Newsletter No. 552
October 2024
NOTICE OF MONTHLY MEETING
There will be TWO presentations.
The introductory DDH will be by fellow member George Oliver our resident
Cryptological expert, who will give a presentation on the German Lorentz cipher,
machine - more complex than the more portable Enigma. This cipher/code was used
by Hitler for instructions and communications directly to his commanders in the field.
Enigma vs Lorentz
The Lorentz decryption was carried out by the team at Bletchley Park, but the
information was only declassified in 2002, some 30 years after details of the Enigma
were made public in the 1970s. This was the code breaking that really won the war!
The main talk will be by Phil Everitt and will cover the November 1941 Battle of Sidi Rezeg. During this battle the 5th SA Infantry Brigade was virtually wiped out. The disaster has been described by author David Katz as a “disaster of SA arms,second only to the surrender of Tobruk in 1942”. However, the SA Gunners at Sidi Rezeg, who fought to the last, over open sights,and with 2pdr A-Tk guns still on portees were responsible for the destruction of a large portion of Rommel’s Panzer Divisions and hence assisted the defeat of Rommel’s “dash to the wire”.
After providing an overview of the Battle, Phil will use the memoirs of his namesake uncle, a signaller, and peacetime reporter, who had been through the Abyssinia campaign. His exciting escape from the carnage,at Sidi Resegh was followed by nearly a year of extreme frustration and boredom at the base camp only to be killed later at Alamein. This provides a view of the events through the eyes of a private soldier and shows how little the rank and file knew of the operations.
Phil Everitt, Phil's namesake uncle
The starting time is 1.30 for 2.00pm on SATURDAY 7th September,2024.
The venue remains the St Cyprians Church Hall off Umbilo Rd, with secure parking
and liquid refreshments available for cash.
Entry is free and open to all, but a donation of R10 for the raffle and R10 for the car
guard are requested from all attendees.
Newsletter No. 552
PAST AUGUST MEETING
Despite the counter attractions of the rugby, there was an official attendance of 19 including members, visitors (unfortunately not all signed the attendance register). The guest speaker David Hulme presented an excellent talk on “The Fall of the Berlin Wall”.
David dealt with the politics and boundaries of the European nations before the war and the structural changes which occurred at the end and after the war. The major issue was the absorption by Stalin’s USSR of the states occupied by their forces where blatantly unfair “elections” were orchestrated, leading to them becoming surrogate communist states of the USSR, and the imposition of an “iron curtain” falling over most of Eastern Europe. The one area where those in the East could cross daily and see the way of life of the west was in Berlin. Isolated within East Germany (the GDR) was Berlin, administered in the western portion by Britain the USA and France and in the eastern section by the GDR. Escapes from West to East increased to such an extent that the Communist GDR divided the city by barbed wire, a wall and minefields.
This led to an essentially static situation with only rare escape crossings until Reagan’s military pressure on the USSR and Gorbachov’s “glasnost and perestroika” finally led to a surge of escapees through Hungary and the fall of the wall, along with the government of the GDR, resulting in the final reunification of East and West Germany into one truly western democratic state. The sweep, breadth and depth of David’s presentation together with his slides was amazing. Regrettably the slide show was cut short by an area-wide power failure, but the audience remained to the end, captivated by the narrative. We all left with a deeper understanding of these events which had occurred within our lifetimes. Congratulations David!
ADVANCE NOTICE OF NOVEMBER MEETING
The meeting will be held as usual on the afternoon of 9th November, 2024 and will
feature our normal DDH and Main talk.
The DDH will be given by past Chair of the Branch, Bill Brady, our resident who will
give a presentation on the “Mighty Hood”.
The main will be by Steve Camp, who as co-author, is currently completing a book on the History of the South African Parabats and thus is well versed to give us a presentation on the topic.
OTHER EVENTS
For those interested; our meeting host, Fr Dane holds a Supper Club once a month in the Hall. Expect an interesting and well-illustrated talk this month by David Hulme on Herod the Great: contact me(Phil),by WhatsApp, or Edith at the church on 0312053710, for catering by NOON on Tuesday 1st October.
STOP PRESS for personal reasons, there is a chance that David Hulme may not be available to give this talk in which case in his stead, I will present a talk entitled “The Spirit of Man” about the conditions in Stalag 4B POW Camp in Germany, which I am currently scheduled to present to the Supper Club in November.
There are a number of important dates relating to Military History in the months of October and November and we are indebted to Rick Andries of the SA Legion for the following which has been adapted for SAMHS members.
