TOPIC:

Several shown up for once

It looks like 'vice' to me, which would make sense in the context explained by Pete.

It would be appreciated if anyone could help me with this translation, or critique thereof, of this letter written in support of a Vorm B; my Afrikaans is very rusty but I think I have I have most of it.

Comments welcome....

Letter:



Translation:

"I return to you the new form as well as the first. I regret it but the declaration I had was neglected, but here at Schoonspruit where many people know me can declare that I was on St Helena.

I did not take part in close combat except at Paardeplaats with the breakthrough of the English from Zeerust. I was in the service of the lager from the age of 13 until my horse was shot and I was taken prisoner.

I can't send the form to Marico again to have it signed, if it's not good then you can just cancel my request. The first form was signed by the corporal under whom I served and a Burger who were all well known.

The Commandant as well as the V/K have passed away"

Sturgy, you pretty much nailed it. Two minor changes:

I did not take part in any notable/specific fight except...

I was in the service of the lager (on commando) from the age of 13 for almost a year when my horse was shot..

Any help with the words in square brackets would eb much appreciated.

The test is difficult to read because the paper used was very thin and there is a lot of the text from later pages shosing through. Plus it is an image taken from a microfilm which affects the lighting balance.

This is the image



This is what iI have so far:

[Friends] heard from Frost, a refugee arrived today from Transvaal that there was not much excitement about Marico. Very few men on road and gate. Keeley had from there described great excitement. Boer crowding in from outlying districts, mounted and armed, [this] corroborated in [content] by another traveller.

Although the first word certainly looks like friends, I think it is more probably a name. "Friend" is not a word often used by officers, unless in the context of "friend or foe" (which, of course, may be the case here).

This is how I read it:

A name? heard from Frost, a refugee arrived today from Transvaal, that there was not much excitement about Marico. Very few men on road and gate. Keeley also from there describes great excitement. Boers crowding in from outlying districts, mounted and armed (K[eeley] corroborated in evening by another traveller).