SEPTEMBER 1987 NEWSLETTER

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RUSTENBURG TRIP - 19th/20th September, 1987

Preamble

Members of the Society and their friends who will be participating in the week-end trip should proceed to the Belvedere Hotel outside Rustenburg (about 115km from Johannesburg or about 91km from Pretoria). The attached sketch map (Map 1) shows the route to the Hotel. Members of the party are requested to book into the Hotel by not later than 10h00 on Saturday morning, 19th September, 1987, so as to [be] ready to move off sharply at 10h30 for the day's outing to the Rustenburg town area as set out below. Particular attention is drawn to the notes at the end of this "movement order".

Saturday, 19th September

10h30      Move off in convoy under the guidance of Mr. Lionel Wulfsohn of Rustenburg, the Tour Leader, for the Conradie Stone House destroyed in the British scorched earth campaign early in 1901. A giant fig tree has grown round the old walls, and Mr. Pieter Conradie (great grandson of Mr. Frans Willem Conradie whose house was destroyed) will give an explanatory talk. Arrive 10h40 and leave 11h10 for Rustenburg.

11h35      Arrive at residence of Mr. & Mrs. van Velden to see the large slate sundial made by Captain Henry Richardson, 9th Company, Royal Engineers, in the South African War. Arrive 11h35 and depart 12h00 for the Paul Bodenstein Park.

12h10      Arrive at the Paul Bodenstein Park for picnic lunch on the green lawns. Comfort Stations here. Arrive 12h10 and leave at 13h15.

13h15      Proceed to Rustenburg Town Hall parking area. Arrive 13h30

13h40      Proceed on foot to Rustenburg Museum in the Town Hall complex where an explanatory talk will be given by the Curator, Mr. Pistorius. Amongst the other interesting exhibits is the Ras Cannon used by the Boers in the Transvaal War of 1880/81. Arrive 13h50 and leave 14h15.

14h15      Proceed on foot over the road, via the Paul Kruger statue, to the historic N.G. Kerk used as a British milltary hospital during the South African War. Here can also be seen the monument to the Burghers and civilians killed at Derdepoort by the Bakgatlha tribe on 25th November, 1899, and the desecrated foundation stone laid by Commandant-General Piet Joubert in 1898. Depart at 15h00.

15h00      Walk back to the parking area and proceed about 3/4km by car to the old jail used as a fort by both the Boers and the British in the South African War. Now used as Commando H.Q. Arrive 15h10 and depart 15h30.

15h30      Walk across to the old 2ustenburg cemetery (about 200m), where both Boer and British dead are buried. Of particular interest is the tombstone of Lt. Erskine-Flower, who died of wounds received at Moedwil on 30th September, 1901. Arrive 15h35 and depart at individual convenience for return to Belvedere Hotel.

Sunday, 20th September

08h00      Proceed promptly in convoy on the back road (by-passing Rustenburg town) on to the Swartruggens road, the H27, (Map 2), and travel for about 54km to Swartruggens town arriving at 09h15. Comfort Stations available here.

08h30      Return on Rustenburg road for a couple of kilometres to the Elands River siege site for a talk on the siege and viewing of the site and adjacent war cemetery. Arrive 09h45 and depart at 11h10.

11h10      Proceed back towards Rustenburg on the R27 for about 34km to the site of the Moedwil clash of 30th September, 1901, at the Selons River for a talk on this action. Arrive 11h55 and depart 12h55.

12h55      Move to Moedwil military cemetery for visit and picnic lunch in the open. Comfort Stations here (portable loos). Arrive 13h20 and depart 15hoo.

15h00      Leave for return home to P.W.V. area.

Notes:

1. Members should provile their own lunch packs and refreshments for the Saturday picnic lunch in the Paul Bodenstein ParK.
2. All accounts, etc., should be settled and bags packed before the 08hOO departure on the Sunday if return to tne Hotel is not intended.
3. Lunch packs are being provided by the Belvedere Hotel for the picnic lunch on the Sunday and these should be collected before daparture, but members should provile their own flasks for tea or coffee which will be provided by the Hotel. Members should provide their own cool drinks as required.
4. As a fair amount of walking and standing around on both days will be involved comfortable walking shoes and sun hats are a must. Lightweight folding chairs or shooting sticks for the two talks at Elands River and Moedwil are recommended. Warm clothing for the Saturday evening is advisable.
5. Members are requested to observe the tight schedule of the "movement order" times as fairly strict discipline in the convoy movements will be necessary in order to keep the programme running smoothly. This promises to be an interesting and enjoyable outing.