Chris Boonzaier Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 This is for a French sailor who was listed as having Tonkin service from the 27th august 1883-1884.From what I can see, he was arrested twice, and spent a lot of time in hospitalI cannot figure out if he was stationed on land or on a ship, and if so, which.I assume he was sick, not wounded?
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 1, 2007 Author Posted February 1, 2007 Any help greatly appretiated as I would like to do a write up on him.All the bestChris
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 1, 2007 Author Posted February 1, 2007 And an important bit... something about the wounded and sick being evacuated by a British Frigate?
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 1, 2007 Author Posted February 1, 2007 Funny thing is... being a good Breton, his book has a remerk in it that he cannot speak French !!
Djedj Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 (edited) Right here we are !Here is about your man ; lots of stuff about his pay, some interesting elements :* He served the Tonkin Campaign on board the Transport Aveyron (a transport ship designed to accomodate horses as well)* He got in trouble -and jail- a couple of times ; as befits a good sailor !* There's an interesting story in those files ; see page 105.Sorry Chris, I spoilt part of the fun in doing a little research here and there ; mind you it was just to confirm the spelling of some names I tried to have my sentences match the original lines.++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Page 101 :3rd Class seaman Treasurer?s orderlyCome from the 2nd Depot Company on February 17th (permanent staff?For ?) Punished with 4 days in jail on May 2nd affected to the 2nd depot Company on 15 August 1883++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Page 102 :Come from the Non-combatant Section on 15 August 1883 Detached to Toulon on 19 August 1883 (despatch of 16 august 1883)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Page 103 :Come detached from the Lorient Division on 19 August, road pay from said date, land pay from the 22d.Aveyron, 27 August 1883NOTA : Aveyron was a transport ship, much involved in transporting troops (and horses) to the Tonkin (see below)++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Page 104 :Comes from the Toulon Division on 27 AugustPresent on 31 october++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Page 105 :3rd Class SeamanShipwrecked at Cape Gardafin on 21 AugustEmbarked on the 23 on the ??Lord of the?? X (means ??continued below??)?Comes from the Muster 1883 n?23 ??soutier?*? the * "soutiers" are the poor fellas working in the coal room20 February. Absent on the 4 May come back the 6 of said.(?????) ??soutier?? on the 4 June. 8 days prison on 7 August.X Isles?? of (????) disembarked at Aden on the 25Embarked on the 28 on board the Sindh destined to the Seignelay on the 23 for the pay and on the 5 (September ?) for the rationsNOTA :?Cap Gardafin ? is the easternmost tip of Africa, on the Indian Ocean, also known as ??Guardafui??, ?Ras Hafun?? or Cape Hafun (today in Somalia) ; it is a ??trendy shipwreck point??, and a treaty had been signed in 1862 with the locals (the Mudjurtines) to protect the shipwrecked : the treaty (renewed in 1879, and on l May 1885), instituted a $350 yearly revenue for the Sultan of the Midjurtines and Yusuf Ali from Alula. The Transport ??Aveyron ? was shipwrecked on 21 August 1884 : due to a strong Monsoon at Cape Gardafui, she ran onto the wreck of the M?kong. The ship could not be saved and was burnt down by its Commander, Captain Michelin. The crew was taken along by passing boats.http://dossiersmarine.free.fr/fs_t_T3.htmlThe Times, August 25, 1884 : LOSS OF A FRENCH TROOPSHIPLloyd's Agents at Aden telegraphed, under date of August 23, 9 10 p.m., that the French troopship Aveyron had been totally wrecked at Guardafui. The Aveyron was bound from Haiphong and Saigon for France. A Reuter telegram states that 286 of the officers and crew have arrived at Aden ; the rest, numbering 300 officers and men, remain on the spot. Her Majesty's ship Briton has been ordered to Cape Guardafui to assist.The Times, August 26, 1884 : THE WRECK OF THE AVEYRONAden, Aug.25The remainder of the officers and crew of the French transport Aveyron have been landed here by the steamer Lord of the Isles.The Lord of the Isles was a Union Line steamer, then going from China to New York.She had reached Malta by September 5 1884, and New York on September 25 1884.Re. the Sindh, I?ll quote The Times, 22 August, 1884COLOMBO, Aug. 20- The Messageries Maritimes steamer Sindh, with the inward French mails from Japan, China, Batavia, Singapore, Calcutta, &c., left here to-day for Aden bound for Marseilles. She has on board 48 passengers and a general cargo, including 280 bales of silk, 5,300 packages of tea, and 560 packages of sundries for London.The Times, 1 September, 1884(Reuter?s telegrams)ADEN, Aug. 30- The Messageries Maritimes steamer Sindh, with the French mails from Japan, China, Batavia, Singapore, Colombo, Calcutta, &c., left here to-day for Marseilles.The Times, 5 September, 1884(Reuter?s telegrams)SUEZ CANAL, Sept. 3- The Messageries Maritimes steamer Sindh, with the inward mails from Japan, China, Batavia, Singapore, Calcutta , Colombo, &c., left Suez to-day for Port Said, Naples, and Marseilles. She may be expected at the latter port on September 11, when her London cargo will be transshipped to the same company?s steamer Gange, due in London on or about September 27.The Seignelay was a San? class screw corvette. See here :http://dossiersmarine.free.fr/fs_c_C5.html++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Page 106 :3rd Class Seaman (?????)Comes from the Aveyron on the 23 AugustEntered hospital on 29 December1884 Saignelay 2nd Company(in bold and diagonal)Delivered a money order ofthe amount of 30.53 forPerfect circuit of pay (seems to mean that he was given some kind of good conduct pay ?)Toulon, 18 March 1885(behind)Clothing(?????)Loss of (????)Owes (???)ClothingTobacco and SoapTools (?)3 days in hospital128 pay day at 0.80TotalsCredit under Delegation The Captain (???)VerifiedThe Administrative Officer++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Page 107 :Comes from Muster/84 N?279Being in hospital on 29 December out on 3January Admitted in Hospital on 18 January outOn 20 February takes passage on board theSteamer of Messageries Maritimes (????)Of said, to be destined to MrThe Commissary for Armaments and MrMardullo (?)Has received a (???)1885 Seignelay 2nd CompanyOn account Tobacco and soapOn account++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++Page 108 :Comes from the Seignelay on 28 February 1885, day of hisDisembarkation at Marseilles. Road pay from said, land payfrom 27 of said. Hospital from 6 March 1885, outof hospital on 13 March 85.On sick leave for 3 months (?????) from 21 March 85To be spent at Audierne (Finist?re). Rejoins BrestPrefectoral decision datedNOTA :Audierne, small place in Brittany ; see here :http://www.audierne.info/++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++It is to be noted that there were some fierce outbreaks of cholera in Toulon in 1884.It was rumoured to have been brought back from Asia by a Transport ship, la "Sarthe".Salutations,J?r?me Edited February 2, 2007 by Djedj
Djedj Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 By the way the pencil annotations, you will have understood, are notes on the ordeals of the Aveyron.It states that the sailors taken on board by the British ship" comprised/were the sick and wounded.
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 1, 2007 Author Posted February 1, 2007 Djedj...If there was a way to kiss your ass online, I would be doing it!!!!!Thank you very, very, very much indeed !!!!!!!!!
Djedj Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 (edited) *Yuck*I... I prefer not to think about THAT Anyway, you may want to add that to your files :The proceedings of the Court Martial of the Captain of the Aveyron.There's some interesting stuff, including the threats by the locals, and a map.Sorry to say I'm not gonna translate that !(he was acquitted by the way).(to be continued) Edited February 1, 2007 by Djedj
Djedj Posted February 1, 2007 Posted February 1, 2007 (edited) (to be continued) Edited February 1, 2007 by Djedj
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 1, 2007 Author Posted February 1, 2007 Thanks,the typed stuff i can read no problemo...I will start a parallel thread with the medal...
Djedj Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 And that's about it !Enjoy reading the French J?r?me
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 2, 2007 Author Posted February 2, 2007 Made it through... no problemo...once again, many, many thhanks...Here is the small group...http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1484...mp;#entry145247
Guest Rick Research Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 Wow, J?r?me!!!! What an amazing SAGA out of one simple entry in the service record!That could have been another "Birkenhead," with the sharks in those waters! So, enquiring minds want to know...whose map was CORRECT-- the French one or the British one? And "les naturels" were no less dangerous-- 30 years later along the same coast they killed crew members of SMS "Emden" who had sailed across the Indian Ocean escaping from Cocos Island.
Djedj Posted February 2, 2007 Posted February 2, 2007 whose map was CORRECT-- the French one or the British one? Come on Rick, of course it is clear that everything started to go awry when British maps started to be mentioned... Chris, here are a few tidbits re. the Aveyron during your sailor's time aboard :The Times, October 24, 1883 : France, China, And Tonquin"SAIGON, Oct. 23.The French transports Shamrock and Aveyron, bringing reinforcements of troops and war material, have arrived here." The Times, November 17, 1883 : France, China, And Tonquin"PARIS, Nov. 16.The Libert? of this evening positively contradicts the alarmist reports current on the Bourse to-day in reference to the operations in Tonquin. The last despatch received from Admiral Courbet, dated the 8th inst., stated that the health of troops was excellent and announced the arrival of the transports Aveyron and Shamrock. The Admiral expected the transports Bien-Hoa and Tonquin to arriv on the 10th inst., and purposed attacking Sontay between the 15th and 20th inst. It is therefore thought probable that the French advance has already commenced"The Times, January 10, 1884 : Latest Intelligence"PARIS, Jan.9.The Minister of Marine has received the following telegram from Admiral Courbet, despatched from Hong-Kong at noon to-day, and dated Hanoi, December 27th and 31st :-"To-day, December 27, a fire broke out in the artillery stores at Hanoi. The loss of material was inconsiderable, and will be replaced within a fortnight from Saigon by the transport Aveyron."I quite enjoy those little snippets - they kind of make more concrete the actual tasks and life of the guys researched.Ciao !J.
Chris Boonzaier Posted February 2, 2007 Author Posted February 2, 2007 Once agaim, thanks for the new info... I am storing it all :-)))
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