TOPIC:

I have a pair to Alexander Laing who served with the Imperial Light Infantry in the early days of the Natal campaign before earning his KSA with Kitchener's Fighting Scouts.

I know it's a difficult one... but I would like to know if there is a record (diary) etc. anywhere which would place various companies in the heat of the action at Spioenkop? Going on what I think is a reference to Laing's company on the attached attestation form; I am predisposed to think that he was with "E" Company.

Am I wrong in assuming this and would "E" Company have been "atop" the "Kop"?

Regards

Rory

That is a tricky one.  Many of the accounts do not go down as far as company level.

A quick flip through the Spion Kop despatches did not show any company level information but I will have a closer look and report back if there is useful information.

Where we do see company information is in the regimental histories.

Hello Rory

The ILI history "With the Imperial Light History Through Natal" by Charles Boscawen-Wright is very rare, and not very good on detail. I have an electronic copy supplied by the National Library of SA that cost R520 plus p&p. 

I regard the ILI as beign the most complete unit on Spion Kop.

Regards
Meurig

Is there no mention or breakdown of individual companies that were in action Meurig?

Did an "E" Company even exist?

Rory

Rory wrote: Is there no mention or breakdown of individual companies that were in action Meurig?

Did an "E" Company even exist?

Rory

It is a while since I read it and I was disappointed at how few names were mentioned, quite useless I thought for researchers.

Most regular army battalions had eight companies A-H, I guess the ILI was sufficiently large ~1000 men.

I have often wondered on those company designations on service papers, can they indicate the man served in that company on campaign, did men get moved from company to company to make up numbers?

Hi
I have copy of  "With the Imperial Light History Through Natal".  The only "Company"  data for Spioenkop I could find was on p30.
.......the honour of being first in the firing line belonging to F and H Companies, who gained the summit at eleven o'clock......

Henk