Here is another medal named to the Umzimkulu Reserves.
This medal cost me a little more than others listed on this posting however as a specialist Dukes collector I was delighted when a colleague collector agreed to release the medal into my care. Unfortunately, it’s companion Cape of Good Hope General Service medal (bar Basutoland) is housed in another collection.
Single - QSA no bar (Maj. E. J. Whindus. Umzimkulu Reserves.)
Edward James Whindus was born in Birkenhead in Cheshire in England on 7 June 1845. He first saw military service in England where he served as a Colour Sergeant with the 86th Regiment before immigrating to the Cape Colony during the early 1870’s (Certainly in or shortly before 1872 as he is recorded as having been initiated into /transferred to the British Lodge in Cape Town on 20 November 1872). He married Isabella Strachan in Cape Town on 16 January 1877 and their marriage produced two daughters named Isabel Annie (b 1878) and Florence Edith Whindus (b 1880) before her death on 10 August 1881. He subsequently married Harriet Elizabeth Paxton at Tshungwana at Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape on 2 September 1884. Harriet was born in 1847. Edward’s second marriage to Harriet produced a son Henry Edward and two further daughters named Maud Harriet and Agnes Gertrude and lastly a second son named Ernest James Whindus at Umtata on 17 November 1885. Edward died at the Somerset hospital in Cape Town on 2 May 1920 at the age of Age 74 years. His wife Harriet Paxton survived him by a few years and died on 6 May 1925.
So much for Edward’s genealogy.
Edward Whindus joined the Cape Colonial Civil Service on 16 May 1874 – his entry in the Colonial List for 1903 recording his service record as follows:
“ Whindus, Capt. Edward James – Clerk in office of railway engineer for the colony - 16th May, 1874; paymaster and accountant, Malmesbury and loop railway, April 1875, chief clerk, resident engineer’s office, Western Railways, January, 1878, to 12th January 1882; during above period was temporarily detached for active service in command of detachment of 225 D.E.O.V.R., at Butterworth, Ibeka and Malan’s mission station, February - May, 1879; and also during hostilities in Basutoland in command of detachment of 312 D.E.O.V.R., September, 1880, April 1881. At request of (Cape) Government, raised volunteers in Cape Town, 13th January, 1882, and proceeded in H.M.S. Wrangler to the defence of the inhabitants of Walfish Bay settlement, who were threatened by the Damaras; in addition to military command was appointed acting resident magistrate of that territory; appointed Resid. Magt., Walfish Bay, August, 1882; transferred to Mount Frere, East Griqualand, July, 1883; hence to Port St. John’s, on the annexation of that district to the colony, September, 1884; appointed port officer, November 1884, and customs officer in charge, April, 1892; transferred as magistrate of Umzimkulu, 1st June, 1892; and acting principal officer of customs, 11th May. 1894. Gazetted to retain rank of captain, D.E.O.V.R.”
He later served in operations in the Cape Colony during the Anglo Boer War. He served on Special Service in connection with War losses compensation and was transferred to St. Marks as Magistrate in August 1903. He died in 1920.
St. Marks has subsequently been renamed Cofimvaba however his name is still remembered there through “Whindus Street” to this day.
It has not been determined exactly when Whindus joined the Dukes however it is recorded that the Queen’s birthday parade was held on 24 May 1874 and was reviewed by Commandant Spencer Westmacott who served as Commandant: Cape Town from 1973 to 1877. The 86th Regiment, Volunteer Cavalry, Artillery and D.E.O.V. Rifles were on parade and just 2 weeks later Edward Whindus was appointed as Sergeant Major on 8 June 1874 in the place of Curtin who resigned. As Edward is recorded as having joined the Cape Civil Service on 16 May 1874 it can perhaps be presumed that he was especially selected for this position and taking leave of his former Regiment he settled in Cape Town and as the senior Warrant Officer he took charge of his new Regiment!
Just a few months later he and Sergeant T.A. Smart were elected as Lieutenants. Edward Whindus was also recommended as Adjutant. At a subsequent meeting held on 11 December 1874 the Dukes Commanding Officer Captain Keal notified the meeting that the Governor had approved the promotions, and asked for the confirmation of Lieutenant Whindus as Adjutant which was carried. His further appointment as Captain (and Adjutant) was confirmed on 15 April 1878 however it is virtually certain that he had been promoted earlier and that the date of 15 April 1878 was in effect a reaffirmation of his rank and standing in the Regiment.
It is recorded that a month earlier, during March 1878, the Cape Government had made an appeal for more volunteers and this subsequently led to the establishment of an additional Civil Service Company. At a general meeting of the company with Colonel Bayly and Captain Whindus present was held on 2 May when new non-commissioned officers and men were elected.
