24th regiment of foot

[selena by the sea]

can anyone out there tell me anything about it.

[neil1821]

What precisely do you want to know? 
What era are you interested in?
Are you trying to trace a particular soldier?

http://www.regiments.org/regiments/uk/inf/024SWB.htm
http://www.rrw.org.uk/

Neil

[selena by the sea]

Hi Neil.the person i am trying to find more info on is thomas samuel b.1859 ish.he was in the 24th regiment of foot and i believe he was in the boar war 1881 ish.unsure of dates ???in 1891 he is listed on the census as married and second i army reserve dorset regiment,i am told by a family member that he was inavalided out after 1881? and could only join as a  reserve.but this is very shakey info. also he had a campaign medal from the boar war.

[jim1]

Hello Selina
The Boer War was 1898-1901.The records of those who served there are held at Kew.My Grandfather did 7 years full service and 5 reserve.He was discharged after his 7 years and into the reserve 3 months before the war started and was smartly sent straight back for another 2 1/2 in South Africa.
The records are very comprehensive with the details from start to finish including court martials ( grandad did 2 stints in the glasshouse ).
You will need to employ a researcher if you can't get there yourself ( mine cost £60.00) but it was worth it.

Regards Jim

[Wendi]

Hi Selena & Hi Jim

There were 2 Boer Wars.....one ran from 16th December 1880 to 23rd March 1881 with the second being from 9th October 1899 to 31 March 1902......more here

http://www.boer-war.com/

24th of Foot - what about the Zulu War 1879 

http://www.rrw.org.uk/regiment/24zulu.htm

I guess it depends how sure you are he had a campaign medal from The Boer War

As Jim says his papers should be at TNA

Wendi 

[neil1821]

Do you have his campaign medal? If so, can you describe it to us?

As Wendi so correctly points out, there were 2 Boer Wars, 20-odd years apart.
The 1st Boer War however didn't involve the 24th Regt at all.

If you're fairly sure of your dates (ie he served around 1881), then I'd agree it's much more likely he served in the Zulu War.

Neil

[Valda]

If he served in the Zulu War in the unlucky 24th Foot he was very lucky to survive. The First Battalion of the 24th were massacred at the battle of Isandhlwana in January 1879. There were no survivors of the 24th.

'Six whole companies of the 24th Foot Regiment totalling 602 men, later known as the South Wales Borderers, were wiped out to a man.'

That was the 5 companies of the 1st battalion and 1 company of the 2nd at Isandhlwana. B company of the 2nd battalion was at Roorkes Drift.

Regards

Valda

[jim1]

The South Africa Campaign Medal consists of a gold ribbon with 2 thick vertical blue stripes and 2 thin ones,the medal in silver has the head of Queen Victoria and inscribed Victoria Regina,the bar is inscribed 1877-8-9.

[neil1821]

The South Africa Campaign Medal consists of a gold ribbon with 2 thick vertical blue stripes and 2 thin ones,the medal in silver has the head of Queen Victoria and inscribed Victoria Regina,the bar is inscribed 1877-8-9.

Yep, Queen Victoria on the obverse, but the reverse is very distinctive. It depicts a lion drinking at a waterhole, beside a protea bush. The words SOUTH AFRICA are inscibed around the top. In the exergue (ie at the bottom) is a Zulu shield and 4 crossed assegais.

Illustrated here:
http://www.artfund.org/artwork/9130/south-africa-campaign-medal