PATERSON, EWING, Lieutenant, was
born 8 June 1873, second son of John Paterson, of Kinburn and Langraw, St
Andrews, Fife. He was educated at St Andrews, and in Germany, and joined
the 3rd Militia Battalion Manchester Regiment in 1889, as Second Lieutenant,
transferring to the 6th Dragoons 9 September 1893; he was promoted to
Lieutenant 1 January 1895. He served in the South African War, 1899 to
1900, and was slightly wounded. He took part in operations in the Orange
Free State, March to May 1900, including actions at Karee Siding, Vet River
(5 and 6 May) and Zand River; operations in the Transvaal in May and June
1900, including actions near Johannesburg, Pretoria and Diamond Hill (11 and
12 June); operations in the Transvaal, east of Pretoria, including actions
at Reit Vlei and Belfast (26 and 27 August); operations in Orange River
Colony, including action at Rhenoster River; operations in Cape Colony,
south of Orange River, including action at Colesberg. There is a delightful
book by Lieutenant Colonel J Watkins Yardley, CMG, DSO, called 'With the
Inniskilling Dragoons'. The book begins: "War! The regiment ordered to the
front. Oh! the enthusiasm, the hopes and aspirations, the hustle-bustle of
preparations, and the farewells! Mobilization was quickly followed by
marching orders and embarkation. So hurried was the departure that the
service kits from Pimlico had not reached the Curragh before the first
squadron of the regiment entrained there for embarkation at Queenstown.
Luckily, after being nearly lost, they arrived in the nick of time to be
bundled on board. It was originally intended that on mobilization the
Inniskilling Dragoons should be brigaded with the Royals and Scots Greys, in
order to form again the old fighting Union Brigade—the cavalry of England,
Scotland and Ireland. This, to our disappointment, fell through, owing to
regiments, and even squadrons, being sent off to the front directly they
landed, so urgent was the need for troops. Thus brigades were necessarily
formed as the troops came to hand. The Inniskillings and Scots Greys were,
however, brigaded together during the earlier stages of the war, but the
Royals were separated, owing to their starting on the campaign from the
Natal theatre of war. This was the first regiment of the brigade to land at
Cape Town, but the immediate need of troops in Natal caused their
re-embarkation for Durban, and so separation from the brigade. Later they
worked with the Inniskillings when forming part of Colonel Pulteney's
column. The 6th Inniskilling Dragoons, comprising 23 officers, 558
non-commissioned officers and men, with 496 horses, embarked at Queenstown in the SS Jamaican, SS Siberian
and SS Persia on 23, 24 and 28 October 1899, respectively". Lieutenant
Colonel H C Page Henderson was commanding the regiment, and C Squadron was
commanded by Major E H Allenby. It is said, by the way, that Lord Allenby
was approached by various publishers who had views about a book on the
Palestine Campaign. Their offers did not tempt Lord Allenby to follow the
fashion among Field Marshals. At last an American publisher came along. "Wel"l,
he said, "whatever anyone else has offered you to write a book, I'll double
it. And, what's more, I'll write the book myself!" Prince Alexander
of Teck and Lord Fincastle were attached to the Inniskilling Dragoons.
Lieutenant Ewing Paterson was with B Squadron on board the Jamaican. "From
first to last", says Colonel Yardley, "the regiment was worked hard in the
fighting line, without a single rest, and I doubt if any regiment
experienced and accomplished so much without serious disaster of any kind.
From beginning to end, commanded and led in turn by Colonels Page Henderson,
Allenby, Rimington and Dauncey, its dash and gallantry were conspicuous".
The first period comprises the work round Colesberg, the Relief of
Kimberley, Paardeberg, and the occupation of Bloemfontein. On 11 December
Major Dauncey, with Lieutenant Paterson and six men, set out on what proved
to be a successful reconnaissance. Allenby and C Squadron did not arrive
until 18 December. They had been unavoidably delayed by the wreck of
their ship, the Persia. On 27 February 1900: "B Squadron, Inniskilling
Dragoons, under Lieutenant Paterson, reconnoitred Rensburg. Finding it
weakly held, they seized the position commanding it, drove off the Boer
rearguard, and took the town — a very smart performance". On 3 March a
patrol, under Lieutenant Paterson made a successful reconnaissance. On 20
March, B Squadron, under Lieutenant Paterson, took part in General
Clements's march to Bloemfontein. Colonel Yardley tells us how General
French boldly pushed into the
Kalkheuval Pass late in the afternoon. During the fighting that
ensued one of Colonel Yardley's troops, under Lieutenant Paterson, "which
was keeping communication between us and the 4th Brigade, found itself left
alone and guarding the left flank, which the 4th Brigade had abandoned.
Lucky, indeed, that it pluckily stuck to those heights, despite being fired
on by our own men, otherwise the whole division might have experienced an
awful disaster. The position appeared risky, but the enemy were pressed and
retreated down the pass. We had now this one troop in occupation of the
heights on our flank, with only a very rough road, and no spaces on each
side to manoeuvre, as they were all bush and rocks. The enemy in the bush
on our flanks suddenly opened a heavy fire on the Carabinier troop in the
road to the front; several (about seven) casualties at once occurred; two of
the Carabinier troopers and several horses being shot dead in the road.
