Lieutenant O'Connell, 60th Rifles. 1880 Isandlwana map.

Posts : 185 Join date : 2017-07-21 Location : San Diego, CA

In the Parliamentary Papers, Lieutenant O'Connell of the 60th discusses his efforts in the 1880 burials. He refers to a very detailed map which shows the location of burials and cairns, especially along the fugitives' trail. Has anyone ever come across this map? It's listed as "map not included" in the Parliamentary Papers.

Posts : 3196 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

Hi WeekendWarrior

I know this does not answer your question, but thought a good article to be published on this thread.

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St. Neots Chronicle and Advertiser 28 August 1880

Posts : 185 Join date : 2017-07-21 Location : San Diego, CA

Great stuff! I have the full O'Connell report I'll upload when I get home. Some rather interesting revelations especially considering the lucky historians who are remapping the cairns.

Posts : 3196 Join date : 2009-03-03 Location : Devon

WeekendWarrior wrote:: I have the full O'Connell report I'll upload when I get home.

Look forward to this, thank you.

We have been searching for this map for quite some time. There is also a reference to a map in the Bromhead report that seems to be the Mainwaring map.
The comments in your newspaper report Andy about the two bodies at the spruit would suggest the position at the site of the re discovery of the cairns on the feeder to the manziyama that has just been cleared.

Posts : 185 Join date : 2017-07-21 Location : San Diego, CA

Here is the account in question. The inherent value should be quite obvious. Frank, if anyone had the map I thought it would have been you, sir!

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Hi Mike
As I said the Bromhead report maps are those prepared by Mainwaring and thats it Im afraid there is no O'Connell map around as far as Im aware. Its a pity it would have been great assistance in locating some of the 'lost' cairns, and there are quite a few.
An interesting point that should be explored is that years after the war Mainwaring re visited the battlefield and in conversation with a local official was astounded to hear that he, the official, had no knowledge of cairns down the track. Mainwaring mentions that there were 'many'.
Considering he had prepared a map specifically for Bromheads report showing cairns on the battlefield its amazing he didnt mark those down the track as well, its obvious from the above that he had knowledge of the graves.
The other strong source that has disapeared is the George Chadwick report which mapped the cairns and also contained photos.
The late Ken Gillings and I spent a lot of hours searching for that report. I lost track of it in the War Museum in Joburg.

Just a thought.