TOPIC:

Zulu War

In 1878 the officers were consumed by news from Afghanistan; his good friend George Tindal Pretyman, who at the time was Aide-de-Camp to Major General Sir Frederick Roberts, was writing to James keeping him up to date with the campaign.

It was then in January 1879 that they received the shocking news of the defeat at Isandlwana. James, by then a Captain in the Royal Artillery, was dispatched to South Africa in charge of “M” Battery 6th Brigade Royal Artillery.

In this letter from Brevet Lt Colonel FT Whinyates of the RHA, written two weeks after Isandlwana, they were still hopeful that there would be prisoners. It is assumed they are referring to Captain and Brevet-Major Stuart Smith of "N" Battery, 5th Brigade Royal Artillery who was killed in action on that fateful day.
James then served on the staff of Crealock’s Division as D. A. Q. M. G., Intelligence Branch from the 26th April 1879; it was during this time that he went out on reconnaissance, surveyed the area and produced a number of maps that proved vital in the war effort. A surveying talent that he must have picked up from his father.

In June 1879 whilst stationed at Fort Crealock in Zululand he received the following letter of recognition:





After the war he develop a friendship with Major General Crealock himself; from whom he received the following letter and testimonial in 1880:







Earlier he had received thanks from H.R.H the Commander in Chief:

Post-Zulu War

In July 1879, James was invalided back to England due to ill health, where he was reunited with his young son, Alfred Digby Legard, who had been only six months old when James departed for Natal.

By 1882, James received orders to return to his battery in Natal. Given his prior health issues, he requested an assignment in Egypt. However, his request was denied by the Commander-in-Chief, H.R.H., leading him to retire from active service and remain in England.

James went on to join the Yorkshire R.G.A. (Militia), gradually rising through the ranks to become a Colonel. During this period, he delivered several lectures and authored papers, two notable examples being:

1. "Army Re-Organisation with Special Reference to the Infantry of the Line and Militia" – presented on 9th February 1898, chaired by Lord Chelmsford.



2. "Description of Travelling Target Introduced for the Use of the Yorkshire R.G.A. Militia at Scarborough."



However, events in South Africa in 1899 would bring history full circle—his son, Alfred Digby Legard, who had been an infant when James fought in the Zulu War, found himself sent to South Africa at the age of 21 to take part in the Second Anglo-Boer War in Natal.

Alfred Legard was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the King's Royal Rifle Corps on 18 May 1898 and promoted to lieutenant on 22 October 1899. Serving with the 1st Battalion of his regiment during the Second Boer War (1899–1902), he played a role in several significant engagements, including the Battle of Talana Hill and the Defence of Ladysmith in early 1900. Later that year, he took part in operations in Natal (March–June 1900) and further campaigns in Transvaal, east of Pretoria (July–November 1900).

For his service, Legard was awarded the Queen's South Africa Medal with four clasps and was promoted to captain on 14 June 1902.

Beyond his military career, he pursued cricket as an amateur first-class player, appearing in two matches for Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) and four matches for Yorkshire County Cricket Club between 1904 and 1910.

During World War I, he served with distinction, earning the title of Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) and rising to the rank of colonel in the King's Royal Rifle Corps.

Given that the campaigns and battles involving the KRRC are well documented on this forum, the focus will be on the letters Legard sent home during the Siege of Ladysmith, offering a personal perspective on his wartime experiences.

Ref: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Legard

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Letters from Ladysmith:






Note the mention of young "Raikes"