NEWSLETTER - APRIL 2020

Here's hoping you are all keeping well and are not too crazy from cabin-fever in this second phase of South Africa's Covid-19 lockdown.

None of the four branches were able to hold lecture meetings in April.

Our lecture meeting venues are likely to be closed for the foreseeable future. When that status changes you will receive specific notice via e-mail.

Hamish Paterson having served his second consecutive year as Chairman, this leadership role now passes to David Scholtz. Two more members, Archie Barnwell and Mike Marsh, have been co-opted to serve on the National Committee.
The committee members are thus:
David Scholtz
Archie Barnwell
Hamish Paterson
Joan Marsh
Mike Marsh
Peter Rush

Despite severe arm twisting, Jan-Willem Hoorweg has resigned from the committee. His faithful service over the past 8 years especially running the FaceBook site and then in arranging the lecture program is much appreciated. We look forward to his return!

Hamish's chairman's report will be available from him some time in the future.

The Eastern Cape branch (SAMHSEC) has continued - in the pioneering spirit of the 1820 Settlers! - to lead the Society's approach to dealing with Covid-19.

Their second trial of a Zoom meeting will take place at 19h30 on Monday 4 May and chairman Malcolm Kinghorn invites all interested Zoominati to contact him to be included. The 4 May subject will be a 10 minute PPT presentation "What was the Spitfire Fund?".

If you wish to join in please contact Malcolm in order to get the meeting number and password from him at kinghorn@kingcolemaritime.com

This will be a rehearsal for their scheduled 11 May when the speaker will be Johan Buys on his SAP service in Koevoet.

If you are interested in joining a Virtual Branch of SAMHS, please send an e-mail to that effect to scribe@samilitayhistory.org

Suggestions from members who are familiar with Zoom - or other software for potentially holding distance gatherings - would be most welcome.

Please would members with experience in organising similar meetings indicate their willingness to help set up such a Branch?

Thank you to those members who have responded magnificently to the appeal for articles for the 2020 Military History Journal(s). The Editor, Susanne Blendulf, will contact the relevant authors in due course.

For interest, Susanne now resides in Ed, in the far north of Sweden, close to Norway ... time for an atlas!

Feel free to continue to make use of the stay-at-home to complete that article you have always intended to complete and submit ...

The future of the scheduled May 14 meetings in Johannesburg Durban and Cape Town is still in abeyance.

Report on Johannesburg's March lecture meeting:

The curtain raiser presented by our chairman Hamish Paterson was entitled "The Battle of Minden, 1 August 1759, three lines of cavalry tumbled in ruin". Hamish began with sketching the diplomatic background. He emphasized the two flashpoints. In North America this was the Ohio Valley where the French wished to halt British westward expansion. In Europe it was Saxony and Silesia which the Habsburgs wanted to recover from Prussia.

Fighting broke out in the Ohio valley in 1754 and was followed by Braddock's disaster in 1755. In Europe there were alliances between Great Britain and Prussia and between France and the Habsburgs. The war, in Europe, began with the Prussia invasion of Saxony. Hamish then covered the preparations for the defence of Hanover. The 1757 and 1758 campaigns were indecisive.

The manoeuvres leading up the battle were then described together with the use of roses as a field sign. The deployment of both armies was covered. The mistake in interpreting an order caused Von Sporcken's column of British and Hanoverian infantry to march towards the French cavalry. The three lines of French cavalry charged, only to be tumbled in ruin in succession. Lord George Sackville failed to act. The French Army retired behind the Weser River and then to Kassel. Hanover and Brunswick were safe and the French were driven out of Westphalia

The incredible feat of the British and Hanoverian infantry had wrecked the French Army.

The main event was presented by Nick Cowley and his team of singers and musicians. They presented the songs of the Anglo-Boer War. The audience were invited to join in the chorus which they did with gusto. The songs began with "Goodbye Dolly Gray" which dates from the Spanish-American War of 1898. Tom presented an original song on Spion Kop which he composed. It was unfair to the Duke of York who standardized the British Army drill in 1790s. The Irish were covered by "Galway Bay" and the satirical "Mountains of Mourne". Scotland was represented by "Scotland the Brave" and the "Green Hills of Tyrol" revised to "Green Hills of Natal".

The Welsh connection was dealt with by "We'll keep a welcome in the hillsides". The Celtic word hiraeth means homesickness in spades. The Australians were not left out. They had their moment with "Waltzing Matilda".

The Boer side was symbolized by the poem "Ritrympie" which showed the chivalry which characterized the war. The departure on commando was shown by "Die Oukraalliedjie" and the evening concluded with "Sarie Marais". The songs were illustrated most appropriate images. It was thoroughly enjoyed by all.

Hamish Paterson
Scribe

The cancellation of the April lecture meeting in Johannesburg means the AGM reports were not formally presented to members. Any member wanting the minutes of the AGM held in April 2019, or the 2019 financial repots, is welcome to contact Joan Marsh at the letterhead address, who will send them a copy.

The December 2019 MH Journal was posted to members who were paid-up in 2019 on 16 March. Extra copies are available from Joan at the letterhead address for R80 each plus actual postage - R14 for South African addresses.

Branch contact details

For Cape Town details contact Carl Burger 082 333 2706 c.burger@bissets.com
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