Colonel Mansel's memories of iSandlwana

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Bournemouth Guardian - Saturday 29 November 1913

Posts : 128 Join date : 2022-02-21

Thanks for that, interesting insight, imagine bumping into him after his retirement in a pub and having a chat over a pint or three.

Posts : 3460 Join date : 2021-01-04

Hi Tig
Hypothetically, bearing in mind how inaccurate some of the survivors accounts appear to be after we have pulled them apart, what would happen if you did sit down in a pub supping a beer with an iSandlwana or Rorke's Drift survivor and listen to their story.
Would you have the bottle to tell them they were wrong?
I'm sure if you did, you would be met by a withering, angry stare followed by a Vietnam response of
"How the hell do you know, you weren't there man"
Just a little thought.
Kate

Posts : 128 Join date : 2022-02-21

Hi Kate, a lot of the answer depends upon whether it was one pint or three and whether or not we got on the Whisky course.

There are times to speak and others to listen. I think, no hope, at least until pint four I would be listening. Judging by Mansel's experiences I think Isandlwana would only be a part of the experiences he could recount.

It is one thing to challenge accounts in the dry pages of history another to listen to an account from the horses mouth true or embellished and nay say them. To "you were not there", there is no answer.

Posts : 3460 Join date : 2021-01-04

Completely agree Tig Salute

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