Hi,
Has anybody a record of the whereabouts of a South Africa medal to Private 50/1871 Henry Barnes 50th Brigade, 57th Foot?
Henry Barnes was born Southsea, Portsmouth in 1858 - he joined the Hampshire Artillery Militia in 1874 before enlisting the same year to 5th Brigade 15th Foot. (Thought he was born 1856!!!!)
He volunteered to 59th Brigade 74th Foot were he served in the Straits Settlements before then volunteering into the 50th Brigade 57th Foot on 29th May 1879 and to South Africa, where although he was not involved in any fighting against the Zulu, he would probably have been involved in Lieutenant-Colonel Clarke's pursuit and capture of Ketchwayo and hence award of South Africa medal as confirmed on the roll.
He went to the Army Reserve 1st September 1880, before rejoining the Depot of 60th Royal Rifle Corps as Rifleman 4573 on the 24th February 1881.
16th April 1883 he was posted to 2/KRRC and a week later was part of a draft to the 3/KRRC in Egypt, where he was attached to the Mounted Infantry serving under Marling.
Served with Mounted Infantry at El Teb_Tamaai
Marling on Page 106 of Rifleman and Hussar - “About 9 p.m., just as I was dropping off to sleep, I heard one of my men called Barnes come and lie down about 10 yards from me, and a sleepy voice said, ‘Hello Barney, where have you been?’ And I heard Barnes reply, ‘I’ve been snipe-shooting, and got five of ‘em,’ meaning Fuzzie-wuzzies.”
He then served with the Nile Expedition Camel Corps and fought at Abu Klea before being invalided back to England with hypertrophied spleen being discharged 1st September 1885
Although he served at Abu Klea he never claimed the clasp and his Egypt medal has the single clasp El Teb_Tamaai.
He was still alive in June 1891 as he suffered an epileptic fit in Oxford Street, Portsmouth from which he recovered.
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