SOUTH AFRICA MEDAL

A FINE SOUTH AFRICA 1877-79 TO A BREVET MAJOR, 21ST FOOT WHO AFTER SERVING THROUGHOUT THE ZULU WAR, COMMANDED THE STORMING PARTY AT THE ASSAULT ON SEKUKUNI’S STRONGHOLD, NOVEMBER 1879, FOR WHICH HE WAS MENTIONED IN DESPATCHES

SOUTH AFRICA 1877-79, CLASP, 1879 ‘CAPT. E.T. BAINBRIDGE. 2-21ST FOOT’

Edward Thomas Bainbridge was born circa 1837 and after attending Rugby School, he was commissioned Ensign , 21st Foot (Royal Scots Fusiliers) on 6 April 1855. Promoted Lieutenant on 15 June 1858, he was Brevetted Major on 1 October 1877.

Edward Thomas Bainbridge was born circa 1837 and after attending Rugby School, he was commissioned Ensign , 21st Foot (Royal Scots Fusiliers) on 6 April 1855. Promoted Lieutenant on 15 June 1858, he was Brevetted Major on 1 October 1877.

An excellent article on both the 1878 and 1879 campaigns against Sekukuni can be found here:

http://samilitaryhistory.org/vol026nk.html

Confirmed to the rank of Major on 17 July 1880, the same day Major Bainbridge took temporary command of the battalion on the death of Lieutenant-Colonel Hazlerigg and after a brief spell at home, arrived back in South Africa with drafts shortly after the outbreak of the 1st Boer War. It seems during the war he was stationed in Pietermaritzburg.

He was appointed Lieutenant-Colonel, 1 July 1881, commanding 1st Battalion, Royal Scots Fusiliers from 24 August 1884. He was promoted to Colonel, 1 July 1885 and went on Half-pay in 1 July 1887 before finally retiring from the army (on Retired Pay on 15 June 1890).

Army List entry: “Colonel E. T. Bainbridge served with the 21st Fusiliers in the Zulu campaign of 1879 , and was engaged in the operations against Sekukuni , including the storming of the stronghold , where he commanded the storming party ( mentioned in despatches)”

Condition NEF, this his only entitlement. Ex Spink 5 November 2003.