DAMANT, FREDERICK HUGH, Major, was
born in the District of King William's Town, South Africa, in 1864, youngest
son of Hugh Atherstone Damant. He served in South Africa, 1899-1904, in
the famous corps commanded by Major M F Rimington, known as Rimington's
Guides, and later as Damant's Horse. In any history of the South African War
the doings of Rimington's Guides are related at considerable length, and the
official record of General Rimington's services as given in the Army List
gives some faint idea of the extent of his services and of the services of his
Guides: 'South African War, 1899-1902. Special Service Officer, and in
command Rimington's Guides. Advance on Kimberley, including action at Enslin.
Afterwards in command of a column from 6 May 1901. Despatches [London
Gazette, 4 May 1900; 8 February 1901 (Lord Roberts, 31 March, 1900; Sir A
Hunter, 4 August 1900)], and Despatches [London Gazette, 16 April, 1901:17
January and 29 July 1902]; Brevet of Colonel; Queen's Medal with eight clasps,
King's Medal with two clasps; created a CB'. Major Damant served during
the Siege of Kimberley, in command of a mounted section of the Town Guard
Station at Otto's Kopje. After the Relief of Kimberley he served with
Rimington's Guides, and in 1901 was appointed to command them. In the same
year the name of the Guides was changed to Damant's Horse. Shortly afterwards
Major Damant commanded a column in the Orange Free State, and was promoted to
Lieutenant Colonel. In a desperate struggle with 800 Boers he received five
bullet wounds, but succeeded in saving the guns entrusted to his charge; later
he took part in operations in the Western Transvaal until the cessation of
hostilities. Sir A Conan Doyle tells us at length ('The Great Boer War',
pages 511-512) about Damant's desperate encounter with 800 Boers. A portion
of De Wet's force had been harassing the block-house builders, and three
bodies, under Damant, Rimington and Wilson, were at once despatched to clear
away the enemy. The British line had become extended over many miles, and was
dangerously weak in the centre, where "Colonel Damant and his small staff were
alone with the two guns and the Maxim, save for a handful of Imperial Yeomanry
(91st), who acted as escort to the guns. Across the face of this small force
there rode a body of men in khaki uniforms, keeping British formation, and
actually firing bogus volleys from time to time in the direction of some
distant Boers". Damant and his staff seem to have mistaken these Boers for
some of Rimington's men. In a few minutes the enemy were over the kopje where
the guns stood, and had ridden among the gunners, supported in their attack by
a flank fire from a number of dismounted riflemen. As soon as Damant, his
Staff and the escort of forty Yeomen realized the danger, they dashed for the
crest of the kopje, but the Boers had already overwhelmed the gunners. In the
ensuing conflict Damant was hit in five places, "all of his Staff were
wounded, and hardly a man of the small body of Yeomanry was left standing.
Nothing could exceed their gallantry. Gaussen, their Captain, fell at their
head. On the ridge the men about the guns were nearly all killed or wounded.
Of the gun detachment only two men remained, both of them hit, and Jeffcoat,
their dying Captain, bequeathed them fifty pounds each in a will drawn up on
the spot. In half an hour the centre of the British line had been absolutely
annihilated". However, the wide spread British wings had begun to realize
that something was wrong. An officer on the far right brought up his
squadron and Scott's squadron of Damant's Horse to the rescue. Rimington's
men came up, on the other side, and the Boers rode off, leaving the guns
behind them. The Boers were dressed in British uniforms, and wore the
tiger-skin, the badge of Damant's Horse, round their hats. Sir A Conan Doyle
says that in the last three months of 1901, as the block-house system
developed, the small bands of Boers found it increasingly difficult to escape
from the British columns, who were for ever at their heels. "Of the column
commanders, Williams, Damant, Du Moulin, Lowry Cole and Wilson were the
most successful. In their operations they were much aided by the South
African Constabulary". For his services in this campaign Major Damant was
created a CB in 1902, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service
Order ("London Gazette, 10 September 1901]: "Frederick Hugh (first-gazetted as
JH) Damant, Major, Rimington's Guides. For excellent work in the command of a
column in Orange River Colony". The Warrant and Insignia were sent out to
South Africa, and presented to Lieutenant Colonel Damant by Brigadier General
E O F Hamilton, at Heilbron, 12 March, 1902. Lieutenant Colonel Damant
afterwards became Resident Magistrate for the District of Lydenberg,
Transvaal.
