KWAZULU-NATAL BRANCH

Newsletter No. 551
September 2024

This is due to a request from St Cyprians as they will be preparing for their annual Patronal Church Festival on our scheduled date of 14th Sept.

This meeting will take place on Saturday, 7th September, on the

The presentation will be delivered by Law Researcher/previously lecturer David Hulme. His presentation will be another epic account of the events leading up to the construction of the wall, its operational life, and finally its demise.

Many of you will have attended David’s masterly presentation in March on the “Berlin Airlift”, which many members remarked was one of the best they had attended. Similarly, the latest talk will also be around 1 hour duration and thus there will be no DDH.There will however be an interval to refresh your glasses at the Vicar’s Alms!

The starting time is 1.30 for 2.00pm on SATURDAY 7th September,2024.
We aim to be finished before 4pm to get you home before the Boks vs All Blacks in Cape Town at 5pm.
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

PAST JULY MEETING

This was the Ken Gillings Memorial Lecture combined with the SA National Society who were the organisation responsible for the event. As usual SAMHS and Gunners were invited due to our combined association with Ken.

The meeting well attended meeting was held on the morning of Saturday 17th August at St Cyprian’s Church Hall.

The guest speaker was Professor André Wessels who spoke on the topic of “Commemorating a Bloody War - Looking back (and ahead) on the eve of the 125-year anniversary of the Anglo-Boer War of 1899 to 1902”.

André discussed the reasons for preserving and commemorating our history and reflected on the events arranged for the Centenary of the war from 1999 to 2002; and especially of the part that Ken Gillings and others in our Societies had played in the setting up of those commemorations which were held on a suitably ‘grand scale’ with invited guests including British Royalty. He then spoke on how politicians were, and are, prone to use and abuse events such as this for their own purposes. This had occurred during and prior to the Apartheid years with the Nationalist Government concentrating initially on the Great Trek, and later during the years of isolation, introducing certain features to try and unite white English and Afrikaans citizens against the perceived communist threat. In the new South Africa, historians have begun to research and chronicle the impact world events had on our black population, which had been largely ignored in the past. Despite remembering his strict Afrikaner upbringing Andre showed how history and commemorations must be considered in an impassionate and unpartisan manner. Altogether a memorable morning which was appreciated by all.

ADVANCE NOTICE OF OCTOBER MEETING

The meeting will be held as usual on the afternoon of 12th October 2024 and will feature our normal DDH and Main talk.

The DDH will be given by fellow member George Oliver, our resident Cryptological expert, who will give a presentation on the German Lorentz cipher, more complex than Enigma.

The main will be an overview of the Battle of Sidi Resegh in which the 5th SA Brigade was wiped out. The presenter, Phil Everitt, will utilise the memoirs of his namesake uncle, Phil Everitt, a Signaller who escaped, only to be killed a year later at El Alamein, to show the events from the point of view of an ordinary private.

OTHER EVENTS

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.

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, I was initially disinclined to see it again. However, having managed to get to the August screening of “The Fall of France” and (Britain stands) “Alone”, I realised how much I had forgotten and how impressive it is on the big screen. I will now be making every effort to get to the remainder of the series. Truly worthwhile and highly recommended!

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!

Last call.

For those interested; our meeting host Fr Dane holds a Supper Club once a month in the Hall. If you are interested and read this in time the speaker TONIGHT is as below:

Unfortunately, your name needs to be submitted by NOON TODAY, 27th August. Phone Edith on 0312053710.

That’s all for now folks, see you at the meeting on Saturday 7th September !Please spread the news of the events and encourage others to come along.
Regards
Phil
P R Everitt
Chair KZN Branch SAMHS
Cell/WhatsApp 0844371636
NB I am currently without a Wi-Fi internet connection, email will only be accessed occasionally, please rather phone or use WhatsApp to my cell number