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Drum Horse |
Officers |
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The regiment sailed on the City of Vienna and the Mohawk, and arrived at
the Cape about 16th November 1899. They joined General French about
Naauwpoort, and after doing a fortnight's patrol work and skirmishing in
that district they were sent to Modder River about 2nd December, a few days
after the battle of that name (see 3rd Grenadier Guards).
The regiment, along with the 9th Lancers, did much valuable service on
11th December at Magersfontein (see 2nd Black Watch). Both cavalry
regiments were on the right flank and had a great deal of dismounted work to
do, being heavily engaged from early morning till dusk. Lord Methuen's
despatch of 15th February 1900 gives but few details regarding their task.
He says, "Lieutenant Colonel the Earl of Airlie did excellent work with two
dismounted squadrons when good service was much needed". The work of
the maxim under Lieutenant Macnaghten was also praised. The losses of
the regiment on the 11th were approximately 5 killed and 17 wounded.
On 9th January 1900 the regiment took part in a raid some distance into
the Orange Free State. On 11th February they set out under General
French for Kimberley, their brigadier being Colonel Broadwood of the
regiment, and the other regiments in the brigade being the Household Cavalry
and the 10th Hussars. The work of the brigade has been sketched under
the Household Cavalry.
Colonel the Earl of Airlie and another officer were mentioned in Lord
Roberts' despatch of 31st March 1900 for good work up to the entry into
Bloemfontein.
The regiment did not accompany their brigadier towards Ladybrand, and so
escaped his mishap at Sannah's Post on 31st March (see
Household Cavalry).
On the 29th they had taken part under General French in the battle of Karee
Siding (see 2nd Norfolk Regiment).
At Diamond Hill, 11th and 12th June (see 1st Sussex Regiment), a charge
of the Household Cavalry and 12th Lancers saved Q Battery, but the regiment
and the army had to deplore the loss of the Earl of Airlie, "who fell at the
head of his regiment". Lieutenant Wright was also killed, and the
regiment had about a dozen other casualties.
In October 1900 the Household Cavalry left the brigade for home.
Broadwood operated for the last four months of that year about Rustenburg
and the Megaliesberg.
In Lord Roberts' final despatch 9 officers and 8 non-commissioned
officers and men were mentioned for good work up to the time he left South
Africa.
During the first seven months of 1901 the 10th Hussars and 12th Lancers
were with Colonel E C Knox in the Eastern Transvaal, taking part in General
French's sweep to the Swazi border and the Vryheid district. They then
operated in the north-east of the Orange River Colony; thereafter both
regiments went to Cape Colony to do another eight months' chasing and
skirmishing. Down to the close of the campaign the regiment frequently
had sharp fighting, often involving casualties.
One officer and 4 non-commissioned officers and men were mentioned in
despatches during the war by Lord Kitchener, chiefly for good work in the
Eastern Transvaal, and in the final despatch the names of 4 officers, 3
non-commissioned officers, and 1 private were added.
