Zulu and Gun Wars to the Congo with Stanley

Major Robert Vetch, 20th Foot, Natal Native Contingent and Baker’s Horse

Anglo-Zulu War veteran Major Robert Vetch about the time he was in the service of the Belgian government under Stanley in the Congo

Lieutenant Robert F. Vetch, the son of General Hamilton Vetch, was a young subaltern of the 2/20th Foot who, having been selected to attend the musketry course at Hythe, had every reason to believe that he was on track to follow his father’s career—that was until he became involved in a fight and was dismissed from the Army. He must have thought his soldiering days were over, but alas, he served as a colonial captain in the Zulu War, then as a major in the BaSotho Gun War before joining Stanley in the Congo… There was life after the 20th Foot after all.

Robert Francis Vetch was born in Bengal, India, on 16th February 1849, when his father was serving as an officer in the Bengal Army. He was educated at Hyde School, Winchester, in 1861, and in 1865, when his father died, he was listed as a Bengal military orphan. Following his father and younger brother into the army, he was commissioned an ensign in the 2/20th (East Devonshire) Foot by purchase on 25th September 1867. Not long after, in December of the same year, he was posted to the Cape of Good Hope and subsequently served in both Natal and at King William’s Town, Cape Colony. He was posted to Mauritius in July 1870 and purchased his lieutenancy on 3rd September 1870.

Robert returned to the Cape in July 1871 and then in February 1872 after five years of foreign service, but no campaigning; he returned to England. He was selected to attend the Army’s school of musketry at Hythe in 1875, where he became involved in a public fight with another officer at Folkestone that led to him being dismissed from the Army on 23rd October 1875 following an investigation—no doubt a disturbing period of his life considering the legacy of his late father, the general.

Moving on with his life, he returned to South Africa, which was all too familiar to him, and by 1878, he was a storekeeper of Wythes and Jackson in Pietermaritzburg, Natal, then a superintendent of Railway Workmen. He must have believed that his soldiering days were long over, but then when war with the AmaZulu seemed probable, he was commissioned a captain in the 2/1st, Natal Native Contingent, on 25th November 1878 that was commanded by Major Harcourt M. Bengough of the 77th Foot. During the period of the first invasion in January 1879, Captain Vetch commanded his company at Kranztkop, and on 24th May 1879, he transferred to Shepstone’s Native Horse and took part in the second invasion and was present during the Battle of Ulundi on 3rd July. With the war over and a revitalized taste for soldiering, the Cape Mounted Rifles took on several officers fresh from Zululand, of which Robert, on 5th December 1879, applied and provided supporting testimonials of which General E. Newdigate wrote in relation to his character:

‘Has proved himself to be a thoroughly gallant soldier on active service. He has been brought specially to my notice by Captain J. Shepstone his commanding officer as a Captain and distinguishing himself by his bravery and coolness under fire.’

Despite Newdigate’s testimonial, he was unsuccessful in his application that most probably was thwarted by him being dismissed from the Army in 1875. He then returned home to England briefly and returned to South Africa aboard the Orontes on 21st February 1880.

When the BaSotho Gun War broke out, specially raised volunteer regiments were ordered to be raised, of which the newly appointed local Lieutenant Colonel Francis J. Baker raised for the third time since May 1878 what was known as Baker’s Horse. Robert was successful in obtaining a commission, and as a captain, he commanded ‘A’ Troop, Baker’s Horse, from 2nd October 1880; his troop was teaming with Zulu War veterans. He served in East Griqualand against the Mpondomise Chief Mhlonto, who was defeated at Tsitsa Gorge on 18th December 1880, where 300 of the enemy were killed and Mhlonto escaped. On 1st March 1881, he was promoted to commandant and commanded the Baca Contingent until 13th April, when he returned to Baker’s Horse as a major and commanding officer. Not long after, on 23rd April, while still commanding Baker’s Horse, he was appointed as commandant and officer commanding the forces in East Griqualand, and with the fighting over, they took on a garrison role to keep peace. In May 1882, the regiment was posted to Xalanga, and in July Robert requested that the name of the regiment should be changed to the Cape Cavalry, which never happened. In September, Robert was dealing directly with General ‘Chinese’ Gordon in relation to disbanding the regiment that occurred not long after.

When Stanley continued exploring in the Congo in 1883, several Zulu War veterans accompanied him, including Major W.G. Parminter, also of Baker’s Horse during the Gun War; Captain J.G. Grant; Dr. R. Leslie and Lieutenant J.N. Hurst. Vetch also accompanied him as the head of local transport in the Lower Congo and took part in the expedition to Damaraland, where, having shot five elephants in one day, he became known as ‘Mavunda Nzou,’ meaning Elephant’s death.

He then became the manager of the National African Company in West Africa until 23rd February 1887 when he died in Lagos, Nigeria. When he died, he had just turned 38 years of age and was still young, yet despite his dismissal from the British Army in 1875, he excelled as a colonial soldier and in particular rose to command an irregular regiment and assumed command of all the forces in East Griqualand. Among the records of the Basuto Gun War, the name of Robert Vetch rings with that of leadership, efficiency and courage.

References:

Bengough, H.M., Memories of a soldier’s life.

Cape Archives Repository., CO 4207 V45. R.F. Vetch application for a commission in the CMR 1879.

Lake Wakatip Mail., 15 August 1890.

Simpson, Cameron., The BaSotho Gun War 1880-81 (unpublished).

The Manchester Evening News., 29 September 1875.