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Christie of the C-inC Bodyguard and a Scout with the Scottish Horse 4 years 1 month ago #68081

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Harry Ernest Jones Christie

Private, Commander-in-Chief’s Bodyguard
Scout, 1st Scottish Horse – Anglo Boer War


- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 633 Trooper H.E.J. Christie, Scottish Horse

Harry Christie was born on 20 January 1869 in Elderslie, Renfrewshire, Scotland the son of Robert Christie, a Designer of Carpets, and his wife Ellen.

According to the 1871 Scotland census the family was a large one. Living in Jardines Land, Abbey, Renfrewshire were siblings Robert (15) and already put to work in his father’s business; Ellen (12), Edith (11), Fred (10), Thomas (7) and Annie (4). Aged 2, Harry brought up the rear.

Ten years later, at the time of the 1881 Scotland census, the Christie family had moved to 7 Low Barholm Street in Kilbarchan. Harry’s father and two older brothers, Frederick and Hugh, were either carpet or curtain designers. Next came Annie (14) followed by Harry (12) and Margaret (9. That twins were in the family is confirmed by the presence of Rose and Lilian – both 7 years old.

By the time the 1891 England census rolled round Mr Christie had become a Textile Designer. The house at Low Barholm was looking rather empty with only 22-year-old Harry, a Woollen Manufacturer, in residence with sisters Margaret (19) and Rose (17).

At some point in the 1890’s Harry set his sights on pastures greener, setting sail for South Africa. The last decade of the 19th century was characterized by growing British expansion. Queen Victoria reigned supreme over a vast part of the globe and her Empire’s influence was felt everywhere. She was a might to be reckoned with and, with an army and navy to match, her supremacy was seldom challenged.

This was all about to change in 1899 when, on 11 October, the festering animosity between Great Britain and the two Boer Republics of the Transvaal and the Orange Free State in far-away South Africa, erupted into open war. The British military presence in her two colonies of the Cape and Natal was woefully inadequate to stem the tide of the Boer invasion and the call went out for the raising of irregular units, manned by Colonials, to aid in the fight.

One such was the Commander in Chiefs Bodyguard – on about 15th January 1900 Lord Roberts announced the intention to form a bodyguard from picked Colonials, to be commanded by Major Laing, an officer who had served in the 91st and 93rd regiments (Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders), and who had settled in South Africa.

Converting the intention into reality proved to be a slow process and only in November 1900 did Lord Roberts issue an order empowering Major Laing to raise a fighting regiment, 570 strong, with 2 guns, 2 pom-poms, and 2 machine-guns, to be called 'The Bodyguard'. So great was Laing's popularity that he almost at once got over 1000 recruits. The corps took the field in the Orange River Colony with two squadrons sailing from Cape Town in late November.

Christie attested for service with the Bodyguard on 27 November 1900 at Cape Town and was thus among the first to enlist. Assigned no. 22381 and the rank of Trooper he was ready to face the foe. Unfortunately, the first reference to the Bodyguard in a dispatch was not a happy one being in connection with a grievous mishap which took place on 3rd January 1901.

In his telegram of 6th January Lord Kitchener said: "From reports of some wounded who have arrived at Heilbron, it appears that a detachment of Bodyguard 120 strong, belonging to General Charles Knox's force, came in contact with a superior number of the enemy near Lindley. I regret to say that Lieutenant Colonel Laing, 2 officers, and 15 men were killed, 2 officers and 20 men wounded. No details have been received from General Knox of this action".

The fighting was of the most severe character, and the casualties in the rank and file turned out even larger than the numbers stated by Lord Kitchener.

The popular press provided more detail of the engagement – the Edinburgh Evening News of 15 January 1901 carrying the following story: -
“The following is an account of the gallant fight made by the Commander-in-Chiefs Bodyguard against a vastly superior force of Boers, under Commandant Botha, near Lindley. The Bodyguard have been attached for some months to Colonel White’s column, under the command of General Knox, and have been doing excellent work in chasing De Wet.

