The Battalion returned home in August, 1901, and was disembodied.
The Mounted Infantry of The King’s Royal Rifle Corps.
Note.—The Mounted Infantry raised in the Regiment having played so distinguished a part in the campaign, it has been considered advisable for purposes of historical reference to record their services by battalions. The establishment of a Mounted Infantry Company was 5 officers and 142 other ranks, organised into four sections.
1st BATT. M.I.
A company was raised from the 1st Battalion in South Africa before the war; it fought at Talana Hill (October the 20th, 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 (see below). This Company lost twenty-five killed and thirty-three wounded during the war.
2nd BATT. M.I.
A Company was raised from the 2nd Battalion upon its arrival in Natal, which was left outside Ladysmith, 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 this Company joined Gough’s Mounted Infantry, and accompanied Buller’s army up to Lydenburg, being subsequently engaged in the Eastern Transvaal, Zululand, and the Orange River Colony until the end of the war. The wastage in personnel was such that only two officers and twenty-nine others of the original company then 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.
3rd BATT. M.I.
The 3rd Battalion contributed one section to “The Rifles’ Company” of the 1st M.I. (Vide 4th Battalion M.I.).
A second section, formed in December, 1899, fought with Dundonald’s mounted troops in the Relief of Ladysmith, subsequently joining Gough’s M.I. 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 M.I. in October, 1901 (see below), when the strength was raised to a full company.