Hobbs End Gazette - Blockhouse Attacked, local man prisoner of the Boers! - A table Top Game In 28mm.

 

                                SPECIAL EDITION:                          12th September 1901

                        Royal Fusiliers in action, local man wounded.

Our South Africa correspondent Tarquine Squears reports;  

An isolated blockhouse of the "Rice" variety was attacked by a party of Boers last week in what has been described as a serious setback for the operations of the Royal Fusiliers in that area. The Boers approached very stealthily and rushed the position with reckless abandon.

The blockhouse crew fought back bravely, preferring to fight outside at first and causing several Boers to fall, the superior numbers of the Boers was beginning to be felt and the mauser fire soon began to take its toll.

The survivors gave a good account of themselves from within the blockhouse, but the assault was too much for them. Following threats to blow them to kingdom come the last of the small garrison surrendered to the Boers, they were stripped of everything useful and the blockhouse was destroyed.

Local soldier Private Thompson is reported wounded and a prisoner of the Boers, we wish him well and hope for a speedy recovery and repatriation.

The Village Must Burn! - Wallachia 1462. A table Top Game In 28mm.

                                       The Village Must Burn! - Wallachia 1462.

A detachment of the Ottoman army is given the task of protecting the main army's flank, in their way is a small Wallachian village, the name of which is of no importance to the Turks and lost in the mists of time.

Most of the civilian population has already fled, those left are the local militia and some fighting monks, brave and unswervingly loyal to Prince Vlad, their chances are not good.

There is no negotiation with the Ottomans, the attack is pressed home with ruthless efficiency, arrows fly and men die.

The village is soon taken, the Sipahi and Janissaries were too much for the local militia who are put to flight.

One of the fighting monks has been taken prisoner, his fate is sealed and his end will be grisly. The village is put to the torch and the Ottomans lick their wounds, the Wallachians fought hard and they too took many casualties.

The survivors are hunted by the Sipahi but they slip away, looking for the Voivode's army, determined to fight another day and exact righteous vengeance on their sworn enemies.

A close call on Table Kop and Police assaulted in Hobbs Park - A table Top Game In 28mm

12th October 1901

 A close call in the Transvaal and Policemen attacked in Hobbs Park, arrests made.

In the Transvaal.

Our South African correspondent Tarquine Squears had a close call whilst out on the veldt with a detachment of Australian volunteers, a remarkable near death experience.

The Australians are a tough and brave breed, I was out with Major Sullivan, a no nonsense bushman from New South Wales, and his men on Table Kop.

Knowing there was a Boer commando out there somewhere we advanced in open order to flush them out and maybe 'bag' one or two. 

It was a very well executed ambush, as I watched the infantry moving forward, I heard the deadly crackle Mauser fire and the Aussies fell, some never to move again. Boer mounted commandos then rushed forward to finish off or capture those left standing, it was over in moments.

I hid where I could, the Boer horsemen scouring the veldt looking for survivors, one Aussie horseman escaped, the rest were dead or captured.

Knowing that the Royal Fusiliers were coming up behind us I had to warn them what had just happened to the Australians, and of the impending ambush. Luckily the British were not silent marching over the veldt and at the sound of a bugle the Boers retreated back to their lines and I was safe from discovery.

I didn't want to startle any advancing soldier as they were well armed and handy with the bayonet, so I gently called out the first typically English thing that popped into my head...'bangers and mash', not my finest moment but it worked.

I was presented to Major Faulks and told him what happened, we were soon joined by the errant Australian horseman and a plan was worked out, advance in open order!

The sound of gunfire and the cries of the men was deafening, men dropped on both sides but the superior number of British soldiers soon began to turn the tide of battle. The Boer line wavered then broke.

Once the Boer line broke the Fusiliers advanced very quickly making prisoner of several Boers and releasing the captured Australians, it was such a relief to see Major Sullivan once more.

This small action on Table Kop cost the lives of 5 Australians and 6 Fusiliers with 12 Boers killed, 11 Imperial troops were wounded.

 

Disturbance at Hobbs Park.

In a disgraceful display of violence Detective Inspector Bolton, Detective Sergeant Theakston and PC Dodd were set upon by a gang of ruffians.

With a few moments PC Dodd was felled by a flying bottle both Bolton and Theakstone were in the thick of it. A well meaning passer by ran to Drovers Yard Police Station and a body of mounted police were soon dispatched.

The detectives put up a spirited defence, but they were almost being overwhelmed, the parrying skills of the policemen were remarkable and the the bloody noses of their opponents were growing in number.

Soon the mounted section were close and the ruffians began to look worried, this attack did not look like it had gone to plan.

The thugs were on the run and heads were knocked, three men were arrested and will be charged to appear before the magistrates on Monday. DI Bolton was left with superficial wounds and a nasty razor slash that ruined his coat, DS Theakstone also sported some superficial bruises and PC Dodd was taken to hospital with concussion.

In conclusion we wish our boys in South Africa the best of luck and our policemen a speedy recovery.

Skirmish At Burning Farm - Transvaal 1901. A table Top Game In 28mm.

              Skirmish At Burning Farm - Transvaal 1901

A party of Northumberland Fusiliers under the command of Sergeant (Stomper) Armstrong with support from men from the Staffordshire Mounted Infantry, were ordered to torch a farmstead 20 miles west of Krugersdorp.

This act of aggression was too much for a small commando of Boers who soon started to pepper the British with rifle fire. Three soldiers were immediately wounded, one (a corporal)

managed to crawl and hide behind a mound with a few other soldiers. One Fusilier on the far side of the burning farm managed to bag two Boers with incredible rifle skills while the mounted infantry flanked to the north.

Seeing the mounted infantry advancing on their flank the Boers panicked and started to withdraw, seeing this Sergeant Armstrong ordered the Northumberlands to advance.

                          

 

Soon overwhelmed the Boers surrendered, the action had cost the life of one Staffordshire Mounted Infantryman and six Northumberland Fusiliers wounded. The Boers had lost five dead and four captured, two of whom were wounded.