Description
South Africa 1877-9, aka Zulu Medal, bar 1877-8, Private C. Newton, No 7 Troop, Cape Mounted Riflemen. This troop took casualties at Gwanada Hill 1877 first Galeka vs Colonial battle.
Officially engraved: “Pte C. Newton. No 7 Troop. C.M. Rifles.”
Excellent preserved condition.
Confirmed on the medal roll, 1 of 93 medals issued to 7 Troop Cape Mounted Rifles, of which 28 earned this clasp.
Notably in the earliest stages of the conflicts of 1877-9, Private Newton was a member of the local armed forces, the Cape Mounted Rifles when they took on various local tribes such as a Gaikas and Galekas.
His particular troop would be part of the force that took part in the failed Battle of Gwadana (Gwanda) Hill about 25th-29th September 1877.
Dr Philip Gon writes in his article “The Last Frontier War” for the SAMHS in December 1982 the following brief account:
“The first clash between Galekas and a colonial force took place on 26 September 1877 on a hill called Gwadana, when a mixed force of Mfengu and troopers from the Colony’s Frontier Armed and Mounted Police (FAMP), commanded by Inspector Chalmers, engaged a Galeka party that had sacked a Mfengu kraal. Chalmers was outnumbered and his men inexperienced, and when his 7-pounder, on which great reliance had been placed, collapsed on its carriage, panic spread through his command. A determined Galeka advance led to a general abandonment of the field and during the retreat, six police troopers were killed.”
During the battle, No 7 Troop CM Rifles lost 4 men, their 2nd in Command, Sub Inspector C Von Hohenan as well as Privates T. Donaldson, C. Evans and W. McAunich killed in action during the battle. The casualties fell on No 7 and No 9 Troops of the Cape Mounted Rifles making them the most likely participants in the battle.
The sale of the medal of his officer Von Hohenan writes:
In trying to assist some Fingoes against a Galeka force at Gwadana, a patrol found itself heavily outnumbered and beat a hasty retreat to camp at Ibeka. Digging themselves in around a brick house, 180 police and 2000 Fingoes were attacked by thousands of warriors, 29.9.1877. The defenders had a gun and Congreve rockets at their disposal and inflicted such casualties that the Galekas broke and fled. As a result the decision was taken to annexe Galeka territory. Van Hohenan is mentioned in relation to this action in a number of publications including, ´General Cunynghame reported that “nothing could exceed the bravery of Inspector Van Hohenan, who lost his own life in his endeavour to carry off the field one of the men (Private Evans) who had been wounded, and, while he was endeavouring to place this man on his own horse, he was shot through the body, and died like a British soldier. I had the honour in assisting to raise a cairn to his memory. Its position command Galekaland” (British Battles on Land and Sea, J. Grant, refers)
