TOPIC:

Information as promised, reference the casualties listed in the original post.




Captain and Brevet Major Wilkinson Dent Bird. West Surrey Regiment. (Not East Surrey as stated in previous post)

He was born 4 May 1869, son of Captain J D Bird, of the 20th Hussars, and Kathleen Shortt. He was educated at Wellington College, and at the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, and joined the Queen's (West Surrey) Regiment 22 August 1888; became Lieutenant 1 December 1890. He served under the Niger Company in the Niger Expedition, 1897, taking part in the expeditions to Egbon, Bida and Ilorin. He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette 11 June, 1897]; was given the Brevet of Major 10 June, 1897, and received the Medal and clasp. He took part with the-1st Battalion of the Queen's in the operations on the North-West Frontier of India, 1897-98, serving with the Mohmand Field and Tirah Expeditionary Forces (Medal and two clasps). He was on Special Service in South Africa, 15 July 1899, to 16 August 1900, with the Rhodesian Regiment He was severely wounded; mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 19 April, 1901]; received the Queen's Medal with three clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 19 April, 1901]: "Wilkinson Dent, Bird, Captain and Brevet Major, Royal West Surrey Regiment. In recognition of services during the recent operations in South Africa". 


Lieutenant Edwyn Harland. 2nd Hampshire Regiment.

He was killed in action at the Relief of Mafeking, May 16th, 1900. He was born July 1872, and educated at Wellington (Hopetoun, 1886-90), where he was a Prefect, and in the football XV. He entered the Hampshire Regiment from the Royal Military College, July 1892 and was promoted Lieutenant June 1894. Lieutenant Harland served in the operations in South Africa, 1896, with the mounted infantry, and was appointed adjutant of his battalion July 1899, but being selected for special service he proceeded to South Africa, and was employed with the force under Colonel Plumer. He was killed whilst successfully saving the life of another old Wellingtonian, Major WD Bird East Surrey Regiment.


Captain Leslie Dewing Blackburn. Scottish Rifles (Cameronians)

He died of wounds received in action at Crocodile's Poort, October 22nd, 1899.  He was born on June 29th, 1865, and educated at Clifton.  He entered the Scottish Rifles on August 23rd, 1884; was adjutant from November 1891 to November 1895, and promoted Captain April 16th, 1894.  When scouting with six of his men on the northern frontier of the Transvaal, in thick bush, he found his small force in the presence of a considerable Boer commando.  His party concealed themselves, but Captain Blackburn's foot was noticed by the enemy, and a sudden volley was fired, wounding him mortally.  His companions remained with him and succeeded in driving off the Boers.  Captain Blackburn had sufficient strength left to dictate his report of the action and then leant back and died.


Captain Sampson Gough French. Royal Irish Regiment.

He was killed in action at Gaberones, about eighty miles north of Mafeking, February 12th, 1900. He was born January 1870, educated at Winchester, and entered the Royal Irish Regiment March 1891, being promoted Lieutenant February 1892, and Captain October 1899. He had previously served in the operations in South Africa 1896, with the Mounted Infantry and was wounded. Captain French was employed on special service from September 1899, in the Mafeking Relief Force under Colonel Plumer.

Lieutenant Arthur John Tyler. Duke of Wellington's West Riding Regiment.

He was killed in action north of Mafeking at Lobatsi , March 14th. 1900. He was born in June 1871, entered the West Riding Regiment June 1892, being promoted Lieutenant September 1895. He was seconded in September 1899, for special service in South Africa with Colonel Plumer's Mounted Infantry.

Lieutenant Harold Percival Paton. Number 1 Troop Protectorate Regiment.

He was killed in action at Game Tree Hill in a sortie from Mafeking, December 26th, 1899. He was educated at Loretto School, Musselburgh, where he was in the XI and XV, being a good cricketer and football player. This officer's death is mentioned by Major General Baden-Powell in his despatch from Mafeking of May 18th, 1900, LG, February 8th, 1901. Lieutenant Paton was killed at the very muzzles of the enemy's guns. He was buried in the cemetery at Mafeking.

