The future Royal Engineer Lewis Tizard was born about 1850 at Pennington, Hampshire to Joseph and Charlotte Tizard. Lewis's father was a carpenter/joiner by trade so perhaps the craft-oriented Royal Engineers was a natural choice for Lewis when he chose to enlist.

 

Tizard attested as No. 10367 with the Royal Engineers on 18 March 1870. According to his service records, he was promoted Carpenter on 1 September 1870. In 1871 Lewis was attending the School of Military Engineering at Brompton Barracks. On 1 April 1876 he was promoted Corporal Artificer while stationed at the Royal Engineers' South Camp at Aldershot. He reengaged with the Royal Engineers as a Corporal Artificer on 2 February 1882.

 

Tizard had his ups and downs while with the colours. His records show him forfeiting his good conduct pay in July 1872 and again in August 1882 at which time he was convicted by Royal Courts-Martial of drunkenness while on duty and reduced in rank to Sapper.

 

Tizard seems to have settled down and was promoted to Wheeler on 18 March 1883 and his good conduct pay was restored on 13 August 1883. He received his last good conduct pay on 18 March 1888.

 

In the above photograph, Tizard is shown wearing the 1877-79 South Africa Medal with the "1879" clasp, the Egypt Medal with the "Tel el Kebir" clasp, and the Khedive's Star. His records show him arriving in Natal Colony, South Africa on 3 April, 1879, and remaining there until 27 January 1880. During the Anglo-Zulu War Tizard was a member of "C" (Telegraph) Troop, R.E.

 

C Troop, (deployed at half strength to South Africa) was commanded by Major A. C. Hamilton and consisted of 5 officers, 172 other ranks, 109 horses, and 13 wagons. Some of the men were involved in laying telegraph cables on the line of advance of Maj-General H H Crealock's First Division and others a telegraph line which connected Fort Pearson with Forts Crealock and Chelmsford. They were also issued and responsible for the use of four heliographs used for long-distance signaling.

 

Still with C Troop, Tizard took part in Garnet Wolseley's Egyptian Campaign in 1882 and was present at the battles of Kassassin and Tel el Kebir. At Tel el Kebir C Troop was part of the reserve and apparently acted as an escort for Wolseley.

 

He mustered out of service on 28 March 1891 after completing 21 years, 11 days of service.

 

In May 1891 Tizard married Maria Huffell in Fulham, London. The marriage did not survive long as Lewis Tizard died in London in 1899.

 

 

Cabinet Photograph

W & J. Stuart - Photographer

47 & 49 Brompton Road, Kightsbridge, London S.W., England

c. 1885