![]() Contact Artefacts | MenuHomeUpfront Now Up Books Towns Structures People Firms Lexicon | Battle of Draaibosch Memorial William Archibald [Archy] MacDONALD: Architect | ![]() | ||||||
|
Click to view map Coordinates: | The memorial is a rectangular cairn built of rounded local stones on a stepped plinth and with a triangular pediment. A bronze plaque, inscribed in English and Afrikaans was mounted on the north face of the memorial. A transcription of the English text of the plaque is provided below: "It was near here, during the First Battle of Draaibosch on 29th December, 1877, at the beginning of the Ninth [Frontier] War of 1877-78 that The memorial at Draaibosch was unveiled on 21st February 1957 by Cpl. Court's younger brother, Captain Oakley H. (Squash) Court, ex C.M.R., then aged ninety, who lived in East London and who passed quietly to his rest there on Sunday 28th July 1963, at the age of 95. Information and copies of reference texts provided by Carl Vernon of Bonza Bay, East London, September 2014. Ref: de Villiers, M. A. M. A Pot-Pourri of Komga History. Published Privately. 1989. pp 10 Komga Centenary Brochure: 1877 - 1977. History of Komga, 1977 pg 9. Newey, A. F. (Tod) Draaibosch. The Coelacanth - Journal of the Border Historical Society. Vol 12, No. 1. April 1974. pp 27 - 34. Submitted by William MARTINSON Bronze plaque and NMC badge have both been stolen. A replacement granite copy of the original plaque was vandalised. It was removed for safekeeping and is currently stored in the Bell Tower of St Paul's Anglican Church in Khomgha. (William MARTINSON 2014). __________________________________________ UNVEILING 24 SEPTEMBER 2022 In 1957 a memorial cairn was erected to acknowledge a deed of bravery performed by Major Hans Garrett Moore on 29 December 1877, during the war of 1877/1878 which won for him the Victoria Cross - the first to be won on South African soil.. The memorial was largely due to the determination of Tod Newey - who then owned Peninsular Farm in the nearby district. The memorial was designed by William Archibald, an architect employed by the PWD in Pretoria. The memorial commemorated an act of bravery by a soldier who had earned the greatest recognition possible at that time. As such it is an important tourist attraction, of interest to foreign and local tourists and of economic benefit to the Eastern Cape. The memorial does not seek to glamorise or justify the colonial wars of the time. The original bronze plaque was however stolen by metal thieves. The replacement granite plaque was then vandalised - almost certainly due to the inappropriate wording that had been repeated - and it was subsequently removed for safekeeping. The Border Historical Society decided in 2022 to act on a suggestion by Stephanie Victor of the Amathole Museum and work towards the installation of a replacement plaque. The memorial was measured up and documented and the proposed new wording and dimensions of the replacement plaque agreed after consultation with various interested parties. A quote was duly obtained from Crankshaw Marble and Granite for the manufacture and installation of the new plaque. A private individual generously agreed to cover the full cost of the supply and installation of the plaque, with the proviso that it was made as an anonymous donation. The cutting of the ribbon was scheduled for Heritage Day on 22 September 2022. William Martinson - Chairman of the Border Historical Society - opened the proceedings and provided a brief summary of the history of the memorial. The memorial was encircled with green satin ribbon which was to be cut by Salisa Gardner Kema, a retired schoolteacher living in Komgha, who in his time knew a great deal about the War of 1877-78. Mr Kema had been interviewed by Luvuyo Wotshela in 2001 when he was conceptualising his book 'Capricious Patronage'. Unfortunately, Mr Kema was not well on the day and the unveiling was ably carried out by Gray Ranger. The Ward Councillor from Draaibosch - Zola Tyali - also attended and spoke briefly. Various local farmers and interested parties from East London and Komgha were also in attendance . All were very enthusiastic about the event. Stephanie Victor brought along an interesting hand painted notice board from the Amathole Museum collection. This was presumably prepared by Captain Tod Newey in the 1950's and displayed - somewhere in the vicinity - prior to the memorial being erected. The board records some details of the engagements that occurred during the battle of Draaibosch. The wording for the new granite plaque is recorded below.
|
|