George Spratt Viney Naval Brigade

A Royal Marine Veteran who was fighting in British battles in the eighteen seventies, he was interred at Ann’s Hill Cemetery, in the person of Mr George Spratt Viney, who died at his residence, 65 Leesland Road, Gosport, England, at the age of 75 years.

Mr Viney, who was a native of Litton, Dorset, England joined the RMLI at Salisbury, England, in January 1875, and was shortly afterwards posted to Forton Barracks, Gosport, Hampshire, England. In December 1877, he landed with the Naval Brigade. In the campaign against the Kaffirs, which lasted until the following March, and in November 1878, he was a member of the Naval Brigade which operated against the Zulus, and was engaged until July 1879. For these Campaigns, he was awarded a medal with clasp. 1881 he was serving on HMS Duke Of Wellington and in 1890 George was serving on HMS Volage, after this he served on various other ships and retired from the service in 1896. He entered Portsmouth Dockyard shortly after his retirement from the Corps, but November 1908 he fell from a staging into a dry dock, and received multiple injuries from which he never fully recovered.

The service, which was conducted by Rev. M Rich, was semi-military. Marines from Eastney Barracks acting as pallbearers, whilst the coffin was enveloped in a Union Jack. A Marine Bugler sounded the last post.
George Spratt Viney was buried on the 10th February 1932, Interment number 28475, Plot 154, Space 60. George shares a double grave with his wife Selina Ann Viney nee Crawford who was buried on the 16th January 1940, Interment Number 31677.

George Spratt Viney
Born: 24 Oct 1856, Litton, Bridport, Dorset, England
Marriage: Selina Ann Crawford on 10 May 1890 in Portsea, Hampshire, England
Died: 5 Feb 1932, 65 Leesland Road, Gosport, Hampshire, England aged 75
Buried: 10 Feb 1932, Anns Hill Cemetry, Gosport, Hampshire, England

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George Spratt Viney Selina Ann Crawford Viney their daughter Alice and George's sister Edna

Hi Littlehand .
I wonder if our resident Naval Brgde expert Petty Off Tom has some more info on Viney ? . If he has he will hopefully post it .
Cheers 90th .

There is very little information available on Viney, but here is what I have been able to put together.

Private George Spratt Viney, R.M.L.I., landed as a member of the Naval Brigade of H.M.S. “Active at Durban on 19 November, 1878. The 22 Year old Private Viney was one of 42 marines who formed part of the brigade from "Active". After landing at Durban, Viney accompanied the brigade, by train to Saccharine, about 12 - 14 miles, and commenced the long walk to the Lower Tugela, arriving on the 24th. There, Private Viney was stationed at the Naval Brigade camp near Fort Pearson, in preparation for the invasion of Zululand, as part of Colonel Pearson’s No. 1 column.

It appears that Private Viney was not able to take part in the invasion, which began on 18 Jan 1879. One week earlier, on 11 January, Viney sprained an ankle and was placed on the “sick list.” Interestingly his injury was recorded on the Medical Journal for HMS “Tenedos,” who’s contingent to the Naval Brigade were also at the Lower Tugela, but who were to remain there, defending the river crossing, while the men of “Active” participated in the invasion. The surgeon for “Tenedos” released Private Viney back to duty on the 25th of January, too late to accompany his shipmates to Eshowe.

Since the men of “Tenedos” were part of the Naval Brigade that accompanied Lord Chelmsford’s “Eshowe Relief Column” it is more than likely that Private Viney was present at the Battle of Gingindlovu on 2 April. He would have also accompanied the marines attached to the Flying Column on 3 April that relieved Eshowe.

When the second invasion of Zululand began in June, 1879, all of the Naval Brigade marines were formed into two companies, under Captain J. Philips (“Shah”). Private Viney would have been assigned to the company made up of the men from “Active” and “Boadicea.” Attached to General Crealock’s coastal column, Viney arrived at Port Durnford, where the Naval Brigade was involved in unloading supplies and ammunition, and the evacuation of the sick.

On 21 July, the men of H.M.S. “Active” and H.M.S. “Shah” left Port Durnford to return to their respective ships. Viney would have made the wet trip by surf–boat out to the hired transport “City of Venice,” which took them to Durban, where they embarked on “Shah”. The “Shah” took them to Simon’s Bay where Private Viney and his shipmates re-joined the “Active”.

Private Viney served ashore from 19 November 1878 to 21 July 1879. For his service in the Zulu war, and the earlier Cape Wars, he was entitled to the South Africa Medal with clasp “1877-8-9”. He received his medal on 16 September, 1881, while serving aboard the “Duke of Wellington”.


Petty Officer Tom