Henry Donald Coutts

Died 3 Apr 1944

Service number: South African 96 AWMM
WWI 33022 AWMM
Also known as: —
Armed force / branch: Army AWMM
Last rank: South Africa Captain/Military AWMM
War: South African War, 1899-1902 AWMM
World War I, 1914-1918 AWMM

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Henry Donald Coutts — Portrait from St Clair Inglis, A. (c1902). Souvenir Album of the first New Zealand Contingent South African War. Auckland, N.Z.: Arthur Cleave & Co. No known copyright restrictions No Known Copyright Restrictions

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Biographical information

Henry Donald Coutts won the Queen's Scarf for conspicuous bravery in South Africa. 'His Majesty the King has decided to award to the four scarf-winners a gold star and clasp, which will equal to the V.C, and carry with it the same distinction.' (St Clair Inglis, p.14)

Coutts was promoted to Corporal in South Africa and returned to New Zealand towards the end of 1900. He later returned to South Africa as Captain and Quartermaster of the Seventh Contingent.

An article by Matthew Gray in The Western Leader details the family history of Henry Coutts. It includes the information that the Queen's Scarf given to Coutts is held in the National Army Museum, Waiouru.

Father was named Donald Coutts. AWMM
23 Aug 1900 - A NEW ZEALAND HERO.
HOW TROOPER COUTTS WON THE QUEEN'S SCARF. Wellington, this day. Trooper Harry Donald Coutts, of the First Contingent, mentioned yesterday as one of the recipients of one of the Queen's scarves awarded for conspicuous bravery, is a farmer from Ngaire district, Taranaki, and bore himself with special gallantry in the Koornspruit ambush on the 31st March last. While galloping away under a heavy rifle fire he met, a un-commissioned officer of the Burmese Mounted Infantry, who had been shot through the body. Noting his plight, Coutts, with the assistance of another New Zealander, managed to get the wounded man in front of him, and as the non-com, sank into semi-consciousness, Coutts started off, and managed to convey him to a house near Bushman's Kop, where he was handed over to the officer in charge of the ambulance. The man, whose name was Edgar, rallied after Coutts had carried him half the distance, and then lapsed into an unconscious state, so that the New Zealander had not only to hold his companion in the saddle but also to support his whole weight. Edgar stated that had the colonial not come to his rescue he must have died on the veldt. It was afterwards stated that Edgar died in hospital. The feat was at the time noted as one of the pluckiest incidents of the campaign.
Public - Lorraine M - Researcher - 31 July 2015 - Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XXVII, Issue 8930, 23 August 1900, Page 2

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Henry Donald Coutts

Henry Donald Coutts

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Henry Donald Coutts

Henry Donald Coutts

Identity

About

Images and documents

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Documents

Civilian life

About birth

Service

Wars and conflicts

Military decorations

Training and Enlistment

Embarkations

Prisoner of war

Medical history

Last known rank

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