Although fighting had ceased in the Transkei at the time that the Zulu broke out under Cetshwayo, it was considered advisable to garrison the frontier with colonial troops before the Imperial troops would be withdrawn and sent to Natal. In February 1879A detachment of the “Dukes” consisting of 200 all ranks was therefore sent up to the Frontier under Captain and Adjutant Whindus where they relieved the 88th Regiment in order that they might leave for the front. Their role was primarily garrison and guard duty at Butterworth, Ibeka and at Malan’s mission station from February through to May 1879. The 88th Regiment were then moved to Zululand where their headquarters were stationed at Fort Tenedos north of the Tugela river.
Note: Although the Dukes were granted the Battle Honour “Transkei 1879” no South African General Service medal was awarded for their service in the Transkei in 1879.
During the year 1879 trouble also arose in Basutoland owing to Chief Moroisi’s tribesmen refusing to pay hut tax. Colonel Bayly with a force of Cape Mounted Riflemen, some Yeomanry, and a Burgher force attacked and destroyed the stronghold on Moroisi’s Mountain after some very hard fighting. The operations although against only one clan of the Basutos occupied over nine months.
The Cape Government now became uneasy over the strength of the Basutos and decided to endeavour to disarm them.
On 20 September 1880 a meeting of the Regiment was called by Major Goodliffe to ascertain the number of Officers and men who were willing to volunteer for six months service in Basutoland, and just two days later on the 22 September Regimental Orders announced that 12 Officers and 300 N.C.O’s and men will proceed at once on active service to Basutoland. The detachment which would once again serve under the Command of Captain and Adjutant Whindus embarked on 25 September three days later, so that but little time was lost. This was now to be the third time that Edward Windus would command a detachment of his Regiment on Active Service. The S.S. Melrose disembarked the contingent at East London 65 hours later, and they entrained for Queenstown, from which point they marched to Aliwal North a distance of 110 miles, accomplishing the distance in six days. The country is a rough one and the sun was scorching, and it speaks well for the condition of the men that not one of them fell out on the journey. The story of the so-called Gun War which might have been included here warrants an article on its own.
Now turning to the early colonial days of South West Africa. Following the Peace Treaty concluded between Britain and Germany in September 1870 the Molteno Government of the Cape Colony favoured the formal annexation of Walvis Bay to the Cape Colony. The Prime Minister selected William Coates Palgrave to act as his emissary and Palgrave subsequently made several trips to SWA.
Following his negotiations, it was decided that Captain Whindus would be appointed as the magistrate in Walvis Bay and soon he and Hahn travelled to Walvis Bay where Whindus took over the magistrate’s office. Ten men disembarked as special constables in accordance with Whindus’s wishes. Carl Hahn was a German missionary and he held meetings with the European inhabitants and conducted interviews with the Topnaars of Walvis Bay and other indigenous people.
After his formal appointment as Magistrate of Walvis Bay the Cape Colonial Government formally approved his retention of the rank of Captain and in subsequent years he was still always known as Captain Whindus. His service to the Colony and his Regiment had clearly been very much appreciated.
Note: I have never seen it recorded but it would seem to me that this significant non military promotion and the Cape Colonial Government’s formal agreement that he would retain the “title” of “Captain” was due to their grateful recognition of his military service and the decision that an experienced “foreign” British military officer rather than an “untrained” local Colonial or former Warrant Officer should be appointed as the new Officer Commanding Cape Town’s senior Regiment. In consequence of this Colonel Archibald Graham Wavell was appointed as Officer commanding in Regiment in 1880. He later became a Major General in the British Army and military commander of Johannesburg after its capture during the Second Anglo Boer War. His son Archibald Percival Wavell, 1st Earl Wavell rose to even greater heights!
Now turning to Port St Johns on the Transkeian coast (Intended to be South Africa’s new coastal city!)
The area of Port St John’s was first annexed to the Cape Colony by Government Proclamation by the Cape Governor on 18 July 1884. Soon thereafter Edward Whindus was appointed as Resident Magistrate and Port Captain at Port St Johns.
At the outset of the Anglo Boer War a request was made to raise a suitable force to protect Transkeian border. Following the usual Cape Colonial tradition of using Magistrates to raise local forces for defence the services of Captain Whindus were once again called upon.
Whindus’ name heads the QSA medal roll for the Umzimkulu Reserves signed by Captain Frederick Haywood a well-known stock farmer in East Griqualand and incidentally the father of Reginald Frederick Johnson Hayward, VC, MC & Bar, ED. (Presumably Captain Whindus was already then at St Marks) Initially dated 30 June 1903 Captain Whindus countersigned this roll himself in 1905 certifying that no names of native or coloured men were included. Hayward had earlier noted that the men whose names he listed were “actually called out for active military duty against the enemy but they did not actively engage the enemy whilst serving in this corps.”
Edward Whindus was now approaching 60 years of age and he soon retired receiving a pension of nearly £400 per annum. He had served his adopted country well and died shortly before his 75th birthday on 2 May 1920.
RobM
