PAST EVENTS

At our get-together in November Colonel C.F. Hodgson completed the second stage of his march from Hell to the Himalayas. Picking up the threads of his first talk in June he explained how he avoided demobilisation and unemployment during the Post-war years by accepting a posting to the Indian Army. Leaving the green fields of Ireland and England behind he and his newly-acquired wife now really headed for the "Himalayas". Pay was determined by rank and appointment and not by marital status and young officers were not supposed to get married and if they did take such a "rash" step had to see how to come out on a meagre lieutenant's pay. On the other hand as a married officer in India he had to keep his own house and according to then prevailing customs and traditions "umpteen" servants - fifteen to be exact. How he managed all this and found time for all sorts of other exciting undertakings only Col. Hodgson could tell in his inimitable, humorous way. The bad news is now that no more will be said about this most entertaining talk. The good news is that Col. Hodgson's book "From Hell to the Himalayas" has been completed and is available to the public. It may be obtained either from the publishers direct, Messrs. King & Wilks (Pty) Ltd., P.O. Box ppp, Westville 3630 (Telephone .........) or from Adams & Co., or in due course any other bookseller. The cost is R14,95 plus GST.

FUTURE EVENTS

Programme of Monthly Meetings:
1983
January 13th MR. BRIAN CHILVERS, the well-known S.A.B.C. broadcaster, will give a talk on the Bushmen in the operational area entitled "The Stone Age Warriors".

February 3rd Major Darrell Hall will present a lecture on "The Soviet Navy and the East/West Naval Confrontation". (Please note that this meeting will take place on the FIRST Thursday in February and the subject does not deal with historical events.)

SEASONAL GREETINGS

As this is the last news-sheet for 1982 and the festive season is upon us, seasonal greetings and best wishes for health, wealth, and happiness for the New Year are conveyed to all members.

(Mrs) Tania van der Watt,
Secretary, Durban Branch,
S.A. Military History Society,
Box 870, HILLCREST, 3650.
Tel. (031) vvvvvv