An eye-witness has recorded that the brigade was hardly visible amid the sand knocked up by the bullets.
For an instant they fell back into cover, and then, having taken their breath, up they went again, with a deep-chested sailor roar.

There were but four hundred in all, two hundred seamen and two hundred marines, and the losses in that rapid rush were terrible.

Yet they swarmed up, their gallant officers, some of them little boy-middies, cheering them on.
Ethelston, the commander of the 'Powerful,' was struck down.

Plumbe and Senior of the Marines were killed.

Captain Prothero of the 'Doris' dropped while still yelling to his seamen to 'take that kopje and be hanged to it!' Little Huddart, the middy, died a death which is worth many inglorious years.