Lieut.-Colonel A. W. Thorneycroft, in command of Mounted Infantry in South Africa, was born in 1859. He was originally in the Militia; joined the Royal Scots Fusiliers in 1879; fought in the Zulu campaign, and in the Transvaal War of 1881, when he defended Pretoria; was appointed Deputy Assistant Adjutant-General in Natal in September, 1899, and formed the regiment of Irregulars which did service at Colenso and Spion Kop. Colonel Thorneycroft is a brave and daring leader and a great sportsman, and has trained his men to be excellent scouts.
Jan. 24, 1900.] The Attacking Force Challenged.
Those who have clambered among our British hills—and better those who know the Alps—will realise some of the perplexities of this night ascent. At times the path was lost, and was recovered with difficulty; no lantern could be used in awkward places, and the men had simply to trust to luck and to the fidelity of the guides, helping each other at every turn, and giving a hand at the points where the way was dangerous. General Woodgate, who was in bad health and had constantly to be assisted, was always in the very forefront. Progress was necessarily slow, and the greatest care had to be taken to prevent the men losing touch of each other. When the shoulder of the mountain was reached, Colonel Thorneycroft deployed his men to the left, while General Woodgate, with the Lancashire Fusiliers, took post in line on the right. The most critical moment of the assault had come.
A. Pearse.] [After a sketch by Ernest Prater.
BAYONETING THE BOER SENTRY ON SPION KOP.
[Jan. 24, 1900.
A Boer picket surprised.
It was now half-past three of the morning of January 24—a day hereafter to be one of dark memory in the British army. Impenetrable blackness shrouded the summit of the mountain; a thick, wet mist encompassed it, and hid from the sight of the expectant officers and men the details of the strange new land upon which the forlorn hope had debouched. It could be felt rather than seen that the shoulder opened out to a plateau, which rose steadily towards the north, but how far it extended was not known. From below it had appeared only a narrow ridge, bounded on all sides, except that from which the night assault had been delivered, by sheer precipices, and the utmost caution had to be used in the obscurity, as at each step an abyss might open before the feet of the advancing line. In the preternatural stillness which prevailed upon the mountain top there was no token of the enemy's presence. No outposts had been encountered; the only sign of life visible was when from time to time the mist lifted, and far below and behind the lights of Three Tree Hill could be discerned twinkling in the darkness. The land seemed to lie lapped in sleep. And then suddenly the looked-for challenge came. Out of the mist sounded the shrill cry of a man in mortal terror. It said in Dutch, "Halt! Who goes there?" Instantly General Woodgate answered "Waterloo!" There was the flash of many rifles, a rush, a scuffle, and the Lancashire Fusiliers were among the Boers. It was only a weak picket, ten or fifteen men strong; the Boer sentry was bayoneted at once; half-a-dozen others who had taken refuge behind a stone wall were surrounded, and, though they made a gallant stand, were overborne by numbers. In this fight Colonel À Court, of General Buller's staff, had a narrow escape. Closing with one of the enemy, he tried to use his Mauser pistol, but in this critical moment found the safety catch was set, and had to snatch up a great stone, with which he felled his opponent.
