb and another, but almost immediately was shot through the head. Directly after he was dropped Lamb was
shot through the knee. I operated on him today, and he will be a very lucky fellow if his leg is saved; I am much afraid of it.
"The fight was far advanced before I and my men were in it at all, Sampson being the first to whom I was called. We helped several others while trying to find him, and were only
under fire for a short time. It was now dusk, and raining, and soon became quite dark.. The next twelve hour's work was the most horrible that it has ever been my lot to go through. We could not see our hands before our faces, and
were only guided to the wounded by their cries for help or those of their comrades who were trying to assist them. We did not know where to take them, and carrying them over the rough ground without stretchers (for we had been
unable to bring our ambulance along), combined with not knowing in the slightest where we were, made the job one of tremendous difficulty.
"Someone found a farmhouse, and told me of it. I had as many as I could carried there, and then we started doing everything we could for them. The wounded were being brought in all night--Gordon Highlanders, Manchesters,
Boers and our own boys. By morning I had 35 wounded to look after, including Barnes, Mullins Normand, Lamb and Colonel Schiel (the Boer artillery officer.
"I found a supply of oatmeal in the house, and started some of our boys to make porridge all the night, and it was relished, I assure you, by men who had had nothing to eat since 3 a.m. (though there was no fresh milk). I found some fowls, and we slew half a dozen, and made chicken broth for the worst, and gave the drumsticks for those who were not so ill. We kept at it till daylight, and then went out to the battlefield to collect more men who had not been found in the night, and who had been out in the cold and rain for 12 or 15 hours.
"The scene on the hill in the early morning was
too dreadful to describe, and I shall not attempt
to tell you of it. It sickened me of war."

(South Wales Daily News; 22nd November 1899; p.6)

All from South Wales Daily News dated 23rd November 1899; p.5 & 6.

LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.

"SOMETHING OFF MAJUBA."

STORY OF A DRUMMER
"Writing from besieged Ladysmith four days after the battle of Elands Laagte, Drummer Charles Toomey, of the 1st Manchester Regiment, thus describes the fight:- We started from camp at Ladysmith at 5 a.m. and took train for Bruider's Spruit . The armoured train, with platelayers to relay the line where it had been blown up by the Boers, took the lead. We landed about 7 o'clock, and as we detrained the enemy sent a shell at us. It missed by about 10 yards, and did not explode. We waited for the next train to come up with the staff and four companies of Devons. Then we advanced on the right veldt. The Brigadier, Colonel Hamilton, told us the Boers were on a position on the hills, and were about a thousand strong. He said he hoped we would "shift them out" before sunset, "in fact," he said, " I know you will,"and then we cheered like mad. He told our colonel to send out flankers and the first firing line, and we took up the advance, our regiment being the first line. We didn't lose many men until after we had moved the Boers back to their camp. They were all mounted, and we had to walk in full service order THOUGHT THEY SHOULD HAVE A GOOD TIME of it, as they held a very strong position, but our boys were not to be beat, and thank God we, wiped something off Majuba that day. We got to the Boers camp about 6 that night, and for about an hour we were in the hottest fire known. I and the big drummer got orders from Colonel Hamilton to sound the charge. Our men fixed bayonets; up came the Gordons and with one British cheer they got at 'em like_______. The bayonets frightened the Boers, and they retired with heavy loss. Our regiment lost 11 killed and 38 wounded, and the Boers 400 killed and wounded. We captured two guns and a large number of rifles of all kinds, about 400 horses, and about 200 prisoners. Shortly after the engagement it turned pitch dark, and it was horrible to see the poor boys around us--dead, dying and wounded. We did all we could for the wounded, and then lay on the hill all night. But we could get no sleep for the cold and the rain and the moaning. One poor officer of the Gordons, who was wounded in three places, lay near me all night, and to make matters worse I could not get him a drink of water till morning. After dark we fell in, and searched the veldt for our wounded. We sent all we could on to Ladysmith, and then escorted the captured guns to the station. We also captured two of the Boers' standards, which we waved on our way home. On landing back to camp we were loudly cheered by the civilians, who had flocked to the station.
P.S. This is a bit of writing paper one of our men got off a Boer.

