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We have done nothing to strengthen our position here, which is very bad, we ought to occupy Impati and Talana Hills, which dominate Dundee.
Apparently, none of our authorities estimate the Boer at their proper value, what fools our War Office are!

Major Percival Scrope Marling VC.

.... and the Colonel (Moller) of Marling's Regiment (18th Hussars) went on to make one of the biggest blunders of the war in the concluding part of the Battle of Talana, proof again that British soldiers were "lions led by sheep".

Brett

Hello Brett,
I often wonder if things would have been differant if Major Marling had been in command that day, after all, Symons had decided to use the text book approach, silence the enemy guns, assault them with the bayonet and drive them onto the blades of his cavalry.
Moller did get the chance to destory the boer's escape route, after Major Knox had swept in and made contact with the boers tethered horses, he chose not to risk it, Knox made it back via Smith's Nek, but, Moller was driven back to far to the east of Impati and surrendered, I think at Adelaide Farm, was it not eight or nine miles out of Dundee?
But, I really think that the infantry had done all that was asked of them and they could do no more, they were, perhaps, let down by the cavalry and artillery.

Now then Brett, I must take issue on the subject of sheep, I have to tell you that some of these sheep, were, to me, as a child, real hero's and I really cannot refer to them as sheep, in particular the infantry subalterns who did their duty that day, men like Stirling and Hambro 1st KRRC, both led from the front and for Norman Hambro the price was high, wounded twice, he carried on to the summit of Talana, urging his men onward, until he was killed.
I am also unable to forget the courage of Lieut Col Gunning, his final words "Remember you are riflemen!" he had transferred to the old 60th Rifles in 1874.
Colonel Sherston lost his life too, I think he was Yule's brigade major and was he not a nephew of Lord Roberts? He was a member of Symons staff on the day in question.

Best Regards Frank

You are right, Frank. Generalisations are unfair and often wrong. Unfortunately, Colonel Moller was a 'sheep' and his ineptude on that day stands out amidst the heroism and success of other officers in the battle. The 'sheep' at Talana and elsewhere in the Natal Campaign were to be found amongst the most senior officers and their misjudgements cost the 'lions' dearly.

Regards
Brett

Brett,

I agree. What is striking about the accounts from the officers of the 18th Hussars who served with Moller is their complete incomprehension of his actions that day. Poor decision making and poor judgement evident on several occasions.

Regards
David

Hi Brett,
Yes, not exactly Moller's finest hour I agree! nor I would think what he had been expecting, but, his performance is overshadowed by men like Robert Gunning and it is those men that I remembered yesterday, over a large whisky!
Regards Frank