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Research in Other Countries => South Africa => Topic started by: pampoen on Sunday 17 October 10 14:17 BST (UK)
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Hi I am trying to find out why a Lesley Alborough was buried at Howick military cemetery.I looked at John Dovey website Roll of Honour, only Alborough is AD who died of Enteric fever Intombi hospital in the Boer War.See Rosemary Dixon Smith dedication to Border Mounted Rifles.
Genealogical Society of SA Alborough, L - Gravestone. STARTING 19580602 ENDING 19780913
Howick Military Cemetery, Howick, KwaZulu-Natal. Lesley Alborough. Born 02-06-1958. Died 13-09-1978.
Any Ideas as to why he should be buried here if his name is not on the army roll of honour.I know there is a mental institution in Howick could he have died there and then been buried across the road?
Regards Derek
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Derek,
"Military Cemetery
Howick
This is opposite the Umgeni Institute on the Main Road. The institute served as a military hospital and as a concentration camp during The Anglo Boer War of 1899 to 1902. The cemetery holds 64 British graves and 84 Boer graves."
http://www.bookaplace.co.za/list.php?town=Howick
The Umgeni Institute is now the mental hospital that you mentioned.
Also try this site, they were ableto help one of the other RC'ers with a request she had.
www.southafricawargraves.org/
Cheers
Glenn
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Hi Glenn thanks for the info. What I was looking for is someone to go to the cemetery and take a picture of the grave. I will look at the southafricanwargraves however I think I already looked it the site and it only had ww2 and boer war graves!!!
To me it appears Lesley died on the border, he was born in 1958 same as me, if so why is his name not on John Dovey's Roll of Honour????The only other option is he died at the mental hospital!!!!!!!!!!
Cheers Derek
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The cemetery is about 10 k's up the road from me so I will get there sometime. After work it is usually misty in Hilton through to Howick but I will get there sometime. I still haven't got around to Boston cemetery for you yet.
Did you get the email from Anne about more of your relatives?
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Hi Glenn I did receive the message. Thanks for all your help.
Cheers Derek
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Hi Derek
I went back again and this time the gates were unlocked.
There are no actual graves. Across the road from the Umgeni Institute/hospital is a small soccer stadium and in one corner are 2 memorials. I didn't see an Alborough name on either of them. The one memorial is titled "List of British Soldiers buried at Howick Military Cemetry" and the other is (translated) "Names of people over the age of 15 who died during 1899 - 1902 in the Howick concentration camp" and lists 20 names, then the same for children under 15 and probably more than 100 names.
Maybe contact the Howick publicity board or the Umgeni hospital and find out where the actual graves are and I will go have a look.
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Hi Glenn thanks for all your trouble and effort. I had also contacted the war graves commission and this is what they sent me.
Hi There Derek,
We have no record of an Alborough buried at Howick. I was there about a year ago but could not find the Military Cemetery. I only found two monuments listing concentration camp casualties and names of those in the Military Cemetery. I spoke to the Howick Museum who informed me that the Howick Military Cemetery contained graves from the Anglo Boer war and concentration camp casualties. The remains were removed and reinterred at the monument in the 1960’s and the cemetery no longer exists. The monuments are in a Garden of Remembrance, which is situated in the grounds of a sports complex, just outside of town.
I am visiting the SANDF Archive in the next week or two and will check if this man has a file and what info is available, and let you know.
Regards
Terry Cawood
SA National Coordinator
It just seems strange Lesley Alborough is mentioned in the NAAIRS archives yet no memorial exists.In addition his name appears on my family tree records as the son of Veron Alborough.
Have a merry Xmas
Regards Derek
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No problem,
Happy Christmas to you and your family too.
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Appears Leslie Alborough was a female and therefore would not be buried in a military cemetery.
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;D ;D ;D ;D
Jou pampoen.
;D
A military nurse maybe?
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Hi Glen I only found out it was a female when I met up with a distant cousin living in Hayfields in December when I went over to SA on a visit.
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Hayfields was a big military camp, including a hospital I think, during the Boer War.
Now that you mention it, I think LeslEY is a girls name and LeslIE a boys name. Hindsight always makes it easier.