PUBLICATION No. 28 JULY, 1973 ~ ,,/ ' //.... · u { . ... I U' ----,,. 1896 THE STANDARD BANK LIMITED, BULAWAYO 1914 Albert Giese (i11 chair) discorere<i coal at Wankie a11d pegged a total of400 1,quare miles of coal claims in 1895. There have been changes at Wankie since 1he days of Albert Giese. Today, Wankic is more than a colliery. II is a self-contained nuning enterprise in arid northern Matabelcland. The Colliery, no1\ almos1 a Rhod~ian in-.titution, supports Rhodesia's economy to the full. Commerce, industry. tr-.im,porl and agriculture all depend on Wankie for essential supplies of coal, coke and many by-products. Coal generates po11cr, cures tobacco. smelts the country's me1als and even cooks food. Wankfo con1inues to play an important role in Rhodesia's history. The $8 million coke 01·e11 complex w!,ic!, 1ras officially opened in December, 1971, by President D11po11/. GUIDE TO THE HISTORICAL MANUSCRIPTS IN THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES OF RHODESIA by T. W. Baxter and E. E. Burke Pages: xxxiv+527; 24,1 cm x 15,9 cm. $8 The Guide describes the various record groups, highlights outstanding docu­ ments, as well as provides a biographical Fairbridge 1885 - 1924 sketch or introductory note on the person or body that created or owned the papers. The primary aim of the Guide is to make known to research workers the richness of the contents and scope of the Collection of Historical Manuscripts in Leask 1839 - 1912 the National Archives of Rhodesia. The Guide will also appeal to all those who are interested in the story of Rhodesia and, in particular, to collec­ tors of Rhodesiana and Africana. Rudd 1844 - 1916 National Archives of Rhodesia Private Bag 7729, Causeway Salisbury, Rhodesia Wilson 1856 - 1893 When today 1s• as old as yesterday Rhodesia Railways will be preparing to meet the challenge of tomorrow, thus ensun·ng that today and every day they can continue to provide a reliable transport service capable of meeting Rhodesia's growing demands, safely and efficiently. RHODESIA RAILWAYS MOVES WITH THE TIMES 4150 iii RHODESIANA Publication No. 28 — July, 1973 THE RHODESIANA SOCIETY Salisbury Rhodesia V Edited by W. V. BRELSFORD Assisted by E. E. BURKE Copyright is reserved by the Society Authors are responsible for their own opinions and for the accuracy of statements they make. vi CONTENTS July 1973 Page FORT VICTORIA TO FORT SALISBURY. THE LATTER PART OF THE JOURNEY OF THE PIONEER COLUMN IN 1890, BY E. E. BURKE 1 THE RHODESIAN AIR TRAINING GROUP 1940-1945, BY SIR CHARLES MEREDITH 16 ORLANDO BARAGWANATH: A CENTENARIAN PIONEER OF RHODESIA, BY ROGER HOWMAN 30 THE COMING OF THE TRAPPISTS, BY HYLDA M. RICHARDS ........ 56 THE CENTENARY OF THE DEATH OF DAVID LIVINGSTONE ....... 66 SOME RECENT ADDITIONS TO THE LIBRARY OF THE NATIONAL ARCHIVES, COMPILED BY C. COGGIN 69 PERIODICALS AND ARTICLES OF INTEREST. A SURVEY BY DOROTHEA ROWSE 72 SOCIETY ACTIVITIES 75 THE ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING 83 NOTES 88 CORRESPONDENCE 92 REVIEWS 97 The cover picture shows old Rhodesian buildings in Monica Road, Salisbury. vii The Rhodesiana Society Founded 1953 The Society exists to promote Rhodesian historical studies and to encourage research. It also aims to unite all who wish to foster a wider appreciation and knowledge of the history of Rhodesia. There is no entrance fee; the subscription is $3,00 Rhodesian currency ($5,00 U.S.A. or R3,30) a year, and this entitles paid- up members to those numbers of Rhodesiana issued during the year. There are two issues in each year, dated July and December. For further information and particulars concerning membership please write to: The Honorary National Secretary, Rhodesiana Society, P.O. Box 8268, Causeway, Salisbury, Rhodesia. For information about Branch activities please write to: Matabeleland Branch, P.O. Box 192, Bulawayo. Manicaland Branch, P.O. Box 50, Penhalonga. Mashonaland Branch, P.O. Box 3946, Salisbury. Manuscripts will be welcomed by the Editor. They should preferably be typed in double spacing and be complete with any illustrations. Copies of published works for review will also be welcomed. National Executive Committee Members G. H. Tanser, National Chairman R. W. S. Turner, National Deputy Chairman C. W. H. Loades, National Honorary Secretary W. V. Brelsford, Editor Colonel A. S. Hickman, M.B.E. E. E. Burke M. J. Kimberley viii J. Kennedy Grant R. D. Franks J. Kerr H. G. Robertson, Mashonaland Branch Representative L. W. Bolze, Matabeleland Branch Representative R. A. R. Bent, C.B.E., Manicaland Branch Representative Matabeleland Manicaland Mashonaland Branch Branch Branch Committee Committee Committee Members Members Members Chairman Chairman Chairman H. V. Vickery R. A. R. Bent, C.B.E. R. W. S. Turner Honorary Secretary and Treasurer Honorary Secretary Vice