Zulu War Veteran

[seth2]

Hello
I have a query connected with a soldier of the Zulu War.

Arthur Antcliffe - mis-spelt Autcliffe on a medal - was in the 57th of Foot. His campaign medal of 1879 still exists in the family.  In addition to the medal there is a photograph which is of him, or so the family think.  Does anyone out there know if the uniforms in the attached photograph fit with the 57th of Foot in the general period of the 1879 Zulu War?

Also, any suggestion for sources of further information on either his career or the activity of the regiment in 1879 would be very welcome.

Best wishes:
Seth Crook

[km1971]

Hi Seth

The tunic of the Zulu War period had five buttons. This one has seven. Also the braidwork above the cuff is a bit too elaborate. The shoulder title would have been the number 57 if anything - while there appears to be more here. My guess is that this is a later uniform, and possibly of a Militia battalion.

http://www.sutlers.co.uk/acatalog/zulu.html

But you should contact the 57th Regimental museum to be sure - http://www.warpath.orbat.com/regts/middlesex.htm

Ken

[seth2]

Thank you for your very helpful reply - within minutes of posting.  Wonderful.
Seth

Hi Seth

The tunic of the Zulu War period had five buttons. This one has seven. Also the braidwork above the cuff is a bit too elaborate. The shoulder title would have been the number 57 if anything - while there appears to be more here. My guess is that this is a later uniform, and possibly of a Militia battalion.

http://www.sutlers.co.uk/acatalog/zulu.html

But you should contact the 57th Regimental museum to be sure - http://www.warpath.orbat.com/regts/middlesex.htm

Ken

[gortonboy]

hi,,,is he this man ?

Name:Arthur ANTCLIFFE
Year of birth:1859
Place of birth:Gringley on the Hill, Gainsborough

[seth2]

Hi
Yes, that is the man.

hi,,,is he this man ?

Name:Arthur ANTCLIFFE
Year of birth:1859
Place of birth:Gringley on the Hill, Gainsborough

[John Young]

Seth,

Private 50th Brigade/1754 Antcliffe, A. served in 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot entitled to the Bar '1879'.

The 57th were stationed in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) when in February 1879 it received orders to proceed with all to Natal, South Africa in the wake of the disaster at Isandlwana, 22nd January 1879.  The battalion embarked from Ceylon on 22nd February 1879 onboard H.M.S. Tamar, and land at Port Natal (Durban) 10th-11th March 1879, arriving to city of Durban on 12th March 1879.  The battalion marched up the coast and arrived at Fort Pearson on the Tugela River on 26th March, where it was detailed to 1st Brigade of the Eshowe Relief Column.  The fortified mission station at Eshowe had been under siege by Zulu forces since 23rd January 1879.

The 57th crossed the Tugela River into kwaZulu (Zululand) on 29th March and began their advance.  On the morning of 2nd April 1879 whilst the column was encamped in laager was attacked by a Zulu force of some 10,000 - 12,000 warriors near to a place called Gingindlovu.  The 57th held the right flank of the laager and assisted in repelling the first desperate onslaught of the Zulu.  It was specially mentioned by Lord Chelmsford, the General Officer commanding British Forces in southern Africa, for its steadiness under fire.  On the following day the column relieved the besieged mission station at Eshowe.

After the relief of Eshowe the 57th were assigned to 2nd Brigade of 1st Division under the command of Major-General Henry Hope Crealock.  Crealock was to have assisted in the 2nd invasion of kwaZulu in June 1879, however, he was something of a ditherer, and his division earned the nickname of 'Crealock's Crawlers' and rather than arriving at Ulundi (Ondine), the Zulu seat of power and taking part on the Battle of Ulundi on 4th July 1879, the 57th arrived about three weeks later and took part in the disarming of the Zulu army.  The 57th were also deployed in the search for the Zulu king, Cetshwayo kaMpande, who had eluded the British forces, until his eventual capture on 28th August 1879. 

Following the King's capture the 57th took part in the subjugation of border tribes on the Tugela River before returning to Durban in October of 1879, from where they embarked on 1st November 1879 onboard the hired transport City of Venice bound for England.

