A Forfar man got a surprise when he visited the town of Dundee in South Africa—he was able to buy a Dundee Courier.

Bill Stirling, of Easterbank, went to South Africa on holiday because he is interested in the 19th century British campaigns in Africa.

He said, “When I was in South Africa I decided to visit the town of Dundee and was really surprised to see that there was a Dundee Courier, so I bought a copy. The town was founded by a man named Peter Smith and his brother, who came from Guthrie.

“They emigrated to South Africa and found coal on Talana Hill and founded the town. There is now a museum on the hill. I went inside and there is a big map of the world which shows places called Dundee all over the world—all except Dundee, Scotland!”

Mr Stirling has been investigating the history of a local hero of the battle of Rorke’s Drift, on which the Michael Caine film Zulu is based.

At Rorke’s Drift, a mission station in Natal, 139 British soldiers successfully defended their garrison against an intense assault by four to five thousand Zulu warriors.

Bill said, “I have been researching a man called William Roy who fought in the battle.

“It was thought that he might came from Forfarshire. However I looked at the 1861 census when he was six years old and it shows that he was born in Strathmiglo in Fife.

“This would mean that he was only 15 when he defended Rourke’s Drift. He was awarded a distinguished conduct medal for his efforts from Queen Victoria.

“Today he is a forgotten hero of that battle.”