Col.-Sergt. Tigar

Posts : 2328 Join date : 2011-09-12

Does anyone have any idea which 2/24th company Col.-Sergt. Tigar belonged to?
I can't find a reference anywhere.
Thanks in advance.

Subject: Re: Col.-Sergt. Tigar Wed Mar 01, 2017 8:02 pm

Like you can't find any reference to which company he belonged.

Just out of interest

"An eye-witness gave the following account of the patrol: " "" On Friday, the 14th of March, a party of volunteers, under Lieutenant-Colonel Black, 2-24th Regiment, consisting of Captain Symons. Captain Harvey, Lieutenant Banister, and Sergeant Tigar, of the 2-24th, Commandant Cooper, and twelve officers of the Natal Native Contingent, and ten of the Natal Mounted Police, left Rorke*s Drift, at 7 a.m., crossed the Buffalo on the pont, and rode through the Bashee Valley to make a reconnaissance of the camp at Isandwhlana."

Posts : 2881 Join date : 2010-06-02

Do we know whether Tigar was with the 2/24th company escorting the Prince Imperial's remains? If so that was H company, under Captain Harvey. Harvey (together with Tigar) had earlier gone out to Isandhlwana battlefield under Black (as noted by Littlehand). Bit of a long shot though.

Steve

Posts : 1203 Join date : 2015-11-24

There is so much to remember or constantly
look up about. its ridiculous for such a small
campaign... Wink

Subject: Re: Col.-Sergt. Tigar Thu Mar 02, 2017 6:04 am

Julian Im assuming you have looked through:
RRW Files
1995.31.i
1995.31.ii
1992.76 (1)
1992.75 (2)

Subject: Col - Sgt Tigar Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:33 am

Ian Knight quotes part of a letter written home by Tigar on page 549 in Zulu Rising , in the footnote its stated the Letter is in The Brecon Museum, the Museum may have more than one of Tigar's letters ( with luck ) , hopefully Tigar mentions his Company details .
90th

Subject: Re: Col.-Sergt. Tigar Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:38 am

Morning Gary
That letter was written on the 20th feb to his Mom, its one of the files above. I read it last year but cant for the life of me remember its content.
Cheers

Posts : 2328 Join date : 2011-09-12

All
Thanks, yes, I have looked through all those letters etc. and yes he WAS part of the Prince imperial party, so Rusteze, a million thanks, he WAS in H coy.
Brilliant.
Problem solved.
I can't tell you why just yet but the fact is important in its own small way.

Subject: Col - Sgt Tigar Thu Mar 02, 2017 8:55 am

Hi Frank
Hopefully for JW there are letters addressed to Tigar at Brecon , which may well have his company details on the envelopes ? , I don't suppose you noticed if that's the case or not ? , and again , I doubt you were allowed to copy the letter / s ?. Has the rain eased up in the battlefield areas ? , Paul Marais sent me a forecast which said no rain at Isandlwana Tue or wed .
90th Very Happy

Subject: Col - Sgt Tigar Thu Mar 02, 2017 9:13 am

Hi Frank , you got all the pics I sent you from the entonjaneni Museum ?
Cheers 90th

Posts : 2328 Join date : 2011-09-12

Ooops, I spoke too soon, the H coy escort would have been AFTER his promotion to Hon. Lieut. and QM; I was looking for his coy in March.
Why is the devil ALWAYS in the detail?

Posts : 2881 Join date : 2010-06-02

Hi Julian

That's why I said it was a long shot, but I think his accompanying Harvey earlier on under Black is an indication. Never a slam dunk though in this business.

Something else that intrigues me about Tigar is what turned up in the 1891 census (attached). It is for Brecon Barracks and you will see Tigar (now an honorary Captain Quartermaster), his wife and daughter about mid page. At the head of the page is Colonel Paton, his family and his servants. And just a couple of spaces above John T is an Alfred Middleton Tigar, described as "cousin", not I think to Paton but to the Cook to the Officers Mess a Selina Gear (a widow). Alfred must also have been a relative of John Tigar - the small world of the 24th.
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Steve

Subject: Re: Col.-Sergt. Tigar Thu Mar 02, 2017 10:43 am

90th
Yep got them all and posted them under Mtonjaneni Museum thread.

Cheers Mate

Subject: Re: Col.-Sergt. Tigar Thu Mar 02, 2017 10:45 am

Julian
Gary raised an interesting point, I don't recall if the envelopes were in the files or it was just the transcripts I saw?

Subject: Col - Sgt Tigar Thu Mar 02, 2017 11:01 am

Excellent Frank , let's hope the envelopes are still there ! .
90th

Posts : 2328 Join date : 2011-09-12

I've written to the museum to find out about the envelopes.

Subject: Re: Col.-Sergt. Tigar Thu Mar 02, 2017 1:08 pm

Julian
I would consider a chat with Kris Wheatley.

Posts : 397 Join date : 2013-05-07 Location : Brecon

Julian

There is one reference to Tigar in the surviving 2/24th Orders Book - Rorke's Drift entry dated 3 April 1879 - The entry gives G Company to be moved to E Company. I presume this is re-constituted G Company after Isandlwana. There is no earlier reference as to the company on 22 January 1879 - I assume he was with Chelmsford's column and possibly E Company.

Posts : 2328 Join date : 2011-09-12

Frank
No joy from Kris; I'm waiting to hear from Richard Davies.
Kenny
How is Tigar referred to in relation to this entry? Is he the one who made it? It would clarify your reason for his having been in E coy.
(Tigar had been ill and rejoined his bn AFTER Isandhlwana.)

Posts : 397 Join date : 2013-05-07 Location : Brecon

Julian

The entry (Tigar's rank given as Sgt) was probably made by 2371 William Burrows who was Bn ORC at the time. Countersigned by Geo Stanhope Banister as acting Adjt. There are no entries listing the names of those in the battalion who were transferred to G Company soon after Isandlwana. I was unaware that Tigar was ill - so where was he on 22/23 January? PMB?

Posts : 2328 Join date : 2011-09-12

Kenny
He was on the sick list with an injured knee. From his letter he says he was at King William's Town which he left on 5th Feb to rejoin the regt after Isandhlwana.
His sick-list status is from a local newspaper report-cum-mini-biography documenting his rise through the ranks while he was still alive and to which he contributed (I have to thank Petty Officer Tom for this) and also from family oral history.
So, looks like he became E coy post-Isandhlwana. Thanks.