No . 135 The Trusty Servant
Wednesday afternoon , with the party reunited , involved the muchanticipated trip to the site of the famous Battle of Rorke ’ s Drift . Here , another emotive account was given by the third exceptional guide , Bryan Mcube , of discipline , steadfastness and raw courage in the face of overwhelming odds ( 139 British soldiers facing 4,000 Zulu warriors ). This , again , provided us with a thought-provoking insight , made more real by Mcube ’ s telling of personal anecdotes , naming individuals , tales of heroism and tragedy - so much more credible ( and incredible ) than the film .
Thursday - time to leave Fugitives , but not before a walk in the morning to the Melvill and Coghill Memorial , close to where the two men fell . A stirring and descriptive account was given of their heroic efforts to save the Queen ’ s Colour , made all the more real by the fearsome landscape above the Buffalo River that the site overlooked . Both men were among the first recipients of a posthumous Victoria Cross , not actually awarded until 1907 .
The party then set off , two hours west , for Three Tree Hill Lodge for the second part of the week , stopping en route in Dundee , at the Talana Cemetery and Museum . The visit started with Hugh Oliver-Bellasis paying tribute to Lieutenants R . C . Barnett ( G , 89-94 ) and J . Taylor ( E , 87-92 ), both of whom were killed in action at the Battle of Talana Hill , a wreath being laid at their memorial . After a picnic lunch and a quick tour of the museum , the party continued to its final destination .
‘ Three Trees ’, owned and run by superb hosts , Cheryl and Simon Blackburn , is situated in the foothills of the Kwazulu Natal Drakensberg range , overlooking the Spioenkop Game Reserve . On Thursday night , the party enjoyed drinks and a delicious dinner , either side of another inspired talk about the Boer War by the inimitable Ron Gold .
Friday was a rest day , with various recreational activities on offer , ranging from game and bird walks , riding , visiting a local Zulu village , cycling and swimming , to just relaxing and reading . Small clusters would gather in the library - the only spot to have a reliable wi-fi signal ! In the evening , Ron outlined to a full house the programme for the next day .
Ron Gold describes the capture of Winston Churchill on 15 th November 1899 .
Saturday was a big day . Ron , once again , captivated everyone throughout , whether he was explaining the events at Frere where Winston Churchill was captured by the Boers , describing the gun emplacements at Colenso or graphically illustrating the disastrous outcome of the Battle of Spioenkop . Tributes were paid by Charles Holloway to 19 year-old 2 nd Lieutenant J . C . Parr ( I , 93-95 ), who was killed in action at Tugela Heights , and by Nigel Maclean to 41 year-old Major S . P . Strong ( D , 71-75 ) and Lieutenant A . P . C . H . Wade ( C , 84-87 ), who were killed at Spioenkop . Wreaths were laid at their memorials . Back home , a very welcome sundowner had been arranged in a spot looking towards the backdrop of the Drakensberg Mountains .
In the evening Warden Stagg gallantly offered to subject himself to an ‘ Any Questions ’ session before dinner , chaired by the group ’ s answer to Laura Kuenssberg - David Fellowes ( I , 63-67 ). Questions ranged from the threat of a Labour Government to the progress of the new Sports Hall , amongst others . The Warden gave a very good account of himself , answering the questions directly and confirming that running a private school in the current climate is about as difficult as it comes !
Sunday was another rest day , with the same pursuits on offer , plus the opportunity to go trekking in the Drakensberg or on a game drive at the Nambiti Game Reserve , where a pride of nine lions was the highlight .
On Monday , everyone went their separate ways after what had been a most interesting , affable and memorable week , which had been most successful and beautifully organised by David Fellowes , in spite of two Covid postponements .
Foot safari , Three Tree Hill-style .
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