Virtual
War Memorial
Australia

Bugler Hortle of the Victorian Mounted Rifles, missing since the fighting near Pretoria.  He was a single man, and by trade a cabinet maker and resided at Casterton.

THE MISSING BUGLER.
Great sorrow has been created about Casterton at the intimation that Bugler Frank Hortle, who went with the second contingent, is missing. The news was broken to the mother  and family by the Rev. J. A. Ball. Hortle belonged to the Mounted Rifles, and offered for the first contingent, but was rejected on account of a front tooth being missing. When the  second contingent was called for be offered as bugler, and was accepted, being made special bugler to Colonel Price but fearing that again he might fail in Victoria, he conceived  the idea of returning to Casterton, crossing the border to Mount Gambier, and joining the Mounted Rifles there in order to get away with the second contingent from South Australia. However, he was accepted as bugler. A letter had just been received by Mrs. Hortle from her son, dated Kroon stad, May 13. The following are extracts: -"I joined the  column at Karee Siding on the 2nd May, and we had to fight our way up to Kroonstad. We had a terrible fight on the fort at Karee Kloof. Wasn't it sad about poor Herb Sealey. He  died of pneumonia in the hospital of the Grenadier Guards, at Bloemfontein. He was wrapped in a Union Jack, and buried in the Bloemfontein Cemetery with a military funeral. 
I will send home his rifle and spurs. We all hope to see the end of the war by the 30th May. I have gained 171b. in weight since I left Casterton." By the same post with above  letter came a card dated three days later,'saying,--"I am writing just to let you know I am still all right. This card I got from a Boer farm-house. Three of us got one each."