N BATTERY, 6TH BRIGADE.

On the 2 4th Feb. 1879, Major Le Grice’s battery (strength, 173 non-com. officers and men, and 132 horses),embarked for Natal at Southampton, and on the 31st March arrived at Durban. After landing, it made its way, viâ Helpmakaar, to Landman’s Drift, where, arriving on the 12th May, it formed part of Newdigate’s Div. It took part in the subsequent advance of that force into the enemy’s country. At the battle of Ulundi on the 4th July it fired 68 rounds, do ing considerable execution amongst the retreating enemy; its casualties during the engagement were one driver wounded, and two horses killed and two wounded. After the battle two guns, und er Capt. Crookend en and Lieut. Woodehouse, were detached, and, joining Wood’s Column, proceeded with it to KwaMagwasa. Capt. Crookenden then marched his guns back to Ulundi, and, after being stationed there about a month, returned to Maritzburg, where he awaited the HQ of the battery. The HQ, with the remaining four guns, marched back, after the battle of Ulund i, to Landman’s Drift where the Div. was broken up. The whole battery was complimented by Gen. Newdigate on the services it had performed. Orders were next received for the four guns to form part of the Column, consisting of one squadron K.D.Gs., four guns R.A., and two cos. 4th regt., the whole, under command of Major Le Grice, which
proceeded to Standerton in the Transvaal. That town was reached on the 21st Aug. On the 17th Sept. the battery proceeded to Heidelburg, where, on the 13th Oct., it received orders to march to Durban for embarkation fo r India. Passing through Standerton, it arrived at Maritzburg on the 26th Oct., having marched 320 miles in fourteen days. This
march was the subject of a complimentary letter from the Deputy Adjt.-Gen., R.A., conveying H.R.H.’s satisfaction at the credit done to the battery by the rapidity o f its movements and the good.

Extracts from Mackinnon & Shadbolt's South Africa Campaign of 1879