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Arthur Brabant perished on this day 124 years ago - he is remembered here today.

Arthur Edward Brabant

Wounded in Action – Second Matabele War – 5 August 1896
Died of Wounds – Dewdrop (Ladysmith) – 5 November 1899

Lieutenant, Imperial Light Horse – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal (Elandslaagte, Defence of Ladysmith) to Lieut. A.E. Brabant. Imp: Lt: Horse[/i]

Arthur Brabant had a sterling pedigree and, had he survived the war, would undoubtedly have made a name for himself and been a man to be reckoned with. Born in Fort Beaufort in the Eastern Cape region of South Africa on 12 November 1865 the son of Major General Sir Edward Yewd Brabant, K.C.B.; C.M.G.; M.L.A., a Politician, Farmer, Cape Colonial officer and Commandant General of the Colonial Defence Force in the Anglo Boer War and his wife Mary Burnet Brabant, born Robertson and the daughter of the Reverend James Craigie Robertson, formerly of Canterbury and the author of “The History of the Christian Church.”


Portrait of Arthur Brabant

Growing up in the rural reaches around East London in the Eastern Cape, Brabant would not have wanted for playmates – siblings there were aplenty in the forms of John Somerset Brabant, born in 1867; Charles Yewd Brabant, born on 20 August 1968; George Robertson Brabant, born on 26 September 1871; Guy Alfred Brabant, born on 6 October 1873 and Florence Mary Brabant, born on 18 June 1877.

At some point Brabant, having finished his schooling, decided to head north to the, at that time, largely unexplored territory north of the Zambezi River, Rhodesia. The two dominant tribes in the region – the Matabele and the Mashona – were far from impressed at the infiltration of their tribal lands by foreigners. First the Matabele in 1893 and 1896 and then the Mashona, in 1897, rose up against this unwarranted incursion leading to the murder of a number of tradesmen and settlers in isolated areas, far from the two populous settlements of Salisbury and Bulawayo.

At the age of 31 Brabant found himself as a Sergeant with the Matabeleland Relief Force under Colonel Plumer. In 1896 the M.R.F. was a motley assortment of men joined together into various locally raised units whose purpose was not only to prevent the marauding Matabele from continuing their plundering and murderous ways but also to provide protection to those settlers who had been brought into laager in the two aforementioned settlements.

It wasn’t long before Brabant found himself in the thick of things. The Daily News of Friday, August 7, 1896 carrying the following article under the banner “Successful Action in the Matopos – Seven Hours Fighting – Rout of Sikombo – Three Hundred Natives Killed.” It read, in part, as follows: -

“August 6th – following telegram received from Baden-Powell:

“August 6th – Matoppo Column under Plumer fought Sikombo Ulungula and three other combined impis, completely breaking them up yesterday. Following list of casualties: Five killed. Wounded, 15: Sergeant Major W.M. Josephs, M.R.F. slightly; Sergeant Arthur E. Brabant, M.R.F., slightly etc.

Details of the defeat of the Matabele at Sikombo’s stronghold by Colonel Plumer’s column state that the fight lasted from eight in the morning till three in the afternoon. Captain Bersford opened the attack by storming the stronghold with 200 infantry. He was immediately surrounded but held his own until Major Kershaw came up with C and E Squadrons.

A horn was then blown by one of the enemy, and the rebels retreated into their caves. Inspector Llewelyn, who occupied an adjacent kopje, with the mountain gun and a maxim, was attacked in the rear by a large body of rebels, who advanced to within twenty yards of the guns. Inspector Llewelyn made a most plucky stand. He turned the maxim round and did great execution among the mass of Matabele.”

The Rhodesiana (Publication No. 12) of September 1965, on page 52 carried the following account of the action: -

“Plumer’s force of 800 men then moved east along the edge of the Matopos, and, after a minor action at Mshabezi on July 31st formed “Sugarbush Camp” on the Nsezi River on August 3rd, opposite a large rebel impi under the Indunas Sekombo and Inyanda. On August 5th an advance guard of 138 dismounted men moved towards the pass leading to Sekombo’s stronghold. They were surrounded and attacked by 3000 Matabele, whom they held off for two hours until the main body arrived and put the Matabele to flight. This was to prove the severest action of the campaign. Seven men of the force were killed but the Matabele had 200 casualties and their forces were completely dispersed. On hearing news of the engagement, Carrington and Rhodes had left Bulawayo and arrived at the camp on the evening of the 5th.”

