1st Essex action at Dreifontein 1900
The 1st Essex were involved in a fight
with the Boers at Dreifontein on 10 March 1900.
The Battalion advances with bayonets
drawn under heavy fire and took the Boer positions with a
number of prisoners and enemy equipment.
2 Officers and 10 men were killed with 4
Officers and 79 men injured. 11 Men are missing.
The GOC orders commented that while
regretting the losses sustained by the Division in yesterdays
engagement, desires to place on record his admiration of the
gallant conduct displayed by all of the troops engaged in the
attack on the strong position held by the Boers.
Officers present at this action were
Major F Brown - Commanding
Major H H W Nason and Major J T Spencer
Captains Broadmead, Godfrey-Faussett, T W
Millward
Lieutenants F
N Parsons, A G Pratt and W K Legge
2nd Lieutenants A B Coddington , W A
Jacomb, A G Wood , J L H Powell ( attached from 2nd Essex)
Colour Sergeant Howlett
Major Waite RAMC medical Officer
After Deifontein
Lt W K Legge was promoted to Captain
after the engagement
Captain F W Toll from Queensland Special
Service , Lt A H P Rose from 4th Essex, Lieutenants J G Black
and D Ashby from 4th Suffolk were all attached to the Battalion
as replacements
A
daft of 98 NCO's and men was sent from England
