Black & White

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

Hi. Everyone. Just another question.

Did any of the Black Soldiers that fought on the side of the British receive the Zulu War Campaign medal? I know white colonial's did but was wondering is that as far as it went. I’m not sure there was a lot of respect for the Black Soldiers. (But I could be wrong) This question is Infact from the wife; she says she knows a little about the ways of the Victorians, and they looked down on the coloured people. She doubts very much if they got the deserved recognition as everyone else who took part.

Subject: Re: Black & White Fri Jul 16, 2010 11:35 pm

Sorry mate. Just seen your post.

Try this. [You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

Subject: black and white Sat Jul 17, 2010 1:47 am

hi impi .
Yes , there are a lot of native names in the Medal Roll book by D.R.Forsyth , but I doubt these natives ever recieved
their medals as I dont think they would have realised they were entitled to them and clearly there was no way of tracking
them down to inform them of the award and quite frankly the Colonial forces wouldnt have been able to chase them up .
Basically no - one would have cared if they recieved them or not . Idea

cheers 90th.

Posts : 1261 Join date : 2010-04-12

I thought i read somewhere on the forum that everyone who took part in the Zulu War received the campaign medal.

Posts : 2594 Join date : 2009-04-24

"In 1880 it was decided that this 1853 medal should be awarded to all personnel—Colonial volunteers and native levies as well as British regular forces—who had served in any of the campaigns in South Africa between September 1877 and December 1879, namely the Gaika–Galeka War, the Northern Border War, the 1st and 2nd Sekukuni Wars, the Moirosi's Mountain campaign in Basutoland, and the Anglo-Zulu War. A medal bar or clasp was to be attached to the suspender of the medal bearing the date or dates of the year or years in which the recipient had actually served in any of those campaigns. Any members of the military who had been mobilized in Natal but who had not crossed the Tugela River into Zululand, were to receive the medal without a bar.[1] This included Naval shore parties.

Army Order No 103 of August 1880, which instituted the new South Africa Medal, made no mention of any change in design of the 1853 medal. However, the date '1853' was replaced in the medal's reverse exergue by a military trophy consisting of a Zulu ox-hide shield and four crossed assegais.[1]

Participants in the Anglo-Zulu War received this medal without a bar if they remained on the Natal side of the Tugela River, or with the bar '1879' if they actually saw service in Zululand. Particularly sought after are medals awarded to members of the 24th Regiment of Foot involved in action at Rorke's Drift or Isandlhwana in January 1879"

Subject: Re: Black & White Sat Jul 17, 2010 10:42 am

Hi Chard1879.
They were all entitled to recieve the medal , but that doesnt mean they did or took up the option to apply
for the medal. Here are a couple of examples , The Border Horse had 246 medals issued of which 143 medals
and clasps were returned to the Woolwich Mint where they were melted down . The 1st / 24th had 1404 medals
issued of which 28 medals and clasps were returned to Woolwich mint also melted down , all the medals that
were returned to Woolwich were all melted down as soon as they were returned Suspect

. . Hope this helps.
cheers 90th.

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

Thanks for all the replies. More than expected. Idea

90th

Quote :: but that doesnt mean they did or took up the option to apply for the medal.

But the offer was there. Idea

» How many black soldiers...
» Colonel James Grove White.
» Maj. W. Black 2nd Btn 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment.
» Lt .Black 1st NNC and others .
» Higginson's Black eye