Undoubtedly the most comprehensive account in which Brabant received his wound came from the pen of Plumer himself. Writing in his “With Plumer in Matabeleland: An Account of the Operations of the Matabeleland Relief Force During the Rebellion of 1896 – page 193 – he recounted that: -

“The Column, on leaving Dawson's Store, marched down the Tuli Road for a distance of about seven miles, when a halt was called and camp formed on a ridge overlooking the N'Sezi River, This was known as Sugarbush Camp which was to be our headquarters for the next fortnight and to serve as a base for conducting operations against the enemy in the neighbouring hills.

Facing the slope on which the Column was camped, and at a distance of a mile or so away, rose the lofty hills of the south-eastern Matopos, and it was away behind these that the rebel impis were said to be lying. No time was lost. By daybreak next morning, Wednesday, August 5th, the whole Force was under arms, and leaving B Squadron with two Maxims and a field piece to guard the camp, an advance was made into the hills. After crossing the sandy bed of the N'Sezi and skirting along the base of the range for about two miles, through thickish bush with occasional patches of cultivated land, the Column inclined to the left and followed up a sloping valley leading into the heart of the hill country. On reaching the head of this valley the troops were halted, and here we remained for an hour or more, wondering whether the enemy intended to make a stand or no. We were to have fighting enough as events proved before the day was done.

In the meantime the artillery, supported by the dismounted detachments under Captain Beresford, had marched on ahead to shell Sikombo's stronghold. As we lay under the shade of the bushes waiting for the order to advance, a rifle shot would from time to time be heard, and occasionally the boom from the guns would re-echo through the hills on our right front. Presently the word was given and the Column moved forward. Following round the line of kopjes to the right for more than a mile, another valley was seen running at right angles to the one we were occupying, and across it were the rocky steeps of Sikombo's position. It was now about half-past nine. Scarcely had we reached this point, when the firing away up the valley still further to the right became heavy and incessant, and mingled with it could be heard the hurried, automatic rapping of the Maxim and the pounding of the field guns.

As soon as the approach of the Column was observed by the advance party, above the noise of the fusillade, the bugle was heard to sound " Cease firing," in order to permit of our immediate progress to the front. Crossing over a slight rocky spur, the mounted men in half- sections streamed into the next valley at the gallop, and it immediately became apparent that the enemy was in strong force and the engagement general. Captain Beresford as it appeared had, with his dismounted detachment and the artillery, taken up a position on a hill to the West of Sikombo's position. A flag signal from him told Colonel Plumer that he was surrounded by the enemy and that he wished for reinforcements, but that so far he was holding his own. Thereupon A Squadron, under Captain Bowden, was immediately despatched to his support, whilst C (Brabant’s squadron) and E Squadrons, under Major Kershaw and Captain Drury respectively, galloped across some mealie fields to the foot of Sikombo's Hill where they dismounted, and leaving their horses under cover, started to storm the position on foot.

As soon as this move was observed by the enemy a horn was blown, at the sound of which the rebels, taking shelter in the caves and behind the great boulders, opened fire upon our men as they clambered slantwise up the steep and difficult ascent. Major Kershaw, eager and active as ever, led his men up the almost vertical walls of bare granite, where scarce a foothold could be obtained, under a heavy fire from above.

The gallant officer with a few followers was well in advance of the rest of his men, and had in fact almost gained the summit, when he fell, mortally wounded, shot through the body. A trooper who was with him had but a few moments before suggested that he should wait for a breathing space under cover of some rocks, as the labour of climbing had been excessive. Replying in the negative, the Major, disdainful of danger or fatigue, pushed on closely followed by Sergeant-Major McCloskie, Troopers Baron, Cawthorne and others.

Hardly had they climbed a dozen steps when a rebel hidden behind a rock fired the fatal shot, only to be himself in his turn shot dead by Baron. Almost at the same moment. Sergeant- Major McCloskie, a little to the left of his leader, received his death wound. In this case the shot was fired from immediately above as he was looking upwards, the bullet passing through the roof of his mouth and thence into his body. Both Major Kershaw and McCloskie expired within a few minutes of receiving their injuries, and their lifeless bodies were with great difficulty borne down to the shelter of the rocks where the horses had been left.

