I have had a query thus: "My father's parents came from Somerset West. He has told me that the bridge was built in 1860 by Italian prisoners-of-war and has been recently renovated. Can you find out more. Was that the Boer war?" Her story has been terribly garbled and misunderstood and as so often happens gets distorted and muddled in the minds of those who have it only on hearsay. Sadly she knows very little about SA. Well from my own personal experience I know Italian POWs were sent down to SA after SA troops invaded Abyssinia in WW2. Possible some later too from Libya. Many of these POWs did a lot of work on farms, built at least one church in Nigel, and generally many were on parole. There was no war with Italy in 1860! She has clearly heard vaguely of the ABW. Please would someone tell me about Somerset West's bridge over I think the Lourens River? I have done some googling which has photos of a stone bridge and taverns. etc. But I can't find a good history of the town. I do know it is stunningly beautiful part of the Cape. Many thanks for any help and information sincerely Patricia Frykberg Havelock North New Zealand