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Page 12
An amusing incident occurred on the 17th. Good targets being scarce the
Boers continually fired shell at any moving or stationary object they
could catch sight of--sometimes at a single scout. They often fired
their pompom at a range of about 5000 yards at the vultures feeding on
the dead horses under Devon Post. On this day they sent three 40-lb.
shells at an old man named Brown who contracted for the dead horses.
Brown used to take these out into the open in full view of the Boers, to
some flat ground under the Post, and there skin them at his leisure. The
old man would take his load out once a day in a four-horsed cart. If he
was seen by the Boers he would come back at a gallop pursued by Boer
shells. This time he came back on three wheels, much to the amusement of
Section A of the defences; the fourth wheel had come off and he was in
too great a hurry to readjust it, and it was in consequence left behind.
The old man was never hit.
On November 20th the Boers mounted some more guns on Bulwana and also on
Umbrella Tree Hill, which lay in the Nek between Bulwana and Gun Hill.
Colonel Knox ordered a dummy battery to be made at night on the further
side of the Klip River and out in the open. Wooden imitation guns and
imitation gunners were erected, and these were worked with a string by a
gunner concealed in the bank of the river.
Captain Kincaid-Smith, with the two Maxim-Nordenfeldt guns captured at
Elandslaagte, of which he was now in charge, was to open fire from Devon
Post on to the Boer guns newly placed on Umbrella Tree Hill, and as he
was perfectly concealed and fired smokeless powder, it was supposed that
the Boers would imagine that the firing came from the new dummy battery
just erected.
Kincaid-Smith began firing at about six o'clock on the following
morning. He fired some five shells in perfect silence unanswered by the
Boers. He was then suddenly located by them, and shells were hurled on
to him from all sides and from all descriptions of guns. This continued
for a quarter of an hour and then slackened off. The Boers burst their
shrapnel better than usual, and in the evening just before dark one
shrapnel got into a working party on Devon Post, killing one man and
severely wounding another.
There was some heavy musketry fire during the night at a reconnaissance
party sent out from Ladysmith towards Umbrella Tree Hill. The party had
orders to disturb the Boers and draw their fire. This they very
successfully accomplished. On the 22nd night another "disturbing party"
was sent out under Captain Jacson, consisting of one company of the
Regiment and a party of cavalry, to "stir up" the Boers on Flag Hill. It
was pitch-dark, pouring with rain, and the ground was covered with
boulders of rocks. The cavalry were obliged to leave their horses behind
and proceed on foot in front of the infantry; so little was gained by
the enterprise and no "stirring up" was effected.
Up to this date there had been very little news from the outside world,
but now the Regiment was informed that General French had fought a
successful engagement at Estcourt and had got in with the cavalry. They
were also told that the garrison might expect to be relieved by the 13th
December by one division which was coming up from Durban.
About November 22nd the news was received that the armoured train at
Colenso had been attacked, derailed, and captured.
On the 23rd Kincaid-Smith received orders to proceed with one of his
guns during the following night down to the river-bed near the dummy
battery and open fire if the Boers fired at it in the morning. This they
had done the previous day, much to every one's amusement. At daybreak he
opened fire from the river-bed. After his second shot the Boers found
him and made wonderful practice, bursting shrapnel all over him. No
damage, however, was done as he was well dug into the bank. They
continued their shelling for an hour, after which they turned their big
guns on to Tunnel Hill for a short time. This hill was held by the
Liverpool Regiment, who lost two killed and twelve wounded, of whom five
died of their wounds next day.
The works on Devon Post and Cemetery Hill were strengthened during the
next few nights until the front walls were from twelve to fifteen feet
thick. Most of this work was carried on in heavy rain, which greatly
added to the general discomfort of the men.
On November 28th the garrison was encouraged by the information that the
Boers had been badly beaten near Estcourt, that 3000 of them had gone
off (it was not reported where to!), and that General Clery was at
Colenso.
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