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As "Black Week" continued the press in Great Britain became rather busy, at The Times, the mood was dogged!

However, as the scale of things became clear, the "Daily Mail" started to report the bitter truth.

One might even say they were showing the early signs of pessimism!

By the 15th of December they had started to name all those that had been Killed and then published a full list of casualties by the 16th.

As another anniversary of "Black Week" passes, I would like to take the opportunity pay tribute the valor of the Highland Brigade, the 11th of December 1899 changed the lives of very many people for ever, both on the veldt and back in Scotland.
Wives made widows and children in some cases made orphans, many a highlander managed to get home despite being wounded and lying on the veldt for what must have seemed a very long time in the blazing sun, without water.





This would have been the case, I am sure, for George Fairman, having joined the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders at Stirling on the 19th August 1889, he found himself being recalled to the colours on the 9th of October 1899 and sailing down to South Africa with his regt.





For Pte Fairman the war was to be a rather short but very unpleasant experience, he was shot through both legs at Magersfontein on the 11th December, a fate that awaited many a highlander on that day, but, he was at least, still alive!
He was taken from the veldt and arrived at Number 2 General Hospital Wynberg four days later on the 15th of December 1899, where he ramained until the 20th of February 1900.
He then sailed for England on board the SS Umbria, but, he had survived the carnage that was Magersfontein, what a story he would have to tell his Wife and family!

One wonders if his mother had read his name after it had been printed in the Daily Mail on the 16th of December.




And if she noticed that his number had been shown incorrectly as 3272!



Remember the Highland Brigade!

Frank
A nice tribute to the Highland Brigade, a very nice example.
Thanks for sharing.

Paul