trenchwalker Posted 26 October , 2003 Share Posted 26 October , 2003 just wondering if anyone can tell me about the 300 of black south african troops who drowned of the isle of wight wen there boat collided in fog . can anyone tell me where they are buried. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest stevebec Posted 27 October , 2003 Share Posted 27 October , 2003 Mate, If you need more detailed info on these blokes (Native and Civil deaths) I can put you in touch with my mate and he may put you in the right direction or have more info. He has done a lot of reseach in the NG area particular about the sinking of the Montevideo Maru and trying to indetify the many soldiers and Civilians lost on her thanks to a US Submarine. S.B Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 28 October , 2003 Share Posted 28 October , 2003 Well he sure wasn't black but Lance Corporal John Shiwak Newfoundland Regiment was Inuit. He was killed near Cambrai 21 11 17 and is buried at Beaumont Hamel, age 28 from Rigolet Newfoundland. There is a picture of him in a full kilt outfit in Blue Putees, story of Newfoundland Regiment. I can't find him in SDGW. This was the ultimate pals battalion wasn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 28 October , 2003 Share Posted 28 October , 2003 Well he sure wasn't black but Lance Corporal John Shiwak Newfoundland Regiment was Inuit. He was killed near Cambrai 21 11 17 and is buried at Beaumont Hamel, age 28 from Rigolet Newfoundland. There is a picture of him in a full kilt outfit in Blue Putees, story of Newfoundland Regiment. I can't find him in SDGW. This was the ultimate pals battalion wasn't it? Paul An interesting man. He did not show up when I did a quick search of the CWGC. Maybe his name is not spelled correctly? Maybe he used another name when in the army? Someone here may tell you which cemetery he ought to be buried in, and you can try variations etc of the name. John Shiwak was an Inuit (an Eskimo) from Labrador. "Inuit recruits came mostly from Labrador. Among them was Lance Corporal John Shiwak of Rigolet who served as scout, observer and sniper with the Royal Newfoundland Regiment before being killed in France". This quote comes from an article on Canadian Aboriginal peoples, which is available on the net - see here http://www.ainc-inac.gc.ca/ch/rcap/sg/cg12_e.pdf Any chance of posting the photo? an Inuit in a kilt is something you don't see every day! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
paul guthrie Posted 28 October , 2003 Share Posted 28 October , 2003 I did find him on CWGC but not Soldiers Died. I have no clue how to post a picture but would be glad to laser copy and mail to you to do so. The picture is a hoot! I mean he has the absolutely full kit, looks like a Scot on Bobby Burns say, shame he's not gnawing on a haggis! The book mentioned he was a sniper. He was not one of the original 500, the Blue Puttees but was a replacement. I made a mistake in the first post, he's on the Newfoundland Memorial, I knew there was no cemetery named Newfoundland, there is Hunter's, Y Ravine and another there. In Y Ravine is a man from Newfoundland named Pike with a strange inscription, something like Be Ashamed to Die Until Some Good For Mankind You Have Done. I thought former colonies were included in SDGW, is Newfoundland excluded because it was self governing? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 28 October , 2003 Share Posted 28 October , 2003 just wondering if anyone can tell me about the 300 of black south african troops who drowned of the isle of wight wen there boat collided in fog . can anyone tell me where they are buried. Trenchwalker The ship was the SS Mendi, and a lot more than 300 were drowned. Try a search for "Mendi" and you ought to come up with something. Meanwhile: here is a short piece about some Brighton MPs asking questions about it. http://www.thisisbrightonandhove.co.uk/bri.../NEWS860ZM.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 14 November , 2003 Share Posted 14 November , 2003 Well he sure wasn't black but Lance Corporal John Shiwak Newfoundland Regiment was Inuit. He was killed near Cambrai 21 11 17 and is buried at Beaumont Hamel, age 28 from Rigolet Newfoundland. There is a picture of him in a full kilt outfit in Blue Putees, story of Newfoundland Regiment. I can't find him in SDGW. This was the ultimate pals battalion wasn't it? And here is the photo Paul mentions Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeppoSapone Posted 14 November , 2003 Share Posted 14 November , 2003 Well he sure wasn't black but Lance Corporal John Shiwak Newfoundland Regiment was Inuit. He was killed near Cambrai 21 11 17 and is buried at Beaumont Hamel, age 28 from Rigolet Newfoundland. There is a picture of him in a full kilt outfit in Blue Putees, story of Newfoundland