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A Writer of History

~ by M.K Tod

A Writer of History

Tag Archives: Durban Club 1915

Somewhere in Africa – 12th March 1918

29 Monday Oct 2018

Posted by M.K. Tod in Family History, Somewhere in Africa, Writing about WWI

≈ 1 Comment

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2/3rd K.A.R., Africa's involvement in WWI, Durban Club 1915, Durban Natal WWI, East Africa Campaign of WWI, going down a gold mine 1918, gold mining 1918, gold mining Johannesburg 1918, Henry Tod, King's African Rifles, WWI letters, WWI letters from Africa, WWI letters home

Durban Club Natal 1915Henry’s leave is up and he’s waiting for a ship to take him back. What do you think he’s feeling after two-and-a-half years of war?

Durban Club, Natal – 12th March 1918

Back in Durban waiting for a ship to take us to East Africa. I had an enjoyable three weeks in Johannesburg, whence I wrote you but the weather there could hardly have been worse. Rain and thunderstorms every other day. I got in a little golf and tennis and had a few motor runs round the country with some friends, to whom I had an introduction.

I went down a gold mine and got half drowned for my pains, owing to the rains almost flooding out the workings. We went down the Crown Mine, another lad and I, escorted by the manager. 2000 feet by hoist and we performed the journey to the next level on something like a water shute. There we saw them working at the “face” of the reef, drilling and blasting, and I took away a specimen of the quartz as a souvenir. There is no gold visible in it and it is quite a complicated process extracting it. There is only about 4% worth of gold in a ton of quartz. I saw it in various stages and finally in the form of gold bricks, each weighing 600 ounces and worth about £2500 when the bank takes possession of it. I was glad to get on terra firma again, pretty much the same feeling after I had been up in an aeroplane!

I am looking forward to finding a pile of letters from you when I get back to the battalion, as of course i have had nothing for months, likewise from Andy from whom I have not heard at all. I have resumed acquaintance with my fellow voyagers on the “Walmer Castle” [the ship that took him to Africa] who have a fine place up in the Berea [a ridge above Durban], and who have been very kind and hospitable.

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M.K. Tod writes historical fiction. Her latest novel, TIME AND REGRET was published by Lake Union. Mary’s other novels, LIES TOLD IN SILENCE and UNRAVELLED are available from Amazon, Nook, Kobo, Google Play and iTunes. She can be contacted on Facebook, Twitter and Goodreads or on her website www.mktod.com.

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Historical Fiction Blogs

  • Burton Book Review
  • English Historical Fiction Authors
  • Historical Novel Society
  • Historical Tapestry
  • History With a Twist
  • Passages to the Past
  • Passages to the Past
  • Reading the Past
  • The History Girls

History Blogs

  • BBC – WW2 People's War
  • Canada At War
  • Edwardian Promenade
  • First World War

Other Blogs & Sites for Book Lovers

  • Dizzy C's Little Book Blog
  • Midwest Book Review
  • Words and Peace

Writing Craft & Industry

  • Jane Friedman: Writing, Reading, and Publishing in the Digital Age
  • The Book Designer
  • The Shatzkin Files
  • This Itch Called Writing

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