SERVICE UNDER “BOBS”

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume LXI, Issue 18466, 3 August 1934, Page 6

SERVICE UNDER “BOBS”

WARS OF LONG AGO AFGHANISTAN AND EGYPT WITH THE GALLANT SEAFORTHS “The number of men now resident in Eoverty Bay with the qualification of past service in the British Army or in one, or other of the coloitfal units prior to the turn of the century is almost beyond belief. Most of them make no parade whatever of their service to their country, and are perhaps a little shy of joining any of the ex-servicemen s organisations. We want to identify these men, and to be satisfied that they are getting a fair deal, insofar as we are able to deal with their cases,” stated a prominent member of the flouth African Veterans’ Association recently, when asking his fellow-members to seek out the old soldiers in the community and 'bring them into touch with the association.

The result of this appeal was the discovery, among old people now being .cared for at the Memorial Home, of a man who holds the late Queen A ietoria s medals for the Afghanistan and EgyptlS^ 1 wars, with clasps and stars to iiidicai™his participation in a number of engagements. Ihe veteran is Mr. Thomas McKay, formerly a member of the Seaforth “Highlanders, and for many years a sheep Station employee in Poverty Bay. prior to his entry into the Memorial Home.

Mr. McKay is still most active, and his memory of his early campaigning is undimmed, despite the passage of the years. He is 74 years of age, and is well content with his niche in the institution, of the advantages of which he is fully appreciative. With no relatives in New Zealand, he has found old age coming on him with but slight impairment of his faculties, and looks on life with a cheerful eve.

SERVICE WITH THE SEAFORTHS

Chatting with a pressman upon his service with the Seaforths, Mr. McKay mentioned that he was born at Glasgow, and that he joined the regiment when only 16 years of age. After 18 months of training at the depot on the Isle of Wight, he was sent- forward with a draft to reinforce the regiment’s first battalion, then engaged in the Afghanistan War. The battalion was at Kabul, the capital of Aighanistan, and to reach it the draft passed by way of the famous Kliyber Pass across the north-west frontier, and into the enemy country where a man’s life was worth less than nothing if he were cut off. The Afghans had already left their mark upon the Sea forth Highlanders, in the number of casualties inflicted in irregular fighting, and though the campaign was drawing to an end, the fighting was far from being done with. BATTLE OF KHANDAIIAR It was while Mr v McKay was serving there that General Sir Sam Brown, was recalled, and his place in command of the operations was assumed by Lord Roberts, “Bobs” of the military Under the energetic supervision of LovTV Roberts, the British forces gradually brought their enemy to bay, and at the battle of Kliundahar scored a signal victory.

The victory was not without severe cost to the British in lives of gallant soldiers, and in the Seaforths, Air. McKay recollects vividly, the losses were heavy. The killed included the colonel of the First Battalion of the Seaforths, Colonel Brownlow, Captain Fro me, and a most popular figure in the regiment, Sergeant “Curly” Cameron, three outstanding types of the old-time infantry soldier. The Seaforths played an important part in the battle of Khandahar. and at one stage, when the 66th Regiment was hemmed in by the enemy, and seemed likely to suffer" annihilation, the Highlanders went forward to their relief, and together the two regiments cut their way out. Those were the days of the infantry square, when cavalry charges were met with volleys of musketry and in the last resource with the bayonet. Mr. McKay dwelt- but briefly upon the actual details of the fighting, but showed a soldier’s respect for a courageous enemy, which the Afghan proved himself to be. THE EGYPTIAN WAR After the battle of Khandahar, he continued, his regiment came down-country again to Lucknow, the scene of major activities in the time of the Indian Mutiny, but at that time the centre of a peaceful country. A little more than a year was spent there in garrison duty, and then the Seaforths’ first battalion was posted to Aden, the last journey on the homeward journey for regiments on overseas service. Bight months were spent there, and the men were preparing for tho renewal of their acquaintance with the Homeland when, in 1882, the Egyptian War broke out. At short notice the Seaforths embarked at Aden for Suez, and thence worked along the canal on guard against damage to the life-stream of .’British trade. Only 14 days was spent in this duty before tho regiment was sent to Zazazig, the frontier camp where troops were bein.iz mobilised for the campaign against Arabs. On September 13. 1882. tJffV Seaforths were engaged in the Battle of Tel-el-Kebir, which led to the capture of Arabi Pasha in the Abdin Palace, at Cairo.

The regiment did not go south on the desert campaign, as its term of overseas service was expired, and the Seaforths were due for return to England. The general satisfaction with this prospect was not shared by Mr. AlcKay, however. and he, with about 24 others of the First Battalion, volunteered to return to Lucknow to complete their periods of enlistment with the Second Battalion, which had been sent to the Indian headquarters. There he stayed until his time expired, in September, 1888, whereupon he took his discharge. Three years later, Air. McKay came to New Zealand, and for a long time worked in the South Island. Over 20 vears ago, he came to Poverty Bay, and for tho greater part of the interim he has supported himself in the occupation of station cook. His days of military service are far in the past, but though lie does not dwell upon his memories, they are sharp and clear, and illuminated with that afterglow of action which paints the adversary not as a fiend in human form, but as“a *“\ve and formidable opponent, worthy old soldier’s tribute. ™