Private Royal Marine C. Fleming, HMS Active

Posts : 3362 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

C Fleming, aged 31, Marine; disease or hurt, insanity following intemperance. Put on sick list, 5 August 1879, at sea between Simon's Bay and Ascension Island. Sent to hospital at Ascension Island, 24 August 1879. He had been in the service for five years and was previously a navvy, he had served on shore for eight months with the Naval Brigade in the Zulu War. On 31 July he had four days leave on shore and drank heavily, returning with cuts and bruises about his face from having fallen. The ship left Simon's Bay on 5 August and in the night he was put on the sick list with symptoms of delirium tremens. In a few days this was succeeded by 'mental derangement'. He complained of hearing voices and became convinced he was going to be put to death, thinking that men doing drill on deck were preparing to execute him and when a collision mat or Harvey's torpedo was lowered, that he was to be tied up in it and drowned. Fearing he might attempt suicide, the surgeon sent him to the hospital at Ascension Island.

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Private Cornelius Fleming, R.M.L.I. landed with that part of the Naval Brigade of HMS Active serving under Lt. T. W. Dowding. Served with the brigade at Ft. Pearson on the Lower Tugela. He was present at the battle of Inyezane. He was part of Colonel Pearson's forces at Ekowe from 23 Jan to Apr 4 1879. Most likely one of the marines who accompanied Lt. Dowding on 1 Mar 1879, as part of the force that attacked a Zulu military kraal about 8 miles from the Fort. He later served with the brigade when it acompanied Crealock's column to Port Durnford. Time served aashore from 18 Nov 1878 to 21 Jul 1879. South Africa Medal with clasp "1877-8-9"

Petty Officer Tom

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