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From: James Butler NSW Lancers
Date: 8/14/2001
Time: 8:54:17 AM
Remote Name: 203.28.142.37
Just Checking here at work from the internet found some details of Major Rundle, also some from the Lancers history from my website.
RUNDLE - Lieutenant William John Scott, D.S.O. - 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers) Wounded at Kareebosch, 19th July 1901. Died at Beaufort West, 30th July. Aged 25. Son of Dr. George E. Rundle, of Rooty Hill, New South Wales
From Chapter 2 NSW Lancers history On and about February 20 1899 the members of the various units arrived at the Lancer Barracks, Parramatta, and pitched their tents on the old parade ground used by the Imperial regiments for half a century. At the second morning's parade four sergeant-majors and sergeants picked men in turn until the four troops were constituted. They seemed to pick in order from tall to short the troopers not being well-known to more than one of them. The result was an averaging in size, and although many of the home localities were partially obliterated, this method minimised the tendency to form cliques. The troops were led by 2nd Lieutenant S. F. Osborne, Berry; 2nd Lieutenant W. J. S. Rundle, Maitland; and the S.S.M. and S.Q.M.S. or their sergeants.
From Chatper 3 During the first week of May, Captain Nicholson (Maitland), 40 other ranks ("The Forty Thieves") and 71 horses joined, and the brigade marched out of Springfield towards Rondeheuval. The objective was Kroonstad, temporary capital of the Orange Free State, where General Botha was in occupation with 6,000 Boers. By May 8, the brigade was 60 miles from Bloemfontein. Eighteen miles further on, at Vredes Verdag near Ventersburg Road Station, it was heavily shelled. An Inniskilling squadron supporting the lst Australian Horse was practically annihilated by the Johannesburg Police Regiment, and Lieutenant Wilkinson, 1st A.H., was taken prisoner. In spite of this, the brigade pushed forward 12 miles by night, and went to the assistance of Lieutenant Rundle (formerly one of the Lancers' officers in the Aldershot squadron) and his troop of the Carabiniers
On June 1 the cavalry moved to Ber Vlei, and two days later crossed the Krokodile River and moved 25 miles to Kalkheuvel Pass. Here there was heavy fighting in rocky country. The Carabiniers and 6th Dragoons in advance were ambushed, and even General French gallaped back, through a hail of bullets. Lieutenant Rundle (late New South Wales Lancers) had three horses shot under him, but the New South Wales Lancers and one squadron of the 6th Dragoons rallied, dismounted, went into action and prevented further panic. "All credit for this must be given to Major Allenby," writes Yardley, "the N.S.W. Lancers under Major Lee, and the Inniskillings supporting the Carbs." The division was critically jammed in a ravine all night, but luckily the Mafeking Commando retired. The advanced guard cleared the pass on June captured a large supply of provisions and bivouacked at Zilikats Nek under the Magaliesburg Range, due west of Pretoria. There were now only 30 men left in "A" Squadron. The release of the 3,500 prisoners at Waterval on June 10 was a joyous and exciting event. "On the British coming within view of the
On August 21 the regiment proceeded to Blesbokspruit, and, marching at 4 a.m. on the 26th, fighting at close quarters all day,reached Vlakplaats on the 27th. Here it was again selected to take the ridges opposite, occupied by the enezny in force, with two guns. Marching as advanced guard through country full of precipices on the 29th, Helvetia was reached at midday, and the men bivouacked that night on the heights above Waterval Onder. Next morning the Inniskillings occupied the hills 1,000 feet above the town. In the afternoon "B" Squadron gained the town, galloping through a hail of bullets and, under cover of dark, bringing away a number of prisoners. The success caused the enemy to release all our prisoners at Nooitgedacht, a few miles away. Among the released was Lieutenant Rundle. On the last day of the month, the cavalry proceeded to Machadodorp, a town which had been used for some time by Mr Kruger as the capital of the Republic.
More to follow