Men of A Coy, 2/24th KIA at iSandlwana

Subject: Men of A Coy, 2/24th KIA at iSandlwana Fri Jan 11, 2013 8:15 pm

Just been thinking about the "extra" men of the 2/24th (over and above those of G Coy) who were left behind at the camp, and didn't accompany Chelmsford to Mangeni.
There are some accounts apparently, that suggest that in addition to the men of the 1/24th and G Coy 2/24th, these extra details may have formed an extra composite company in the camp's defence.
These extra men of the 2/24th apparently numbered around 80 men and were left behind because they were injured or sick etc etc.
About a third of these were men of A Coy.
Was there a nasty dose of vomitting virus going around the men of A Coy 2/24 or had they overdone it in training? A third of those extra 80 men of the 2/24 is a significantly high proportion!

Subject: Re: Men of A Coy, 2/24th KIA at iSandlwana Fri Jan 11, 2013 9:33 pm

Quote :: These extra men of the 2/24th apparently numbered around 80 men and were left behind because they were injured or sick etc etc.

Tasker where's this from. It's just got me thinking about the men being stabbed as they came out of the tents. Could these have been those that were sick..

Posts : 1605 Join date : 2009-09-21

Would there have been sickmen at Isandlwana, most were left at RD. they wouldn't have had time to look after the sick as they were part of the invadeing force, they would have been sent back to RD.

Were there any medical orderlies at Isandlwana.

Subject: Re: Men of A Coy, 2/24th KIA at iSandlwana Fri Jan 11, 2013 9:45 pm

Dave. All KIA

Army Service Corps.
Corporal Pritchard, Joseph J. T/2654 Private Cole, Jno, T/108 Private Jaques, A. T/1599 (Wm on the Despatch?)

Army Hospital Corps.
Lieutenant of Orderlies; Hall, A.W.

Corporal Lee, J, 2393 Private Cain, A, 3201 Private Lewis. H.W. 3421 Private Deane. J 2083
Private Hughes. J 3290 Private Munn. G.G. 3354 Private Gilman. J 3147 Private Hogan. J 2852
Private Lovell, W. 2695 Private Baker. G, 3148

Army Medical Department.
Surgeon-Major Shepherd P.

Boy Green, servant to Surg.-Major Shepherd

Subject: Re: Men of A Coy, 2/24th KIA at iSandlwana Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:39 pm

Dave wrote:: Would there have been sickmen at Isandlwana, most were left at RD. they wouldn't have had time to look after the sick as they were part of the invadeing force, they would have been sent back to RD.

Were there any medical orderlies at Isandlwana.

There were 11 days of hard labouring in between crossing the river into Zululand and the battle of iSandlwana; plenty of time to get sick or injured. I have heard of "hospital wagons" and an "ambulance" at the camp - perhaps they were planning on moving men back to RD imminently.
I also seem to remember reading somewhere of Zulus attacking and entering an ambulance and assegaing the poor patients inside.

Subject: Re: Men of A Coy, 2/24th KIA at iSandlwana Fri Jan 11, 2013 10:43 pm

littlehand wrote:

Quote :: These extra men of the 2/24th apparently numbered around 80 men and were left behind because they were injured or sick etc etc.

Tasker where's this from. It's just got me thinking about the men being stabbed as they came out of the tents. Could these have been those that were sick..

See Footnote 86 of FWDJ's The Sources Re-examined.
(Higginson and Wilson of the 1/24th both reported seeing this extra company in action on the firing line).

Posts : 2558 Join date : 2009-04-06 Age : 58 Location : UK

A Coy – Capt. Wm. Degacher, Lt. Francis Porteous.

A Coy - 4 NCO and 27 O.R.

Posts : 2372 Join date : 2011-09-12

Tasker
These men were details from each coy left behind to pack up camp. In addition there would have been some sick in hospital. There is an account which states that there was an extra company on the parade ground - indeed by the only surviving witness (Wilson) who paraded with them that morning - which can only have been a composite coy under Dyer and Griffith formed for the purpose (at Pulleine's order that every man should be at the front line).