THE BOTHASBERG FIGHT.

Gisborne Times, Volume VII, Issue 408, 6 May 1902, Page 4

THE BOTHASBERG FIGHT.

TROOPER DITELY'S LETTER

Trooper Lytton Ditely, formerly of Nuhaka, who was reported killed at Bothasberg, but whose death was afterwards contradicted, writing under date Harrismith, bth March, says : —■ “ We were at a place called Tweefontein, about forty miles from here, and were along with several other columns engaged in driving the Boers on towards the blockhouses. The columns were spread out in a thin, long line right across the country, day and night. Of course we advanced during the day and halted at farms selected for defensive purposes. On February 28rd we halted about six at Tweefontein, and before seven were all out on outpost. We built a sangar. I was on beat at half past twelve, when, just as the moon was covered with a cloud, the Boers drove two or three thousand cattle on to the post on our left, Yelling, and shouting 11 Hands up/’ they charged right up to the Iking line, and poured in some murderous volleys. The Otago posts were captured. Ail the men were either wounded or killed outright. “As soon as they had broken through

the Boers changed their direction, and came up the lino of outposts, pouring in a murderous fire, at close quarters, into the.

trenches from the left flank and from the rear. The corporal on our post was the first to get it. A bullet struck him above the temple, and laid the head open to the skull for several inches. He just gave a cry and fell into the trench, when another ripped his calf open. The fire was something terrific. The Boers were coming along the top of the ridge, walking along and leading their horses and firing like the deuce. Bullets! They were just like hailstones falling on cabbage leaves. Some of them would strike the ground in front of us, and whizz off viciously into the darkness. Bob Hardie got it next, right through the thigh, and thon another one cut about half an inch deep into his thigh. That loft four of us on the post. Almost immediately afterwards poor little Monahan had his thigh shattered. Ho just had time to cry out 1 I’m hit,’ when he fell back stone dead, shot clean through the heart. He never moved or uttered another sound.

“ Meanwhile, the other two—Jack McKenzie and I —were pouring it into them for all we were worth. By this time, the Boers were within ten yards of us. Two or threo of them yelled out, 1 Hands up ; hands up.’ Mae and I were out clear of the trench, and were firing away for all we know. Thon for the first time in my life I looked death fairly and squarely in the eye. Really, lie’s not such a bad old chap after all. Bullets were flying like hail, A wild idea flashed through my brain, 1 Perhaps I’ll get clear through yet.’ Just then a Boer on a grey horse rode to the front. I remember saying to myself, 1 One more shot beforo I die.’ Then lup and lot drive at him, pulled the bolt of my rifle open, and shot the empty cartridge case out, when a red-hot wire flew through my chest, and at the same instant somebody hit mo on the back with a sledgehammer. At least, that’s what it felt like. My head swam round, and down I went like a fat ox. CJp rushed a Jackie, and pointed his rifle at me as I lay on the ground. I was as cool as a cucumber, and thought, ‘I wonder if it will hurt like the other one did. . A long, long way oil', I heard Jack say, ‘ Don’t fire, we surrender.’ I had fallen partly in and partly out of the trench, and the blood kept coming up my throat and choking me. “By this time, of course, the Jackies were round us like a swarm of bees. I called out to Mae to help mo up, when to my surprise a Boer stepped up, and, putting his rifle down, caught me round the waist, and lifted me on to my blanket in the rear of the sangar, and the subsequent proceedings interested me no more. The Boers took all the rifles, bandoliers, coats, blankets, and leggings they could get hold of, and then went on up the lino to the next post. They took all the South Island posts, and very nearly captured the pompom. All the gun detachment were killed but one, and he, with some help from some of our fellows, rolled the gun into a bog, where the Boers could riot get it,

“ Daylight came at last, and, though I did not see it, I believe it was a terrible sight to see the outposts. Sixty-five of our poor fellows la)' dead, dying, and wounded, Near us were seventeen dead Boers, and in a donga further, over thirty more, and all along the line were dead and dying horses. It was awful. Oh, that dreadful morning. The moaning of"some of the wounded, and piteous appeals for water that never came, and faint enquiry for the doctor or the ambulance ! Just beforo daylight a poor fellow, after hours of moaning and suffering, suddenly cried aloud in agony, ‘ Oh, my God.’ Then I heard someone say, 1 He’s gone.’ Oh, it was horrible ! A fellow thinks some" awful rot when ho gets wounded. By the way, mine is in the left shoulder, through the left lung, and out by the side of the spine. Of course I bled like a stuck pig, and, do you know, when the blood was pouring down my back, I thought to myself how nice and warm it feels. I was quite pleased to feel it running down, because I knew it was through the lungs, and I also knew if it bled inwardly I was a gone coon. It felt all right till the bleeding stopped, and from then till I was picked up by the ambulance about ten next day, I suffered the torture of hell. Every time I drew a breath the air, instead of going into the lungs, would go bubbling out of my back. Then I got Mac, who escaped without a scratch, to roll my overcoat up in a ball, and to lay me so that the coat pressedup against the hole. That brought a ton of relief, and along with the others I lay there grunting and groaning till the j ambulance came. Do you know that though I lay there suffering and bleeding for over nine hours my brain was as cicalas crystal. Only onco I was a bit confused and silly, and that was just after I had had a bad turn about daybreak. When the Red Cross fellows came up one of them gave me about half a pint of neat brandy, and I reckon that stimulant saved my life. After that we had three killing days in the ambulance waggons over some deucedly rough ground, and got here on the 27th, and here we are yet, and likely to be. I’m in real good spirits, and, though my left arm is for the time being useless, still I'm all right and doing well. There was a slight inward bleeding, and a little blood has collected on my left side, and causes a fair amount of pain. Otherwise, I am in no pain to speak of. Of courso I’m awfully short winded, and sitting upright nearly chokes me. As long as I lie Hat on my back and keep still I’m O.K. Two have died since the fight, and one has lost his arm. The others are doing all right, and have gone down country. There are only five or six of us left, and when we are strong r ue’ro going down to the sea. You can’e imagine how I’m longing to see the sea again. Wo have a New Zealand sister here, and she is awfully kind to us. As to visitors—generals, colonels, majors, and captains, and officers of all sorts have been to see us. Lord Kitchener was here, and personally lined the men up and congratulated them on the gallant stand they had made. The papers here have been full of praise for the New Zealanders. And they deserve it. I can tell you I feel proud to belong to tbe Seventh—they fought like tigers. We will be leaving here as soon as we are fit to move, and will leave Africa about Ist May or so, The sick may be sent back by the mail steamer.”