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South African (Off-Topic) Quiz

DamhuisClan

By DamhuisClan
in South Africa

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cownchicken

+cownchicken

Posted
Posted

Honoris Crux?

 

Yep - the last recipient of the HC - in 2004.

 

You're it CnC

 

CnC - in case you missed it with the page change and Harry Potter references :P

 

Sorry we took so long to reply but Neotel let us down and we had no internet connection and then believe it or not - we actually had a family matter to see to.

 

Now for the question: Which athlete has won the most gold medals at the Olympics?

Carbon Hunter

+Carbon Hunter

Posted
Posted

Just an aside - I googled this afterwards - although the official medal count shows Phelps at number 1 with 16 medals (14 of them gold) - the number 2 - is the Soviet gymnast Larissa Latynina with only 9 golds - but has a total count of 18!

cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted

The Aussie airline Qantas was recently in the news for an uncontained engine failure after take-off from Singapore's Changi Airport. Qantas is an acronym for what?

BruceTP

+BruceTP

Posted
Posted

The Aussie airline Qantas was recently in the news for an uncontained engine failure after take-off from Singapore's Changi Airport. Qantas is an acronym for what?

Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services

Source : Wikipedia

cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted

Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services

Source : Wikipedia

 

BruceTP has the correct answer but I thought we were not supposed to use the internet as a resource? :anibad::grin::ph34r::sad:

 

Let's allow it this time but count yourself as chastised Bruce! :o

BruceTP

+BruceTP

Posted
Posted

Let's allow it this time but count yourself as chastised Bruce! :)

Sorry I was just picking up stompies.... I thought you were just talking current affairs about the mishaps at the airline.... Carry on cincol.

BruceTP

+BruceTP

Posted
Posted

Who was the last survivor of the battle of Rouke's Drift - Anglo Zulu War 22/23 January 1879 and when did he die.

(Are there any caches / series of caches commemorating the various battles of that whole campaign?)

cownchicken

+cownchicken

Posted
Posted (edited)

This is a long shot - Winston Churchill?

That was really stupid of me! Didn't read the question properly and thought of the Anglo Boer war instead!! :)

Edited by cownchicken
BruceTP

+BruceTP

Posted
Posted

This is a long shot - Winston Churchill?

No. When you consider that the battle of Rouke's Drift happened on 22/23 January 1879, this person died on VE day 1945 at the age of 91. Quite something.

Carbon Hunter

+Carbon Hunter

Posted
Posted

OK - I'm going to take a guess at a british loader boy and medical helper (making him a young lad at the time of the battle) - who then went on to remain fairly anonymous - his name was Walter Smith - and he died in Liverpool? How's that for creative writing and guessing?

BruceTP

+BruceTP

Posted
Posted

No CH, but you are welcome to research it as it is a fascinating story.

I would add that this is one of the most famous and pivotal battles in the history of our country.

The facts themselves speak volumes:

139 British Soldiers held off a force of 3000 - 4000 Zulu warriors and only suffered 14 casualties.

There were up to 800 or more Zulu casualties.

11 Victoria Cross medals were awarded - The most for any individual conflict before or hence.

It is also interesting to follow the history of these individuals - some went on to further prominence while others to poverty and obscurity.

The last surviving VC recipient died in 1932.

Carbon Hunter

+Carbon Hunter

Posted
Posted

No CH, but you are welcome to research it as it is a fascinating story.

I would add that this is one of the most famous and pivotal battles in the history of our country.

The facts themselves speak volumes:

139 British Soldiers held off a force of 3000 - 4000 Zulu warriors and only suffered 14 casualties.

There were up to 800 or more Zulu casualties.

11 Victoria Cross medals were awarded - The most for any individual conflict before or hence.

It is also interesting to follow the history of these individuals - some went on to further prominence while others to poverty and obscurity.

The last surviving VC recipient died in 1932.

The idea is to get to the answer without using google - so I'll guess at an ex-Lord Mayor of London then?

BruceTP

+BruceTP

Posted
Posted

The idea is to get to the answer without using google.

In that case, get out into the fresh air and take a stroll to your local reference library and explore a real book! :lol: Who knows, there may even be a cache along the way to find? :)

There is nothing to beat the hard copy. :laughing:

BruceTP

+BruceTP

Posted
Posted

Chelmsford was the cause of the whole conflict as he had stirred up tensions in the region and spoiling for a fight, issued an ultimatum to the Zulu King Cetshwayo. He invaded Zululand without authorisation from the British government and suffered the annihilation of his central column at the battle of Isandlwana.

Wazat

+Wazat

Posted
Posted

Interestingly enough, this was what happened night before last. Fish Eagle contacted me with regards to a US Marine that was busy traveling through the country to get as many countries added to his list as he could.

 

He flew from Cape Town on Tuesday morning at 4:45 am. Landed in Durban and hired a car to get to the botom of Sani pass. He was likely ripped off due to his accent and went up to do Khotso cache in pouring rain. The plan was then to drive from there up to Swaziland. Judgment of distance and time led this man to fall way short of his destination, We offered him a night over in our spare room.

 

When He reached my cache at Estcourt Ultra city he called me. Told me of a change in plans and that he may stay over in Ladysmith (He called later to say he was coming through to stay over), as he really was planning to go through to Rouke's Drift the next morning. It sparked my interest once again in the battle. I read up on the events of this epic battle. Oddly enough I was busy publishing a cache in Ladysmith so I was doing war time research for the cache, not much was found and I turned my attention to Rouke's Drift. May as well know what to say if he asked.

 

When Alistair arrived at 11pm we only chatted for a hour or so before he said his weary body could no longer go on and he retired to bed. We spoke very briefly about Rouke's Drift. To which I did not indulge in much of my new knowledge of the battle. We spoke more of the war in which he was in as well as his visit to various countries and a few caching stories....

