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DateOriginal Topic
18th April 2004Pte Ashley Goatham, 1/24 (kia Isandlwana)
By Peter Ewart
Meant to mention this a month ago and I've no doubt some of you are already aware but I haven't seen it mentioned on this forum, so just in case anyone is interested:

Above soldier (extracts of whose letters on campaign have been published and which are in the Killie Campbell collection) was commemorated in his home parish of Bredgar, Kent, by a nine-foot obelisk bearing a tablet reciting a verse about the battle. According to a piece in a recent Kentish newspaper, the memorial was last year in danger of being pulled down because inspectors deemed it dangerous (I suspect as a result of the checks being carried out in all graveyards last year after a small child was killed by an unstable stone a couple of years ago and the family successfully sued a local authority).

Anyway, over �500 was raised by "many interested parties" (anyone know who? RRWM, etc?) to restore the memorial, referred to as a gravestone by the press report, as well as donations to the church from "Ashley's regiment" and the Goatham family.

A dedication service is to be held in Bredgar churchyard at noon on 20 June. (Bredgar is just SW of Sittingbourne).

(East Kent Gazette & Times, 10 March 2004).

Peter
DateReplies
18th April 2004Bill Millar
Peter
The 1879 Group donated �150 toward the cost of repairs,several members will also attend in uniform on the day.

Bill.
18th April 2004Martin Everett
Dear Peter,
I received the plea from the church warden some time ago and passed a copy on to that well-known AZW society based in Kent. I believe they have made a contribution.