KWAZULU-NATAL BRANCH

Newsletter No. 545
February 2024

Our Meeting for this month will comprise 2 presentations.
The first short DDH will be: “A Lesson in Orders,” which will use a case study of the Battle of Magersfontein in the Anglo-Boer War to illustrate the importance of good Generalship. The presentation will be in the form of a PowerPoint introduction followed by a video of a subaltern’s experiences.

The main speaker will be fellow member Charles Whiteing who will present:
"TWO BATTLES
TWO TAPESTRIES"
1066 AND 1944

The respective seaborne invasions were 878 years apart, but both had similar challenges.  

The battles are depicted on two tapestries; the Bayeux Tapestry in France, and the Normandy Embroidery which is displayed in the D-Day Museum in Portsmouth, England.  

The talk makes a comparison of the two invasions through the medium of the tapestries.

The starting timeis 1.30 for 2.00pm sharp due to load shedding at 4.00pm) on THIS Saturday 10th February. The venue remains the St Cyprians Church Hall off Umbilo Rd, with secure parking and liquid refreshments available for cash from The Vicar's Alms.

Entry is free but donations of R10 for each of a raffle and car guard are requested from all attendees.

NEWSLETTER

January Meeting

The January meeting held on the 3rd Saturday of the month was unfortunately not very well attended although we had a number of visitors.

The DDH started with an Al Jazeera news clip, on the embarrassment caused to the Canadian Parliament when a 98-year-old Ukrainian veteran who had fought against the Soviets in WWII was given two standing ovations. It was later discovered that he had done so as a member of the somewhat notorious Waffen SS (Galazien Brigade) of Ukrainians. A short PowerPoint introduction followed dealing with the somewhat complex history of the changing boundaries of the states of central Europe leading to the creation of the state of Ukraine. The main video was the story of how the Ukrainian SS unit surrendered to the British and some 8000 or more were quietly resettled in the UK and later Canada. Memorials to their SS Unit exist in both countries and the veteran at the Canadian Parliament was one of last survivors!

The main presentation was given by Roy Bowman on “HALSEY'S TWO TYPHOONS OR HOW JAPAN NEARLY BEAT THE U.S. NAVY”. In the closing stages of WWII the US Pacific Fleet under Adm Halsey was closing in on Japan. It was struck by not one but two extreme typhoons ‘COBRA’ (Dec 1944) and ‘CONNIE’ (June 1945).

Poor weather predictions caused the fleet to be stuck by COBRA while refuelling at sea and caused the loss of the destroyers Hull, Spence, and Monaghan to capsize and sink with practically all hands. In addition, varying degrees of damage was caused to the carriers Cowpens, San Jacinto, Kwajalein, Cabot, Atahama, Nehenta Bay, and Cape Esperance, the light cruiser Miami, the destroyers Dewey, Aylwin, Buchanan, Dyson, Hickox, Maddox, and Benham, the destroyer escorts Tabberer, Melvin R Nawman and Waterman, the oiler Nantahala and the fleet tug Jicarilla. An estimated 790 officers and men were lost or killed, and scores of others injured. In a board of enquiry Halsey was found responsible but not negligent.

However, in June the fleet was struck by another rapidly developing typhoon and the cruiser Pittsburgh had 110 feet of her bow section torn off, and four carriers — the San Jacinto, Hornet, Bennington, and Belleau Wood — were battered. Six men were killed or swept overboard and four seriously injured. Seventy-six planes were lost. Other ships damaged in the typhoon included the battleships Missouri, Massachusetts, Indiana, and Alabama; the escort carriers Windham Bay, Salamua, Bougainville, and Attu, the cruisers Baltimore, Quincy, Detroit, San Juan, Duluth and Atlanta, 11 destroyers, three destroyer escorts, two oilers and an ammunition ship.

The Japanese believed that the typhoons, known by them as Kamikaze (Divine Winds) would save them as similar storms had saved them from Chinese invasion fleets in their past history but nothing could save them from the two atomic bombs in August 1945 !

COMING ATTRACTION.

Advance Notice of March Meeting

The meeting on the 9th March will be a “blockbuster” event delivered by Law Lecturer and researcher David Hulme. His presentation will be an epic account of

This well researched and illustrated account will take the entire meeting with no DDH. starter but with an interval for refreshments. A few of our member have been privileged to see the talk and it is EXCELLENT and NOT TO BE MISSED. Diarise the date !

OTHER NEWS

Mendi Remembrance

The South African Legion Durbanhas invited us to attend and lay a wreath at the Annual SS Mendi Remembrance Service at the SS Mendi Memorial, Bay End of Samora Machel Street, Durban at 10:00 on Sunday, 25 February 2024. As Chair I will attend and lay our cross and I invite any members who wish to attend to contact me so I can include them in the RSVP.

SOUTHERN AFRICA ARMS & AMMUNITION COLLECTORS ASSOCIATION

A flyer from the SAAACA is attached inviting interested persons to an upcoming meeting to be held at the Ihawu Range Facility 115 Escom Road New Germany
Date: Saturday 17th February 2024
Time: 9:00 till 13:00.
Attendance is free.

That’s all for now folks see you THIS Saturday at St Cyps!

Regards
Phil

Phil Everitt
Chair KZN Branch SA Military History Society
Cell: 0844371636
Email: everitt@iafrica.com