Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

An outstanding Boer War D.S.O. group of three awarded to Lieutenant J. A. Baillie, Steinaecker’s Horse, for a daring hand-to-hand encounter with enemy despatch riders in Swaziland

Distinguished Service Order, V.R., silver-gilt and enamels; Coronation 1902, silver; Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 3 clasps, Transvaal, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lieutenant J. A. Baillie, Steinaecker’s Horse) officially impressed naming, minor chipping to the first, otherwise nearly extremely fine or better (3) £4000-5000

Lord Kitchener’s Despatches London Gazette 15 November 1901:

‘Lieutenant John Andrew Baillie, Steinaecker’s Horse. On 4th July 1901, having heard that two despatch riders had crossed the Portuguese border into Swaziland, followed them with one man by moonlight, overtook them, and after a hand-to-hand fight, killed them both and took their despatches.’

John Andrew Baillie was born on 22 October 1876, and educated at Douro House School. Prior to the Boer War he served with the British Foreign Office and with the Bombay Police. Whilst on leave from the Bombay Police he served in South Africa during the Boer War in the South African Constabulary. He was appointed Lieutenant in Steinaecker’s Horse on 18 February 1901.

The weekly edition of the Cape Times, dated 31 July 1901, carried the following report:

‘A very exciting incident occurred on the Swazi-Portuguese frontier on Friday last. Lieutenant Baillie of Steinaecker’s Horse had a suspicion that the Boers were running despatches through Portuguese territory so a few days ago he took Lance-Corporal Harris and two troopers to a point where the three frontiers join. Leaving the two troopers to watch the road, Baillie and Harris went on patrol, and shortly after came across two men in Portuguese soldiers’ uniforms. Baillie called out, “Hands up” when the two men immediately dismounted, and getting behind their horses immediately opened fire on Baillie and Harris. Our men returned fire, and one of the men dropped at the first volley. Harris then rushed the other, and tried to club him with the butt of his carbine. A fierce struggle ensued, and several shots were fired, the result being that the second man was also killed. On searching the two supposed Portuguese soldiers they turned out to be two Boer despatch runners and important documents and papers were found on one of them. On one of them was also found a photograph of himself apparently his wife and three children. Both Baillie and Harris have been recommended for promotion by their commanding officer.’

Lieutenant Baillie was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, and Corporal W. S. Haines was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal and promoted Sergeant by the Commander-in-Chief. These, together with Steinaecker’s own D.S.O. in April 1902, were the only decorations won by this unit.

Lieutenant Baillie was at Bremersdorp in July 1901 when the town was attacked by a Boer commando. He commanded the Steinaecker’s Horse Coronation Contingent to London, comprising himself and 10 other ranks, where they participated in the Coronation parade for King Edward VII. Each received the Coronation medal, in silver or bronze as appropriate. Baillie resigned his commission in Steinaecker’s Horse on 2 January 1903, after the cessation of hostilities but continued to serve in the South African Constabulary until he retired in 1908 and returned to England. He joined the Royal Horse Artillery (Territorials) in 1910 and served with them in World War 1 as a Major, being wounded and mentioned in despatches.

Steinaecker’s Horse was raised in June 1900 by Major F. Von Steinaecker, a former Prussian Army officer, to operate in Zululand and on the Swaziland border of the Transvaal. When the armies of Lord Roberts and General Buller reached the eastern confines of the Transvaal, Steinaecker’s Horse moved further out into the very wild and unhealthy country which lies west of the Portuguese border. From Komati as a centre they gradually extended their raids to the north and south for great distances, thereby denying to the enemy the use of the eastern lowlands for rest and recuperation. They also guarded closely the long eastern border against Boer despatch riders and ammunition runners. In time the corps completely occupied and pacified the whole low veldt to the Oliphant’s river, holding over a dozen permanent posts scattered over a large province.

The corps became one of the most complete and self-contained units in the country. They had their own intelligence, transport, workshops, etc., and were able for over a year to work the Selati railway with their own men. In their eminently unhealthy district, Steinaecker’s men had much most arduous and very dangerous guerilla campaigning. Their district was one in which few white men could live, as is proved by the fact that every regular regiment which had the misfortune to be stationed near Komati Poort lost more than 50 per cent of its strength through fever. The regulars were generally accommodated in tents or huts, but Steinaecker’s men had often to lie out for weeks at a time in districts so wild that lions were a most real danger, as in the Sabie river valley.