On the summit of this same kopje, D and E Squadrons had engaged a strong party of the rebels and had succeeded in driving them over an adjacent hill, shooting many of them down as they broke and fled. Whilst thus empIoyed Sergeant William Gibbs was shot through both legs and died in terrible agony. His body was carried by his comrades to where the guns were stationed, fully half a mile away, on what is now generally spoken of as " Case Shot Kopje."

The winning of this position by Beresford prior to the general engagement of the Column, entailed some hard fighting at close quarters. The artillery with its dismounted escort had moved to take up the required position, without an advance guard ahead of the main body. This nearly resulted in disaster. The detachment when scaling the steep uneven side of the hill, was of necessity thrown into some disorder. As it reached the summit the rebels, who had been waiting under cover, opened a heavy fire, and for the first few minutes the situation was a critical one. Hurriedly the guns of the mountain battery were limbered up and brought into action, and not a moment too soon. Scarcely had this been accomplished when the rebels made a desperate rush from the surrounding rocks.

Only when within a few paces of the guns did a burst of case, point-blank, effectually stop their further progress. Though held in check, they kept up a hot fire from behind clumps of trees and rocks, and succeeded in wounding both the artillery officers. On the slope to the left, the Maxim of the M.M.P. was stationed under the command of Captain Llewellyn, whose pluck and coolness on this occasion will long be remembered. The enemy finding that they were not gaining ground, and seeing our reinforcements advancing up the valley, now assumed the defensive, and lined the sides and tops of the adjacent hills, from which they were only driven after the most stubborn resistance.

As the Column filed away, a small party was detailed to return and secure it. They succeeded in doing so, but narrowly escaped being shot down by some of the enemy who were still lurking about the place. The return march through the hills was necessarily slow owing to the number of wounded, and it was not until eight o'clock in the evening that the Column reached camp. Though the rebels had been defeated and driven from their position, the cost to our side had been exceptionally severe, the detail of the killed and wounded being as follows : —
Wounded in Action – ……. E. Brabant, C Squadron ….”

A brief mention of Brabant in the Lancashire Evening Post of 14 November 1899 states that he “also took part in the Second Matabele War and received a wound in the hand.”

The Matabele War over Brabant headed back south, settling in the Witwatersrand in the Zuid Afrikaansche Republiek (Transvaal) – Oom Paul Kruger’s Boer Republic. The end of 1896 held the publics attention for an entirely different reason – the ill-advised Jameson Raid, an (unofficial) attempt to unseat the Transvaal Government by the Reform Committee and Jameson with 500 men riding in from Pitsane on the Bechuanaland border, took place. The attempt was doomed to failure from the very start and there were ominous repercussions in its wake. Kruger, already untrusting of the British Government’s motives, now embarked on a massive armament procurement programme, importing 30 000 Mauser rifles from Germany, along with heavy ordnance from Germany and France in the form of artillery pieces from Krupp and Creusot.

This spilled over into open war on 11 October 1899 with the Boer Republics entering Natal and Cape Colony from Transvaal and the Orange Free State. Initially, in Natal, the British had the upper hand, winning a pyrrhic victory at Talana but, nevertheless, falling back on the garrison stationed in Ladysmith. Talana was followed by the engagement at Elandslaagte on 21 October 1899 and it was here that Brabant shot to prominence.

Retracing our steps very briefly, we encounter Brabant, on the eve of war, as a Mine Contractor in Johannesburg. As such he was a highly thought of and valuable component part of the so-called “Uitlander” population – English-speakers, mostly of British descent, who, despite contributing the most to the Transvaal economy in the form of taxes and expertise, had no civic benefits - no franchise and no say in the running of the country.

As the war clouds gathered most of these people deserted the Witwatersrand (or were expelled) in droves – heading either for Lourenco Marques in Portuguese East Africa and working their way down to Durban or per train to Natal, via Charlestown, where they assembled in large numbers, with their families, in Pietermaritzburg. Many, their patriotic flame burning bright, enrolled with a newly constituted regiment that was then forming in Natal’s capital to assist the Regular Army with taking the fight to the Boers. This outfit, soon to become a highly distinguished one, was the Imperial Light Horse.


Officers of the Imperial Light Horse

It was to this regiment that the cream of the Reef Refugees, men of quality and position in society, flocked. Arthur Brabant was no exception – on 14 September 1899 he was appointed a Lieutenant with the 1st Battalion, I.L.H. 34 years of age he was, as we have already seen, a veteran of the Matabele War and it was these skills and those of a born leader that he brought to the regiment. The strength of the first regiment, Imperial Light Horse, was 502. Raised, as I have said, in Pietermaritzburg, they were taken to the front within the next few days, and were at once put to a severe test.

