1872 pattern scarlet undress frock, along with the forage cap and sword belt worn by Lieutenant D.L. Baynes of the 75th Regiment in South Africa 1878-79 (James Holt collection)
An Officer in the Zulu War 1879
Author Archives: James A. Holt
A Trail of Khaki
Thomas Patrick Milne-Home
Born: 1875
Died: 1956
Commissioned: 1st Battalion Highland Light Infantry 6 March 1895
Lieutenant: 3 February 1898
Captain: 1 April 1901
Milne-Home saw service in Crete, 1898, and in the Anglo Boer War, 1899-1901, where he was present at the Battle of Magersfontein (11 December 1899), Retief’s Nek (23-24 July 1900), the skirmish at Wittpoort (14 August 1900), was wounded in action at Dewetsdorp (23 November 1900) and Court Martialed 29 January 1901 for “Shamefully delivering up a post.” Exonerated, reinstated, and promoted to Captain April 1901. Battalion strength upon Embarkation October 23 1899 was 1,111 all ranks. Continue reading
A Study of the British Officer on Active Service in South Africa 1899 – 1902
Mounted officer wearing khaki drill frock, Sam Browne belt rig, foreign service helmet and pantaloons tucked into Stohwasser gaiters. (Photo: James Holt collection)
Throughout the Twentieth Century, the world’s Super Powers have waged war against a sometimes seemingly invisible, highly mobile enemy. An enemy familiar with the lands he defends and what it takes to survive in them. France and later the United States struggled through Viet Nam and the former Soviet Union endured the hardships offered by Afghanistan. At the dawn of the Twentieth Century Britain ventured into South Africa. The campaign that followed was an omen of how war would be waged in the new century. A tree of terms we are all too familiar with now has roots embedded on the Veldt of South Africa… commando, guerilla war, trenches, machine gun, barbed wire, and sadly concentration camps.