by august 1916 the fiction that this would be a short and glorious war was long over and the paper's report on the somme offensive was headlined “natal's share of the price being paid for freedom”. casualty list number 56, published in early august, gives 157 deaths, 58 wounded and five missing, in itself a formidable attrition rate if the size of the local population is considered, although it is also necessary to bear in mind that 55 casualty lists had proceeded this one and many more were to follow. in view of the slaughter it is not surprising to find that an armistice day "witness" editorial (11 november 1918), headlined "make them pay", was anything but forgiving.