MARCH MEETING
For openers we actually had the forty second spot consisting of advertisements and announcements as the screen slowly descended. Metro-Goldwyn-Hall - Military Magazine was concerned with the Italian Campaign then and later plus a bird's eye view of the World War I trenches as would be seen from the cockpit of an aircraft - a bewildering system of Allied and German trenches crawling all over the countryside.
The main speaker was Mr Stewart Stiles who addressed the Society on General French's Colesberg Campaign - 1899-1900. This is a lesser known (and successful) campaign.
Mr Stiles is an accountant and served with the SADF Horse and Dog Centre for his National Service. In addition to a B. Comm (Hons) at UNISA his academic interests range from Boer and Zulu Wars to Medieval and Roman military history including the Napoleonic and American Civil Wars.
The highlights of a meticulously presented talk were the abundance of contemporary photographs and illustrations gloaned from regimcntal records. Spacing the talk we had snatches of regimental marches of some of the units involved, sounds of troops on the march, cavalry on the move.
In the discussion afterwards it was pointed out that the General was, like many Victorians a diarist providing direct information not only of events, but of personalities with whom he was in contact (not necessarily complimentary.) He had an un-Victorian eye for the ladies! From a naval family he originally embarked on a naval career but saw the folly of his ways and had a brilliant army career ending up as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland.
Vote of thanks: the compliments were returned when Dr Stan. Monnick thanked the speaker for an extremely well presented talk.
NOTICE OF ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF S.A. Military History Society at 20h00 on Thursday 12 April 1984. After the meeting a film will be shown: 'War under the Sea'.
Do not forget our 'Do it yourself' tour to The Eastern Transvaal. We shall visit the battlefields of Diamond Hill and Bergendal, the Balmoral Concentration Camp and other places of military historical interest.
Book your own accommodation at the Hotel Malaga (Tel no 013262 ask for 131) or the Wayside Inn (Tel no. 013262 ask for 452). Please let Hon. - Secretary Mike Marsh, (Tel no. Work 64-81150, Home 64-81657) know you are coming.
Rendezvous : Take the M1 to Protoria, then the N1 (Pretoria bypass). At the N1/N4 intersection (near the CSIR), turn right on the N4 Witbank Road.
The Rendezvous: is at the BOSCHKOP/Donkerhoek turn-off, 18 km from the N1/N4 intersection.
Time - 09h00 on Saturday, 5 May 1984.
Programme
Durban Branch
12 April 1984. Chairman Cmdt 'SB' Bourquain. The Cato Manor Riots of 1959 - illustrated.
Capetown Branch
12 April 1984. AGM followed by a documentary film 'Australia at War 1914-1918'.
Pearls of Wisdom : Wu Sun Tzu 490 BC.
The control of a large force is the same in principle as the control of a few men: it is merely a question of dividing up their numbers.... it is merely a question of instituting signs and signals.
The general is skilful in attack whose opponent does not know what to defend: and he is skilful in defence whose opponent does not know what to attack.
All warfare is based upon deception.
(I.B. COPLEY) Work : 011-71-2751
Home : 011-71-3195
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