Lieutenant George Edward Giles No 12 Battery 11th Brigade Royal Artillery

Posts : 3463 Join date : 2021-01-04

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North Devon Journal - Thursday 05 June 1941

1877-78-79 clasp

Duttons Lists Giles as 12 Battery 11th Brigade but in M+S he is No 8 Battery 7th Brigade scratch

No 8 Battery 7th Brigade served in SA from 2nd April 1879 to the 2nd of August. They were not engaged with the enemy.
In April they were stationed at Fort Pearson; May at Fort Tenedos; June at Fort Burke; July Fort Crealock and August Camp Sacchini.
Major Ellaby served in command.

Subject: Lt George Edward Giles No 12 Bgde R.A. Wed Sep 07, 2022 6:04 pm

Never heard of Fort Burke , I see it's not in Laband's ' Field Guide To The War In Zululand; and the Defence of Natal 1879 .
90th scratch

Posts : 3384 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

Major George Edward Giles died in a railway train on his way to Capetown December 19th, 1900. He was born in 1855, and educated at Cheltenham College. He entered the Royal Artillery 1875, was promoted Captain 1884, and was serving in South Africa with the Rhodesian Field Force as honorary Major. He served in the Kaffir War 1878 in command of two mountain guns, and was present at the attack on the Intala Ka Udoda Bush. Major Giles was appointed afterwards to the command of the Artillery Troop of the Cape Mounted Riflemen, and served in the operations against Moirosi, being present at the capture of his stronghold. He was mentioned in despatches, LG, June 11th, 1878, and received the medal with clasp. He also served in the Basuto War 1880-81. In the South African War he was employed as a Special Service Officer. The name of Major Giles was inscribed on the Eleanor Cross War Memorial at Cheltenham College. (He did not take part in the Anglo-Zulu War of 1879)

Posts : 3463 Join date : 2021-01-04

Thanks Andy.
Tricky one this. I'ts a bit confusing as my initial article says during the war he was District Adjutant at CapeTown, but in the medal rolls he has the 1879 clasp and Mac and Shad says he took part in 'various operations'
All I can think of is he had a jaunt across the border into the 'war zone' to say he was there.

Gary
I've had a look throught the medal rolls and I can't find an officer named Burke to give his name to a fort.
There is an Able Seaman 64796 John Burke and a Private Peter Burke Royal Marines from HMS Active but I doubt they would have a fort named after them.
Looking at the Battery's movements one would assume Fort Burke was bewteen Fort Tenedos and Fort Crealock but there is nothing on any of the maps.
There are several unidentified forts further north between Murrays Laager and Generals Hill. Perhaps it is one of thse. I will contact John Laband and see if he has heard of it

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