Royal Artillery Mauritius 1858/60

[Margaret Chapman]

Royal Artillery - Mauritius 9th Battalion, My great grand father served in Mauritius from 27th September 1864 -70 (also Canton 1858/60). What was the English Army’s role in Mauritius at that time? And can anyone point me to the role of the Royal Artillery in Canton; I thought that was fought by the Marines?

[neil1821]

What was his name Margaret?
I can look him up on the medal roll of the 2nd China War (or 2nd Opium War) which was 1856-60.

4th Company, 9th Battalion RA fits the bill:
"4/9 RA, under command of T.Knox, boarded the freight ship Neleus at Woolwich on 23 April 1857 and landed at Hong Kong in August of that year. Embarking on the troopship Mooresfort, the company landed at Canton on 29 Dec 1857, taking part in the assault and capture of that city. In garrison duty at Canton, T.Knox was replaced by Capt P.Bedingfeld in Oct 1858. In the artillery reorganisations of 1 Jul 1859 the company became 6th Battery, 12th Brigade RA. The battery embarked for Talien-whan Bay on 17th May 1860, and aftre a period at that place they landed with the siege train at Pehtang in early Aug 1860. The battery took part in the actions at the Taku Forts and in the march to Pekin. They boarded the SS Arracan on 1 Nov 1860 and arrived at Kowloon on 14th of that month. They remained at Hong Kong in garrison for some years before sailing on the Hindoostan on 25th Jan 1865 and landing at Portsmouth on 1st July 1865"

If he later served at Mauritius he must have transferred batteries at some point, which was by no means uncommon.

[harfin]

What was his name Margaret?
I can look him up on the medal roll of the 2nd China War (or 2nd Opium War) which was 1856-60.

Neil

I saw the above and wonder if you could look up John Greenwood ATKINSON (possibly Sergeant) in the roll. I'm not sure which regiment he was in at that time, but could be the 89th or even the Staff Commissariat Corps (later known as the Royal Army Service Corps). Not sure if he would have been entitled to a medal though.

Margaret
Funnily enough, the said John Greenwood ATKINSON, moved from China to Mauritius in the early 1860's and stayed there for many years. He left the army in Mauritius and joined the British administration there. He married there (twice) and had at least two confirmed children, and three "possibles" before retiring back to the UK in the late 1800's.

Good luck in your endeavours

Alan A Hart

[Margaret Chapman]

What was his name Margaret?
I can look him up on the medal roll of the 2nd China War (or 2nd Opium War) which was 1856-60.

4th Company, 9th Battalion RA fits the bill:
"4/9 RA, under command of T.Knox, boarded the freight ship Neleus at Woolwich on 23 April 1857 and landed at Hong Kong in August of that year. Embarking on the troopship Mooresfort, the company landed at Canton on 29 Dec 1857, taking part in the assault and capture of that city. In garrison duty at Canton, T.Knox was replaced by Capt P.Bedingfeld in Oct 1858. In the artillery reorganisations of 1 Jul 1859 the company became 6th Battery, 12th Brigade RA. The battery embarked for Talien-whan Bay on 17th May 1860, and aftre a period at that place they landed with the siege train at Pehtang in early Aug 1860. The battery took part in the actions at the Taku Forts and in the march to Pekin. They boarded the SS Arracan on 1 Nov 1860 and arrived at Kowloon on 14th of that month. They remained at Hong Kong in garrison for some years before sailing on the Hindoostan on 25th Jan 1865 and landing at Portsmouth on 1st July 1865"

If he later served at Mauritius he must have transferred batteries at some point, which was by no means uncommon.

Thanks for such a speedy reply - His name was James Ganley and I have his army pay book.

Enlisted in Royal Regiment of Artillery 24th January 1855 at Westminster in the County of Middlesex Army number 442 (also 2335 on front of book) Certified by the (Can't make out signature), Adjutant of 9th Battalion
Age 20 years and four months. Born in the Parish of Roscommon Ireland, Trade Tailor
9th Battalion, Stationed in Woolwich 1855 - 56 - 57
Present at the capture of Canton 29th December 1857
Served in China 1st June 1857 to 26th April 1861inclusive.
Canton 1858 -- Hong Kong 1859 -- Canton 1860
Dover 1861 -62 - 63 -64
Mauritius from 27th September 1864 - 66 - 67 -68 - 69 - 70
Portsmouth 1871 -- Pembroke 1872 -- Plymouth 1873 -- Rutland? 1874
Discharged to Pension 24 February 1876.
Received the China Medal with Clasp for Canton signed LS Joyce Captain. Name of officers throughout pay book are Captains Joyce, Morton and Hemmingway.
Occupation on Marriage certificate - Gunner in Royal Artillery, his Death Certificate states he was a Military Tailor. The Pay Book is in two parts which have been sewn together. The first dates from when he joined the Army, the second, Monthly Settlements, Clothing and Savings, was printed in 1863.
A printed sheet giving permission to retain a gun on condition he stays a Volunteer in the 1st Middlesex Royal Engineers (Volunteers), signed by F Josselyn Colonel Commanding was folded into the Pay Book.
Its also his service in Mauritius I would like to know about his wife Ann Sophia was out there which I think is unusual? She came home in 1865.

