Our Potpourri evening was opened by Dave Mitchell, Member of the recently constituted Castle Military Museum Foundation, who gave us an overview of its aims and invited interested people to join. This Foundation will form the nucleus of a wider structure which, hopefully, will expand military historical and historical interest in our City. Dave also reported on his visit to the UK, London and Edinburgh, as part of the Cape Town Highlanders' contingent for the celebrations of the Queen Mother's 100th Birthday.
The BATTLE OF BOSWORTH was presented by Robin Smith complete with illustrations.
The last conflict of the Wars of the Roses, Bosworth Field, was something
of a watershed in the history of England. At lunch on 22 Aug 1485, the
Middle Ages and the Yorkist dynasty ended, and that of the Tudors began.
Richard III's defeat at Bosworth was dramatised by Shakespeare with his
contention that he died shouting "A horse, a horse - my kingdom for
a horse!" after being swatted from his steed by one of Henry Tudor's
Welshmen lustily swinging a halberd.
The Wars of the Roses were civil conflicts between the rival claimants
to the English throne from the Houses of York and Lancaster. When Edward
III died at the end of the 14th century, he was succeeded by his grandson,
Richard II. Richard was deposed, and the next decades saw a series of struggles
between the rival claimants to the throne. The Yorkist Edward IV ruled
undisputed from 1470 to 1483 and died leaving two sons and a daughter.
His thirteen-year old son, William IV ruled only for nine months before
being deposed by his uncle, Richard, Duke of Gloucester, who proclaimed
himself Richard III. William IV and Edward IV's younger son Richard were
sent to the Tower and never seen again. (Gene tests on two of their descendants'
hair might shed some light on this mystery?). Richard III, the wickedest
uncle of all time, did not sleep easy! There were plots and intrigues everywhere.
The head of the House of Lancaster was now Henry Tudor, in exile in France
and awaiting his chance. In August 1485 he landed in Wales and advanced
into England with a small army, not more than 5000 men. Richard met him
with more than double this number and they clashed on Bosworth Field, about
16 kms west of Leicester. Some hard fighting gave a surprising victory
to Henry Tudor. Richard III's "messy body" was taken into Leicester
and displayed in the town square. Henry became King as Henry VII and married
Elizabeth of York, the elder sister of the Little Princes in the Tower.
This union of the two houses eventually ended the struggle.
The battlefield is well-preserved with a visitor centre and a small museum.
Thank you, Robin, for your most entertaining and colourful show!
Warham Searle was our next speaker. He revealed his passion for St.
Helena Island which he has visited many times and whose long history he
knows intimately. Discovered in 1502 it became home not only to fallen
Emperor Napoleon but to thousands of Boer prisoners captured after the
battle of Paardeberg. Some 4 000 were shipped via Simon's Town to the island,
and eventually 6 000 prisoners lived there. Buildings, fortifications and
gun sites have remained almost unchanged since they were erected, and visitors
will invariably feel transported back in time.
The next Boer War Centenary Cruise departs Cape Town on 30 June 2001 by
The R.M.S. St.Helena and anyone interested in a visit can contact the local
agent at 425 1165
Finally, Tony Gordon presented a number of books he had brought with him from the UK. There were b/w Magazines from the Boer War, as well as a copy of F.M. Montgomery's Autograph Book which contained three entries signed by General Smuts. Another was a collection of Cartoons from 8th Army Newspapers showing the "Two Types", unforgotten by probably all soldiers from the North African Campaign A weighty tome was an Alphabetical List of places = Gazetteer, which mentionsd 17 Rietfonteins alone, and lastly two books, one containing Alphabetical Lists of all casualties of the British Forces during the Anglo/Boer War, and the other giving the names of all who died until 1914.
14 September 2000
12 October 2000
9 November 2000
December 2000
In recess
18 January 2001
John Mahncke, (Vice-Chairman/Scribe), (021) 797 5167