Philip Robert Anstruther

Philip Robert Anstruther (1842-1880) was a British army officer in the First Boer War. He was wounded in action on 20 December 1880 at the Battle of Bronkhorstspruit.
Biography
Anstruther was born in 1842 in India to parents Thomas Andrew Anstruther and Sophia Vancittart. He had a younger brother named George John Anstruther (born 1853) who served as a captain in the Royal Navy. Philip was married to a woman named Zaida May Erskine Bart.
Military service
Anstruther advanced quickly in the British military. As a lieutenant, he purchased his promotion to captain as early as 3 January 1865. He was promoted from a brevet major to brevet lieutenant colonel as early as 21 April 1880. Four months later, Anstruther was promoted to full lieutenant colonel on 7 August 1880. Anstruther served in the First Boer War during its inaugural year in 1880. He was an officer in the Irish-served 94th Regiment of Foot while in South Africa. The regiment was part of the Battle of Ulundi the prior year.
Battle of Bronkhorstspruit
Lt Col Anstruther led a detachment consisting of companies A and F on orders to march to Pretoria in response to the recent outbreaks of civil disorder by the Boers. Reportedly, the two companies were in no strategic formation and headed by a military marching band. Anstruther never received any information regarding a declaration of war or independence. They were also accompanied by civilian families of the soldiers serving. The march took the British force by the Bronkhorst Spruit where they were approached by a Boer soldier informing the lieutenant colonel that his troop would be fired upon if they did not withdraw from their present march to Pretoria. Despite being granted a small measure of time to withdraw, Anstruther refused and his troop was fired upon. Although regarded as an experienced military force, the 94th Foot were unable to mount an effective defense. During the battle, Anstruther was critically wounded throughout five places in his legs and ordered a surrender. The brief engagement ended with the British force sustaining significant casualties.
Anstruther later died from his wounds on 26 December and was buried at Bronkhorstspruit and his name was inscribed on the memorial plaque of his family gravesite located at the Kilrenny Parish Churchyard in Kilrenny, Fife, Scotland.
Portrayals
*Anstruther appears in the 1968 film Majuba: Heuwel van Duiwe portrayed by Kerry Jordan, who appeared in the 1964 British war drama Zulu. In Majuba: Heuwel van Duiwe, Lt Col Anstruther is portrayed as commanding his two companies without surrender and is killed in action.

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