Lichfield Cathedral

Posts : 30 Join date : 2009-09-29

It is actually possible that some of those who died in South Africa (1877-80), but not during battle, could be on the memorial in error - there were 46 soldiers who died at places other than Isandlwana/Intombi/Ulundi, but I think at least 17 of these may be on the shields! I can definitely say that 7 men died at Isandlwana, 61 at Intombi, 2 at Ulundi (with 5 severely wounded - may have died subsequently of injuries?) and 2 wounded at Kambula. Civil Surgeon William Ingram Cobbin of the Army Medical Department and Joseph Whittington, a waggon conductor of the Commisariat and Transport Department, also were killed at Intombi whilst attached to the 80th, so that's a possible 125 people!

As a beside, there isn't any recognition of Samuel Wassall in the cathedral, I would have thought that his VC would have been big news!

Subject: lichfield missing names Sun Oct 04, 2009 10:58 am

hi prm502.
Mr. J. ELSON is the contact who emailed me , concerning the missing names , he will get
back to me when he has had a chance to check the records.
cheers 90th.

Posts : 30 Join date : 2009-09-29

90th wrote:: hi prm502.
Mr. J. ELSON is the contact who emailed me , concerning the missing names , he will get
back to me when he has had a chance to check the records.
cheers 90th.

Well Jeff Elson is one of the volunteers and he is a Zulu War fanatic, so he certainly knows his stuff!

Subject: Re: Lichfield Cathedral Mon Oct 05, 2009 11:10 am

I make it 18 Names on each shield. Unless two of the text box's contains the dates and regiment.

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

This thread has been playing on my mind for sometime now. The question why the ones killed at Isandlwana were not on the memorial !!!! As I said before, I did not know they were not.

Well today, I went up into the loft and found the photographs of the memorial I took when I went to Lichfield a few years ago.

There are 17 names on the first shield, 18 names on the second, 20 names on the third, 16 names on the fourth and 17 names on the fifth shield, making a total of 88 names.

On the fourth shield from the left, there are 7 names listed under Killed at Isandhlwana, so they are listed on the memorial and they are Sgt. William. Johnson, Privates John Chesterton, Edward Holman, Henry Thompson, William McDonald, William Seymour and Joseph Whitehouse. So there are 7 killed at Isandlwana not 6. The other thing to note is, Henry Thompson is listed on the memorial as a Private but on the medal roll, he is listed as a Sergeant.

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 61 Location : UK

So doe's that account for all of them.

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

90th wrote:: He goes on to say that in ROBERT
HOPE"S book on the 80th Regt in STH Africa 1878-79 , 95 officers and men were casualties of the war.

Hi John

From the photographs I took, I can only count 88 names on the shields, so to answer your question, I would have to say the memorial does not account for all of the 80th who fell during 1878-1879 campaigns.

Subject: lichfield missing names Mon Oct 12, 2009 1:05 am

hi 1879graves.
In regard to the 7 killed at ISANDLWANA , 6 were members of the MTD INFANTRY, the other was on
the HDQTRS STAFF.

This from ROBERT HOPE'S book. A STAFFORDSHIRE REGT IN THE ZULU AND SEKUKUNI CAMPAIGNS
1878 - 1879. 80TH REGT OF FOOT.
CASUALTY LIST. A total of 126 , of which 70 are K.I.A. ISANDLWANA 7 , INTOMBI RIVER 61 , ULUNDI 2 ,WOUNDED KAMBULA 2
ULUNDI 5 . Civil surgeon Cobbin of the army med dept and Joseph Whittington a wagon conductor of the commissariat and transport dept, both attached to the 80th regt, were also killed at Intombi River. During the taking of SEKUKUNI KRAAL 1 man
was wounded. There are also 46 names of soldiers who died whilst serving with the regt in sth africa and 17 of these were NOT
awarded the SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL..
Cheers 90th.

Posts : 1603 Join date : 2009-09-21

The names on the shields, are they just those that were killed at Isandlwana.

Subject: Lichfield memorial Wed Oct 14, 2009 12:10 am

hi Dave.
If you read all the above posts you will see which names are on the shields :)
cheers 90th.

Subject: Re: Lichfield Cathedral Thu Jul 31, 2014 11:42 am

1879graves
Thompson's actual rank was Acting QM-Sergeant and he was attached to the Staff.
The other 6 were all IMI.
Hope's book is in error.

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

Hi Julian

Many thanks for the update and I will correct my records.

Subject: Re: Lichfield Cathedral Thu Jul 31, 2014 10:15 pm

I was on a Rotary Friendship Exchange to the UK Midlands in 2012 when my host took me to Lichfield Cathedral. I could hardly believe my eyes when I saw the memorial. It is magnificent. I might add that there was a reference or link to South Africa in virtually every church and cathedral that I visited. Made me feel quite at home!

» 80th Regiment's Memorial at Lichfield Cathedral
» The Late Rev. J. Clements, sub-dean of Lincoln Cathedral
» Memorial to men of the 80th Regiment who died on campaign in South Africa 1878-9 (Lichfield)