Not such a red herring, Wiggy, Stagpoole gets a passing mention here too. One battle in particular in which the 57th fought might have been a trigger for Thomas WALTON to leave the 57th Regiment for the Taranaki Mounted Volunteers.
The webmaster of the site New Zealand Wars sent me a copy of the Nominal Roll for the 57th Regiment dated 1869 (National Archives reference: WO100 Piece 31). This showed that No. 2355 Private Thomas WALTON served three years in the field in New Zealand (“1861, 2, & 3”) and by 1869 had been discharged. No discharge date was provided.
The book New Zealand Medal to Colonials conveniently lists individuals alphabetically within units which allowed me to draw some conclusions. Although WALTON had been a member of the Taranaki Mounted Volunteers (their correct title) he did not make a medal claim under that unit as he would have done had he been in action with them. So clearly he wasn’t a member of this unit at, for instance, Poutoko Redoubt (Allen’s Hill) on 2 October 1863. So presumably he must still have been in the 57th Regiment in October 1863.
Both the 57th Regiment and the Taranaki Mounted Volunteers were present at the Battle of Poutoko Redoubt (Allen’s Hill), where Ensign DOWN and Drummer STAGPOOLE of the 57th received the Victoria Cross for retrieving the body of Private FINN. Antonio RODRIQUEZ of the Taranaki Mounted Volunteers (mentioned in an earlier post) placed himself and his horse between DOWN and STAGPOOLE and the enemy while they rescued Finn’s body, and later received the New Zealand Cross for this and other acts of gallantry.
Even if WALTON wasn’t present at the battle, detailed accounts of the gallantry of DOWN, STAGPOOLE, and RODRIQUEZ would have quickly spread though the 57th Regiment. The professionalism displayed by the Taranaki Mounted Volunteers and officers such as Capt. MACE might have attracted him (and others) to join them.
Spades
