Henry Cotton (abt. 1877 - 1900)

Born about 1877 in Kingston, Frontenac, Ontario, Canada

Died 1 May 1900 at about age 23 in Thaba Mount NR, Jacobsrust, South Africa

Biography

Harry was the son of Lieutenant Colonel William H. Cotton and Jessie Penner. He joined the Bank of Montreal in 1895. He was a member of the Ottawa Rowing Club as well as the Ottawa Football Club.

Harry was one of many soldiers of the 43rd DCOR that went to the Boer War.^[1] He served as a private with D Company in the first Canadian contingent that went to fight in the Second Boer War. He left for South Africa in the fall of 1899 and died at Thaba N'Chu on 1 May 1900 while serving in South Africa with The Royal Canadian Regiment.^[2] He earned the Queen's South Africa Medal with three clasps (Paardeberg, Dreifontein, Cape Colony).^[2]

Houts Nek. 1st May, 1900. – pp 217 "On April 30th the battalion had joined in the battle of Hout Nek. Sent to reinforce the Gordon Highlanders in a stalled attack on Thaba Mountain, the Canadians had come under artillery fire for the first time in the campaign. With the battalion well spread out and moving rapidly, the casualties were slight - a few men nicked by fragments and young Henry Cotton, blown to pieces by a direct hit." ^[3]

Sources

1. ↑ Chambers. 1903. "The Duke of Cornwall's Own Rifles: A Regimental History of the Forty-Third Regiment, Active Canadian Militia". E L Ruddy. Ottawa.
2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1} South Africa Service File. http://www.bac-lac.gc.ca/eng/discover/military-heritage/south-african-war-1899-1902/Pages/item.aspx?IdNumber=8468&
3. ↑ Stanley McKeown Brown. (1900) "With the Royal Canadians". Toronto. The Publishers Syndicate, Ltd.

• Veterans Affairs Canada Virtual War Memorial - Henry Cotton
• Veterans Affairs Canada Virtual War Memorial - Ross Penner Cotton