Elandslaagte

There are many accounts written and published of this fight. I have chosen to quote the official history, the Story of the Imperial Light Horse in the South African War by George Fleming Gibson to relate the details of the battle and its aftermath. He wrote, from page 31- 40, on the action, an abridged account being provided here: -

“About 4.30 p.m. on the afternoon of the 21st October the infantry attack had commenced. The Devons across the open in very extended order, made a frontal attack on the Boer position, while the Gordons and Manchesters were working around to the right against the Boer left flank. The Devons advanced steadily through the artillery and Mauser fire to within 8000 yards of the summit of the hill occupied by the Boers. Here they lay under an appalling fire for over half an hour waiting for the flank attack to develop and the order to advance.


Map of Elandslaagte dispositions

As the infantry began their advance, Scott-Chisholme, full of zeal and enthusiasm , refused to accept the passive role of spectator and approached General French, asking if he could “take the hill.” On the right flank the Manchesters and Gordons were pressing on to the attack where they were joined by the I.L.H. who dismounting, double out and extended on their right – they were eager to kill and willing to be killed. Still further on the right, “B” Squadron of the 5th Lancers waited their opportunity.

As the infantry reached the foot of the hill, a violent storm, which had been threatening for some time, burst, and in a few moments had drenched everyone to the skin. In the falling light, no enemy was visible, but all could feel that the small kopje was bristling with small bore rifles, for a hail of bullets met the troops as they rose to the order for the final phase of the attack. Stumbling forward among the stones, jumping over bodies of their comrades who had fallen before them, the line pressed on. A barbed wire fence partially checked the attack and men and officers fell in numbers as they crowded towards the gaps. More than half way was won, but there was no slackening of fire from the kopje although shrapnel rained upon it continuously.

Colonel Schiel and a handful of Germans came up from a farm behind the Boer position and made a gallant and well-timed attempt at a flank attack. Describing the fight, the Adjutant of the Regiment, Captain Barnes, writes: -

“The enemy were strongly posted on their left flank end of the ridge, which the Imperial Light Horse attacked, not realising the opposition in front of them, and the increasing and unexpected severity of the Boer fire as they advanced by rushes up the hill. I must express my admiration for the coolness and determination of the men amongst whom I advanced – to this day I can see vividly the men shooting deliberately in the halts between rushes.”


A painting of the ILH charging up the hill

At last from the valley below, the Devons bugle rang out the “Charge.” The call spread along the line, and with a cheer and a great rush the frontal and flank attacks were pressed over the remaining murderous yards and the hill was taken, while the Boers either surrendered or went streaming down the reverse slopes. The “Cease Fire” now sounded and the action was apparently over.

Suddenly, however, a party of Boers headed by General Kock, delivered a counter attack against the soldiers crowded on the ridge which came very near to being successful. Men, perplexed by the “Cease Fire,” and staggered by the sudden fury of the attack, fell back, uncovering the captured guns, which the leading Boers seized, and again opened fire. Bewildered and angered by what was perceived as treachery, the I.L.H. leapt forward and re-attacking went berserk, the infantry rallied and again advanced. The Devons stormed a detached conical hill on the left of the position; for another mad minute the fight raged anew and the attack swept on, until Devons, Manchesters, Highlanders and Light Horse, fighting hand-to-hand with wild fury, using bayonet or clubbed rifle, recaptured the crest of the hill and pursued the retreating Boers.

During the final charge, the I.L.H. on the extreme right flank, swinging round the enemy’s left, surrounded a farm house, a “strong point,” and after a short encounter, stormed it, capturing 21 prisoners.

Immediately prior to the renewed attack the I.L.H. were able to assist their Regular comrades, whose casualties had been severe, particularly among the officers. Captain Charles Herbert Mullins, Lieutenant Robert Johnstone and Lieutenant A.E. Brabant, seeing for themselves the predicament in which some of the Regulars found themselves for lack of command, instantly rushed across to their aid, assumed their leadership, rallied them and reformed their line. For this singular act of leadership at a critical moment of the fight, all three of these officers were recommended for the Victoria Cross which was awarded to two of them. (Captain Mullins, the senior officer present at the final charge, was instructed to make a written report of the battle for official purposes. He did so but before submitting his report, he forwarded it to Colonel Dick-Cunyngham the officer commanding the Gordon Highlanders for his approval. His approval having been obtained, the report was sent on to headquarters.)

