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DateOriginal Topic
25th March 2005original drawing of the 24th at klipdrift 1876
By graham
hi there
i have in my pocession an ink drawing showing the 24th regt camped at klipdrift in 1876. it is inscribed in the bottom lefthand corner "camp of the gallant 24th at klipdrift 1876 ". written on the back in pencil "the camp of the 24th regt at klipdrift S.Africa by H.C.S Wright afterwards war corresponent to ill. lon. news. not long before they were all killed at lsandhlwana" any imformation would be greatly appreicated. is this a collectable item, nobody i have asked seems to know.
DateReplies
25th March 2005Martin Everett
Dear Graham,

If you believe you have a collectable item then there is great satisfaction in doing the research yourself. Have you found Kilpdrift on the map? Perhaps not.

Well, Kilpdrift is on the Modder River midway between the famous 2nd Anglo-Boer War battlefields of Modder River (28 Nov 1899) and Paardeberg (17-27 Feb 1900). Its 10 miles north of Jacobsdal and 20 miles South East of Kimberley. Members of the 1/24th were there in May/June 1875 NOT 1876.

Here are some notes:

6th May 1875
Captain EB Sawbridge, Lieutenants EW Curteis and JP Daly and 104 other ranks proceeded by rail to Wellington, en route to Griqualand West, on account of disorders in the Diamond Fields.

15th May 1875
A second detachment under the command of Colonel RT Glyn, with Major Henry Degacher, Captains HA Harrisson and William Degacher, Lieutenants F Carrington, JD Dickenson and ES Browne with 200 other ranks joined the first detachment. Included in this detachment were 40 other ranks that were to be employed as mounted infantry.

12th June 1875
The two detachments united at Hope Town, and on 19th June entered Griqualand West and marched to Kimberley. The ringleaders of the disaffected party were arrested. The troops resumed their march to Barkly, where they arrived on 2nd July and remained until 11th October. Mounted troop broken up and their horses sold.

11th October 1875
Detachment commenced return march by Hope Town, Colesburg and Craddock.

I do not have my reference books with me to tell you about HCS Wright - but I am sure someone else will give you the info.

26th March 2005graham
thankyou for your imformation martin, i wonder why the drawing is dated 1876? i have found some imformation about mr wright, mainly that he was working at the time of WW1 i will try and find out if he was in S.Africa in the 1870s, i would imagine he would of been a young man then.
26th March 2005Martin Everett
Hi Graham,

I should have mentioned that Klipdrift is in the Free State - not KwaZulu Natal.

I thought it rung a bell - and your comments about HCS Wright - caused me think again.

The 2/24th - or now 2nd Battalion South Wales Borderers - but still known as 'the 24th' - was at Klipdrift between 1630 hrs and 1900 hrs on 6 March 1900 - they were on march and two and half hour halt there.
1st April 2005rai england
I think the reporter was H.C.Sebbings-Wright, i have seen illustrations by him in the ILN, but much later, Ashanti 1896, Benin, and 2nd Boer War. He must have been very young in 1876.