Johannesburg.'

On April 17th, Major English proceeded to Bank in command of a small
mixed force (one hundred Royal Dublin Fusiliers) to try and catch a
Boer force who had been for some time hovering round that station. He
returned on the 19th, having seen no Boers.

On the 21st, Captain Watson, formerly in the regiment, came to see us.
He was then Adjutant of the Scottish Horse, and was shortly afterwards
killed at Moedwil. He had distinguished himself on many occasions, and
had received special promotion into the Lancashire Fusiliers.

On the 30th, Major Bird and his half-battalion at last got back. They
had done a lot of marching and good work in the Eastern Transvaal with
General French's columns, but had not had much fighting. They all
seemed glad to be back; it is always satisfactory to have the regiment
together, as we have a feeling of dependence on one another that one
cannot have when working with other troops, however good they may be.

On May 3rd Captain Kinsman, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, came to see the
battalion. He was then in the S.A.C. He had been badly wounded some
time ago, having been with the force under General Plumer since the
beginning of the war, and present at the relief of Mafeking, and had
seen a deal of fighting.

On May 7th Lieutenant Seymour joined the regiment, in which his father
had also served.

On May 25th a force[20] went out to escort the S.A.C. to a fort they
were to build. The column was under command of Colonel Hicks, and
almost immediately met with opposition, the Scottish Horse, on the
left, coming in for a good deal of sniping. Sending out his mounted
men well ahead, and occupying a ridge in front with the Worcesters,
the Colonel then rode on with Colonel Edwardes, S.A.C., to select a
spot for the erection of the work. The only casualties were two men
wounded and five horses killed, and the force then bivouacked on the
positions they held. Next day building was commenced on a small fort
and three blockhouses, the building parties being sniped for some time
until a detachment of the regiment under Captain Fetherstonhaugh and
Lieutenant Maclear went out and drove the Boers away. By the 27th the
fort and posts were nearly completed, the enemy still hovering round
the neighbourhood, and next day the column returned to Krugersdorp,
meeting and dispersing a few Boers on the way back.

[Footnote 20: 400 Royal Dublin Fusiliers, 100 Worcestershire
Regiment, 20