A LINK BETWEEN TWO SIEGES.

Pukekohe & Waiuku Times, Volume 5, Issue 201, 18 August 1916, Page 1 (Supplement)

A LINK BETWEEN TWO SIEGES.

On the night of April 6, 1812, Badajoz was stormed by the AngloPortugueso forces under Wellington, at a cost to the British of .")9 officers and 7-14 men killed and 258 officers and men wounded. The loss was heavy, tri? men subsequently got out of haul, while seeking to indemnify themselves by plunder for the ordeal through wiiah they had passed. But, when ill allowances have been made, the scenes at Badajoz rema'n deplorable. Yet, even then, where brutality reigned, roi maiKo was not absent, and there is a curious link between Badajoz and another siege notable in British historythat of Ladysmith, in South Africa. For Sir Harry Sin'th. who gave h's name to Han-smith, met ° Ins wife, who gave her name to Ladysmith just after the storm and sack of the Spanish fortress. Kin-t-aird of tho Biflc Brigade relates, «n i»'s ''Random Shots of a Rifleman." that, when standing before his tent on the morning after, his protection was sought by two Spanish ladies hearing evident marks of ill-usage, with blood tnckliug down from their ears, from which their jewelled oar-rings had beet volt ntly torn, "The younger," wrote Kincnird enthusiastically, "age'd about fourteen, was an angel, n being more radiantly beautiful than I bad ever seen." Needless to say they found asylum in tho British camp, where the younger before long nlso found a liusbaiid 'ii Harry Smith, then a young otucer at the opening of his career. Hi"? wife accompanied bin throughout lin S|.an:sli campaign, and hit r. when Sir Harry Sin'th. liavinu won distinction at Ob'wal ill tho S-'kh W'ir. wont to South Africa she accompanied liiin thithc, and (bus the new tou nsb'ps wore named.