Two Victoria Crosses were awarded to the Regiment. The responsibility of deciding on whom these greatly prized decorations should be conferred was placed on the shoulders of Captain Barnes, the Adjutant, who has written: -

“It was months after the battle that the two Victoria Crosses were given to the Regiment. As Adjutant I was told to make enquiries in the regiment to find out to whom in general opinion they should be given. We no doubt selected the two right men in Captain Mullins and Lieutenant Johnston, but they were in fact given to the regiment.”

The Crosses were rightly bestowed, the only regret being that the equally courageous action of Lieutenant Brabant was not similarly rewarded. “Brabant, born in the Cape Colony, was brave and unassuming with striking natural military gifts.”

At 5.30 p.m. came the famous charge of the cavalry and the Boers, routed, fled the field. The Imperial forces spent a cold and wet night on the battlefield before returning to Ladysmith the next day.

The War Correspondents of the great London Dailies all wrote very appreciative comments of the regiment in this battle, one of which is here quoted: -

The Morning Post – “The Imperial Light Horse behaved with splendid recklessness. The final charge was magnificent. I was behind the Gordons and Imperials and saw it all. I consider it was the finest close fighting the world has ever known.”

Back in Ladysmith there was to be no respite. On 24th October Sir George White fought at Rietfontein in order to occupy the attention of the enemy and so prevent them falling on General Yule, who had on the death of General Penn-Symons succeeded to the command of the troops in the north of the colony, and finding that after the battle of Talana Hill there was danger of being cut off from Ladysmith, had decided to retreat to that town. The engagement at Rietfontein was successful in obtaining for Yule's force a retreat unharassed by the enemy. The I.L.H., along with the 5th Lancers, did good service in the action in seizing the ridges south of the Modder Spruit, and they thus protected Sir George's right flank.

At Lombard's Kop, on the 30th, the regiment was again engaged, this time chiefly in the centre under Colonel Ian Hamilton, whose troops had little to do except to cover the retirement of Grimwood's Brigade on the right. In this action Sir G. White found that he was not strong enough to drive back the enemy, and the result was that his troops were surrounded in Ladysmith. A siege was inevitable as the Boer Commandos encircled Ladysmith, tying a noose around her proverbial neck and closing off any means of escape.

Long Valley

During the 120 day siege the regiment had very frequently a prominent part to play. Sir George White's despatch of 23rd March 1900 states that on 3rd November Major Karri-Davies, reconnoitring with four squadrons, found a body of the enemy with one gun on Lancer's Hill, and asked for reinforcements to drive them off. Three cavalry regiments and the 21st Battery were sent to his assistance. The battery quickly silenced the gun. "Believing the enemy were evacuating the hill, the two squadrons of the ILH who were facing Lancer's Hill made a gallant but somewhat ill-advised attempt to occupy it, but though they seized and occupied a portion of the hill the enemy was in too great strength for further progress". The enemy being now strongly reinforced our troops withdrew.

The above almost matter-of-fact account fails to convey the enormity of what happened at Lancer’s Hill, better known as Long Valley on that fateful day. For a more succinct version of events we turn once more to a variety of sources – the first being Gibson’s official history. Here, between pages 50 – 54: -

“On the 3rd (November), General Brocklehurst took out a strong cavalry force comprising the whole of the mounted troops in Ladysmith, with a brigade of artillery on a reconnaissance against the Free Staters to the west of the town. A futile action followed, later known as Long Valley, which was hopeless in its inception and bad in its execution, in which some of the Imperial Light Horse almost got cut off.

The Regiment was commanded to draw the enemy fire to ascertain the number of the enemy in that locality and the number and calibre of their guns. To carry out instructions one squadron of the Regiment approached to within approximately 800 yards of a large force of the enemy, and was only extricated from this dangerous position by the remainder of the Regiment and by all the forces at the disposal of General Brocklehurst, the enemy being driven from their more advanced positions.

Unfortunately, in carrying out the orders it received, the Regiment lost 5 killed and 10 badly wounded, which aroused criticism of the reckless manner in which the Regiment had conducted its part in the reconnaissance. Captain J.C. Knapp was killed and Lieutenant A.E. Brabant, who so distinguished himself at Elandslaagte, was mortally wounded and died two days later.

