506 SIXTH (QUEENSLAND IMPERIAL BUSHMEN) CONTINGENT. AEEGIMENT raised under circumstances similar to those which governed the enrolment of the two which preceded it. For conditions of enlistment, clothing, and equipment, vide 4th Contingent. For rates of pay (stated to be upon joining camp in lieu of embarkation as previously), vide 5th Contingent. Establishment. Battalion Staff.— 1 lieut.-colonel or major, 1 adjutant, 1 quartermaster, 1 trans- port officer, 1 medical officer, 4 staff sergeants (R.S.M., R.Q.M.S., transport sergeant, O.R. clerk), 2 rank and file, 3 medical orderlies, 6 batmen ; total, 5 officers, 4 staff sergeants, 11 rank and file. In all, 20, with 10 private, 10 public riding horses. Veterinary officer appointed for the voyage. Details of a company.— 1 major or captain, 4 lieutenants, 1 sergeant-major, 4 sergeants, 1 farrier-sergeant, 2 shoeing-smiths, 1 saddler, 1 bugler, 8 corporals, 100 privates, 5 batmen ; total, 5 officers, 5 sergeants, 4 artificers, 1 bugler, 113 rank and file. In all, 128, with 10 private, 118 public riding horses ; total, 128. Recapitulation.—Battalion staff, as stated. Three companies.— 15 officers, 15 sergeants, 12 artificers, 3 buglers, 339 rank all, and file ; total, 384, with 30 private, 354 public riding horses. In 384. Spare horses, 296. Grand total.—20 officers, 19 staff sergeants and sergeants, 12 artificers, 3 buglers, 350 rank and file ; with 40 private, 660 public riding horses ; or 404 of all ranks, with 700 horses. Draught horses were to be supplied by the Imperial authorities in South Africa. No record could be obtained of promotions except other than to Com- missions ; for which vide Nominal Rolls. Departure and Return. Left on 4th April, 1901, comprising— 17 officers, 384 others, with 615 horses. or died ; 4 officers, 60 others, were struck off in South Africa Eleven were killed ; 19 officers, 313 others returned. The first draft (20th August, 1901), comprised— 1 officer, 77 others ; the second (26th September, 1901) —3 officers, 18 others. Two were killed ; the remainde.1 returned at various times. Service. Like the other oversea Contingents at this stage of the war, the 6th were employed for the most part in constantly trekking over given districts, driving in and harassing the enemy, bringing to the various bases prisoners, horses, cattle, sheep, vehicles, etc., and laying waste the country—a service of much excitement and vicissitude. The Contingent embarked at Pinkenba, and went to sea on 4th April, 1901, in the transport Victoria, arriving at Cape Town on 2nd May. Two drafts of details subsequently followed. The first, under Captain Echlin, who was detailed for the voyage, left Brisbane by rail on 18th August, embarked in the Britannic at Sydney, 20th August, and arrived at Cape Town on 22nd September. The second, officered by Lieutenants Crichton, Cowley, and Philp, entrained at Brisbane, 24th September, 1901 ; embarked at Sydney in the Harlech Castle on 26th September, and reached Cape Town on 26th October. From Cape Town, the 6th proceeded, by order, to Durban ; arrived on 7th May, and disembarked the following day. Entrained same day for Pietermaritz- 507 burg, leaving horses and 30 men, including farriers and smiths, at Durban, under Lieutenants Rich and Vaughan. Arrived at Pietermaritzburg on 9th, entrained on 14th, arrived at Volksrust on the following day, and Standerton on 16th. The horses arrived in six trains on the same day, having been starved and not watered since two and a half days before ; and, as nothing could be done that evening, nearly all the animals were three whole days without food or water. Transport was drawn on the 18th, consisting of 9 buck wagons, 4 Scotch carts, and 1 water cart. On the 19th, the Contingent was posted to Lieut.-Colonel R. Grey's Column, consisting of (in addition) the 7th New Zealand Regiment (six squadrons), 2 15-prs., 1 pom-pom (Royal Field Artillery), half-battalion 1st East Lancashire, and detach- ments of Royal Engineers, Army Service Corps, &c. Lieut.-Colonel Hon. H. F. White (a Jameson raider) commanded the mounted troops. The 6th served side by side with the 7th New Zealanders during the greater part of 1901 and the first three months of 1902. Colonel Grey pronounced the companies of the 6th to be too large, and directed the Regiment to be reorganized into four companies, each of three divisions. This was accordingly carried out ; Captain Wollstein being appointed to command No. 4 company, with Lieutenants Brown and Vaughan ; Lieutenant H. F. Evans to act as quartermaster as well as transport officer. Started to trek on 20th in the Standerton district, marching very light, without tents, wallets off saddles, &c. ; and convoy for General Bullock having come up, the Column proceeded towards Ermelo on 21st. The enemy sniped daily at flank, advance, and