Newcastle Mounted Rifles - Sgt A Swan

Posts : 2 Join date : 2012-08-15

Afternoon Members

Introductions are required.
I am the descendant of Sgt A Swan of the Newcastle Mounted Rifles killed at Isandlwana.
I have just stumbled on this site. Great work all!

My family have always had an active interest in this War, from my first visit to the site as a 7 year old in the late 1960s, to living in Melmoth and working in Ulundi in the 1990s.

I was last at Isandlwana for the 120 year anniversary functions in 1999, hopefully this site will spark some renewed interest in my sons and ensure a visit in the future.

I look forward to the forum topics.

MDR

Posts : 748 Join date : 2009-10-18

SgtAswan, Welcome to the forum, is always good to get descendants of those we so often discuss. Do you have any information on Sgt Swan. We have quite a few members that will no doub't be looking for information on Sgt Swan. What we sometimes find is that they find information, not knowing if the descendant has that information or not. Hope this makes sense.

Subject: Newcastle Mounted Rifles - Sgt A Swan Wed Aug 15, 2012 8:25 pm

Hi SgtASwan.
Welcome aboard and I hope you enjoy your time moving around the Forum , there is much to read !.
Cheers 90th. Salute

Subject: Re: Newcastle Mounted Rifles - Sgt A Swan Wed Aug 15, 2012 10:35 pm

Sgt. Are you able to tell me what Sgt Swan's first name was. (A)

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Subject: Newcastle Mounted Rifles - Sgt .A. Swan Thu Aug 16, 2012 6:26 am

Hi Littlehand / Sgt Swan.
The following from that wonderfully detailed book by Terry Sole , ' For God , Queen & Colony '
Sergeant , Swan . Andrew . KIA Isandlwana , Wagon Maker , Left four orphaned children with no mother or other relatives.
The Newcastle Mtd Rifles also took part in the Battle Of Sihayo's Kraal on the 12th Jan , suffering no casualties they returned to their camp on the Buffalo in the late afternoon.
Cheers 90th. Salute

Posts : 2 Join date : 2012-08-15

Gents

Indeed his name was Andrew - my great,great grandfather on my mothers side.
Yes he left 4 boys on the smallholding in Newcastle, his wife Jane (nee) Mcglashan had died in childbirth with the fourth boy.

According to family history - 'picture the scene'

Dad had gone off to War - no mom on the farm, (some care by the in-Law family) 4 boys, second eldest, William at 12 years old decides to become a drummer boy in the British Army!..........steals a horse and rides 2 days on his own to find Dad at Isandlwana.
Arrives at nightfall the night before the battle. Dad feeds him, gives him his own horse and chases his son out of camp with orders to get home. All within 2-3 hours..... (maybe the Colonials knew something was afoot?)

Unfortunately, Sgt A Swan was dead within half a day and William gets back to the farm to end up in an orphanage in Pietermaritzburg.

I get to write this story because of a single decision taken 12 hours before the battle.................

MDR

Subject: Newcastle Mounted Rifles - Sgt Andrew Swan Thu Aug 16, 2012 10:05 am

Hi SgtASwan.
Thank you for that fascinating insight Very Happy

. I wonder how many other people throughout history are here because of similar
decisions . Your forebear could easily have let William stay as he could have been employed somehow or somewhere in the column I'd expect . Do you have any idea of what may have become of Andrew's campaign Medal ?. Salute

.
Cheers 90th. Very Happy

Posts : 2268 Join date : 2010-10-22 Location : France

SgtASwan wrote:: Gents

Indeed his name was Andrew - my great,great grandfather on my mothers side.
Yes he left 4 boys on the smallholding in Newcastle, his wife Jane (nee) Mcglashan had died in childbirth with the fourth boy.

According to family history - 'picture the scene'

Dad had gone off to War - no mom on the farm, (some care by the in-Law family) 4 boys, second eldest, William at 12 years old decides to become a drummer boy in the British Army!..........steals a horse and rides 2 days on his own to find Dad at Isandlwana.
Arrives at nightfall the night before the battle. Dad feeds him, gives him his own horse and chases his son out of camp with orders to get home. All within 2-3 hours..... (maybe the Colonials knew something was afoot?)

Unfortunately, Sgt A Swan was dead within half a day and William gets back to the farm to end up in an orphanage in Pietermaritzburg.

I get to write this story because of a single decision taken 12 hours before the battle.................

MDR

[quote]Hi ,

No photo of Sgt Andrew SAWAN?

REGARDS

YMOB

Subject: Re: Newcastle Mounted Rifles - Sgt A Swan Wed Sep 05, 2012 8:07 pm

SgtASwan wrote:: Gents

Indeed his name was Andrew - my great,great grandfather on my mothers side.
Yes he left 4 boys on the smallholding in Newcastle, his wife Jane (nee) Mcglashan had died in childbirth with the fourth boy.

According to family history - 'picture the scene'

Dad had gone off to War - no mom on the farm, (some care by the in-Law family) 4 boys, second eldest, William at 12 years old decides to become a drummer boy in the British Army!..........steals a horse and rides 2 days on his own to find Dad at Isandlwana.
Arrives at nightfall the night before the battle. Dad feeds him, gives him his own horse and chases his son out of camp with orders to get home. All within 2-3 hours..... (maybe the Colonials knew something was afoot?)

Unfortunately, Sgt A Swan was dead within half a day and William gets back to the farm to end up in an orphanage in Pietermaritzburg.

I get to write this story because of a single decision taken 12 hours before the battle.................

MDR

Welcome to the forum Sgt A Swan. Wonderful story.
It is a pity Pulleine, Chelmsford et al were not as wise as your gt gt grandfather; good decision him!
As you say, he must have sensed "something was afoot", as did quite a few other men who were there no doubt.
But not the dummies runing the show!
Enjoy the forum! It is an endless mine of info and opinion.