Do records exist of the soldiers in each Company of The 1st 24th

Firstly may I say thank you for allowing me to join your group. I will spend many a happy hour reading through the articles about the Zula Wars.
My question is, are there records of which Companies of the 1/24th that individual soldiers served in prior to the terrible battle at Isandlwana.

Keith,

The records you are seeking are the Roll Books that were kepted by each Company Colour Sergeants- these not longer exist. I seem to recall that the Pay & Muster Roll for 1/24th for Jan/Mar 79 also has not survived.

Are trying to locate the position of a particular soldier of 1/24th on 22/23 January?  

If your question is more general one - then a bit of detective work on you part is required.  

On 22/23 January soldiers of 1/24th could be located as follows:

1.  With Lord Chelmsford staff and mounted infantry.
2.  Isandlwana - Companies A, C, E, F, H, Band (killed except for 6 pers)
3.  Helpmekaar - Companies D and G
4.  Fort Harrisson, Pondoland - Company B
5.  Rorke's Drift
6.  PMB - back at base

You need (A) the Medal Roll 1/24th, (B) Rorke's Drift Roll, (C) The Mounted Infantry Roll (see Julian Whybra), possibly (D) the St Helena (1876-77) detachment composed of H Company 1-24th, the majority were still serving in H Company on 22/23 Jan 79.

To determine those in B Company (group 1) in Pondoland- they only received 77-78 clasp.
For group 2 - most of these are listed on the casualty roll - however you can modify the list by identifying those in group D - i.e. H Company.
For group 3 - D + G Company - Helpmekaar - they survived and received 77-78-79 clasp.
For group 1 - largely Mounted infantry + Colonel Glyn.
For group 6 - largely those with only medal but no clasp.
For group 5 - 10 members of 1/24th.

Of course ignore any member of 1/24th with a medal with only 1879 clasp as they arrived in Zululand after 22/23 January.

Best I can do - enjoy the research.

Hi Kenny

Thanks for the heads up. I am looking for the Company that 1305 Pte Thomas Gilder was serving in at Isandlwana. There is no imperative to find out where he was on that fateful day. I am looking for any information that I can get about him. I purchased his medal some time ago and have since retired and using my time to go through my collection and get as much information/background as I can on all of my chaps. I have a copy of the pages from The Noble 24th, copy of the medal roll, copies of the pay lists from 1866 and including 1869-70.

Sorry Keith - I am unable to add any detial to that you already have. I expect that someone on the forum who has access to Ancestry or Find My Past may be able to find birth details and parents for Thomas Gilder. He was in Malta in 1871 with 1/24th.

Thanks once again Kenny. I have been able to find possible census records for Thomas and his family in 1851 and 1861. They are living in Cross St St James, Westminster and Clarkenwell Green, London respectively for those years. The only problem is without any service records I cannot be totaly sure I have the right Thomas Gilder.