John Snyman is a specialist military history tour guide. He is registered with the South African Tourist Board, and specialises in the Battles of Colenso and Spionkop. He also conducts guided tours through the unique Ladysmith Siege Museum.
A typical tour programme includes a visit to the place of the ‘Armoured Train Incident’ where Winston Churchill was captured by the Boer Forces, and the subject is discussed in detail. The tour then proceeds to Colenso, where General Sir Redvers Buller had his field Headquarters and an introductory talk is given.
Below are the points that the introductory talk covers:
- Causes of the war;
- The Ultimatum;
- The role players;
- How the war developed to Ladysmith;
- A detailed explanation of the Battle of Colenso with the aid of maps; and
- A visit to the “Place of the Guns”.
After the introductory talk, John proceeds to the Battlefield of Spionkop where the events that took place are explained during a short orientation talk, and during a walk on the Battlefield (approximately 1km). There is a final question and answer session before returning to Ladysmith after a full day’s outing.
