TOPIC:

Steve,

I am enjoying reading about your men from Lovat's Scouts. Great Scottish surnames!

Thank you for the excellent pictures too.

Best wishes
David

Melville's book reproduces this cartoon from Punch in January 1900.

There is a photo of their uniform earlier in this thread: www.angloboerwar.com/forum/5-medals-and-...couts?start=18#80633

A few of Lovat's men are pictured in Atholl's A military history of Perthshire ( www.angloboerwar.com/books/197-atholl-a-...istory-of-perthshire )

David,

Thank you for posting the above for future reference.

As my collecting themes begin to narrow focus to specific units and battles, I am pretty well hooked by Lovat's Scouts! Some very interesting back stories.

But my search goes on for a gamekeeper, ghillie or a deerstalker!

Hopefully, I will find a few more examples on my travels.

Cheers Steve

Source: clanfraser.org/timeline/1800-1945/

Lovat Scouts

The following fell in action or died of wounds or disease between March 1900 and August 1902 (?)

First Contingent

Murray, Colonel Hon A D, killed in action at Quaggafontein
Barron, 8696 Private W, killed in action at Bethlehem
Dingwall, 719 Private G, killed in action near Osfontein
Lockhart, 8758 Private K, killed in action at Philippolis
MacKinnon, 8829 Private A, killed in action at Berryslaagte
Morrison, 8781 Sergeant D, died of disease at Cape Town
Mackintosh, Corporal A R, died of disease (not listed in Watt)
Mackenzie, 8834 Private F, died of disease at Aliwal North

Second Contingent

Murray, Captain and Adjutant E O, killed in action at Quaggafontein
Cameron, 36540 Private J, killed in action at Quaggafontein
Christie, 36546 Private J D, killed in action at Quaggafontein
Maclaren, 36613 Private D, died of wounds at Quaggafontein
MacRae, 36619 Privare D, died of wounds [Watt says disease] at Dordrecht
Stables, 36934 Private W, died of disease (not listed by Watt, no annotation on QSA roll. Note on Supplementary roll says embarked from SA, 17 Dec 1901)
Patterson, 36764 Sergeant J, killed in action (accidentally according to Watt) at Lemoenfontein
Grant, 36688 Sergeant A R, died of wounds at Quaggafontein
Maclennan, 36741 Corporal J, killed in action at Quaggafontein
Campbell, 36679 Private J, Killed in action at Quaggafontein
Forbes, 36677 Private D S, killed in action at Quaggafontein
Mackintosh, 36715 Private D, killed in action at Quaggafontein
Munro, 36756 Private A, killed in action at Quaggafontein
Fraser, 36690 Private F A, died of disease at Aliwal North
Mackenzie, 36730 Private D, died of disease at Aliwal North
Mackenzie, 36734 Private M, died of disease (injuries according to Watt) at Aliwal North
Simpson, 36777 Private F W, died of disease at Hofmeyr

Additional information provided by Watt and the medal roll (WO100/130). Watt lists additional casualties eg Lieutenant Stirling, Lance Corporal Mountain, Private McKay, Private McKenzie

Recently acquired is the six-clasp entitlement QSA medal impressed to:
Serjt. A. Sim, Lovat's Scouts
Medal

Verified clasps: "Cape Colony", "Orange Free State', and "Johannesburg" (attached to medal's suspension) "Diamond Hill" and "South Africa 1901 and 1902" presumably issued seperately and missing.


Probably sufficient has been said about the background to Lovat's Scouts and their inception; they were indeed special and earned that praise due to their scouting exploits with the Highland Brigade under General Hunter in the Roodibergen mountains during July 1900 (clasp "Wittebergen"). Lovat's Scouts had, however, been active earlier in the campaign and it is rewarding to encounter such a medal bearing clasps for that service and IL would be interested to hear of similar examples and see them on this site.
Thewnty Five year old Alexander Sim, single and a clerk with the Highland Railway Co applied for enlistment in the Special Highland Scouting Corps at Beaufort Castle on 3/2/1900. Possessing previous service in the Volunteers (and having extensive marksmanship awards), Alex Sim passed his medical, was posted to No.2 (foot) Coy SHSC and promoted Corporal on the day of his enlistment. Our man may have envisaged a future spell of foot scouting for the Black Watch in South Africa; however' things in that theatre had improved markedly for the Army after Black Week, and the future looked to be one of mobile warfare.
While the newly named Lovat Scouts had been organised as half on foot and the other half mounted, the reality was that they were now both to be mounted infantry. Clp. Sim's No.2 Coy was ironically the first to see action as upon arrival at the Cape on 31/3/1900, by arrangement that had seasoned mounts available for them. No. 1 Coy, however had ben delayed back in the UK due to an outbreak of infectious horse influenza and did not reach the Cape until 17/4/1900.
No.2 Coy, Lovate Scouts left for Bloemfontein by rail on 2/5/1900 and upon reaching it three days later, they then marched North to catch up with the main army a week later at Kroonstad. Upon arrival, they were inspected by Lord Roberts and allocated to Lt/Col. Legge' 6th Corps M.I. in General Ian Hamilton's M.I. Division.
As the main army headed North, the 6th Corps M.I. swept to the East of the advance and alongside No.2 Coy rode Kitchener's Horse, the CIV M.I. and the 2nd M.I. When the unit medal roll was later compiled, one hundred and three men of Lovat's Scouts were ruled eligible for the "Johannesburg". clasp.
The next punctuation mark on the route to Pretoria was the Battle of Diamond hill. Taking place on 11/12 of June, 1900, the action occurred on a plateau some fifteen miles East of the Capital and against Boer forces commanded by Gens. De La Rey and Botha. On the 11th, Hamilton's M.I. was ordered to attack the enemy left at Kleinfontein ridge and No.2 Coy of Lovat's was tasked with "exploring the ground" ahead of the assault force (the Royal Sussex and the CIV in open order). According to the unit history, it appears that that "exploitation" set off mounted, came under artillery fire, had to reorganise and then pressed forward on foot. The assault was successful and by 1600 the ridge was secure. We have an eyewitness view of the attack on Kleinfontein ridge - as seen by the correspondent of the Morning Post; one W.S. Churchill -


Clearly No.2 Coy had been in a hot spot. Serjt. Sim was wounded (the unit history tells su that he was shot through both thighs and could not be moved to whatever safety there was for two hours. Presumably Sim's injuries caused his hospitalisation for some time and his history sheet categorises his wounding as "severe". and his Statement of Services tells us that he was "Discharged at his own request from further service in connection with the war in South Africa on 5/11/1900. Incidentally, Sim's "Diamond Hill" clasp was one of one hundred and one to men who were ruled eligible.
The obvious question to be asked is just how Alexander Sim was entitled to both date clasps on his medal - when press reports have it that he returned home in the autumn of 1900. The answer may well be that in a lecture the now Mr. Sim gave to the Inverness High Church Young Men's Guild about his experiences in South Africa, he foreshadowed returning to SA " to fill an important railway appointment".
Whatever his qualifications for the two date clasps were, and what proof he provided, the medal roll clearly shows a terse marginal statement: "Not entitled to King's Medal" and the medal roll was signed by what looks like "LOVAT, Major commanding Lovats Scouts".
Il used several sources in preparing the foregoing. Amery, Melville (unit history), SAFF, the Ash Atlas, the medal rolls, newspaper Trove and WSC's "Oan Hamilton's March" to mention the most important.
Thanks to all wholasted this long.
Regards
IL.