TOPIC:

Thank you all for your positive responses to the NVAC reports. The person who buys the copies of the local press reports on this subject will be the one to write up a publishable account of the unit. I have seen a partial list of what will be on offer, and it will all make interesting additions to what has already been recorded here.

The newspapers of Durban and Maritzburg have been an under-utilised resource in projects on the history of the Colony of Natal. For example, much of what I know about the Natal Troop in Rhodesia in 1896 came from local newspapers, and, as far as I know, this information was not published elsewhere. Unfortunately, the local newspapers are available only in archives, so finding relevant articles and copying them is a tedious business.

Regards
Brett

LOL,
I'm sure you don't feel the need to be a hermit, perhaps Adrian, Mike R and Brian think of you in rather different terms, I know that I do, more medal meeting's required I think!

Brett Hendey wrote:
Rory

Thank you for your kind words. I need to remind you that I am a hermit and public appearances never happen.

Regards
Brett

Brett,

I join the others in thanking you for a very informative and interesting post.

Somewhere (either in the I.L.N. or Black and White Budget) there is a very good drawing of Major Wright, Gordon Highlanders, facing off the Boers on the top of Spion Kop while trying to collect the wounded. Wright had fought on Majuba in the First Boer War (twice mentioned in despatches). He had been wounded at Elandslaagte.

As a small footnote to your article, the following were mentioned in Sir Redvers Buller's despatches:

Volunteer Ambulance Corps: Major H. Wright, Gordon Highlanders; Capt. Lord R. Manners, K.R.R.C.; Lieut. E. Baker, Manchester Regiment; Lieut. C. Findlay, 2nd Lieuts J. Stansfield and P. Stewart, Gordon Highlanders.

Indian Ambulance Corps: Mr Clarence, Superintendent; Mr Ghandi, Asst. Superintendent.

Best wishes,

Justin

Justin

Thank you for adding that very interesting information. I hope someone can find the pic of Major Wright on Spioenkop and post it here. It would be a great addition to my NVAC file! There must be stories behind all the Imperial officers seconded to the NVAC, so researching them would be a good project for anyone with easy access to their papers.

I suspect that the 'Lieut Stuart, Gordon Highlanders', referred to by the 'Natal Advertiser' as having been wounded at Venter's Spruit, might be the '2nd Lieut P Stewart, Gordon Highlanders', who was 'Mentioned' by Buller.

As a sensitive Colonial always looking for slights, I noted that only Imperial officers were 'Mentioned' by Buller. It seems that stretcher-bearers, in whatever war they served, included the most gallant of men, so it would have been good to see the names of a few NVAC 'other ranks' who had acquitted themselves well.

Regards
Brett

Brett,

Thanks. Yes, that is the right Stewart. He ended up as Lt Col P.D. Stewart DSO.

As I mentioned the drawing of Major Wright I felt duty bound to find it. Here it is, along with one other of the NVC and a photo of the NVIAC. All from 'The Sphere'.

Best wishes,

Justin

And here's the famous photo of the NVIAC. Gandhi seated second right.

Justin