Lot Essay
Gunner J. Burns was severely wounded at Fort Prospect on 26.9.1901.
'[In September 1901] Louis Botha's commando about 300 strong was threatening Zululand and the Durham Company was moved to Melmoth, two positions being occupied and put in a state of defence by the construction of trenches, sangars, etc., to check his advance, the troops available being the Durham R.G.A., and 30 of the 5th Mounted Infantry under Captain Rowley, Dorset Regt. September 24th it being reported by Kaffir scouts that the Boers were advancing, the Mounted Infantry were detailed by Captain Rowley to defend the Sandbag Redoubt, the trenches, sangars, etc., being allotted to the Durham Artillery under Lieut. Johnson. At 4.30 a.m. on the 26th, a severe attack was delivered by the Boers on the North and West of the position, the brunt of the attack falling on the Durham Artillery, the enemy succeeded in getting through the wire entanglements to within twenty yards of the the sangars but with the aid of the Maxim gun were repulsed, another attack being made later on the rear of the Fort Prospect redoubt held by Captain Rowley and his mounted infantry, was also defeated. At this time the post was reinforced by Sergeant Gumbi and a small party of Zululand Native Police, who, hearing the firing, had marched from their post about forty miles away and broke through to render help. The camp and positions were entirely surrounded. No further attack was however attempted, but a heavy fire was kept up by the enemy until they drew off. The attack had been made by five of six hundred Boers of the Ermelo or Carolina Commandos, the prisoners taken owning to a loss of sixty killed and wounded, and thirty dead horses were found the next day' (The Constitutional Force refers).
51 men of the Durham Artillery were at Fort Prospect and six of their number wounded.
'[In September 1901] Louis Botha's commando about 300 strong was threatening Zululand and the Durham Company was moved to Melmoth, two positions being occupied and put in a state of defence by the construction of trenches, sangars, etc., to check his advance, the troops available being the Durham R.G.A., and 30 of the 5th Mounted Infantry under Captain Rowley, Dorset Regt. September 24th it being reported by Kaffir scouts that the Boers were advancing, the Mounted Infantry were detailed by Captain Rowley to defend the Sandbag Redoubt, the trenches, sangars, etc., being allotted to the Durham Artillery under Lieut. Johnson. At 4.30 a.m. on the 26th, a severe attack was delivered by the Boers on the North and West of the position, the brunt of the attack falling on the Durham Artillery, the enemy succeeded in getting through the wire entanglements to within twenty yards of the the sangars but with the aid of the Maxim gun were repulsed, another attack being made later on the rear of the Fort Prospect redoubt held by Captain Rowley and his mounted infantry, was also defeated. At this time the post was reinforced by Sergeant Gumbi and a small party of Zululand Native Police, who, hearing the firing, had marched from their post about forty miles away and broke through to render help. The camp and positions were entirely surrounded. No further attack was however attempted, but a heavy fire was kept up by the enemy until they drew off. The attack had been made by five of six hundred Boers of the Ermelo or Carolina Commandos, the prisoners taken owning to a loss of sixty killed and wounded, and thirty dead horses were found the next day' (The Constitutional Force refers).
51 men of the Durham Artillery were at Fort Prospect and six of their number wounded.