TOPIC:

Lieut. R. McK. Kynoch-Shand, Imperial Light Infantry.
Killed in action Spion Kop 24 January 1900.
Robert McKerrell Kynoch-Shand was the son of Robert Kynoch-Shand and his wife Flora (nee Hirschfeld). The family home was at Linn House in Keith, Aberdeenshire which is now owned by Chivas Regal. The family business was wool and cashmere cloth manufacturers and made the tartan kilts for all the highland regiments. His entry in ‘The Last Post’ states: “2nd Lieut. R. McK. Kynoch-Shand, 6th V.B. Gordon Highlanders was killed in action at Spion Kop, Jan. 24th, 1900. He joined his regiment in June 1898, and, when killed, was serving with the Imperial Light Infantry.” The ILI were positioned on the right of the British line and were pinned down by Boer fire including two Maxim-Nordenfelts and a fifteen pounder. Kynoch-Shand and Lieutenant Rudall attempted to lead a party forward were hit by one pounder shells and killed instantly. Buried on Spion Kop. No grave marker survives. Commemorated on the regimental memorial on Spion Kop and on the panels in All Saints Church, Ladysmith.

David,

An excellent medal exemplifying the fighting spirit of the ILI.


Picture courtesy of Elmarie

Hello davidh

Some months after his death, Lt. Kerr offered a £25 reward for the return of Lt. Kynoch-Shand's haversack which was supposedly left on Spioenkop . Inside was his pocketbook which contained his will

Regards

Picture courtesy of the London Medal Company

QSA (56 Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith, Transvaal, Laing’s Nek, Cape Colony, Orange Free State; (232 PTE T.P. ROBERTSON. IMPL. LT. INFY.);
KSA (2) (1330 TPR: T.P. ROBERTSON. I.L.H.).

Together with a South Africa 1900 chocolate tin.

‘On His Majesty’s Service’ Registered Envelope from the Ordnance Office, Royal Arsenal Woolwich addressed to: Mr T.P. Robertson, c/o Mrs Hellier, 27 Coburn Street, Plymouth.

Thomas Peter Robinson saw service during the Boer War as a Private (No. 232), Imperial Light Infantry and later as a Trooper (No. 1330) Imperial Light Horse.

Robinson attested to the Imperial Light Infantry at Durban on 12th November 1899, and subsequently into the 2nd Battalion, Imperial Light Horse at Green Point on 5th February 1902, where he is noted as previously having served 6 years with the Prince of Wales Light Horse and 3 years with the Imperial Light Infantry.

£450.

I see in the photo of the officers of the ILI a Captain Coleman. I bought the medal from a local flee market dealer in Cape Town a few years ago. I was told that he appears in the London Gazette as being wounded at Spion Kop. Two clasps Relief of ladysmith and Tugela Heights.

Garry - Coleman isn't shown as wounded in the casualty roll or the ILI QSA roll. He could have been wounded without it being registered but not so seriously as to prevent him from qualifying for the Tugela Heights clasp a couple of weeks later.

Incidentally the medal roll shows him as also being entitled to the clasps Transvaal, Laing's Nek and South Africa 1901. .

Did you pick up his QSA at Greenmarket Square? I've been there a couple of times in the past but unfortunately didn't find anything of interest.

David