Great difficulty was experienced in carrying out these necessary changes owing to the time having arrived for the withdrawal of the Royal Canadian Dragoons, the Royal Canadian Regiment, the three batteries of Canadian Artillery, and the greater part of the first contingents furnished by Australia, New Zealand, and Tasmania, and allowing the members of the second South African corps to return to their homes and employments after having been embodied for twelve months. It was impossible to disregard the urgent reasons given by our Colonial comrades for not being able to remain longer at the seat of war. They had done admirable service and shown themselves well fitted to take their places by the side of Her Majesty’s Regular troops, and I witnessed their departure with deep regret, not only on account of their many soldierly qualities, but because it materially impaired the mobility and efficiency of the Army in South Africa for the time being, a very critical time, too, until indeed a fresh body of Mounted Infantry could be formed from the nearest available Line battalions, and the several South African local corps could be again recruited up to their original strength. [Illustration: SERGT. G.E. THESIGER] [Illustration: E.B. MOIR-BYRES] [Illustration: J.A. BROWN] [Illustration: H. EVETTS] [Illustration: SERGT. J.L. STEWART] [Illustration: CORPL. W.T. SMITH] [Illustration: H.N. SHAW] [Illustration: E.S. CLARKE] [Illustration: B.E. JONES] N.C.O.S. AND TROOPERS