Mystery Canadian grave at Enseleni
The melancholy gravestone in the wilderness reads: ‘Cameron. Canadian. 1901’ and a separate inscription states: ‘Relocated Nov. 1950’.
MYSTERY surrounds the identity of a Canadian citizen who was buried in 1901 at what is now the Enseleni Nature Reserve.
The challenge to name the anonymous expatriate was handed by Ezemvelo Honorary Officer at Enseleni Game Reserve, Paul Gouge to local historian Dr JC van der Walt – a historical sleuth of Biblical proportions.
The melancholy gravestone in the wilderness reads: ‘Cameron. Canadian. 1901’ and a separate inscription states: ‘Relocated Nov. 1950’.
Dr van der Walt believes Cameron might have been an ex-Canadian soldier who had fought in the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 and who afterwards remained in South Africa.
‘A patriotic Canada sent 7 368 troops, the Royal Canadian Regiment, to fight the Boers.
‘It included Scout Officer Davis, a real Red Indian, and 12 nursing sisters who accompanied the Regiment.
‘They saw action at Paardeberg, Graspan and marched into Pretoria.
‘Over three years, 89 Canadians died in action and 135 died of sickness.
‘The First Contingent returned to Canada on 7 November 1900, while some Canadian troops remained in South Africa.
‘Was Cameron one of them?’
The history guru says it was possible to trace dead two Camerons: Lieutenant Allen Cameron, killed in action at Graspan in 1901 and Sergeant JH Cameron, who died from dysentery near Bloemfontein in 1901.
‘Sadly, there are no official records of the survivors!’
•Readers with more information are requested to contact Dr JC van der Walt at 035 7531433.