---

"TOMMY ATKINS" AS A WAR CORRESPONDENT.
STORIES OF ELANDS LAAGTE.
A SOLDIER'S LUCK.

"Private Stokes of the Manchester Regiment, in a letter to his parents at Thurmaston, says:- "On the morning of the 21st October called out at 3 o'clock to go by train. There were 3,000 of us altogether. We went about 16 miles and then we saw the Boers in a strong position. They fired on us in the train. We made an advance on their position. We were six miles under a hot fire. It was fearful to see out own comrades shot down beside us. At last we beat them and captured their guns, and got 100 prisoners. There were 400 killed and wounded on the Boer side, and 10 killed and 34 wounded in our regiment. I don't know how many there were altogether on the British side. There were 5 officers of our regiment got shot. The colonel fell just next me. It is all luck; you don't know what you are doing when you are fighting. We finished fighting at sunset, they fleeing for their lives after we took their position. It was a hard fight."

---

SIMPLY-TOLD TALES OF PLUCK.

Sergeant Lawrence Forbes, of the 2nd Battalion the Gordon Highlanders, a native of Dane, Berwickshire, writes home:-" We had a pretty warm time of it while it lasted. We started (only 500 of us Gordons) by train and went up the lineabout 10 or 12 miles, got out, and formed up at the side of the railway. Then we started off. After going for a bit, and when we were about three miles from the Boer position, we came in for a taste of threir artillery fire. It isn't a very nice feeling to have the shells going buzzing over one's head, I can tell you. We had only one man hit though with a piece of shell (which I have in the Orderly Room in use as a paperweight) . It lifted the poor chap's scalp nearly off. One corporal got the puggaree knocked off his helmet. When we got about 1000 yards off their position we came under their rifle fire, and then the attack commenced. The bullets were flying over and around us in thousands. We had to go over a flat piece of ground all covered in boulders, and the regiment went over by rushes. It was here the fellows began to drop. When I had got about halfway across I saw Colonel Dick-Conynghame lying. Sergeant M'Arthur who was kneeling beside him, called on me to help to bind the old chief, which I did. It is a wonder M'Arthur and I were not both wiped out there. We were exposed to the Boer fire for almost five minutes.. Then we carried the colonel in behind a boulder for shade. M'Arthur then went off to attend to some other chap, and a staff officer ordered me to stop with the colonel. He lay and cheered on the men, and after he had had a bit of a rest he managed to go on a bit farther. He tried to be up at the charge, but couldn't manage it. While I was taking him on, we passed some awful sights. Comrades were lying all around, some shot right through the head, and I can tell you it was anything but a nice thing to look at. Lots of fellows had some narrow escapes. The corporal who helps me in the orderly room has a great big hole through his helmet. The bullet which made it also killed Major Dunne---he was also hit in the wrist. I am glad to say I never got a scratch. The fellows got alot of spoil in the Boer camp. Horses, watches, guns etc. etc. and this is some of the paper and envelpoes that was captured."

---

BOOTY FROM THE BOER CAMP.

"A young man belonging to Musselburgh, who is at present at Ladysmith in the Telegraph Service of the Natal Government writes:-" Many of our soldier's are quite rich with the loot that has fallen to them. Horses were certainly at a discount on Sunday morning. The infantry regiments, because of having been at close quarters with the enemy, profited to the greatest extent, I saw one Gordon Highlander exchange a veldt horse, which was rather scraggy in appearance, for three cigarettes. Another horse with saddle, bridle etc. went for 10s. 6., and yet another for 2s. 6d.and drinks round a company of six. Mauser rifles went for anything from 10. to £3, while one lucky Tommy Atkins secured a pocket book containing £270 in Transvaal money. Our 'boys' are parading about now with gold watches and chains and other trinkets."

