Trooper Heenan, of the fourth contingent, states, in a letter to his father, that he had received a baptism of fire at Bulawayo. Someone had apparently dropped a cartridge in the fire, round which five of the men were sitting. The cartridge exploding, the writer received four flesh wounds in his leg., Tho wounds were fortunately not serious, and he soon recovered. -Otago Daily Times, 30/8/1900.
Mr Denis Heenan, Cumberland street, Dunedin, has received two letters from his son, Trooper James Heenan, of the fourth contingent. The news contained in the letters is substantially the same as was embodied in letters published a few days ago. Trooper Heenan appears to entertain a different opinion of the country to most of the New Zealanders. For instance, he says: "The Transvaal is a beautiful country, and it is no wonder that the Boers fight for it. It is barren and poorly watered in places, but in other districts the land is marvellously rich, and will grow anything. It is a country capable of sustaining an enormous population from an agricultural point of view alone, without taking into account its mineral resources, which experts declare to be of great promise. It may not, like the land of Canaan, be flowing with milk and honey, but, take my word for it, some day, under British rule, it will flow with good silver and gold. It makes one feel strongly tempted to stay. I shall go back with the contingent, and then make up my mind about, coming here." -Otago Daily Times, 1/12/1900.
THE TAGUS CONTINGENTS.
SPECIAL EDITION.
LIST OF THE RETURNING TROOPERS. (excerpt)
The statement that there are six invalids by no means represents the actual position. Drs Hodges and De Lautour report that there is a considerable amount of sickness on board, and on inquiry we learn that there are 28 men in hospital. The majority of these are suffering from pneumonia.
There are sixteen convalescents.
Of the twenty-eight cases in hospital eleven are serious, amongst these being Trooper Heenan, of Dunedin, who is down with abscess on the liver and other complications.
Dr De Lautour has, we understand, been inquiring as to the possibility of receiving the worst of the 28, cases at the Dunedin Hospital, and if they cannot be received, on account of the institution being so full, he has recommended the Premier to set up a special hospital on Quarantine Island, and to authorise placing a special band of nurses there.
None of the forty-four cases referred to could be transhipped by the vessels bound for the Bluff. They are to be landed at Port Chalmers as soon as possible. The Tagus herself comes up to the Port wharf this evening. From here she will proceed to Wellington to coal, and then go back to South Africa.
The men desire us to praise the ship and her officers, speaking in the highest terms of their treatment on board.
When our fourth page went to press the volunteers were all assembled at Port Chalmers to receive Gunner Kendall’s body and accord it a military funeral. At the last moment, however, word came from his relatives at Hokianga asking that the body might be sent North, and by instructions of the Government Captain Waters (Port Navals) ordered a leaden coffin from Mr Manning, of Port Chalmers. The body will be sent on to Auckland.
The cause of Kendall’s death was embolism —a clot of blood in the veins reaching a vital organ.
Seth Kyle (of Dunedin) died on June 27 of peritonitis, and was buried at sea, the service being read by Colonel Davis, who is in charge of the force, with Lieutenant H. H. Browne as staff officer and Captain Davy attached. -Evening Star, 11/7/1901.
Through the courtesy of Lieutenant-colonel De Lautour we learn that the invalided members of the returned contingents are now all convalescent, with the exception of Trooper Heenan, whose condition is still serious. -Otago Witness, 7/8/1901.
DEATH OF TROOPER HEENAN.
Death has claimed another of our returned troopers. Trooper Heenan, of the Fourth Contingent died at the Dunedin Hospital af three o’clock this morning. Deceased was a son of Mr D. Heenan, of this City. Trooper Heenan underwent an operation while the Tagus was at Albany. On arrival at Dunedin he was found to be suffering from an abscess on the liver. He was again operated upon, and though for a time he appeared to be making progress towards recovery, his strength gradually ebbed away, and he died this morning. -Evening Star, 8/8/1901.
