I'm trying to find a birth record for a C. Greely who was reportedly born at Manchester; he enlisted in the Royal Scots Fusiliers on 22nd June 1891, in Manchester. This information, and that spelling of his surname, comes from the Glasgow Herald, Friday 22nd December 1899, which was one of numerous newspapers around the UK that reported him as having been killed in action in South Africa, on 15th December 1899.
A marginal note in a National Archives record says that "3365 Pte. C.Greeley" of 2nd Rl.Scots.Fus." was "invalided."
The next record I have of him is a report in the Aberdeen Journal, Wednesday 4th April 1900, which, in an article about the battle on 15/12/1899, said "Amongst those severely wounded was Private Greeley, of B Company, whose case is perhaps unparalleled in the history of the campaign. Private Greeley was shot in the head no fewer than four times, and all four bullets remained. He was afterwards removed to Maritzburg Hospital, where one of the bullets was extracted. The others, however, defied the skill of the surgeons, and the unfortunate man still retains the three lumps of lead in his cranium as a memento of the fight. One is not surprised to know that Private Greeley is almost unable to move, his left side being paralysed. He is expected home shortly, and it is understood his people reside at Birmingham."
The Southport Visiter, Tuesday 29th May 1900, then reported "No less than thirty convalescents back from the war have enjoyed the benefit of a stay in the Convalescent Home on the Promenade. [......] The case of Private Greeley, the Scotch Fusiliers man, is somewhat singular. He was shot in the head, and a portion of his brain has had to be removed. He is affected, consequent on his injury, with paralysis of the left side, which makes him drag his leg, but he manages to get about, and may often have been seen in our streets in his uniform of red tunic, tartan trousers, and Glengarry cap."
I can't find a birth record for a male Greely/Greeley/Grealy/Grealey/Grealley with the initial C., or a male C. Greely/ etc. in the 1881 UK census. It seems to be one of those 19th century surnames where the spelling varied, but to know his first name could be a big help in trying to find out what became of him after his convalescence. I'm not related, just really moved by what had happened to him. The poor man must have been through hell, and as a soldier deserves not to be forgotten.
