MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS have become the mainstay of every fighting force anywhere in the world. This fact was underlined by our guest-speaker on 10 February, Prof K.de Villiers. From his vast store of knowledge we were treated to a well illustrated lecture with rare photographs depicting medical facilities, or the lack of them, during the Anglo/Boer War.
On the British side, the facilities arrived from Gt. Britain by boat, and many stationary hospitals were set up in key locations and supplied from bases such as Cape Town. There were also hospital trains, even hospital ships. However, the RAMC, being a very young service, could not cope with the demands made on it, and civil surgeons were appointed to help.
The biggest problem was transporting sick and wounded soldiers from the frontline to hospitals, and for this they used not only stretchers, but also Indian dhoolies and waggons drawn by horses, mules or oxen. The tremendous number of typhoid cases complicated evacuations, since they were higher than actual battle casualties in some areas.
As an aside our speaker debunked the myth of Dum-Dum bullets being used during the war. He explained that ordinary bullets hitting rocks or ricochetting ones, often caused terrible wounds.
The Boer Armies could make use of an extensive medical system including: Het Transvaalsche Roode Kruis, Oranje Vrijstaatsche Ambulance and Private and Foreign Ambulances. Due to the vast spread of Boer forces, small stationary hospitals could not perform a significant role, and it therefore fell to regional and district ambulances to play their part, with doctors often having to keep themselves and use their own transport. and instruments.
For transport mules, donkeys and oxen were used, while the nurses were all male, except for some of the foreign contingents.
The various medical organisations, though, differed much in quality. For instance, the NZASM trains, hospitals, doctors, pharmacists and carriages were well equipped, but the Transvaalsche Roode Kruis never got of the ground because the government was not interested in supporting them, and the ensueing chaos ended only in Jan 1900. As the only formal military medical service, the Staatsartillerie was well equipped and organised.
After the battle of Elandslaagte an information bureau was established for wounded and killed combattants which eventually worked very well with a Burger identification index system which extended even to prisoners.
Locally formed ambulances included Jewish-, French- and Skandinavian contingents who did very good work, and there were also German, Dutch, Russian, Dutch-Russian, Belgian-German, Swiss, Irish-American and Dutch-Indian Red Cross ambulances.
Tony Gordon thanked our speaker for his presentation, and it is hoped that we may induce Prof.de Villiers to give us another lecture about his special field in the not too distant future.
9 March 2000
13 April 2000
11 May 2000
WELCOME TO NEW MEMBER: Mr. Mert Black
The Foundations' primary objective is to promote the public's
awareness and enjoyment of the true story of the Cape's (and thus
South Africa's) military history, leading to a unique CASTLE
EXPERIENCE.
It will also seek to conserve artefacts and property of a Cape
heritage nature, to ensure that these are not lost, destroyed or
exported.
A number of new informative exhibits have been created and the
Museum plans to develop further exhibits, with interactive audio-visual
displays and other events and activities that visitors can participate in and enjoy.
The Foundation has been formed by the S.A. Military History Society,
Cape Town Branch, represented by Maj Anthony Gordon and
Cdr Mac Bissett (Simon's Town Naval Museum) as founder members,
and the Cape Town Military Heritage Trust, which represents Cape
Town's five traditional volunteer regiments: the Cape Field
Artillery, the Cape Town Rifles (Dukes), the Cape Town Highlanders,
the Cape Garrison Artillery and Regiment Westelike Provincie,
acting in partnership. These five regiments are also campaigning
for the Cape Corps to be recuscitated and restored to
its rightful place as Cape Town's most senior volunteer unit.
The Foundation will be chaired by Advocate Dave Mitchell of the
Cape Town Highlanders. Its other trustees are Dr John Austin,
Col Ozzie Baker, Cdr Gerry de Vries, Maj Cecil Graham (Hout Bay
& Llandudno Heritage Trust) and Mr Natie Greef, Curator of the
Castle Military Museum.
The Minister of Defence has been invited to become the Foundation's
Chief Patron.
As far as the Castle Complex itself is concerned, considering the
new focus on core business in the S.A.N.D.F. and the anticipated
closing down of Western Province Command, the Museum will play
an important role in presenting a TOTAL CASTLE EXPERIENCE.
This Newsletter will keep members informed about developments,
and anyone wishing to join the Foundation or contribute to its
goals and objectives may contact Mr Natie Greef at the Castle
Museum, P.O. Box 1, Cape Town 8000, or tel 469 1153/fax 469 1089,
or telephone Tony Gordon at 671 4500 or John Mahncke.
The meeting was followed by another of Dr. Dan Sleigh's outstanding, tongue-in-cheek, superbly illustrated slide talks on the Dutch East India Company at the Cape. He highlighted the strategic significance of the Cape in the evolution of international trade and colonisation between East and West over the last 500 years. This led directly to the building of Cape Town's Castle of Good Hope in the 17th Century. It is South Africa's oldest building and was the country's first seat of government and the cornerstone of its subsequent history and development.
Meetings of the Cape Town Branch are normally held on the 2nd Thursday of each months at 20h00 in the Recreation Hall of the SA LEGION'S ROSEDALE COMPLEX, Lower Nursery Road, Rosebank, (of f Alma Road), opposite Rosebank Railway Station, below the line. Visitors are welcome. Donations R 3.00, (students and scholars free). Tea and biscuits will be served.
John Mahncke, (Vice-Chairman/Scribe), (021) 797 5167