A Company was raised from the 2nd Battalion upon its arrival in Natal, which was left outside Ladysmith, and, joining Buller’s army on the Tugela, took part in the campaign for the RELIEF OF LADYSMITH with _Dundonald’s_ Mounted Troops. After the relief this Company joined _Gough’s_ Mounted Infantry, and accompanied Buller’s army up to Lydenburg, being subsequently engaged in the Eastern Transvaal, Zululand, and the Orange River Colony until the end of the war. The wastage in personnel was such that only two officers and twenty-nine others of the original company then remained, but the fact that twenty per cent. of the original horses, received in October, 1899, were still doing duty, constituted a notable record in horse management. [Sidenote: 3rd BATT. M.I.] The 3rd Battalion contributed one section to “The Rifles’ Company” of the 1st M.I. (_Vide 4th Battalion M.I._). A second section, formed in December, 1899, fought with _Dundonald’s_ mounted troops in the RELIEF OF LADYSMITH, subsequently joining _Gough’s_ M.I. at Blood River Poort, where it was severely handled and its commander, Mildmay, was killed. This section, in October, 1901, was united with a third section raised in 1900, and joined the 25th M.I. in October, 1901 (_see below_), when the strength was raised to a full company. [Sidenote: 4th BATT. M.I.] The 4th Battalion contributed a section to “The Rifles’ Company,” under Captain Dewar, which, together with the section of the 3rd Battalion, and the two sections from the 3rd and 4th Battalions Rifle Brigade, formed one of the four companies composing the celebrated 1st M.I., organised and trained at Aldershot under _Lieutenant-Colonel E. A. H. Alderson_ before the war. The “Rifles Company” was temporarily detached, and, landing at Port Elizabeth in November, 1899, joined the force under _Major-General Sir William Gatacre_, which was defeated at Stormberg on December the 12th, where it was mentioned for its gallant conduct in covering the retreat. The Company was then attached to _French’s_ Cavalry Division, and was at the battle of Paardeburg, where Captain Dewar was killed, and was also present at the surrender of Cronje on the 27th of February, Majuba Day. It then rejoined the 1st M.I.; and took part in the battles of Poplar Grove and Driefontein, and the entry into Bloemfontein (10th of March). It was at the surprise of Broadwood’s Calvary Brigade at Sannah’s Post (31st of March), where it behaved with conspicuous gallantry, and it was at the relief of Wepener, and in the fighting near Thabanchu. The 1st M.I. were then allotted to _Alderson’s_ Brigade with Hutton’s[78] Mounted Troops, and took part in _Lord Roberts’_ advance upon Pretoria on the 2nd May.