TOPIC:

My Grandfather T,H. Bowley was a Cpl #4157 in the 13th Battalion Mounted Infantry Border Regiment He was promoted 29 March 1902 to Sgt after quote "Distinguished Gallantry in the field during an action at Blaawkopje" unquote. After his Officer was killed he captured a Boer gun position and its Commandant for which he was ' honoured apparently with the title of King's Sergeant and Mentioned in Despatches' I have searched and searched the Border Regt records but cannot find any mention of this, not even of the name Blaawkopje nor in any despatches.
I would be most grateful if anyone can help me with this or guide me to any possible source for the information
Many thanks,
Captain Dave Bowley

From the book, South African War, M.I.D, 1899-1902 by A. Maloyd.....

BOWLEY, T. Cpl., For Good Service in action at Blaaukopje, March 29, and on Other occasions - promoted Sergeant.

Lord Kichener's Despatch, June 1st 1902.....

Mike

Good morning Mike,
Many thanks for the info.
As you can see there was an error saying my Grandfather T.(Thomas Henry) Bowley was a Captain (promoted Sergeant) he was of course a Cpl.at that time
However still cannot confirm the details of "for good service at action at Blaaukopje....." i,e I have the original letter headed "Orders by Major H. Chance RFA, Commanding Column, Heidelberg 21st May 1902. 1.The following extract from Army Orders South Africa dated Pretoria 21st April 1902 is published for information:- "The General Commanding-in-Chief has been pleased to sanction the promotion of the undrmentioned NCO for distinguished gallanty in the field, "Border Regt 13th Bn Mounted Infantry No. 4157 Cpl T. Bowley to be Sergeant..........etc" Signed By Order Major P.M. Thompson but no other details.
Also I am confused. The 1st Border regiment was an Infantry Regiment fighting in various battles including Battle of Pieters Hill/Batt;e of Tugela Heights/River prior to the Relief of Ladysmith on 28 Feb 1900. However in the despatch he is reported as being in the 13th Battalion Mounted Infantry. I've been trying to find out when and where they became Mounted Infantry and the transition to being on horseback.
Sadly though he survived the 2nd Boer War he was K.I.A. 26 Oct 1914 in Belgium only 16 days after being promoted to 2nd Lt.
I live in Caithness Scotland so might try driving down to Carlisle on the Border to ask questions at the Border Regiment Museum in Carlisle Castle!
Kind regards,
Dave Bowley

Hello CapnDave

With reference to the creation of the 13th Battalion Mounted Infantry.
I believe it was probably instigated towards the the end of 1900. Many British regiments created Mounted Infantry companies from their ranks.

See table below. ( December 1900)



In my humble opinion I believe your Grandfather Thomas was an infantryman on foot when he took part in the Tugela Heights and Relief of Ladysmith operations. His QSA medal rolls record him as being a Corporal having attained his clasps for Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Cape Colony, Orange Free State and Transvaal. He was recorded as being a Sergeant on his KSA roll.
During 1901 to 1902 the Mounted Infantry were kept very busy on patrols, especially with railway lines and blockhouses. With regard to his action at Blaawkopje, Blaaukopje, Blauukop or Blaukop I couldn't find a definitive answer in connection to his MID. There were many skirmishes during the guerrilla phase of the conflict. It is very possible Blauukop / Kopje may refer to a hill or a farm where the action took place.

I found a couple of snippets for you to research further. However nothing relating to the 29th March 1902 unfortunately.

Action at No.4 Bridge, 5 Feb 1902
On 3 Feb 1902 a column under General Plumer made a drive from the east through Blaaukop which brought about a determined attempt by 200 Boers to cross the line. They made 9 separate attempts in the space of four hours.
Other actions were fought to prevent the enemy crossing the line and the battalion were also called upon to take part in drives.

Also, I found a casualty who was severely wounded on the 20th of February 1902 Near Blaauwkop. 5069 Private A Dadson of (The Queens Own) Royal West Kent Regiment, serving with the 13th Battalion Mounted Infantry.

Sorry I couldn't be more difinitve with the answers to your questions pertaining to your Grandfather. However, your idea of nipping over the border to the Border Museum may well be fruitful in your quest. I wish you luck and please let the forum know if you are successful.

Best regards

Dave.....

P.S.

In the British Army during 1902, a "King's Sergeant" was a rank bestowed as an honorary reward for distinguished service, particularly during the Second Boer War (1899-1902). While the rank was not a standard, established rank, it was used in some regiments to recognise exceptional conduct which would have been the case, reference his distinguished gallantry and MID. The 1911 census has your man still serving in the Borderers aged 35( Married) and rank of Colour Sergeant 2nd Battalion.
A professional soldier who fought for his country and sacrificed his life in 1914. His WW1 medal rolls pertain to him still being with the Border regiment having been awarded his trio. He was in action at the start of the war and was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant serving with the 1st Battalion Leicestershire Regiment. Alas, he was recorded missing in action presumed killed and he never made it to the Leicesters.