 

So this brief encounter with a pleasant young man who unexpectedly graced our home gave me the opportunity to answer this question. The answer is Frank Bourne..... interestingly enough he had taken a promotion rather than a Victoria Cross.

BruceTP

+BruceTP

Posted
Posted

So this brief encounter with a pleasant young man who unexpectedly graced our home gave me the opportunity to answer this question. The answer is Frank Bourne..... interestingly enough he had taken a promotion rather than a Victoria Cross.

Indeed, Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne was the last survivor of the battle of Rorkes Drift. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, second only to the Victoria Cross of which eleven were awarded in this battle alone. He was actually offered promotion of a commission but refused for reasons I do not understand. This is how he described it in a radio interview:

 

"Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead and the men received the thanks of Parliament, the Officers being promoted to the rank of Major. I was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal with an annuity of £10 - the same awarded to the Victoria Cross - and awarded a Commission, but as I was the youngest of eight sons, and the family exchequer was empty, I had to refuse it that time."

 

He was commissioned in 1890. He later became Lieutenant-Colonel by the end of WW1 and was also made an OBE. He passed away on VE Day (8 May 1945) aged 91. Frank Bourne was played by Nigel Green in Stanley Baker's 1964 film "Zulu".

Porky2

+Porky2

Posted
Posted

So this brief encounter with a pleasant young man who unexpectedly graced our home gave me the opportunity to answer this question. The answer is Frank Bourne..... interestingly enough he had taken a promotion rather than a Victoria Cross.

Indeed, Colour Sergeant Frank Bourne was the last survivor of the battle of Rorkes Drift. He was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal, second only to the Victoria Cross of which eleven were awarded in this battle alone. He was actually offered promotion of a commission but refused for reasons I do not understand. This is how he described it in a radio interview:

 

"Lieutenants Chard and Bromhead and the men received the thanks of Parliament, the Officers being promoted to the rank of Major. I was awarded the Distinguished Conduct Medal with an annuity of £10 - the same awarded to the Victoria Cross - and awarded a Commission, but as I was the youngest of eight sons, and the family exchequer was empty, I had to refuse it that time."

 

He was commissioned in 1890. He later became Lieutenant-Colonel by the end of WW1 and was also made an OBE. He passed away on VE Day (8 May 1945) aged 91. Frank Bourne was played by Nigel Green in Stanley Baker's 1964 film "Zulu".

trevorh7000

+trevorh7000

Posted
Posted (edited)
Who is Mr Fred Brownell?

 

Have we not had this question before - on googling the answer it just seemed so familiar. Tried a forum search but the search facility is really sucky - it returns the thread but not the occurrences of the word within the thread - 78 pages make it a useless result.

 

Perhaps someone else will remember if we have had this question

 

Trev

 

added: Ok while I still think the seach is fairly sucky there was an option to display messages instead of just topics

 

The reverse of this question was asked before. On September 30 this year!!!!!

 

QUOTE(gr8scot @ Sep 30 2010, 03:22 PM)

I seem to recall it was designed by South Africa's official Herald, but I don't remember his name. I think he was called in after a national competition to design a new flag produced no acceptable results.

 

Bingo - you're it

 

Yes Frederick Brownell - Herald for SA.

 

So please ask another!

 

Trev

Edited by trevorh7000
cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted

Nope none of those... LoL

 

It looks as though you are the one who knows anything about this dude! :rolleyes: Perhaps another question will bring a better response.

Wazat

+Wazat

Posted
Posted

Was away for the weekend but I think a little clue is in order... East London is where he is from. He is an inventor.... Should give a slight hint of what it may be...

cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted

Was away for the weekend but I think a little clue is in order... East London is where he is from. He is an inventor.... Should give a slight hint of what it may be...

 

Hey wazat - is this guy a family member of yours? Nobody seems to have a clue what he invented.

 

Did he invent the Buffalo River Moonwalk or something equally non-descript like a railway sleeper? :D:):D:cool:

cownchicken

+cownchicken

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

Did he invent the Buffalo River Moonwalk or something equally non-descript like a railway sleeper? :D:):D:cool:

 

Hey wasn't he the dolos guy?

Thanks cincol for putting me on this track with the mention of a railway sleeper.

Edited by cownchicken
Wazat

+Wazat

Posted
Posted

Cownchicken you are it....

 

He was credited for the invention although there is some controversy to this claim....

 

Their design is usually credited to the South African Eric Mowbray Merrifield, one-time East London Harbour Engineer (from 1961 – 1976). In the late 1990s the claim of Mr Aubrey Kruger gained more prominence. Kruger's claim is that he and Merrifield had considered the shape of concrete blocks to be used to protect East London's extensive breakwaters for the City's non-natural harbour, following a major storm in 1963. Merrifield wished to design a block that did not break up or shift when struck by the sea; that was cheap; and that did not require precise placement. He said in later years that he wanted a block designed in such a way that it could be "sprinkled like children's jacks". Kruger stated that he went home for lunch, cut three sections from a broomstick, and fastened them with nails into an H-shape with one leg turned through 90 degrees to create the distinctive dolos shape. Merrifield was intrigued by the object and had Kruger draw a plan. Kruger never formally received credit for the invention. Merrifield won the Shell Design Award and the Associated Science and Technology Societies of South Africa's Gold Medal. The death of Merrifield (in 1982) has put this controversy beyond proof either way.

cincol

+cincol

Posted
Posted

Pilgrim's Rest and surrounds. The actual area was quite vast and not only restricted to what is now the town, although that was where the "big" deposits were eventually found that made the place famous.

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