Who is this officer?

Hi All

Posted as requested by Petty Officer Tom.


Who is the officer in Photo 1?

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Photo 1

Photo taken: Jan 1879 (according to D. Morris)
Photo appears to have been taken in a studio (probably Durban or Pietermaritzburg.)

According to Donald Morris in “The Washing of The Spears” the officer in Photo 1 is Commander H.J.F. Campbell. After responding to ‘thinredlineMOD’ inquiry earlier this month, and reading his comment on the evolution of Campbell’s facial hair, I started comparing other photos of Commander Campbell (photos 2 and 3) with photo 1, and I now believe that this is not Commander Campbell.
https://www.1879zuluwar.com/t5458-please-help-identify-officers-on-this-photograph
Comparing photos 1 and 2, the officer in photo 1 has no beard, but Campbell in photo 2 has a full beard. Both photos were supposedly taken in the same month.
Comparing photos 1 and 3, the officer in photo 1 parts his hair in the middle while Campbell in photo 3 has his hair parted on the left.
In January 1879 Commander Campbell was at Fort Pearson, on the Lower Tugela, in charge of the Naval Brigade of HMS Active and HMS Tenedos. Lord Chelmsford and Lt. Milne both visited Fort Pearson, but there were no photography studios there.
I think the officer identified as Commander Campbell by D. Morris might be Commodore F. W. Sullivan.
The officers in all three photos appear to be about the same age. Commodore Sullivan was only 3 years older than Commander Campbell.
While Commander Campbell was at Fort Pearson with the Naval Brigade, Commodore Sullivan spent his time aboard his flag ship, “Active,” or ashore, often in the company of Lord Chelmsford, and his Naval A.D.C. Lt. Milne. Lastly, Commodore Sullivan is more likely to have been considered a member of Chelmsford’s staff than Campbell.
Unfortunately, I do not have a photograph of Commodore Sullivan, to make a comparison to prove my suspicions. Can anyone help solve this question?

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Photo 2

Photo taken: Jan 1879 (the date is written on the photo)
From a group photograph of “Active’s” officers at the Lower Tugela
Commander Campbell is identified on the photograph.

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Photo 3

Photo taken May 1879 (written on the photo)
From a group photograph taken at the Lower Tugela, after the Relief of Eshowe
Captain Campbell is identified on the photo.


Petty Officer Tom

This officer looks a lot like Commander H.J.F. Campbell according to Morris or Commodore F.W. Sullivan as you say. What do you think? 4 stripes on right sleeve? Isandula
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The Killie Campbell Collection has the photograph catalogued as c75-047, the senior R.N. officer is identified as Sullivan.

John Y.

JB, Are we talking about my cdv photograph or the on in the Morris TWOTS book as Sully?

RB,

The group photograph, rather than the cdv.

The album listed as KC c75 has some interesting group photographs I haven't seen before.

JB

Can anybody offer an opinion as to whether the cdv of the naval officer in the pith helmet is Commodore F.W. Sullivan or not?

Isandula,

The naval officer in the cdv does bear a resemblance to Sullivan.  The facial hair is in the style that Commodore Sullivan was wearing in the group photo with Lord Chelmsford, and his facial features (chin, mouth, nose) appear to match.  Too bad he is wearing a helmet, as we cannot see his hair.  
Sullivan wore his hair with the part in the middle.

The man in the cdv is definitely not Commander H.J.F. Campbell.

Do you know the date your cdv photo was taken?  It may help in establishing whether or not iit could be Sullivan.

Tom

Thanks so much, Petty Officer Tom, for your response and views re: the cdv that is possibly Commodore Sullivan. I would hazard an opinion that this image would have been taken between 1875 and 1885. Because of the rounded corners of the mount, I doubt it would have been taken much earlier. Isandula

Isandula,

Sullivan was a Captain from Nov 1863 to Dec 1878.  So, if your opinion is correct as to when the photo may have been taken, we can narrow down the window of opportunity to 1875 – 1878.  (His promotion to Admiral occurred in December1878; but as late as 17 March 1879, he was still using the title of “Commodore” in all of his correspondence.)

The photograph was taken by Heath, Plymouth.

From Mar 1875 to Oct 1876 Sullivan was at Portsmouth

From Nov 1876 to Apr 1879 Sullivan was on the West Coast of Africa and the Cape of Good Hope

On 22 Apr 1879 Sullivan sailed aboard the “Dunrobin Castle” to return to England

On 15 Mar 1879 the “Dunrobin Castle” arrived at Plymouth before proceeding on to the West India Docks at London.

I could find no record of his ship stopping off at Plymouth in 1876 on his way to West Coast of Africa.  When the “Dunrobin Castle” stopped at Plymouth in May 1879, I doubt that Sullivan had time to dash ashore to have a photo taken.  He was on his way to London to see the Admiralty.

Tom

Thanks, Petty Officer Tom. The pith helmet to me indicated might have been in West Africa--possibly the Ashantee campaign in 1873-74. A lot of officers in this campaign returned and had their photos taken i.e. Wolseley, Gifford, Sartorius. Was Sullivan a Captain in rank then and did he serve in this campaign? If so, I could be off a few years re the date of the photo which I am guesstimating by the rounded corners and thickness of the mount. Isandula

Isandula,

Sullivan was a Captain during the time of the Ashantee War, but did not serve in that campaign.  He did have the South Africa Medal (1853) while serving as Midshipman on HMS Castor.  He was back aboard HMS Castor as a Lieutenant in 1857, on the West Coast of Africa and Cape of Good Hope, and was there until late 1859 when as a Commander aboard HMS Conflict he sailed back to England.  

The pith helmet may have been a prop at the photography studio.

Tom

Thanks again for the info, POT

On finding the following photographs, I am of the opinion that the Naval Officer is Francis William Sullivan.
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Graphic 19 May 1906

And this is Henry John Fletcher Campbell
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Illustrated London News 10 January 1914

1879graves

Thanks for the updates. Campbell and Sullivan did not change that much over the years. The officer in my original question is definitely Commodore (later Admiral) Sullivan. The photo from the Washing of the Spears identifying him as Commander Campbell is incorrect.

Tom