Zulu War Medal 1879

South Africa general Service Medal (SAGS) Sergeant Maclaren attested for the Natal Mounted Police and was posted Under Commadant , Major J.G.Dartnell during the 1879 Zulu War . The medal is correctly named as issued to :

Sergt. Maclaren Natal Mounted Police with 1879 Clasp . The medal is in fine condition with a couple of slight edge knocks.

Mclaren was in active service at Isandlwana and early on the morning of the 21st January 1879 a detachment of  97 men of the Natal Mounted Police , including Maclaren , lead by Dartnell was sent by Chelmsford to find the location of the Zulu Army.  A second detachment of 34 men of the Natal Mounted Police Dartnell had left behind fought in the battle of Isandlwana on the 22nd January 1879, of this detachment 25 wre killed with 21 fighting alongside the 19 Natal carbineers defnding Lt. Col. Anthony Dartnell.  Three men of the Natal Mounted Police escaped from Isandlwana and made their way to Rorkes Drift where they fought the battle of Rorkes Drift, where one of them, Sydney Hunter was killed in action there .  The first detachment of the Natal Mounted Police under Dartnell returned to Isandlwana on the evening of the battle where they spent the night amongst the ruins of the camp and the bodies of their colleagues before accompanying Chelmsford Relief Column on the adance to Rorkes Drift early the next morning.

Sir Garnet Wolseley (later Viscount Wolseley). the new Governer of natal and the transvaal and high Comissioner of Soutern Africa , arrived in Durban in July 1879 . The Natal Mounted police provided as escort for Wolseley during his trip to Zululand in the closing stages of the war . the names of the escort are copied from a list given by Terry Sole , in his book , For Queen and Country . Maclaren is listed amongst the  36 men as .... 69 Sergeant J.W. Maclaren .

Copy of Zulu Medal Natal Mounted Police Forsyth Medal Roll , List of Escorts For Garnet Wolseley are included .

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