Soldier: 99th Regiment

Does anyone hold a copy of:

Experiences During the Zulu War,
TW Beeton, Armourer Sergeant, late 99th Regiment.
Publisher: Wesleyan Conference Office Publications, 1880?

I’m also interested in his (Corps of Armourers)  Number. Can’t find him on FMP’s Anglo-Boer War Records 1899-1902, presumably because 99th excluded from the database. Could I also ask for a Medal Roll look up, please?

Thanks in advance.

Hi Peter
Dutton’s medal roll lists him under the 99th as Armourer Sgt J W Beeton (note different initial) but with no Regimental number (the only man in the regiment without one listed). Entitled to the SAGS medal with 1879 clasp so presumably he must have crossed into Zululand.

As far as I’m aware there wasn’t a Corps of Armourers as such but happy to be corrected on that.

Regards Phil.

This may help - I unable tell you the exact naming on the SAGS medal held by the Brecon Museum:

Frederick George Haigs served in the little known ‘Corps of Armourers’ regimental number CA 443. Sgt Haigs attached to the 1/24th in South Africa. He was probably based in Pietermaritzburg during the Zulu campaign as he was awarded the campaign medal without a clasp. On his return to UK with 1/24th, he was Court Martialled at Colchester on 3 August 1881.

Sgt Haigs next appears serving with the 1st Battalion Gordon Highlanders during the Suakin Campaign and was awarded the Egypt 1882 medal with 3 clasps ‘Suakin 1884’, ‘The Nile 1884-5’ and ‘El-Teb’ (the battle of El-Teb took place on 24/29 February 1884). He would have also been awarded the Khedive’s Star 1884. The Egypt medal is missing from The Royal Welsh collection; and the Khedive’s Star is dated 1882 and not 1884.

On 27 June 1889, Frederick George Haigs joined the Royal Navy for 12 years as an armourer. On the 1 June 1893 he was admitted to the Naval Hospital at Plymouth and the record suggests that he was discharged on 4 August 1893 (a date of death possibly?). Frederick's father was at sometime employed as a blacksmith in the Naval Dockyard from whom he learnt his skills.

Thanks Herbie.

To my embarrassment I checked FMP ….. yet again!!! ….. and found him!

Corps of Armourers (1858 – 1896) absorbed into AOC. His attachment explains why he had no Number on the 99th’s Roll.

Kenny,

Thank you for that. I had no record of this man. (And there is no FMP Army / Navy record).

Given his number, he attested sometime between June 19 and October 3, 1878.

Interesting he joined the RN. An Armourer Sergeant was paid just 6 pence a day less than a Sergeant Major. Having said that, I have no idea of RN pay rates.

PM sent.

Hi Peter35

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Joseph Willerton Beeton
Aldershot Military Cemetery
Aldershot, Hampshire

Very interesting. Thanks for putting me straight. Did the Corps have its own uniform or did they wear the uniform of the unit they were attached to?
Phil

Hello 1879graves.

Thanks for the photograph.

The (part) inscription is interesting:

“Late Staff Armourer, A.S. Corps
“Who Fell Asleep In Jesus April 4, 1894”.

In fact, (then) 1st Class Armourer Sergeant Beeton was posted to A.S. Corps, Aldershot, on 21st December, 1897 ….. where he apparently died suddenly, given the “Died at Aldershot 4.4.94” entry on his Military History Sheet / Aldershot Military Cemetery. That is, he was posted to ASC, Aldershot, in like manner to Armourer Sergeant Haigs’ postings to the 24th RoF and to the Gordon Highlanders.

Peter

Well done, Phil.

Yes, they wore the uniform of the “regiment, battalion, corps ….. embodied militia” to which they were attached. All that distinguished them from other members of ‘their’ unit was their Hammer and Pincers / Tongs trade badge.

Furthermore, the RW stated “neither the probationary armourers ….. nor the armourer serjeants, will be entitled to clothing ….. while so employed (in the Corps of Armourer Serjeants)”; that is, when at their Depot.

Peter