Corporal F.Schiess

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