Captain Harry Coddington Sanford. Indian Staff Corps.

He was killed in action at Game Tree Hill in the sortie from Mafeking, December 26th 1899. He was a Shropshire lad and resided in Sanford near Whitchurch. Born in 1862. Educated at Allhallowes School, Honiton and Clifton. He served in the Royal Artillery July 1888, was transferred to the Indian Staff Corps, March 1890. Served in Burma 1892. At Mafeking he was attached to the Mounted Infantry.

Captain Ronald James Vernon. Kings Royal Rifle Corps.

He was killed in action at Game Tree in a sortie from Mafeking on December 28th, 1899. He was the son of the Honourable Mr and Mrs Greville Vernon, and was born in January 1866. He entered the King's Royal Rifle Corps from the Militia in January 1889, was promoted Lieutenant February 1891, and Captain May 1897. He served in the Expedition to Manipur in 1891. Captain Vernon was ADC to the General Officer Commanding at the Cape of Good Hope from 1894-98, and at the time of his death was on special service in South Africa. In this sortie several gallant lives were lost in addition to Captain Vernon; Captain Sandford and Lieutenant Paton being killed. All three fell at the "very muzzles of the enemy's guns". The attacking party consisted of eighty, and of these twenty four were killed and twenty three wounded. The death of these officers is mentioned in the despatch of Major General Baden-Powell of May 18th, 1900, from Mafeking, where Captain Vernon is stated to have been "a most successful officer in command of a squadron" and to have "displayed the greatest gallantry in action". Major General Baden-Powell added, "Both officers and men worked with splendid courage and spirit" LG, February 8th, 1901.

Captain Kenneth Maclaren. 13th Hussars.

He was born 18 October 1860. He was educated at Harrow School, and entered the 13th Hussars 11 August 1880; became Lieutenant 1 July 1881; was Adjutant, 13th Hussars, 19 May to 31 August 1886; was promoted to Captain 3 August 1887; was ADC to Major General, Cavalry Brigade, Aldershot, 1 January 1890 to 4 October 1890; ADC to GOC, Forces, Ireland, 5 October 1890 to 1 December 1891; Adjutant, 13th Hussars, 2 December 1891 to 1 May 1895; ADC to GOC, North-Western Districts, 11 April 1895 to 18 October 1896; ADC to Lieutenant General, Bengal, 9 November 1896 to 5 October 1898. He served on the North-West Frontier of India, Mohmand, as Orderly Officer to the GOC, 1897-98; was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 11 January 1898], and received the Medal and clasp; was ADC to GOC, Southern District, 10 November 1898 to 14 July 1899; on Special Service, South Africa, 15 July 1899. He served in the South African War, 1899-1900, as Special Service Officer, including service with the Rhodesian Regiment; was severely wounded; was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 19 October 1901]; received the Queen's Medal with three clasps, and was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order [London Gazette, 27 September 1901]: "Kenneth MacLaren, Captain, 13th Hussars. In recognition of services during the operations in South Africa". The Insignia were presented by the King 29 October 1901. He married (1st) Leila Evelyn (who died in 1904), and they had one daughter, and (secondly) Ethel Mary Wilson, in 1910. Major MacLaren retired 8 November 1905.
CB (m), DSO, Egypt (1) Gemaizah, IGS 1895 (3) RofC, P-F, Tirah, QSA (3) CC OFS Trans, 1914-15 Star, BWM, Victory Medal, 1935 Jubilee, 1937 Coronation, Khedives Star. KOSB Regimental Museum, Berwick-upon-Tweed 2000.

Source: DSO recipients (VC and DSO Book)

Captain Charles Fitzclarence. Royal Fusiliers.

