Gallant Horse Trader LIEUTENANT-COLONEL HUBERT JAMES McLAUGHLIN (1860-1915) is in levee dress worn by officers at royal levees and official balls from 1868 to 1900. The dress was made distinctive by the gold sash and belt with scarlet stripes. He carries a lancer officer's cap. Its shape is taken from the Polish lancer czapka helmet of the Napoleonic wars. The green feather plume was the prerogative of the 5th Royal Irish Lancers. That regiment's badge is displayed at the top of the page with that of the Army Remount Service in which Hubert also served. After passing out of the Royal Military College, Sandhurst, he was commissioned in the 94th Foot, and went to South Africa in 1880 to participate in the first Boer War. Upon his arrival he found that his regiment had been been almost entirely slaughtered by the Zulus. The 94th was therefore merged in the Connaught Rangers who manned a garrison at Standerton. No sooner had Hubert joined the garrison than it was besieged. He was trapped for 70 days in the town while the Boers peppered it with bullets. Only when the war ended did the garrison march away with colours flying. Hubert transferred to the 19th Hussars in July 1884 and took part in the Nile Expedition to rescue General Gordon, trapped by a Muslim uprising in the Sudan capital, Khartoum. The Expedition arrived two days after Gordon had been killed, but Hubert received the Egypt Medal with clasp and the Khedive's Star, similar to my grandfather's medals. The next year he was promoted Captain, 5th Royal Irish Lancers, and reached the rank of Major in 1893. After retiring in 1899 Hubert immediately volunteered for the second Boer War, also called the South African war. He was employed in the Remount Department, which procured and trained cavalry horses.  Hubert was created a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) given for meritorious service under fire. which until recently it was reserved for officers, and only those who had been previously Mentioned in Dispatches. Hubert never told his wife precisely how he won the DSO: it was for showing extreme gallantry in going into Basutoland single-handed to get ponies. After the war ended in 1902 Hubert had the entire charge of repatriating the Boers and was promoted to Lieutenant-Colonel in the Reserve. He was also an adviser to an Indian prince. Desapite his passion for horses Hubert was proud of owning the car shown above At the outbreak of the Great War Hubert was back with the army, having been appointed  Commandant of the Central Remount Depot, Aldershot. More than 33,000 horses had passed through his hands by the time he died suddenly in 1915. Enough cannon fodder were at Aldershot to provide a funeral cortege a quarter of a mile long as escort for the gun carriage which bore Hubert's coffin. His medal bar (from left): Distinguished Service Order, Egypt Medal, Queen's Medal, King's Medal, Khedive's Star. © 2006 G. Harry McLaughlin. Reproduction or transmission, in whole or in part, for other than personal use is prohibited without advance permission from Dr. G. H. McLaughlin.