Bombardment of Mafeking commenced. 28.--Boers were closing round Ladysmith. Proclamation issued declaring the Boer "commandeering" of certain portions of Cape Colony null. 30.--Engagement at Lombard's Kop. Sir George White sent out from Ladysmith to Nicholson's Nek a Mountain Battery, with the Irish Fusiliers and the Gloucesters, to turn the enemy's right flank. Mules, with guns and reserve ammunition, stampeded into enemy's lines. After gallantly defending their position for six hours, men's ammunition was exhausted, and about 800 were captured. Naval Brigade did excellent work. 31.--Sir Redvers Buller landed at Cape Town. NOVEMBER. 1.--Boers invaded Cape Colony. 2.--Free Staters' position at Besters brilliantly taken by cavalry. Boers lost heavily; our casualties slight. Boers treacherously used white flag. Colenso evacuated by the British. Arrangements for a supplementary Naval Brigade completed. Orders issued for mobilising the Militia. 3.--Naauwpoort and Stormberg evacuated by the British garrisons. 5.--Death of Commander Egerton, of _Powerful_. 6.--Ladysmith isolated. 9.--Boers attacked Ladysmith, and repulsed with heavy loss. Orders issued for mobilisation of a Fifth Division. 10.--Engagement of Belmont. Colonel Keith Falconer killed. 11.--Captain Percy Scott, of H.M.S. _Terrible_, appointed commandant of the forces defending Durban. 12.--Lord Methuen arrived at Orange River. 14.--Lieutenant-General Sir Charles Warren appointed to command the Fifth Division for service in South Africa. 15.--Armoured train wrecked by Boers near Frere. Mr. Winston Churchill and a number of Dublin Fusiliers and Volunteers captured. Boers defeated at Estcourt. 16.--Fighting near Orange River. 17-22.--Transports arrived at Cape Town with 22,000 troops. 20.--Lord Methuen's force reached Witteputts. 23.--Lord Methuen attacked Boers at Belmont. Boers routed at Willow Grange. 25.--Lord Methuen engaged the Boers at Graspan (Enslin), and after four hours' hard fighting carried position. 26.--Mooi River Column joined at Frere by General Hildyard. 28.--Lord Methuen engaged enemy, 8000 strong, at Modder River, and after ten hours' desperate fighting, drove them back. 30.--Sixth Division for South Africa notified. DECEMBER. 2.--General Clery reached Frere. 3.--Transport _Ismore_ wrecked 180 miles north of Cape Town--all troops landed. 6.--Sortie from Kimberley. Major Scott Turner killed. 7.--Arundel occupied by British. 8.--British sortie from Ladysmith, Lombard's Kop being carried. 9.--General Gatacre sustained serious reverse at Stormberg, having been misled by guides. Lieutenant-Colonel Metcalfe, 2nd Rifle Brigade, with 500 men from Ladysmith, captured Surprise Hill, destroying a howitzer.