| Tod | Noel Moir | | Lieutenant | He was killed in action at Wagon Hill, Ladysmith, January 6th, 1900. He was the youngest son of John Henry Tod, was born in December 1875, and educated at Uppingham. He entered the Scottish Rifles from the Royal Military College, passing out with honours in February 1896, being promoted Lieutenant March 1898. Lieutenant Tod, whose battalion of the Cameronians was serving in India, volunteered for active service, and was attached for duty to the 2nd Battalion King's Royal Rifle Corps, and served in Natal from the commencement of the war. At the battle of Lombard's Kop on October 3oth, 1899, his bravery was very conspicuous. He alone worked a Maxim gun, and when he saw that it would have to be abandoned he rendered it useless. On this occasion a bullet passed through his trousers, and another through his coat, and a third through the flesh of his arm. At Wagon Hill, at a critical moment, Lieutenant Tod called on a sergeant and a dozen men to follow him to attack the Boers. This involved crossing about sixty yards swept with rifle fire to get at the enemy. He and his handful of riflemen made a gallant charge, but before they got half the distance Lieutenant Tod and seven of his party were killed and one wounded. Lieutenant Tod was mentioned in despatches by Lieutenant General Sir George White, from Ladysmith, December 2nd, 1899, and again in the despatch of March 23rd, 1900, LG, February 8th, 1901. A tablet was erected in Uppingham School Chapel to his memory and that of his brother, Lieutenant J E Tod, 2nd Punjab Cavalry, who died in 1892. A letter from Col C K Wood, Chief Engineer, Ladysmith, 3rd May 1900: I went up to Wagon Hill to see the graves, as I felt sure that it would be a satisfaction to you to know that everything possible had been done. The graves are situated on a plateau half way up the nek between Wagon Hill and Caesar's Camp, facing Ladysmith, as shown on the map. In the centre of the graves a large stone monument has been erected with an iron plate let in, not yet inscribed. Wire fencing encloses the whole. Your son was buried in a grave with four other officers, viz.: 2nd Lieut. Raikes, K.R.R., 2nd Lieut. Hill, 5th Lancers, Major Bowen, K.R.R., and Major Mackworth, 1st Queen's, attached to 2nd K.R.R. The grave is neatly surrounded with stones, and white wooden crosses with names inscribed have been erected. Later, no doubt, the stone referred to by Major Stuart Wortley will be erected. Besides the above there are five graves of about 40 N.C.O.'s and men of different corps. May I be allowed to express my deep sympathy in your great loss and may it be softened by the thought that your son died in the most gallant defence of the campaign, and without which on Jan. 6th, Ladysmith must have fallen." [from letter reprinted in Letters from Ladysmith. Privately printed, n.d. [c. late 1900], p.28 )
Source: Donner | (Cameronians) Scottish Rifles |
