COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 287 



the first members of the Fife Light Horse, and had 

 served thirty-five years in it. He might say that the 

 Fife Light Horse were raised in twelve days. It 

 was a positive fact that twelve days before the first 

 Royal Review the Fife Light Horse had not a stitch 

 of clothing, and had not attended a mounted parade. 

 At the end of these twelve days, however, nearly 

 100 men marched past Her Majesty, and received 

 her approbation as well as that of the Commander- 

 in-Chief. He did not think he had been guilty of 

 any act deserving the censure of his superior officers. 

 The General commanding the district knew nothing 

 of the efficiency of the regiment ; but from the 

 reports of the inspecting officers he had every reason 

 to believe that they were pleased with its efficiency. 

 The greatest compliment that could be paid to him 

 by the Fife and Forfar Light Horse would be by its 

 members maintaining it in a high state of efficiency, 

 and it would be a pride to him to remember that he 

 had assisted in establishing the corps. As to the 

 F^orfar troop, there was no fear of it, because it had 

 the best Volunteer officer in the service, the best 

 Volunteer Sergeant-major, an admirable drill in- 

 structor (who had the reputation of being one of the 

 best swordsmen in the British army), and he could 

 not forget his old friend Sergeant-major Currie, than 

 whom no man ever did his duty better. Moreover, 

 it embraced a body of young men imbued with a 

 desire to attend to every hint given them by their 

 commanding officer, and it received invaluable sup- 

 port from the lady of Lour, who took as much 



