DIARY OF THE SOUTH AFRICAN WAR, 1900 - 1902.

8th (King's Royal Irish Hussars).
xv, 159 pages, 2 portraits as frontispieces, folded plate at the end, dark green over bevelled boards, titled gilt on the upper cover and spine, a very good copy.

Hackett (R.G.) South African War Books, an Illustrated Bibliography, page 121, quotes from the Introduction, 'The following account of the regiment in South Africa is extracted from the columns of the Dublin Daily Express of March 1st, 1905 - The regiment arrived at Cape Town on March 10th, 1900. Together with the 14th Hussars and the 7th Dragoon Guards, they formed the Fourth Cavalry Brigade. Their first engagement took place near Thaba'nchu, and they subsequently took part in the main advance from Bloemfontein to Pretoria, being present in the fighting round Johannesburg and at the battle of Diamond Hill in June 1900. The 8th were next employed in the eastern advance to Belfast and Barberton. In November they joined the Second Cavalry Brigade operating in the Rustenberg district under General Broadwood and, early in 1901, took part in an arduous trek under General French to south eastern Transvaal. The regiment then remained for some months at Volksrust. Squadrons were attached to various columns operating in eastern Orange River Colony, south eastern Transvaal, Natal and Zululand. In 1902 the regiment was concentrated under its own commander, Col. Duff, and  took part in various 'drives' until the close of the campaign. The 8th remained in South Africa after peace was declared, they were stationed at Pretoria. The volume included nominal rolls by squadron and notes on the South African War Memorial in St. Patrick's Cathedral, Dublin.' Usually found bound in green cloth this copy in full leather was perhaps specially bound for presentation purposes.