---

A VOLUNTEER'S LAST LETTER.

"The parents of Trooper William Cleaver, of the Natal Carbineers, who died of wounds sustained at Rietfontein, received by the last Cape mailthe following letter written by him at Ladysmith shortly before the engagement:- " I think the next few days will start the ball rolling, and we hope to have a little of our own back. I never saw men so deadly in earnest about anything before---both regulars and irregulars. The Boers will not find much quarter given. The ' Tommies' are fairly straining to get at them. We always keep our horses saddled. I have not had my clothes off for a week now and my top boots and spurs are not the most comfortable things to sleep in. We have just got orders to prepare for another move, and I fancy there will be some stiff fighting."

All from South Wales Daily News, dated 24th November 1899; p.6.

LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.

AN IRISH TROOPER ON THE BOERS.

"Mr. Robert Hannay, an Irish trooper in the Natal Mounted Police, employed in scouting with General Yule's column, writing from Pietermaritzburg under date October 24th, says:-
"The Boer prisoners are an awful looking lot---filthy, dirty and almost in rags. Lots are without boots, and nearly all expect to be either shot or beaten. When any of them are taken they go down on their knees and pray for mercy, many of them holding out money and watches to our men. The Free State prisoners swear that when they get loose that they will shoot President Steyn. They will, too!"

---

ESCAPED FROM THE BOERS.

THE SLAUGHTER AT ELANDS LAAGTE.

"Mr. David Christie, assistant stationmaster at Elands Laagte, writing to his father at Ballyclare, near Belfast, from Estcourt on the 26th October says:- "I was taken prisoner on the19th but got clear away on the 21st. The moment the English appeared our guard scooted, and we hooked it over to the British, a Boer guard coming with us. Of from twelve to fifteen hundred Boers at Elands Laagte only about 200 escaped, the rest being either killed or taken prisoner."

---

ELANDS LAAGTE.

A BRIDGENDER'S ACCOUNT.

"Mr. D. Harris, manager of the Elands Laagte collieries, is an old Bridgend footballer, and married a daughter of Mr. Jones, late manager of Dinas Main Collieries. He has favoured our representative with with an account of the great battle fought at Elands Laagte. He states that the Boers came into the place at one o'clock when the colliers had stopped working for dinner. There were 150 of them, and they made direct for the railway station. Before getting there Mr. Harris informed the station master by telephone that they were coming in force, and asked him to wire to the troops at Ladysmith to that effect. Just then a train containing several officers, soldiers etc, and bound for Glencoe ,arrived. . As soon as the driver saw the Boers coming on he put on full steam ahead, and the train escaped without injury. A little later a second train appeared, and this the Boers captured. After securing the train they cut the telegraphic communication all around the station and forced the stationmaster to detach the instruments . The railway officials, Mr. Harris and other members of the colliery staff were taken prisonersand placed under guard in and around the station. Next morning they were taken before General Koch, then in command of the Boers, who by this time were a thousand strong. After a rough kind of court-marshall the prisoners were allowed out on parole, on condition that they did not interfere with the Boers or impart information concerning them. Mr. Harris wishes to contradict the statement that he and other prisoners were bound together; they were kindly treated by the Boers."

---

LETTER FROM A TREDEGAR MAN.

"Private R. Morgan, 4102 A. Company 1st. Devon Regiment, writing to his parents at Tredegar from Ladysmith on October 26th says:-
"We had a good fight two days before I write this, and I thought my time had come, but, thank God, I came out of it alright. You will have seen by the papers what our regiment has done. For three hours the Boers were firing at us, and we had to charge them off the hills. They are Dutchmen, and there are Germans amongst them. They speak good English. We are expecting to have another fight with them this afternoon. We have 30 men wounded I think. The big guns were knocking our men down like sheep, and it was something awful to see the poor fellows. We were in a bad place once, as the Boers were behind a hill firing at us like rain. I cannot describe the battle to you. You can see in the paper that we charged them with bayonets and we got on the hill. We saw about 40 lying about dead and dying. I gave some of them a drink of water, and I looked after one of the Boers who was wounded. He asked me what we were going to do with him when we took him away, and I told him we would dress his wounds and look after him. We killed alot of their horses, and men too, some of them having their heads off their bodies. The young chap I was looking after told me that he had no brothers or sisters- only father and mother- and he said that he wished he had never fought against us. It took us 16 days to come from India to South Africa, and we are now in a little town called Ladysmith."

