PAST EVENTS
We are certainly going places - historically-speaking, that is. Last month Midge Carter took us with the Americans to Guadalcanal. This month George Ponsford, or to give him the full designation with which he emerged from WWII, C.S.M. George E. Ponsford, M.B.E., M.M., spoke to us on his experiences with the 1st Canadian Division in Italy. War had been declared on 3 September 1939. Seven days later Canada mobilised its armed forces with 450 men, and they were the beginning of the 335 000 soldiers who were eventually sent overseas during the next five years. George joined the Hastings and Prince Edward Regiment, the "Hasty P's" as it was popularly known, and was posted to C-Coy, in which he stayed for the duration of his service.
With wry humour and a memory undimmed by time, he recalled those first weeks and months when with practically no uniforms or equipment, but "with boundless enthusiasm" the Canadians prepared for war. In December came the voyage to England, hugging the North Pole, with no heating on board and cold kippers and potatoes for breakfast. Training in England, then followed repeated abortive starts to be sent to France or Norway, marked by gross uncertainty and confusion. In June, 1940, after Dunkirk, the Brigade was shipped to France and disembarked at Brest only to be turned back to England, and in the process having to destroy all the Brigade vehicles as there was no shipping them back.
In June 1943 the "Hasty P's" found themselves on the high seas heading for Sicily. The enemy knew they were coming but did not know where they would land. A storm, which convinced the Italian naval officers on the enemy Coastal Defence Command that landings were impossible, actually helped the invading Allied force to get across a huge coastal sandbank and to effect landings, albeit under tremendous difficulties. Hardly any unit landed on the right beach allotted to it; but fortunately the landings were unexpected and practically unopposed. Then followed bitter fighting especially around Assoro. The whole campaign finished up on 17th August - 38 days for the whole island.
Baytown, the operation to cross the Straits to the mainland of Italy went in on 3 September 1943. The Canadians formed the reserve brigade, so did not leave Messina and cross over to Reggio di Calabria until 11 September. Then began a test of endurance; in 17 days they marched 300 miles. In great, fascinating detail George then dealt with the bitter fighting in Italy during which he was severely wounded but able to rejoin his Company. On 25 February 1945 the Company finally left the front line in Italy for good and was then transferred to the Western Front.
Fellow-member Victor Conrad paid a sincere tribute to the fighting qualities of the Canadians and moved a vote of thanks for George's mammoth effort in presenting this talk which was illustrated with the aid of an epidiascope.
FUTURE EVENTS
Programme of Monthly Get-togethers
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".
This is a story of code-breaking, double agents, and political intrigue. (Please note that this meeting will be held on the third Thursday in August).
September 12th Dr. Frank Mitchell will present a slide talk on Andrew Beauchamp-Proctor, V.C., DSO, MC Bar, DFC, 84 Sqn R.F.C., South Africa's most decorated hero.
October 17th Commodore A.S. Davis will present a slide talk on "Forty Years with the S.A. Navy".
The venue for all meetings will be the Lecture Room, lower ground floor, 'SB' Bourquin Building (Natalia Development Board's Head Office) on the corner of Jan Smuts Highway and Buro Crescent, Mayville, on the second Thursday in the month (unless otherwise announced) 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.
WELCOME
A hearty welcome is extended to new members Shirley Wall, Mr. & Mrs. N.R. Howarth and Dr. & Mrs. L.D. Prall.
(Mrs) Tania van der Watt,
Secretary, Durban Branch,
S.A. Military History Society,
Box 870, HILLCREST, 3650.
Tel. (031) vvvvvv