TOPIC:

The latest newsletter of the KZN Branch of the SA Military History Society includes the following announcement from a member of the Society, David Bennett:

"Thefts of military related items (e.g. Anglo-Boer War items) have been [reported] from six different museums since October this year. So far museums in Kimberley, Bloemfontein and the Karoo have been targeted."

Significantly, these thefts were from public displays. Thefts from collections in storage are usually much more difficult to detect, so this report may tell only part of the story.

Brett

Brett,

It's an absolute disgrace.

I was in Colenso the other day and decided to visit the old museum next to the Police Station. I remember there being many QSA's in the display cases but now only one !!

Someone has certainly pulled that museum to pieces. Very sad indeed.

Adrian

Did you have to go the Police Station for the key?

When I was last there they gave me the key and asked only that I return it once I was on my way out of town.

Regards

Rory

I was at the Fort Amiel Museum in Newcastle on Monday having a natter to the Curator.

Needless to say he is not very informed about medals and, when asked by me to see the Museum's "collection", showed me an unlocked disply case housing a late issue WWII group, a WWI trio to the EASC and a Bechuanaland clasp CGHGSM to a Pte Peachey of the Cape Police.

They had absolutely no Boer War medals to display!! Which is of course very sad and given the town's history and involvement in the war I would have expected at least a Newcastle Town Guard medal.

The chap mentioned, and I have seen this for myself, that the Vryheid Museum keep their ABO medals (a very nice collection including Cherry Emmett's) in a drawer out of sight. Only on request will they show you which quite defeats the object if you don't know that they are there..

Regards

Rory

Rory,

No. The key is now at the local Municipal Office a couple of hundred meters up the road on the right hand side.They never even asked me to sign for it and in that, me thinks, lies one of the answers!!

While I was there I also had anothor look at he original site where the R.A cannons once stood, the concrete structures with the brass plaques on top have also been tampered with!!

Regards
Adrian

Rory,

Can you remember if the CP medal to Peachey was to one Pte C.(Charles)Peach(e)y??

This name has crossed my path before when I was looking for his papers (which have survived).He is one of 3 men with the Surname Peachy/Peachey but he is the only one to have attested at the time that would have qualified him for the medal.

Regards
Adrian