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Elandslaagte 4 years 5 months ago #70650

  • Frank Kelley
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A lovely looking station I should imagine it would have been familiar in it's layout to your average Victorian rail user, a booking hall and waiting room, although, even from a distance, it's roof is noticeable.
Truly a little slice of England, on the veldt, down in the Colony of Natal, I like it very much.

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Conan Doyle sets the scene the battle at Elandslaage:

While the Glencoe force had struck furiously at the army of Lucas Meyer, and had afterwards by hard marching disengaged itself from the numerous dangers which threatened it, its comrades at Ladysmith had loyally co-operated in drawing off the attention of the enemy and keeping the line of retreat open.

On October 20th--the same day as the Battle of Talana Hill--the line was cut by the Boers at a point nearly midway between Dundee and Ladysmith. A small body of horsemen were the forerunners of a considerable commando, composed of Freestaters, Transvaalers, and Germans, who had advanced into Natal through Botha's Pass under the command of General Koch. They had with them the two Maxim-Nordenfelds which had been captured from the Jameson raiders, and were now destined to return once more to British hands. Colonel Schiel, the German artillerist, had charge of these guns.

On the evening of that day General French, with a strong reconnoitering party, including the Natal Carabineers, the 5th Lancers, and the 21st battery, had defined the enemy's position. Next morning (the 21st) he returned, but either the enemy had been reinforced during the night or he had underrated them the day before, for the force which he took with him was too weak for any serious attack. He had one battery of the Natal artillery, with their little seven-pounder popguns, five squadrons of the Imperial Horse, and, in the train which slowly accompanied his advance, half a battalion of the Manchester Regiment. ...

It was about eight o'clock on a bright summer morning that the small force came in contact with a few scattered Boer outposts, who retired, firing, before the advance of the Imperial Light Horse. As they fell back the green and white tents of the invaders came into view upon the russet-coloured hillside of Elandslaagte. Down at the red brick railway station the Boers could be seen swarming out of the buildings in which they had spent the night.






Boers at a second Elandslaagte station building

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Elandslaagte 4 years 5 months ago #70651

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I don't think I'd be too keen to "charge" across any of that!


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The ground behind the two hills over which the cavalry charge took place.

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Elandslaagte 2 years 5 months ago #84366

  • Neville_C
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A few photographs taken when I visited the battlefield in 1978.



Elandslaagte Railway Station




Building used as a Field Hospital by the Boers




British gun emplacements, with the Boer memorial in the distance




The Scott Chisholme Memorial




The Imperial Light Horse Memorial




Grave of 25 Burghers, which I believe has since been cleared, the remains being reinterred in the Platrand Monument, Ladysmith.

,,

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Elandslaagte 1 year 7 months ago #89667

  • Sturgy
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Latest photographs of the British Cemetery at Elandslaagte which is well kept and in good condition.











Speak my name so that I may live again
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Elandslaagte 1 year 7 months ago #89668

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Updated photographs:
At the base of the Hollanderkorp Memorial; also in good condition





Hollanderkorp Memorial





Looking back from the Hollanderkorp Memorial towards the other hill defended by the Boers
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Elandslaagte 1 year 7 months ago #89670

  • djb
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Sturgy,

Thank you for these recent pictures. It is great to see the site still in such good condition.
Dr David Biggins
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