Remembrance Month
Vacant Chairs
SAMHSEC remembers members whose chairs are vacant: Chris McCanlis BCR, Elizabeth Nel, Doug Boyder, Lionel Wulfsohn, Clive Malkin, Mike Duncan, Tim Jones, John Perrot, Duncan Fergusson, Taffy Shearing, Barbara Uys, Bill Mills, Mel Smethurst, Peter Gray, Mike Meyer, André Rudman, Peter Beighton, Jochen Mahncke and Margie Moore.
SACS Centenary
SAMHSEC congratulates the South African Corps of Signals (SACS) on the centenary of its founding in November 1923.
Grey High School Remembrance Service
The Grey High School Remembrance Service is to be held in the Memorial Quadrangle at the School on 10 November 2023.
Civic Remembrance Day Parade & Wreath Laying Service
The Civic Remembrance Day Parade & Wreath Laying Service is to be held at the Walmer Town Hall War Memorial on 12 November 2023.
SAMHSEC thanks the Port Elizabeth Branch of the South African Legion for coordinating the restoration of the Walmer Town Hall War Memorial after it was vandalised earlier this year.
SAMHSEC 9 October 2023 meeting
Malcolm Kinghorn spoke on Seabed Critical Infrastructure Warfare as a developing domain of conflict that has immense economic and strategic importance.
Offshore and seabed infrastructure and installations, including crucial data cables and energy pipelines, are growing in numbers, reach, cost and complexity. Civil society, governments and businesses are increasingly dependent on this infrastructure. Vessel traffic is increasing, which increases the risk of accidental damage. The security situation is deteriorating due to increased international tensions and sabotage actions are already happening.
Costs of adequate surveillance and monitoring of seabed critical infrastructure are increasing. State and non-state actors with intentions to disrupt this infrastructure are becoming more sophisticated and capable of using multiple means to cause damage.
Ships which can operate remote and autonomous off-board systems for underwater surveillance and seabed warfare are required. Such vessels must be able to respond to interference with critical infrastructure, make assessments and assist with repair if required.
Some countries are known to have offensive and defensive seabed warfare capabilities, while others are unable to protect the seabed critical infrastructure in their territorial waters. NATO has established a Critical Infrastructure Coordination Cell in response to a clear and present risk to seabed infrastructure. The EU Maritime Security Strategy & Action Plan includes protection of critical maritime infrastructure.
SAMHSEC RPC 30 October 2023
In session 1, Nick Cowley shared some Eastern Cape perspectives on Dick King’s Ride.
Dick King is a revered and honoured figure in Natal, now KwaZulu-Natal. He’s regarded as having ‘saved Natal’-meaning the British colony of Port Natal, now Durban – after the 1842 Battle of Congella, by riding in record time to the nearest major British military headquarters at Grahamstown. From the Eastern Cape end of his ride, I found some interesting new perspectives that challenge existing perceptions.
King himself was an 1820 Settler, though he left the Eastern Cape for Port Natal at the age of 17 in 1828.
What if Dick King had reached Grahamstown too late and the British garrison and civilians in Port Natal had run out of food and surrendered to the Boers? My belief is that military-minded Cape Colony governors like Napier or Harry Smith would have ordered the recapture of Port Natal anyway. Those remembered for saving British Natal would have been British troops sent from the Eastern Cape.
The romanticised image of Dick King’s ride is different from the likely reality, which has to do with his occupation as a wagon transport driver and trader who plied regularly between Port Natal and today’s Eastern Cape.
There were several mission stations and British military posts along the way. We can assume that there was already a beaten trail following the easiest terrain and crossing the 100+ rivers at the best and safest fords and drifts. King would have been very familiar with this route and followed it.
This localised perception in the village of Bathurst relies on the main argument that King made a quick visit to his father, supposedly living in the Bathurst area, before reporting to the military at Grahamstown.
An account of that visit from King’s then 13-year-old niece tells us how her Uncle Dick arrived disheveled at the home of her grandfather – Dick’s father Philip – in Grahamstown, although Philip had lived earlier at Ebenezer near Bathurst.
Moreover, Bathurst is south of King’s obvious route through Peddie and Trompetter’s Drift and on to Grahamstown.
The last of a series of 10 ‘pylons’ erected along Dick King’s probable route in 1942 was originally placed at Bathurst, but later moved to Trompetter’s Drift.
Finally, despite these somewhat heretical perspectives, I [Nick] have no wish to question Dick King’s courage, endurance, determination, fortitude and skilled horsemanship as manifested during his ride. The only photograph we have of him was taken not long before his death in 1871, when he was still a revered figure in the Durban area for his exploit. To reflect that reverence, and also because I’ve highlighted his ties with the Eastern Cape in this presentation, I’ll conclude with two lines expressing his traditional Natal image, written by the Natal poet and writer Ethel Campbell:
“Richard King – nay, King Richard! – bold Durban man;
Here’s to you, brave Natalian, and the race you ran.”
In session 2, Dylan Fourie told us about bales of rubber which washed ashore between Port Elizabeth and Cape St Francis in September and October 2023. These bales are probably part of the SS Helmspey’s cargo.
The SS Helmspey was a British freighter homeward bound from the Far East which was torpedoed by U-516 11 miles off Cape St Francis on 11 February 1943. Her cargo included tea, manganese ore, rubber and general cargo. After storms at the end of September 2023, bales of rubber washed ashore east of Cape St Francis.
Third Officer Thomas Frederick, Able Seaman Leslie Sanderson, Able Seaman William Watson and Greaser Mahomed Abdul were killed when the SS Helmspey was sunk. Only Abdul’s body was recovered. Assistant Steward Thomas Edge was injured and died in hospital in Port Elizabeth on the next day. Abdul and Edge are buried in the South End Cemetery.
The survivors were picked up and taken to Port Elizabeth by SAAF Air-Sea Rescue Launch R-4, which was based in Port Elizabeth.
During her three-year service, U-516 sank 16 ships of 6 different nations, the last in July 1944. She surrendered to HMS Cavendish on 10 May 1945. She was scuttled in January 1946 as part of Operation Deadlight.
In the discussion which followed Dylan’s presentation, Sean Eaton mentioned that his father had commanded ASRL R-4 when it rescued the SS Helmspey survivors. John Shaw mentioned that the Fish Hoek Museum has a rubber bale similar to those mentioned in Dylan’s presentation and which is presumed to be from a ship sunk near Cape Town.
Dylan’s presentation is in the SAMHS Zoom library.
SAMHSEC 13 November 2023 meeting
Brian Klopper is to tell us about the commemoration of the Centenary of the South African Legion of Military Veterans in October 2021.
Brian’s presentation is to be followed by a discussion of the role South African Military Veterans’ organisations can play in society in as diverse a country as South Africa. By using their unique perspectives and leadership experiences, military veterans are well-positioned to bridge political divides and enhance public awareness of civic duty.
SAMHSEC RPC 27 November 2023
Session 1 is available for you to share your knowledge of a military history related subject. Please contact André at andrecrozier@gmail.com if you want to use this opportunity.
Session 2
This session is available for you to share a military history related book. Please contact André at andrecrozier@gmail.com if you want to use this opportunity. November 2023 at 2015 South African time
SAMHSEC