AUTHOR'S FOOTNOTES:
1---David Christie is recorded as being a Clerk of the Natal Government Railways at Elandslaagte Station, and was taken prisoner at Elandslaagte being released on 21st October 1899 (Findmypast).
2---4102 Private R. Morgan of 'A' Company 1st Devonshire Regiment died of wounds sustained at Geluk on 28th August 1900 He is interred in Bergendhal Cemetery and commemorated on monument 3.(Watt 2000).
Private Morgan was entitled to the QSA with clasps: ELANDSLAAGTE; DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH; BELFAST. (Biggins 2004).

All from the South Wales Daily News, dated 25th November 1899; p. 6:

LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.

LORD LIEUTENANT OF CARDIGANSHIRE HEARS FROM HIS SON.

"Mr. Allan Davies-Evans, son of Colonel Davies-Evans, Highmead, Lord Lieutenant of Cardiganshire, has sent the following letter to his parents:-
' Maritzburg, October 27th---Just a line to let you know I am fit and well. I have been here a fortnight, and have enlisted in Thorneycroft's Mounted Infantry. I have been in camp for a week, and at presentam a full blown private getting 5 s per diem. I am horribly disappointed at not being able to get into the Imperial Light Horse, but I think yhis corps will be as good, only it will be at least a fortnight before we are fit enough to go to the front. The "Light Horse" have been doing alot of fighting, and in their first engagement at Dundeethey lost 7 men and 42 wounded. The Boers seem to me to be holding their own very well, and I only hope they will keep at it till I get a chance of getting at them. I shall be one of the first to leave out of our corps, having being put down as first class in riding and shooting and passed absolutely sound by the doctor. Everything is in a great state of excitement here and everybody has war on the brain. Colonel Scott-Chisholm, of the I.L.H. was shot dead in the first action. Wounded keep coming in here every day, and also a good few Boer prisoners. We have been having abominable weather in camp, it has rained unceasingly thye last three days.
I shall be on guard all day tomorrow, so I hope the weather changes. The rand is absolutely deserted now, and even the Yankees who were going to stay and work have fled back to America. I have quite forgotten all about mining now, and all I want is to get a smack at the Boers. I cannot write more at present as I have to get back to camp. I have not had any letters for over a month now, and I don't know when I shall ever get any. Don't get alarmed about me, I shall come out alright."

---

BOY HERO OF THE IRISH LANCERS

"A letter from the boy who shot three Boers, Trumpeter Sherlock, of the 5th Lancers, was published yesterday in the Aldershot News. It was written in high spirits on the Eve of Elands Laagte, when he had just been congratulated on his revolver practice. " All the other boys" writes the little trumpeter, aged 16, " are left behind at Maritzburg, but I am a trumpeter and have to go with my squadron. I am just enjoying myself alright up here. I went to revolver practice the other day, and the Sergeant-major said I was very good for the first time, and bet I will shoot some of the Boers down if I get the least chance." His chance came, and he was as good as his word, for next day he shot three Boers in the cavalry charge at Elands Laagte."

BOER TREACHERY AT DUNDEE.

"A letter from an officer in South Africa, which was read last night at the meeting of the Cardiff committee formed to collect subscriptions in aid of the Sick and Wounded Fund said: " Our people have had three or four brushes with the Boers and have defeated them each time. We have lost a few killed and wounded. The Boer loss is supposed to be very great, how great we do not know, and probably never will, as they carried their dead away. In first affair at Dundee it should have been a smash up altogether, but when they were defeated they hoisted up the white flag, and our peoplerespecting it ceased firing, when the Boers retreating under cover took some of our prisoners who went to see what was up. We shall know better next time."

