Colonel Stratford Edward St Leger (1867 – 12 October 1935) was an Anglo-Boer War and World War I diarist and artist.
Early life
St Leger was born in Queenstown, Eastern Cape, South Africa, in 1867 to Frederick York St Leger, the Anglican rector of Queenstown, headmaster of St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown, and later the founder of the Cape Times.
Stratford St Leger received his early schooling at Tonbridge School in England and completed his education at Diocesan College in Rondebosch, Cape Town. He had captained Bishops at cricket and rugby union, after he had completed his schooling he was commissioned into the Royal Irish Regiment in 1890 and during his first nine years of peacetime soldiering he played much cricket for the Army team. In 1895 he married Louisa Anne Galwey and had one daughter, Moira Murdoch of Milnerton, Cape Town.
Boer War
St Leger commanded the Cork company of the 1st regiment of mounted infantry. The unit arrived in Table Bay, Cape Town on 11 November 1899 and marched to De Aar. St. Leger and his unit took part in the cavalry charge at Klip Drift, in the relief of Kimberley, the occupation of Bloemfontein, the battles of Sand River and Doornkop and the march on Pretoria in June 1900. He also participated in the Battle of Sanna's Post on 31 March 1900 and rescued Corporal Parker of the Life Guards under heavy enemy fire during the withdrawal.
