The Light Side of War

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume II, Issue 105, 6 February 1900, Page 3

The Light Side of War

One of the most interesting side lights on the war has been provided by Mr Gr. H. Atkin on, who bad such an exciting time when the Boers swooped down on Elandslaagte. Mr Atkinson is now in England, and to a co;> temporary supplies a giaphic word-picture of the incident. When the first train BCeatned* up he called the driver into the office, and informed him of the

near approach of the Boers. "Pick up the mails, .and go for all you're worth," he said. Loud cries, rattling hoofs, crackling reports from M.uiser rifles, am! the pattering of bullets all round showed that tho Boers were upon them. Diivcr Cutbush didn't wait. When Aikinaon was told to stop the train he did not, and he managed to semi a few words j of wauiing by wire to Lad}-; smith, The Bojms seized hun •oufchly, and, with th.'ir ' :3* »t I bib eLest, demanded his reasons | for not complying with I lie nifj(Mit orders he had received. " You could have btopped the ] oiain," shouted the field comet. " \\ c will shoot yon I'm 1 this, jou Knglibhuinn. Gome on.'" i Later, however, the field cornet apologised to the loyal -uiioiunaster : "I'm very sorry,' oid man, tliat I said to you what 1 did when I iiiot came. I said N.ni 100 maoh. Yuu e.ui vinut>Mdnd my fW'Tai^. Seei.'K/ lh>« tidiii escpe \/js Imu enough, be-v-au^e you iia've could stopped it, and did not. As I rode up I saw one of my poor men fall, wounded by a phot i'mm the tuiin, aad tin • > M < .> us.; I) 1-*1 -'* i«. *' >-. I ->p<>k" i.. , c \," !"i i ,iw <. vi^vvevor, ii it fll cmci now. F'-^c'-. my hand. W (J will Lv? a Ouik." T:jo stauo.iJi^-Jv! l.id j.ithera good tune with tlu' Ji.ieip on tinwhole, though some ol the juniors tnod Ins ne;vt->s by pre-■,l-nrmg their c<wbniPri at lii!n ( and making cogont remaiks upon the live and drad Britishers They were checked by tue otftcer, but, as Mr Atkinson puts it, "there was always a doubt \vheiher one of the crowd maght not try his Mauser firtit and be p'luished after the mi&jhief was lione." On :he night of the capture the lioei'b held a "smoker," and with me aid of some iooied whisky v.;-eui to liavo become quite frioky Did convivial. V .Jsesvca&tle lefngee obliged with a comic song, and then with Mr Atkinson obliged the company wir.h the diu-t, " All's ell," apiece of unintentional irony. A burgher sang an liish song, a German warbled "Sweet and Low," the Boer sergeant pU.yed a series of National Anthem.., including both " God Save the Queen " and the the Transvaal Volkslied ; and wnen the English prisoners sang our National Anthem, the Dutch present joined in. "God Bless the Piiuce of Wales" was also played by the German, both English and Dutch pinging in i heir respective tongue. Mr Atkinson and the other English prisoners were left in charge of a guard. It was doubtful in what, direction to expect cither friend or foe, and so a bargain was come to. The sergeant undertook, in case a party of Boers came np first, to -;ecure tnein from ill-usage, and ne was promised tin same con-iition-i in case British cavalry vvere lir^t on the scene. The Biitisli came up fir^t, and when Mr Atkinson explained that the men had behaved well to the prisoners, the same treatment was immediately assured to them.