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Another view of the Colenso Railway Bridge ....




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Hi Neville,

Here is the same image as above with the caption that states that this bridge was destroyed on the 16th November 1899 and a period newspaper article that shows a similar date of the destruction of this bridge.





Trev

I believe the Boers blew up two bridges on this railway line in November 1899.

First the Frere Bridge over the Orange River see www.angloboerwar.com/forum/6-places/9092-frere which gives a date of 26th November 1899. However, from contemporary British newspaper reports I think this occurred on 16th November 1899. So in my humble opinion the Australian press (see previous comment) got more confused than the British press, whose reports on these matters are far from crystal clear..

Secondly the Colenso Bridge over the Tugela - from previous research I am reasonably confident that this was blown up during the late (dark) hours of 28th November 1899.

Apologies if I am in error.

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Dave F wrote: The road bridge was left intact if my memory serves me correctly.

This photograph shows that the road bridge was damaged. However, according to the caption, this was not the work of the Boers, but rather the result of a direct hit by a shell from one of Buller's heavy guns.




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Dave F wrote: The road bridge was left intact if my memory serves me correctly.

Ok....The road bridge was left intact by the Boers if my memory serves me correctly

But does anybody have any idea of the correct date the railway bridge was blown sky high??

Amery (Times History, vol. II, p. 318) states that the Railway Bridge was blown up by the Boers on 28 November 1899, corroborating Smethwick's earlier post.

"Having thus established the fact that the Boers were taking up a strong defensive position behind the Tugela, Dundonald returned to camp [on 28 Nov]. The Boers now blew up the railway bridge over the Tugela and prepared for the British attack".

Maurice (Official History, vol. I, p. 273) gives the same date.

"Boers escape over Tugela unscathed, Nov. 28th - .......The demolition that evening of the railway bridge was a proof that any lingering hope, which the Boers may up to that date have cherished of mastering southern Natal, was abandoned".

Thomas Pakenham 1979, p. 171, notes that Joubert laid dynamite under the bridge on 14 November "in case it would be needed in future".


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