"At a mile distant their thousand hooves were stuttering thunder, coming at a rate that frightened a man - they were an awe inspiring sight, galloping through the red haze - knee to knee and horse to horse - the dying sun glinting on bayonet points..." Trooper Ion Idriess
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Driefontein, South Africa, The Times, 20 March 1900, Item 1 Topic: BatzB - Driefontein
Driefontein
South Africa, 10 March 1900
The Times, 20 March 1900, Item 1
The Times, 20 March 1900, p. 5.
The account is transcribed below.
LATEST INTELLIGENCE.
THE WAR.
LORD ROBERTS'S ADVANCE.
SHARP FIGHTING.
BOER POSITIONS CARRIED.
The following telegrams from Lord Roberts have been received at the War Office:
Driefontein, March 11, 7.15 a.m.
The enemy opposed us throughout yesterday's march, and from their intimate knowledge of the country gave us considerable trouble. Owing however, to the admirable conduct of the troops they were unable to prevent us reaching our destination.
The brunt of the fighting fell on Kelly-Kenny's Division, two battalions of which, the Welsh and the Essex, turned the Boers out of two strong positions at the point of the bayonet.
I have not been able as yet to get the exact number of casualties.
Among the killed are:-
Captain Eustace, the Buffs;
Captain Lomax, Welsh Regiment ; and
Mr. McKartie, a retired Indian civilian attached to Kitchener's Horse.
Wounded:-
The Buffs:
Colonel Hickson, leg, severe, bone not broken;
Lieutenant Ronald, shoulder, light.
Gloucesters:
Captain Jordan, leg, slight.
Welsh Regiment:
Second Lieutenant Torkington, leg, slight;
Second Lieutenant Pope, abdomen, dangerous;
Second Lieutenant Wimberley, abdomen, severe.
Essex Regiment:
Captain Broadmead, leg, slight. Royal Field Artillery:
Lieutenant Devenish, neck, severe.
Royal Army Medical Corps:
Major Waite, chest, severe;
Lieutenant Berne, neck, slight.
Royal Australian Artillery:
Colonel Umphely [? Umphleby], abdomen, dangerous.
9.55 a.m.
I cannot get precise number of casualties before I march, but will communicate it as soon as possible.
The Boers suffered heavily; 102 of their dead were left on the ground. We captured about 20 prisoners.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 17 April 1919 Topic: Diary - Schramm
Diaries of AIF Servicemen
Bert Schramm
During part of the course of his military service with the AIF, 2823 Private Herbert Leslie Schramm, a farmer from White's River, near Tumby Bay on the Eyre Peninsular, kept a diary of his life. Bert was not a man of letters so this diary was produced with great effort on his behalf. Bert made a promise to his sweetheart, Lucy Solley, that he would do so after he received the blank pocket notebook wherein these entries are found. As a Brigade Scout since September 1918, he took a lead part in the September 1918 breakout by the Allied forces in Palestine. Bert's diary entries are placed alongside those of the 9th Light Horse Regiment to which he belonged and to the 3rd Light Horse Brigade to which the 9th LHR was attached. On this basis we can follow Bert in the context of his formation.
Bert Schramm's Diary, 17 April 1919
Bert Schramm's Handwritten Diary, 16 - 18 April 1919
[Click on page for a larger print version.]
Diaries
Bert Schramm
Thursday, April 17, 1919
Bert Schramm's Location - Zagazig, Egypt.
Bert Schramm's Diary - Nothing doing today. Things are a bit muddled here now as all the railway services have gone out on strike. All their places have been filled with soldiers. Had some big head lecturing on demobilisation but one doesn't get much satisfaction but as far as I can see we are likely to be here for another three months and they are trying their hardest to convince us that they are doing all in their power to get us home as soon as possible.
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