17L | LOOKOUT POINT FROM CONVENT HILL Convent Hill now La Verna Hospital. This position in the hospital car park offers a splendid panoramic view of Ladysmith. The following features can be found on the “Hill”: ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH A…
18L |
19L | A fairly concealed position some way back along the flat crest of a hill 500 ft high, from which commanding altitude it could fire in any direction. Originally occupied by the Natal Naval Volunteers with an antiquated 7…
20L | This was the main Naval position: “A piece of high ground in the centre of the Northern line of defence, was the first position selected for the Naval 12 pounders: The lines of defence encircling Ladysmith were extensive,…
21L | “At the Commissariat Godown, an Indian “Coolie” armed with a large umbrella constituted himself the special watcher for Umbulwana “Tom” and his shrill cry of “Lang Taam” became very familiar to the fatigue parties at Fly Kraal. When…
22L | Johannes Hendrick De Lange was a well-known figure in Natal, having been an early Voortrekker scout into Natal and a member of the commando which defeated the Zulu’s at the Battle of Blood River on 16 December 1838….
23L | Lt Egerton was the first person to die in the Siege of Ladysmith. He was mortally wounded on the 2nd November 1899. “Darkest of many dark days for the Naval Brigade was Thursday 2nd November, in the first…
24L | Erected in memory of the men of the Battalion who died during the Siege of Ladysmith.
25L | “A long ridge where the rifle fire hardly ever ceased. Held by 3 Companies of the Kings Royal Rifles and the 5th Dragoons dismounted, it looks over the long valley of Bell’s Spruit. Close in front is one…
26L | Major Charles Edmund Taunton, Natal Carabiniers, was killed in action on Nov. 3rd, 1899, in a reconnaissance from Ladysmith along the Colenso road. The enemy was in considerable force and the officer in command, finding their numbers increasing,…
27L | “A fenced Cemetery with three graves each with steel crosses. Two soldiers Pte’s Dowsett and Andrews of the 5th Lancers who died during the siege and another of a Mr. TW Corfield curator of Military graves died 1910….
Statue of Gandhi at the Sanathan Dharm Sabha Temple While Ladysmith was under siege, Gandhi (Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi, 1869-1948) was a stretcher bearer with Gen Buller’s relief force. He trained in Durban under Dr Booth. As a young advocate Gandhi…
29L | “The Royal”, built circa 1878 before the Anglo-Zulu War, and a request for a liquor licence was made in 1886 by Mr Hamilton the proprietor. Ladysmith hosted many wagon riders on their way north to the diamond mines…
30L | “A section of the old walls can be seen where it has been incorporated into the current South Africa Police Services buildings. The fort was built to defend the town from possible Zulu attack prior to the Anglo…
31L | At daybreak on Monday 30th October 1899 Col. Carelton’s column, supposedly on their way to Nicholson’s Nek, found themselves on top of this hill where they were cut off and surrounded by Boer forces and after a fire…
