THE NATAL MILITIA

Under the Natal Militia Act of 1903, the Colony converted its old Volunteer units to Militia Regiments,
although enlistment in them continued to be voluntary.
For those who did not volunteer the Militia Reserves were designed.

This group photograph shows those who attended the Natal Militia General Training Camp in 1910.
The photographer was William Watson-Robertson who had a studio in Pietermaritzburg at that time.

Among the notable persons in the group are:

Col Sir Duncan McKenzie, KCMG, Commandant General and on his left, Lieut-Col H Lugg, Intelligence Officer.

On Lugg's left is Lieut-Col J R Royston, DSO, of the Border Mounted Rifles.

Lieut-Col H Watkins-Pitchford, Principal Veterinary Officer,
remembered for his book 'Besieged in Ladysmith',
is seated next to Lieut-Col C Henwood of the Natal Mounted Rifles.

Capt 'WAC' Campbell of the Natal Mounted Rifles, Canon G Pennington, Senior Chaplain,
Lieut J G Fannin of the Natal Carbineers, Capt R L Goulding of the Durban Light Infantry,
Capt and Quartermaster Alexander Lyle of the Natal Carbineers ...

The names read like a roll of Natal's colonial families.
Look closely - perhaps YOUR ancestor is among them.

Many of the people shown would have served in the Natal Rebellion of 1906 (Bhambatha Rebellion)
and some also during the Anglo-Boer War 1899-1902.

The photograph, with its diagrammatic key and identification of almost every person in the group,
is an unusual survival.

Thanks to Robert Suberg for giving permission for this item to be reproduced on Genealogy World.