Beschreibung:

An Emotive Zulu War Casualty Medal awarded to Private John Jones ‘H’ Company, 1st/24th (Warwickshire) Foot, killed in action at Isandhlwana on the 22nd of January, 1879, comprising: South Africa Medal, 1877-1879, single clasp, 1879 (360. Pte. J. Jones. 1/24th Foot); officially engraved in sloping capitals. Attractively toned, a little wear to high points, about extremely fine. ex DNW auction, 7 December 2005, lot 573, £4500 hammer Private John Jones was born in 1850, and enlisted into the 1st Battalion, 24th Foot at Cardiff, Glamorgan, 8 July 1874, strongly suggesting his Welsh roots. The 1st/24th Foot arrived in South Africa from Gibraltar 2 January 1875. According to the Muster Rolls held in the National Archives (WO16/1573), Jones served in Captain Wardell’s ‘H’ Company which was detached to garrison duty on St Helena between August 1876 and July 1877. The musters indicate that Jones - like many other soldiers at the time - over-indulged in alcohol, and there are frequent references in the musters of him (amongst many others) being fined for drunkenness. On completion of its posting to St Helena, ‘H’ Company rejoined the battalion in South Africa which sailed from Cape Town on 3 August on the troopship HMS Orontes, arriving in East London on the 7th of August 1877. From East London the battalion moved by train to King Williamstown. Having committed an as yet unknown crime of some sort, presumably relating to drunkenness given prior form, he was tried 26 October 1877 and, after the sentence was passed, held in a military prison until the 4 February 1878. As such, Jones played no part in the contribution made by 1st /24th Foot during the Galeka/Gaika War of 1877 - 1878. Loss of the musters at Isandhlwana makes it impossible to make any judgements about Jones’ personal story during the time between his release from prison and the crossing of the Zulu border. However, following the logical assumption that he would have rejoined his old colleagues in ‘H’ Company - which continued to be commanded by Wardell - then as part of the military build-up in Natal he would have sailed from East London on 25 November 1878, landing at Durban and then moving by train to Pietermaritzburg on 28 November 1878. ‘H’ Company moved to Helpmakaar in December 1878 and was one of the first elements across the Zulu border on 11 January 1879. At the Battle of Isandhlwana ‘H’ Company fought towards the centre-right of the line, facing north-east and towards the Zulu ‘head’, with Porteous’ ‘A’ Company to its left, and Pope’s ‘G’ Company (2nd /24th Foot) to the right. ‘H’ Company had a good firing position, but as has been well documented, the defence was over-extended. ‘H’ Company’s position became untenable, possibly accelerated by Pope’s move to cover Durnford’s retreat. As the line retreated to the camp, the Zulu’s broke through and ‘H’ Company was cut to pieces. Wardell and about 60 others fell in one of many desperate last stands near the camp. At some point during the chaos of the battle, 360 Private John Jones was killed, after a short and clearly chequered military career - finally doing his duty in full. According to Norman Holme’s ‘The Noble 24th’, Jones’ effects were claimed by his brothers. Sold with copy extracts from the numerous books and medal rolls relating to Isandhlwana, and some very useful private research.