The Manchesters Mounted Infantry in the Boer war.

[Margaret]

Can anyone tell me please, how this group was formed, and how many men were part of it.

I have medal bars for my GF for -  SA 1901, Diamond Hill, Johannesburg, Driefontein, Paadeberg, Relief of Kimberley.

I have been told that the main group of Manchesters were not at all these engagements, only those as part of the Mounted Infantry, 

and they joined with other Regiments who had mounted infantry too.

[Robert Bonner]

The 1st and 2nd Battalions of the Manchester Regiment both formed Mounted Infantry Companies whilst in South Africa.  They sometimes operated on their own  but mostly as part of Mounted Infantry Battalions made up of companies from a variety of Regiments  In addition there were some which had been formed as purely Mounted Infantry Regiments.

Mounted Infantry were essentially infantry who rode into battle and then dismounted to fight the enemy. They were not intended to replace the Regular cavalry and had an entirely different role to carry out. Men of the mounted infantry travelled light and neither tents nor comforts were permitted to officers or men.  Each man carried on his horse one hundred and twenty rounds of ammunition, a spare shirt, a pair of socks, underpants, a holdall, boot laces, sponge, towel, soap, a rubber curry comb and brush, a water bottle, an emergency ration and one day's supply of oats for his horse.  The supply wagons carried one blanket, a ground sheet, greatcoat and one jersey per man.

Eventually at least twenty-six Mounted Infantry Battalions  were formed in addition to the individual Light Horse and Mounted Rifle Battalions which were raised locally or overseas from the empire.

[themonsstar]

Can you post the info on the medal "Number,Name,Rank,Unit. Cheers

[Margaret]

AS REQUESTED,

The medal for the Boer war is the Queens Medal and  6 bars,   on the isde  is engraved   no 2377   Pte.  W. H. Massey, Manchester Regt.

It dosnt contain any other details.

[themonsstar]

Hes on the medal roll for the 2nd Bn.

2377 Pte W.Massey

Paardeberg
Dreifontein
Johannesburg
Diamond Hill
Relief Of Kimberley
1901 bar

[tonyrod]

richard, what his a  rubber curry comb   and how did it get its name. tonyrod

[sphinx]

A Rubber Curry Comb can be used for removing mud, hair, sweat and scuf from your horse in a gentle yet effective way.

Its made from rubber but dont know what the 'curry' reference is, something horsey rather than spicy I assume.

[tonyrod]

cheers sphink, i worked with horse as a kid  and i had not come across that term, . tony

[Wendi]

http://209.85.229.132/search?q=cache:TBrtTXUuTFYJ:www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/curry-favour.html+to+curry+favour&cd=1&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

Hope the link works ! apparently from the French "to prepare"

Wendi 

[timberman]

The British army used one million horses of which half died. I'm not sure if this included all the ones that died in transit to South Africa

Timberman

[rafboy]

Have a look at Wiki's description and photo of the Curry Comb at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horse_grooming
Cliff