TOPIC:

Because of my father's great-uncle Charles' adventure at Isandlwana, the BBG was probably the first regiment I remember being mentioned in our house. The sentimental attachment continues!

Brett
Please enlighten us with the adventure of your GGU at Isandlwana
Regards
IL.

IL
As Moderator you will have to delete this 'off-topic' post after you have read it!

My paternal great-grandfather, Albert Elkington, was a founder member of the Natal Mounted Police in 1874 (No. 18). Perhaps fortunately for him (and his descendants) he left the NMP before the start of the Zulu War, and so escaped the fate of some members of the force at Isandlwana in 1879. Grandpa Albert came close to making another potentially fatal error by taking up the position of Gaoler at Msinga, which is across the Buffalo River not far from Rorke's Drift and Isandlwana. While there he met and married Annie Sarah Stretch, a tough Colonial woman who was still alive when I was born.

The Stretch family was settled in the Dundee district, and one of Annie's brothers, Charles Lennox Stetch, did his duty by enlisting in the Buffalo Border Guard prior to the start of the Zulu War. With the exception of their CO, who was away buying cattle to feed Chelmsford's army, 25 members of the BBG were with of the Colonial contingent that had crossed into Zululand and were at Isandlwana after the war began. Some escaped the battle by being on the patrol sent out to search for the Zulu army, but the rest, including Charles were there when the Zulus attacked. Being less disciplined than their Imperial counterparts, and with a better understanding of what would happen if the Zulus got the upper hand, Charles and some of the others took to their heels and left the field. Not all escaped, but Charles succeeded in crossing the Buffalo River back into Natal.

There was panic at Msinga, where Albert was made jobless when the prisoners in his care were released and the gaol was fortified. Since he was jobless and his wife was 9 months pregnant with their first child, they were given permission to flee to Ladysmith. Five days later, their child , a son, was born. This boy ended his life at the 3rd Battle of Ypres in 1917, where he died of wounds. One of their daughters married an English immigrant named Hendey, and here I am.

Regards
Brett

That's fascinating Brett. What lineage you have.

Brett
I fully agree with djb's comment! What a lineage. Just now I looked in Mike Snook's "How Can Man Die Better - the Secrets of Isandlwana Revealed" to refresh my memory re the BBG (if you don't have this book and would like copies of relevant parts, please PM me). Faced with what was happening on that day, who can say what they would do if they thought they had an option.
Best regards
IL.

Hello Brett,
I don't think in all these years you have ever made mention of "Grandpa Albert" to me, moreover, I do remember you telling me that you appeared to have ancestors related to wretched Attila and his equally awful and truly appalling sausage eating descendants?
Regards Frank