Robin Smith was our speaker on 25th April, telling us about The British Officer and the Johannesburg Gentleman, as was written up in the Military History Journal in the June 2023 issue.
In the first session Robin sketched how the continuation of the conflict as a guerrilla war in three areas - Western Transvaal, Eastern Transvaal south of the Pretoria-Delagoa railway line and the area around Vryheid - was dominated by the mobility of the commandos. Ponderous columns hampered by slow-moving ox-wagons carrying equipment were unable to contain the Boers. The erection of blockhouses to discourage the Boers' movements, together with large scale "hunts" e.g. for General De Wet, as well as the burning of farms and the internment of the occupants in semi-planned "concentration" camps, kept the British very busy. Realising the value of mounted soldiers in mobile operations against the Boers, Australian horsemen were brought into the country and the British increased their training of mounted men. But all these things took time.
Various soldiers were appointed to lead the troops in the field, some, like Bindon Blood, having earned his reputation in India, being relieved of their posts and sent back to India after proving ineffective in Africa.
The second session highlighted the successful operations of firstly Gen Benson and after his demise Gen Ian Hamilton, aided by Wools-Sampson with his scouts, in attacking the Boer lagers in the early mornings having used the night to move up on them. This not only surprised the Boers but allowed the British horses to rest during the day!
Only the imminent peace talks put a stop to the operations early in 1902. The recording of the Zoominar is on the website in the Video Library.
FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS - ZOOMINARS
Eastern Cape Branch (SAMHSEC) Zoominars
Monday 13th May 2024 at 19h30 and then at 20h15:
Speaker: Robin Smith
Subject: "Amnesty denied: 3 Boers who were indicted for murder after the close of the Anglo Boer War."
Johannesburg Branch
Thursday 23rd May 2024 at 19h30 and then 20h15
Speaker: Ian Binnie from the UK
Subject: Field Marshal Montgomery and World War Two
History has not been kind to Montgomery, particularly over the last 50 years as one historian after another has lined up to crucify both his character and military reputation.
Ian will try to address this by analysing the contribution of one of the U.K.'s finest general to the defeat of the Axis powers.
SAMHSEC RPC
The RPC (Request the Pleasure of your Company) Zoominar will be held on Monday 27th May at 19h30 and then 20h15.
Speakers and topics to be confirmed by invitations.
Members of all Branches are always
Welcome to Attend all ZOOM Meetings
Time to join the Zoominars
For those members still anxious about Zoom lectures, please give them a try! Go onto the internet and find www.zoom.us then download the program. If using a cellphone visit the app store. Once you have it on your device - computer or cellphone - choose to join a meeting. Either use the link which is provided in the invitation or type in the meeting code and then the password, also from the invitation, as requested.
You do NOT need to have a camera - unless you are the speaker or a chairman- although it is always interesting to match faces to voices. As in the auditorium, you do not HAVE to ask the speaker any questions, but there are ways in which you can draw the chair's attention so you can do so.
KwaZulu-Natal Branch Meetings
Lectures are held on a Saturday afternoon, usually the second of each month. The starting time is 1.30 for 2.00pm. The venue is the St Cyprians Church Hall off Umbilo Rd, with secure parking and liquid refreshments available for cash from The Vicar's Alms.
The 11th May meeting of the KZN Branch of SA Military History will feature fellow member Roy Bowman, who will present illustrated talks on 2 topics related to Durban in the war years. The first short talk, looks at the excitement that Durban had when the fully laden cargo ship, OVINGTON COURT, grounded on Addington Beach on the evening of 25th November, 1940. The Main Talk is the story of FORTRESS DURBAN, and tells how Durban transformed from a coastal town to an armed fortress over WWII and the effects this had on the population.
Further details are available from:
Prof Phil Everitt Chairman
Cell: 084-437-1636 E-mail: everitt@iafrica.com
WWII POW's in Campo 57
CHRISTINE KELLY (vistabay121@icloud.com) e-mailed: "I am from Australia and doing research
on POW's who were, at some stage, in Campo 57 in northern Italy until the armistice. My Dad was
in this camp for 2 years.
I am compiling a list of ALL men (or as many as I'm able) who passed through the camp. I'm having
trouble getting details of the South African POW's and I know some were there.
I also run a Facebook (private) site for descendants and interested parties of those at 57."
Mp>Please contact Chris directly if you are able to help her with information or wish to join
her site.
CANNONS AND COSMOS
Pam McFadden advises that the third edition of the digital magazine of the Battlefields Route can
be found at:
https://view.publitas.com/wild-world-books/cannons-cosmos-may-2024/
BRANCH CONTACT DETAILS
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
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