---

LETTER FROM A CARDIFFIAN.
HOW THE GLENCOE VICTORY WAS HAILED.

"Writing to a friend at Barry, under date October 27th, Mr. Geraghty, a telegraphist in the service of the Government at Durban, who was at one time employed at the Cardiff Post Office, makes the following interesting statements:-
' You will no doubt have heard of the two signal victories gained over the wily Boer, who resists the overthrow of his oligarchy. I feel very sorry for the poor illiterate Boer, who has been lured into this bloody war by the cowardly Hollander. The Hollander clique is principally responsible for it, and who, if the Press accounts are correct, when they found they were beaten cried for mercy, and when spared by our soldiers they deliberately potted them off when their backs were turned. The Boer of the old Hottentot type is a brave man, and some are very decent fellows, but have been incited by their rabid krouws and the old Hollander clique.
"We have at this office a staff of 23 clerks, and we have been doing over 4,000 messages a day and thousands of words 'Press' so you can imagine how we have had to 'keep it up .' It would do your eyes good to see us at it--- coats, waistcoats, shirts, ties, collars, all off, working in our singlets. There's some pleasure in working then1
"A ll the movements of the troops have been kept very quiet though, and we have two military censors in thye office, who check every message and delete anything detrimental to British interests.
"When the news of the victory ( Glencoe) was known from Pietermaritzburg, the Postmaster General came into the office, stopped all of the instruments for a few minutes, and asked the men both in Durban and Pietermaritzburg to give three cheers for the British troops. We gave such ringing cheers in Durban that we fairly carried the roof with us, and the people outside the office thought we had gone stark raving mad, they being in ignorance of the good tidings.
"The Postmaster-General promised that I should be sent out to the front, but, just my luck, the brunt of traffic in South Africa is at the present time is falling upon Durben, consequently, I could not be spared."

---

FROM A WELSH MINER AT LADYSMITH.

"Mr. David Daniel, Gellyfeddgar Farm, Black Hill, Bridgend, communicates a letter received from his son Daniel, who has been engaged at the mines in North Natal. He wrote from Ladysmith on October 26th, and tells that he was a prisoner with the Boers for three days. He was a passenger by a train which the Boers stopped, and remained with them from Wednesday until Saturday morning, when our troops attacked the Boer position. Speaking of the affair he says:- "When the Dutch saw our soldiers coming they made for the hill, and then we had a chance to clear out. We ran about five miles, when we met 4,000 of our soldiers coming by train and road. All the prisoners went on to Ladysmith except the blacksmith, under the manager and myself. We went back with the soldiers, as I had always wished to see a battle. They started firing about 4 o'clock, and kept on till half-past 6, when they took possession of the Boer camp. There were more Frenchmen among the Boers than any other foreigners and a good number of Irish. I was through the battlefield of Elands Laagte from the beginning to the end---myself and the blacksmith---and I was carrying the wounded away when the shells were roaring past us. One fellow that we were carrying was shot through the head, and when we laid him in the ambulance car he gave me his cigarette case and told me he had nothing else to give me, and wished me to take it as he was dying. The Dutch had stayed in a hole in the mountainside, and our men could not get to them, but they got around them and made an awful slaughter of them. I stood in the Boers camp that night, Our troops took about 100 of them prisoners. Iwas out by 4 in the morning, and took one of the Boer officer's horses and went all over this field where the battle had been. The place was scattered with dead men and horses. The Boers are back at Elands Laagte again, as the English soldiers retired to Ladysmith on Sunday. I am going miles nearer to Durban tomorrow. The Boers have stolen all the cattle and horses about here. They took 300 horses from one farmer and 200 from another."

