red by Dundonald's Mounted Brigade, but the
pompom itself got away, notwithstanding the very slight opposition
offered by the Boers.

The following day General Buller's forces reached Helvetia Farm, where
General French's column and General Pole Carew's division joined up.

With the object of releasing the prisoners who had been sent by the
Boers from Pretoria to Noitgedacht down the railway line towards Komati
Poort, General Buller's force now turned eastwards and marched along the
heights on the north side of the railway. On the first day out from
Helvetia his cavalry saw some 2000 released English prisoners marching
up the line towards Waterval Onder from the direction of Noitgedacht,
and having been unable to obtain touch with the Boers, the force
retraced their steps, and encamped some six miles from Helvetia at
Vluchtfontein, and at this place a halt was made on the following day.

From here General Buller turned north, and on September 1st, advancing
up the Lydenburg road, reached Badfontein on the Crocodile River. Here
the army bivouacked for the night, and an advance was made up the
Badfontein valley next morning, but coming into contact with the Boers
who were holding the northern end of the valley, his further progress
was checked. The Boer position extended along the high hills which
straddled the road in a semicircular position some eight miles from
Badfontein.

The Regiment formed the infantry advance guard of the army, and on
reaching what was then named Redvers' Kopje and afterwards known as
Devon Kopje, came under shell fire from three big guns which the Boers
had brought into action on the hills above. At this place the Regiment
stopped for the day, taking cover from shell fire behind the large
boulders of rocks of which the kopje was composed. The remainder of Sir
Redvers Buller's force returned to its old encampment of the previous
night.

The two mounted brigades and one battery R.H.A., which had advanced to
the foot of the hills occupied by the Boers, returned to camp at dusk.

As soon as it was dark, four companies of the Regiment were left on
Devon Kopje as an advanced post, whilst the remainder of the Regiment
retired to the rear of the hill and bivouacked. The kopje was entrenched
and everything made comfortable for the following day. All the baggage
wagons were sent back to the main camp during the night.

September 3rd, 4th, and 5th were spent quietly in position, the Boers on
the 5th