Regiment. I can't find him in SDGW. This was the ultimate pals battalion wasn't it? And here is the photo Paul mentions Lance Corporal John Shiwak Newfoundland Regiment Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Cathy Dunn Posted 5 January , 2004 Share Posted 5 January , 2004 The Aborigines were under Aussie law not citizens and as such could not vote or serve in the armed forces. But as stated many did. Many were enlisted because they were not so called full blood but of half caste. So they were not all the black. There were a small number of full blood enlisted and only late in the war. Numbers differ but I don't think the were any more then hand full of full bloods in the AIF and maybe two hundred of half caste. But these are only an informed guess. S.B Yes many full blood Aboriginals as well as half caste (sic) did enlist in WWW from Australia. an example is at Aboriginals from Budawang and Yuin areas who server in WW1 Cathy Dunn Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 5 January , 2004 Share Posted 5 January , 2004 Hullo Cathy, Glad to see you enlisted here! This thread , and its follow up - "black" officers - are very interesting! Christine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Holscher Posted 7 January , 2004 Share Posted 7 January , 2004 Interesting thread. While potentially not quite on point, I'd note that the 9th and 10th Cavalry Regiments of the U.S. Army served in the Punitive Expedition and along the Mexican border during this period. It has long been my position that the Punitive Expedeition, and the accompanying border troubles, are properly considered as part of the US WWI experience. Certainly the posting of cavalry along the border during this period was just as valid of service as service overseas in France. Anyhow, the 9th and 10th Cav. Rgts were black units. And they did have a black officer, Col Charles Young. Col Young attempted to secure an overseas command during WWI, but was not sent overseas supposedly as he was found to be physically unfit for such service. He completed a very long cross country horseback ride to demonstrate that he was in fact fit, but failed to convince his superiors to change their minds. While it seems that the decision not to send him to France was racially motivated, he did in fact die, if I recall correctly, shortly after WWI. On Native Americans, I recall, but not too clearly, that a Native American in the US Army captured a number of troops nearly equal to the number that Sgt. York captured at about the same time. York's achievement received the press, however. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yorts Posted 7 January , 2004 Share Posted 7 January , 2004 Interesting to note that whilst 'Men of Colour' were excluded from exercising command, VCOs (Viceroy Commissioned Officers) had been used in the Indian Army for some time. The attitude at some times in history towards our fellow man beggars belief - even in this day and age! Alex. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
christine liava'a Posted 26 June , 2004 Share Posted 26 June , 2004 The man in question was an Edward Renate Mugunga Broughton. He served in the NZEF in WW1 and the 2AIF and Militia in WW2. I have now found more info about Edward Renata Broughton He was born at Ngapuke,Hawkes Bay, New Zealand 6 August 1884, son of William Broughton a wealthy grazier, and Amiria Renata, a minor chieftain's daughter. He attended expensive private schools rather than the local government school. He raised his age and fought in the Boer War New Zealand Mounted Rifles – Boer War ( NZ's Rough Riders) 7277 Trooper Broughton Edward Renata Muhunga 9th Contingent G Squadron Sheep Farmer Omahu, Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand William Broughton (father), Omahu, Napier, Hawke's Bay, New Zealand Queens South Africa Medal; Transvaal, South Africa 1902 (aged 18) then fought in WW1 New Zealand Pioneer Battalion Service WWI, 16/518 Sergeant 1st Maori, B Coy, Served Gallipoli. (aged 34 in 1918) at some point he went to Australia, reason unknown, and enlisted there NAA file BROUGHTON EDWARD RENATA MUHUNGA : Service Number - V6151 : Date of birth - 06 Sep 1884 : Place of birth - NGAPUKE NEW ZEALAND : Place of enlistment - ROYAL PARK VIC : Next of Kin - BROUGHTON WILLIAM Citizen's Military Forces Personnel Dossiers, 1939-1947 8th Employment Coy- Australian Militia BROUGHTON, EDWARD RENATA MUHUNGA Australian Army V6151 (VX25265) 6 Sep 1884 NGAPUKE, NEW ZEALAND 17 Sep 1940 MELB, VIC ROYAL PARK, VIC BROUGHTON, WILLIAM nok 24 May 1944 Captain HQ VIC L OF C (aged 56 in 1940) There can't be many people who have been in 3 wars- the Boer War 1899-1902 WW1 1914-1918 and WW2 1939-1945 He died in Australia, aged 71, in 1955. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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