He was the grandson of George, 1st Earl of Munster, eldest son of King William IV.  His father was the Honourable George Fitzclarence, Captain, Royal Navy, and his mother was Lady Maria Henrietta, nee Scott, eldest daughter of the 4th Earl of Clonrnel.  Captain George Fitzclarence was one of four brothers who served either in the Navy or Army, the youngest dying of wounds received in the attack on the Redan in the Crimean Var.  A twin brother of Brigadier-General Charles Fitzclarence's, Edward, served in the Egyptian Army, and was killed at Abu Hamed in 1897.  Charles Fitzclarence was born on 8 May, 1865, at Bishopscourt, County Kildare, and was educated at Eton and Wellington.  He was gazetted Lieutenant from the Militia into the Royal Fusiliers 10 November 1886.  During Kitchener's Khartoum Campaign he was Adjutant of the Mounted Infantry in Egypt.  But to his grievous disappointment, when the other troops went up the Nile, the Mounted Infantry was left behind.  He was promoted to Captain in the Royal Fusiliers 6 April, 1898, and, on the formation of the Irish Guards, was transferred to that regiment 6 October 1900.  Captain Fitzclarence went to South Africa on special service in July, 1899, and was present throughout the siege of Mafeking, when his gallantry and daring gained for him the sobriquet of ‘The Demon'.  He was awarded the Victoria Cross [London Gazette, 6 July, 1900, having been recommended three times for it: 'Charles Fitzclarence, Captain, The Royal Fusiliers (City of London Regiment).  Dates for Acts of Bravery: 14 October 1899, and 27 October 1899.  On the 14th October 1899, Captain Fitzclarence went with his squadron of the Protectorate Regiment , consisting of only partially trained men, who had never been in action, to the assistance of an armoured train which had gone out from Mafeking.  The enemy were in greatly superior numbers, and the squadron was for a time surrounded, and it looked as if nothing could save them from being shot down.  Captain Fitzclarence, however, by his personal coolness and courage, inspired the greatest confidence in his men, and by his bold and efficient handling of them, not only succeeded in relieving the armoured train, but inflicted a heavy defeat on the Boers, who lost fifty killed and a large number of wounded; his own losses being two killed and fifteen wounded.  The moral effect of this blow had a very important bearing on subsequent encounters with the Boers.  On the 27th October 1899, Captain Fitzclarence led his squadron from Mafeking across the open, and made a night attack with the bayonet on one of the enemy's trenches.  A hand-to-hand fight took place in the trench, while a heavy fire was concentrated on it from the rear.  The enemy was driven out with heavy loss.  Captain Fitzclarence was the first man into the position, and accounted for four of the enemy with his sword.  The British lost six killed and nine wounded.  Captain Fitzclarence was himself slightly wounded.  With reference to these two actions Major-General Baden-Powell states that had this officer not shown an extraordinary spirit and fearlessness, the attacks would have been failures, and we should have suffered heavy loss both in men and prestige.  On the 26th December 1899, during the action of Game Tree, near Mafeking, Capt, Fitzclarence again distinguished himself by his coolness and courage, and was again wounded severely through the leg'.  From August 1900, to February 1901, Captain Fitzclarence was Brigade Major in South Africa.  He was mentioned in Despatches [London Gazette, 8 February 1901], for his services in the South African Campaign, and besides the Victoria Cross, with the dates 14 and 27 October 1899, was given the Brevet of Major 29 November 1900, and received the Queen's Medal with three clasps. 





The majority of information was taken from the above book.
The Last Post by Mildred G Dooner (Not Donner)

Dave.

The special service officers sent during this period included
Colonel Baden-Powell, Lieut. -Colonel Plumer, and half-a- dozen other officers deputed to make arrangements for the
organisation of local defensive forces,

Captain McLaren states that he was one of 8 SSO who travelled on the RMS Norman and thence by train from Cape Town to Buluwayo.

I always wondered why it took 452.000 men and 2,5 years to subdue an untrained army of a mere 40.000 burgers. Then I looked at Elmarie's photographs above and compared it to this.......

and I suddenly understand.

Continuing the theme of "why it took 452.000 men and 2,5 years to subdue an untrained army of a mere 40.000 burgers", here's burgher Stephanus Houptfleisch...