TOPIC:

A while back I read the web page of the Imperial Light Horse; it mentioned, (and also on Wikipedia,) that they took part in the action on Spioen Kop.
On contacting ILH and telling them that the ILH weren't there, they asked me how I accounted for the grave on Spioen Kop. I told them both Gibson and Harry Klein don't mention any involvement in fact Gibson actually states that he'll make no mention of Spioen Kop as the ILH weren't there.
They actually got upset with me.
I mentioned this to Robin Smith and he told me this story:
"Right on the summit of Spionkop you will see the metal cross of Major D.E. Doveton of the ILH who never went anywhere near Spionkop. Years ago the Dept of Works in Ladsmith was run by a man called Wally Hyde. He one day decided that the metal crosses in the area were in need of some tender loving care and he collected a whole lot of them. They went back to the DoW and were sandblasted and painted. Unfortunately, Wally forgot where some of them had come from. Maj Doveton is in fact buried in Ladysmith Borough Cemetery and that's where the metal cross should be. But it's on the summit of Spionkop, probably Wally thought that that was its rightful place. Doveton was wounded in the Wagon hill episode. He died some days later but his wife was given permission by Piet Joubert to come through the lines to visit her dying husband "

How a mistake can change history.!

regards, Iain

Ah... Wally Hyde... a few whiskies and my tongue will loosen... gather close... closer...

Elmarie, where is this memorial stone

thanks Iain

Iain, it is in Ladysmith Town Cemetery. There is also a road in Johannesburg named after him in Parktown.


Johannesburg-Parktown: Doveton Road. The road is named after Major David Edwin Doveton, manager of Village Main Reef Gold Mine, who served with the Imperial Light Horse Regiment. On 14 February 1900 Doveton died of wounds received at Wagon Hill during the Siege of Ladysmith.

Wagon Hill, Imperial Light Horse Memorial