 |
 |
 |
 |
| 6th Dragoon Guards |
Officers |
Officers |
NCOs |
 |
|
|
|
|
Drum Horse |
|
|
|
Click here for a list of recipients of the
QSA.
The regiment arrived in South Africa in the beginning of December 1899,
and joined General French in the Colesberg district. Along with the
6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons and 2nd Dragoons (Royal Scots Greys) they
formed the 1st Cavalry Brigade, but the brigade did not actually operate
together until the rush to Kimberley.
In the Colesberg district the regiment under Colonel Porter did most
excellent work, as on 31st December 1899, and at Slingersfontein on 11th
January 1900, and in his despatch of 2nd February 1900 General French made
several appreciative references to their doings. Colonel Porter was
very highly praised, and Major Garratt was also mentioned. As
supplementing the despatch, the chapter in Mr Goldman's 'With General French
and the Cavalry' is very valuable.
The cavalry about Colesberg, except two squadrons of the Inniskillings,
went to Orange River and Modder River with General French in the beginning
of February, preparatory to the movement on Kimberley. That march, and
the subsequent operations on the way to Bloemfontein, has been touched on
under the Household Cavalry. Colonel Porter was appointed brigadier
general of the 1st Cavalry Brigade before the advance to Kimberley was
commenced. On 16th February the brigade had heavy fighting on the
northern outskirts of Kimberley. Early on the morning of 17th February Broadwood with his brigade left Kimberley to endeavour to head off Cronje at
Koodoesrand Drift, and General French followed an hour or two later, two
squadrons of the Carabiniers accompanying him.
The value of the services of the cavalry between 11th February and 13th
March was recognised by Lord Roberts in his despatches, and the work of the
1st Brigade on the night of 12th March in seizing very strong positions
commanding Bloemfontein was specially touched on.
In the despatch of 31st March 1900 Brigadier General Porter and 2 other
officers and 6 non-commissioned officers and men of the Carabiniers were
mentioned by Lord Roberts for good work up to the occupation of
Bloemfontein.
On 29th March the 1st and 3rd Cavalry Brigades and the 12th Lancers took
part in the action of Karee Siding. There, as usual, their outflanking
movement on the left assisted in compelling the enemy to forsake his
kopjes, but he succeeded in getting away all his guns and waggons.
Hardly had the cavalry returned to Bloemfontein ere they were hurried out
towards the Waterworks, in consequence of the disaster to Broadwood on the
31st March (see Household Cavalry). The relief sent was too late to be
of any value, except that Porter's people brought in many of our wounded who
had been taken prisoners, and who had been left by the Boers.
Lord Roberts commenced his northward movement on 3rd May, and on the 8th,
French, with the 1st (Porter's), 3rd (Gordon's), and 4th (Dickson's) Cavalry
Brigades, joined the Commander-in-Chief. The 1st and 4th with Button's
Mounted Infantry were throw out on the left flank and had several times hard
fighting, particularly on 10th May. The 3rd Brigade accompanied and
fought in front of the centre. On the Queen's Birthday, 24th May, the Vaal was crossed by French's force, two days in front of the main army. On the
27th to 29th there was much fighting, which ended in the battle of Florida or
Doornkop (see 1st Gordon Highlanders). On 4th June Porter brigade had
again sharp fighting at Kalkheuve Keeping out to the left, French's force
circled round Pretoria, which surrendered on the 5th, and at day-break on the
6th Porter was able to release over 3000 prisoners near Waterval. The
1st and 4th Brigades now took up positions north and north-east of the
capital. At Diamond Hill, 11th and 12th June (see
1st Royal Sussex
Regiment), they were heavily engaged on the extreme left, but the country was
so difficult that the enemy's position could not be outflanked. It must
be kept in mind also that the loss of horses had been such that the brigades were not at half strength.
Before the eastern advance commenced the 1st and 4th Brigades had much
fighting north, north-west and north-east of Pretoria. In that
advance, the first Brigade being now under Brigadier General Gordon, the
services of both brigades were invaluable. After the battle of Bergendal, 27th August (see
2nd Rifle Brigade), French made a sweep first
north, then south of the railway line, coming into and seizing Barberton from the direction whence he was least expected.
The natural difficulties of
this march were perhaps the most formidable troops with transport have met
with in modern wars. A naval gun accompanied the force, and was hauled
over the stupendous mountains by the roughest possible tracks.
Barberton was reached on 13th September, and here again more prisoners were
released, and a great depot of stores captured.
French was next ordered to take his force — the 1st Cavalry Brigade,
Mahon's brigade, consisting of the 8th and 14th Hussars, with M Battery RHA,
Dickson's brigade, now the 7th Dragoon Guards, Imperial Light Horse, and a
horse artillery battery, with one half of the Suffolks — across the
Eastern Transvaal to the Natal Railway. Leaving Machadodorp on the
12th and 13th October, the force entered Heidelberg on the 26th after much
fighting. Early on the 14th the Carabiniers had captured a convoy and
some prisoners, and much stock was taken. The regiment was frequently
heavily engaged on this march, and lost Lieutenant Calvert and about 8 men
killed, and 3 officers and about 12 men wounded.
Eight officers and 6 non-commissioned officers and men of the Carabiniers
were mentioned in Lord Roberts' despatch of 4th September 1901.
In the second phase of the war, after Lord Roberts left South Africa, the
movements of the cavalry are difficult to follow. The 1st Brigade were
for a time west of Pretoria, and in January 1901 had fighting at Naauwpoort
and other places. Thereafter the 6th Dragoon Guards and 2nd Dragoons
under Colonel Allenby trekked to the east of the Transvaal via Bethel,
Amsterdam, and Piet Retief, when General French was carrying out his big
sweeping movement in February, March, and April 1901, in which operation
enormous quantities of stock and stores and practically all the enemy's
artillery in that part of the country were captured.
During May, June, and July 1901 these two regiments operated under
Colonel Allenby in the valley of the Vaal River, about the head waters of
the Wilge River, and thereafter in the Western Transvaal. In September
1901 another sweep under General Plumer was made to the eastmost corners of
the Transvaal, thence up to the high veldt about Standerton, where Allenby's
column was when the news of Benson's disaster on 30th October came to hand.
The column, strengthened by some Australians and the 18th and 19th Hussars,
set out after the Boers, and after much chasing inflicted a good deal of
loss; and so on to the end of the war, everlastingly pursuing and watching
for traps. Few regiments during the last year of the campaign pursued
with more fruitful result or more successfully avoided the traps.
During the later phases of the war the Carabiniers had 1 officer and 9
non-commissioned officers and men mentioned by Lord Kitchener in despatches,
and in the final despatch the names of 4 officers and 5 non-commissioned
officers and men were added. The regiment had produced Brigadier
General Porter and several most successful column leaders, notably Majors
Garratt and Leader.
