PAST EVENTS
When our Chairman, SB, offered to give a talk on "Colonel Anthony Durnford", at our monthly meeting in April, he obviously had no intention of recountirrg in detail the Langalibalele RebellIon or the battle of Isandlwana normally associated with the name of "Durnford". The main object of the talk was to show what sort of a man Durnford was, and how circumstances often take a hand in shaping a man's career and destiny. Of course, the bushman's River Pass affair and the battle of Isandlwana were two cardinal events, which could not be left out altogether, because the one earned him much public rancour; the other cost him his life.
The Durnford family's association with Natal began when Midshipman Durnford had Point Durnford on the Zululand coast named after him in 1822, later followed by Port Durnford; and again when a Captain George Durnford in June 1842 led the Grenadier company from the 27th Foot from the Conch to relieve the small British garrison being besieged in the Fort at Port Natal. Then in 1871 our Captain Anthony William Durnford, R.E. arrived on the South African scene.
Before this point was reached, however, the story took us from Durnford's ancestral home in Ireland to his schooling in Germany, his training at the Royal Military Academy in Woolwich, commission, service at various homestations, to his first overseas posting to Trincomalee, Ceylon (Sri Lanka); his unfortunate marriage there; further postings to Malta and Gibraltar; growing domestic troubles, aggravated by his early gambling bouts; the tragic break-up of his marriage and a break-down of his health.
Then only came his posting to South Africa, where a degree of happiness, but a greater measure of tragedy lay in wait for him. The sincere friendship with the Colenso family and the gratitude of the hunted and oppressed Putini tribe, whom he helped, protected and uplifted, gave him comfort and happiness. The tragic circumstances of his friendship with Frances Colenso and unmerited blame and racially-inspired hatred shown him by the white community of Natal after the "rebellion", subjected him to hurt and sorrow.
Then came the Zulu War, and although he had been in formal command of the camp at Isandlwana for but one hour, it was found convenient at the time, to blame him for the defeat.
He was now dead and could not speak for himself; but Sir Henry Bulwer, Lieut-Governor of Natal, sketched a true picture of this man, when he said:- "Colonel Durnford was a soldier of soldiers, with all his heart in his profession; keen, active-minded, indefatigable, unsparing of himself, and utterly fearless, honourable, loyal, of great kindness and goodness of heart." I speak of him as I knew him, and as all those who knew him will speak of him."
The talk was illustrated by colour slides, some water-colour paintings of early Maritzburg and Fort Napier, being shown, by courtesy of the Killie Campbell Library, for the first time in public. Ken Gillings moved a well-deserved vote of thanks.
FUTURE EVENTS
Monthly Meeting
MAY 19TH Fellow-member MR. BRYAN COOKE, presently Head of Department, Architecture & building, Technikon Natal, will give a slide talk on "Some aspects of the German South West African Campaign 1914-1916". (N.B. This meeting will take place on the third Thursday in May).
June 4/5 THE FIELD TRIP wiII be in lieu of our normal monthly get-together.
The venue for the May meeting will be the Lecture Room, 'SE' Bourquin building, the Port Natal Administration board's head office, on the corner of Jan Smuts Highway and buro Crescent, Mayville, commencing at 8 p.m. Glasses and ice will be supplied so please bring your own canned or bottled refreshments. INTERESTED PERSONS ARE WELCOME TO COME ALONG.
ITINERARY - Field Trip over the weekend 4th/5th June.
Saturday, 4 June 1983:
10h30 RENDEZVOUS at Clouston Koppie of Remembrance on the main road between Chievely and Colenso: Inspection of monumen t s and gun positions followed by an introductory talk at 11h00. Thereafter proceed to "Ambleside" memorial site, Tugela Loop.
12h30 to 13h45 Picnic Lunch at the Colenso caravan park.
14h00 to 16h00 Explore Colenso Koppies line of defence.
16h00 Depart for hotels.
Sunday, 5 June 1983:
09h15 RENDEZVOUS on main road just north of Colenso, at T-junction with private road leading to Hart's Hill Quarries, Tugela Heights etc. Proceed to explore defence and battle line from Langverwacht spruit to Wynne's Hill, Green Hill, Pom-Pom bridge, site of Boer railway-sleeper bridge, Hart's Hill, Railway Hill to, possibly Pieters. Brief explanatory talks will be given at strategic points. Picnic lunch at a convenient site and time.
l5h00 Depart for home.
Please bring your own picnic lunches and refreshments and make your own hotel/caravan site/Spionkop Dam Resort bookings in good time. (Please note that the Crown Hotel's telephone number has been changed by the addition of an extra 2 digit and is now 0361-ccccc. )
WELCOME
A hearty welcome is extended to new members: Mrs. Belinda Gordon (Greytown Museum) and Prof. J. Meester.
(Mrs) Tania van der Watt,
Secretary, Durban Branch,
S.A. Military History Society,
Box 870, HILLCREST, 3650.
Tel. (031) vvvvvv