I agreed Ken's comments the two soldiers are Militiamen rather than regular soldiers, it is feasible that he could have served as a volunteer prior to his regular enlistment.

Isandlwana

[seth2]

Thank you for taking the time to offer such a very detailed reply.  I shall forward your reply to his descendants. They will be very interested I think. Fascinating.

Zulus, "fousands of em". What an incredible sight that must have been?

Best wishes:
Seth

Seth,

Private 50th Brigade/1754 Antcliffe, A. served in 57th (West Middlesex) Regiment of Foot entitled to the Bar '1879'.

The 57th were stationed in Ceylon (Sri Lanka) when in February 1879 it received orders to proceed with all to Natal, South Africa in the wake of the disaster at Isandlwana, 22nd January 1879.  The battalion embarked from Ceylon on 22nd February 1879 onboard H.M.S. Tamar, and land at Port Natal (Durban) 10th-11th March 1879, arriving to city of Durban on 12th March 1879.  The battalion marched up the coast and arrived at Fort Pearson on the Tugela River on 26th March, where it was detailed to 1st Brigade of the Eshowe Relief Column.  The fortified mission station at Eshowe had been under siege by Zulu forces since 23rd January 1879.

The 57th crossed the Tugela River into kwaZulu (Zululand) on 29th March and began their advance.  On the morning of 2nd April 1879 whilst the column was encamped in laager was attacked by a Zulu force of some 10,000 - 12,000 warriors near to a place called Gingindlovu.  The 57th held the right flank of the laager and assisted in repelling the first desperate onslaught of the Zulu.  It was specially mentioned by Lord Chelmsford, the General Officer commanding British Forces in southern Africa, for its steadiness under fire.  On the following day the column relieved the besieged mission station at Eshowe.

After the relief of Eshowe the 57th were assigned to 2nd Brigade of 1st Division under the command of Major-General Henry Hope Crealock.  Crealock was to have assisted in the 2nd invasion of kwaZulu in June 1879, however, he was something of a ditherer, and his division earned the nickname of 'Crealock's Crawlers' and rather than arriving at Ulundi (Ondine), the Zulu seat of power and taking part on the Battle of Ulundi on 4th July 1879, the 57th arrived about three weeks later and took part in the disarming of the Zulu army.  The 57th were also deployed in the search for the Zulu king, Cetshwayo kaMpande, who had eluded the British forces, until his eventual capture on 28th August 1879. 

Following the King's capture the 57th took part in the subjugation of border tribes on the Tugela River before returning to Durban in October of 1879, from where they embarked on 1st November 1879 onboard the hired transport City of Venice bound for England.

I agreed Ken's comments the two soldiers are Militiamen rather than regular soldiers, it is feasible that he could have served as a volunteer prior to his regular enlistment.

Isandlwana

[gortonboy]

Arthur Antcliffe  1754  enlisted at Doncaster on the 12th August 1878...on enlistment he was a porter by trade.
He was age 19,,5ft 5,,,fresh complexion,,,brown eyes,,,light brown hair.
He was a Weslyan by religion.

he served for 12 years,,,including serving in South Africa from 5/5/1897 to the 14/12/1879,,,he also served in the East Indies {India} from 1880 to 1885.
he was awarded the Zulu medal with clasp.

if you want the original documents,,,they are available on the findmypast website,,,

[seth2]

Thanks, very helpful. Thanks for taking the time.
I have not used that site very much. Clearly I should take a look.
12 years? Longer than I had suspected. I don't think his family know about the spell in India.
I was reading about the battle last night, after reading an earlier reply. Sounds tough, although I think I would rather be with Arthur with a gattling gun than be a Zulu running at a gattling gun.

Seth

Arthur Antcliffe  1754  enlisted at Doncaster on the 12th August 1878...on enlistment he was a porter by trade.
He was age 19,,5ft 5,,,fresh complexion,,,brown eyes,,,light brown hair.
He was a Weslyan by religion.

he served for 12 years,,,including serving in South Africa from 5/5/1897 to the 14/12/1879,,,he also served in the East Indies {India} from 1880 to 1885.
he was awarded the Zulu medal with clasp.

if you want the original documents,,,they are available on the findmypast website,,,