So there it was for the world to see – Arthur Brabant, recommended for a V.C. and Mentioned in Despatches, one of the heroes of Elandslaagte was no more. At the age of 34 he had departed this world.

One of the most prolific of the War Correspondents – G.W. Steevens – coined the term “The Thirty Light Horsemen” and provided the following account for his readers: -

“There had been the usual dialogue between the forward 4.7 and Long Tom on 3rd November and as usual Tom was reported killed. About the middle of the morning we heard heavy gun-fire westward, whither had gone out a reconnaissance force, including two squadrons of the I.L.H. Just before lunch a storm of shrapnel from Bulwana indicated that reinforcements were passing along the same road, and that the Boers could see them. And then, just before lunch – blowing horse, pale face – dashed up a Trooper of the Imperial Light Horse.

“Come out chaps! The men are falling like sheep. I don’t suppose there is one of “C” Squadron left alive!”

….I dismounted by the guns and my horse fed greedily on the fresh green. I looked through my glasses, and could see nothing – and suddenly I saw the prettiest sight in the world – The Charge of the Imperial Light Horse – Up out of a dip in front of the Boer kopje came two squadrons of mounted men. Belly to earth, helter-skelter, hell for leather galloped heads forward they came thundering in.

On an instant the Boer lines sparkled into a cackle of rifle fire. In that same instant our guns spoke. All in a moment and then the scurrying riders, out of range, drew rein, shook themselves into order of tumult, dismounted, lay down, and began to fire. An instants peace and then another whirlwind of maniac riders came storming up the slope. Again the hill shot up in blazing flashes, again their guns spouted white shrapnel over the hill.

It all rose out of prodigal valour of the Imperial Light Horse. They had lost their Colonel at Elandslaagte, and now General Brocklehurst had incautiously given their new civilian commanding officer a free hand. “I’ve heard your men are very fine fellows Major,” he said, “do what you like.” The Major, a heart half lion, half tender woman, surveyed his two squadrons, sixty strong apiece, and cast his eye to the Boer position.

“Boys,” he said, “Load your guns. You see that kopje, that’s the Boer laager, we’re going to take it. Right squadron go on, left in support.”

There were at least 800 Boers on the hill, and the job was tough even for the I.L.H., half a squadron jibbed; only thirty started, led by a mine manager from the Rand, over 60 years of age. They posted up the hill through a hell of fire till they got within 700 yards. There they crouched under ant hills, they could neither go on nor go back.

The General sent a galloper of the 5th Dragoon Guards, to tell them to retire at all costs. The plucky fellow made a desperate ride and gave his message. A squadron of the same regiment went forward and dismounted to cover them. The result was what I saw; but of the thirty that went twelve came down. The event of the day was the splendid madness of the Thirty Light Horsemen.”


Howard-Gills’ sketch of the Long Valley engagement

There were various accounts in the press as to where on his person Brabant received his fatal wound, one that was to cost him his life two days later, most probably in the Ladysmith Town Hall – converted into a makeshift hospital. The Weekly Despatch of November 19 claimed that he, “ received a wound in the head.”

The Clarence and Richmond Examiner (an Australian publication) of 14 April 1900 wrote that, “Lieutenant Brabant, a Volunteer Officer, was shot through both cheeks as he was giving orders, yet the Mauser bullet missed his teeth.”

Whatever the cause of death was, a brave and enterprising man in the prime of his life had been struck down in a futile exercise acting on the orders of a civilian playing soldier.

Perhaps a fitting epitaph is to be found in a letter an uncle, John C. Robertson of Keston, Kent wrote to the editor of the Daily News on 28 August 1900. It read, in part, as follows: -

“At the Elandslaagte battle Arthur behaved with conspicuous bravery, was first up the hill; and rallied a portion of the Gordons, notwithstanding which no official notice of his gallantry was accorded him. On Sir George White’s return home I wrote and asked why my nephew was omitted from dispatches. In his most courteous reply, he regretted the fact, but explained that he had been obliged to follow his Brigadier’s report in selecting names for honourable mention. If ever a man deserved a V.C. that man was Arthur Edward Brabant of the Imperial Light Horse; but, as we know is the case, the most deserving are not infrequently passed over.”

Acknowledgements: These appear in the body of the work above

Anglican Church Ladysmith

That is excellent, Rory. A very timely post.