The Dreaded Telegram.

Posts : 1603 Join date : 2009-09-21

Just a bit off the cuff so to speak. Did the families of the Zulu war dead receive telegrams from the Queen or Prime minister? Hopefully with the correct name spellings.
The reason I ask is, I found this on the web. Zulu War Casualty Condolence Letters raise £1300 for Help for Heroes Fund!

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Subject: Re: The Dreaded Telegram. Fri Nov 27, 2009 8:34 am

Dave, I don't think there was telegrams as such. I believe the names of those killed were published in the new papers.
If we look at Isandlwana I don't think they really knew who was there anyway.

Subject: Re: The Dreaded Telegram. Fri Nov 27, 2009 11:35 pm

The following official letter of condolence was sent to Sir John Jocelyn Coghill, after his son's death

" Sir, — I am directed by the Field Marshal Commanding in Chief to inform you that his Royal Highness perused with melancholy interest
the report forwarded to hira by Lord Chelmsford from Colonel Glyn,
showing how the Queen's colour of the 1st Battalion 24th Foot would have fallen into the hands of the enemy but for the gallant behaviour of your son,

Lieutenant Coghill, and Lieutenant and Adjutant Melvill, of that regiment. His Royal Highness in communicating this dispatch desires me to assure you of his sincere sympathy with you in the loss of your son, whose gallant death in the successful endeavour to save the colour of his regiment has gained the admiration of the army. It is gratifying to his Royal Highness to inform you that if your son had survived his noble effort it was her Majesty's intention to confer upon him the Victoria Cross, and a notification to that effect will be made in the London Gazette."

I have the honor to be, sir, Your obedient servant,

M. A. Dillon, Major General.

To Sir JosCELYN Coghill, Bart."

Source: The family of Coghill.

Spelling exact from text.

Subject: the dreaded telegram Sat Nov 28, 2009 12:18 am

hi all.
I am only guessing here , but I think you may find that the war department issued telegrams to the families
of the OFFICER"S who died in the zulu war. I am fairly certain high ranking officers wrote letters to the
families of deceased junior officers under their command. As for the rank and file , I think the families would
have recieved some sort of condolence letter at some stage , but it may have taken a while.
cheers 90th.