TOPIC:

Two battalions of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers saw service in South Africa.

Major John Albert Emmanuel MacBean DSO psc Royal Dublin Fusiliers, was killed in action at Nooitgedacht, Dec 13, 1900.



He was the elder son of the late Hugh MacBean Esq JP of Glasgow and of Mrs MacBean 7 Rossetti Mansions, Chelsea SW. His mother was the daughter of the late Robert Gilson Cochrane Field Esq of Miliken Park. Major MacBean was born in Glasgow, June 6, 1865, educated at St Andrews and at the Glasgow Academy, and afterwards at the Freiburg University.

He entered his regiment May 1887, being promoted Lieutenant, March 1889, Captain May 1896 and Brevet Major November 1900. Having first served in India he passed the Staff College in 1896, and went to Egypt, where he was in the Nile Expedition of 1897, and at the action of Abu Hamed (having his horse shot under him.), and was mentioned in despatches. He then saw service in the Nile Expedition of 1898, being present at the battles of the Atbara and Khartoum, and was again mentioned in despatches and granted the DSO, and two medals and (sic) five clasps.



Major MacBean sailed for South Africa, Oct 1899 and was appointed brigade major to the Fusilier Brigade. He was present at the battles of Colenso, Pieter's Hill and the Relief of Ladysmith, and afterwards, at the actions of Rooidam and Fourteen Streams; he also served with Sir I Hamilton at Lydenburg. In November 1900, he was appointed staff officer at Krugersdorp under Maj Gen Clements, and fell at Nooitgedacht in the attack on the British Column by Generals De La Rey and Beyers.

The QSA is beautifully engraved:

Sometimes when this group has been sold in the past, there have been debate about the naming on the Khedive Sudan Medal:

Major and Brevet Lt Colonel Claude George Henry Sitwell DSO, Royal Dublin Fusiliers, was killed in action in the operations on the Upper Tugela of February 23-24, 1900.



He was the son of Capt G T Sitwell, formerly of the 3rd Dragoons, was born in Oct 1858 and educated at Hailrybury. He entered the 85th Foot from the Huntingdon Militia in Sep 1878, was promoted Lieut, Jul 1881, Capt, Sep 1886, transferred to the Manchester Regt, Feb 1889, being promoted Lt Colonel 1899. He served in the Afghan War 1879-80 with the Keram Division, Yarmusht Expedition (medal).

He also served in the Egyptian War of 1882 with the 1st Batt Shropshire Light Infantry, took part in the defence of Alexandria and the occupation of Kafr Dowar and the surrender of Damietta, receiving the medal and Khedive’s Star.

Lt Col Sitwell was in East Africa from 1895-98 and was in command of the expedition against the Kitosh, Kibras and Kekelwas tribes. He also took part in the Nandi Expedition of 1895, when he was mentioned in despatches. He served in Uganda 1897-98 when he commanded the expedition against Mwanga, and he was present at the action near the Katonga River and other engagements, being mentioned in despatches, receiving the brevet of Lieutenant Colonel and the DSO.

Sadly, only three medals have survived.



His full entitlement was:

DSO (VRI
Afghan 1878 (0) (2nd Lt 85th Foot)
Egypt 1882 (0?) (Lt Shrops Lt Inf)
East & Central Africa (1) Uganda 1897-8 (Capt Uganda Rifles)
QSA (2) TH RoL (Lt Col DSO R Dub Fus)
Khedive’s Star 1882

'Heroes of old Ireland: Invalided home and off to the front again.

These men were at the capture of Spion Kop and were afterwards invalided home, some of them having no fewer than three bullets in their bodies and many of them two. No sooner had they recovered from their wounds than they volunteered to go back, and having been accepted they sailed last week in the ss Canada. They belong to the 2nd Royal Dublin Fusiliers, a regiment that has highly distinguished itself during the campaign in South Africa. '



Source: The Graphic, Volume 62

Picture courtesy of DNW

QSA (3) Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal (Major. W. C. Roper-Caldbeck. Rl. Dub. Fus.);
KSA (2) (Maj. W. C. Roper-Caldbeck. Rl. Dub. Fus.) suspension slightly slack;
BWM and VM (Major W. C. Roper-Caldbeck.);
Italy, Kingdom, War Merit Cross, bronze,

William Caldbeck Roper-Caldbeck was born in January 1855, and educated at Trinity College Dublin. He unsuccessfully stood for Parliament for the seat of Dublin North in 1885, before being admitted to the Inner Temple and being entitled to practice as a Barrister in 1896. Roper-Caldbeck served as a Major in the 5th Battalion (Dublin County Militia), Royal Dublin Fusiliers prior to the Second Boer War. He volunteered for active service with his Battalion in South Africa, and was appointed Temporary Major in the Army. Roper-Caldbeck was engaged in operations in Cape Colony, 30 November 1900 - January 1902, and in the Transvaal and Orange River Colony, January to 31 May 1902.

Roper-Caldbeck resigned his commission in the Militia in June 1903. He re-engaged for service during the Great War as a Major in the Special Reserve, and was serving with the 3rd (Reserve) Battalion, Bedfordshire Regiment in 1915. Roper-Caldbeck served with the Regiment in the Italian theatre of war from February 1918 - aged 63 years old.

He was a JP, and resided at Moyle Park, Clondalkin, Dublin. He died in December 1936.

This group has been on a regular 3 year cycle:


Image courtesy of DNW


Image courtesy of Spink

CBE 1st Type, Military
AFC GV;
QSA (2) Tugela Heights, Relief of Ladysmith (Lieut. J. C. Halahan, Rl. Dub. Fus.);
1914-15 Star (Major J. C. Halahan, RFC);
BWM 1914-20 (Col. J. C. Halahan, RAF);
Victory Medal 1914-19, with M.I.D.

More information here.