TOPIC:

My name is Vere Temple MacKenzie. I was born in Ixopo, Natal, and am now resident in Edinburgh, UK.
I have taken up family research for my forebears in Scotland, SA and elsewhere during these Covid times. One recent line of enquiry was to look into the life of my mother's uncle, Ben Martin. Somewhat more than 25 years ago my father handed me a folder of 173 loose A4 pages of what looks like a copy of a typed draft of an autobiography by Benjamin William Martin. I have now started probing any recollection within my family as to how my father came by these papers. Assuming that a digital copy did not exist I commenced just last week in scanning and digitising these 172 pages. Only today has it occurred that this job may already have been done! Lo and behold, I find part of my Grand Uncle Ben's autobiography resides here in this website. I'm wondering whether the whole book may have been published and, ideally, a complete digital copy is avaliable. The full title of his autobiography is "Old Soldiers Never Die - They Live on" and he identifies himself as: Liet-Colonel Benjamin William Martin - VD.

Can anyone assist?

Welcome Vere.

The Ladysmith Historical Society published the Boer War extract from his diary some years ago.

They may be able to say more about the full version of his autobiography.

Does anyone know the status of the Ladysmith Historical Society in KZN? I can find online a society of this name in British Colombia but not further south.

Hi, perhaps an odd suggestion, but contacting Pam McFadden from the Talana Museum in Dundee, Natal may help. The museum can be searched on the internet. Perhaps she will be able to provide some info / contacts

You could try contacting Pat Rundgren too: www.facebook.com/patrundgren/

Thank you to those responding to my forum entry. I would like you to know that Pamela McFadden responded very kindly and helpfully with these replies:

20 December 2021
The documents are stored in a private home. ...

14 December 2021
Attached are scans of the extract from the memoirs of Lt Col Benjamin William Martin V.D. 
Entitled "Old soldiers never die."
Attached cover of booklet in which it was published originally 1970 and last 1991.
I believe original from which it was copied is in storage but all documents not sorted.

6 Dec 2021
Have just had a reply from one of my contacts.
The "diary" was published in the Siege Diaries by the Ladysmith Historical society. I will get hold of a copy from our museum archives and send it to you.