TOPIC:

The distinctive feathers used as an adornment by the SALH are the tails of the Long-tailed Widowbird (common name 'sakabula'). This bird was once common in the grasslands of South Africa, but is now less so because of loss of habitat. The SALH were also unhelpful as conservators of the bird.

Brett

You can certainly send me some if you wish, at the risk of riding roughshod over CITES!

Only joking, forgive my warped and very selfish sense of humour, Mr Secretary General, if you are reading this, whilst those feathers would be a very nice addition to any SALH collection, they DO actually belong on the bird itself!

I think perhaps the Zulu nation throughout their history were a little unhelpful too when it comes to this particular bird!

Brett Hendey wrote: The distinctive feathers used as an adornment by the SALH are the tails of the Long-tailed Widowbird (common name 'sakabula'). This bird was once common in the grasslands of South Africa, but is now less so because of loss of habitat. The SALH were also unhelpful as conservators of the bird.

Brett

On my trip to SA in October for the Talana conference there was a male Long-tailed Widow Bird that I saw displaying regularly on my "commute" from the guest house to Talana Museum - an ABW and an ornithological tick for me.

Gentlemen
Getting back to the pic in the first post: I do agree about the particular feathers denoting SALH. I took it just a little further; my medal roll of the SALH now being much easier to access due to my pal Wilkins putting it onto a thumb-drive thing .
I am very inclined to date the pic as quite early in ABW; simply because the sling arrangements and nosecaps shown on the rifles indicate they are .303" Martini (Metford or Enfield). As well I can see the characteristic Martini action profile on a couple of the rifles.

There is a Lt. Tucker on my SALH roll
I found no SSM Lilly on my SALH roll (he could have been on attachment
from another unit)
There is a Pte Welchman on my SALH roll (my roll dated 1901 so he could
have been later promoted to Sjt).
I found no Cpl. McSorley on my SALH roll
There is a Cpl. Rusch on my SALH roll
There is a Clarkson on my SALH roll - but as SSM
I found no Himmelfuch on my SALH roll
There are an Invergo and an Inkster on my SALH roll
There are x2 Jacksons on my SALH roll
There is a Maclerath and an AH Maclerath on my SALH roll
There is a Peacock, x4 Robinsons, a Selanders, a Tanner and a Ward on my
SALH roll
I found no Sture on my SALH roll.

With the usual disclaimers (IL misreading/"covered" entries/etc), the pic has to be of SALH. The bandoliers shown worn in the pic are also of rather unusual type; not the standard MI type.
Nice to see pics of such men. Unfortunately, my two chaps were not in the pic!
IL.

Frank

Since I am already on the hunt for Zulu relics for my 'British' son, I will now also look out for a sakabula headdress for you.

IL

I was interested to see a 'Sclanders' named in the photograph. There was, and may still be a Sclanders family living in the Estcourt district of Natal. Two of them served with the Natal Carbineers during the Boer War. One of them, Trooper D G Sclanders, was awarded the Silver Medal of the Royal Humane Society for his involvement in the rescue of men of the 13th Hussars, who were washed downstream from Trichardt's Drift while crossing the Tugela River. I wonder if the SALH man belonged to the same family?

Attached below is a photo I have shown elsewhere on this forum. It shows 'Grandpa French' in SALH uniform during the Boer War. Using the recent excellent post on 'British Magazine Rifles of the Boer War' by Terry Willson, I tried to identify the rifle 'Grandpa' was carrying, but one needs to be an expert to differentiate them.




Regards
Brett