AUTHOR'S FOOTNOTE:
6073 Corporal Allan Davies-Evans apparently survived the Boer War and received the Queens South Africa medal with the clasps ORANGE FREE STATE/TRANSVAAL/TUGELA HEIGHTS/RELIEF OF LADYSMITH/LAINGS NEK.

26TH NOVEMBER 1899: LETTERS FROM THE FRONT: NO COPY ON THIS DATE.
27TH NOVEMBER 1899: LETTERS FROM THE FRONT: NO COLUMN ON THIS DATE.

From South Wales Daily News dated 28th November 1899:

LETTERS FROM THE WAR.
AT NICHOLSON'S NEK.
THRILLING ADVENTURES OF A
NEWPORT MAN.
"Private T. Bigmore, of the 10th Mountain Battery, captured by the Boers at Nicholson's Nek, who was fortunate enough to make his escape, writes as followsto his father at Newport, under date, Ladysmith Camp, November 1st:- "Last Sunday my battery, along with the Irish Fusiliers and Gloucesters, were sent out on a night march through the enemy's lines to take a position ready for Monday morning to turn the enemy's flank in order that our main army might catch him. We had got about two miles from the position we were supposed to take when about 1'000 Boer horsemen charged us. It was pitch dark, and they could have been only about 20 yards off when they charged. Everybody of course was taken unawares, and there was a proper panic. We all blame the guide, for it must all have been planned beforehand, because they were already waiting for usd. I am pleased to say I was one of the lucky ones to escape, after a very hard fight for life. I was stunned by a rifle, and lay in a hole until the next morning. The first gun that was fired woke me up only to find two Irishmen who were fighting for the Boers, shouting at me to fall in between them, and I had to do so. They were only young fellows, about 17 years of age. They took the only bit of bread off me, and one made me carry his rifle. I was very bad at the time, so that he could eat with pleasure. The other had his rifle in one hand and bread in the other, and at last I let the fellow on my left have his rifle across his face. He fell, and the other ran off as quickly as his legs could carry him . I ran about a hundred yards into the bed of a river, remaining there all day. At night Itook my boots off, and under coverof the darkness crawled six miles on my hands and knees through their lines. I came to a large house, and slept in an outhouse until about half-past four, when hearing some trotting I looked out on the 18th Hussars. I put my hand up, and three of them came to me. This was on Tuesday morning, and I had been since Sunday night without food or water. While telling the Hussars how we had been cut off, and while one was giving me a biscuit from his haversack, bullets suddenly flew around in all directions. The Hussars galloped away and left me. After galloping about 400 yardsone of them returned. I was weak, but by my catching hold of his stirrups he was able to take me to his outposts, where I got food and water. Iwas hit three times, but am now alright. Over 100 of my battery missing."

From the South Wales Daily News dated 29th November 1899; p.6:

LETTERS FROM THE FRONT.
A CARDIFF SOLDIER'S STORY.
"Mr. Charles Webster, 41, Hope Street, Cardiff has three sons in the Army, whose regiments are in the field of operations in South Africa. Two of the sons are both in B Company of the 1st Devonshire Regiment, who fought so gallantly in the battle of Elandslaagte, and who are now invested in Ladysmith. Mr. Webster has just received a letter from his son Charles, dated Ladysmith, October 28th, in the course of which one of his sons says:- "Weare now in the midst of a very dreadful war, such as not been seenor gone through since the Indian Mutinyor Crimean Campaign. We have no ignorant natives without any big guns to fight against, but a thoroughly civilised and enlightened nation, who not only know how to shoot but shoot straight. Thank the Lord, neither of us have been hit yet, and I hope we shall not be, and shall be very glad when we get some assistance from here, as the Indian contingent and a few volunteers are keeping the whole of the Boers at bay, for a time at least, until we get reinforced from England. We are having some very hard times of it out here, which you will see by the papers I am sending you, in which I shall mark which engagements we are going through....... You will see by the paper that the Gordons are not having it all their own way this time, and that the old Devon boys can fight aswell. The Gordons want all the praise for the charge at Elands Laagte, but the old regiment took the lead all the way, and never l;ost one killed, although having 34 wounded."
The third son of Mr. Webster is in the Royal Welsh Fusiliers.

