Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1900-06-08
HEROES OF RoER WAR.
Three British Omcers Who Distin.
guished Themselves In Africa.

! Three British Officers Who Distin-
guished Themselves In Africa.
Three incidents which Will live in the
story of the heroism which the South
African war has revealed were report
ed as follows, according to the London
| Times: In the dramatic tale of the
British entry into the Free State CAPT
tai the gallant deed of Major Hunter
Weston, who with ten men passed
through the Boer lines and succeeded
in cutting the telegraph lines and also
in blowing up the railway to the north
of the town, stands out wildly as an
other act of pluck and daring to be
added TO the records OF the British
army. From Bethulie bridge, in the
north of Cape Colony, come particulars
of another gallant deed by young Off
Ger, Lieutenant Popham of the famous
Sherwood Foresters. In hailstorm OF
Boer missiles he cut the wires the en-
envy had laid to the mines planned to
destroy the bridge. Advancing through
the trenches, he noticed some boxes of
dynamite ready for use, picked his
way back to his regiment, collected 4
few men and with them again crept
across the bridge, 1,4S6 feet-a quarter
or mile-long, and under brisk fire
took the explosive back to the camp.
This feat of almost reckless gal
lantry, performed in the full glare of Il
South African day, was emulated at
night by Captain Grant, an engineer
officer, who traversed the bridge, in
spite of the Boer guards, and removed
the dynamite charges from the mine
borings which the enemy had so care
fully prepared. thus putting final
touch to the splendid act of Lieutenant
Popham and the noble defense of the
bridge by the Derbyshires, the 'Old
Stubborns" of fame.
Major Hunter-W Weston is an officer
who had already won distinction, and
comes of Scottish family which
traces its descent far away to preNor-
man times. His father, Lieutenant
Colonel G. r. Hunter Weston of Hunt
ersdon, Ayrshire, served through the
Indian mutiny. He commanded one of
the outposts throughout the defense of
the Lucknow residency, while his wife
was daughter of the late Mr.. Robert
Hunter and lady justice of the Order
of st. John of Jerusalem, of which her
husband is a knight of justice and
honorary commander.
The Captain Grant referred to is ap-
parently Captain Philip Gordon Grant,
who served in the operations in Chitral
with the relief force in 1895. He is 80
years of age, and entered the Royal en-
gineers II years ago, reaching his pres
ent rank in February of last year.
Second Lieutenant Robert Stewart
Popham must be among the youngest
officers at the front, as he was born
less than "a years ago, and Joined the |
Sherwood ForeSters about Il year ago.
1t is worthy of record that the last |
recipient of the Victoria cross among
the gallant officers of the DerbyShire |
regiment was Lieutenant Henry Single |
ton Pencil, whose daring bravery dur |
ing the campaign on the northwestern |
frontier of India secured him this high |
ly priced honor. The incident for |
which he was awarded the Victoria |
cross occurred at the second attack on 1
the heights of Dargai, when Captain |
Smith was struck down while attempt |
ing to take n company of the Derby
shires across the fire swept zone. Lieu |
tenant Pencil, then n subaltern, went |
out alone to bring his captain back. /
Under n perfect hail of bullets he /
thrice raised him and tried to carry /
him to cover, and only desisted from |
his gallant effort on finding Captain |
Smith was dead. Lieutenant Pencil |
was one of the officers wounded at the |
battle of Pieter's Hill.