PAST EVENTS
At our April get-together the Colonel took a walk down memory lane! Fellow-member Colonel C.F. Hodgson, veteran of World War I, had visited France last year in order to participate in the 70th Anniversary services commemorating the opening battles of World War I, especially the battle of Mons and, as far as Colonel Hodgson was personally concerned, the battle of Le Cateau. His talk was aptly entitIed "Mons and Le Cateau - 70 years later". In his easy humorous style the Colonel relived these fateful events of yester-year, enlivened by his recent refresher. Extending his travels in the Albert-Arras Le Cateau triangle many reminiscences, both serious and lighthearted, came to life again and served as a re-affirmation of those so well documented in Colonel Hodgson's book "From Hell to the Himalayas". This talk was supplemented by a series of colour slides taken and presented by Miss Rhoda Lamb who had participated in this pilgrimage. The combination of the Colonel's "audio" and Rhoda's "visual" contribution resulted in a most enjoyable travelogue with a strong military flavour and was heartily applauded.
FUTURE EVENTS
MILITARY HISTORY EXHIBITIONS, DON AFRICANA LIBRARY (Durban Municipal Library)
War and Southern Africa is the theme of a series of exhibitions being held in the Don Africana Library during 1985.
The remaining topics to be covered this year are:
PROGRAMME OF MONTHLY GET-TOGETHERS:
MAY 9TH Fellow-member MIDGE CARTER will talk on "GUADALCANAL - Stalingrad of the Pacific."
June 13th Fellow-member George Ponsford will talk about his WWII experiences wi th the 1st Canadian Division in Italy 1943/44.
July 11th Commandant Justin Hulme JCD will talk on "The Irregular Soldiers of the 8th Kaffir War".
August 15th Our National Chairman Major Darrell Hall will address us on "The Secret War 1939-1945". (Please note that this meeting will be held on the third Thursday in August).
September 5th Fellow-member from Cape Town, Dr. Frank Mitchell, will present a slide talk on Andrew Beauchamp Proctor, V.C., DSO, MC bar, DFC, 8th Sqn R.F.C., South Africa's most decorated hero. (Please note that this meeting will be held on the first Thursday in September).
October 17th Commodore A.S. Davis will present a slide talk entitled "Forty Years with the S. A. Navy". (Please note that this meeting will be held on the third Thursday in October - the second Thursday is a Public Holiday).
The venue for all meetings will be the Lecture Room, lower ground floor, 'SB,' Bourquin Building (Natalia Development Board) on the corner ofJan Smuts Highway and Buro Crescent, (entrance in Buro Cresc), Mayville, on the second Thursday in the month (unless otherwise announced) commencing at 8 p.m. There is ample parking under guard in the grounds. Glasses and ice will be supplied so please bring your own bottled or canned refreshments. Friends and interested persons are welcome to attend.
AN APPEAL
It does seem a long shot but can anyone help Mr. Nigel Briggs of nn Fettes Road, Clarendon, Pietermaritzburg, 3201, who is trying to trace his grandfather's Zulu War medal. It was issued to Trooper (or sergeant) J. GRAY (possibly J.E. GRAY) and the regiment would probably be the Natal Carbineers.
ANNUAL REPORTS presented at the 19th Annual General Meeting held in Johannesburg on 11th April 1985 have been received and will be available at our next meeting on May 9th. The 1985/86, Executive Committee is as follows:-
Major Darrell Hall (Chairman), Mr. Ian Uys (Vice-Chairman), Mr. Mike Marsh (Secretary/Treasurer), Mr. Stewart Stiles (scribe), Dr. Ian Copley, Messrs W. (Bill) Garr, Maurice Gough-Palmer, H.W. (Nick) Kinsey and Dr. Felix Machanik.
(Mrs) Tania van der Watt,
Secretary, Durban Branch,
S.A. Military History Society,
Box 870, HILLCREST, 3650.
Tel. (031) vvvvvv