TOPIC:

NEW SOUTH WALES LANCERS AT BELMONT

A small detachment of 30 men of the New South Wales Lancers under Lieutenant Osborne was sent to Orange RIver as part of Lord Methuen's force.
This detachment became involved in the battles of Belmont on 23rd November 1899, Enslin on 25th November, Modder River 28th November and Magersfontein on 11th December 1899. So, for the collector of QSAs, a very desirable medal to the NSW Lancers with the Belmont and Modder River clasps. I am afraid to say that I do not have one in my collection.
My purpose for writing this post is to relay an interesting account of a couple of Lancers' experiences at Belmont as follows:

Taken from the New Zealand newspaper "Evening Star," dated 13th January, 1900;

"A PLUCKY COLONIAL"
Trooper Harold Peek, of the Maitland Half -squadron Lancers, in a letter to his father, refers in an amusing manner to the case of Trooper Byrne, of Parramatta, who, it was first thought, had been shot by the Boers at Belmont on October 22. The fact of the matter was that Byrne pursued a Boer, and after a long chase through the hills, finally captured him. However, the Parramatta man found himself in a strange predicament, as he was unable to find his way back to camp, but his prisoner very obligingly pointed it out to him, and accompanied him back to headquarters. Of the engagement at Belmont Trooper Peek writes:-"The Boer marksmanship was bad. None of our Lancers are yet even wounded; but alot of the regulars got great credit for holding our kopje yesterday until our guns silenced the Boer artillery. One shell burst right over us , but we were well under cover, and I have a piece of iron as a memento. The Lancers and Mounted Infantry followed up the Boers to find out their new position, and the Boers lay in hiding, and allowed our line to get between two fires, and then poured in volleys, and we had to gallop about a mile and a half under fire. I happened to see a Boer horse, with a head-rope on him, so put him on the firing side, and lay on my horse's neck. One of our fellows had his horse shot under him and four Mounted Infantry were wounded. On our way back to camp we captured a Boer officer, and a private, ammunition, and rifles." Of the same battle, Trooper George Stratford says:-"It lasted seven hours, and the fighting was severe. The Boers occupied a splendid position. I cannot say what their losses were; but about 250 British were killed and wounded. It was a fearful sight after the battle, some of the men having half their faces blown away. At Grass Pan the battle lasted thirteen hours, and few Lancers were present. The troops had nothing to eat for fifteen hours, or drink for twice that time."

Please note that the date quoted from the publication of October 22 has to be in error. The first 70 men all ranks did not arrive in South Africa until 2nd November 1899 after their voyage from England (they had been at Aldershot for a period of training and set sail for SA on 10th October before the declaration of war, they were later joined by a further contingent from Australia comprising 5 officers, 1 Warrant Officer, 32 men and 130 horses).

8998 PRIVATE WILLIAM McCLAIR: ' D' COMPANY OF THE SCOTS GUARDS

WOUNDED AT BELMONT 23RD NOVEMBER 1899, DIED OF WOUNDS AT WYNBERG ON 8TH DECEMBER 1899.

As we know, men who died whilst on active duty generally had their documentation withdrawn from the army files and destroyed . Very occasionally, indeed rarely, we are fortunate enough to find extant paperwork so that we might find out a little more about a deceased soldier.
This is the case with Private William McClair.

William McClair was born in the Parish of Dalziel, Motherwell, Scotland in 1872.
He attested to the Scots Guards on the 22nd May 1891 at Glasgow, Scotland.
He declared previous military service with 2nd Volunteer Battalion Scottish Rifles.
William was 18 years and 10 months of age and was a Bridge Builder by way of occupation, which I would imagine would have been hard graft!
He weighed in at 135lbs and stood 5' 7 1/4" with a chest expansion range of 34"-36 1/2".
He was of fresh complexion, with greyish -blue eyes and brown hair. As with many Scotsmen, he was Presbyterian by religious denomination.

On the 28th April 1892 he was reported as being a good and efficient soldier, so the high standards expected of a guardsman obviously suited William.

William married Jane Walton back home in Dalziel (perhaps a childhood sweetheart?) on 18th July 1898. There is no record of any children from their union.
His father, also William of 18 Kirk Street, Motherwell was originally described as next of kin. This record ruled through since marriage and Jane McClair of 29 Elgin Avenue, Maida Vale now the nearest and dearest.
His service record confirms a total of 8 years and 201 days with the colours until his death in South Africa.

William sailed to see South Africa with his comrades in the 1st Battalion Scots Guards on the transport ship Nubia on 20th October 1899, arriving at the Cape on 13th November.
Here they disembarked to form the Guards Brigade with 3rd Grenadier Guards and 1st & 2nd Coldstreams under the command of Sir E. H. Colville.
The Scots Guards were soon thrown into action at the Battle of Belmont on 23rd November 1899. It was a baptism of fire for the brigade earning the highest praise from Lord Methuen who said, "The Scots Guards carried out their instructions to the letter, and gained the heights at the point of the bayonet."
The battalion's losses were severe with 10 men killed, 3 officers and 34 men wounded. Of which 8998 Private William McClair was one of the latter.
He was then transported to the hospital at Wynberg for treatment to his wounds which were no doubt inflicted by a Mauser bullet.
I have uncovered his Death Certificate issued by the Registrar at Wynberg which gives further information on the extent of his wounds and how it resulted in his demise.
It informs us that he was 26 years old and had sustained a gunshot wound to his left arm. A survivable injury one would have thought, but he developed cellulitis of his left arm resulting in a secondary haemorrhage and ultimately his death.



Image 1---The Queen's South Africa medal with the single clasp "BELMONT" awarded posthumously to 8998 Private William McClair.
The medal was issued to his grieving widow Martha Jane McClair on 11th April 1902. She was residing at number 6 May Cottages, Railway Road, Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire. Small recompense for the loss of her husband.


Image 2---the single clasp "BELMONT".


Image 3---impressed naming to the rim of the medal.



Image 4---impressed regimental naming to the rim.



Image 5--- William is commemorated on Monument 10 at St. John's Cemetery, Wynberg, Cape Town. His Death Certificate refers to this location as the English Cemetery.
The inscription to the pedestal as follows:
"TO THESE
BRAVE MEN
WHO DIED AT WYNBERG FOR THEIR COUNTRY
IN THE
SOUTH AFRICAN WAR 1899-1902
AND LIE BURIED HERE
THIS MONUMENT IS ERECTED BY
A FRIEND OF THE ARMY
I HAVE FOUGHT A GOOD FIGHT I HAVE FINISHED MY COURSE
I HAVE KEPT THE FAITH."

Image 6---the Roll of Honour for the men who died at Wynberg and are buried there.

Another brave guardsman who served and died from wounds received at the Battle of Belmont upholding the highest traditions of the Guards Brigade.

"CONVEYING WOUNDED TO WYNBERG CAMP"


The transfer of William McClair and his wounded comrades to Wynberg from the battlefield at Belmont.