James Oswald Haldane, 2nd Lieutenant, Rifle Brigade
James Oswald Haldane matriculated in 1898 from Loretto School.
Born: Hampstead, London on 29 May 1879
Fell in action: 8 August 1916
South African War service
He graduated in 1902 with a 2nd Class (2nd Division) degree in the Classical Tripos. Haldane was a member of the Cambridge University Rifle Volunteer Corps (CURVC); as such in 1900 he became a member of the Volunteer Service Company of the 1st Suffolk Regiment that fought in the Boer War. He was one of 14 Jesuans to do so in 1900.
An extract of a letter from Haldane was published in Chanticlere, Easter Term 1900. At this time he was stationed in 鈥淏eaufort 鈥 a town of some 4000 people 鈥 lies right in the middle of the Karoo desert鈥.
He reported that the Dutch inhabitants were 鈥渧ery peaceable鈥 though it seems pretty certain that only a hundred or two would not have risen had the Boers made any sort of demonstration in this direction鈥.
The routine was apparently 鈥渘ot very hard, but enough to keep one fit鈥. For diversion from the monotony they played a couple of cricket matches, more for the 鈥渘ovelty鈥 than anything else as the game was 鈥減layed on a brick-baked ground strewn with jagged stones, under a mid-noon sun 鈥 and moreover in our only uniform clothes鈥.
As for actual battle he recorded that although rumours abounded that they might move up to Springfontein or Reit River they were generally pessimistic that any more infantry volunteers would be moved up to join the main regiment. However, he hoped that he would be back by the end of the summer but added the proviso that 鈥渢he war might drag for months yet.鈥
The extract ends with news of another Jesuan, Everard Walter Fichardt (1894), who Haldane鈥檚 Sergeant Major claimed had passed through the area 鈥渁s one of our prisoners鈥. Haldane also mentioned that since they had been there several celebrities had been through: 鈥淟ady Roberts, Milner, Gatacre, and Rudyard Kipling鈥 (Chanticlere赂Easter Term 1900, pp322-323).
A heroes' welcome
He arrived home one year later, in May 1901. The CURV contingent were 鈥渆nthusiastically received as they marched from the station to the University Church. After a short service they were presented with the Freedom of the Borough鈥. Chanticlere and College were 鈥渉eartily glad to welcome back Pte. J.O. Haldane, and to congratulate him on the fact that he never had occasion to go into hospital鈥 (Chanticlere, Easter Term 1901, p372).
Tragic death
After graduating he went on to join the Ugandan Civil Service and in 1912 was made District Commissioner of Toro. He resigned at the outbreak of war and returned to England. His death was tragic: "while trying to bind up one of his men, he took off his gas mask in order to see better and died almost immediately鈥.
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