Brett Hendey

Captain Albert The Scott and Winnie display boards are exceptional and you must be very proud of them. I have always wanted a US Korean War group and, if I could find something half as good as your displays, I would be VERY, VERY happy. Regards Brett

My distant relative certainly left no written records, although he did later apply to the Natal Government for a pension on the grounds that he was an Insandlwana survivor. His application was refused on the grounds that he had a drinking problem and was likely to spend such a pension on booze rather than subsistence. I suspect that his addiction led to the exchange of his Zulu War medal for money, thus ultimately depriving me of a family treasure that would have been the star in my medal collection. There are many personal accounts written by men of their experiences before, during and after those fateful days in the Zulu War. They are to be found in libraries and archives, with some published in contemporary newspapers and journals. The Zulu War is a favourite topic for authors, who have made extensive references to the records of the participants of this war. Some of the books are soundly researched, while others are re-interpretations of earlier works. A good example of one of the primary sources is "Reminiscences of the Zulu War" by John Maxwell (University of Cape Town Libraries, 1979). Recently, "Anglo-Zulu War Diaries: Trooper Fred Symons, Natal Carbineers" by Mark Coglan was published (available at the Talana Museum in Dundee). Unfortunately, the book has more of Coglan's comments than Symons' original writings. The current popularity of research into family histories is bringing to light participants and events of the Zulu War that might otherwise have been lost forever. One such study has revealed the story of a Natal Mounted Policeman who was in the detachment that reached the camp at the end of the day the Isandlwana battle took place. These men spent the night camped amongst the bodies of their dead comrades, an experience that so unsettled this Policeman that he left the force, returned to England and spent the rest of his long life in a mental asylum. We can look forward to the day when the family researcher publishes the full account of this tragic story. Regards Brett

Mervyn Stretch's medal is 'missing'. I have been looking out for it ever since I started collecting medals, but there has been no sign it still exists. I was excited by your posting of Smith's medal because the BBG was such a small unit and the two men must have known each other well. Regards Brett

Mervyn A great medal! A brother of my paternal grandmother (Trooper Charles Lennox Stretch) served in the Buffalo Border Guard and was an Isandlwana survivor, so I have long been interested in this unit. Regards Brett

The accompanying photograph is from a book on the Siege of Ladysmith. The caption reads: Major Henderson and scouts, who as guides, led the Gun Hill expedition on the night of December 8, when one "Long Tom" and one 4.7 gun were destroyed, and one Maxim captured. The long cleaning rod was that used by the Boer gunners. Major D Henderson was the Officer Commanding the Natal Guides during the Boer War. The group in this photograph was besieged in Ladysmith, but other Guides took part in the relief operations. Brett

Mervyn Many thanks for your helpful reply. Regards Brett

In another inappropriate thread, the matter of a Zulu battle-axe in my collection was mentioned. Mervyn expressed interest, so I am repeating relevant information here, together with photographs of the axe. The axe and a heap of other weapons were confiscated by police after a faction fight in the Tugela River valley in about 1950. I liberated the axe and an assegai from the pile of confiscated weapons. There were probably other souvenirs taken, but most of the weapons were subsequently destroyed. The axe head is no longer in its original handle and has been fixed to a stout stick 86 cm long. The second photograph shows the ingenious method used to hold the axe head tightly in position. The work was clearly done by a Zulu blacksmith 'in the field' and not in a sophisticated workshop. While this axe may not appeal to the purist collector, it does have the advantage of being an effective weapon that was carried, and perhaps used, in anger in a fight between two groups of Zulus. Such faction fights still occur, but the weapons used are likely to be modern automatic rifles. I was told that the once common AK47 is now less favoured because ammunition has become difficult to acquire. Instead, the weapons used by the South Africa Police and South African Defence Force are preferred, because both guns and ammunition are easier to come by. Brett

Mike That is a great display. It shows the value of collecting more than just a medal. I hope that you will show us more of this kind in the future. Regards Brett

Demir The Q's and A's 3 and 4 contained information new to me and I found it interesting. Thank you for posting. Regards Brett

Demir This is another very interesting and valuable record of the Turkish involvement in the Korean War. Thank you for the posting. Regards Brett

Demir Thank you for a great posting. Regards Brett

Hi Will It looks like a silver leaf from a silverleaf tree (Leucodendron argenteum), an endangered protea from the Western Cape, that someone has decorated with a personal menorial. Regards Brett

