NEWSLETTER - DECEMBER 2022

The third Thursday in November saw Kathie Satchwell address a ZOOMinar on the subject of Remembrance. This was a major work following how families, friends, the government, and society at large treated remembering the lives of those lost during the Great War. It follows the families of a number of those killed and what some of the families have done to come to terms with their loss. An illustrated talk made use of over 250 slides covering her research into the matter over several decades. Remembrance services now include the fallen from the Second World War right up to today's conflicts - there has never been a day without a war somewhere in the world since the end of WWII.

Kathie was trying to get us asking questions of ourselves about remembrance - why do we remember; how do we remember as families, as friends, as colleagues, as communities and as broader society.

The shock of not having any remains to bury and how the carnage on the Western Front gave rise to memorials like the Menin Gate; the need for and development of the Commonwealth War Graves Association and how it is still necessary even today - what is it WE are remembering as individuals in 2022?

Maybe the truth lies in our needing to have other people acknowledge that our loved ones actually did exist. That even if they are physically totally absent, that emotionally and in memories of happier times, their lives had meaning.

Yet another recording which is well worth visiting on the Society's website in the ZOOM video library.

Thursday 8th December at 19h30 and then 20h15

Speaker: Dr Wim Myburgh

Subject: WWII Dauntless Girls of South African Coastal Defense Artillery Specialists [ASWAAS] and Special Signal Services [SSS]

In just three days enemy activity sunk 14 ships passing the Cape. As part of efforts to control this threat, almost 1000 young women were recruited and trained to be part of the teams that manned the Coastal Batteries that protected South Africa and the shipping routes around the country, as well as being part of the teams that operated the radar systems and the plotting rooms for monitoring the sea routes.

Initially the programs were started as an evaluation exercise but proved so successful that the program was expanded.

All participants were sworn to secrecy and many have never discussed their part in the program.

The speaker has researched the role, the training and the experiences of these women. Whereas the Society has had lectures in the past on the technical developments of radar, this talk gives the human interaction aspects of those who operated the equipment.

Monday 12th December 19h30 and then 20h15

Speaker: Alan Mantle

Subject: Leonardo da Vinci as a Military Engineer.

Members who have heard Alan speak before will know we are in for a treat. He lived in Italy for many years and is meticulous in his research.

In light of the financial pressure most of us are under at present there will not be an increase in subscriptions for 2023.
Single membership will remain at R280
Family membership will remain at R300 (two people using the same postal address; can be two different e-mail addresses)
Overseas membership remains at $37 (via PayPal)

The end of 2022 finds the Johannesburg meetings not being held at the Ditsong Museum in Saxonwold because of the very real risk of load shedding at very short notice. The Museum does not have a backup power system so meetings are currently held as ZOOMinars, usually on the second Thursday evening of each month.

The KwaZulu-Natal branch now holds it face-to-face meetings on the second Saturday afternoon of each month at the St Cyprians Church Hall, Umbilo Road in Durban.
Contact Prof Everitt 084-437-1636 everitt@iafrica.com or Uli Duebi ulric@worldonline.co.za 084-324-6583 for more details.

Members in Cape Town were unable to form a committee which met the terms of the Society's Constitution and the branch has thus disbanded. Members will be contacted shortly with options for continued Society membership under other branch administrations.

Eastern Cape (SAMHSEC) has also opted to go the ZOOM route: they hold a more formal lecture ZOOMinar on the second Monday of each month and a less formal, intended for interaction with members, "request the pleasure of your company" ZOOMinar on the last Monday of each month.

The 'Johannesburg' newsletters are sent to all members; KZN and SEC also send out their own. Johannesburg and overseas members only receive the 'Johannesburg' newsletters.

All newsletters eventually get added to the archive on the Society's website.

Eastern Cape details contact    Malcolm Kinghorn    041-373-4469    culturev@lantic.net

Gauteng details contact    Joan Marsh     010-237-0676    joan@rfidradar.com

KwaZulu-Natal details contact    Prof Phil Everitt    084-437-1636     everitt@iafrica.com