Mounted Infantry Of The Regiment In South Africa

The Mounted Infantry raised in the Regiment played a great part in the campaign. It has therefore been considered advisable to record separately their services by battalions. The establishment of a Mounted Infantry company was 5 officers and 142 other ranks, organized in four sections.

A company was raised from the 1st Battalion in South Africa before the war; it fought at Talana Hill (20th October, 1899), was in the defence of Ladysmith, and later with Buller's army until it arrived at Lydenburg in October, 1900. After this it was continually engaged in the Eastern Transvaal until it joined the 25th Mounted Infantry in October, 1901. This company lost 25 killed and 33 wounded during the war.

Mounted Infantry Of The Second Battalion

A company was raised from the 2nd Battalion upon its arrival in Natal. It formed, with a squadron of Imperial Light Horse and a squadron of Natal Carabiniers, the composite regiment under Major Gough, 16th Lancers, and, joining Buller's army on the Tugela, took part in the campaign for the relief of Ladysmith with Dundonald's Mounted Troops. After the relief it was reconstructed and became Gough's Mounted Infantry, and accompanied Buller's army to Standerton, being subsequently engaged in the Eastern Transvaal, Zululand and the Orange River Colony until the end of the war. By then only two officers and twenty-nine others of the original company remained, but the fact that twenty per cent. of the original horses, received in October, 1899, were still doing duty constituted a notable record in horse management.

Mounted Infantry Of The 3rd Battalion

The 3rd Battalion contributed one section to the rifle company of the 1st Mounted Infantry (vide Mounted Infantry of the 4th Battalion).

A second section was formed in December, 1899, and, joining Gough's Mounted Infantry, fought with Dundonald's Mounted Troops in the relief of Ladysmith, and was subsequently at Blood River Poort, where it was severely handled and its commander, Mildmay, was killed. This section, in October, 1901, was united with a third section, raised in 1900, and joined the 25th Mounted Infantry in October, 1901 (see below), when the strength was raised to a company.

Lieutenant L. A. E. Price-Davies' gained the Victoria Cross 17th September, 1901.