John McStravick, 6th Dragoon Guards (Carabiniers)

My Great Grand Uncle, John McStravick is listed as KIA at Islandlwana.
I'm not sure how he got there or what his job was being he is the only one listed from his unit.
I was told he was serving with the No. 1 Squadron, Mounted Infantry as the 6th were not posted to South Africa at the time.
Was he a front line rifleman, or was he a camp helper like a Farrier or Saddler?
If anyone can shed some light for me I would appreciate it.
I am not up on the Military units of the British Army.

Thank you

Jay Stuart

Posts : 1085 Join date : 2009-10-16

Hi Jay,
Not much info at all as he was killed his service papers would be destroyed. There are two births in the UK in the date range but it would seem both died young. Looking at Ireland there are a number of births but without knowing any date or place it is just guess work. I did find the following :- on the Army worldwide index for 1861 a Jno Mcstravik is listed as a recruit, at the Northern Recruiting Depot Belfast. He Also appears on the Army 1871 index at HQ Dundalk Ireland No.664 Private 6th DGds.
If he enlisted as early as 1861 and was a boy soldier of 14 it would give a birth date of 1847/48 if he was older say 20 then the birth date would be 1841.
Rai KLH

No. 664 Sgt John McStravick was one of three Cavalry NCO's brought in to whip the Mounted Infantry into something resembling decent horsemen. (Though by that time some of the Squadron had been in the saddle for nearly two years).

The others Sgt Arthur Still 12th Lancers was acting as Sqn Sgt Major, Sgt Henry Sampson 9th Lancers was listed as a Shoeing Smith/Acting Farrier.

Nothing is listed against your relative reference a trade so it may be he was used to train them in horsemanship. Both he and Henry Sampson were left in camp when Chelmsford took half his force away. We cannot be sure of his exact role nor whether he rode forward to defend the right flank or was killed in camp when it was over-run.

Bill

Last edited by JayStuart on Thu Dec 29, 2022 8:27 pm; edited 1 time in total

Thank You for the information
According to family history John was born ABOUT 1848 • Dungannon, Tyrone, Northern Ireland
He entered the Service in 1871
From what I was told he was not quite the highth for the Service so he stood on the tiptoes to qualify.
(John was transferred to the Cape of Good Hope in 1878 where he joined the Cape Mounted Police) Not True

Ho[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

Posts : 1085 Join date : 2009-10-16

Hi Jay,
Had a look at the Irish results i spoke about, two could fit,
John Mcstravick baptised 31 Dec 1848 father John mother Cela Mcdray,
John Mcstravick baptised 22 Jan 1849 father John mother Bridgit Devlin,
Both were baptised in the District of Aghagallon and Ballinderry, Down and Connor, Antrim.
Rai KLH

Further to the above John McStravick was on the pay-lists of 11/7th Brigade Royal Artillery in Natal from June to August, for rations only and not for the whole period.

I'm not sure whether that means he was physically with them or not, I don't know the Victorian Army paperwork system that well. In September he moved north into the Transvaal and onto the lists of the 80th Regiment to join up with the 1st Squadron Mounted Infantry.

He was listed as a Private until he went to the Transvaal, it is unsure if his rank of Sgt was local or acting, but he is listed as a Private in the casualty lists so it was not permanent.

It is sometimes written he was demoted to Private in December 1878 but the Court Martial registers state it was his colleague Sgt Sampson who was demoted.

I don't think he had anything to do the Cape Mounted Police, they were hundreds of miles away and he was still a serving soldier. All lists give his unit as 6th Dragoon Guards.

Bill

Jay,

I think that you can forget the Cape Mounted Police connection as they were not formed until 1882. Prior to that date the local areas had their own police forces within the Cape Colony.

JY

Definitely not Cape Mtd Police.
Certainly 6th Dragoon Guards.

Hi Jay

Another listed on myherritage:

John McStravick was born circa 1848, in birth place, to Alexander McStravick and Alice McStravick (born Corren).
Alexander born:1814
Alice born: 1819
John had 6 siblings: Catherine McStravick, Daniel McStravick and 4others
John passed away on month, day, 1879, at age 31, in death place.

Regards Eddie

Yes I often get Family history that does not add up. In looking at the Cape Mounted Police as they were established in 1882 as stated by John Young (Thank You)
Yes his Father and Mother were Alexander McStravick and Alice (Nee) Corren. Both are buried in Moy
The house is partially still there as I visited in 2014.
I have found the baptism of his brothers and sisters but not him. Armaugh or Tyrone Northern Ireland. Most likely he was born either before 1848 or after. His sister Catherine was baptized 0n 15 June 1848. Next would be my GG Grandfather Thomas in 1851.
I am glad to have a bit more history of John.Thanks to all who have shed some light on his life and death.

Hi Jay

I don't know where the error lies, but at findagrave.com you can find pictures of the families graves, but the site states Catherine's birth as 1849, where as you have listed her baptism as 1848.

Just a point of note.

Eddie

Eddie
Thanks. I know of the discrepancy and I'm not sure which one is correct. The Baptism papers are hand written and have errors often due to the times. It lists the mothers name as Corcoran not Curren. But the hand writing could be either.
I would like to find John's Baptism papers and will keep searching.

Hi Jay

cotyroneireland.com may have your answer. It is a list of baptisms for Co Tyrone. I can get his name up, but can't enter into the details.

» John Frederick Howson 1st Dragoon Guards?
» Riding Master John Crowdy, 1st King's Dragoon Guards
» Sergeant Major John H Lunn 15th Dragoon Guards