Major-General Horace Lockwood Smith-Dorrien died on 12 August 1930 aged 72.
He arrived in Durban in mid-December 1899 and was put in command of the 19th Brigade. In February 1900 he was promoted to Major-General, making him one of the youngest Generals in the British Army at the time.
He saw action at Parrdeberg, Sannah’s Post and in the Eastern Transvaal, all with distinction, before being posted to India in April 1901 as Adjutant-General.
He was one of only five officers to survive the massacre at Isandlwana in January 1879. There are conflicting reports of how he evaded being a casualty, but it is likely that he rode, and not ran to safety.
On the evidence of witnesses he was recommended for the V.C. for two separate acts on that day. These recommendations drew laudatory letters from the War Office, with a regret that, as the proper channels for correspondence had not been observed, the statutes did not admit of his receiving the distinction.
