TOPIC:

I am trying to tie down what documents may be in existence and their location that formalize and confirm the attachment of the various formations that constituted the Cavalry Brigade of Broadwood in the push to Kimberley.

Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

Regards

Simon

Simon
Re the composition of Col. Broadwood's 2nd Cavalry Bde from 13/2/1900, the table on page 376 of Vol. III of the Times History shows:
10th Hussars (458), Composite Household Cavalry (625), 12th Lancers (500), "P" and "G" batts., RFA (371) and Ammunition Column (66).
The strengths were taken from Lord Roberts's No.2 Despatch of February 16.
According to TH, the Cavalry Div. was at Modder River (minus sundry units at Ramah Spring) on February 10. Are you concerned with the "sundry units"?
Regards
IL.

Thank you for that, yes, it is more to do with small detachments as there appears to have been 1 other Australian formation than QMI. Possibly about 36 odd men, so as none were POW'd or casualties, my thoughts are they were attached to the ammunition train as escort.

I would add that P & G Batteries must have departed prior to Koornspruit being replaced by Q & U Batteries and a smattering of men from M & T Batteries.

The Th varies greatly with the formation known to have been with Broadwood at SP, and as many as 20 or so MI units drawn from the mounted detachments of infantry Regiments were also present as per the casualty and POW rolls.



Regards

Simon

Does this, from the Western Morning News of 6th April 1900, help? It is the opening paragraph of quite a long article.



The "Koornspruit Disaster" received some interesting coverage in the British newspapers of the day - example below from the Liverpool Daily Post of 25th July 1900.

Thank you for your efforts Smethwick,
However it does not help. I have the Queensland Mounted infantry/Imperial Bushman present and 1 other Australian unit, it is the other Australian unit I am trying to confirm. I have them confirmed in "Murray" and the clasps would indicate that was the case.
So I am looking at another source of confirmation. Burma Rifles (as an example), do not have their medals named to Burma Rifles but to their parent unit, the whole thing is a bit of a dogs breakfast really.
I guess things must have moved very quickly leading to such shemozzle in who was where and when.

Regards

Simon