laing's nek and ingogo. 
687 
and the night following was universally praised. He was always to 
be found in the fighting line attending the wounded in most exposed 
positions. The casualties in this action were very heavy; roughly, 150 
killed and wounded out of a force of 500. The enemy's accuracy of fire 
was something marvellous, as was proved by the great percentage of 
killed and wounded, although the majority of our men were lying 
down and taking the best cover available. The number of men shot 
through the head was very remarkable, although the helmets had 
all been dyed a dark brown. The ground we occupied in the 
engagement was a kind of plateau (nowhere actually commanded), 
about 250 yds. long, with steep sides, particularly steep on the side 
away from the Ingogo River. The general nature of the ground was 
undulating, with an occasional deep valley that afforded excellent cover 
for the enemy, enabling them to mass their forces and leave their horses 
in comparative security. The stony nature of the ground much favored 
the Boers, whose plan of action was to send a few picked marksmen 
on foot up the side of the plateau in skirmishing order, pressing for¬ 
ward gradually, but surely. Eventually, each man seized a position 
behind a boulder or some such equally good cover, where he could at 
his ease pick off his man. Had we had a strong cavalry force to 
threaten their rear, and cut them off from their horses, the result would 
have been different. The only visible part of a Boer in action is his 
large broad brimmed hat, and the puff of smoke from his rifle. 
Casualties in the R.A. -14 horses out of 27; 16 men out of 27 0 
BRIEF NOTES 
ON THE 
9-pr. R. M. L. GUN OF 6 cwt., 
AND GENERAL EQUIPMENT . 
Gun and Fittings. 
Latterly it was found that the elevating gear worked unsatisfactorily, 
on account of the elevating screw having too great a play in the 
socket, so much so that great care in pulling the lanyard was requisite 
to prevent a strain being thrown on the breech of the gun when firing. 
Carriage, Sfc. 
The drag shoe gave trouble and occasionally snapped off from the 
chain, necessitating a turn round a spoke of the wheel with the drag- 
chain. 
The wheels worked well, but the wedges of wood between the spokes 