Good morning Dave F
Thanks so much for all the info.
You have cleared up some questions I had.
I found just by chance that the Border regiment (Infantry) was transformed to 13th Btn Mounted Infantry in November 1900
as you estimated (late 1900) I would love to know how they trained foot soldiers to be competent horsemen.
Also I have found two conflicting items about the Mounted Infantry 1.One article says they dismounted to fight 2.There are pictures of them fighting on horseback?!
The place Blaaukop(je) was apparently a defended camp on a strategic hill in West Transvaal. The action there in which my Grandfather was MID was after the Border Regiment had been ordered to protect the long line of barbed wire and blockhouses (among other regts) which you have mentioned
I appreciated the time you took to delve into my Grandfathers military service. My late Father L.W. Bowley ended up a Major after fighting in the 14th Army R.A, in Burma and India and flew supply runs to China with the Americans. Wounded twice he was in terrible shape when he returned home. He died before I had gained my Master Class 1 Ticket (British & Australian Merchant Navies!) I'm sure he was disappointed I did not follow him into the Army.
Again many thanks,
Kind regards,
CapnDave.
Many than

Quote - "I would love to know how they trained foot soldiers to be competent horsemen.
Also, I have found two conflicting items about the Mounted Infantry 1.One article says they dismounted to fight.
2.There are pictures of them fighting on horseback?!

Hi CapnDave
Whilst researching one of my medal recipient's a private Alfred Harris of the Kings Shropshire Light Infantry.
I found out that he too served in one of the MI regiments.
The information below was taken from the section Mounted Infantry of the 2nd K.S.L.I adapted from the The 85th King's Light Infantry by C.R.B. Barrett (1913)

The 4th Mounted Infantry Company was formed in January 1900 in direct response due to the lack of mobility that the Boers enjoyed. Each British regiment in South Africa was ordered to form a mounted infantry company. Four of these companies formed a mounted infantry
regiment. The 4th Mounted Infantry Company was commanded by Captain John Joseph White. He had with him section commanders Lieutenant Edward Arthur Underwood, 2/Lieutenant Peter Francis FitzGerald and 2/Lieutenant John Charles Hooper.
Only about 10 percent of the company were familiar with mounted duties. They had only 8 days to organise their equipment and training before being deployed on 1 February 1900 and encountering their first skirmish with the Boers on 11 February near Jacobsdal.
At first the company struggled to cope with their new role;

“One has to confess that the mounted infantry did not cover themselves with glory. The Riet River, at this point, flows between steep wooded banks and an endeavour to utilise this to protect the horses was our downfall. The weary and overladen ponies
were absolutely incapable of getting a footing on the steep banks and many slipped straight into the river. Others, terrified by the noise of the firing, broke loose only to share the same fate at some other point in the river.”


The first men selected were naturally those who had already been trained in Mounted Infantry duties but these men as mentioned above were barely ten percent per company. The remainder of the men were picked out as being of the right size or build or because they had been used to horses when in civil employment. I have researched quite a few soldiers who were employed as farm labourers and grooms before they joined the army.
But, the great majority of men had never ridden a horse in their lives and knew absolutely nothing as regards to feeding, grooming or saddling. Eight days was therefore a short time to mould into shape a mounted force of such material and success could only be achieved by every officer and man putting his heart and soul into their work.
I think it's reasonably safe to say that these gents were certainly learning on the job. Mistakes were a plenty in the early days with accidents, recconaissance and supply issues which all impacted on the men and their horses. However, as time progressed the MI were making a difference to the ongoing conflict. I also believe that in some cases they did fight from the saddle on occasions along with skirmishes and engagements from dismounted positions.

This last paragraph is taken from a paper entitled:-

The British Regular Mounted Infantry 1880 – 1913
Cavalry of Poverty or Victorian Paradigm?
by Andrew Philip Winrow (Courtesy of Buckingham University)

The Introduction posed the question whether the Mounted Infantry was a Victorian paradigm or merely the ‘cavalry of poverty’. In answering the six principal research questions, it is concluded that, for much of its existence, the Mounted Infantry did not behave as an impecunious makeshift cavalry but a mounted force replete with its own drill and embryonic doctrine and, contentiously perhaps, an understanding of its tactical limitations. Even when latterly its assigned functions trespassed into traditional cavalry territory, the Mounted Infantry neither portrayed itself nor considered itself, simply a cavalry-substitute. In its ability to provide mobile firepower on the colonial battlefield at a time when such functionality was absent from any other arm except horse artillery, the Mounted Infantry can indeed be regarded as a Victorian paradigm, or in other words, a necessary force for its time.


Regards


Dave.....