Sir Ian Standish Monteith Hamilton, GCB, GCMG, DSO, TD was born on 16 January 1853. He was a Scottish British Army General who saw action in the 1st Anglo-Boer War, the South African War of 1899-1902, and commanded the Mediterranean Expeditionary Force in the Gallipoli Campaign of the First World War.
He was twice recommended for the Victoria Cross, but on the first occasion was considered too young, and on the second too senior in rank. He was wounded in action at the Battle of Majuba during the 1st Anglo-Boer War, which rendered his left hand permanently injured.
He joined Lieutenant General White at the outset of the South African War as his Chief Staff Officer and commanded the infantry at the Battle of Elandslaagte. During the Siege of Ladysmith he was given command of the southern sector of the town’s defences and successfully fought off the only major assault on the garrison at the Battle of Wagon Hill in January 1900.
After the relief of Ladysmith in February 1900, Hamilton took command of a brigade of Mounted Infantry. He fought in 10 major battles with Boer forces (including the battle of Rooiwal) and 14 minor ones. In April 1902 he took command of the military columns operating in the Western Transvaal.
