NEWSLETTER - JANUARY 2019

Instead of a lecture the December meeting in Johannesburg took the form of a DVD followed by a get-together to allow members to mingle and chat over tea, drinks, biscuits and snacks. The evening was fairly well attended; another function in the room where our teas are usually served led to a slightly cramped use of the terrace. Fortunately the rain had let up so people were able to move outside from the terrace.

Thanks are due to Ms Evelyn Mushi whose cheerful assistance, along with that of Kenneth and Phineas, was much appreciated.

The DVD about the US Ohio Class nuclear submarines as a cold-war deterrent force proved an interesting glimpse into those times. Things which were "normal" during the late 1980s and early 1990s seem out of kilter when the sheer scale of Mutual Assured Destruction is viewed thirty years down the line.

A single submarine carrying 24 missiles, each with seven nuclear warheads, each of which could be programmed to guide itself to a different target city, gives a clue to the fear which ruled. There were several submarines out and about at any given time while a mission could last up to eight months with re-victualling being the only reason for returning to port.

The printer closed for its summer holidays a week later than in 2017 so Journals were posted to paid-up members on 28 December.

Invoices were sent out to existing members in January
Single subscription = R250
Family subscription = R270, a family being two people sharing a postal address

Please would members come forward with ideas and suggestions about increasing our Society's membership - speak to Chairman Hamish or any committee member.

FORTHCOMING LECTURES

JOHANNESBURG:

Ditsong Museum next to Zoo at 8pm

Thursday 17th January 2019 NB THIRD Thursday of the month

CR: Hamish Paterson: ...                              "King's Mountain: 100 years before Majuba"
ML: Errol Cunningham: ...                            "Brit, Boer and Spy: The British view of strategic risks, threats, espionage and sabotage in the
                                                                               Union of South Africa during WW2"

KZN in Durban:

Thursday 17th January 2019 NB THIRD Thursday of the month

DDH: Facilitator Phil Everitt ...                        An excellent series of video clips showing the critical conditions in Britain before the outbreak of war in 1914

ML: Robin Smith ...                                       "Assassination of Arch Duke Ferdinand - lessons for the future?"

Thursday 17th January 2019 NB THIRD THURSDAY of the month

Ian van Oordt ...                                           "An analysis of two paintings of the Battle of Blaauwberg"

SAMHSEC:

14th January

MS: Franco Cilliers: ...                                  "Bloemfontein night tank shoot."


CR: Ian Pringle: ...                                         "The Midlands Mounted Rifles clash with the Kritzinger Commando."

ML: Barbara Kinghorn: ...                             "Durban's Lady in White: Perla Siedle Gibson."

For Cape Town details contact Johan van den Berg 021-939-7923 warbooks@mweb.co.za
For Eastern Cape details contact Malcolm Kinghorn 041-373-4469 culturev@lantic.net
For Gauteng details contact Joan Marsh 010-237-0676 joan@rfidradar.com
For KwaZulu-Natal details contact Roy Bowman 031 564 4669 bowman.roy93@gmail.com