Military History Tours          On Tour - Boer War 112th Anniversary Tour to South Africa 6 June 2014

This morning the sky had cleared, no more snow clouds, just blue sky. Cold, our chalet roofs at the Gariep Dam resort were covered with frost.

Our first stop in Colesberg was the cemetery where many of the first Australians to die in battle are interred. The first New South Welshman, TSM Griffin of the Australian Horse, first NSW Lancer Corporal Kilpatrick, first Victorian Lieutenant Roberts, South Australian Lieutenant Powell, and others. We placed poppies and said the ode. We then moved on to Slingersfontein site of the camp that the patrol containing the first New South Welshmen to die in combat headed out from.

Back in Colesberg, we visited the Colesberg Museum with its pertinent collection of facts and militaria. Luncheon followed at a quality restaurant, then the journey to Bloemfontein.

At our hotel in Bloemfontein we were treated to an excellent presentation by a South African historian on the other side of the hill.

In the evening thanks to our hotel, we were privileged to be given a presentation by a prominent South African Boer War historian on the other side of the hill.

Tomorrow we visit the Bloemfontein Boer War sites.