Help with Grave Inscription.

Subject: Help with Grave Inscription. Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:25 pm

I have placed this photo in the General Discussion Area for now. This grave is located in the Lüneburg Cemetery. Can anyone make out the inscription?

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Photo: By Johann Engelbrecht.

Johann if I have this wrong please correct me.

Posts : 2308 Join date : 2010-07-02 Age : 43

Sorry. Can't make it out.

Subject: Re: Help with Grave Inscription. Sun Jul 11, 2010 3:15 pm

Correct, the soldier died of disease, while stationed at Lüneburg. The name is not clear, I shall try to enlarge the photo and see whether the inscription becomes more legible!

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 60 Location : UK

I think the last 5 letters of the surname is CKRILL?

Posts : 600 Join date : 2010-01-07 Location : UK

Hi
I can make out that he died age 20 years.

thanks joe

Subject: Re: Help with Grave Inscription. Sun Jul 11, 2010 3:46 pm

I seem to decifer " COGCRILL who died at Luneberg on Dec 18th 1879" [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] ( should this be 1878, since no more soldiers were left in Dec 1879, whereas the first garrison already arrive there on 19th Oct 1878 with Capt Clery , Two companies of the 90Th with Fort Clery being constructed in Nov 1878!

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

"At Lüneburg the remains of the British Fort Clery can still be seen as well as the graves of several British soldiers who fell during the Zulu War - including those of two soldiers who got killed long after the end of the war in September, probably the last casualties of the Zulu War !

Although no battles or skirmishes took place in this area during the Anglo-Boer War , both Boer and German settlers were involved , many of the woman and children being interned in concentration camps in Volksrust. The men taking part in action further south"

Could be the name of a German settler.

Subject: Re: Help with Grave Inscription. Sun Jul 11, 2010 4:59 pm

Definetly not, Dave! This section of the graveyard is enclosed seperately from the settlers graveyard, in which all the graves have typical cross shaped tombstones with German inscriptions. This gravestone has at the bottom an inscription of some British regiment that seems to have erected it. Could be the 58th (not clear). The second line also seems to indicate that the soldier belonged to the 90th REG, which would fit in with the dates mentioned above when Capt Clery with 2 Coy's spend some time in Lüneburg.

Posts : 979 Join date : 2009-10-16

Hi All,
It reads to me,
segt p Cockrill
----- Regt
Died at Luneberg
19th ----- 1879
aged 29? years
erected by 'D' Coy
----- th Regt

Rai
Keynshamlighthorse

Subject: Re: Help with Grave Inscription. Sun Jul 11, 2010 11:10 pm

Rai. Was you able to make that out from the photo. Or did you have another source.

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

Nice one Rai. I have spent all afternoon trying to work it out. Taking images of it, using various tools to improve the image.

Quote :: “Aged 29?

Years” I had 20?

Posts : 600 Join date : 2010-01-07 Location : UK

I had 20 years aswell. scratch

Subject: Re: Help with Grave Inscription. Mon Jul 12, 2010 8:22 am

Can anybody check on the medal roll list for the 90th for such a name? Died on 19th Dec 1878(9)

Posts : 3337 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

Hi johann engelbrecht

I have checked the 90th roll and could not find that name.

I thought I'd read 58th Regt on the grave, so I have checked the roll for the 58th and come up with two names,

Corporal F Cockerill and Private J Cockerill both spelt with an E scratch

Subject: Re: Help with Grave Inscription. Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:11 pm

Having had a good look again, I would go for the Corporal F Cockerill and do agree with the 58th at the bottom. Was the 58th ever stationed at Lüneburg in Dec 1879? What were they doing there?

Posts : 3337 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

A single battalion regiment, the 58th left two detached companies in Natal under Major General Clifford as part of the lines of communications guard. Aside from a few men who served with the mounted infantry the rest of the battalion was assigned to Lord Chelmsford's Ulundi Column which was
to spearhead the second invasion. As the column advanced into Zululand two additional companies were detailed as the garrison of the newly built Fort Evelyn. The remaining companies were present during Chelmsford's final victory at Ulundi on 4 July, 1879.

The 58th remained in Natal after the end of the Anglo-Zulu War and took part in the Transvaal War against the Boers in 1880-81. It was during this campaign that the 58th became the 2nd battalion of the newly organized Northamptonshire Regiment. It was during that Transvaal War that the 58th became the last British battalion to carry its colours into battle.

Subject: Re: Help with Grave Inscription. Mon Jul 12, 2010 7:32 pm

That does make some sense, but what werthey doing in Lüneburg. The date 19th Dec 1879 is thus correct. Never too old to learn!!!

Subject: Re: Help with Grave Inscription. Thu Jul 15, 2010 7:48 am

Has anybody checked on the medal roll list of the 58th for Cpl F Cockrill and what his story is? [You must be registered and logged in to see this image.] c

Posts : 3337 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

Hi johann

I have checked the medal roll and these are my findings Idea

Private J Cockerill was infact George Cockerill, he deserted on September 1879, was caught on 30th December 1881.

Cpl F Cockrill is listed on the medal roll as DEAD but no year

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Subject: Re: Help with Grave Inscription. Thu Jul 15, 2010 7:11 pm

Thanks 1879graves! Sure it must be Cpl F Cockrill. Well still a mystery to be solved, as to the circumstances of his death and what he and his Coy were doing in Lüneburg in Dec of 1879!

Posts : 1604 Join date : 2009-09-21

I bet Graves solves the mystery. Idea

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