THE strength of the 2nd NSW Mounted Rifles, Lieutenant Colonel Lassetter
commanding, was, on sailing, 709 all ranks. They arrived in South
Africa at the end of March 1901. The 2nd and 3rd NSW Mounted Rifles
formed the fifth contingent or contribution of the colony.
Lord Kitchener in his despatch, 8th May 1901, para 11, remarks that a
fresh column of mounted Australian troops was, in April, organised at
Klerksdorp in the Transvaal, under Lieutenant Colonel E C Williams, to
reinforce General Babington. The appendix to the despatch of 8th July
1901 shows that the column was, in May, composed of 2nd NSW Mounted Rifles,
526; 3rd NSW Bushmen, 229; 21st Battalion Mounted Infantry, 432; 78th
Battery Royal Field Artillery, 2 guns; Elswick Battery, 1 gun; 'A' Battery
Royal Australian Artillery, 2 guns; 2 sections of pom-poms; 192 men of the
2nd Cheshire Regiment; Australian Medical Corps; and 7th company Royal
Engineers.
Colonel Williams' column, in the beginning of May, took part in
operations in the south-west of the Transvaal, and on the 10th had sharp
fighting, when Lieutenant E Lamb and 4 men were killed and 7 wounded.
On the 15th Captain M'Lean, of the 2nd Mounted Rifles, was severely wounded
at Koranafontein. "On the 24th, on the right bank of the Vaal, near
Klerksdorp, this force had a successful action with Yan Rensburg's Commando,
in the course of which 24 prisoners, 6200 rounds of ammunition, and 30 ox-waggons
were taken". Thirty-five Burghers surrendered on the march back.
Throughout June and July the column was in the Western Transvaal. In
the end of June and first half of July, along with three other columns, all
under General Fetherstonhaugb, Williams marched through the Megaliesberg to
Zeerust and back to Klerksdorp. There were many sharp skirmishes, and
a fair number of prisoners were taken. Another long march to the
western railway and back was next undertaken. On 19th August Williams,
hearing that a Boer convoy was to the north of him, sent his waggons in
another direction to deceive the enemy; "then with his Australians, New
South Wales MR, and Bushmen, made a rapid night march" towards the Boers.
"After a gallop of 12 miles he was able to ride down and capture the whole
convoy, with 18 prisoners, 65 waggons", and much stock. On this
occasion the column covered 60 miles in twenty-seven hours. In
September and October the same kind of thing went on—the column always doing
well and keeping out of mishaps. On 20th October 1901 Williams and his
"600 Australians" (the Mounted Infantry and Cheshires had left the column)
were railed from Klerksdorp to the Eastern Transvaal, and on the 26th drove
in a Boer picket and took 50 prisoners and much stock. The next day
the very difficult Witnek defile was forced. "The enemy held the pass
in some strength, and brought a pom-pom into action. The energetic
advance of our troops, however, eventually forced him to abandon his strong
position, and he finally fled, leaving 5 dead on the ground". In the
pass, which is 6 miles long, a few prisoners were taken. Williams was
now brought to the east of Pretoria, and moved first to Leeuwkop and then to
Pienaars River Station. In November and December he was working south
of Wonderfontein on the Delagoa line, and took part in the very successful
operations of General Bruce Hamilton. On the 6th December Williams had
stiff fighting at Weltevreden, killing 5 and capturing 12 of the enemy.
Throughout December and four following months many night marches were
undertaken, often with luck. On one occasion the force fought a
successful action and marched 60 miles within forty-eight hours.
During these last months of the war the mobile columns had terribly hard
work, and few of them came out better than that of Colonel E C Williams.
On the whole, it escaped with wonderfully few casualties.
About the end of April 1902, immediately after a very successful movement,
"the column was broken up, the Over-Sea Colonials of whom it was composed
having completed their period of service in South Africa". In Lord
Kitchener's despatch of 1st June 1902 (see
8th New Zealand Contingent), a corps, there designated 3rd New South
Wales Bushmen, is mentioned, but doubtless the General meant to refer to one
of the New South Wales battalions of Commonwealth Horse.
The bulk of the 2nd NSW Mounted Rifles, under Lieutenant Colonel
Lassetter, arrived at Sydney on 5th June while the Peace celebrations were
in progress, and got a magnificent reception.
