Battle of Paardeberg casualty Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 2 Clasps: Cape Colony, Paardeberg awarded to Private P. McLean, 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders who was present in South Africa during the Boer War where he would take part in the operations in Cape Colony as well as in the Battle of Paardeberg on 18th February 1900 where he was killed in action.
Queen’s South Africa Medal 1899-1902, 2 Clasps: Cape Colony, Paardeberg; (3828 PTE. P. MC’LEAN. 2:SEA:HIGHRS.)
Condition: Nearly Extremely Fine
Patrick McLean saw service as a Private (No. 3828) with the 2nd Battalion, Seaforth Highlanders during the Boer War in South Africa where he was present in the operations in Cape Colony as well as in the Battle of Paardeberg on 18th February 1900, being killed in action on this date. The Battle of Paardeberg or Perdeberg ("Horse Mountain", 18–27 February 1900) was a major battle during the Second Anglo-Boer War. It was fought near Paardeberg Drift on the banks of the Modder River in the Orange Free State near Kimberley (now in Letsemeng Local Municipality, Free State).
Lord Methuen advanced up the railway line in November 1899 with the objective of relieving the Siege of Kimberley (and the town of Mafeking, also under siege). Battles were fought on this front at Graspan, Belmont, Modder River before the advance was halted for two months after the British defeat at the Battle of Magersfontein. In February 1900, Field Marshal Lord Roberts assumed personal command of a significantly reinforced British offensive.
The army of Boer General Piet Cronjé was retreating from its entrenched position at Magersfontein towards Bloemfontein after its lines of communication were cut by Major General John French, whose cavalry had recently outflanked the Boer position to relieve Kimberley. Cronjé's slow-moving column was intercepted by French at Paardeberg, where the Boer general eventually surrendered after a prolonged siege, having fought off an attempted direct assault by Lieutenant General Herbert Kitchener.
McLean is now remembered on the memorial on the corner of States Square and Ferry Road, Dingwall, Scotland.
