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Date	Original Topic
18th March 2003	30th Company Royal Engineers By David Glynne Fox I recently added two South Africa Campaing medals to my collection concerning this unit. One to a Corporal, the other to a Driver. However, most books on the Zulu Campaign do not mention this Company, yet according to the Medal Roll, there were many men present. I know at least part of the unit was commanded by Captain Bindon Blood and according to the Narrative of Fields Ops for the Zulu War, it appears to have been an ammunition column. I have contacted the RE museum at Chatham but with no success. Does anyone on this illustrious forum have any further information on 30th Coy.R.E., particularly their involvement and movements during the campaign. I would be very grateful for any information. Thank You. David.
Date	Replies
18th March 2003	Peter Ewart David I haven't got a copy myself but I wonder if any details of the unit's movements during the campaign are described in Blood's own memoirs - "Four Score Years & Ten" (Bell, London, 1933) of which there are plenty of copies on the market. In Ian Knight's "Go to your God Like a Soldier" Blood's predilection for (& involvement with?) some of the young Zulu maidens he came across is aired. Perhaps 30th Coy RE had a more enjoyable campaign than most!!! Peter
18th March 2003	John Young David, 30th Company were responsible for building the pontoon bridge over the Lower Tugela River, to allow the movement of Major-General H.H. Crealock's 1st Division over the river, therefore not having to rely on the ponts. 30th Co. did their job well enough, I've got photographs of their work - pity "Crealock's Crawlers" didn't avail themselves fully of their efforts. They were initially assigned to 1st Division. Following the defeat at Ulundi, elements of 30th Co. were assigned to Baker Russell's & Charles Clarke's columns. John Y.
19th March 2003	David Glynne Fox Hi John and Peter, Many thanks for your replies to my query. I have printed them off and added them to my South Africa Campaign medal collection. Like you Peter, I do not have Bindon Blood's "Four Score Years and Ten," but as I am an avid book collector on this subject, I will look out for it. I have all of Ian Knight's books except, would you believe it, "Go To Your God Like a Soldier." It just shows you cannot have too many books. Thank you John for your, as usual, well detailed reply. I didn't realise they were with H.H. Crealock's 1st Division. Very useful piece of information. Incidentally John, I am still awaiting a membership form for your Society. I assume with the name change you will have more extra work to do. Thank you both again so much for your replies, it is greatly appreciated. Regards David.