Click here for a list of recipients of the
QSA.
The regiment sailed on the Ismore, which came to grief in St Helena Bay,
the men being saved, and also on the Columbian, and arrived at the Cape
about the beginning of December 1899. They lost no time in commencing
active operations under General French in the Colesberg district, where they
were kept very busy till the end of January. In that general's
despatch of 2nd February 1900 he mentions that a squadron seized and held
Maider's Farm on 30th December preparatory to the Berkshire Regiment
attacking another hill which formed part of the Colesberg defences.
Next day Colonel Fisher's men were directed to seize other positions; "this
work was well done". On the 4th January the enemy was found to have
occupied certain hills. "The cavalry on the left should not have
allowed him to do this unseen, but in turning him out they rendered signal
service ... In a most gallant style Colonel
Fisher dismounted his men and led them on foot against this position, which
they carried with great boldness and intrepidity. In this daring
operation, I regret to say,
Major Harvey was killed and Major Alexander
severely wounded". Two men were killed and 2 other officers and 8 men
wounded.
During the remainder of the month the regiment was constantly
at work, and was then sent to Modder River to join the big force which Lord
Roberts was gathering. In the beginning of February, when Macdonald
with the Highland Brigade went out west to Koodosberg Drift, the regiment
was part of the cavalry under Major General Babington (see
Household
Cavalry). As soon as the force returned a start for Kimberley was
made. The regiment, along with the Household Cavalry and 12th Lancers,
formed the 2nd Brigade under Broadwood, and their subsequent doings up to
October have already been sketched under the Household Cavalry. At
Diamond Hill, 11th and 12th June 1900 (see 1st Sussex Regiment), the charge
by a part of Broadwood's brigade saved Q Battery.
In Lord Roberts' despatch of 31st March 1900, Colonel Fisher and 5
non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned for good work up to the
occupation of Bloemfontein. Lieutenant Sir John P Milbanke gained the
VC for, on 5th January 1900, near Colesberg, after being severely wounded in
the thigh, riding back and rescuing a man whose horse was done up; and
Sergeant Engleheart also got the Cross for, when out with a party of
Engineers blowing up the railway within the enemy's lines north of
Bloemfontein, 13th March 1900, going back to the rescue of a comrade.
Her late Majesty personally conferred these decorations in December 1900.
Eight officers and 9 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in
Lord Roberts' despatches of 2nd April and 4th September 1901.
In the first seven months of 1901 the regiment, along with their old
comrades the 12th Lancers, were in a brigade under Colonel E C Knox which
operated in the Eastern Transvaal, taking part in French's great sweep to
the south-east corner, and they also operated in the north-east of the
Orange River Colony; and both regiments were afterwards taken to Cape
Colony, where, under the direction of General French, they did endless
chasing after Kritzinger and Scheepers and their followers during the
remainder of the campaign. On 11th October 1901 the notorious
Scheepers was taken by a patrol of the 10th Hussars under Captain Shearman.
Four officers and 6 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned by
Lord Kitchener in despatches during the last phase of the war, and in the
final despatch the names of 3 officers, 2 non-commissioned officers, and a
private were added.
