THROUGH THE BOER WAR.

Gisborne Times, Volume V, Issue 15, 19 January 1901, Page 2

THROUGH THE BOER WAR.

INTERVIEW WITH A COLONIAL OFFICER. FROM AUSTRALIA TO PRETORIA. CAPTAIN F. M. BLAIR’S EXPERIENCES. INTERESTING DETAILS OF THE CAMPAIGN. Bronzed with the burning South African sun, but untouched by bullet, shell, or deadly fever, Captain F. M. Blair of the First South Australian Contingent returned to his colony, and afterwards proceeded to Gisborne, where several of his relatives reside. Captain Blair, who represented his colony at the Commonwealth celebrations, was yesterday interviewed by a Times reporter, and in the course of an interesting chat furnished our representative with many details of the campaign and the prominent part played therein by the Colonial and Imperial regiments with which he was associated. The contingent of which the Captain was an officer, proceeded to Africa by the Medio, which left Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide towards the end of October, 1899, and the representatives of Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, South Australia, and We3tralia arrived at Table Bay on November 26—but a few days after the landing of the First New Zealanders, who were the pioneers of the colonial contingents.

FIRST EXPERIENCES OF THE CAMPAIGN. “After our arrival,” said the oaptain in answer to our representative’s query, “wo entrained for De Aar, our forces consisting of South Australian, Victorian, Tasmanian, and West Australian Infantry, with one company of the Victorian Mounted Rifles. From De Aar we proceeded to the Orange river in Cape Colony, and we encamped at Enslin. The colonials acted as a garrison for some time, during which time the engagements at Graspan and Belmont were fought. Magersfontein was the next big battle, and though we did not take an active part in that disastrous engagement, when the Highland Brigade suffered so severely, we could see the battle, and watch our shells bursting on the Boer positions when our assault had failed. In the meantime the new South Wales Infantry under Captain Legge had arrived and were brigaded with the other colonials. ' About this time it was decided to make some alterations in the constitution of the army. The necessity for mounted men became more and more apparent, and it was decided to transform our regiment into mounted infantry. We proceeded to Naaupoort, which is south-east of where we were camped, and were supplied with mounts.” ADAPTABILITY OF THE COLONIALS.

“And no difficulty was experienced in changing the colonials from infantry to mounted men ?”

“Very little. Some of the men were strange at first, but they soon tumbled into the work.” As a matter of fact, though the captain was evidently too modest to mention it, the rapidity with which the colonial infantry dropped into their plaoes as mounted men and learnt all the points of drill, was a revelation to the Imperial officers, who had a somewhat trying time with the Imperial regiments who were changed into mounted corps. SEVERE ENGAGEMENTS NEAR COLES-

BERG. “Then the actual fighting commenced, did it not” “ Yes. Immediately after the colonials were mounted General French, with his brigade (which included the First New Zealanders and New South Wales Lancers), moved from outside Colesberg, where he had been fighting against Generals Schooman and De la Rey, and proceeded to Orange river, this being preparatory to his successful dash on Kimberley. The colonials who were with us were'wirched to different points—around Colesberg—to Slingersfontein, Coleskop, Kloof farm, and Maeder’s farm. We held the last position and soon went into action. We had a somewhat lively time there, and had frequent encounters with the Boers. It was on the 12th of February when we fought a hard engagement at Hobkirk’s farm. The Boors were in force and offered a stubborn resistance. It was in this fight that Major Eddy, of Victoria, was killed, Lieutenant Roberts mortally wounded, and Captain Mclnerney, of Melbourne, wounded and taken prisoner. There were other casualties, and altogether it was a particularly trying time.” The. Captain was right. It was a desperately fought engagement, and the colonials stubbornly contested every foot of ground. But the Boers had been strongly reinforced sinoe the departure of General Frenoh, and General Clements, who was then placed in command of the operations around Colesberg, had great difficulty in keeping his forces in touch with one another. The positions were far removed, and from right to left flank was a distance of thirty miles. During the fighting on the right flank—Captain Blair’s regiment was on the left—Mr W. J. Lambie, of Melbourne, was killed, and Mr A. Hales, the well-known correspondent, wounded.

A CHECK—THEN ONWARD.

“ And how did the British forces fare ?”

“Well,” said the captain, “we didn’t like to go back, but we were compelled to retire towards Rensburg, and with such determination did the Boers keep up the pressure, with bodies strongly reinforced, that on the night of the same day that we refired to Rensberg we had to trek back further—to Arundel,— and we just succeeded in saving our convoys from capture. At Arundel we had several hot skirmishes and engagements, every regiment being very busy, and the men getting all they wanted of fighting. At last our chance came, and we made a dash on Colesberg and Norval's Pont, another important position, and drove the Boers across the Orange river into what was then the Orange Free State. At Norval’s Pont we crossed by means of a pontoon bridge, and the forces under General Clements had from that time an easy task until they entered Bloemfontein. I was sent from Phillopolis to Norval’s Pont with some Boer prisoners we had captured, and afterwards proceeded to Bloemfontein, re-joining the regiment there.” ~ IN THE ORANGE FREE STATE.

“ While the troops rested at Bloemfontein, did anything exciting occur to your regiment ?” .

“ No; we simply sat tight and waited for developments. The rain set in and enteric fever played havoc with the men, but I was fortunate enough to escape—in fact, I never had a day’s illness. The mounted men were formed into mounted brigades, and the South Australians were to form portion of the fourth corps under General Hutton. But we became attached to General Pole - Carew’s Guards’ Brigade, apd the South Australians, Victorians, and Tasmanians, with four companies of Imperial Mounted Infantry, were under the direct command of Colonel Henry, who was in turn under the General I have mentioned. We were fortunate in not being present at the Sannah Post disaster, where the New Zealanders fought so well. We rested at Bloemfontein until the general advance commenced, when we were ordered to saddle up and proceed northwards.”

