Private 25B/483 Joseph Phelan 1/24th Regiment

Posts : 42 Join date : 2024-02-15 Location : Somerset

I thought I would stick my head above the parapet and start a thread, be nice now!

From the 'Noble 24th'

Phelan, Joseph 25B/483 Private.
Enlisted at Waterford, Ireland 23/11/1874; age 20 years. Died of disease in 1879. South Africa Medal with clasp 1877-8-9

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Daily News London 16/12/1879

A number of Irish newspapers also report the story along with local publications.

I had a look at Hampshire burials and found the following:

Hampshire, Portsmouth, Southsea, Highland Road Cemetery

(all wording in brackets relate to column headings)

[Name of person buried] John Thelan, [Description of person buried] 1st Batt. 24th Regt., [Age] 'left blank', [Place of death] General Hospital, [Date of burial] Dec 16th, [Ceremony performed by] John T Browne, [Place of burial] 2 Plot, [No. of grave] 6th Row, 3rd Grave, [In unconsecrated ground] Unconsecrated, [From what parish removed] Portsea.

I have found no record on Findagrave.

Although the written name on the burial register differs from the report I am fairly (as one can be) happy they are one and the same. The cause of death is an issue, where did Holme get the 'died of disease'.

I have no more to add, so it is over to the floor.

Regards
Dash

Baynham'Jones research says the same thing: Died of disease, buried in South Africa. Both were researching since the 60's so not sure who was first, but the entry is certainly in-correct.
The effects and credits section of WO 16/1574 Oct 79/Mar 80 pay-list state he was in Company A, born Waterford, trade: bootmaker, and died at Portsmouth.
For some reason I've put an annotation in my database's remarks column of "D. KWT" so died at King William's Town. Perhaps a later pay-list may have shown a wrong entry, I'll keep my eye out for it.

Posts : 42 Join date : 2024-02-15 Location : Somerset

Bill,

Many thanks for the reply

Regards
Dash

Posts : 614 Join date : 2013-05-07 Location : Brecon

Phelan is not listed on KWT memorial. Perhaps the death was picked up by Norman Holme from a note on the 1/24th Medal Roll (I do not have a scan of the page). So Dash has found important new information. Well done. It would be interesting to know whether Phelan’s medal was issued.

Subject: Private 25B/ 483 Joseph Phelan 1/24th Fri Sep 20, 2024 6:16 am

Kenny
I know the Forsyth Roll can be inaccurate but looking at the Medal Roll for the 1/24th , it states 28 Medals were returned to Woolwich Mint , Phelan's it seems wasn't one of them .
90th Salute

Posts : 42 Join date : 2024-02-15 Location : Somerset

Kenny wrote:: Phelan is not listed on KWT memorial. Perhaps the death was picked up by Norman Holme from a note on the 1/24th Medal Roll (I do not have a scan of the page). So Dash has found important new information. Well done. It would be interesting to know whether Phelan’s medal was issued.

Kenny,

If you look under the following:

Topic: 1879 Zulu War Campaign Medal
Thread: Interesting medal just up on ebay

Original poster was 1879Graves in 2010, shows his medal and the comments of other forum members.

Regards
Dash

» Private 2596 Joseph Wilson 2/24th Regiment
» Joseph Burton and Private 29B/562 Joseph Ingram 58th Regiment
» Private 45/2176 George John Joseph Wiliam Smith 2/3rd Regiment