HMS Euphrates

Just a quick question.

I'm sure the answer is somewhere on the forum but I can't find it.

Could some kind soul please tell me which British units were transported to South Africa by HMS Euphrates and the movements of that ship around the AZW.

Thanks in advance

Hi Tenedos,

Here is what I have on H.M.S. Euphrates during the Zulu War.  Was there someone in particular that you are looking for?

On 30 May 1879 the Troopship, HMS Euphrates, Captain Charles G. Brownrigg, departed Portsmouth with 1,095 men, plus officers, of various infantry regiments, as replacements for South Africa, as well as officers and men from the Army Hospital Corps, the Army Service Corps, the Ordnance Store Dept. and the Army Medical Department. “Euphrates” also carried nearly 40 tons of ammunition, principally ball ammunition for the Martini-Henrys.

On the 3rd of July Euphrates arrived at Port Durban with drafts. The original plan, to have Euphrates continue to Port Durnford, and put the troops and supplies ashore, was cancelled due to weather conditions there.

Euphrates departed Durban for Simon’s Bay on 8 July.  On board she carried Major Hackett who was to be invalided home on HMS Jumna after having been seriously wounded at Kambula.  Also on board was Lieutenant Carey who was bound for England on Jumna for court martial.  Among her other passengers were several men being invalided home, including a group of navy men.

On 2 July Euphrates, while enroute to Simon’s Bay, she was involved in a collision, off Cape Argulhas, with an American merchant ship Elcano, during a dense fog. Euphrates suffered no damage, and took the other ship in tow to Simon’s Bay where she arrived on the 13th and transferred he passengers to transfer to Jumna.

On 18 July Sir Garnet Wolseley, in a letter to the Duke of Cambridge, wrote “I think the time has arrived for reducing the force. I am therefore sending back the Battalion of Marines from Cape Town, and I have just telegraphed to the Commodore asking him to send home the 1st/13th Light Infantry in the Euphrates.”

On the 16th of August HMS Euphrates departed Durban with the 13th Regiment on board, bound for England by way of Simon’s Bay where she was to stop for coaling, after which she sailed for England on August 23rd.  

Euphrates disembarked the 13th at Devonport on the 17th of September, and sailed for Portsmouth.

Tom

Hello Tom,

That's fantastic. Thank you very much.

Regarding anyone in particular. I collect medals to Royal Navy Writers and I have a VR RN LSGC to George Faulkner who was a Writer 2nd Class on Euphrates at the time of the AZW. I am writing up a biography of him and his service which spanned 30+ years.

He received the medal with no clasp.

The medal is extant and was sold by DNW in the late 90's... So I'm on the look out for it!

Thanks again

Tenedos