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Captain William Eccles Mostyn 24th Regiment KIA Isandlwana
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SIR BCP
Posts : 5 Join date : 2010-03-11
Subject: Captain William Eccles Mostyn 24th Regiment KIA Isandlwana Tue Sep 07, 2010 10:45 am
Can anyone supply any information about the life and career of Capt.Mostyn? Thanks
Neil Aspinshaw
Posts : 553 Join date : 2009-10-14 Location : Loughborough
Subject: Re: Captain William Eccles Mostyn 24th Regiment KIA Isandlwana Tue Sep 07, 2010 12:18 pm
If you get a copy of the Noble 24th by Norman Holme, the officers are very well documented. Available from the regimental museum shop www.rrw.org.uk
1879graves
Posts : 3319 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon
Subject: Re: Captain William Eccles Mostyn 24th Regiment KIA Isandlwana Tue Sep 07, 2010 9:29 pm
He was born in Glasgow on 28th November 1842, he was the only son of the Reverend George Thornton Mostyn, M.A., formerly incumbent of St Thomas’s, St Helens, Lancashire, and afterwards of St John’s, Kilburn, by his marriage with Charlotte, daughter of William Eccles of Glasgow. He was educated at Rugby, and on 29th July 1862 he was gazetted as an Ensign in the 24th Regiment. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant on 23rd March 1866 and became Captain on 31st October 1871. Captain Mostyn served with his Battalion at various stations in Great Britain and Ireland and in Burma, India, Gibraltar, Malta and the Cape of Good Hope, where from 2nd March 1878 - 6th July 1878 he acted as aide-de-camp to General Sir Arthur Cunynghame. In November 1878 he proceeded with his Regiment to Natal to Natal to join the force which, with a view to the impending invasion of Zululand, which then being concentrated on the frontier. On 9th January 1879 his company marched from Pietermaritzburg to join the Head-Quarters which six weeks earlier, had left the capital, and formed part of Glyn’s Column at Helpmakaar. The company reached Isandhlwana on 21st January 1879. In the Battle which ensued on the 22nd January 1879, Captain Mostyn moved the men under his command out of camp to the support of another Company of his Battalion which, under Lieutenant Cavaye and 2nd Lieutenant Dyson, had engaged the enemy on a steep hill about 1,000 yards distant to the left. A few minutes after his arrival on the hill his Company extended and entered into action, supported on the right by a small body of native infantry. Shortly afterwards, the enemy appeared in great force in the rear, and the two Companies fell back slowly keeping up firing. After descending the hill which was rocky and precipitous, they formed in extended order at a distance of about 400 yards from it, but the enemy, heavily reinforced, pressed on rapidly and they continued to retire until within 300 yards of the position occupied by the Native Contingents. Shortly afterwards, the Zulus broke through the lines and Captain Mostyn and his men were overwhelmed.
SIR BCP
Posts : 5 Join date : 2010-03-11
Subject: Re: Captain William Eccles Mostyn 24th Regiment KIA Isandlwana Thu Sep 16, 2010 1:58 pm
Thanks for your feedback. I have now got the recommended book "The Noble 24th" where it states Mostyn's D.O.B as 27 November 1842.
The 1879 Graves feedback above says his D.O.B was 28 November 1842.
Having made contact with the Archivist at Mostyn's Rugby School, he tells me that the School Register from 1858 (when Mostyn started at the School in Arnolds House) states his D.O.B as 27 November 1843
I also received from the Archivist a copy of Mostyn's Obituary which appeared in the School magazine "The Meteor" on February 26th 1879; It says he was born in 1843 ?
Interestingly the preceding entry was Anstey (D.O.B 18 March 1851), also a member of the 24th KIA at Isandlwana and who was also an Old Boy of Rugby School, starting in 1865.
Any views on Mostyn's actual birth date, before I delve into an online search for a Birth Certificate.
Appreciate any further feedback
1879graves
Posts : 3319 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon
Subject: Re: Captain William Eccles Mostyn 24th Regiment KIA Isandlwana Thu Sep 16, 2010 8:27 pm
Hi SIR BCP
The information came from
J.P. Mackinnon and S.H. Shadbolt, The South African Campaign of 1879.
Having checked the online version of the above, it states the 27th. I would have to get my older copy to have a look and see if I got the right date, but I would have to say it could be the 27th and not the 28th.
Not much help I know.
Captain Mostyn
Posts : 11 Join date : 2013-03-21 Age : 56 Location : Melbourne, Australia
Subject: Re: Captain William Eccles Mostyn 24th Regiment KIA Isandlwana Thu Mar 21, 2013 7:51 pm
I'm also trying to do some Research on Captain Mostyn (hence my User Name)....
The info you provided about his Career, 1879Graves, will be very useful
In trying to find info on his Family, so that I can try and see where (if at all) he fits in with my Line....though there doesn't seem to be too much (at least, not much that I can find)....
I've checked the LDS Site, which mentions his Parents as Rev. George Thornton Mostyn and Charlotte Eccles, and it also mentions their Marriage (although it seems to give two dates for that), but doesn't seem to give anything any other info
Did William have a Family of his own, and is there any more info on his Parents (beyond George and Charlotte)?
Captain William Eccles Mostyn 24th Regiment KIA Isandlwana