TOPIC:

Hello Elmarie,
Are the exact circumstances of Cooksey's burial actually known, I merely assumed he had not been buried by his regiment, simply because of the munitions, yes, the material is likely to be cotton, from his khaki Drill uniform, although, rank and file were often buried after simply being wrapped in their own particular blanket, which always had to be paid for, the monies for this were normally deducted, before a mans account was settled.
So to be quite clear, there were two full crates, presumably containing a considerable number of packets of expanding ammunition actually in his grave?
Regards Frank

Elmarie wrote: This is what Dr Ron Bester told me:

The ground was hard limestone. Under the body, there was a hole / cavity in which the bullets are found. The bullets had hollow points (called Dum-Dum) and are prohibited by both the Boers and British to be used in warfare. It might well be the reason why this grave was not exposed and then after all these years after a farm worker discovered it, they reburied him.

Dr Bester said that the Mc Gregor Museum in Kimberley had all the info on Cpl Cooksey.

See attached another photo of Fibre (maybe his uniform?)

Hello Justin,
Reading about poor Cooksey here reminds me of a comment made by Captain Thomas Lloyd of the 2nd Coldstream Guards, after the affair at the wretched Modder on the 28th of November 1899, he famously said "Another frontal attack, todays attack was nearly a defeat, the next probably will be"
Another anniversary of that awful week that preceded Magersfontein is approaching, do the Grenadier Guards mark the anniversary in any particular special way?
Regards Frank

JustinLDavies wrote: Thanks Elmarie. Do you have a contact point at the McGregor museum you can give me?. I am thinking about writing an article on Cpl Cooksey for The Grenadier Gazette, also including the memorial that Berenice found. All photos would be properly acknowledged etc.

Justin

Hi Justin

Anthropologist Fiona Barbour from the McGregor Museum in Kimberley has retired but you can contact David Morris:

Archaeology Department
Head of Department - David Morris
E-mail: [email protected]
Telephone: +27 (0) 53 839 2706
Fax: +27 (0) 53 842 1433

Regards
Elmarie