South African Adventure: The surprising Beckenham link Sunday voice of ROB REED It’s hard to imagine a…
South African Adventure: The surprising Beckenham link
Sunday voice of ROB REED
It’s hard to imagine a connection between South Africa and Beckenham, but there is one!
During a recent 2,000-mile tour of South Africa, our traveller visited the battlefields of Zululand, where a local guide shared the remarkable story of Colour Sergeant Bourne, a Beckenham resident who helped organise the British defence at Rorke’s Drift against overwhelming Zulu numbers.
Bourne was awarded the Victoria Cross for his bravery and is buried at Elmers End Cemetery, providing a fascinating local connection to one of the most famous battles in British military history.
The journey also took in Isandlwana, the site of a devastating British defeat, before heading to Kruger National Park to see Africa’s incredible wildlife, including elephants, lions, giraffes, hippos and much more.
From thrilling night drives and guided bush walks to the beautiful Cape coastline, the tour continued through the wine-growing region of Franschhoek and on to Cape Town, with visits to Robben Island and the Apartheid Museum offering a powerful insight into South Africa’s history.
The trip ended on a spectacular note, with a boat excursion five miles out to sea to encounter a pod of whales breaching, singing and spouting water.
A remarkable journey through a country of extraordinary wildlife, breathtaking scenery and complex history — with an unexpected connection to our own corner of Bromley.
Would you have known about Beckenham’s link to Rorke’s Drift?
VictoriaCross Bromley