Description
South Africa 1834 – 53 – 43rd Regiment (1st battalion Oxfordshire and Buckinghamshire Light Infantry)
South Africa 1834-53, John Edwards, 43rd Regt.
Correct on the medal rolls that show he served in the 3rd Kaffir War
The 43rd (Monmouthshire) Regiment of Foot (Light Infantry) arrived in South Africa in late 1851 as essential reinforcements during the Eighth Xhosa War (1850–1853, historically termed the Third Kaffir War ). Deployed to support Governor Sir Harry Smith against the Ngqika Xhosa led by Chief Maqoma and allied Khoikhoi forces, the 43rd spent two years conducting arduous counter-insurgency operations across the Cape Colony’s eastern frontier.
The Disaster of HMS Birkenhead
One of the most defining events in the regiment’s history occurred before many of its men reached the front. In February 1852, a troop draft carrying reinforcements for the 43rd—alongside contingents of the 74th Highlanders and 91st Foot—was aboard HMS Birkenhead when the ship struck a reef off Danger Point. The soldiers famously stood at rigid attention on deck to prevent panic while women and children were loaded onto the few operational lifeboats. The resulting discipline, known as the “Birkenhead Drill,” cost many men of the 43rd their lives but earned international acclaim for self-sacrifice.
The Waterkloof and Mountain Campaigns
On land, the 43rd was thrust into intense bush warfare in the rugged Waterkloof, Fuller’s Hoek, and the Amatola Mountains. Chief Maqoma’s guerrillas used the dense forest cover, steep ravines, and natural caves to ambush British columns. As trained light infantry, the 43rd was tasked with clearing these defensive strongholds on foot. Operating in mobile tactical columns under Sir Harry Smith and later General Sir George Cathcart, the regiment endured harsh weather, severe supply shortages, and constant skirmishing as they systematically flushed rebel fighters out of the mountain fastnesses.
Final Sweeps and Peace
By mid-1852, the 43rd took part in General Cathcart’s offensive sweeps across the Kei River. These columns targeted resistance strongholds, destroyed supply bases, and captured livestock, effectively crippling the Xhosa war effort by early 1853. Following the subdual of the frontier and the conclusion of peace negotiations, the 43rd departed South Africa for service in India in late 1853. For its endurance, light-infantry tactics, and battle performance in the Cape, the regiment was awarded the battle honor “South Africa 1851–2–3.”
Condition – NEF
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