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Cape Colony 10 years 9 months ago #12326

  • LinneyI
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Brett
Herbert Howell's diary refers to the action you refer to as 15th Feb as 16th Feb and comments as follows: "Left Bird's River at 3.00 AM to attack Dordrecht and co-operate with Gen. Brabant.Arrived 7.00AM. Boers driven from ridges west of town and fallen back on East ridge. Boers about 2,000 strong (nb, marginal note by diary editor says about 600) with one gun. Our force 2000 (nb diary editor says 1600) with six guns and four 2.5" guns and 2 maxims. Fight lasted two days. Our tactics were very feeble. Centre section with two guns got into a very tight hole but got out with one man severely wounded. Two horses killed and seven wounded. Boers cleared off with loss (nb editor notes British lost about 7 killed and eight wounded, Boers one killed and eight wounded) and took their gun with them which we ought to have captured. Splendid work by our guns. 15 pounders silenced Boer gun first shot. Brabants Horse dead off charging."
He later comments that Dordrecht occupied by our troops on 17th.

I sincerely trust you will run across that missing QSA!
Regards to all
IL.

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Cape Colony 10 years 9 months ago #12424

  • Brett Hendey
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IL

Thank you for that information. The researcher in Cape Town who copied some of Crallan's papers for me, also sent me copies of pages from a book which dealt with Crallan's fatal engagement. As I remember it, there was no record of the author, title and publisher of the book, but I suspected General Brabant might have been the author. I will check and post again later.

Regards
Brett

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Cape Colony 10 years 9 months ago #12426

  • Frank Kelley
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Hello Brett,
I agree with David, it would make for a superb pair if it were ever to be found.
Moreover, I do hope that it will turn up one day.
Regards Frank

djb wrote: Brett,

It is such a shame that these became separated and I hope one day you are able to locate his QSA.

Best wishes
David

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Cape Colony 10 years 9 months ago #12432

  • Brett Hendey
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IL

I have checked and the pages I have of Crallan's fatal action are from the memoirs of Major-General Sir Edward Brabant. The researcher who provided them is no longer able to communicate, while a quick google search did not reveal the publishing details. Perhaps there is a forum member who knows the book?

Frank

I have never had a 're-unite', although I have many broken groups in my collection. Crallan's missing QSA obsessed me for a long time, but I have now given up hope of finding it. The nearest I came was the QSA of a Trooper in Crallan's squadron, who died with him at Bird's River on that fateful day. It was sold at a UK auction several years ago.

Regards
Brett

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Cape Colony 10 years 9 months ago #12433

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Brett
I don't know the Brabant memoirs; all I have is the Howell diary. If you like I could send you the publishing details. I think it would be easier to get in SA or UniK than in OZ. However, in the rear of the Howell book is a reference to The Diary of General Brabant (typed ms) Accession number A.459 in the Cape Archives Depot, Cape Town.
Regards
IL.

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Cape Colony 10 years 9 months ago #12435

  • Brett Hendey
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IL

Thank you; I would like to add the Howell diary reference to the Crallan file.

The copied pages of Brabant's memoirs are clearly in published form. The covering letter includes the following:
".... enclosed are photocopied pages from Brabant's memoirs. The original manuscript has been captured on computer and the enclosed pages are the only ones that came up in a search for 'CRAL."

Perhaps the "original manuscript" is the item in the Cape Archives that you referred to.

Regards
Brett

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