Three hundred Boers were reported on the left flank at nightfall, and preparations were made to receive a night attack, which, however, did not come off.  On the following day a dense fog delayed the march till 9 a.m., and it was not till late that Vaal Bank was reached.  The rear-guard, consisting of the Devon Regiment and the 6th West Australians, was engaged the whole day with the Boers, who followed the column right up to the new camp.  That night the whole Regiment was on outpost duty.

The rear-guard was engaged heavily the following day during the march to Bankpan.

Campbell’s and Babington’s columns were on the immediate right.  The Devons halted for the day at Bankpan, when the 5th and 6th West Australians left to join Campbell’s column at Middlekraal, the 18th Hussars exchanging over to Kitchener’s column.

A night march was made on the 26th for the purpose of surrounding a farm some eight miles distant.  This was accomplished by midnight.  No Boers were taken.  The column halted till daylight, when the march was again resumed, and Erstegeluk reached in the afternoon.  A number of Boers were surprised in the neighbouring farms by the mounted troops; and shortly after camp was formed, a body of Boers attempted to drive in the outposts and to attack the camp, but without success.

The following day Bethel was reached, and camp was formed close to Colonel Babington’s column.  The 18th Hussars, reconnoitring to the south-east of Bethel, were surprised by a large party of Boers.  Lieutenant Green, Devonshire Regiment, who was in charge of the Colt gun attached to the 18th Hussars and which was manned by men of the Devonshire Regiment, behaved very gallantly in bringing his gun at once into action and engaging the Boers within a range of 500 yards, thus covering the cavalry and giving them time to rally.

On June 29th the march was resumed, and the column reached Schurvekop, the rear-guard receiving a good deal of attention from the Boers.  Camp was formed at Middlekraal on the following day.  Here Campbell’s column was again met with.

Middlekraal was left on July 1st, and the column marched in the direction of Springs.  A number of Boers were in the vicinity of the first camp, Witbank, and the camp was sniped during the night.  The following day the column marched to Bakenlaagte, the scene of the disaster to Benson’s column, the rear-guard being followed up by a few Boers.

After a short march the following day Grootpan was reached, and at 8 p.m. three companies of the Regiment under Captain Bartlett, and the 5th and 6th West Australians, made a night march to the south, capturing a picquet of six Boers early next morning.  The column, after a twelve-miles’ march, reached Sondagskraal on the 4th at 1 p.m.  On arrival there news was received that a Boer convoy, accompanied by Louis Botha, was in the neighbourhood of Trichardtsfontein, about fifteen miles from Sondagskraal.