EASTERN CAPE BRANCH
OOS-KAAP TAK

SAMHSEC 21 MILITARY HISTORY IN 21 WORDS COMPETITION

The SAMHSEC 21 Eastern Cape military history fact or fiction in either English, Afrikaans or Mengels in 21 words competition in celebration of SAMHSEC’s 21st Anniversary is now closed. Thank you to everyone who joined in the fun! Anne is to announce the winner at our 8 December zoomeeting.

SAMHSEC meeting 13 October 2025: Two Pattison brothers from Southwell who died in France during WW 1 by Stephen Bowker

Further to Steven’s presentation in our November newsletter:
Margaret Harradine’s book Port Elizabeth: a social chronicle to the end of 1945, page 177 includes:
“1928 Nov 11 Stephen found the graves of Rev Pattison and his wife in the St John’s Church, Walmer Cemetery.

SAMHSEC meeting 10 November 2025: 11 November 1918 and its commemoration

Dylan Fourie’s presentation covered the events of 11 November 1918 on the Western Front and how the day is commemorated in the United Kingdom, France, Belgium, Canada, the United States and South Africa.

Dylan’s presentation is in the SAMHS Zoom library.

You may be interested in André Crozier’s presentation on the Week before 11 November 1918 in the SAMHS Zoom library.

SAMHSEC Requested the Pleasure of your Company to talk about military history on 24 November 2025

In session 1, Dan Lamprecht told us about the lifespan and disbandment of the Savannah Veterans Association.

Operation Savannah was the clandestine deployment of approximately 3 000 South African Defence Force (SADF) personnel in Angola between September 1975 and January 1976 in support of the anti-communist UNITA and FNLA against the Soviet and Cuban backed MPLA following Portugal’s withdrawal from its former colony. Task Force Zulu advanced 3159 kilometres in 33 days. Under growing international pressure and with CIA support withdrawn, South Africa withdrew.
The MPLA retained control of Luanda and declared Angola’s independence.

Operation Savannah was the SADF’s first major engagement since World War 2 and precursor to South Africa’s involvement in the Border War.

The Savannah Veterans’ Association was founded in 2002 with a closed membership and was disbanded on the 50th anniversary of the operation in 2025.

The Pro Patria Museum has an Operation Savannah exhibition.

Dan’s presentation is in the SAMHS Zoom library.

In session 2, Barbara Ann Kinghorn shared her childhood memories of family friend Lt George H. Krohn, SAAF, who was KIA in the Korean War.

Barbara Ann’s presentation is to be covered in SAMHSEC’s January 2026 newsletter.

SAMHSEC meeting 8 December 2025

Franco Cilliers is to discuss Operation Linebacker II, which was a strategic bombing campaign conducted by the United States against targets in North Vietnam from 18 to 29 December 1972 during the Vietnam War.

SAMHSEC is to next Request the Pleasure of your Company to talk about military history on 26 January 2026

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.

SAMHSEC

Chairman: Malcolm Kinghorn culturev@lantic.net

Secretary: Stephen Bowker stephen@stephenbowker.co.za

Speaker coordinator: André Crozier andrecrozier@gmail.com

Scribe: vacant

Field trip coordinator: vacant