294 FROM THE NIGER TO THE NILE 



charge of the regimental transport, he was one of the six 

 officers who never went sick throughout that trying cam- 

 paign, when so many of all ranks fell victims to enteric 

 fever. He received the Medal and Clasp. Ben Gosling— 

 he was always known as ' Ben ' except in the regiment, 

 where he was invariably called ' Goose ' — will be chiefly 

 remembered in the Army as a brilUant polo player of the 

 very first class, and in the Rifle Brigade he will ever be 

 associated with the great triumph of the 3rd Battalion 

 team, which won in 1900 both the Indian Infantry and 

 Inter-Regimental Tournaments ; the team comprising 

 E. W. Bell (No. 1), G. B. Gosling (No. 2), George Morris 

 (No. 3), and Percy Creed (Back). Returning to England in 

 1899, he played in the winning team of the County Cup at 

 Hurlingham — Stansted — while in 1903 he was the mainstay 

 of the 1st Battalion team which played that sensational 

 game against the 17th Lancers (the ultimate winners) in the 

 semi-final of the Inter-Regimental Tournament, the score 

 being seven goals to six. 



"A fine hitter and always on the gallop, his opponents 

 might be certain of a fast game, and there is little doubt 

 that he was one of the best No. 2s in England, and in the 

 opinion of one well-known critic, the best. 



"He became Captain, December 10, 1898, and on his 

 return from India was with the 4th Battalion in Dublin, 

 until he went out to South Africa with the Mounted Infantry 

 Company of that Battalion in March 1901. They formed 

 part of ' 13th M.I.,' and were constantly engaged. At Zand 

 River Poort in the Transvaal on May 21, Gosling received a 

 severe wound in the leg, while going to the assistance of 



