Was wondering if any Khambula aficionados could help me out with some info regarding a young 90th 2nd Lieutenant who was MID for the action.
Situation is that I have a pair of medals to Major Sidney Strong 90th /Scottish Rifles who was killed in action 24th Jan. 1900 at Spion Kop. His first medal is the Zulu 1877-8-9 and I’ve always covered his early S.A. service in a few lines –
“served in the Gaika War of 1878, including the operations in the Peri Bush. He also served throughout the Zulu War of 1879 and was present in the engagements at Zungin Nek then at Khambula (where he was Mentioned in Despatches London Gazette 7th May 1879) and later at the Battle of Ulundi, where the Zulu impis proved no match to the Artillery field pieces and massed Martini-Henry”.
Having read details re Khambula and the sad exploits of 2nd Lieutenant Bright 90th on the forum, I’ve very belatedly wondered what Sidney Strong, a 20 year old 2nd Lieutenant, did to be mentioned in Col. Wood’s despatches??
Bright and Strong are exactly paralleled; same age, both Public School. both same class Sandhurst; both commissiond same date; both to S.A. with same draft.; both in the front line at Khambula Bright leads a bayonet charge at Khambula; Strong gets MID’d….Any ideas??
PS Was Bright MID Posthumously??
PPS If of interest, have a nice CDV of very young Strong with a great big ‘90’ on his cap, which came with the medals,
Mentioned in Despatches – L.G. 7th May 1879 – Battle of Khambula (Zulus)
Mentioned in Despatches – L.G. 1st February 1900 (Post.) - Battle of Spion Kop. (Boers)
Les Nicoll
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