SAMHSEC member achievements
Congratulations to fellow members Nick Cowley on the publication of his book “Bites of cricket” (which, he assures us, includes a few peripheral references to military history) and Dylan Fourie on his graduation with a BA degree in History and English.
SAMHSEC meeting 8 April 2024
Andrew van Wyk told us about the Rand Revolt, also known as the Miners’ Strike or the Rand Rebellion. This was an armed uprising of white miners on the Witwatersrand in March 1922. What started as a strike in December 1921, became open rebellion against the State. It was supressed when the Union Defence Force was deployed in support of the South African Police. Andrew discussed the role of his grandfather, Police Constable FJHD van Wyk, in the Revolt and showed photographs taken during the operation.
Andrew’s presentation is in the SAMHS Zoom library
SAMHSEC field trip 13 April 2024
SAMHSEC’s return same day field trip on 13 April 2024 to the Mount Ingwe Anglo-Boer War
Relics Museum in the Elands River Valley went according to plan.
SAMHSEC RPC 29 April 2024
In session 1, Anne Irwin discussed “Adding flesh to the bones: how war poetry relates to military history”. Anne argued that war poetry has a rightful place alongside military historical texts and reports. She used excerpts of poems to illustrate the value of poetry in drawing attention to conditions of war as well as the role of individuals within conflict situations. She moved away from the conventional concept of the “war poets” of the First World War to include others from wars since then. She used poems to illustrate that they provide a valuable dimension to the facts of recorded military history, helping us to see the combatants as real people and not merely as units moved strategically from one place to the next.
Anne’s presentation is in the SAMHS Zoom library
In session 2, Dylan Fourie told us about military and civilian involvement after the Chernobyl disaster on 26 April 1986, which remains a reminder of the intersection between human error, technological failure and the resilience of those tasked with mitigating its aftermath. A report by William C. Potter in March 1990 covers the military and civilian involvement in post-Chernobyl operations, shedding light on their roles, challenges faced and lessons learned.
The response to the Chernobyl disaster saw an unprecedented mobilisation of Soviet military forces, spanning multiple branches including ground, air and specialist engineer, chemical and civil defence elements.
The command structure, overseen initially by Boris Shcherbina, involved coordination between on-scene commissions and Moscow specialists, with a central command post established in May 1986 under the leadership of Ivan Silaev and Colonel V. Dolgopolov, and, later, General Valentin Varennikov.
The Chemical Troops played a crucial role in reconnaissance, monitoring radiation levels and managing cleanup efforts. However, their effectiveness was hindered by systemic issues such as faulty equipment and inadequate training, highlighting the need for improvements in readiness and leadership.
Similarly, the Air Force faced significant challenges in deploying helicopters to drop sand and boron on the burning reactor, with delays compounded by equipment shortages and safety lapses. Despite these hurdles, the pilots demonstrated remarkable courage and ingenuity, ultimately containing the crisis, but exposing systemic shortcomings within the Air Force.
The engineers provided crucial support, adapting quickly to clear paths and reinforce damaged infrastructure. Despite technical challenges, they displayed operational readiness and adaptability, collaborating seamlessly with civilian workers and other military units.
In contrast, Civil Defense units showed significant shortcomings in handling the disaster, including ineffective radiation reconnaissance and communication failures leading to misinformation. While some elements displayed courage and skill, overall performance fell short of expectations, indicating a need for improvement in crisis response capabilities.
SAMHSEC meeting 13 May 2024
Robin Smith is to speak on “Amnesty denied: 3 Boers who were indicted for murder after the close of the Anglo Boer War.”
SAMHSEC RPC 27 May 2024
SAMHSEC Requests the Pleasure of your Company to talk about military history on 27 May 2024.
RPC meetings are opportunities for you to share your knowledge of a military history subject or book with fellow military historians. Presentations should last approximately 15 minutes to allow time for sharing the pleasure of one another’s company. You can do any number of RPC presentations per year. Please contact André at andrecrozier@gmail.com if you want to share your knowledge.
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