Unknown uniform

[rab3uk]

Hi, I'm new to this group but hope someone can help me. I have been doing genealogy for more than 20 years but have been really stuck with one ancestor, my great grandfather, Charles Augustus Mathews. Family legend states he was in the Crimean War (but under an assumed name) and supposedly won the VC (I take that with a pinch of salt). However, he is mentioned in the Salvation Army Social Gazette as being a Crimean Veteran which seems to support part of the story. The only clue I have is of him in what appears to be some sort of army uniform, but it is like nothing I have every seen. I would very much appreciate it if people could take a look and tell me if they recognise this as a uniform and any information they could give me that might help me further in my research would be so very much appreciated. The jacket does appear to be at least part of a formal soldier's uniform and there seem to be sergeant's stripes on the arm, but the whole thing looks a bit wierd and I know that later on he went to Africa, so this might have been his idea of suitable clothing for that adventure. Any ideas out there? I think I have managed to put a link to the photo here:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/13506045@N02/4106002955/in/set-72157622809174040/

[Neil Wilson]

Hello Rab3UK and welcome to the forum.
Could it been taken around the time of the Boer War? His age then might give a clue?

[rab3uk]

Boer War seems to have been about 1899-ish. Charles was definitely not in that. He would have been about 63 by then, and is clearly younger in the photo.

[Michael Duke]

Hello rab3uk,

Can I suggest that your South African link is the right one, but I also suggest that you look more to the Zulu wars during 1879 and later.

The uniform is indicative of the bush uniform of that area and era, Lord Chelmsford had an army of about 40000 troops at that time in South Africa.

Just google the Zulu Wars and all will be revealed.

Best Regards Michael Duke

[rab3uk]

Thanks Michael, I will take a look, although the few clues I have of my great grandfather are that he was in the Crimea and was only in Africa relating to exploration. I did find a photograph many years ago of an African Explorer (Mungo someone as I recall) who was wearing exactly the same type of slouch hat, but that is the closest I have got to any identification. I am off now to google the Zulu War. One more thing, as emailed to Neil, having tried to date the photo, I found that apparently rustic stiles of the type in the background of the photo seemed to have been used in the 1870's. I appreciate your help. Cheers. Ruth

[keith9351]

The Boer War of 1899 was the 2nd Boer War, the 1st Boer War starting in 1880.

Could this photo have been taken in a studio with props? His boots seem to have a crease up the front as if they had just come out of storage.

Keith

[apowell]

Hi,

I've been looking at the photo' and to add to Keiths comments about the boots doesn't it look like the gun is fake and also his ammo belts are empty.

The uniform has the look of the Natal Volunteers, Irregulars & Auxiliaries around the time of the Zulu or Boer war (1st).

Is it possible he was with the Mounted Natal Volunteers because of the ammo belt slung around his chest?

It's not impossible he was in the Crimean and also fought in South Africa.

Regards
Adrian

[Michael Duke]

Ruth, is there any indication on the back of the photograph who the photographer was or were the studio was located.
The explorer Mungo Park was earlier than the Crimean War but the slouch hat was pretty much the dress of the day in Africa for the whole of that period, probably still is.
Do you have any idea of his false name during the Crimean war? The first VC medals were presented by Queen Victoria in Hyde Park to 60 odd recipients in 1857 (I think). You can find a list of these on Wikipedia. Do you have any clues to which Regiment or Corps he belonged? As mentioned before the Zulu Wars which I am sure the photo refers to produced many tales of heroism (Rourkes Drift) and massive defeats (Isandhlwana). The action at Rourkes Drift alone produced 11 V.C.s for a company of the 24th Warwickshire Regiment of Foot, which later became the South Wales Borderers.
Your ancestor interests me, if you imagine that tunic in the photo to be bright scarlet with coloured facings you have a classic infantry mans uniform, I should find the Regiments involved in the Zulu wars and look for Sergeant Charles Matthews on the muster rolls,

Best regards Michael



Thanks Michael, I will take a look, although the few clues I have of my great grandfather are that he was in the Crimea and was only in Africa relating to exploration. I did find a photograph many years ago of an African Explorer (Mungo someone as I recall) who was wearing exactly the same type of slouch hat, but that is the closest I have got to any identification. I am off now to google the Zulu War. One more thing, as emailed to Neil, having tried to date the photo, I found that apparently rustic stiles of the type in the background of the photo seemed to have been used in the 1870's. I appreciate your help. Cheers. Ruth

[rab3uk]

Hi,

I am taking note of all the suggestions. I got a book from Amazon "Zulu Sar - Volunteers, Irregulars and Auxileries" and there are one or two uniforms in there that are very similar. However, most of those involved in these groups who were of European stock seem to have been people who had already emigrated to Africa, rather than including people who still lived in the UK etc., (altghoug I suppost the odd adventurer might have travelled over and joined).

Someone has suggested that the rifle was something of an antique (even then) and could have been a 11mm Bavarian Werder. They suggested such guns would often find their way to Africa. The suggestion is that the belt contains somewhat larger ammo. than would have fitted the gun. Certainly I could see no similar guns in the book - they all appear to be more modern.

Charles himself became a photographer, as did two of his sons. There is no name on the back of the photo which is on plain card, so I assume that it was taken with his own equipment.

With regard to the gun, while this may have just been a photographers prop, I know for sure that Charles was in Africa at some stage - while the family legend has it he was out there with Stanley! - he was certainly there with someone, as he later showed his lantern slides to the men and women at the Salvation Army Hadleigh Farm Colony and it was reported in the Social Gazette), so I wonder if he got the gun for his own protection then - which might explain why it wasn't very modern for that era.

Will I ever unravel this mystery.

Ruth