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Page 6
At about 11 a.m. news was received that a fierce battle was being fought
at Dundee, and that a large force of Free State Boers was advancing
towards Ladysmith from Bester's Station, having crossed the Vanreenen's
Pass. The column was halted about four miles out of Ladysmith, and three
companies of the Devons under Captain Travers were sent to hold Pepworth
Hill on the flank threatened by the Free State Boers. But at 4 p.m. Sir
George White came out and joined the force, and he ordered the column
back into Ladysmith.
He gave an account of the fighting at Dundee, which he had just
received. Dundee Camp was aroused in the morning by shells being pitched
into its midst. The artillery came into action, and the 60th Rifles and
Dublin Fusiliers were then sent to capture the position, which was
occupied by 4000 Boers. This was gallantly carried. Another column of
Boers was then turned on to, and at 1.30 p.m. the enemy broke.
Major-General Penn-Symons was mortally wounded, and Major-General Yule
had taken over command at Dundee.
By next day a detachment of Boers had reached the neighbourhood of
Modder Station and had taken up a position near Elandslaagte.
This detachment consisted of some 650 Boers, with two guns, under the
leadership of General Koch, who was charged with the task of cutting off
the retreat of the forces at Glencoe and Dundee, and who had been sent
forward for that purpose. General Koch had at the same time practically
joined hands with the Free State Boers, who were in the neighbourhood of
Bester's Station on the Ladysmith-Harrismith line.
In order to reoccupy Elandslaagte and to secure General Yule's line of
retreat, Sir George White ordered out a force consisting of infantry,
cavalry, and artillery, of which four companies of the Regiment formed a
part, under the command of General French. These companies went out in
the morning by train under Major Curry, and detrained near Modder
Station.
One company and a Maxim gun under Captain Jacson and a squadron 5th
Lancers were sent at 11 a.m. by road to Pepworth Hill to guard the left
flank of General French's force against the Free State Army, which might
seriously threaten General French's communications with Ladysmith.
At 1 p.m. further reinforcements were sent out to General French, and
the three remaining companies of the Regiment were ordered to proceed by
train to Modder Station to join the wing under Major Curry. The seven
companies were then under the command of Major Park.
The Boers occupied two cones of some low hills overlooking Elandslaagte
railway station. General French's artillery came into action on some
high ground 4400 yards distant from the Boer position, and between the
two forces was an open undulating plain affording little or no cover,
and across which the attack had to be delivered.
The Gordon Highlanders and Manchesters were to attack round the Boers'
left flank, whilst the Devons were to make a frontal attack.
From the nature of the position which they had taken up, no commanding
positions affording flanking fire and protection to their flanks were
obtainable by the Boers. These were open and could be easily threatened
by the cavalry and the mounted infantry.
The Boers had two guns in position on one of the two cones, and with
these guns they did good execution, knocking over a limber of one of
French's batteries at the second shot, and practically before his guns
came into action.
General French's force, now considerably augmented, marched off at 2.30
p.m. The 1st Devon Regiment was formed in company column at fifty paces
as a reserve to the Manchester Regiment. After proceeding about a mile
heavy firing was heard on the right front, direction was changed
half-right, and the Regiment was then ordered to form for attack on the
left of the Manchesters, and to take up a front of 500 yards.
Three companies were placed in the firing-line and supports under Major
Park, and four companies in reserve under Major Curry. At about 3.15
p.m. the firing-line reached the top of a low hill, and came in sight of
the enemy's position distant about 4400 yards. Here a halt of a quarter
of an hour was made, and at 3.30 p.m. orders were received by the
Regiment to make a frontal attack on the position, to advance to within
effective rifle range, and to then hold on till a flank attack by the
Manchesters and Gordons came in on the right. The ground between the
Regiment and the position sloped slightly up to the foot of the low
rocky hills, on which the enemy was posted. There was no cover of any
kind, except a few ant-heaps, in the first half of the distance.
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