4th BATT. M.I.
The 4th Battalion contributed a section to “The Rifles’ Company,” under Captain Dewar, which, together with the section of the 3rd Battalion, and the two sections from the 3rd and 4th Battalions Rifle Brigade, formed one of the four companies composing the celebrated 1st M.I., organised and trained at Aldershot under Lieutenant-Colonel E. A. H. Alderson before the war. The “Rifles Company” was temporarily detached, and, landing at Port Elizabeth in November, 1899, joined the force under Major-General Sir William Gatacre, which was defeated at Stormberg on December the 12th, where it was mentioned for its gallant conduct in covering the retreat. The Company was then attached to French’s Cavalry Division, and was at the battle of Paardeburg, where Captain Dewar was killed, and was also present at the surrender of Cronje on the 27th of February, Majuba Day. It then rejoined the 1st M.I.; and took part in the battles of Poplar Grove and Driefontein, and the entry into Bloemfontein (10th of March). It was at the surprise of Broadwood’s Calvary Brigade at Sannah’s Post (31st of March), where it behaved with conspicuous gallantry, and it was at the relief of Wepener, and in the fighting near Thabanchu.
The 1st M.I. were then allotted to Alderson’s Brigade with Hutton’s[[78]] Mounted Troops, and took part in Lord Roberts’ advance upon Pretoria on the 2nd May.
The Company, therefore, was present in the actions of Brandfort, Vet River, Sand River, Kroonstadt, the Vaal River (27th of May), the battle of Doornkop, near Johannesburg (28th–29th of May), the actions at Kalkhoevel Defile, Six Mile Spruit (4th of June), and the entry into Pretoria (5th of June). It was similarly engaged at the battle of Diamond Hill (11th of June); in the fighting south-east of Pretoria and at the action of Rietvlei (July the 16th); in the advance to and operations round Middelburg; in the battle of Belfast (24th of August, 1900); and in the march east from Dalmanutha, including the assault of the almost impregnable position of Kaapsche Hoop during the night of the 12th–13th of September.
From this time till the end of the war this Company was continually marching and fighting in the Orange River Colony and Cape Colony, pursuing De Wet, back again in the Transvaal, in countless forays and skirmishes, in the saddle night and day. When peace was declared it was at Vereeniging, whence it marched to Harrismith, and was absorbed into the Rifle Battalion of M.I. formed at that place.
The 4th Battalion also sent out two complete companies from Cork early in 1901, which were employed in the Transvaal, and subsequently joined the 25th M.I. in October of that year (see below).
25th (THE KING’S ROYAL RIFLE CORPS) MOUNTED INFANTRY BATTALION.
On October the 18th, 1901, a complete Battalion of Mounted Infantry[[79]] was formed from the Regiment—an unique distinction—and consisted of:—
No. 1 Company 1st Battalion.
No. 2 Company 4th Battalion.