 Complete the following phrase:  He was again appointed as Military Secretary to Lord Roberts, now Commander-in-Chief in South Africa, on 23 December 1899 during the Second Boer War, and was granted the local rank of major-general. He went on to be Director of Transport on 18 February 1900. Nicholson was mentioned in Lord Roberts despatch dated 31 March 1900: in this despatch Lord Roberts wrote, ...Colonel Sir W. Nicholson local Major-Gen., R.E., undertook, at my request, organisation of a transport department in the limited time available; he performed this duty with conspicuous ability. He was present at the Battle of Paardeberg and at the actions at 