THE BOER WAR.

Greymouth Evening Star, Volume XXXI, 5 October 1901, Page 2

THE BOER WAR.

Mistaken Leniency Policy.

A Stiff Engagement—26 Officers

Killed or Wounded

[per PRESS ASSOCIATION —COPYRIGHT.]

London, October 4.

Three companies composed of drafts from the Dublin and Lancashire Fusiliers, Middlesex, Dorset, and South Lancashire regiments, with two 15-pounders and a Maxim garrisoned Itala, anticipating an attack. An outpost of eight men under Lieuts Kane and Lefroy were placed on top of the Itala mountain. 700 Boers at midnight attacked the outpost and captured it after a heroic d efenco lasting an hour. The fighting was at close quarters. Tho Koer dead were piled up around. Lieut Kane died at the head of his men shouting “No surrender.” Lefroy was badly wounded in the fort, He was then surrounded. Determined fighting was kept up till seven in the evening, when tho Boers retired. The garrison, being short of. ammunition and water, retired to Nkandha. The Boer casualties were altogether out of proportion to those of the British. A simultaneous attack was made on Fort Pi’ospect, garrisoned hy 65 men with a Maxim. The attack failed, the Boers leaving 60 dead on the ground. General Kekowich was severely wounded in tho right shculder and tho left side. Sixteen officers and 48 men of tho Scottish Horse wc.'o wounded. Tire Moldwill scouts report that the Boers lost heavily, though they removed most of the wounded. GOO Constabulary recruits will be sent to South Africa in October and a similar number in November. The second battalion of tbo Leicester Ecgiment, at present in Jamaica, is ordered to South Africa. Ecceived this day, at 9 12 a.m. London, October 4. Twenty-six of Kokewich’s officers were killed or woupded in fighting at Moldwill.

Commandant Brand was severely wonnded during the engagement at Caledon Eiver. •

Walter Kitchener’s column has reached Vryheid. Commandant Scheeper is ill and was conveyed in his buggy southwards [towards Eiversdale. Ho narrowly escaped his pursuer whoso losses during the chase of the Commando included two officers killed and two wounded.

Doctor Fielding volunteered to accompany the orderlies and succour the wounded at Itala, but was compelled to attend to the Boer wounded while the British remained in a boiling sun all day without water and only unskilled attendance until Doctor Kennedy’s arrival.

Amongst 22 prisoners taken by the British at Eeilz was Pierre Devilliers who last prosecuted 50 British at Harrismith for refusing to be commandeered. Evidence adduced at the treason trials at Pretoria shows that many Boers who had sworn neutrality and receiving British relief, communicated with Com mandos still in the field.

Traitors rely on British leniency if caught.