Visit to the 24th South Wales Borderers Museum

[carojon]

Following a trip to the National Army Museum earlier this year to hear Mr Ian Knight talk about the Zulu Wars, Mr Steve paid a visit to the Regimental Museum of the 24th Foot and put together a post about the visit.



If you would like to see more about the museum and his impression, then just follow the link to JJ's

https://jjwargames.blogspot.com/2019/08/a-visit-to-24th-south-wales-borderers.html

Jonathan (JJ)

[Mike1879]

Superb museum, the Zulu War room is a must see. Probably the best display of AZW artefacts in the UK if not the world including 8 VC’s all original currently on display for the first time until October!!
The museum was visited by the Zulu King Goodwill Zwelithini 3 weeks ago. I live a short distance away and have visited this place on many many occasions.

[Plynkes]

I really must get around to visiting this place. I don't live too far away and yet I've never been. What a wally!

[Sapper]

The Rorke's Drift diorama is on an 8ft by 6ft base and has nearly 600 28mm figures (450 Zulus and 150 British). The scale and available space prevented all 4,000 Zulus from being represented !!!  It depicts a number of stages in the battle - these being explained in a free handout. All of the Zulus have correctly coloured regimental shields.  The two wagons are correctly coloured with green bodies and red wheels (the colour of the preservatives used at the time) !

Thanks to JJ for his excellent photographs (per the link) and for spotting the Godwin-Austen jacket, which lots of visitors miss.

The Museum is well worth a visit.

Bill

[Mike1879]

Bill, if that’s who I think it is, have great memories of us putting this diorama together in the museum using our figures.

Mike

[Plynkes]

Well, I went to Brecon today, but still didn't manage to find time for the museum. Oh well, one day, one day...

[Mike1879]

Plynkes how could you miss the museum if you were in Brecon?? There’s also the Cathedral to visit which has the Queens colour of the 24th on display recovered from the Buffalo river after the valiant attempt of Lts Melvill and Coghill to save it

[Plynkes]

It was a busy day, I had other things to do and there wasn't time. But as I said, I don't live far away, and I have discussed it with other people and we are planning a visit together soon. Just not sure exactly when.

I didn't know about the cathedral. Ta. I'll have to check that out too.

[Mr Steve]

Thanks Sapper, I do my best with a 15 year old cybershot. I have suggested that the South Wales correspondent deserves an upgrade but apparently all the budget has been spent on foreign holidays.
 I was very impressed with both of the dioramas, so much better than the ones you see in much bigger and grander museums that have clearly not been put together by wargamers.

Its a shame that we never see enough original campaign uniforms but I suppose they get replaced on return and then discarded

Steve