Corporal George Ashby

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"George fought in the Zulu wars of South Africa. 11 Jan 1879 British troops under Lord Chelmsford, entered Zululand 12 Jan 1879 Assault on the Kraals of Sihayo kaXango [1st Battalion, 24th Regiment of foot ] 22 Jan 1879 Battle of Nyezane [2nd Battalion, 3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot (The Buffs)] 22 Jan 1879 Battle of Isandlwana [1st & 2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot 22/3 Jan 1879 The defence of the mission station at Rorke's Drift, Natal [2nd Battalion, 24th Regiment of Foot 11 Feb 1879 News of the battle reached London, and arrangements were made to send reinforcements without delay 12 Mar 1879 The Attack at Ntombe Drift [80th Regiment of Foot (Staffordshire Volunteers)] 28 Mar 1879 The Assault of Hlobane [90th Light Infantry (Perthshire Voluntees)] 29 Mar 1879 Zulu Assault on Woods Encampment at Khambula [90th Light Infantry] 2 Apr 1879 Battle of Gingindlovu (Eshowe Relief Colomn) [2nd Battalion, 3rd Regiment] 23 jan - 3 Apr 1879 Siege of Eshowe [2nd Battalion, 3rg Regiment] 1 Jun 1879 Ambush of Prince Imperial, Ityotyozi River 3 Jul 1879 Reconnaissance across the White Mfolozi River 4 July 1879 British victory at Ulundi 28 Aug 1879 Cetshwayo captured 31 Aug 1879 Cetshwayo kaMpande, the last Zulu king went into exile on board the "Natal" which sailed for Cape Town. 12 July 1882 Cetshwayo left Cape Town on board RMS "Arab" for London. 6 Jan 1883 Cetshawayo returned to Zululand, and was reinstated as King. 8 Feb 1883 Cetshawayo died The British wanted to form a Confederation of the fragmented south African colonies and states. First to fall into the Confederation was the Boer Republic of Transvaal, annexed in April, 1877. With the acquisition of the Transvaal the British Government inherited a despute over a strip of border territory between the Boers and the fiercely independant kingdom of Zululand, ruled by King Cetshawayo. The British perceived Cetshawayo and his Zulu army as a threat to the peace of southern Africa, and thus impeding the ecconomic development of the region. Officials in southern Africa, by misrepresenting Cetshawayo and the nature of his rule, misled the British Government into supporting the invasion of the Zulu kingdom. This invasion, instead of fragmenting the Zulu kingdom as was the intention of the British Government, united the Zulu people in support of Cetshawayo. The British forces consisted of 1st & 2nd Battalion of the 24th regiment (2nd Warwickshires), and the 2nd Battalion, 3rd (East Kent) Regiment of Foot (The Buffs). The Buffs went to South Africa in 1873, took part in the Zulu wars, then went on to Singapore. and in 1882 to Hong Kong. The British met with disaster at Mount Isandlwana and Rouke's Drift. 1300 men and officers, who were left in an undefended position on Mount Isandhlwana, except for 60 white troops, were all massacred. Then, 150 British and colonial soldiers trapped at Roukes Drift, held at bay between four and five thousand Zulu wariors for twelve hours. Eleven Victoria Crosses were won in that action, the most ever awarded in a single incident. The bulk of the defenders were from B Company of the 24th regiment. On July 4th 1879 at Ulundi, the Zulu's were defeated and their king Cetshwayo kaMpande was made prisoner. David Heffernan, Unit 1, Sirius Street, Woodruffe, Palmerston, N. T. 0830 [Tel 089-323357] retains possesion of George's war medal, and has newspaper cuttings relating to George's war record, and to his medal. Jeanette E Hunt (nee Heffernan) has the Ashby family bible, Address is Mrs J E Hunt, 28 Morea Street, Osborne, 5017, Southern Australia, Australia. [Tel 2481120] George was a Corporal, serving in the Frontier Light Horse. Around the edge of his medal is inscribed "Pulleines Rangers". It appears that the Frontierr Light Horse was lead by Colonel Buller, and they saw action at Hlobane, were two soldiers were killed. Could one of these be Emma's brother? Emma Ashby's brother (name uncertain) was killed in the Zulu war in southern Africa. George befriended this brother during these campaigns, and on returning to England, looked up his family in Croyden, where he met Emma. They subsequently married on the 26 December, 1881, at the Church of All Saints, Upper Norwood. They then left England on the 2nd January, 1882, sailing on the "Drummond Castle" which was bound for Capetown, and settled in Ladysmith, South Africa for about 4 years (which was also near to the place where Emma's brother had died). They then left South Africa on board the ship "Wilimenia", which sailed from Port Natal and arrived in Australia on the 15th June, 1886. (See report in "Observer", 7th August, 1886) [See GRG 53/145 reel 2 vol 5.]. Address on arrival was c/o T D Pine, St. Vinc. St., Pt. Adel. and with employment application in S.A. PRO for S A Railways letter EO3376/86 when he gave for reference the names of Mr. A E Cooper of Natal and also the District engineer, Natal Goverment Railways. Emma was an organist at the Ottaway Congregational Church for many years. Minnie (uncertain whether she was sister or sister-in-law to George or to Emma) married a Mr. Drake and went to live in New Zealand Bibliography Abbot P E Recipients of The Distinguished Conduct Medal, 1855 - 1909 Essex, 1987 Everett H The History of the Somerset Light Infantry, 1685 - 1914 London, 1925 Fenn T E How I Volunteered for the Cape and what I Did There London, 1879 Hattersley A F (Ed) Later Annals of Natal London, 1938 Knight Ian Zulu: Isandlwana & Rorks's Drift 1956 MvBride Angus The Zulu War [ISBN 0 85045-256-2] Osprey, 1976 Young John They Fell Like Stones [ISBN 1-85367-096-0] Greenhill Books, 1991 Harford Henry The Zulu War Journal of Coln. Henry Harford PRO WO16 Series Regimental & Corps Pay Lists PRO WO 146/1 Submissionsa for the DCM"
Source:ancestry.co.uk
Photo and text Supplied by Littlehand.