THE DASH ON PRETORIA. “ This proved to be the commencement of Lord Roberts’ dash towards Pretoria. We moved with the main column—first to Glen Siding and then to Karee Kloof, where the Boers fought rearguard actions and then retired. Next we moved on to Brandfort, andf ough t a day’s engagement before that town came into our hands. The Boers looked as though they intended to make a decent stand, but the flanking movements on the right and left threatened their line of retreat, and off they went towards the Vet and Zand Rivers. On the main column pushed, forcing the Boers past Smaldeel, Vet, and Zand river, and in the direction of Kroonstadt. Here a halt was made for several days, and while Generals French and Hutton flanked on the left or west, Generals Hamilton and KellyKenny moved onward on the right flank, while the main body pushed on along the railway towards the Vaal river. A short halt was made at Vereeniging,. and the main forces crossed the Vaal river on May 27th, Generals French and Hutton having in the meantime harried the Boers northwards, and crossed the Vaal river on the morning of the 25th May. In justice to the colonials, we should here parenthetically remark that from Bloemfon-

tern to Pretoria they did splendid work. At the Glen and Karee their scouting, was of great assistance, andatßrandfort and Kroonstadt the dashing flanking movements of the cavalry and colonials had such effect on the Boers that they could not be rallied. At Kroonstadt so rapid were the movements of u £, ol ? nials on ths right and left flanks that the Federate became so demoralised that they could not be got together to line the splendid trenches from several of which not a shot was fired. But to resume Capt. Hair's interesting narrative:— FALL OF JOHANNESBURG AND PRETORIA.

“Then Johannesburg became the objective point ? ” onr reporter ventured.

“Yes.” replied the captain. “We had crossed the Vaal at Viljoen’s drift, Frenoh at Lindeque’s drift and Hamilton on the right. Proceeding northwards with scarcely any opposition, though General Frenoh was heavily engaged, wo got on to the Natal railway line, passing first through Boksburgh and then Rooikop. At the latter point a train filled with Boers had passed just before we arrived, and we did all that was possible to capturo the train and its contents, but without avail. We pushed on through Germiston, where there was some fighting, and where on the following day a skirmish took place in the main street owing to some of the colonials endeavoring to force their way through to Johannesburg, which could' be plainly seen in the distance. At this stage Generals French, lan Hamilton, and Hutton were engaged at Klip river, and for two days the forces under their command fought a determined engagement. General Hutton made a feinting frontal attack and retired as Generals Frenoh and Hamilton made the real attack on the flanks, and compelled the enemy to retire. Then the whole of the British forces'moved on, and on May 31st Johannesburg fell. The Second Contingent of the South Australians assisted in the seizure of the fort, and captured a large quantity of arms and ammunition. From Johannesburg we set out for Pretoria, and soon the Transvaal capital was in the occupation of the British. The Boers made a very poor stand, the forts were soon silenoed by our naval guns, and the enemy fled to the hills north and east.

AT BRONKHORCT SPRUIT : AN HISTORIC -SPOT. “ After Pretoria had fallen, had you much fighting ? ” “My regiment went right on to Komati Poort. First of all we moved East past Eerste Fabrinken, and at Donkerhoek a Boer Long Tom opened out, and gave us a lively time. After a ‘ scrap ’ here we moved on towards Diamond Hill, near Bronkhorst spruit, and were present at the somewhat serious engagement that ensued at this historic spot—the scene of the massacre of the British regiments in 1881. Next we moved towards Middleburg and rested.” Describing the further'’advance of the British troops, the captain stated that they moved out through Pan, had an engagement on the way, and halted again at Belfast. MORE FIGHTING-THEN HOME! “ The Sunday at Belfast was the worst I experienced,” exclaimed Captain Blair. “ The Boers were sniping all day, and the shell fire was very heavy. General Frenoh swept the Boers off a kopje, and though they were compelled to go between Generals Buller and French, with our forces directly in front, the enemy, with a rapidity that was marvellous, got clear away. We made a detour and reached Helvetia, with a few skirmishing scraps on the road, and "proceeding through Machadadorp took- up a position on the hills between Barberton and Jamestown. We next advanced to Kaapmuiden, and went right on to Komati Poort, where I saw the parade of the British and Portuguese troops. It was a great sight, and the scene at the hoisting and honoring of the British and Portuguese flags will long be remembered by those who were present. The South Australians were then ordered to Pretoria; and in conformity with a promise made by the Field-Marshall, the First Contingent were allowed to return to their colony, after putting in twelve months’ active service." THE FAMOUS De WET.

“Did you ever come aoross the famous DeWet?”

“ Yes, at Zuurfontein, near Rhenoster. He held our train up for two days. De Wet and his men had blown up the railway line, and the train in front of us was looted and burned. For two days we were kept in suspense, but after that delay we proceeded on got through safely.” THE FEDERAL CELEBRATIONS.

Captain Blair, who returned with the New Zealanderß to Australia, and was chosen to represent his colony at the Commonwealth celebrations, stated that Colonel Penton, of New Zealand, Who was in command of the forces, was a very popular, officer, and was highly spoken of ’by everyone with whom he came in contact, Captain Blair obtained two months leave of absence and decided to visit Gisborne, where his sister resides, and arrived here per the Talune.V He' intends remaining in the town for a few weeks, and will return to South Australia via Tasmania.