First commercial aircraft landing on St. Helena

[TheGreenGoblin]

In 1820, 25 British ships ferried +- 4000 British settlers to South Africa, a large number of those ships stopped off at St Helena. The Royal Navy and British troops were needed for logistical reasons at places like St Helena for these reasons as well at that time.

https://www.1820settlers.com/

One of my mother's forebears arrived on one of those ships... little did they know what awaited them on the East Coast of South Africa...

[CharlieOneSix]

A thread drift but hope it's of interest. I have the 1829 discharge papers of my maternal G-G-G-Grandfather, Colour Sgt Mark Maylam from the 20th Regiment of Infantry plus a letter sent to me in 1980 from The Lancashire Headquarters of The Royal Regiment of Fusiliers with background history. The 20th Regiment later became The Lancashire Fusiliers.

Mark Maylam served in the Peninsular War and was unusual in that he was awarded four bars to the medal for the battles of Vittoria, Pyrenees, Orthes and Toulouse. It was the first medal struck by the British Government for a campaign. Previously medals for campaigns such as Trafalgar or Waterloo were private issues paid for by individual persons or by Regiments themselves. The medal was not issued until 34 years after the end of the Peninsular War and then only to survivors, so only 16 officers and 194 other ranks of the 20th Regiment received it. The letter goes on to mention that Mark Maylam was on St Helena at the time of Napoleon's death in 1821. After that event the 20th Regiment was posted to India in 1823 where it served for 15 years. Mark Maylam joined the Regiment on 1/4/1809 at the age of 21 and his discharge papers show he was age 40 when he returned to civilian life in 1829. He died of asthma and bronchitis age 74 in 1862.

[Rwy in Sight]

An interesting video regarding the ship that makes the trip: A trip to Saint Helena

[Boac]

Thanks muchly, RiS. Mrs B spent a few years there as a child in the 50s and much appreciated the video.

[TheGreenGoblin]

An interesting video regarding the ship that makes the trip: A trip to Saint Helena

Enjoyed the video RiS. The first scenes of the ship leaving Cape Town made me very homesick indeed.

[Rwy in Sight]

Glad you like it.

[ian16th]

Thanks muchly, RiS. Mrs B spent a few years there as a child in the 50s and much appreciated the video.

???? Do tell.

[Boac]

Father was ADC to the Governor and Chief Auditor. They went from there to Grenada. She and I managed a trip back to Grenada few years back but the 'planned' big birthday treat to ST H was thwarted.

[ian16th]

Thanks for the info.

Definitely a different childhood.