LAST DAYS AT DUNDEE.
A POSTMASTER'S EXPERIENCE.
"Mr. H.H.Paris, postmaster at Dundee, Natal has written to his father a letter dated from Maritzburg on October 27th, giving an account of his experiences. After describing the fighting he proceeds:-
"I saw General Penn-Symons brought in mortally wounded in the stomach. He was suffering intense agony, and said, 'Oh, tell me, have they taken the hill yet?' That was at 20 past 10am., and the hill was not taken for hours later. After the doctors had injected morphine his pain was easier, and he said he would be with the column on the following day.
Further in the letter he says:-
"Major-General Yule sent for me, asking me to go to the office with a message, stating that the Boers had surrounded us. He required reinforcements from Ladysmith and expected they were near at hand; in fact , he was going to Glencoe Junction to meet them. As I rode in the Boers were shelling the town with two 40-pounders. The shells were whizzing over the office, and as you may be certainI got the messages sent as soon as possible. I also ascertained that no reliefs were being sent, which surprised Gen. Yule very much. At 7p.m. the General asked me to go in with another telegram, adding that he wished to destroy all military messages that had been sent. I replied that my staff and myself would go in, but I pointed out that we did not desire to be abandoned, and I asked him if he could let us know when they were retreating to Ladysmith. He said that he quite understood the position, and that if they decided to leave Dundee he would send a mounted orderly to inform us. As we could not get horses we walked into the town, and we did as requested, whilst we also kept up telegraphic communications with Pietermaritzburg. At 11:30 p.m. a friend, who is a guide to the military rode up, very excitedly, saying he had come to inform us that the troops had gone, and that btheir last wagon was then moving down the street. The General had forgotten all about us!"

LUCKY SWANSEA FELLOW.
SAVED BY HIS FLAGPOLE.
"By Tuesday' mail Mr. G.Hollins of St. Helens Road, Swansea received a very welcome letter from his son of G Company 1st Gloucester Regiment ( Indian contingent) under date October 27, the writer says:- "My Dear Parents-- I expect you will be surprised to hear that I am on active service to the Transvaal. We arrived here from India on the 13thinst. and are camping at Ladysmith. Our regiment was in action on the 23rd inst. at Modder Spruit and we lost about 12 killed , 52 wounded,and three other men are missing. It was awful to see men rolling over when they were shot, and to hear their groans. I am very pleased to tell you that I did not get hurt, but I had a few narrow escapes. My flagpole, which I used for signalling purposes, was lying by my side, and got shot in two. It turned the shot away from me, or else I should have been shot in the legs. It was the heaviest thing that has taken place here yet, and our regiment was in the thickest of it. My company suffered the worst, having four men killed and 15 wounded, and I can tell you I am a lucky man to be living. I expect you have seen the papers up till now, and I hope you will follow them up. My regiment had great praise from the general in command. Your affectionate son Albert Hollins." In a postscript, the writer obsereved that he had to use pencil, "as no ink is available on active service." and the follows Laban's wish: " The Lord watch between me and thee when we are absent one from another." contained in the simple word, "Mizpah"---written in capital letters."

AUTHOR'S FOOTNOTE
Having checked through the casualty lists, it would appear that all three of Mr. Webster's sons returned from South Africa safely.
3056 Sergeant Charles Webster 1st Devons received the QSA with clasps: ELANDSLAAGTE/DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH/TRANSVAAL.
4869 Private George Webster 1st Devons received the QSA with clasps; ELANDSLAAGTE/DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH/BELFAST.

Private Albert Hollins of the Gloucesters does not appear on casualty lists and appears to have avoided the mass surrender of his regiment at Dewetsdorp.