Chairman B. Lovemore, O.L.M. Miss A. Cripps M. J. Kimberley L. W. Bolze R. Y. Armstrong Honorary Secretary P. B. Gibbs, M.B.E. D. J. Chadd Mrs. Wendy Hedderick E. T. Hepburn P. M. Hutchinson W. Parry Honorary Treasurer P. W. Porter Mrs. R. M. T. Barker H. A. B. Symons Mrs. M. Waddy R. D. Franks G. Zacharias J. M. Leach H. G. Robertson ix Route of the Pioneer Column, Fort Victoria to Salisbury (superimposed on the 1 :1 000 000 map of Rhodesia published by the Surveyor-General. Reproduced from State copyright mapping with the permission of the Surveyor-General. Copyright reserved. X Fort Victoria to Fort Salisbury The Latter Part of the Journey of The Pioneer Column in 1890 by E. E. Burke Introduction The Pioneer Column which occupied Mashonaland in 1890 consisted of two units, the Pioneer Corps and the British South Africa Company's Police. The Pioneer Corps was 200 strong, especially recruited, mostly in South Africa, from a diversity of trades and professions with the idea that on its arrival in Mashonaland the unit would be disbanded to form the structure of a complete community. However, the Imperial Government, nervous of a disaster on the scale of that at Isandhlwana in Zululand eleven years before, required an additional and permanent force to protect the lines of communication of the Pioneer Corps and the community itself after its members had dispersed. Thus was created the British South Africa Company's Police commanded by Lieut. Col. E. G. Pennefather, a regular soldier of the 6th (Inniskilling) Dragoons, who was also in overall command of the expedition. The Pioneer Corps was recruited, equipped and lead by Frank Johnson who had previous experience in Matabeleland and Mashonaland. The usual route to Mashonaland was by way of Lobengula's capital at Bulawayo but in order to avoid offence F. C. Selous, guide and principal intelligence officer to the expedition, pioneered a different route around the southern and eastern edges of Matabeleland. A forward base was established at Fort Tuli and from here the advance commenced on 11th July, 1890. Selous with a party of Pioneers went ahead to mark out the line of road; he had with him a small party of picked African scouts and guides. The column was in a hurry for there was alarm that it might be forestalled by a Boer trek reported to be collecting on the south bank of the Limpopo and so all was haste. The incidents of the journey through the lowveld, of the discovery of Providential Pass and the successful emergence on the highveld—the first 180 miles— have been the subject of many descriptions in detail. On the other hand the progress of the second part of the journey, the 170 miles from Fort Victoria to Salisbury, has generally been summarised as not containing much that deserved particular description. It is the purpose of this present paper to examine this second section of the journey and to indicate its course. 1 The main body of the expedition debouched on to the open highveld on 14th August, 1890 and Column Orders of that day "notified for general information that the Column will probably halt for at least three days".1 Here was built Fort Victoria.2 The next strategic target was to put a fort at the junction between the road planned to Mount Hampden and a proposed route to the eastern highlands, a route which would give access to Umtasa's country, the Portuguese and access to the sea at Beira.3 It was the original intention to put this fort, called Fort Charter, at or near Mount Wedza, 70 miles north-east of Fort Victoria but as the Column travelled north the idea was abandoned. There were several reasons, but particularly the poor condition of the oxen.4 Instead Selous being, as he says, then "in a country with which I had a most intimate knowledge, gained during many hunting expeditions" took the expedition along the watershed to the head of the Ngezi.5 FORTS VICTORIA AND CHARTER The Column stayed at Fort Victoria longer than was first expected, and did not leave until 19th August. This gave opportunity for a supply train under Capt. Sir John Willoughby which left Tuli eighteen days behind the main body, to catch up and for its loads to be distributed and absorbed. As it moved out of Fort Victoria the Column consisted of the Pioneer Corps and two troops of the B.S.A. Company's Police. One troop of Police was guarding the base at Macloutsie, another was at Tuli and another was left to garrison Fort Victoria. The total force on the move was now about 400 men, partly mounted, with about 90 to 100 wagons each with three Africans, a 1The Column Orders are in National Archives Hist. MSS PI 2/6/1. 2The fort was established on what is now Clipsham Farm; in 1891, because the water supply proved scanty, the fort was abandoned and the settlement moved to the site of the present township on the Mucheke River.