Imperial Yeomanry - Group images

Second Contingent

The Second Contingent, raised in 1901, comprised the following companies of Irish Yeomanry: the 74th (Dublin) Company (New); 99th (Irish) Company; 46th (Belfast) Company (New); 60th (Belfast) Company (New) and 61st (Dublin) Company (New)

99th (Irish) Company

Belfast Weekly Telegraph, 25 May 1901

"In a letter dated the 28th November, 1901, to an acquaintance of his in Belfast, Trooper Harry Young says, amongst other things -- 'As it has come under our notice that there are some troopers in our company writing home telling their friends that so many men of the 99th Company were sent off the column owing to their riding being not up to the mark, we wish these people not to believe the one half of what is told them. We were sent into a detail camp off the column to await remounts, as our horses had sore backs. Then we were ordered to Schoombee Bridge to do guard, as it was a most particular post on the line in the heart of the field of operations, near the Zeenberg and Stormberg Mountains. We were not sent to blockhouses for not being fit for columns, as eveyone here - including General French and Colonel Coddington - knows we can both ride and shoot, perhaps better than some of those who are writing to their friends about us. These know very well that Lord Ennismore, our former captain, applied to General French to get us on the column; and our present captain has also applied, but without success. We have done more fighting here than those who are writing to their friends have done on the column. On one occasion, the night of the 17th September, we had two wounded - Wm. Young and G. W. Stevenson, but they are all right again and still with us. There is no retreat with us, and we have got to fight to the last man, and if we were no use we would not be attached to such a good corps as the Coldstream Guards, also mentioned in General French in despatches. The reason we are not in column is because there are few who could to the work here better than the few boys of the 99th Company that are here." (Belfast Evening Telegraph, 18 January 1902)

"The accompanying photo is that of 'A' troop, 99th Company, Ulster Imperial Yeomanry, known as the 'fighting 99th', who arrived in Belfast a few days ago. It will be remembered that the company was raised locally. It left for the Curragh in March, 1901, and for South Africa in April, 1901. The members of the company have seen considerable service during their twelve months' trekking, having traversed considerably over 2,000 miles in Cape Colony, taking part under Colonels Crabbe and Bethune in the actions in and around Cradock, Eland's Drift, Tarkastad, Mortimer, Doorn River, Clan William, and Calvinia, losing three men killed, viz., Sergeants Molloy and McCutcheon and Trooper Eslin, and a considerable number wounded. It gives one an idea of the wastage and dispersal during the war, when we see but 30 men coming home out of 100 men who left the country. The company got in touch from time to time with [Boer commander Gideon] Scheepers (who was shot in the public Square, Cradock), Smuts and Peper. For their effort they were warmly praised by General French who, in an address to the 99th, said he was 'proud to have them in his command.'" (Belfast Weekly Telegraph, 11 October 1902)

1. Robert Portis ; 2. John Millar; 3. Daniel Coulter Hill; 4. James Niblock; 5. James McKenzie.

(Belfast Evening Telegraph, 4 June 1902)

(Belfast Evening Telegraph, 5 June 1902)

The men identified are 1 George Mackrel; 2 William Hanley; 3 John Murphy; 4 George W. Stevenson; 5 Edwin Sinton; 6 Patrick John Small; 7 George Mitchell; 8 Charles McGlinchey.

(Belfast Evening Telegraph, 23 May 1902)

46th (Belfast) Company (New)

Sixteen men of the 46th (Belfast) Company (New), together with five of the 60th (NIH) Company (New). Unfortunately the caption to the image is not clear as to who is who.

"The group of members of the Imperial Yeomanry reproduced above will be of interest to Belfast readers of the "Telegraph". Besides belonging to this city a number of them took a great interest in the game of football - being connected with several of our local clubs. The sender of the photo is Mr. J. McMeekin, late secretary of the Castlereagh Football Club. Appended are the names of the above:-- Sergeant Minnis [60th Company], Sergeant Lord, Corporal Anderson, Troopers, Robert Young, J. Deans, H. Darragh [60th Company], G. B. Stewart [60th Company], J. Sullivan, J. Holland [60th Company], A. Hunter, J. Brown, W. Thompson, T. McMeekin, W. Cairns, W. Hyde, W. J. Dundee [60th Company] , A. Young, R. Richardson, G. Richardson, C. Greer, and A. Little. They left Belfast a few weeks ago for the Curragh, where they spent a short time previous to leaving for the front. The photo, we might add, was taken by Messrs. P. Chatterton & Son, photographers, Newbridge and the Curragh, Co. Kildare, while the troopers were at the latter place." (Belfast Weekly Telegraph, 20 April 1901)

60th (Belfast) Company (New)

Belfast Weekly Telegraph, 26 October 1901

61st (Dublin) Company (New)

"The 4th (Derry [sic]) Section of Ulster Imperial Yeomanry who are now joining Lord Kitchener's Forces." (The Navy and Army Illustrated, 4 May 1901)

"A group of hard workers and hard hitters. The Officers, Non-Commissioned Officers, and Buglers of No. 4 Section." (The Navy and Army Illustrated, 4 May 1901)

The following men have been tentatively identified: Captain Thomas Stanley Murland (centre in forage cap), Bugler Joshua Corken (on the right), and Sergeant Stewart Morrow (seated far right).

Assorted companies

"Officers of the 17th Battalion I.Y. recently returned from South Africa." (The Navy and Army Illustrated, 30 August 1902)

Members of the Battalion Staff establishment and officers of the 60th and 61st Companies, all in the front row, are Lieutenant A. Silver (2nd from left), Captain H. H. Hewlings (4th from left), Colonel F. L. Banon (5th from left), Captain J. F. Devenish-Meares (4th from right), Lieutenant A. H. Guy (3rd from right), Lieutenant E. L. Lester (2nd from right), and Lieutenant & Quartermaster F. G. Walker (far right)

"R.I.C. Contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry, now at the Curragh", from the Constabulary Gazette, 13 April 1901

Newspaper reports identified twenty men of the Royal Irish Constabulary serving in the 2nd Contingent of the Imperial Yeomanry: Andrew Rigney 33210, Edward William Waters 33214 (60th Company); Frank Nixey 33201, James Henry Harvey 33202 (61st Company); William Lambert 33203, John Sheehan 33206, Francis Waters 33215 (74th Company); Patrick Donohoe 33198, James Molloy 33199, Charles Connor 33200, John Bolton 33204, John Charles Stewart 33205, Simon McDonald 33207, William Hanley 33208, John Francis Fitzgerald 33209, Matthew Rigney 33211, Frank Joseph Greenaway 33212, Edward Brereton 33213, Henry Trollope 35172 (99th Company); and J. Brereton (number and company unknown).

Company not yet identified

"The 6th (Belfast) Section of Ulster Imperial Yeomanry who recently left the Curragh for South Africa." (The Navy and Army Illustrated, 4 May 1901)

"... a few of the 4th Section of Belfast Imperial Yeomanry now at the front. Some of their faces are very familiary to the inhabitants of the Ormeau Road and Donegall Pass districts." (Belfast Weekly Telegraph, 6 July 1901)

Other images

"Lord Kitchener recently sent home a batch of yeomen who could neither ride nor shoot. Now he is said to have issued an army order (No. 380) forbidding the carrying about by mobile columns of 'furniture, kitchen ranges, pianos, and harmoniums!' Our artist supplies a suggestion for the utilisation of the discredited yeomen." (Belfast Weekly Telegraph, 5 October 1901)