TROOPER HEENAN'S FUNERAL.
The above took place yesterday afternoon. Trooper Heenan who was a son of Mr D. Heenan, of this City, underwent an operation on board the Tagus at Albany. On arriving at Dunedin it was found that he was suffering from an abcess on the liver, and he was again operated upon. Though for a time he appeared to be making progress towards recovery, he gradually sank, and died in the hospital early on Thursday morning. A vast crowd assembled to see the remains of the young man conveyed to their last resting place in the Northern Cemetery, and at the time the cortege moved off several thousand persons were in the vicinity. In the van of the procession came the firing party, consisting of a sergeant, a corporal, and twelve men of the North Dunedin Rifles, with arms reversed, and following was the Garrison Band, with signs of mourning upon their instruments. The gun carriage bearing the coffin, covered with the Union Jack, upon which were heaped many beautiful wreaths was next in the order, and in the rear came some of the relatives and more intimate friends of the family. Over fifty returned members of the contingents turned out to assist in the mournful ceremony of burying their old comrade. The volunteers, who had lined the streets, fell in two deep behind the carriages, and a large body of the general public, at the head of which was the Mayor (Mr G. L. Denniston) and Brigade-surgeon Lieutenant-colonel De Lautour, brought up the rear. The procession was a very long one, and marched slowly along Cumberland street to the strains of the Dead March. On reaching the gates of the cemetery the coffin was borne from the gun carriage on the shoulders of six members of the Fourth and Fifth Contingents to the grave, and prayers were read by the Rev. Father Murphy. On the completion of the church service the firing party fired three rounds of blank ammunition, the bugles rang out, and the crowd moved quietly away.
The volunteers' parade state was as follows: District staff: Brigade-surgeon Lieutenant-colonel De Lautour, Major Beal (in charge). Lieutenant Robertson, Staff-Sergeant-major Taylor.
Officers of contingents returned from South Africa: Captain Nicolson, Lieutenants McMillan and Macdonald.
Dunedin Garrison Band: 1 bandmaster drum-major, 2 color-sergeants, 1 sergeant, 22 bandsmen; total, 27.
Dunedin Navals: 1 captain, 2 lieutenants, 2 color-sergeants, 4 sergeants 71 rank and file; total, 50.
Port Chalmers Navals: 1 sergeant, 7 rank and file; total, 8.
B Battery: 3 sergeants, 35 rank and file; total, 36.
Dunedin Engineers: 1 captain, 3 lieutenants, 1 color-sergeant, 3 sergeants, 79 rank and file: total 87.
Dunedin City Guards: 1 lieutenant, color-sergeant, 2 sergeants, 22 rank and file; total 26.
North Dunedin Rifles: 2 lieutenants, color-sergeant, 3 sergeants, 44 rank and file; total, 50.
Dunedin Highland Rifles: 1 servant 21 rank and file: total, 22.
Dunedin City Rifles: 1 lieuteuant, 3 sergeants, 27 rank and file; total 31.
Dunedin Rifles: 1 lieutenant, 3 sergeants, 23 rank and file; total, 27.
Wakari Rifles: 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 1 color-sergeant, 4 sergeants, 44 rank and file, total, 61.
Caversham Rifles: 2 sergeants, 24 rank and file; total, 26.
Dunedin Cycle Corps: 2 lieutenants, 1 color-sergeant, 1 sergeant, 12 rank and file: total, 16.
Dunedin Bearer Corps: 2 sergeants, 30 rank and file; total, 32.
Dunedin Engineer Cadets (in charge of .Lieutenant Ross): 2 color-sergeants, 4 sergeants, 64 rank and file; total, 70.
High School Cadets: 1 captain, 1 lieutenant, 1 color-sergeant, 3 sergeants, 31 rank and file; total, 37.
Returned contingent members: 1 captain, 45 troopers, total. 51.
Grand total, 679. -Evening Star, 12/8/1901.
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