...."Mr Thomas Hogg, manufacturer [of Selkirk], has just had returned to him a letter which illustrates in a remarkable way the wanderings of some of the British troops in South Africa. On January 17th, 1900, Mr Hogg sent off a letter to his brother, addressed as follows:—"Trooper Andrew Hogg, Regiment No. 689, c/o Captain M'Lean, K.M.I., Cape Colony. On Active Service." From the post-marks it is evident that the letter reached De Aar on February 15th. Nothing more appears to have been made of it till September, in which month it has been at Rosebank, Kimberley, Mafeking, and another place which is undecipherable. On October 8th it was at the Army Base Post Office, and this is the last post-mark on it. From writing on the envelope, however, it appears also to have been at Ottoshoop and Bloemfontein, and to have been sent to the depot of the Reserve Squadron. It bears—"Returned from Addressee's Unit, Undeliverable," "Not known in K.M.C.," and last of all, the official London stamp—"Undelivered for reason stated. Returned from R.L.O., London." The returned letter reached Mr Hogg on Friday last—more than a twelvemonth from the time it was sent away."
The Southern Reporter, Thursday 7th February 1901
