Description
Queen’s South Africa, 4 bars, Cape Colony, Orange Free State, Transvaal, SA 1901, 25896 Pte T. H. Cooke, Scottish Horse.
A scarce unit, the Marquis of Tullibardine’s Scottish Horse.
Officially impressed: “25896 Pte T. H. Cooke. Scottish Horse.”
Confirmed on the medal roll.
Good condition, dark toned, with original silk ribbon.
Thomas Henry Cooke signed up for a 6 month contract during the war with the 1st Regiment of the Scottish Horse on 7th January 1901.
The nominal roll lists he also held the service number of 348.
At the end of his terms of engagement he was discharged at Capetown on 24th July 1901.
In late 1900, the Marquess of Tullibardine was in asked by Lord Kitchener, whom he had served under on the Omdurman Campaign, to raise a regiment of Scotsmen in South Africa, called The Scottish Horse.
The regiment aimed to primarily employ those of Scottish Heritage, which included a contingent of Australians who proved themselves to have come from Scotland.
The regiment was raised quickly and soon saw active service in the Western Transvaal. A second regiment of Scottish Horse was raised from troops recruited by the 7th Duke of Atholl.
Thomas was a member of the 1st Regiment.
After the war ended in June 1902, 780 officers and men of the regiments left Cape Town in the SS Goth and arrived in Southampton in late August. Both regiments were subsequently disbanded at Edinburgh Castle on 1 September 1902, after repatriating Australians and discharging South Africans.
After the war the Marquis of Tullibardine provided statements to the War Commission about the operations and activities of the regiment.
Much of it has been detailed on the relevent page for the unit on Angloboerwar.com
https://www.angloboerwar.com/unit-information/south-african-units/469-scottish-horse