[Margaret Chapman]

Hello Alan - James Ganley was a gunner, his wife Ann Sophia went out to Mauritius with him, their son Henry William died out there in 1865. Do you know anything about their life out there? Why was our army there? Fascinating this research isn't it?

[harfin]

Hello Alan - James Ganley was a gunner, his wife Ann Sophia went out to Mauritius with him, their son Henry William died out there in 1865. Do you know anything about their life out there? Why was our army there? Fascinating this research isn't it?

The "history" on the Mauritius Government Website describes it's history thus :

During the Napoleonic wars, the "Isle de France" had become a base from which French corsairs organised successful raids on British commercial ships. The raids continued until 1810 when a strong British expedition was sent to capture the island. A preliminary attack was foiled at Grand Port in August 1810, but the main attack launched in December of the same year from Rodrigues, which had been captured a year earlier, was successful.

The British landed in large numbers in the north of the island and rapidly overpowered the French, who capitulated. By the Treaty of Paris in 1814, the "Isle de France" which regained its former name `Mauritius' was ceded definitely to Great Britain, together with its dependencies which included Rodrigues and the Seychelles. In the act of capitulation, the British guaranteed that they would respect the language, the customs, the laws and the traditions of the inhabitants.

The British administration was followed by rapid social and economic changes. One of the most important events was the abolition of slavery in 1835. The planters received a compensation of two million pounds sterling for the loss of their slaves which had been imported from Africa and Madagascar during the French occupation.

The abolition of slavery (in 1835) had important repercussions. The planters turned to India, from where they brought a large number of indentured labourers to work in the sugar cane fields. The Indian immigrants, who were of both Hindu and Muslim faith, were to change rapidly the fabric of the society. They were later joined by a small number of Chinese traders.Cultivation of sugar cane was given a boost and the island flourished, especially with the export of sugar to England. Economic progress necessitated the extension and improvement of means of communication and gradually an adequate infrastructure was created.

J G Atkinson after leaving the army joined the British Administration there, and at one stage was in charge of part of the Island's railway system (sugar cane was transported via railways to the local port). He was single I understand up to the time he went to Mauritius, but soon married a local lass (with a French name!) and after her death, he married yet another local (also with a French sounding name).

Good luck



Alan

[Margaret Chapman]

Many thanks Alan

[neil1821]

Margaret,
I may have given you some bum information earlier, thinking he was in 4/9 RA!
According to the China medal roll he's 442 Gunner James Ganley 4/2 RA

Here's what I have on 4th Battery, 2nd Brigade RA:
"Originally 3rd Coy 6th Battalion RA, under command of Captain G.Rotten, landed at Hong Kong on board the freight ship Jullunder on 25th Jan 1856. In Dec 1856 they sent a detachment to Canton of 1 officer and 9 men. On 19th Dec 1857, the company boarded the troopship Mooresfort and landed at Canton on 29th of that month, taking part in the assault and capture of that city. Here they were reinforced by a draft of 35 men from Woolwich. Arriving back in Hong Kong in Sept 1858, they returned to Canton in May 1859. They were redesignated 4/2 RA on 1 July 1859. The battery moved from Canton to Hong Kong on 21 March 1860 and took passage to Chusan, arriving there on 31 Mar 1860. They re-embarked for Talien-whan Bay at the end of May, and sailed from that place on 20th July, arrivin at Pehtang in early August. A detachment of the battery took part in the action at the Taku Forts as a Rocket Battery. They boarded the troopship Hougemont on 12th Nov 1860 at the Peiho and after passage back through Hong Kong, they arrived at Portsmouth on 26th April 1861."

[neil1821]

Alan,
No John Greenwood ATKINSON on the roll I'm afraid.
The 89th Regt were in India at the time (were never in China in fact)
I suspect then if he was in China that he must have been Commissariat Staff Corps/Military Train at the time. 1st Battalion Military Train ARE on the China roll (they are likewise a forerunner of the RASC).

[harfin]

Alan,
No John Greenwood ATKINSON on the roll I'm afraid.
The 89th Regt were in India at the time (were never in China in fact)
I suspect then if he was in China that he must have been Commissariat Staff Corps/Military Train at the time. 1st Battalion Military Train ARE on the China roll (they are likewise a forerunner of the RASC).

Many thanks Neil

I have posted a new thread on my quandary under the Other Countries section, headed Mauritius.


Kind regards
Alan