Lieutenant Rundle, with the advanced patrol of Carabiniers, had three horses
shot under him, and Captain Johnson one. General French and Staff, riding
well ahead, had narrow escapes and had to retire. It was not reassuring to
see our General and his Staff galloping back, but it was the best thing he
could do, and, thank goodness, he ran the gauntlet of fire safely. The
advanced guard, however, under Major Hamilton, behaved most gallantly, and,
despite the sudden surprise and their heavy losses, held their ground.
Major Allenby, who was next in advance with the Inniskillings, at once
grasped the situation, and, although nearly overwhelmed by the horses
galloping back on him from the front, he called loudly on the New South
Wales Lancers and a Squadron of Inniskilling Dragoons, who at once
dismounted, took up good positions on each side of the road, and poured in a
heavy fire: this rallied all and prevented the panic which had appeared
imminent. All credit for this must be given to Major Allenby, the New South
Wales Lancers, under Major Lee, and the Inniskillings supporting the
Carabiniors". Colonel Yardley goes on to speak of the literally "crowded"
hour of glorious life spent by the division in the Pass. "Lieutenant
Paterson, who was in advance on the left front, inside the 4th Brigade, with
a troop of Inniskillings, did good service by sticking to the heights when
the 4th Brigade turned into the Pass, and was our only protection there.
Gradually, however, a way was made, and the Mounted Infantry were got up
from the rear to take up our positions". The release of the Waterval
prisoners is later described, and the share in the fighting taken by Allenby
and Paterson. Like the bridegroom at the fashionable wedding, Colonel
Yardley just mentions that he himself "was there" on many of these
occasions. He quotes a good description of the release of the Waterval
prisoners, written by Barty Paterson, the Australian poet, who often appears
in these pages. Colonel Yardley tells us how the Inniskillings, under Major
Allenby, came upon the whole Boer army retreating with their guns on
Middelburg. "Lieutenant Paterson, with a small troop, opened fire on their
main body at short range, causing the enemy to bring a Creusot gun into
action and shell the ridge from which our small party were firing". It was
sunset, and the Inniskillings' horses were done, and the Brigade had not
pushed on rapidly to support them, so the Boer Army escaped in the dark. In
the engagement at Roodehoogte, we read how "Lieutenant Paterson, with his
troop, galloped on to a big hill, and climbed the precipitous sides just in
time to forestall the enemy and drive them back, giving us this commanding
position. It was a fine piece of dash, and fairly surprised the Boers". In
the fight at Tevreden, near Lake Chrissie, "Lieutenant Paterson behaved with
great dash, being slightly wounded as he galloped, unfortunately unarmed,
alongside Commandant Smuts himself". After describing the gallantry of the
Inniskillings, and the heroic death of Lieutenant Swanston, Colonel Yardley
says: "Lieutenant Swanston and our other dead were buried at sunset at the
foot of the Tevreden Hills, close by which I lay wounded, with Lieutenants
Paterson and Harris. The sadness of it I shall never forget, with no
feeling of victory to cheer the heart — only regret". And later:
"Lieutenant Paterson, shot through the thigh at Tevreden, pluckily returned
to duty; but this inflamed his wound, and he was invalided home in
consequence". It is rather the fashion to think that all wars before the
Great War were mere picnics, and that decorations were handed out pretty
freely to officers and men who had done nothing to deserve them. When
people were given peerages in those days it was not necessary to
recapitulate their good deeds, like Dorcas's (only she fell from her high
estate), and to say how many music halls or cinemas they ran, or how many
strikes they engineered. And after the South African War the London Gazette
gave no details as to how decorations were won. It merely remarked that
each officer's DSO was "in recognition of services during the operations in
South Africa". For this campaign Lieutenant Paterson was mentioned in
Despatches [London Gazette, 10 September 1901]; received the Queen's Medal
with five clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service
Order [London Gazette, 27 September 1901]: "Ewing Paterson, Lieutenant, 6th
Inniskilling Dragoons. In recognition of services during the operations in
South Africa". The Insignia were presented by the King 29 October 1901. He
was Adjutant, Devon Yeomanry Brigade, 12 April 1901 to 4 August 1905; was
promoted to Captain 10 July 1901, and to Major 14 October 1905. He served
in the European War; commanded the Inniskilling Dragoons in France, 1915-18,
and the 6th Cavalry Brigade 2 September 1918 to the end of the War; became
Lieutenant Colonel 2 July 1916, and was given the Brevet of Colonel 3 June
1919. One has read of a charge of the Inniskilling Dragoons somewhere in
France — near Cambrai, was it? — when the Doctor and his assistants and all
the non-combatants, including the cooks, did not need to be pressed into the
service. The casualties were very heavy. Colonel Paterson was Master, the
Dundalk Harriers, 1896-97; North Devon Harriers, 1901; Barnstaple
Staghounds, 1901-3. He married, in 1907, Jessy, widow of W E Rigden, and
they had three daughters.
DSO and Bar, QSA
(5) CC OFS Joh D-H Belf (Capt 6 DG), 1914-15 Star (Maj DSO 6 DG), BWM,
Victory Medal (Brig-Gen), 1902 Coronation.
Lovell 1978 est
£550. Glendinings 1989 £950.
