Rev George Weaver visits the battlefield at iSandlwana

From an article entitled "The Rev George Weaver in Barnstaple. Interesting Missionary Experiences"
The grisly  line about the helmet shows how desperate the final moments were.

"... teeth worn only Caffir in authority and an armlet of ivory belonging to Caffir-chief. The lecturer explained that these armlets were worn above the elbow by Caffir chiefs; to lose it meant  loss of honour and position consequently he queried whether an English missionary had ever exhibited such a curiosity to an English audience before and he would not venture to show it if any caffir was present. It was lent to him by an Englishman in South Africa who secured it the morning after a Caffir war about 10 years ago.
He visited the scene of the battle and took it form the arm of a dead chief.

Another curio was the pike of an English soldier’s helmet which the lecturer found among other things on the battlefield of Isandula about three months after the Zulu War.
It was imbedded in the skull of a caffir and the bits of bone were still adhering to it. The only theory he (the speaker) could propound was that some poor English soldier, with weapons gone, surrounded by Zulus, had taken off his helmet and let drive at a native killing him on the spot and then probably fell himself the next moment. He also picked up a Bible torn and partially burnt, a match  box and quarter-masters ink bottle. Three months after the battle the sight he witnessed was a terrible one. There were scores of big boots lying about with the feet of soldiers still in them which had dropped off because the feet were left sticking out of the ground.

He saw graves with the hands or feet of some poor victims above the soil and the tops of heads protruding on every side. Between two rocks he found the body of English officer never buried at all, still bearing the sash indicating his rank. He picked up a Book of Common Prayer containing the name of a British quartermaster and the Regiment to which he belonged. Fortunately he was able to discover the address of the widow and send the  memento home to her. In her reply she expressed her thankfullness at receiving something of  her dear husband’s from the very field where he had fallen. The rev. gentleman also exhibited a Zulu shield and assagai, the latter from body of English officer after the battle by a  fellow countryman of his..."
You can read the full article here. North Devon Herald - Thursday 21 February 1889

Michael do you have this account for your book?

So the question would be which officers would have been waring a sash? Duty./orderly perhaps?

Whoever he was Frank I would assume he was off the beaten track to be missed by the initial burial parties.

Kate I see the article is 1889 but what was the date of weavers visit?

Sorry just picked up it was 3 months after the battle.

Frank. Has Mike and Neil got this for their iSandlwana accounts book?

Won't be in the first volume Kate. Mike will have seen your post but we are all chatting later this week and will mention it.

Quite interesting detail on the sash. That sounds like a Senior NCO perhaps? Did Colour Sergeants wear sashes in the field in 1879? Can't recall it being an Officer accoutrement in the field.

The helmet spike is intriguing too. I thought these were removed for for use. Perhaps a Carbineer or Policeman?

Michael,

You will what note Charles Walter Cavaye is wearing in his campaign dress.

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Charles Walter Cavaye, standing at the rear, Pietermaritzburg 1878.
(John Young Collection.)

JY

Now that's quite interesting. Had never noticed that before!