Hi Mike
As promised, I am back again with some further information re the 73F which may interest you :
First the shako plate. Here it is in all its glory with St.Edward's crown attached.
Not exactly the same as yours, indeed a different striking as evident from the figure 3 on this badge. Difficult at this stage to know the significance of this .. it could be a different manufacturer, or a different period, since it was in service from 1829 to 1855 and was worn on two different shakos. There are similar differences for other regiments and this does not indicate a modern copy. Next some buttons recovered from the wreck of the "Birkenhead".
Next this rather poor quality .. tho' I think contemporary sketch of a soldier of the 73rd in "Kaffraria" circa 1850. I can't make out the name of the artist and am not too sure of the origins. It could be from the Cory Library Grahamstown or the Africana Museum Johannesburg.
The following is a list of movements of the 73rd in South Africa taken fromWO17 Monthly returns. Not totally complete but an interesting survey.
11th Aug 1846 : 73F arrived Simons Bay o/b HMS "Apollo" from Montevideo.
HQ moved to Cape Town.
Dec 1846 Chalumna River.
Jan 1847 Camp on Kei River.
March 1847 King Williams town.
April 1847 Buffalo Mouth,
Oct 1847 KWT
Nov/Dec 1847 Camp on Comga
Jan 1848 Fort Glamorgan
Feb 1848 Fort Grey
Sept 1848 Port Natal
Jan 1849 - Dec 1850 Cape Town
Jan-Aug 1851 KWT
May-July 1852 Keiskamma Hoek
Oct 1852 Fort Hare
Jan 1853 Orange River
May 1853 Cape Town
Jan 1856 KWT
June 1856 - March 1857 Tamacha
April 1857 Keiskamma Hoek
8th March 1858 East London embarked HMS "Simoom" for India
Hope this is of some interest and use. Regards Jeff
73F ORs Albert SP.jpg 73F buttons from Birkenhead ex G.Everson.jpg 73F in Kaffraria (2) .jpg