Orders, Decorations, Medals and Militaria

Six: Major D. A. Blair, Highland Light Infantry, later 39th Garhwal Rifles, Indian Army, who was twice Mentioned in Despatches during the Boer War in which he organised and led the Defence of Commissie Bridge on 6 December 1900 - ‘a small affair, but still it was something for a Second Lieutenant to have beaten De Wet’

Queen’s South Africa 1899-1902, 2 clasps, Modder River, Wittebergen (Lieut. D. A. Blair. 1/High. L.I.) engraved naming; King’s South Africa 1901-02, 2 clasps, South Africa 1901, South Africa 1902 (Lt. D. A. Blair. High. L.I.) engraved naming; 1914 Star, with copy clasp (Capt. D. A. Blair, 2/39/Garhl. Rfls.); British War and Victory Medals (Capt. D. A. Blair) surname officially corrected on both; Defence Medal (Major D. A. Blair) contemporarily impressed in large sans-serif capitals, mounted court style as worn, generally good very fine (6) £500-£700

Douglas Alexander Blair was born in July 1879 and commissioned into the Highland Light Infantry as a Second Lieutenant from the Militia in October 1899. Quickly experiencing his baptism of fire in South Africa, he was present in the advance on Kimberley and in the actions at Modder River and Magersfontein, in addition to the July 1900 actions at Wittebergen. But it was in December of the same year that young Blair made a lasting impression with his superiors, as a result of his extraordinary determination in defending the bridge at Commissie Drift, an incident best described by Lieutenant Colonel Oates in Proud Heritage, The Story of the Highland Light Infantry:

‘Commissie Drift was held by 2nd Lieutenant D. A. Blair, an excellent young man who was stoutly supported by his Sergeant, Davidson, and a Platoon of 40 strong... Blair had fortunately not been required to work out the defences himself - that had been most efficiently done by one of the Majors, Richardson, and all he had to do was hold them. When he had been ordered to do so however, the possibility that De Wet himself would come that way with 2,000 men behind him had not been envisaged by Blair’s seniors. The Drift was a crossing over the Caledon at a point where it overran between two steep banks, making a gorge 50 feet in depth which was crossed by an iron bridge. The defences consisted of four trenches covering either end of the bridge and four more from which fire could be directed up or down the gorge. Although Blair had been left all alone with his Platoon in this remote spot for some weeks, he was evidently keeping a sharp look-out, so that when Scouts of De Wet’s advanced guard arrived they were immediately spotted.
The Boer Scouts having reported the bridge held, the advanced guard of some 300 men attempted to cross at a point where the gorge levelled out lower down, but were frustrated by the enfilade fire which Blair opened on them and withdrew out of range. The usual flag of truce then arrived, was halted some distance away and then brought in blindfolded. He handed Blair a written order from De Wet to surrender within ten minutes, but was sent back with a reply which was, the Cape Times stated, “a sarcastic one”.
The Boers then brought up two of the guns which they had captured at Dewetsdorp and bombarded the defences at either side of the bridge, while their riflemen dismounted and endeavoured to work forward from three sides. Unable to make any headway, they then desisted for a while and finally renewed the attack from in front in considerable force, but could get no closer than 300 yards. Finally they drew off discomfited, having been held up by Blair and his men for 24 hours. Hector MacDonald in his official report of this incident stated that “2nd Lieutenant Blair’s presence of mind and resolution are in the General’s opinion worthy of all praise”. De Wet, of course, was hard pressed at the time and could not afford to stay for too long. He had evidently succeeded in shaking off his pursuers, or Blair’s defence of Commissie Drift might well have been disastrous to him. Obviously he had no idea that he was being held up by only 40 men. In was a very small affair, in which Blair and his Platoon did more than their plain duty but still, it was something for a 2nd Lieutenant to have beaten De Wet.’

Advanced to Lieutenant in January 1901, Blair was twice Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazettes 7 May 1901 and 10 September 1901). Transferring into the Indian Army in November 1903, he initially joined the 2nd (King Edward’s Own) Gurkha Rifles but by the outbreak of hostilities in August 1914, had moved to the 39th Garhwal Rifles. Promoted to Major in September 1915 and appointed a Regimental Company Commander in March 1916, he was again Mentioned in Despatches (London Gazette 22 June 1915). He retired in the early 1920s.