COL. ANSTRUTHER THOMSON 347 



CHAPTER XVni. 



FIFE YEOMANRY IN SOUTH AFRICA. 



1 8th October, 1901. — Forfar troop invited me to 

 dinner. George Fortune and I went and stayed at 

 Royal British Hotel. Major Carnegy in chair, about 

 sixty veterans of Fife Light Horse in plain clothes, 

 perhaps forty of present lot. A good cheery party 

 and a good dinner. Invited guests : Surgeon- Major 

 Dewar, Quartermaster-Sergeant Brown, Farrier- 

 Sergeant Spreull, Sergeant Cargill, Sergeant 

 Semple, Corporal Francis, Trumpeter M'Dougal, 

 Sergeant- Major Currie, Sergeant- Major Philips, 

 Regimental Sergeant- Major Vine, Sergeant -Major 

 Simpson. 



Mr. Scott, late Quartermaster, proposed my 

 health. I said : " Last time I was in this room, now 

 six years ago, you did me the honour to present me 

 with a beautiful silver cup as a testimonial on my 

 retiring from the command of the regiment after 

 thirty-five years' service. At that time we little 

 thought that the Fife and Forfar Light Horse would 

 ever go on active service. We little thought that 

 we should meet here as we now do to welcome our 

 comrades on their return from the war and congratu- 

 late them on having done their duty. I am very 