On the morning of the 3rd instant Colonel White ordered Colonel Laing, the officer commanding the Bodyguard, to take 150 men, and endeavour to get in touch with the town of Reitz. Early in the day the Boers were seen to the right and to the left in small numbers at a distance of about 5 miles. On getting sight of us they appeared to retire suddenly.

As we were riding up a valley in column of troops, shots were heard on our right, and one of our scouts galloped back to the main body. His horse was shot dead just as he came up. Colonel Laing immediately gave the order for one squadron to wheel to the right at a trot. These were the last words heard from the Colonel.

The enemy from a splendid position on a kopje 600 yards distant, opened a terrible fire, resulting in many of the Bodyguards saddles being emptied. Our men then wheeled, hoping to take up a position on the left, but were met by a hailstorm of bullets from that quarter. Seeing the strength of the enemy, which was about 1000, and the excellence of their position, we tried to retire on Colonel White’s column, which was only 4 miles on our rear, but the enemy anticipated this movement, and placed 500 men between us and the column.

The Bodyguard, seeing the hopelessness of their position, determined to sell their lives dearly. They galloped to a donga, which afforded them some cover, and fought like tigers. Someone suggested surrender but the others refused. Then commenced a scene of slaughter. The enemy taking heart seeing the effects of their fire and the diminished strength of the Bodyguard, drew closer and closer.

Our men never flinched, firing with coolness and determination. The officers who took the dead men’s rifles, and lent every aid in the thick of the fight, were falling fast, killed or wounded.”

It is not known if Harry Christie was in on this action or not. In February and March 1900 the Bodyguard were several times engaged in the Orange River Colony – Christie, for reasons unknown, decided that it was time to move on – he took a transfer to the 1st Scottish Horse on 14 March 1901 being assigned no. 631 and the rank of Scout.

The Scottish Horse had been raised in November 1900. The Marquis of Tullibardine had started recruiting from Scotsmen, or men of Scottish descent, in South Africa, chiefly in Natal; and on 4th February 1901 he took the field with three squadrons. To these other squadrons were soon added. The first regiment was soon six squadrons strong, and a second of five squadrons also took the field.

Only a very brief account of the services of the corps is given here. What follows is almost entirely taken from Lord Tullibardine's evidence and the official despatches.

This regiment was commanded at first by Lord Tullibardine, then by Major Blair, King's Own Scottish Borderers, after him by Lieutenant Colonel C E Duff, 8th Hussars, and finally by Lieutenant Colonel H P Leader, 6th Dragoon Guards. It served in the Western Transvaal in a column commanded (1) by Colonel Flint, (2) by Colonel Shekleton, (3) by Brigadier General Cunningham, (4) by Brigadier General Dixon, and (5) by Colonel Kekewich. They had a few casualties, but saw no very serious fighting till the action at Vlakfontein on 29th May 1901.

When the fight commenced the Scottish Horse were detached, but they rejoined Brigadier Dixon in time to assist the infantry in driving off one of the fiercest attacks made during the war. The charge successfully made by a portion of the Sherwood Foresters in order to recapture the guns was a piece of work certainly unsurpassable in gallantry and dash. Brigadier General Dixon having been appointed to another command, Colonel Kekewich took over the column. "Under this officer's magnificent leading the column then became one of the most useful in the country, being only equalled by Colonel Benson's for numbers of prisoners taken.

The regiment improved rapidly. The next serious fight was when De la Rey surprised the camp at Moedwill on September 30th 1901. The Scottish Horse casualties were 3 officers and 17 men killed, 12 officers and 41 men wounded. The regiment, owing to the greater part being away on command, were very weak that night, and behaved splendidly".

"Soon after this [Moedwill action] Lieutenant Colonel Leader, 6th Dragoon Guards, took over the command from Lieutenant Colonel Duff. To Colonel Leader is due the high state of efficiency of the regiment at the end of the war". The regiment continued its good work in the Western Transvaal.

