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Hi Ian,

It’s a pleasure; I will continue to look out for anything to do with the operations around Colesburg.

I’m about a 1/3rd of the way through your book and I’m thoroughly enjoying it; what I really like is the personal connection with the soldiers who went through those ordeals. I felt transported in time into their emotions as they stood there ready to face action for the first time. Having never been in battle I can only imagine what it must have been like for them and the personal accounts and raw emotions meant so much so thanks for that.

I have a number of family members who served as privates; one fought and survived Delville Wood, another in Gallipoli and an uncle who was killed in WW2 as a 19yo when his unmarked POW ship was accidentally sunk off the coast of North Africa.

That’s why I was so excited to pick up Montgomerys medals whose manuscript was transcribed, and whose book I bought, and an online version is available here:
thecasualobserver.co.za/j-montgomery-par...aining-10th-hussars/

Following the sinking of the Ismore he recounts his memories around Colesburg here:
thecasualobserver.co.za/j-r-montgomery-r...ng-battle-colesberg/

Half my family is Afrikaans so I’m also interested in the Boer side and the reason I enjoy brining their stories to life as well; I respect both sides equally. I will also let you know if I come across anything to do with the Boers as well.

Thanks again.

Regards,
Shaun

Hi Shaun,

Thank you very much.

I'm really pleased to hear that you are enjoying the book. I consider myself very lucky to have found so many first-hand accounts to include in the story. My own Great Grandfather's words are in there plus some from the museum collection and many supplied by descendants of the soldiers themselves. Over the years of research I made an appeal on BBC Radio Wiltshire and travelled around Wiltshire gathering information and many people also supplied information directly to me. I always thought that the first-hand accounts brought the story to life and now I feel that the finished book is so much more than simply a collection of archive material of facts, statistics and official records. So to hear that you have felt transported in time shows me that I got this right, as I always wanted to transport the reader to the battlefields.

It sounds like there are similarities in our family histories. I have eight or nine family members who fought at the Somme and Cambrai.

I also purchased Montgomery's book and how interesting to hear that you have his medals. His story will be used in my next book.

We also seem to have similar thoughts about both sides in the Boer War. You will have read my comments about the words of De Wet in his "Three Years War". I love first-hand accounts and old photographs and like all of us here find the Boer War absolutely fascinating.

Thank you, I do intend to include information and first-hand accounts from the Boer side. I want the book to be well-balanced, so yes please do inform me of anything you come across regarding the Colesberg Operations. That also goes for any forum member, as any assistance will be very much appreciated.

Please do let me know your thoughts about the book when you have finished reading.

Kind regards

Ian