A Plucky Feat.

Manawatu Herald, 10 May 1900, Page 3

A Plucky Feat.

The capture of the train at Springfontein by Captains Pope Hennessy, of the Cape Police, and Gordon Turner (Jiontmorency's Scouts), proves it to have been one of the most daring and successful exploits pi the campaign. Securing a trolley, the two gallant officers trollied from Bethulie Hill close to Springfontein station, and under cover of the darkness advanced cautiously right on to the platform. In the waiting-room they found six Johannesburg burghers (three Greek and three Italians) asleep. A few moments sufficed to r secure both guns and men. This was barely accomplished when the seventh man (a German) came into the room, and was immediately disarmed and secured. Captain Gordon Turner stepped out on to the platform, and ran right against the eighth man, who, when in Turner's grip, meekly consented to relinquish his gon and be escorted into, the waitingrobm. A train was standing in the yard, and the two gallant officers qtuckty interviewed the driver, who was found to ,be an Englishman, with strong pro-Boer proclivities, and inclined to make a fuss. Argument, however, ,was brought to bear in the shape tof a revolver, and the desermkled look of the two officers soon conveyed to him that resistance was useless. In a few minutes the engine, with tyenty-three track's, some laden with. provisions, guns,, and ammunition (mostly Martini-I^»nri) was gaily steaming to Bethulie, which was reached shortly before midnight. General Gataore highly complimented the gallant officers on their exploit. Previous to leaving Springfontein the two officers interviewed the stationmaste?, and with due formality claimed all the buildings; rolling-stock, etc., as captured by -"Gataore's division. About 8 o'clock the next morning the General, with his staff, and some men, took train to Springfontein. About ten minutes after his arrival, General Gatacre heard a voice claiming the station, etc., as his prize. The General and his staff thereupon went outside, and came face to face with Colonel PoleCarew, who had just arrived with the Guards (foot brigade) by train from Bloemfontein. Mutual cour- • tesies were exchanged, and the fact explained that for nearly 12 hours the station had been in the occupation of Gatacre's division.