Page 57 - Rifles 2017 Issue No 3

The following day we ascended Table Mountain (by cable car), visited the beach and the famous Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and ew back to Durban. Lieutenant Colonel Francois Marais, Commanding Of cer Cape Town Ri es, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) Bryan Sterne and Major Steve Brimacombe were instrumental in the success of the visit and we look forward to availing of future oppor- tunities to build upon the strength of our bonds.
Following this adventurous week the group moved up to Ladysmith to ful l a number of ceremonial commitments. Before the arrival in Ladysmith we accepted the very generous hospitality of Brigadier Jim Parker OBE (late The Light Infantry) and Mrs Jeannie Parker who have settled in South Africa and hosted the group for a BBQ lunch. The Brigadier regaled the group with stories of his work in Northern Ireland and South Africa and in turn enjoyed the bugling of Ri eman Collings (I Company).
The arrival in Ladysmith saw the group stay at a large camp poignantly located at a ford on the Tugela
River under the shadows of Spioenkop, an area that saw some of the heaviest ghting during the campaign to break the Boer siege. We were joined in Ladysmith by the Regimental Secretary, Lieutenant Colonel (Retired) John Poole-Warren MBE and his wife Mrs Sue Poole-Warren, along with the crucial silver bugle to be presented to the Municipality upon receipt of the Freedom. We were also joined by Mr Jan Human and his wife Mrs Mariana Human who in his capacity as a director of the Ladysmith Siege Museum Memorial Trust had done so much to maintain the legacy of the Ladysmith campaign and was of such assistance to the travelling group before and throughout the trip.
The time in Ladysmith began with a day exploring the battle elds of the Anglo-Zulu War. The touring party rstly explored the battle eld of Isandlwana where a force of approximately 20,000 Zulus killed over 1,300 British soldiers who had crossed into Zululand. It was very pleasing to see the Ri emen and Junior Non-Commissioned Of cers in the group
THE BRIGADIER REGALED THE GROUP WITH STORIES OF HIS WORK IN NORTHERN IRELAND
AND SOUTH AFRICA
The view over the falls at Oribi Gorge. A 180 metre rope swing not for the faint-hearted!
Captain Simon Swindells and Lieutenant Colonel Francois Marais, Commanding Of cer Cape Town Ri es (Duke’s), exchanging gifts at the Of cers’ Mess, The Castle of Good Hope, Cape Town
The group at Isandlwana, scene of one of the greatest disasters in British military history
THE RIFLES
SECOND BATTALION 55