Presentation cigarette case : Sergeant F T Krcrouse, Tullibardine's Second Scottish Horse

Hinged cigarette case, comprising two shells curved inwards to comfortably fit in a breast pocket. The case is silver plated brass with all edges curved and is provided with a spring latch and pair of thumb tabs to assist opening. The interior is gilded with the lower shell carrying a pair of slotted tabs supporting an elasticised retaining band. The interior of both shells are hallmarked. The front of the case is professionally engraved with the coat of arms of the Scottish Horse and the following words: 'Serj. Krcrouse / 2nd Scottish Horse / from / Lieut. Colonel / The Marquis of Tullibardine / 1902'.

Engraved cigarette case presented to 31644 Sergeant Frederick Thomas Krcrouse by the founder of the Scottish Horse, the Marquis of Tullibardine, on the occasion of King Edward VII's Coronation. Krcrouse, a resident of Melbourne, was born 11 April 1877 to English emigrants Frederick John and Mary Ann Krcrouse. After studying law at Melbourne University, Krcrouse was articled to W H Crocker, solicitor, between 1895 and 1898.

When a rush of volunteers for the Commonwealth Contingents to the South African War in 1901 led to an over supply of recruits, Krcrouse took advantage of an appeal made in Australia and New Zealand for volunteers to join the Marquis of Tullibardine's 2nd Scottish Horse. His enlistment papers identify him simply as a 'gentleman'. The Marquis - later John Stewart-Murray, 8th Duke of Atholl - had been tasked by Lord Kitchener with raising a regiment of Scottish volunteers for service in South Africa. So successful were his efforts that an entire brigade of Scottish Horse was operating by the end of the war.

Some 256 places were filled in Australia, mainly from Victorian volunteers, and the men embarked aboard the 'Orient' for South Africa in 15 March 1901. The unit, commanded by Major Murray, was soon in action in the East Transvaal, seeing encounters with the Boers at Roodekranz (30 April) and Eland's Hoek (3 July). In Despatches for 8 August 1901, Corporal Krcrouse is mentioned (although misspelled) in the following manner: 'Corporal F T Kecrouse, 2nd, at Laatse Drift, 15th July 1901, galloped out under fire to fetch in a man whose horse had fallen and dragged him, and succeeded.' For this action Krcrouse was promoted to Sergeant.

After capturing prisoners and stores in this region, the Scottish Horse transferred south of the Delagoa railway where they operated between August and October. They moved to the Bethel District in late September and on 30 October were involved in an action at Brakenlaagte, a farm overlooked by ridges where they were attacked by a strong force of Boers, led by Commandant General Louis Botha, leading to the unit's worst defeat in the campaign, and the death of their commanders Colonel Benson and Major Murray.

However, Sergeant Krcrouse and 199 fellow Australian enlistees missed this action having left the unit on 14 September to return to Australia, their 'terms of service being over' . The Scottish Horse continued its operations in East Transvaal until the declaration of peace. They were reviewed by Lord Kitchener at Johannesburg in 17 June 1902 and the remaining Australians returned home.

In 1902, 41 members of the Scottish Horse, including 16 Australians, were chosen as regimental representatives at the Coronation of King Edward VII. In his book, 'Southern Cross Scots', John Price notes that 'although Sergeant F.T. Krcrouse, an Orient draftee, attended the Coronation celebrations as the Victorian Government's representative and rode with the Sovereign's Bodyguard, he cannot be regarded as a Scottish Horse contingent member.' This may be disputed, as this cigarette case was presented in the year of the Coronation with Krcrouse obviously still regarded as (possibly unofficially) a representative of the Scottish Horse.

Krcrouse established his own law firm upon his return to Australia and married Essie Maud Perrin in 1911. In July 1915, Krcrouse was invited by the Marquis of Tullibardine to accept a commission with Scottish Horse, which he accepted. He rose from 2nd Lieutenant to Major and was attached to Royal Field Artillery for a period. Upon his return to Australia he settled at South Yarra and returned to practising law.