NEWSLETTER - MARCH 2019

The February lectures did not take place, thanks only indirectly to Eskom's load-shedding. When power was restored earlier in that week, the sub-station suffered an explosion due to the sudden power demand ... and the damage had not yet been repaired by Thursday evening.

So the Museum was in darkness - except for three forlorn candles and a cold urn next to invitingly set-out cups and saucers and optimistic staff members ready to serve tea...

Apologies are extended to the speakers and to all members who drove to the Museum.

Both lecturers have agreed to present their talks in May (Eskom willing ...)

This year the Society will NOT be organising a bus to the event. Jackie Grobler will be the speaker , talking about his new book on the Eerste Vryheidsoorlog (the First Boer War).
Contact Val Hotel for details: info@valhotel.co.za
André & Rita Britz Cell: 082 550 5540

Later in 2019 David Scholtz intends to organise a trip to the Irene Boer-War concentration camp cemetery and the nearby Smuts House Museum. Date and details to be confirmed.

Submissions are invited for abstracts of papers for this conference, which is due to take place in Bloemfontein from 9-11 October 2019. Final date for submission of abstracts: 30 April 2019.
Vicky Heunis - Conference programme co-ordinator - museumvriende@gmail.com

Patrick Whang writes:
I am a Historical Studies PhD student at UCT who is seeking veterans and witnesses who participated in the 1998 intervention into Lesotho (Operation Boleas), to interview as part of researching/capturing the oral history of this event. I myself am a veteran of the U.S. Navy.
I currently reside in Cape Town and would prefer to meet in the general area for interviewing. However,
I am open to phone or video interviews if feasible.
If interested, please contact me at whangpy@gmail.com

A service commemorating the Dorsland Trek will take place on 16 March in the Historical Garden on site. Please note that there will be more traffic than usual on the day.

ANTIQUE & COLLECTABLES FAIR - 21 MARCH

Our first Antique & Collectables Fair for 2019 takes place on 21 March. The market is from 09:00 to 15:00, and the entrance fee is R30 per vehicle. All the stalls are fully booked. We request that you please leave your pets at home, as we are subject to the laws as set our by nature conservation. Because of security measures, no visitors will be allowed on site before 07:00.

The Voortrekker Monument

As per the Society's constitution, formal notice of the AGM has to appear in the newsletter at least once before the meeting:

Agenda:
1. Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting;
2. Chairman's Report for 2018;
3. Statement of Accounts for 2018;
4. Matters arising;
5. Approval of such minutes, report and accounts;
6. Election of Chairman;
7. Election of Committee members;
8. General.

In order to allow Johannesburg members two opportunities to vote for their choice of the best lectures in 2018, the announcement and awarding of the Lt Col (Dr) F Machanik Memorial Prize for the best main lecture and the George Barrell Memorial Prize for the best curtain raiser will only be made at the May 2019 meeting.

FORTHCOMING LECTURES

JOHANNESBURG:

Ditsong Museum next to Zoo at 8pm

Thursday 14th March

CR: Adina Bregman: ...                           "A Journey into the Second World War: The Museum of the Great Patriot War in Moscow"
ML: Johan Raath: ...                                "Blood Money - the world's most dangerous job in the world's most dangerous country"
Johan will have copies of his book available for purchase and signature after his lecture.

Thursday 11th April

CR:                         ...                              AGM
ML: Nick Cowley:: ...                              "The real Georg von Trapp: from War Hero to Sound of Music Patriarch"

KZN in Durban:

Thursday 14th March

DDH: Donald Davies ...                           "Search for the Kitty Hawk crash site in Umkomaas - update"

ML: Clive Wilsworth ...                            "The Key to Jerusalem" - The SA Field Artillery Brigade in Palestine 1917-18.

Thursday 14th March

Alan Mountain ...                                      "The First Anglo-Boer War"

SAMHSEC:

Eastern Cape Veteran Car Club in Conyngham Road, Port Elizabeth

Monday 11th March

CR:         ...                                               AGM

ML: Jaco Pretorius : ...                             "The South African Marines"

For Cape Town details contact Johan van deb Berg 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