COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 417 



APPENDIX 



Colonel Tremayne wrote to me on 6th December, 

 1903:— 



" Percy Smith and I, on the morning of the battle of 

 Balaclava, inhabited the same tent. We turned out long 

 before daylight. In the hurry and dark he could not find 

 an iron guard he used to slip over his wrist to save a sword 

 cut, for, you will remember, he shot some of his hand off in 

 Ireland and could not draw his sword. He went perfectly 

 defenceless as far as any one in the charge — very cool and 

 collected, and returned safe, with his tunic torn by a lance. 

 ... In the morning early, when we were retiring by alter- 

 nate squadrons from Canrobert's Hill, and when we were 

 halted and fronted, a shell pitched within a few yards of 

 Percy, who as acting adjutant was on the right of the regi- 

 ment. I saw the beastly thing pitch. Percy never moved 

 his horse an inch, which he might have done as adjutant, 

 but called out ' Eyes front, men ! ' The shell burst, but 

 hurt no one." 



My wife having asked Percy Smith's permission to 

 publish Colonel Tremayne's letter, received the following 

 reply : — 



" 16th December, 1903. 



" Dear Mrs. Anstruther Thomson, 



" I return your extracts from Tremayne's letter. 



Pray make whatever use you like of them in the Refninis- 



cences. 



VOL. I. 27 



