Private Willis 2/24th Regiment his letter from South Africa

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Stratford-upon-Avon Herald - Friday 28 March 1879

No trace of a Willis in the rolls but could this be Private 2254 M Willies 2/24th Regiment 1877-78-79 clasp

The individual who wrote this letter is almost certainly No. 1312 Samuel Wiles. The Coventry Herald 28/03/1879 prints the same as the Stratford-upon-Avon Herald but gives the name as Mr Isaac Wiles. A quick search finds that Samuel Wiles service record has survived, and his next of kin is his father Mr I Wiles, address near Police Station, Longford. The service documents record the place of birth for Wiles as Longford, Coventry, Warwickshire.

And he was with Chelmsford's Reconnaissance of course.

Private Wiles’ Denial
The following has been forwarded to us by Major Dartnell, for publication :--
From Lieutenant-Colonel Degacher, commanding 2-24th, to Major Dartnell, Commanding Natal
Volunteer Forces.
Sir, - My attention has been drawn to an extract from the ‘Birmingham Gazette’, published in the ‘Natal Mercury’ of the 18th instant, in which Private Wiles, of the battalion under my command, is stated to have written home grave aspersions against the conduct of the Natal Volunteer Force.
I at once caused this man to be brought before me, when he strenuously disclaimed all knowledge of the letter referred to in the article referred to above, and denies having ever - by word of mouth or otherwise - said anything against the volunteers.
I enclose a letter which Private Wiles, 2-24th, has written to his Captain on the subject.
As the paragraph in question will surely wound the feelings of many gallant men in the colony, who, to my knowledge, have always done their duty right well, you are at liberty to make use of this correspondence in any way you may think fit.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
H.I. Degacher, Lieutenant-Colonel, Commanding 2-24th Regt.
Landman’s Drift, 24th June 1879
-------- * --------
From Private S Wiles (No. 1312) to Officer Commanding ‘G’ Company, 2-24th Regiment.
Sir, - With reference to a letter supposed to have been written by me to my father at Footshill, near Coventry, and the substance of which appears in the ‘Natal Mercury’ of June 18th, I beg that you will lay before the commanding officer of the fact that I never wrote the words I am supposed to have done; and that I have no reason whatever to say anything against the behaviour of the volunteer forces, either at Isandhlwana or since.
I have the honour to be, Sir,
Your most obedient servant,
Private Samuel Wiles, ‘G’ Company, 2-24th regt.
Forwarded to officer commanding 2nd Battalion 24th regt.,
Farquhar Glennie, Captain 2-24th regt.
Source ‘The Red Book’ (p 268)