Content from Midge and Trish on their journeys of Battlesites, specifically but not limited to the Boer War. Videos were taken to give an understanding from the perspective of the combatants, it's one thing to read that they traversed up a rugged hill and a different thing to see the obstacles or the protection afforded to a set of combatants.
The book is available via battlefieldwanderers.com/
Thousands of photo's taken of Boer and Zulu war battlefields and graveyards from the late 40's. A few decades on from those wars, but with the sites relatively undisturbed at that point except by time itself. Watch this space for when they are loaded up at a suitable photo library.
Raised £30K for the school nearby here in Rourke's Drift. O wonder if the artificial cricket wicket football posts and markings. Inner gym floor and more. In 1997 aged 18. I hope the schools got good use out of it all. ❤North England ❤
Grandfather was killed at Dud Corner. His name was mentioned on a plaque(Pte James McDade 8500 HLI )on a monument there. Like many others who were never buried in a grave .He never came home and Ironically his son (my father) was just seventy miles away fighting in World War 2 and at that time the family had no idea of my grandfathers burial place..I'd like to go but my OAP would'nt stretch that far. So ,thankful that you took the time to film and post this.
Was there a few days ago, it’s a disgrace. What a site of significance and we have just let it fade away. As a South African I am embarrassed. The disrespect to the fallen is simply beyond belief.
I see the anc government is trying to change history again. The reason for the battle of Blood River was the fact that the Zulu king Dingaan reneged on a land sale agreement for half of what is today Kwa zulu Natal and the zulu massacred the unarmed Boers who delivered the payment for the land. The zulus then bravely massacred the Boer women and children. It was because of this that the battle of Blood River came to be.
5th of March 2000 HELPED me on my search on my past I'm seeking truth = 22 Years ago with Film Footage Date & 8 Years on the POSTED date of 2014 = both to be exact. Thank You for your footage. Appreciated now in the Present, even better if not intended ... .. .
Hopefully going to this place next summer, looks haunted but I'm looking forward to my trip, 2 great uncles buried close by,will definitely be paying my respects to them.
I know that the Zulus were armed with looted Martini Henrys from Isandlwana, but could they actually use them effectively without training? Did they know about bullet drop? Windage? I feel that if they did then the British casualties would have been much higher.
Thanks very much for your fascinating, and very informative videos. I lived and worked in South Africa for a month and a 1/2 in 92 and I had planned to try to learn more about my great grandfather's experience fighting in the Anglo-Boer war (he was with the Seaforth Highlanders), but I failed to make the time. Of course this was before the days of the internet, but I wish I'd visited the interesting museum in Bloemfontein (which I had hitch-hiked through at one point en route south to 'the garden route'.) I can only say (at this point) that the Seaforth Highlanders fought and suffered heavy losses at the Battle of Magersfontein in December, 1899 and here at the Battle of Paardeberg in February, 1900. (He wasn't injured in either battle.) This is the best video that I've been able to find on-line as to Paardeberg and it's a pleasure to watch it and to learn as much as I can from you. Thank you again!!
I visited this place few years ago its an important part of Boer History fight to survive in a hostile place like all Migrating Nations in the History of the World
Really want to visit one day. I have recently done a series of videos of the soldiers and defences: ru-vid.com/group/PLO9oAAQbaewxiTpIqo_mcY5IHAvbztKNj
If you read German accounts it actually was a rather close run thing - Germans were close to insanity after 7 days of continuous bombardment and apparently it is not THAT easy to shoot 10,000-20,000 machine gun rounds - the machinery heats up immensely and there was no way to cool it - machine-gunners had terrible hand and face wounds from continuous firing and generally the BIGGEST unexpected luck for the Germans was that the English came in at a slow walking pace, allowing them the precious few extra SECONDS to crawl up from the dugouts and man the guns.
Amazing! My grandfather told me about her being on the docks when he left for Egypt. The thing is her son died in Italy and after she got the news she was back on the docks singing two days later after receiving the news.
Thank You so much for this video. I am busy researching our family history in South Africa. During the Boer War there were quite a few Norval's in the Concentration Camp in Bethulie that came from the Norval Family Farm in Wepener. My Paternal Grandfather Abraham Joseph Norval was born in Wepener in 1910. The Norvalspont video is also appreciated.
Thank you for this video. I have a couple of old photos of the memorial to Lt/Col Guinness and the men of the 84th Battery RFA. They belonged to my grandfather who was in the 84th and was at the battle, but survived. They must have been taken shortly after the memorial was put up in its original position on Gun Hill. I think the battle made a great impression on my grandfather: he must have been living very closely with all the men who were killed and must have had Guinness as a commanding officer, probably since he joined the RFA in 1898. His house (up until he died in 1961) was called 'Bakenlaagte'. When asked what it meant, he said it was an African word for 'homestead'. We never knew!
Thanks for this I visited back in 1985.Very little there back then apart for the Graves and Monuments and of course,what was possibly remains of the Chapel?
I am pretty sure it was Capt Majendie's father, Vivian, who did the work on the rifle safety. Col Vivian Majendie 'was appointed Captain Instructor of the Royal Laboratory, 1861 at the Royal Arsenal in Woolwich. In 1871, because of his exemplary work at the Royal Arsenal, Majendie was made the Chief Inspector of Explosives to Queen Victoria, a role he was to hold for the rest of his life.' Very nice to see Capt. Henry's grave, thanks for an interesting post!
