KWAZULU-NATAL BRANCH

Newsletter No. 542
August 2023

Notice of Meeting 19th August, 2023 and Newsletter:

MEETINGS AND EVENTS

1. A final warning and invitation for the next meeting of the KZN Branch of SAMHS which will be a joint meeting with the SA National Society on THIS Saturday the 19th August, 2023.

NOTE that this will be a morning meeting at 9.30am for 10.00am and NOT our usual afternoon time. In this respect we bow to the SANS as organisers as this is their usual time.

There is only one presentation at this event which will be the SANS’s Annual Ken Gillings Memorial Lecture which will be presented by own well-known fellow member Robin Smith. This will cover the British Royal line of succession from the uncertain future at the time of Victoria to the more certain path currently followed.

The venue will be the St Cyprian’s Church Hall and there will be snacks and tea/coffee provided for which there is a nominal entry charge of R30 for SANS, SAMHS and Gunners members and R50 for visitors. The Vicar’s Alms will be open and the car guard will be on duty as usual.

2. Music from Scotland

The annual Music from Scotland variety concert will take place on Sunday the 10th September, 2023 starting at 2pm in the DLI Hall. A flyer with full details is attached. This event is a must for all lovers of Scottish music and should not be missed.

3. Callies in Concert

The day before on Saturday 9th September, 2023 from 2-4pm at Christ Church Hilton, our Pietermaritzburg members especially, and all other lovers of Scottish Music, are invited to a similar variety concert featuring the Durban and Pietermaritzburg Caledonian pipe bands, Ceilidh band and guest artists. Full details of this will also be found in the attached flyer.

NEWSLETTER

The speakers for the well attended meeting last month were fellow members Dr Bob Mills and Ulrich Duebi.

The DDH starter, was presented by Bob and comprised a talk on the “Pioneer Column to Zambezia,” led by Maj Frank Johnson with Frederick Selous as guide and including Dr Leander Starr Jameson. This was sent by Rhodes in 1890 to Mashonaland, to represent his then recently chartered British South Africa Company. This was to forestall Germany or Portugal having a colony which spanned the continent blocking Rhodes’ Cape to Cairo dream and he dealt in some detail on the negotiations and discussions which led to the formation of the BSAC, and the approval by Govt of his plans. He then covered the expedition itself and the efforts made to avoid violence with the Matabele on route, this led to the formation of Rhodesia and the subsequent events of the Federation.

Ulrich’s main talk was on “The Greyshirts”, the South African fascist pro-Nazi movement prior to and during WW2. Uli has collected a number of items of memorabilia of the movement and displayed their flag on the lectern. This made obvious their political leanings. He touched also on similar right-wing organisations such as the Ossewa Brandwag whose members included our late President J B Vorster and his right-hand man “lang” Hendrick van den Berg, both interned at Koffiefontein Camp. This pre-war history of South Africa is not well known. The Nationalist government under Dr D F Malan which won the 1949 election and remained in power until 1994 preferred to conceal or at least gloss over the pro-Nazi and even anti-Semitic leanings of many of its members as did may other nations post-war.

It is thus important that we revisit these times not necessarily for any political reasons but merely for us to understand these pre-war dynamics that resulted eventually to Smuts winning the debate on joining the war despite strong and sometimes violent opposition.

It also explains the opposition by ex-servicemen who joined the Torch Commando after the war when the perceived right-wing National Party gained power including many wartime internees in its ranks. The talk elicited much comment and questions from the floor and hopefully we can persuade Uli to do a follow-up next year.

OTHER NEWS

Delville Wood wreath laying ceremony 23rd July 2023.

As discussed in the previous newsletter, as your chair, I laid a wreath (cross with SAMHS badge and poppies, expertly made by Ulrich Duebi), who also attended the ceremony. Although wearing regalia of my old regiment (Durban Regt), the wreath was announced and laid on behalf of SAMHS. The event was also acknowledged by the SANDF, although extended to also include all casualties from all recognised armed forces. There was excellent participation with an SAAF band, and platoon, with ceremonial sentries from all 4 services and wreaths laid by all local full-time and many part-time units.

It was also pleasing to hear the radio drama on SAFM the other night, based on Delville Wood and the part played by SAs Victoria Cross recipient Pvte William Frederick Faulds (1895 - 1950). 18th-20th July 1916. “When a bombing party came under very heavy rifle and machine-gun fire and the majority were killed or wounded, including the lieutenant in charge, who lay unable to move midway between the two lines of trench. In full daylight Private Faulds, accompanied by two other men, climbed over the parapet, ran out, picked up the officer and carried him back. Two days later private Faulds went out alone, under intense artillery fire, and brought in a wounded man and then rejoined his platoon.”

I for one was pleasantly surprised to find this our National Radio Programme, at least the event is still remembered in our Govt media! Well done SAFM! The news at the end of the broadcast however, was that his VC donated to the National War Museum in Johannesburg, was stolen in 1994. A sad reflection on the New South Africa!

Hope to see a good turnout of members and visitors on Saturday!

Your Committee for 2023

Member	Portfolio	Comments
Phil Everitt	Chairman	(elected at AGM)
Charles Whiteing	Vice Chair
Graeme Fuller	Committee scribe and IT arrangements for meetings
Donald Davies	Treasurer
Roy Bowman	Publicity and communications with press
Ulrich Duebi	Doorman, meeting finances and raffle
George Oliver	IT and general

Hope to see a good turnout of members and visitors on Saturday!

Regards
Phil Everitt
Chair SAMHS KZN Branch
0844371636