11th January

Subject: 11th January Sun Jan 12, 2014 9:42 am

Early in the morning on Saturday the 11th January the British Army illegally invaded the independent country of Zulu land.
Col Pearson of the Coastal Column commenced ferrying troops across the lower Tugela. Woods moved across the North Western Boundary and the Baron Von Thesinger/ Lord Chemsford accompanied the Central Column under the tituary command of Col Richard Glyn.
Although the reporter Norris Newman claimed the honor of being first man in Zulu land the claim wasn't strictly true. The Engineer under Lt McDowell, he was responsible for the pont construction, who swam across to anchor the cable rightly should lay claim to that honor.
These were the conditions that morning, dawn just breaking, the low ground mist clinging to the river and the Mzinyathi it full flow.

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The mounted men crossed lower down at the original Drift
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Camp was established around 500 metres above the river and the companies spent the day consolidating the position.

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Chelmsford crossed and almost immediately rode North with a mounted escort to make contact with Wood. Other mounted units combed the area capturing cattle and raiding local kraals, morality seems to have departed with the last touch of the Natal boundary.

Subject: Re: 11th January Sun Jan 12, 2014 12:27 pm

Springbok,

Just because his family were of Saxon origin did not mean the Thesigers were Baron Von Thesinger, I doubt they were von's of anywhere.

John Y.

Subject: Re: 11th January Sun Jan 12, 2014 3:35 pm

Often Von dered about that Salute

» First man in ZUluland 11th January
» First across the Buffalo River. The invasion begins. 11th January 1879
» We will Remember Them. 11th November 2011