TOPIC:

1899 - The battle of Talana. The first Australian Contingent sails
1900 - De Wet invests Barton at Frederikstad. French occupies Bethal
1901 - Three Boer laagers captured near Nylstroom


"The Infantry triumph" at Talana from The Graphic

David

Thank you for posting this series of anniversaries. I find them very interesting.

Regards
Brett

Brett Hendey wrote: David

Thank you for posting this series of anniversaries. I find them very interesting.

Regards
Brett

I'll echo Brett. Thanks, David.

Cheers,

Mark

Its all down to Brett's suggestion that gave me the idea in the first place.

I couldn't let Talana day pass without a few more pictures:

The wounding of Penn Symons:



In intact portion of wall from the Talana Hill:


The view back to Dundee from near the summit of Talana Hill:

One of the striking aspects of Talana is the uphill distance with very little cover that had to be covered by the advancing troops. Such advances spoke volumes about the discipline, courage and fortitude of the British soldiers in this battle and in others, both in this war and those before and after. The respect in which the British soldier is held is well deserved.

Because all my books etc have been packed away, I cannot now give details of an incident during the Tugela Heights battle. Basically what transpired during a truce was the amazement expressed by a Boer soldier to a British officer about the determined assaults carried out by the British soldiers against the entrenched Boers. The British officer responded that it was all in a days work for his men. This probably made no sense to a man who was likely to have been a farmer up until a few days earlier.

Brett