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Question for Chestnut Canoe folks

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What’s up with all the Chestnut models named after figures in the Boer Wars? There has to be some explanation.

The Bob’s Special: “The telegraph code for the 15’ 50-Lb. Special was BOBS and made reference to Lord Roberts, a major figure during the Second Boer War in South Africa”.

Or the Cronje

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piet_Cronjé

Or the Ogilvy

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Ogilvy,_11th_Earl_of_Airlie

I wouldn’t be surprised to find that Colonel Sir Nigel Chum of Wimpkins-on-Humphieshire lead a Boer Regiment. Maybe “Pleasure” was his Afrikaans consort.

None of those guys strikes me as the preeminent canoeist of their day. What up with Chestnut’s connection/fascination to figures from the Boer Wars?
 
Roger MacGregor in his book, When the Chestnut was in Flower, covers this subject completely. Apparently the Chestnuts were history buffs and very proud of Fredericton's contribution to the Boer War.
 
Didn't know all that... just figured Pal, Chum, and Cronje (crony) were different models based on the word "companion", which a good canoe is. Thank you!
 
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