ing

d&s Ritterkreuz 1. Klasse des Albrechtsordens

C

Figure 21: Award docu~nent for the award of the Knight’s Cross with swords on ring to Arthur Breiting.

Vol. 58, No. 5 29 Defending the Empire October, it was apparent for some time that hostilities were inevitable. The 5th Guards were among the first regiments to arrive, with D Squadron landing on Barney Mattingly October 1 lth and taking part in the charge at Elandslaagte (October 21, 1899). The remainder of the regiment was Some British soldiers spent their entire careers stationed delayed because of cases of anthrax discovered among in England, never seeing a shot fired in anger, and never the horses and did not land until the 26th of October. It receiving a single medal for their service. However, was on October 30th when Lieutenant many soldiers spent their careers overseas, defending received the only ever awarded to the the British Empire. 5th for rescuing a wounded soldier under heavy enemy fire. Later, the regiment retreated George William Garnham was born on September 17, to Ladysmith as part of the force under the command 1871 in Warwickshire, England. His father, George of General Sir George White where they were besieged Garnham, had served with the 13th Light and from November 3, 1899 until relieved on February 28, was present with the regiment during the historic charge 1900 (Figure 1). During this time, the regiment made of the Light Brigade during the . Garnham a number of sorties from Ladysmith but most of their enlisted in the on July 9, 1886 in casualties were due to illness. Canterbury and traveled to Ireland to join his regiment, then stationed at the military camp at the Curragh. The regiment returned to England in July 1890 and departed from Portsmouth for India on September 6, 1893, arriving in Meerut on October 1 lth. The regiment’s stay in India was typical for a peacetime tour: long parades and, on occasion, stifling heat, with numerous servants to attend to the tedious daily chores. Yet for a few, this routine was briefly interrupted by a campaign to Afghanistan.

In one of the many expeditions sent over the years to punish the warring Afghans, the Tirah Expeditionary Force invaded over the Khyber Pass in October, 1897 to attack tribal leaders who were raiding into the northwestern frontier of India. To support this force, a contingent of one officer, three sergeants, and fifteen other ranks from the 5th Dragoon Guards were dispatched. The campaign was difficult and involved several severe engagements with the Afghans. Still, the terrain was not Figure 1: The 5th Dragoon Guards in the defense of Ladysmith. suited for cavalry and the soldiers from the 5th Dragoons Guards primarily served with the Field Hospital or After Ladysmith, several officers and men from the 5th provided mounted escort. The Tirah Expeditionary Force Dragoon Guards served with the Imperial Light Horse completed their campaign in April 1898. For his service during the Boer War. One such soldier was Lieutenant in Afghanistan, Garnham received the 1895 India Medal B.R.M. Glossop, who served as Adjutant of the Imperial with clasps PUNJAB FRONTIER 1897-98 and TIRAH Light Horse until severely wounded in January 1901. A 1897-98. Interestingly, he does not appear on the existing letter written by Glossop and published in The Story of medal roll. Garnham is not unique. The 5th Dragoon the Irnperial Light Horse in the South African War 1899- Guards officer commanding the contingent, Lieutenant 1902 includes the following passage: Frederick Thomas Parker, also does not appear on the roll and several other names are missing as well. Both The I. L. H. should be linked up with my old Garnham’s and Parker’s India Medals are engraved in the corps, the 5th Dragoon Guards, they served correct running script style and it appears that this part together in Ladysmith and while I was Adjutant I of the medal roll has been lost. imported three Sergeants: Hurst (killed soon after Cyferfontein I think), Savage and Garnham. The The 5th Dragoon Guards were stationed in India when they latter kept up his association with the I. L. H. for were ordered to proceed to South Africa on September 8, a long time after the war as Sergeant-Major, and 1899. Although the Boer War did not officially begin until

30 JOMSA I still meet him most years at our Old Comrades’ awarding of a Victoria Cross to the ILH near Bethlehem. Dinner. The 5th Dragoon Guards were a very ’big’ The Imperial Light Horse continued to battle the Boers to regiment in those days and there wasn’t much the end and saw their last major engagement on April 8, LIGHT Horsemen about any of these three. 1902 when they captured 36 prisoners, with 51 dead and 40 wounded Boers. The Imperial Light Horse performed Garnham served as Squadron Sergeant Major of the 1 st splendidly throughout the Boer War and received four Battalion Imperial Light Horse from December 8, 1900 Victoria Crosses for their service. For his Boer War until March 25, 1902. The Imperial Light Horse were service, Garnham received the Queen’s South Africa formed in South Africa in 1899 and fought extensively Medal with clasps for DEFENCE OF LADYSMITH against the Boers. The served alongside the 5th Dragoon and TRANSVAAL and the King’s South Africa Medal Guards during the siege of Ladysmith, including at Wagon with clasps for SOUTH AFRICA 1901 and SOUTH Hill on January 6, 1900 when the Boers severely attacked AFRICA 1902. the defenses of Ladysmith in an attempt to overwhelm the British and capture the city. During the attack, the Eighty-six time-expired soldiers from the 5th Dragoon Imperial Light Horse suffered casualties of 26 killed and Guards had voluntarily extended their service to go to 33 wounded. South Africa and Garnham appears to have been one of them. When the regiment was ordered back to India on After the siege of Ladysmith was lifted on February March 19, 1902, his service commitment was fulfilled 28, 1900, the Imperial Light Horse continued to and Garnham took the opportunity to transfer back to his battle the Boers. While seconded to the regiment, regiment, receiving his discharge from the 5th Dragoon Garnham repeatedly saw heavy action, including several Guards. Garnham returned to South Africa and was engagements. On January 6, 1901, the ILH suffered 22 appointed Regimental Sergeant Major of the Imperial killed and 28 wounded near Naauwpoort, while on March Light Horse on October 19, 1902. 22, 1901, the regiment endured another 6 killed and 18 wounded near Geduld. However, the ILH also dealt out In December 1905, the Government of Natal instituted their fair share of punishment. On March 23rd and 24th, a new tax on the native population, causing much anger they took 140 prisoners and inflicted Boer casualties of 22 and unrest. The situation continued to deteriorate in early dead and 32 wounded. On December 18, an ambush by 1906, culminating in the Government declaring martial General Christiaan De Wet backfired and resulted in the law on February 10, 1906. Several small field forces

,

Figure 2: The Transvaal Mounted Rifles in Natal Garnham is the tall man standing in the back row, third from the left.

Vol. 58, No. 5 31