1/13th Pte. W.J. Montgomery

G'day all. I have long had an 1879 clasp medal to 267 Pte. W.J. Montgomery of the 1/13th - attempts at finding a personnel file on him have yielded no reward - the same applies to the muster rolls at Kew - he is M.I.A.

Can anyone tell me more about what the 1/13th got up to so that I can at least pin him down to some of the actions? I know he obviously wasn't at Isandlwana or Rorke's Drift but, if memory serves they were at Khambula, Hlobane and Ulundi.

What I can share is that he was William J. Montgomery and that his date of discharge was 13 May 1882 (in South Africa) and that was after 7 years 160 days service (5 years 358 days) with good conduct. That much I was able to find on him on FMP.

Regards

Rory

Rory,

According to the Medal Roll the bar should be 78-9.

The battalion's major actions were Khambula and Ulundi.

As you can't find him in the muster rolls, did you check those on detached duties? As the 1st/13th supplied men to the 2nd Squadron, Mounted Infantry which served with the Coastal Columns. Just a thought.

Regards,

John Y.

Rory
This may be of interest as WJ stayed behind in South Africa,
Document 1 of 3
DEPOT KAB
SOURCE LC
TYPE LEER
VOLUME_NO 1103
SYSTEM 03
REFERENCE UC9347
PART 1
DESCRIPTION LIMITED COMPANIES: ACT 46 OF 1926. WILLIAM J MONTGOMERY
(PROPRIETARY) LIMITED.
STARTING 1937
ENDING 1937



Document 2 of 3
DEPOT TAB
SOURCE WLD
TYPE LEER
SYSTEM 01
REFERENCE 2605/1973
PART 1
DESCRIPTION OPPOSED APPLICATION. RNJ (PTY.) LTD. VERSUS WILLIAM J MONTGOMERY
(PTY.) LTD.
STARTING 19730000
ENDING 19730000



Document 3 of 3
DEPOT TAB
SOURCE WLD
TYPE LEER
SYSTEM 01
REFERENCE 253/1974
PART 1
DESCRIPTION EX PARTE APPLICATION. ALBERT RUSKIN IN RE: WILLIAM J MONTGOMERY
(PTY.) LTD.
STARTING 19740000
ENDING 19740000


The (PTY) Ltd is a company designation akin to Incorporated.

Regards

Thanks John and Frank.

John - a friend checked the muster rolls for me at Kew - I didn't think about the detached duties angle. How would one go about finding out? Not being able to determine more about the man is intensely frustrating.

Regards

Rory

Rory,

There's a section within the muster and pay rolls for those on detached duties.

Please ignore my above remark, 1st/13th supplied men to the 1st Squadron, Mounted Infantry, which were initially with No. 3 Column, before being transferred to Wood's command after the failed first invasion.

Regards,

John Y.

Bonsoir,

There were 6 unnamed infantrymen belonged to the 1/13th Regiment at Helpmekaar the 22nd January 1879.
Source: "The Defense of Helpmekaar 22nd January 1879" by Graham Alexander, essay revised and updated by Julian Whybra, "Studies in the Zulu War 1879: Vol. III" by Julian Whybra.

Cheers.

Frédéric

This is Montgomery's entry on the medal roll - looks like just 1879 bar to me.
[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Steve

Steve,

Perhaps I should not accepted Roy Dutton's book as fact.

John Y.

Apologies gents - Montgomery's medal is indeed a 1878/79 clasp.

Regards

Rory

My error. The final "Yes" in the right hand column of the roll is "Engaged against Sekukuni". Strange there are two Sekukuni coumns.


Steve

Steve,

That's because of the two campaigns against Sekhukune fought by British & Colonial forces. The one in 1878 and that of 1879.

John Y.

Both covered in William Wright's A British Lion in Zululand..
the latter one extensively.