1595 Pte. E. Jones 2nd 24th Foot/ T. Harris HMS Boadicea

I'm new to the site but not to the Zulu War. As a Yank I discovered Rorke's Drift from the Stanley Baker film and, at the time, thought, "Wow! best cowboy and indian movie I ever saw".  Little did I realize then it was based on fact albeit with a lot creative license thrown in. Since then it's become a hobby of mine and I've done extensive reading on the subject.

Over time I've acquired two Zulu War medals. Here's what I do know/don't know about them.

T. Harris, Naval Brigade, HMS Boadicea. What battles did sailors from the Boadicea fight in?

Pte. E. Jones, 2nd 24th Foot. I know he wasn't at Islandhwana or Rorke's Drift or at least I don't believe he was. Any additional information about this soldier will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

Hi RickB

Welcome to the forum.

If the Pte E. Jones did not take part in the battle of Isandlwana or Rorke's Drift, then that leaves Drummer Evan Jones 24th (2nd Warwickshire) Regiment of Foot 2nd Battalion
Medal and Clasp 1877-8-9. Service number 1428.

Afterwards Drummer. South Africa Medal with Clasp 1877-8-9; India General Service Medal 1854 with Clasp Burma 1887-9. His regimental service number was 1428.

All I can tell you about T. Harris, Naval Brigade, HMS Boadicea is that is name was Thomas but Petty Officer Tom can tell you more.

Thanks for the information on 1428 E. Jones. He appears to be a different E. Jones as the medal in my possession is engraved to 1595 Pte E. Jones 2nd 24th. The mystery continues...

Many thanks.

Hi RickB and welcome , I have the following from ' The Noble 24th ' by Norman Holme
Jones. E 1595 Private ; From 25th Brigade Depot 21/ 1 / 79 . Posted to G Company , Rorke's Drift 29 / 1 / 79 ( Orders Book - Rorke's Drift , Regimental Archive ) South Africa Medal with Clasp 1877-78-79 .
90th

As an aside there are 5 Privates named E. Jones in the 2 / 24th , some have their Christian names .
90th

Thomas Harris was born in Eastbouorne, Sussex on 13 Sep 1861

20 September 1876 he entered the Royal Navy as a Boy 2nd Class aboard the training ship HMS St. Vincent and was issued Official Number 97928.  While serving aboard the “St. Vincent” Harris was advanced to Boy 1st Class on 26 September 1877.  On 30 April 1878, while still a Boy 1st Class, he was sent to HMS Boadicea at Portsmouth, England.  The “Boadicea” was a Corvette assigned to be the flagship of the Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Squadron.  “Boadicea” sailed from England in November 1878, as preparations were underway in South Africa for war with the Zulu.  When the crew of “Boadicea” reached Simon’s Bay at the Cape of Good Hope they arrived with several cases of smallpox on board.   The Zulu War had broken out and the British had just suffered a major defeat.  The colony of Natal was in fear of a Zulu invasion, and reinforcements were need immediately.  Due to the smallpox outbreak on the ship the “Boadicea’s” crew  was prohibited from proceeding to Natal, and instead was placed into quarantine.  Finally on the 18th of March a contingent of over 200 men were landed at Durban as part of the Naval Brigade, and were marched to the Lower Tugela river where they joined a force being assembled for the Relief of Eshowe.  Among those landed from “Boadicea” was 17 year old Boy 1st Class Thomas Harris.  The “Boadicea” men were present at the Battle of Gingindlovu on 2 April 1879 and were assigned to the defense of North East and North West corners of the square.  After the battle they were stationed at the newly erected Fort Chelmsford, and later moved to Port Durnford where they helped in the unloading of supplies.  In July the men of “Boadicea” were returned to their ship where on 12 September 1879 Harris was promoted to Ordinary Seaman.  For his service ashore with the Naval Brigade Thomas Harris was entitled to the South Africa Medal with the clasp “1879”.   On the 28th of March 1880 a landing party of over 200 men was landed ashore at Batanga on the West Coast of Africa in retaliation for the abduction of a British subject.  Harris remained aboard HMS Boadicea until 28 May 1880.  Up to this time his character was listed as very good and excellent.
 
Harris was transferred to HMS Firefly (Gunboat, Cape of Good Hope and West Coast of Africa Squadron) on 29 May 1880 and served aboard ship until the 28th of May when he was sent ashore to the Naval facility “Flora” on Ascension Island where he served 42 days imprisonment in the island goal for offences not listed.  After release from goal Harris was assigned to the island’s crew from 25 February to 28 March, and was then sentenced to another 28 days in goal for an offence not listed.  His character during this time was listed as Fair and Indifferent.

Harris was next transferred to HMS Champion (Corvette, bound for the Pacific Station) on 21 May 1881, and then to HMS Forward (Gunboat, S. E. Coast of America) from 26 June to 16 July, then to HMS Garnet (Corvette, S. E. Coast of America) from 17 July to 18 July, and finally on 19 July 1881 to HMS Firefly (Gunboat, S. E. Coast of America station).  On the 16 of February his South Africa Medal was sent to him aboard “Firefly”.  On 12 Jul 1882 Ordinary Seaman Thomas Harris, HMS Firefly, South East Coast of America, was tried by courts-martial aboard HMS Amethyst for “First.  Absence without leave.  Second. Behaving with contempt to his Superior Officer.  Third.  Improperly leaving his place of duty.  Prisoner plead guilty.  Adjudged to be imprisoned with hard labout for two years, and at the expiration thereof to be dismissed from Her Majesty’s service.”  Harris  was sent back to England where on 7 October 1882 he was discharged to Winchester Goal from HMS Duke of Wellington to serve his two year sentence.

Tom

"Thomas Harris – Service No 97928
Born 13 September 1861 at Eastbourne in Sussex.
Was working as a labourer when he joined RN.
20 September 1876 – 29 April 1878
HMS St Vincent
20 September 1876 – Appointed Boy 2nd Class on entry
26 September 1877 – Promoted to Boy 1st Class

30 April 1878 – 28 May 1880
HMS Boadicea
12 September 1879 – Promoted to Ordinary Seaman
1 March 1880 – Rated “Trained Man”

29 May 1880 – 14 January 1881
HMS Firefly

15 January 1881 – 24 February 1881
Sentenced to 42 days imprisonment at Ascension [?]

25 February 1881 – 28 March 1881
????

29 March 1881 – 25 April 1881
Sentenced to 28 Days Hard Labour at Ascension Gaol.

26 April – 20 May 1881
????

21 May 1881 – 23 June 1881
HMS Champion

24 June 1881 – 16 July 1881
HMS Forward

17 July 1881 – 18 July 1881
HMS Garnet

19 July 1881 – 12 July 1882
HMS Firefly

[Indecipherable] .... and sentenced to 2 years imprisonment with hard labour by CM [Court Martial] and to be D HM Service [Dismissed HM Service]
Discharged to Winchester Gaol from Duke of Wellington on 7 October 1882.

The Naval and Military Courts Martial Register has a reference to an Admiralty file ADM 194/182 which concerns a Thomas Harris on HMS Firefly and with a trial date of 12 July 1881 [sic]. This may be him."

I think I have managed to interpret the ???? entries. Harris was imprisoned on Ascension Island. The guard ship at Ascension Island/Cape of Good Hope was HMS Flora so I think the ???? entry actually says “Flora A I”

Above posted by Trevor to RickB  03/01//17. Rick you had all already received the above information, the members on this forum are always ready to help, but i'm sure they have better things to do with their time. Would have been helpful if you had said what information you already had on Harris
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