Hi Max,
I haven't yet had a good look for Private John Walker, but here is some information with regards to Dewetsdorp on 23 November 1900. Here is the
link
on this forum (if you have not yet seen it) to Unit Information of the 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry of the relevant details that you were chasing -
'In October the brigade was moved to the south of the Orange River Colony in consequence of the Boers appearing on the borders of Cape Colony in some strength. The brigade was split up, and the same remark applies to the Highland Light Infantry. When Dewetsdorp was attacked and captured, 18th to 23rd November 1900, one company of the battalion was part of the garrison, the remainder of the garrison being three companies 2nd Gloucesters, some Royal Irish Rifles, and 2 guns 68th Battery. Three men of the battalion were killed, Lieutenant Milne Home and 18 men were wounded, and the remainder were included in the surrender. Bearing in mind that we had made strong defensive works at Dewetsdorp on sites of our own selecting, the taking of the place was a brilliant exploit on the part of De Wet, and its loss the reverse of creditable to the British. One can find none of the excuses available in the cases of Stormberg, Reddersburg, or Nicholson's Nek. To Lord Roberts it must have been a very sickening episode, happening as it did while he was handing over his command. To the battalion the affair was not without its compensations; gallant deeds were done, and Private C Kennedy, for "on the 22nd carrying a comrade to the hospital three-fourths of a mile under a very hot fire", and on the 23rd "volunteering to take a message across a space over which it was almost certain death to venture", gained the Victoria Cross.'
Trev
