THE MUDDLE FAMILIES

THE LINEAGE & HISTORY OF THE MUDDLE FAMILIES OF THE WORLD

INCLUDING VARIANTS MUDDEL, MUDDELL, MUDLE & MODDLE

 

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THE SUSSEX MUDDLE FAMILIES

THE ARDINGLY MUDDLES

 

Introduction

Thomas & Ursula Muddle’s Family

William & Mary Muddle’s Family

John & Mary Ann Muddle’s Family

Henry & Clara Muddle’s Family

Henry & Martha Muddle’s Family

Frederick & Harriet Muddle’s Family

William & Ann Muddle’s Family

Edmund & Sarah Muddle’s Family

William & Anne/Elizabeth Muddle’s Family

Charles & Sarah/Mary Muddle’s Family

Charles & Elizabeth Muddle’s Family

George & Ann Muddell’s Family

Edward & Phoebe Muddell’s Family

Charles & Sarah Muddle’s Family

Thomas & Elizabeth Muddle’s Family

Index of Family Members

Charts

 

 

The 43rd Regiment of Foot (43rd Light Infantry) in New Zealand

by L L Barton

N.S.W. Military Historical Society

 

In 1863 this Regiment was stationed at Calcutta having been on foreign service since 1851, first in Cape Colony and then in India. It saw service in the Kaffir War and in the Indian Mutiny. On 8th October 1863 the Regiment embarked on the Lady Jocelyn for New Zealand. As it was under strength a draft was ordered from England to meet the Regiment on arrival. The ship called at Mauritius for ballast and was quarantined for six days with choloraic diarrhoea. A regimental historian gives its embarkation strength as 850, but the report by the D.O.M.G., N.Z., on its arrival at Auckland on 11th December 1863, shows its strength as being 9 companies made up as follows: 3 Field Officers, 2 Captains, 12 Subalterns, 4 Staff, 43 Sergeants, 18 Drummers, 35 Corporals, 550 Privates, 48 Women, 94 Children, - a total of 809. There were a number of deaths during the voyage and the explanation given by the Medical Officer, Dr. A.D. Home, V.C., was “the effect on Indian constitutions of chill resulting from change of climate”. Fifty two were admitted to Auckland Hospital and the rest marched 9 miles to camp at Otahuhu.

The Regiment was split into many detachments and employed on redoubt duty on the Great South Road; however by April 1864 it had regained its efficiency and a large part of it was stationed in the Bay of Plenty. On 21st April men of the 43rd were engaged in a skirmish with the Maoris at Maketu, about 16 miles east of Taurango, in which four of their men were wounded.

About 300 men of the 43rd Light Infantry took part in the debacle of Gate Pa on 29th April. On this occasion their casualties were as follows. Killed, Capt. R.C. Mure, Capt. R.T. Hamilton, Capt. A.E. Utterton, Lieut. C.J. Langlands and 9 other ranks. Wounded, Lieut. Col. Booth (spin and right arm, mortally), Lieut. T.G.E. Glover (abdomen, mortally), Ensign W. Clark (right arm, severe), Ensign S.P.T. Nicholl (scalp, slight), and 23 other ranks, four fatally.

On 21st June, the Maoris were discovered in a line of entrenchments about four miles from Gate Pa. Elements of the 43rd Light Infantry, the 66th Light Infantry and the 1st Waikato Militia, were detailed to take this position, which was known as Te Ranga. Shortly after noon the attack was sounded and after gaining the trenches in light infantry order the attackers were heavily engaged in desperate hand to hand fighting with the Maoris. Eventually the defenders fled leaving behind 123 dead or dying, and 8 wounded. Among the former were five chiefs and leading warriors of the Bay of Plenty. No less than 24 of the attackers were Mentioned in Despatches, and two were recommended for the Victoria Cross. One of these was Capt. F.A. Smith of the 43rd Light Infantry.

At Te Ranga the 43rd suffered the following casualties. Killed, 5 other ranks. Wounded, Capt. F.A. Smith, Capt. H. Berners, and 13 other ranks.

Shortly after this battle the Tauranga Maoris made their peace with the British, and the 43rd Light Infantry were removed to the Taranaki District. Here they were engaged in garrison duty with occasional skirmishes with the Maoris. With the introduction of the Colonial Government’s self-reliant policy the British troops began to leave New Zealand. In March 1866 the 43rd Light Infantry embarked for England after 15 years on Foreign Service.

 

Copyright © Derek Miller 2005

Last updated 21 December 2005

 

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