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Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 2:41 am

It's so rare to find a photo or 'new' information related to a man killed at Isandlwana, so I feel as though I've discovered somethinig unique - thought I would share it here:

I was trolling the internet and came upon a blog of a person who had discovered a family member was killed at the battle of Isandlwana. There is a photo and some interesting bits of information included.

I've transcribed below the information that I thought was of the most interest (I don't know how accurate it is, but may prove to be correct?):

*Malcolm Moodie, Natal Carbineers, born 1857, in Natal, died 22 January 1879, at Isandlwana, KZN Natal. Malcolm was the son of William James Dunbar Moodie and Clarissa Meek.

A handwritten note (probably written by his niece, Shirley Moor) in my family's copy of The Moodie Book, says:

�The burial parties afterwards recognised him by the brilliant colour of his hair, like burnished copper. Beside him were 79 used cartridge cases. He had been obliged to stay behind the day by one hospital, with a hurt shoulder.

"Lord Chelmsford having left with the main body of troops. Malcolm had lent his horse to his cousin, Edward Greene (afterwards Colonel E Greene, Natal Carbineers), whose own horse was lame.�

Malcolm Moodie

Posted: Sun Sep 27, 2009 2:43 am

Almost forgot, here's the link to the page...

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_tw6UgDMSwvE/SXjYuEisk0I/AAAAAAAAAxU/quMOypFvr1I/s400/malcolm%2Bmoodie.jpg&imgrefurl=http://salma-gundi.blogspot.com/2009/01/Isandlwana-solar-eclipse-and-my-great.html&usg=__LdZUlPb3yOw4O1lumUmilGOJVTY=&h=397&w=266&sz=36&hl=en&start=96&um=1&tbnid=SOCBX9AErku28M:&tbnh=124&tbnw=83&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dkilled%2Bisandlwana%26ndsp%3D20%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4GGLR_enCA277CA278%26sa%3DN%26start%3D80%26um%3D1

Cheers,

David

Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 1:34 pm

Very interesting and seems quite genuine. There's a typo somewhere in the line "He had been obliged to stay behind the day by one hospital, with a hurt shoulder." If you contact the authoress of the blog it would be good to know what should be written there.

Posted: Mon Sep 28, 2009 7:25 pm

I contacted the author of Salmagundi because the burial parties found the remains of Malcolm Moody and my great-uncle, Fred Jackson lying together some 400 yards towards the camp from Durnford and the Carbineers last stand. (report by Lt Royston dated 30 June 1879 published in Natal Witness by JD Holiday)

Given the detail of this information I have asked if it can be verified.

Posted: Sun Oct 04, 2009 7:32 pm

Yes I though this was quite remarkable - how many photo's of soldiers killed at Isandlwana (aside from 24th Officers) are known to exist. Its as though one more small puzzle piece emerged helping tell the story of January 22, 1879.

I actually thought this would have generated a bit more interest on the forum...oh well, I think its great.

David

Posted: Mon Oct 05, 2009 9:27 am

David

A good find indeed - well done. One of the members of the British Medals Forum is a serving officer with the Natal Carbineers - I will send you her details as she working on the regiment's history.

Peter

Posted: Wed Oct 07, 2009 6:10 pm

Rob
I don't suppose you have a photo of your great uncle hidden away do you?

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 7:17 am

Unfortunately not. Family photos only appear from the late part of the century.

I have made various enquiries about whether unit photos were taken prior to the campaign and there is only one that I have seen of a group of about 6. The Carbineers history from this period seems to have been ignored and I have been unable to get anything from them apart from requests for paid research.

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 8:14 am

I know of at least two group photographs of the Natal Carbineers taken in 1878 in Pietermaritzburg, prior to their departure for the front.

One depicts the unit in forage caps; the other in helmets and bandoliers. Sadly the photographs were taken a distance to show the unit mounted, so individuals cannot be identified.

I have a copy of a photograph of Trooper George MacLeroy, Natal Carbineers, which we reproduced in the old journal of the former A.-Z.W.R.S.

JY

Posted: Thu Oct 08, 2009 9:07 am

With regard to Malcolm Moodie, there is already a photograph which has been in the public domain for 80 years, although the facial details are not so clear as in the sketch shown above.

Moodie was educated at Bishop's College, Maritzburg, and a group photo which includes the headmaster, Rev C.C. Pritchard, and sixteen of his pupils was published by R.C.A. Samuelson in his Long, Long Ago in 1928 (facing page 80 for those who have a copy). The photo, taken in 1872, shows eleven youths and boys in cricketing togs and five others, including Moodie, in everyday dress.

Also present in this group was another future Carbineer lost at Isandlwana - Villiers Caesar Hawkins. Not surpisingly, the names of several famous colonist families of Natal feature in the picture: Addison, Lloyd, Raw and Scott, for example.

Peter