13 February 2007

Trooper Henry Coutts
and the Queen's Scarf

On 31 March 1900, a British column from Bloemfontein set out to capture the water supply at Sannah’s Post from the Boers. A New Zealand contingent was attached to the column as scouts, and this included Trooper Henry Coutts from Canterbury. When the column was surprised at Koornspruit, Sergeant Edgar of the Burmese Mounted Infantry, was badly wounded and fell from his horse. The British column withdrew in the face of accurate rifle fire, leaving the wounded sergeant behind. However, TPR Coutts refused to leave the wounded man and galloped back to him under heavy fire. TPR Coutts managed to get the sergeant on his horse and rode him about nine miles to an ambulance station. Unfortunately SGT Edgar later died of his wounds. TPR Coutts’ action required extreme bravery as the Boers were noted sharpshooters, and a man who stopped to pick up a wounded soldier was a stationary target and in real danger.

TPR Coutts was awarded an unusual and unique recognition of his actions in that he was presented with a woollen scarf crocheted by Queen Victoria. Eight scarves were crocheted by the Queen, four of which were awarded to imperial troops and four to colonial soldiers. Each scarf was awarded for an act of bravery and came with a gold star and clasp ordered by King Edward VII following Queen Victoria’s death. The Queen’s initials, VRI, (Victoria Regina Imperatrix) are embroidered in cotton in one corner of the scarf. Field Marshal Lord Roberts, the Commander in Chief in South Africa, later wrote a letter in which he laid out the qualifications for receiving the scarf:

“...her late Majesty Queen Victoria was graciously pleased to send me four woollen scarves worked by herself for distribution to the four most distinguished private soldiers in the Colonial Forces of Canada, Australia, New Zealand and South Africa, then serving under my command... it being understood that gallant conduct in the field was to be considered the primary qualification.”

There is some debate about the status of these scarves. Some writers contend that they are the equivalent of a Victoria Cross and some consider that they were awarded instead of Victoria Crosses. Unfortunately there is no evidence of medal recommendations for the Queen’s Scarf recipients, although the Australian recipient spent most of his life fighting for recognition of his award on the same basis as a Victoria Cross.

Whatever the status of the scarves, according to the words of Lord Roberts quoted above, TPR Coutts was considered the most distinguished and gallant private soldier from the New Zealand forces then in South Africa. He is therefore a worthy choice as the first example in this column of a soldier going above and beyond his duty.

After completing his service in the 1st Contingent, TRP Coutts returned to New Zealand and re-enlisted in the 7th Contingent as Captain and Quartermaster. He served another tour before returning home where he was in great demand as a celebrity speaker at functions. CAPT Coutts remained in the New Zealand Militia until 1910.

In 1913, he presented his scarf to the New Zealand Government and it was displayed in the General Assembly Library before being presented to the Army Museum Waiouru, in the 1980s. In 1916, CAPT Coutts, then aged 50, gave a false birth date and enlisted as a corporal in the Auckland Infantry Battalion for service in World War I. He served in England until his discharge on medical grounds in April 1918. Presumably the Army finally discovered his real age. After spending many years farming near Kawhia and in Taranaki with a side interest in sawmilling, Henry Coutts died in hospital in Wellington on 30 April 1944.

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