Corporal F.Schiess

Posts : 947 Join date : 2011-10-21 Location : Algoa Bay

Hi All,
I see the topic of Corporal F Schiess was recently being discussed on this forum; and from these his actual whereabouts at various times appeared to be a bit of a mystery.
A letter , an application for employment appearing in Bancroft's "Rorke's Drift, The Zulu War 1879" ( p134/135) may give some answers to this question. The letter copied in its original form is dated 04/08/1884 in Pietermaritzburg ( ref 2985/84) is addressed to Mitchell, the Colonial Secretary seeking a job , any job, in the Natal Prison Service. His application did not meet with success.
In the letter he also mentions an application for employment with the NGR ( Natal Govt Railway) which was also unsuccessful.
Following the failure to gain employment in Natal, he managed to secure passage on the troop ship Seraphis to London. On this voyage he died and his remains were committed to the deep off the coast of Angola.
It is dismaying to see the appalling treatment meted out to Corporal Schies who was destitute, a man who the Colonials were greatly indebted to.

regards

barry

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