1854: A Busy Year
In a previous Post (see Wot no Birthday Bash) I lamented that Durban would not be marking the 150th anniversary of its founding as a Borough. In doing so I glossed over other 150th anniversaries needing recognition. One is that of the Durban Metro Police.
The founding of the Borough made provision for the establishment of a police force. Thus the Durban Metro Police can trace its ancestry in an unbroken line from this date. Yet the Superintendent of the Force, Ashley Dove, was quoted in the Sunday Tribune saying they had not considered celebrating ‘as it disassociates itself from the old City Police and its colonial past’ But more of this later.
Yesterday a parade was held in Durban to allow the City’s two oldest regiments (and possibly SA?)– The Natal Mounted Rifles and The Durban Light Infantry – to exercise the ancient right of their freedom of the city to march through the streets ‘ with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.’ This they did to mark the 150th anniversary of their founding (1854 was a busy year)
Now to return to the Metro Police. There in the parade; in their dress uniforms; on their large and beautiful Friesian horses; riding proudly was a troop of our Police. No doubt Superintendent Dove had experienced a change of heart and realised there is much to celebrate and to be proud of in his Force.
Bravo and Viva!.
--------
(The article in the Tribune described the Durban Metro Police as the oldest in the southern hemisphere. I have a notion that they are the second oldest with the Falkland Islands force pipping them. Any thoughts out there?)
In a previous Post (see Wot no Birthday Bash) I lamented that Durban would not be marking the 150th anniversary of its founding as a Borough. In doing so I glossed over other 150th anniversaries needing recognition. One is that of the Durban Metro Police.
The founding of the Borough made provision for the establishment of a police force. Thus the Durban Metro Police can trace its ancestry in an unbroken line from this date. Yet the Superintendent of the Force, Ashley Dove, was quoted in the Sunday Tribune saying they had not considered celebrating ‘as it disassociates itself from the old City Police and its colonial past’ But more of this later.
Yesterday a parade was held in Durban to allow the City’s two oldest regiments (and possibly SA?)– The Natal Mounted Rifles and The Durban Light Infantry – to exercise the ancient right of their freedom of the city to march through the streets ‘ with drums beating, colours flying and bayonets fixed.’ This they did to mark the 150th anniversary of their founding (1854 was a busy year)
Now to return to the Metro Police. There in the parade; in their dress uniforms; on their large and beautiful Friesian horses; riding proudly was a troop of our Police. No doubt Superintendent Dove had experienced a change of heart and realised there is much to celebrate and to be proud of in his Force.
Bravo and Viva!.
--------
(The article in the Tribune described the Durban Metro Police as the oldest in the southern hemisphere. I have a notion that they are the second oldest with the Falkland Islands force pipping them. Any thoughts out there?)
posted by Malcolm @ 1:57 pm
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home