Between May and September, the regiment had been almost constantly in contact with the enemy. They had 1 man killed and Lieutenant Duncan Stewart and 1 man wounded on 6th July. On 8th August, at Elandsdrift, 1 man was killed and Surgeon J M Bernstein and several men were wounded.

At Witpoort on 13th December, Captain H G Field was severely wounded, and on this occasion 5 men were wounded. Among the next losses the regiment had to mourn was the death of Captain P N Field, who was killed at Doornlaagte on 2nd March 1902.

In the early months of 1902 the regiment was constantly on the trek and fighting. At Gruisfontein, on February 5th, 1902, the whole of Sarel Albert's commando was captured. As to this action, Lord Kitchener, in his despatch of 8th February, said: "During Major Leader's advance he came upon and captured a Boer picket, from which he ascertained that General De la Rey had already moved his camp, but that Commandant Sarel Albert's laager was for that night at Gruisfontein, which he reached just before daybreak.

Our men charged the enemy's laager with great dash, the Scottish Horse taking the main share of the attack, and as most of the Boer horses had been stampeded by the fire of Major Leader's pompom, the gallantry of the attacking force was rewarded by an unusually large measure of success; 7 Boers were killed, 132 prisoners taken, 11 of whom were wounded, together with 130 rifles, 2800 rounds of ammunition, and a large number of horses, mules, cattle, and waggons were taken. Our casualties were 6 men wounded, all belonging to the Scottish Horse".

Christie could certainly claim that, if it was action ne was after, joining the Scottish Horse was where he found it. After 1 years’ service he took his discharge on 3 March 1902 at Johannesburg. As a Scout he would have been one of the very few men of each Squadron who were, at all times, in the frontline – a dangerous job, he would have had to scout ahead of the column, exposing himself to the very real danger of being confronted by the enemy and being fired on by their pickets.

For his considerable service he received the Queens Medal with the relevant clasps – this was despatched to him to Box 3149, Johannesburg on 27 August 1904.

His war over, Christie sought civilian employment in the Transvaal; residing at 128 President Street, Johannesburg, he wed Hanna Doris Eddenis, a 42-year-old spinster born in Tulbagh in the Cape Colony on 6 May 1909. He was 40 at the time.

Although no mention is made of Christie’s profession or occupation he must have secured a position of relative importance with the Transvaal Civil Service – this became apparent when attention was drawn to him for all the wrong reasons. A Minute from the Prime Minister’s Office, Pretoria dated October 1921 provided the detail: -

“Ministers have the honour to inform his Royal Highness, the Governor General that Harry Ernest Jones Christie, and officer holding a prescribed post in the General Division of the Public Service, has been found, by the Public Service Commission, to have been guilty of serious misconduct (a) by disobeying, disregarding or having made wilful default in carrying out a lawful order given to him by a person having authority to give same and (b) by absenting himself from office or duty without leave or valid cause.

In these circumstances and having regard to the provision of sections of the Public Service Regulations, Ministers have the honour to recommend that, in accordance with the powers vested in him, His Royal Highness the Governor General may be pleased to approve of the discharge of the said person from the Public Service with effect from and including the 4th October, 1921, and of the permanent withholding of his emoluments from that date.”

This was followed by yet another Minute, this time from the P. M’s office in Cape Town which read: -

“Ministers have the honour to inform His Royal Highness the Governor General that the Public Service desires to delegate to Mr Oscar William Staten, authority to conduct on behalf of the Commission an inquiry into certain charges of misconduct of a serious nature which have been preferred against Harry Ernest Jones Christie, a General Division Officer in the Department of Finance.”

Mr Christie was in very hot water! Having been dismissed Christie spent a considerable amount of time and energy in getting himself reinstated. The outcome of his efforts was unclear.

Harry Christie passed away at the age of 89 years at Nazareth House in Pretoria on 8 July 1958. He left no children and was survived by his second wife, Anna Kopp.








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Christie of the C-inC Bodyguard and a Scout with the Scottish Horse 4 years 1 month ago #68089

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A great account of two well-known South African units.
Dr David Biggins
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