BETHUNE’S MOUNTED INFANTRY
| Where: SCHEEPERS NEK NEAR VRYHEID Date Unveiled: 13th MAY 2013 Unveiled By: ROBIN SMITH GPS: S27° 51.021 E30° 40.043 |
Assisted By: DAVID SCHOLTZ Construction: SOUTH AFRICAN GRANITE Interest: MILITARY HEROES Brief Reason: RESTITUTION OF A VANDALISED MEMORIAL |
Note: The construction of the memorial was organised by David Scholtz. This is his story:-
ON A VISIT TO THE SCHEEPERS NEK MEMORIAL NEAR VRYHEID, IT WAS CLEAR THAT THE MEMORIAL HAD BEEN VANDALISED, AND FROM THE OUTLINE REMAINING IN THE MEMORIAL IT COULD BE SEEN THAT A PLAQUE HAD BEEN REMOVED. A SEARCH BEGAN FOR THE DETAIL OF WHAT THE ORIGINAL PLAQUE LOOKED LIKE. AS LUCK WOULD HAVE IT, THE ORIGINAL PLAQUE, CAST IN BRONZE IN BIRMINGHAM U.K IN 1902, WAS FOUND IN THE WORKSHOP OF THE COMMOMWEALTH WAR GRAVES COMMISSION IN PRETORIA. THERE HAD BEEN AN ATTEMPT TO STEAL THE PLAQUE, SO IT HAD BEEN REMOVED FOR SAFE KEEPING. IT WAS DECIDED TO REPLICATE, AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE, THE ORIGINAL PLAQUE WITH ONE CONSTRUCTED FROM SOUTH AFRICAN GRANITE AND TO ERECT IT IN THE SAME POSITION AS WAS THE CASE WITH THE ORIGINAL ONE. PERMISSION WAS OBTAINED TO PLACE THE ORIGINAL PLAQUE IN THE CARE OF THE TALANA MUSEUM IN DUNDEE, KZN, WHERE IT NOW RESTS.
