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Comments are invited on below Boer War era photograph. This recently acquired picture bears a handwritten annotation at the back “Swaziland Carbineers crossing Comptse river, SA 1901”



I could find no evidence that such unit existed in the dark days of 1901. A Google search on Comptse River” also came back with the square root of nothing. On Jeppe’s map of the Transvaal, however, I located at the expense of future eyesight a river by the name of Compies, a stream which meanders peacefully through the Swaziland countryside. It appears that the river has since been renamed Ngwempisi. “Ngwem” obviously stands for “Hollander” and “pisi” for the mood of said Hollander when trying to make sense of the medley of randomly arranged consonants and vowels that have replaced Dutch names for geographical landmarks. (for the woke reader, the latter was an attempt at humor. Save your ink for the Epstein files)



The only reference I could find to Carbineer-like units roaming the fair Swazie countryside was that of the Lebombo Intelligence Scouts, a British irregular unit operating in the border region between Swaziland and Mozambique that focused on intelligence gathering, intercepting messages, and disrupting enemy operations. The Lebombo Intelligence Scouts were raised by one David Forbes, a Captain attached to the Field Intelligence Department and subject to the following write up on this site:

Captain David Forbes was born 13 December 1864, son of David Forbes, of Athole, District of Ermelo, Transvaal (late of Perthshire, Scotland. He was educated privately, and started stock farming in the Transvaal and Mining in Swaziland; was a Member of the first Swaziland Government, formed under a Charter granted by the Swazi King, Umbandini, and at one time was Acting Chairman to that body. He served in the South African War, 1899-1902; was on General Sir John Dartnell's Staff for Intelligence; on General Bullock's Staff on the Mobile Column, Transvaal and Orange River Colony; General Spens' Staff, Transvaal and Orange River Colony; commanded the Lubounto* Intelligence Scouts in the Southern Transvaal (Despatches by Lord Roberts, Lord Kitchener and General Sir John Dartnell); awarded South African Medals and clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 26 June 1902]: "David Forbes, Captain, Field Intelligence Department. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia, Warrant and Statutes were sent to the Colonial Office, and presented at Ermelo 15 May 1903. Captain Forbes later became General Manager and Director of the Swazi Coal Mines, Limited, Swaziland.
Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book)

*Lubounto or Lubanto Scouts get a mention on Google. As far as I can establish these names are alternates for Lembobo.

I cannot help much (if at all), but I can confirm activity along the Compies River. I see a few references in the papers of Lt. Sidney Goodall Francis, West Yorkshire Regt. in late February 1901 of a march from Amsterdam (eMevlo) to the Compies. Nothing to Comptse River.