The Company, therefore, was present in the actions of Brandfort, Vet River, Sand River, Kroonstadt, the Vaal River (27th of May), the battle of Doornkop, near Johannesburg (28th–29th of May), the actions at Kalkhoevel Defile, Six Mile Spruit (4th of June), and the entry into Pretoria (5th of June). It was similarly engaged at the battle of Diamond Hill (11th of June); in the fighting south-east of Pretoria and at the action of Rietvlei (July the 16th); in the advance to and operations round Middelburg; in the battle of Belfast (24th of August, 1900); and in the march east from Dalmanutha, including the assault of the almost impregnable position of Kaapsche Hoop during the night of the 12th–13th of September. From this time till the end of the war this Company was continually marching and fighting in the Orange River Colony and Cape Colony, pursuing De Wet, back again in the Transvaal, in countless forays and skirmishes, in the saddle night and day. When peace was declared it was at Vereeniging, whence it marched to Harrismith, and was absorbed into the Rifle Battalion of M.I. formed at that place. The 4th Battalion also sent out two complete companies from Cork early in 1901, which were employed in the Transvaal, and subsequently joined the 25th M.I. in October of that year (_see below_). [Sidenote: 25th (THE KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS) MOUNTED INFANTRY BATTALION.] On October the 18th, 1901, a complete Battalion of Mounted Infantry[79] was formed from the Regiment—an unique distinction—and consisted of:— No. 1 Company 1st Battalion. No. 2 Company 4th Battalion. No. 3 Company 3rd Battalion. No. 4 Company 4th Battalion. The Battalion was concentrated at Middelburg in the Transvaal, and was placed under the command of Major C. L. E. Robertson-Eustace[80] until January, 1902, when he was succeeded by Major W. S. Kays.[81] The Battalion thus organised was composed of officers and riflemen who had been in the field from the beginning of the war, and were therefore tried and experienced soldiers. It joined _Benson’s_[82] column at Middelburg, a column of which it was said that no Dutchman dared sleep within thirty miles of its bivouac. The ceaseless activity and success of _Benson_ eventually decided Louis Botha, the Boer Commander-in-Chief, to make a determined attempt to destroy his force. To achieve this purpose he collected nearly 2000 men, and by a skilful combination of his troops attacked the column while on the march near Bakenlaagte upon the 30th of October. By a rapid charge he overwhelmed the rear guard, captured two guns, killed _Benson_, and surrounded the column, but was eventually beaten off. The 25th M.I. fought with a stubborn courage, and by their sturdy gallantry kept the Boers at bay and gloriously upheld the traditions of the Regiment, losing in the action eleven men killed, five officers and forty-five men wounded.