29/08/2026
Captain Edward Charles Ellice, the Lovat Scouts, Beauly, 1900.
In the early stages of the South African War (1899 –1902) the irregular troops of the Boer Republic, operating on their own ground, won a series of tactical victories. One reason for this was the lack of decent reconnaissance troops in the British Army. In response, Lord Lovat, the owner of a large Highland estate and a keen deer-stalker, offered to raise a force of scouts drawn from stalkers, ghillies and shepherds of the sporting estates of the Highlands. He initially formed two companies of Lovat's Scouts for a year's war service, which assembled for training at Beaufort Castle in January 1900 and left for South Africa in April.
Edward Charles Ellice served as a captain in the Lovat Scouts between 1900 and 1902. Although not originally from the Highlands, he inherited the Ellice estate and lived in Glengarry for most of his life. He and his wife Margaret had four daughters and six sons. One (Edward) died in 1899, aged 7, and is buried in Battle Cemetery, East Sussex, while three others (Alexander, Andrew and William) died in World War I. The family lived at Invergarry House, as well as moving around the glen in the summer mainly between Ardochy, Munerigie and Glen Quoich.
(Glengarry Heritage Centre - Source: Am Baile)
