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In 1900 Captain Sir John Milbanke and Sergeant Henry Engelheart, both of the 10th Hussars, were awarded Victoria Crosses for rescuing comrades under fire.
A and B Squadrons of the 10th sailed from Liverpool in November 1899 on the Ismore, while the remainder of the regiment were on the Columbian. On the 2nd December, the Ismore struck a reef off Paternoster Point, north of Cape Town. Help was provided by the Royal Navy cruisers, HMS Niobe and HMS Doris, the Columbian, and from the shore. The troops landed safely, but only about 20 of the 300 horses on board were saved.
From January 1900 the 10th Hussars were in the cavalry division, under command of General French, part of a larger force under Lord Roberts. They were at the Relief of Kimberley which ended on 15th February 1900 following a siege lasting 124 days. They were then involved in the Battle of Paardeberg from 18th to 27th February 1900, the successful action to cut off and capture 5,000 Boers on the Modder River.
The Boers had Mauser rifles, riding ponies in small groups. The British Cavalry had Lee Enfield rifles and the 10th Hussars carried out mopping up patrols, outpost duties and convoy escorts without a break for two years. During the campaign the 11th Hussars sent a total of 300 troops from India as reinforcements, in detachments of 100 men.
Captain Sir John Milbanke of the 10th Hussars was awarded the Victoria Cross for his action on 5th January 1900 in rescuing a wounded corporal under fire, although severely wounded himself.
Sergeant Henry Engelheart of the 10th Hussars was attached to a party of Mounted Pioneers tasked with destroying the railway line north of Bloemfontein. He was also awarded the Victoria Cross for saving a comrade. “At dawn on the 13th March 1900, the party had to charge through a Boer piquet and get over four deep spruits,” watercourses which are often dry, “in order to make their way back through the Boer lines. At the fourth spruit Sapper Webb’s horse failed to get up the bank. In face of rifle and shell fire Sergeant Engleheart returned to Sapper Webb’s assistance and was able to get him safely back to the party.“
