THE COVENANTER
Dundee and Bemba’s Kop as part of No.4 meant he was not with the 90th during the
Column commanded by Sir Evelyn Wood battles of Holbane, Khambula and Ulundi.
V.C. Returning to the 90th, Graham found
Lance - Corporal Graham was transferred the Regiment was being sent to India in
to the "Payment of the General Depot" on October of 1879. While serving in India
the 1st of November 1878, his years of rapid Graham was promoted to Lance - Sergeant
promotion in both the 6th and 90th in December of 1879 and further promoted
Regiments was indicative of a soldier to Sergeant in may of 1880.
working in orderly rooms where promotion In 1881 the 90th L.I. had, with the
was always accelerated. His transfer also Cardwell reforms become the 2nd Battalion
meant he became part of the Central or Scottish Rifles. Graham would have been
No.3 Column. The column commanded by fully involved in the evolution of the
Lord Chelmsford regiment into a Rifle Battalion. Shortly after
The logistics of transporting a British this Graham was given a restoration of 6
army in Africa, complete with it’s Artillery years and 29 days Good Conduct towards
train, provisions for men and beasts, tent’s, pension.
ammunition etc. must have been a Further promotion to Colour - Sergeant
monumental task in 1879. The selection of followed on the 19th of March 1887. In
well qualified clerks from all available units February 1885 he married Mary Ann Daly at
would have been made to facilitate the Bareilly in India. He had also reverted to his
paperwork required to keep supplies rolling original name prior to his marriage.
to units in the field. He was posted to the permanent staff of
At the commencement of the campaign the 1st Lanark Rifle Volunteers on
against the Zulu nation, Lord Chelmsford December 1888, he sailed for home on
and his staff decided a three prong thrust January 25th 1889. He was finally
into Zulu-land would be the best initial discharged in Scotland on December 15th
tactic to find and destroy the bulk of the 1891.
enemy. The Central or No.3 Column, Alexander Craig.
crossed the Buffalo river at Rorke’s Drift.
The site was chosen as a supply depot and
hospital as the existing buildings were ideal HAPPY DAYS
for the purpose, the location was near a ford
It was the last year of the old TA. In a few
which the Royal Engineers would bridge
short months 6/7 Cameronians, along with
over to further the speed of supplies to the
the battalions of the other Lowland
army.
Regiments,would be pruned down to fit a
L/Cpl. Graham was stationed at Rorke’s
new role as a company of 52nd Lowland
Drift with Sergeant Milne of the 3rd (Buffs)
Volunteers with all the prospects which that
also transferred to the "Payment of the
held, but for the moment we were enjoying
General Depot" here with Staff Sgt, Mabin
our final camp at Thetford to the full.
of the General Staff and members of the
In our second week a three-day op. in the
Army Service Corps, all under the
field was taking place and normal
command of Commissaries Lt. Dunne and
Cameronian training weather, namely cold
Lt. Dalton.
strong winds and driving rain regardless of
The service of Graham as a clerk in the
season, had given way to a few days of dry,
supply depot is important, as most
dusty, still, sunlit weather which shows
published histories wrongly show him on
rural England at its balmy best. The climax
the sick list. His service documents do not
of this scheme on the third day was going
reveal any medical problems at this time.
to involve the battalion in a trek of some
During the battle of Rorke’s Drift L/Cpl.
miles over dusty heathland followed by a
Graham would have given a good account
sweep through woodland, culminating in a
of himself. He was a qualified Musketry
full frontal attack on the enemy - a
Instructor from his service with the 6th
Midlands para battalion who were
Regiment. Using the Martini - Henry rifle he
rumoured to have dropped into the area in
was more than capable of knocking down
the darkness of the previous night.
the enemy at any distance the rifle could
Bn. HQ. was in a ruined farmhouse with
reach.
a duckpond, straight from the set of a
After the battle Graham and Sgt, Milne
Second World War movie and as we all
were kept at their duties with the supply
prepared for this final attack by the 6/7th,
depot until the 1st of September 1879. This
the C.O. said that, as battalion adjutant, it
53
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