Marc I was very interested to read of your Sgt Locke project. You probably have all the information that I have to hand, but I will repeat it anyway: N Locke enlisted in the Natal Mounted Police on 24/3/1892. (The NMP became the Natal Police in 1894 when Natal became a self-governing Colony. Locke would therefore have worn both NMP and NP badges during his service.) The NMP/NP Enlistment Register (& other NMP/NP documents) are kept in the Pietermaritzburg Repository of the South African National Archives. Locke's entry is likely to give only his next-of-kin and address, which you probably have anyway. If you want a copy of the relevant page, please let me know. I will check for other mentions of Locke in the Pietermaritzburg files but, in general, records of individuals in the NMP/NP are poor. Holt's account of the Mahlabatini incident is copied virtually verbatim from Inspector (later Chief Commissioner) W J Clarke's record of the event, which was published in the NP magazine, 'The Nongqai'. (It seems to me that Holt shamelessly plagiarised Clarke's records of the NMP/NP to produce his book.) It may be worth having a copy of Clarke's account in order to check that Holt included all Clarke's details of the event. I can make a photocopy for you. I know someone who has been recording military graves in Natal and I will ask about that of Locke. Such graves are often neglected and sometimes vandalised and, since Locke's is in a remote part of Zululand, it may not be in good shape. Good luck with your project. Regards Brett

In my part of the world three-sovereign groups are common because of three conflicts in which many local men were involved: Anglo-Boer War (1899-1902) - Queen Victoria/King Edward VII Natal Rebellion (1906) - King Edward VII World War I, especially German South West Africa & German East Africa (1914-18) - King George V One such medal group is shown below. Brett

William Many thanks for your suggestion. I agree. Since there were no other responses to my enquiry, the would-be purchaser of the item returned it to the would-be seller. Regards Brett

Marc I would be interested to know the name of the NP Boer War casualty. Perhaps I can help in researching him. Regards Brett

Robert Congratulations! It looks to be a great addition to any collection of uniforms. Do you have details of Sanderson's service record? Regards Brett

Kpl Johannes Jacobus Loggenberg is listed as having served with the General Beyers Commando in the ABO medal roll. According to another source, Gen Beyers began his service as an Assistant Field Cornet in the Boksburg Commando. After the fall of Pretoria he was promoted to Assistant Commandant-General of the Waterberg and Zoutpansberg Commandos and he spent the rest of the war fighting the British in the northern Transvaal. Brett PS I forgot to mention that Boksburg etc are in the Transvaal, so Loggenberg wore the medal with the Transvaal (ZAR) arms facing forward, i.e. the side with the lion top left and waggon below.

After a VERY long delay, the following book will be on sale from 15 July 2010: Official History of the South African Naval Forces during the Second World War (1939 - 1945) by Cdr H R Gordon-Cumming Published by The South African Naval Heritage Trust. The book costs SA Rand 250 (about 20 gbp) + R30 postage in South Africa (more overseas), and can be obtained from: The Naval Heritage Trust, P O Box 521, Simon's Town 7995. I suggest that people overseas who want to purchase this book contact RAdm Chris Bennett of the NHT (wiggyben@gmail.com) for postage costs and preferred method of payment. Brett

The horseman chasing the Boer is probably intended to represent an officer (clue: the sword) in the South African Light Horse (clue: the plume of long black feathers on the hat). The feathers came from the males of a small grassland bird, the long-tailed widow, which is known in Zulu as the "sakabula". Brett

Here is a set of Cape Mounted Police badges. Brett

Gordon Attached is a photograph of some of the Natal Mounted Police (1874 - 1894) and Natal Police (1894 - 1913) badges in my collection. Two that are missing are represented by photocopies. (The missing badges are recorded as collar badges but, in fact, were headgear badges.) I hope this helps you. Regards Brett

Mike Congratulations on a very comprehensive and attractive collection. I have got rid of most of my SAC material, but I have kept the five-clasp QSA that belonged to Superintendent W T S Mark, who was the SAC's Chief Armourer. Regards Brett

A friend, who is a collector of German militaria, has acquired the pair of unidentified shoulder straps shown below. The stamp on the underside may read "2nd Panzer Ersatz Div", or something similar. They are unlike any shoulder straps he has seen previously. Can anyone identify them? One possibility is that they are not German at all. The straps surfaced in South Africa and South African troops in World War II wore orange shoulder straps, although the only ones I have seen were made of felt. If they are indeed South African, perhaps a captured stamp was used to embellish an otherwise plain part of uniform. Any suggestions would be welcome. Brett

Emmanuel Thank you for posting the picture of the Videsh Siva with bar Korea - a rare and valuable medal. Regards Brett