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Desecration of the Armoured Train Memorial near Frere 10 years 8 months ago #13047

  • Brett Hendey
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In the latest newsletter of the KwaZulu-Natal Branch of the South African Military History Society, Ken Gillings reports on the desecration of the memorial near Frere that commemorates the armoured train incident that resulted in the capture of Winston Churchill. The photo below is of the memorial as it appeared before this latest incident in South Africa's prevalent cultural vandalism.





The cast iron railings that had been in place for 70 years have been torn up and sold as scrap metal.

Brett
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Desecration of the Armoured Train Memorial near Frere 10 years 8 months ago #13055

  • Frank Kelley
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Hello Brett,
Superb picture, but, very sad to hear that news, people just have no respect at all. :(
Frank

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Desecration of the Armoured Train Memorial near Frere 10 years 8 months ago #13062

  • QSAMIKE
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It seems that the New Government through neglect and indifference is trying to erase all signs of their colonial past.....

Mike
Life Member
Past-President Calgary
Military Historical Society
O.M.R.S. 1591

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Desecration of the Armoured Train Memorial near Frere 10 years 8 months ago #13066

  • iaindh
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Gentlemen,

I'm afraid anything gets stolen for scrap in SA, one weekend about 10 lamp posts were cut down along Pretoria road, Primrose.The wires were left lying in the road.

I don't think its an attack on the cultural past but definitely neglect through lack of policing.

I would agree though that the name change of a place so historically important as Ladysmith shows a complete lack of interest in our cultural heritage.

Iain

Brett Hendey wrote: In the latest newsletter of the KwaZulu-Natal Branch of the South African Military History Society, Ken Gillings reports on the desecration of the memorial near Frere that commemorates the armoured train incident that resulted in the capture of Winston Churchill. The photo below is of the memorial as it appeared before this latest incident in South Africa's prevalent cultural vandalism.





The cast iron railings that had been in place for 70 years have been torn up and sold as scrap metal.

Brett

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Desecration of the Armoured Train Memorial near Frere 10 years 8 months ago #13072

  • Brett Hendey
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One of the worst aspects of incidents like this is the feeling of utter helplessness and knowing that the perpetrators will not be caught and punished. Also, more such damage will be reported again soon.

Brett

PS Just in passing ....... The railway track in the background of the photograph is not the one in use during the Boer War. That one has long since been torn up, except for short sections here and there. Anyone wishing for "the good old days" can still take a steam train ride on the old line from my home town to another station further inland and see (more or less) what your ancestors saw between 1899 and 1902.

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Desecration of the Armoured Train Memorial near Frere 10 years 8 months ago #13077

  • djb
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Brett,

My great concern with this incident is that it is not isolated and that we will continue to read of more of these occurrences in the future.

Kind regards
David
Dr David Biggins

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