7011 Private A Forbes, 1st Battalion the Gordon Highlanders. The battalion deployed from Edinburgh to South Africa for the Second Anglo Boer War, sailing on the Cheshire on 9 Nov 1899, and arrived at the Cape on 28 Nov 1899. Within days of their arrival they had joined the Highland Brigade and fought in the battle of Magersfontein on 11 Dec 1899. In early Feb the battalion, along with the 2nd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, the 2nd Shropshire Light Infantry, and the Canadian Regiment, were placed in the 19th Brigade under Smith-Dorrien. They were part of the advance from the Modder River to Bloemfontein and Pretoria, were at the battle of Paardeberg 18-27 Feb 1900, fought at Hout Nek on 30 Apr 1900 and Doornkop on 29 May 1900 (20 killed, 78 wounded). In Aug-Sep 1900 they pushed east with their brigade to Lydenburg then Komatipoort. They were the garrison at Belfast when attacked by Boer forces on 7-8 Jan 1901 who were repulsed. For the rest of the campaign they undertook garrison and blockhouse work. Private Forbes served with the Mounted Infantry company who were with Colonel De Lisle in Jan and Feb 1901 assisting to drive the enemy out of Cape Colony and in May to July 1901 in the north-east of the Orange River Colony. He was killed in action at Graspan, near Reitz, Orange River Colony. He is also commemorated on the Gordon Highlanders Boer War memorial on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Edinburgh, Scotland (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/251858).
7011 Private A Forbes, 1st Battalion the Gordon Highlanders. The battalion deployed from Edinburgh to South Africa for the Second Anglo Boer War, sailing on the Cheshire on 9 Nov 1899, and arrived at the Cape on 28 Nov 1899. Within days of their arrival they had joined the Highland Brigade and fought in the battle of Magersfontein on 11 Dec 1899. In early Feb the battalion, along with the 2nd Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, the 2nd Shropshire Light Infantry, and the Canadian Regiment, were placed in the 19th Brigade under Smith-Dorrien. They were part of the advance from the Modder River to Bloemfontein and Pretoria, were at the battle of Paardeberg 18-27 Feb 1900, fought at Hout Nek on 30 Apr 1900 and Doornkop on 29 May 1900 (20 killed, 78 wounded). In Aug-Sep 1900 they pushed east with their brigade to Lydenburg then Komatipoort. They were the garrison at Belfast when attacked by Boer forces on 7-8 Jan 1901 who were repulsed. For the rest of the campaign they undertook garrison and blockhouse work. Private Forbes served with the Mounted Infantry company who were with Colonel De Lisle in Jan and Feb 1901 assisting to drive the enemy out of Cape Colony and in May to July 1901 in the north-east of the Orange River Colony. He was killed in action at Graspan, near Reitz, Orange River Colony. He is also commemorated on the Gordon Highlanders Boer War memorial on the Edinburgh Castle Esplanade, Edinburgh, Scotland (see: https://www.warmemorialsonline.org.uk/memorial/251858).
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