When the storm was at its height, Colonel Park gave the order to charge.  Lieutenant Field, who commanded the leading company, rushed forward up the slope, shouting, “Company, double charge!” He was immediately followed at a distance of about ten yards by Masterson’s company, which was immediately followed by Lafone’s.  As they got to the top of the crest they came in view of the sangar of rocks held by the I.L.H.  At the corner of this they had to change direction half right, and the moment they reached it came under fire from the Boers.  There was necessarily some crowding at this corner, owing to the change of direction, and the fact that the companies in their eagerness had followed so soon the one behind the other.  There was, however, no halting, no dwelling here.  On they went to reach their goal, 130 yards away, over perfectly flat open ground, fired into at short range from right, left, and front.  Three-parts of the way across Park directed the rear company more to the right, the position the Boers occupied being in a semicircle.

[Illustration:  Lieut.-Colonel C.W.  Park]

The enemy held on, firing most heavily, until the charging lines were within fifteen yards of them, and then ran down the slope and disappeared behind a ridge of rocks some forty yards ahead, beyond which the ground was dead and fell steeply away to the front.  Almost before the men could be secured in the position they had won, bullets began to come in quickly from the right and left, and the cover of the rocks had to be sought as several men were hit.  A few of the Boers who had been dislodged also crept back to the low ridge of rocks in front and began firing, and it was at this time that Captain Lafone and Lieutenant Field were hit.  Lieutenant Walker, Somerset Light Infantry, and about thirty-five men were hit during the charge.  Colonel Park was then the only officer left, the three companies being commanded by non-commissioned officers.

Lieutenant Walker was one of the last shot dead in the charge.  He was shot through the head (as were most of the killed) within fifteen yards of the kopje held by the Boers.

Lieutenant Field rushed forward beyond this kopje and lay down in the open and commenced firing at the Boers at the crest just in front.  He was very shortly afterwards shot through the head.

Captain Lafone was shot shortly before Lieutenant Field.  He was in the act of firing at the time, taking aim, and was shot by a Boer lying in the grass some twenty-five yards away on his right rear.  Before he was killed he had suggested to Lieutenant Masterton that some one should go back to the I.L.H. sangar to ask them to direct their fire on to some Boers on the left front; these were firing into the dead and wounded who had been hit during the charge and left out in the open.

Lieutenant Masterton at once volunteered, and started to run back over the 130 yards.  He got most of the way across when he was hit in the legs by a bullet, but he continued his course, and being struck again fell, and was dragged behind cover by the I.L.H.  He delivered his message.