IMPORTANT DATES, OCTOBER, NOVEMBER
(edited Message from SA Legion Sept 2024)
I need to bring to your attention the following, obviously some are much more important than others, but please prioritise and record those that affect you:
1. N.B. SAMHS Members/VETERANS/LEGIONNAIRES ARE REQUESTED TO WEAR A POPPY DURING "REMEMBRANCE TIDE" - i.e. during the first two weeks of November, at least until Remembrance Day.
2. Saturday, 9 November. SAMHS Monthly meeting coincides with POPPY DAY – we will have poppies on sale for those who have not already purchased and the tin for other donations! We will also observe a moment of silence/reflection in memory of those who gave their lives in war.
3. SERVICE OF REMEMBRANCE - Sunday, 10 November starting at 10:30 at the Durban Cenotaph. SAMHS KZN Branch, will join the many other organisations, units at this event and will lay a wreath in memory of those who lost their lives. Members are encouraged to attend if possible - dress jacket and tie (with medals where appropriate. Fathers and grandfathers medals may be worn on the RIGHT hand side).
4. REMEMBRANCE DAY - Monday, 11 November. If possible, stand for a minute or two in silence at 11:00 in memory of those who gave up their lives for us.
5. OTHER DATES OF INTEREST/IMPORTANCE:
SA LEGION NOTICES
1. SA Legion BRANCH AGM - Saturday, 12 October starting at 09:00 at the Winston Churchill MOTH Shellhole in Westville.Legion members, please make every effort to attend and let us know (Bradly on admin@salegion.durban) whether or not you’ll be in attendance. Kindly come in Legion uniform or, if not available, dressed smart/casual. Snacks and cash bar afterwards.
2. AMASHOVA CYCLE RACE - Sunday, 20 October.We will be manning a refreshment table in Kloof and would appreciate volunteers to assist. If you’re willing and able (including family and friends) please advise Brad (as above) as soon as possible.
3. VETERANS’ DAY - Sunday, 3 November. This is when we (the SA Legion)
honour our military veterans by placing a poppy on each of their know graves in
local cemeteries.
Again, we need volunteers to help with this mammoth, but pleasurable, task so kindly
step forward if you can.
4. POPPY DAY - Saturday, 9 November.
This is the BIG one! We truly need every Legionnaire to spend at least two hours at a convenient collection point, so once more, please inform Brad as soon as possible when (time) you’re available and he’ll place you at a suitable spot - shopping centre/mall where permission to collect has been obtained.
In order to ensure a good collection point, you’re advised to do this without delay!
5. LEGION MEMBERS, Consider attendance on Sunday 10th November, Remembrance Sunday at the Cenatophat 10.30am as compulsory, preferably in Legion uniform or, as least, jacket and tie (with medals).
OTHER ACTIVITIES OF INTEREST
The Rhumbelow film club will be screening the award-winning series “The World at War”, on the big screen, as in the poster shown. Seating is at tables and picnic baskets may be brought in, but no drinks. Food in the form of burgers, chips, boerewors rolls, snack baskets etc and full bar facilities and tea/cofee are available for cash/card at good prices. Interested persons please contact me for details. There is a possibility of waiving entrance charges for veterans/SAMHS.
The showings have been changed to the THIRD Tuesday of each month when 2 episodes will be shown consecutively on each evening on the big screen.Remembering that I had seen the series on television when it was produced in 1974, jogging your memory and seeing it on the big screen (covering the entire theatre stage) is definitely worth making an effort for.
The next 2 episodes, “On our way USA, 1939-42” and “The Desert North Africa, 1940-43” will be shown on Tuesday 15th October at 7.30pm.
NOTE This is an extremely safe venue. Both patrons and cars are secure behind locked gates for the duration of the show and contrary to popular belief this is NOT an unsafe area to drive to at night!
The Last Word.
I had a telephone conversation with Joan Marsh at National Office SAMHS this morning. Many of you will be aware that they administer an incredible website at http://samilitaryhistory.org/ The website has a search engine for every word on the site at http://samilitaryhistory.org/search.html . The site includes all the newsletters of the Branches going right back in time. They have recently located a pile of old Durban Branch Newsletters going way back to inception but are missing those from March 1992 to July 1997.
As these newsletters are often accessed by members and researchers, Joan is busy scanning and uploading all she has.
This is a plea to anyone who may have these filed away to please contact her on:
Joan Marsh cell or whatsapp 0660937296
Or joan@trolleyscan.com
Otherwise please contact me.
That’s all for now folks, see you on Saturday the 12th October !Please spread the news
of the meetings and encourage others to come along.
Regards
Phil
P R Everitt
Chair KZN Branch SAMHS
Cell/WhatsApp 0844371636
South African Military History Society / scribe@samilitaryhistory.org