PAST EVENTS
It is not often that we have as a guest speaker one of our lady members, but if it does happen, as with our November get-together, it is doubly appreciated. But it is appreciated two times doubly, when the guest speaker comes all the way from Greytown and is such a lively and informative speaker as Belinda Gordon. She is of course well known to all of us as the enthusiastic curatrix of the Greytown Museum, and it was a real pleasure to hear her talk on "Exploring the Past". From a light-hearted discussion on what constituted museum exhibits in the past, curios and impossibilities, such as a piece of Queen Catherine's skin, a nun's penitential girdle, dragons' eggs and a phoenix's tail, Belinda then indicated how over the years a more meaningful approach had been adopted. Using the Zulu War as an example she illustrated by means of extracts from contemporary letters how highly interesting information could be obtained. She also pointed out the wealth of untapped sources which may still be found by serious and methodical researchers.
Her own obviously indefatigable efforts in exploring the past of her own local region gave her a degree of prominence when visiting the vicarage, looking for information, a small child answered the door, rushed inside calling "Daddy!, The museum is here".
The thanks of the meeting were expansively expressed by fellow-member Midge Carter.
FUTURE MEETINGS
Programme of monthly get-togethers:
1986
January 16TH MR. JEFF MATHEWS, History Lecturer at Edgewood College, will give a talk entitled "WHAT REALLY HAPPENED AT ISANDLWANA!"
February 20th Major Denis Sheil-Small will give a slide talk titled "A Pictorial History of the Gurkhas".
March 20th Major Darrell Hall will give a slide talk on "The Secret War with Japan" WWII.
April 10th Commandant Justin Hulme - "50 Years Ago" (SADF 1929 - 1933)
May and June To be announced.
July 17th Major Darrell Hall - "Above the Trenches". This lecture will describe the work of the army co-operation airmen of both sides in WWI.
PLEASE NOTE THAT THE MEETINGS IN THE FIRST QUARTER OF 1986 ALL TAKE PLACE ON THE THIRD THURSDAY IN THE MONTH.
Venue: Lecture Room, lower ground floor, 'SB' Bourquin Building, the Natalia Development Board's head office, on the corner of Jan Smuts Highway and Buro Crescent, Mayville, commencing at 8 p.m. Glasses and ice will be supplied so please bring your own bottled or canned refreshments. FRIENDS AND INTERESTED PERSONS ARE WELCOME TO COME ALONG.
SEASON'S GREETINGS: We wish all,our members a merry Christmas and may 1986 bring peace and prosperity, goodwill and happiness.
(Mrs) Tania van der Watt,
Secretary, Durban Branch,
S.A. Military History Society,
Box 870, HILLCREST, 3650.
Tel. (031) vvvvvv