rearguards, and there were a few casualties. Arrived at Ermelo on 27th, having captured 15 Boers, and much stock ; handed over the convoy, began return journey to Standerton, the cold winds being so piercing that in some cases men fainted, one falling from the saddle in a swoon. On the 31st, the New Zealanders had a bad day, losing 3 killed, 3 wounded, and 9 prisoners. On 2nd June, camped near Standerton, and sustained their first loss in the person of Private A. W. Davis, a cheerful and hard-working young soldier, who died of enteric. Formed horse depot at Standerton, and sent in 338 horses with Lieutenant W. D. Evans and 34 N.C.O.'s and men ; 302 remounts were received. During June there was constant skirmishing and both corps suffered casualties on many occasions. On the 11th, there was a brisk engagement near Kaffir's Spruit in the Ermelo district. Lieut.-Colonel Garratt, towards the end of the month, took over the Column which moved from The Springs east to Johannesburg. On 13th July, surprised and captured a laager at Kopjesfontein on the right of the Vaal ; and on 21st, captured two Boer convoys. On the 22nd, there was fighting near Lindique Drift ; and Colonel Garratt's force co-operated in some minor operations under General Elliott. Casualties were frequent about this time. In August substantial captures were made at Bultfontein. In September, October, and November, operations in the Wakkerstroom district and east of Transvaal. In December, Colonel Garratt marched to Newcastle by Botha's Pass, and through Drakensberg, to cover the construction of blockhouses in that corner of the Orange River Colony. This task having been completed, the Column was, with that of Colonel Dunlop, put under the command of Colonel Hon. J. H. G. Byng. On 2nd February, 1902, Colonel Byng, being then at Liebenberg's Vlei, to the west of Reitz, heard of a Boer convoy in the neighbourhood, and at once pursued. The 6th Queensland Imperial Bushmen and the New Zealanders charged the 2 K 2 508 enemy's rearguard with much gallantry, whilst the South African Light Horse bravely rushed the centre. Three guns, 3 wagons laden with ammunition, 26 prisoners (including 2 captains and a field cornet), 150 horses and mules, and 750 cattle were taken ; 5 Boers were killed and 8 wounded. After this, all the Columns in the district engaged in a big drive towards the railway ; which operation ended on 8th February, when it was found that 300 prisoners had been taken. During March, Colonel Garratt's command took part in further drives in the Orange River Colony ; and in April in a concerted movement of many Columns, from the Standerton line to the Delagoa railway and back. The 6th embarked at Durban on 17th May, 1902, in the transport Devon ; arrived at Albany, 5th June ; Sydney, 13th ; Brisbane, 17th. Disbanded, 23rd June, 1902. War Services and Honours. Tunbridge, Lieut. -Colonel O. A.— Operations in the Transvaal, Orange River Colony, and Zululand frontier of Natal, 8th May, 1901, to 17th May, 1902. Slightly wounded, 22nd July, 1901. Despatches, London Gazette, 29th July, 1902. C.M.G. Queen's Medal with two clasps. Bailey, Captain H., Adjutant ; was Staff Officer, Australian and New Zealand Contingents, at the Depot, Maitland, May to December, 1900. Operations in the Transvaal, Orange River Colony, and Zululand frontier of Natal, between May, 1901, and January, 1902. Brigade-Major Colonel Gordon's Column, 1st February, 1902, to 1st June, 1902. Vide also 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry. Queen's Medal with three clasps. King's Medal with two clasps. Adie, Captain A. G. —Operations as stated. Vide also 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry. Queen's Medal with three clasps. King's Medal with two clasps. Wollstein, Captain H. M.—Operations as stated. Vide also 2nd Queensland Mounted Infantry. Queen's Medal with three clasps. Geyer, Captain F. W. C.—Operations as stated. Queen's Medal with four clasps. Whitehorn, Captain H. S.—Operations as stated. Vide also 1st Queensland Mounted Infantry. Queen's Medal with five clasps. King's Medal with two clasps. Row, Captain E. R. (Army Medical Corps).—Operations as stated. Queen's Medal with two clasps. Boland, Lieutenant S. B.—Operations as stated. Slightly wounded, 1st December, 1901. Despatches, London Gazette, 29th July, 1902. D.S.O. Queen's Medal with two clasps. Nielson, Lieutenant T. C. —Operations as stated. Queen's Medal with two clasps. Evans, Lieutenant W. B.—Operations as stated to 15th November, 1901. Queen's Medal with two clasps. Rich, Lieutenant D. St. G.—Operations as stated. Despatches, London Gazette, 29th July, 1902. Queen's Medal with two clasps. Evans, H. F., and Brown, V. S. (Lieutenants). —Operations as stated. Queen's Medal with two clasps. Cameron, Lieutenant D. C.—Operations as stated.