aving marched from 4 a.m. till 10.30
p.m. a distance of thirty-five miles. There were four casualties, one of
which was a Devon man slightly wounded.

November was spent rather quietly by the battalion, the men being
employed in strengthening the various posts and making them comfortable.

On November 7th one company was sent off to garrison Strathcona Hill on
the southern side of the town.

On the 8th General Walter Kitchener again attacked the Boers, this time
employing entirely mounted troops, He brought back with him 1000 sheep,
50 ponies, and 20 wagons. Five Boers were killed, and the mounted troops
had two casualties.

Colonel Park returned from sick leave on the 9th, when Major Davies
resumed his position as second in command. Lieutenants Hext and Kane
left shortly afterwards to join the mounted infantry at Pretoria, and at
the end of November Lieutenant Woollcombe rejoined the Regiment from
Maritzburg, Lieutenant Harris returned from Pretoria with a draft of
thirty-eight men, and Lieutenant Twiss rejoined from hospital at
Newcastle.

At the beginning of December the following was the distribution of the
companies of the Regiment:--

Two companies at Paardeplaats under Captain Bartlett.
One company at Bridge Post under Captain Travers.
One company at Strathcona Hill under Lieutenant Willis; and
Four companies at Mission Camp.

On December 9th and 10th a foraging expedition with three guns and four
companies of the Rifle Brigade went out towards Van Der Merves' Farm
under Colonel Park. These brought back twenty-eight wagon loads of
forage without experiencing any opposition.

It was reported on the 12th that Nelspruit had been cut off by the Boers
and required assistance. A column was immediately formed, composed of
one squadron 19th Hussars, four companies Devons under Major Davies, and
four companies Rifle Brigade with some guns; the whole proceeding under
General Kitchener _en route_ to the Mauchberg and Devil's Knuckles.
Three companies of the Regiment had been taken from Mission Camp and one
from Paardeplaats.

A blizzard blowing all night and the following morning, accompanied with
thunder and heavy rain, delayed the advance of the troops till noon,
when a start was effected, and the Mauchberg was occupied by the Devons
without opposition.

Further advance down Hell's Gate to the Devil's Knuckles was found
impracticable owing to the state of the road. Troops from Machadodorp
had been sent to Ly