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Small or otherwise scarce units who served in the Boer War are a favourite of many. I was fortunate to acquire a QSA/KSA pair to a chap who served in Loch's Horse before moving on to Scott's Railway Guard and then to Col. McDonald's squadron of the CCF before ending up with the Midland Mounted Rifles which is where he earned his QSA. Researching him has proved difficult but, thanks to the mention of his next of kins address as 13 Hilda Road, East Ham, I was able to progress well. Here is his story:

James Gorman

Trooper, Loch’s Horse
Sergeant, Scott’s Railway Guards and McDonald’s Squadron, Cape Colonial Forces
Sergeant, Midland Mounted Rifles – Anglo Boer War

- Queens South Africa Medal with clasps Cape Colony and Orange Free State to 5 Tpr. J. Gorman, Loch’s Horse
- Kings South Africa Medal with clasps South Africa 1901 & 1902 to 851 Serjt. J. Gorman, Midlands M.R.

James Gorman is a bit of a mystery character. Born in Ireland on 7 March 1862 to James and Bridget Gorman he seems to have moved across the water to England together with his family at some point thereafter.

Little is known of his early years but, with the outbreak of the Boer War in October 1899 he was ready for action on behalf of his adopted country. A Printer by occupation he enlisted with Loch’s Horse on 10 February 1900 as a Trooper and, having been assigned the no. 5, was attached to No. 1 Troop of “A” Squadron under the command of Lt Haldane. Aged 35 he described himself as British and gave his sister, Miss Gorman, of 13 Hilda Rd, East Ham, London as his next of kin.

Loch’s Horse was raised by Lord Loch in February 1900 and it might be said that having been largely recruited in England it was not a Colonial force, but in the official army lists Loch's Horse was always included among the South African Irregulars.

After the occupation of Bloemfontein Loch's Horse, strength about 220, was stationed in the line of outposts beyond Glen Siding. They shared in the advance from Bloemfontein to the Transvaal as part of the 8th Corps of Mounted Infantry commanded by Colonel Ross of the Durham Light Infantry, the Brigadier being Colonel Henry. The 8th Corps were part of the advance guard or screen to the centre of Lord Roberts' army, and had a lot of scouting and skirmishing in the northward march. Colonel Henry's men, including the 1st and 2nd Victorian Mounted Rifles, South Australians, Tasmanians, Lumsden's Horse, Loch's Horse, and the 4th Mounted Infantry Regulars, were among the first to cross the Vaal, and had very stiff fighting before the infantry got up, particularly at the mines in the neighbourhood of Vereeniging, about Elandsfontein, and outside Pretoria. Their work was highly praised by the Generals and by the correspondents.

After the occupation of Pretoria Loch's Horse were chiefly employed about Springs and Irene, and in the neighbourhood of the Vaal; later they were moved a little farther south, and the remainder of their campaigning was chiefly done between Kroonstad and the Vaal, but in December 1900 they joined the column of Colonel De Lisle, and with him went to the extreme south-west of Cape Colony. De Lisle's column gained much credit for their work in the Piquetberg-Calvinia district in January and February 1901, when Hertzog was driven out of the district.

Loch's Horse were disbanded in England on 11 April 1901 and Gorman, who had returned to England with them, was suddenly at a loose end. Seemingly not one to dally idly he took passage to South Africa again on 11 May 1901 aboard the “Gaika”. Paying for his own ticket he described himself as a Trooper.

Having disembarked at Cape Town he enrolled with Scott’s Railway Guards with no. 668 and the rank of Sergeant. This corps, with a strength of about 500, under Lieutenant Colonel R G Scott, VC, DSO, did work on the Orange River - Kimberley line not unlike what the Railway Pioneer Regiment did on the Central Railway. Although the Kimberley railway was not in the centre of the theatre of operations, still the west of the Orange River Colony, and that portion of Cape Colony bordering on it, was infested by roving bands bent on destruction; and Scott's Railway Guards had often skirmishes involving losses, and had much dangerous patrol work to undertake.

On 15th June 1901 the corps engaged the enemy at Hartebeestfontein, in the Western Transvaal, and captured some prisoners, stock, and ammunition. On 20th August Lieutenant A V Harvey and 1 man were killed and several wounded at Devondale. At Lillifontein on 19th October they had again several casualties, and at the various posts where the corps were stationed — Devondale, Brussels, Content etc, they often had a few losses. It can safely be said that Gorman was seeing plenty of action amongst the tedium of his daily work.

On 9 December 1901 he took his discharge from the Railway Guards and, on the same day, joined forces with McDonald’s Squadron of the Cape Colonial Forces (C.C.F.). He was a restless man it would appear for, after three months with them he took his discharge on 1 April 1902 at Cape Town and joined the Midland Mounted Rifles ten days later on 11.4.02. This time he claimed to be a Farmer and provided his next-of-kin as the ‘Soldiers Widows and Orphans fund’.

A Sergeant with no. No851 Gorman was to see out the remainder of the war with the M.M.R. He took his final discharge on 31.5.02. and provided his sister as next-of-kin (Sister, Miss H. Gorman later Mrs D. Maloney) His Queens South Africa and Kings South Africa Medals were issued to his brother in law, Daniel Maloney on 18.9.08.

What became of James Gorman afterwards is unknown.