Captain Matthew Fontaine Maury Meiklejohn 2nd Battalion Gordon Highlanders 21st October 1899, Elandslaagte. |
On October 21, 1899, at the battle of Elandslaagte, almost at the beginning of the war (and just before Sir George White, V.C., was forced into Ladysmith to stand a siege of 118 days), the Boer position had been captured, but a heavy cross-fire was poured upon our men from a kopje in advance of us, which was about to be taken by assault. The fire was so terrific the Highlanders, whose leaders had been shot down, commenced to waver. Captain Meiklejohn, seeing at once the critical position, sprang forward calling on his men to follow him. Although falling desperately wounded almost at once, his conspicuous bravery and fearless example had the effect of steadying the men, who advanced to the assault and captured the kopje. Captain Meiklejohn, son of the late J. M. D. Meiklejohn, Professor of Education at St. Andrew's University, was Born on November 20, 1870, and entered the Gordon Highlanders (92nd) on June 17, 1891, with which gallant body of men he fought in the Chitral Relief Force, 1895, on the Punjab Frontier, and through the Tirah Expedition, 1897-98, being wounded during the latter campaign. Promoted Captain 1899. For his services in India he wears the India General Service Medal and three clasps. The wound he received at Elandslaagte caused him to lose his right arm almost at the shoulder. In 1901 he was Garrison Adjutant at St. Helena, whence he returned to enter the Staff College.
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