Henry Rider-Haggard

in case some might enjoy!

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Henry Rider Haggard.
John Young Collection.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
The Pretoria Horse circa 1878/9.
John Young Collection.

Haggard served in the Pretoria Horse as a Lieutenant in 1878/9, the unit should have served alongside Weatherley's Border Lancers as part of the original No. 5 Column, but luckily for Haggard were retained in the Transvaal against any local disturbances.

Les,

I can't recall if I made it on to the credits of that one, I spent a day's filming on set for it as a consultant.

John Y.

[You must be registered and logged in to see this link.]

The man himeself

Hello JY, you are having a rich and varied life my friend.
surely you must be keeping up a journal or personal
diary's..it would be a real shame to let all those personal
experiences simply fade away! it seems that any ' erbert '
can simply put forward any old tosh on the most fascile
of subjects and hey presto their in print!.

Now of course i'm not suggesting a blockbusting blood
curdling ripping yarn like R-H, but i would bet you have a
couple of hundred pages in you,they say most people have,
( i am still yet to discover who ' they 'are ).

I think in general the modern kids of today are still very
interested in derring do and the like, they just consume in
a different manner!, no torch under the bedclothes for
them, err, no torch! they have an app for that.
great pic of R-H, cheers.

Biggles Young, I can see it now, flying helmet goggles white scarf flowing in the wind.       

Like in the epic W .E. Johns' novel Biggles Flies Undone...

Les thanks for posting links. Would never have found them!   

Hiya Mr Greaves, your very welcome!

Haggards view on Sir Bartle Frere's Ultimatum!


"The war Haggard so eagerly anticipated loomed closer with the delivery of High Commissioner Sir Bartle Frere's Ultimatum to the Zulus on 11 December 1878. Haggard, writing his autobiography in 1912, is less bellicose than his youthful self. "I still think, perhaps erroneously that this ultimatum was a mistake, I incline to the view that it would have been wiser to remonstrate with the Zulus and trust to the doctrine of chances, for this reason: neither Cetewayo nor his people wished to fight the English; had Cetewayo wished it he could have swept Natal from end to end after our defeat at Isandhlwana. But what I heard he said at the time was to this effect: `The English are attacking me in my country, and I will defend myself in my country. I will not send my impis to kill them in Natal, because I and those who went before me have always been good friends with the English.' So it came about that he forbade his generals to cross the boundary of Natal.

"Whichever view may be right, the fact remains that the ultimatum was issued and from that moment war was inevitable. Our generals and soldiers entered on it with the lightest of hearts; notwithstanding the difficulties and scarcity of transport they took them with them their cricketing outfit into Zululand. This I know, since I was commissioned to bring home a wicket that was found on the field of Isandhlwana, and return it to the headquarters of a regiment to which it belonged, to be kept as a relic."

Ulundi
It was well known that Cetewayo had no ambition to invade Natal , although , several in the seats of power in Natal thought differently ! . It would have been a logistical nightmare for the zulu army , as they had no real concept of logistical support whatsoever. In many of Cetewayo's statements there seems to be the same mantra , do not cross the river ! . He was wishing to be portrayed as the victim , and not the aggressor . Yes , it's also well known that the British thought it would be a walk in the park , hence the disaster at Isandlwana , when the Commander in Chief doesnt think its necessary to make rudimentary precautions , ( a minority thought differently ! ) how could they have thought otherwise ? . Although , these precautions were strictly adhered to during the second invasion , which , as we all know is well documented ! .
90th

John Young wrote:

Like in the epic W .E. Johns' novel Biggles Flies Undone...

   Never heard that one before. Thanks for the laugh.   

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]
Morning Leader - Saturday 02 October 1897