Having contributed to the December 2024 Military History Journal with the story of the first submarine museum in Africa, Cmdr Leon Steyn spoke about "The Navy Sails South" on 10th April.
Cape Town was an ideal staging point or stop over for many adventurers going to Antartica as well as the many vessels hunting whales in bygone eras. It was not until 1947 that the SA Navy had to venture into the Southern Ocean, taking the form of Operation Snoektown which was the annexation by South Africa of the Prince Edward islands. John H Marsh, father of the Society's Mike Marsh, went along as the operation's official photographer and in his resulting book, "No Pathway Here" described what happened. The SA Naval Forces sent frigate HMSAS Transvaal to annex Prince Edward and Marion Islands on December 29th 1947. Frigate HMSAS Natal sailed from Port Elizabeth and annexed Gough Island on January 4th 1948. The bulk of the 300t loads needed for the establishment of a weather station - and permanent presence - on Gough Island - was carried by SS Gamtoos, a coaster with special hoisting capacity.
The reasoning behind the annexation might have been an over-reaction by theBritish to the perceived threat from Soviet missiles at the start of the Cold War; South Africa was asked to and carried out the physical possession of the islands. Until 1961, when the Department of Transport acquired a dedicated polar research vessel, the SA Agulhas, the Navy undertook annual resupply missions to the weather stations on Marion and Gough Islands.
The slides Leon showed indicated that the weather in these areas was "less than benign" and that the respect shown to the "Southern Ocean" by the sailors in the quadrennial Vendee Globe single handed non-stop round the world races is totally warranted!
Time to join the Zoominars For those members still anxious about Zoom lectures, please give them a try! Go onto the internet and open your web browser at www.zoom.us
If using a cellphone, visit the app store. Once you have the app 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. There are usually two Zoom sessions per evening.
You do NOT need to have a camera - 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.
FORTHCOMING ATTRACTIONS -
ZOOMINARS
Eastern Cape Branch (SAMHSEC) Zoominars Monday 12th May 2025 at 19h30 and then at 20h15:
Speaker Andriza Liebenberg
SAMHSEC RPC The next RPC (Request the Pleasure of your Company) Zoominar will be on Monday 26th May 2025.
Johannesburg Thursday 15th May 2025 at 19h30 and then 20h15
Speaker: Lieutenant Colonel (Dr) Jean-Pierre Scherman
This presentation is part of a paper that the author will be presenting at the 2nd Military History Consortium Conference that will be held in Lisbon, Portugal over the period 4 - 6 June 2025
Next KwaZulu-Natal Branch Meeting
Saturday 10th May 2025. Notice is hereby given that the AGM of the Branch will take place on Saturday 10th May 2025 at 1.30 for 2.00pm.
Monthly meeting following the AGM
The main presentation for the afternoon will be by David Hulme, who most will remember from his recent excellent and well-illustrated presentations on the
"Berlin Airlift" and the "Fall of the Berlin Wall".This time he will present a fascinating exposée of:
This will deal with the rise of the Greek and Roman Empires and the events preceding their rise and leading to their fall. Having seen presentations by David on this period of history I can assure members that they are in for a unique, interesting and absorbing afternoon with excellent visual backup, which will
illustrate the foundations of the modern military. - Phil Everitt, Branch Chairman
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. A donation of R10 for the raffle and R10 for
the car guard are requested from all attendees.
June 2025 Military History Journal It is not too late to send articles for the Journal to scribe@samilitaryhistory.org
80th commemoration of VE Day - Cape Town As mentioned in last month's newsletter, the SA Legion will be holding a 3-day exhibition at the Castle from Thursday 8th May to Saturday 10th May 2025.
Program:
9:00 - 16:00 - Visitors are invited to put up a message of peace on our Peace Wall.
9:00 to 13:00 - Commander Mac Bisset (Western Cape Military History Society) will be available to examine war medals, advise on their significance and order of wear, as well
as tell visitors how to go about getting access to veteran's military records.
10 May only (In addition to the items mentioned above)
9:00 to 16:00 - Sales tables (particularly of military-themed books)
9:00 to 16:00 - WW2 re-enactment society, The Heritage Group, will be setting up a field kitchen and selling food, plus their members will be dressed in WW2 uniforms. Some WW2 vehicles will be on display.
10:00 - 13:30 - Before and after the Memorial Service, learners and educators from Christel House South Africa school's Brass Ensemble, Jazz Band and singers will be playing both local and international musical numbers.
11:00 to 12:00 - Memorial Service and Wreath laying ceremony. Ex-Deputy Mayor Ian Neilson will be the guest speaker and Padre Tony Bethke will lead the service. The
Christel House Band will be playing a hymn and the National Anthem. Trumpeters from South African College Schools (SACS) will be piping the Last Post and Reveille.
Castle of Good Hope charges an entry fee - R50 per Adult and R25 per Pensioner or Children
The RPC Zoominar hosted by Eastern Cape (SAMHSEC) on 27th April included a description of the exhibition using a selection of slides of some of the posters. The ZOOM lecture by Marinda Hall is on the Society's website in the Video Library.
You Tube Video - the Boer War and its Boy Hero Philip Major from the UK has added a video about the participation in the Boer
War of a boy soldier, John Francis Dunne of the Royal Dublin Fusiliers, to you
tube. He thinks our members might find it of interest.
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
* NOTE*
Fast mirror and backup site BOOKMARK
FOR REFERENCE Main
site * NOTE*
- in date order -
In recognition of the Centenary of Afrikaans as an Official Language
Subject is to tell us about Die Bittereinders in Afrikaans.
Subject: Operations Dikmelk, Bombay and Crackerbox -
SADF initial military operations in SWA 1967 - 1969
"The Evolution of Weapons and Tactics in the Classical World"
Remember the main aim of the Journal is to provide Society members with a platform on which to publish their research and writings.
9:00 to 16:00 (daily) - WW2 Infographic and photo exhibition, titled "The Unsung Heroes of WW2", plus a selection of WW2 memorabilia, will be on display at the Military Museum in the Blue Room.