37. Lieutenant Hugh Dawnay and Major Francis Wing

On the night of 9th December, Metcalfe himself reconnoitred the ground in company with Lieutenant Hugh Dawnay, the Adjutant of the 2nd Battalion, and Major Francis Wing of the Royal Artillery. Wing knew the area as
he had been in Ladysmith with the pre-war garrison. Boer picquets did not discover this little foray.

41. Colour Sergeant Jack Archer

There are several first-person accounts of what happened that night. Deneys Reitz wrote a short version in Commando. There is a much more detailed account in the diary that he wrote during his time in exile in Madagascar. This diary is now in the Oppenheimer’s Brenthurst Library in Johannesburg. Dietlof van Warmelo also
wrote about his experiences. Lieutenant Hugh Dawnay wrote a report entitled the Attack on Surprise Hill for the Rifle Brigade Chronicle of 1900. Colour Sergeant Jack Archer wrote a letter to his mother in the form of a diary and including a sketch of the action. This document is in the Liddel Hart Centre for Military Archives in London. Captain Johnny Gough and Major George Thesiger also wrote diary entries.

43. Archer's map enhanced

There was an active Boer searchlight on Telegraph Hill as well as bright moonlight. The force marched slowly so as to avoid the searchlight and halted in dead ground when the moon broke through the clouds. They proceeded when cloud covered the moon once again. The railway line to Harrismith, which crossed the valley in front of their objective, was their first serious obstacle. There were barbed wire fences on each side which had to be cut and care was taken to do this as silently as possible. Half of ‘E’ company was left to guard the crossing. They advanced across the open and level ground between the railway and the hill and pushed on as fast as they could in the darkness. It was necessary to observe complete silence and Dawnay was concerned that they were walking into a trap as
“Bell’s and Thornhill’s kopjes loomed large and ominous on our flanks.” They reached the donga which runs across the valley and left the other half of ‘E’ company here.

47. Ambush by the Pretoria Commando

The order to retire was given by Metcalfe and the retirement down the hill commenced. The men were in a jocular mood after what seemed to have been a totally successful exploit. Laughing and joking they made their way towards Ladysmith and the safety of their camp. The Boers had been completely outwitted and the “good old Rifle Brigade” had triumphed. In fact, the Boers had been aroused and numbers of them had taken positions from both sides and were waiting to open fire on the retiring British. Dawnay reported that they were about a third of the way down the hill when they were met by a withering fire. Orders were given not to return fire, and only to use the bayonet. Thesiger commented that they were in a pretty tight place and Johnny Gough was grazed by shrapnel from a shot fired by a Free State gunner on Telegraph Hill.