PAST EVENTS

Our guest-speaker, Maj Darrell Hall, addressed a 'full house' at the March meeting of this branch. In a supporting feature of the now famous "Metro Goldwyn Hall" series Darrell set about to unravel the intricacies of the WWII deception story, which is now generally known by the titIe "The Man who Never Was", and to identify the true personalities of the participants, dead and alive, of the actual wartime operation and the subsequent film about this undertaking.

The theme of Darrell's main story, as usual immaculately supported by transparencies on twin screens, was "The Battle of the Coral Sea". Following the attack on Pearl Harbour some Japanese strategists argued that Australia, because of its size and strategic location, would almost certainly become a springboard for an eventual Allied counter-offensive. Australia should therefore be placed under Japanese control or effectively cut off from the United states. This would be done by the progressive occupation of New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, New Caledonia, New Hebrides, Fiji and Samoa. The American code-breaking unit attached to the Pacific Fleet under Cmdr J. Rochefort succeeded in deciphering the Japanese naval code. From then onwards now that it was known what the enemy was going to do, the enemy was going to be undone, to paraphrase an old proverb.

In April 1942 the Japanese 4th Fleet had been reinforced by two heavy cruisers and three aircraft-carriers (Zuikaku, Shokaku and Shoho). Vice-Admiral Shigeyoshi Inouye divided his Task Force "M0", based on the 4th Fleet, into a Carrier Striking Force, two Invasion Groups, a Support Group, and a Covering Group. The Tulagi Invasion Group occupied its objectives without opposition on 3rd May. On the following day 14 transport vessels of the Port Moresby Invasion Group set sail. Admiral Nimitz thereupon sent Task Force 17 (Rear-Admiral Fletcher) towards Port Moresby. The force was centred on two aircraft-carriers, 'Yorktown (Rear Admiral Fletcher) and 'Lexington' (Rear-Admiral Fitch), and was joined by an Australian task force of cruisers. In view of the fact that the land-based airforces were under General MacArthur, there was a certain lack of co-ordination, especially in the intelligence field.

The ensuing actions between the opposing forces on May 6 - 8 came to be known as 'The Battle of the Coral Sea". This engagement marks a date in naval warfare as it was the first time that two fleets fought from over the horison, without ever being in sight of each other, and attempted to destroy each other by bombs and aerial torpedoes.
- Tactically, success went to the Japanese since against the loss of the light carrier 'Shoho', one destroyer, one minelayer and three minesweepers, they sank the American 'Lexington', the oiler 'Neosho', which they took for another aircraft-carrier, and the destroyer 'Sims'. The Yorktown successfully evaded the torpedo attacks and took only a single bomb hit which did not significantly impair her fighting effectiveness.
- Strategically, however, the advantage was on the Allies' side, as the serious damage done to the Shokaku and the losses of the aircraft from Zuikaku forced Inouye to give up the idea of taking Port Moresby.

A warm word of appreciation for a masterly presentation came from fellow-member Dr Jack Hickman.

FUTURE EVENTS

A week-end outing to Dundee and environs is being planned for 11/12 June 1988. Please note this date in your diaries. Basic features will be a talk on the Battle of Talana and a visit to the battle area (Talana Hill), the Talana Museum and the museum of the Dundee Shell Hole, and a 'braai' on the Saturday night. Other features will be considered and a more detailed programme made known at a later stage. Own or shared transport throughout.
Special weekend concessions have been offered by the Royal Hotel, Dundee, (Telephone 0341 - 2nnnn) as follows :
Double Bed and Breakfast (with bath) R39,00 (normal tariff R60.50)
Single Bed and Breakfast (with bath) R29,00 (normal tariff R43.50)
Please make your own reservations in good time.

Next Meeting

APRIL 14TH          Fellow member JUSTIN HULME will talk about his recently edited book which contains a provisional list of the officers of the irregular forces involved in the Eighth Kaffir War (1850-53). Some copies of this volume are still available from Adams, the Booksellers, Telephone 304...., and the price is R15,00 + R1,80 GST.

The venue for all meetings is the 'Bourq Inn', lower ground floor, 'SB' Bourquin Building, (NPA Department of Community services), on the corner of Jan Smuts Highway and Buro Crescent, Mayville, commencing at 19h30 (7.30 p.m.). PLEASE BRING YOUR OWN GLASS AND CANNED OR BOTTLED REFRESMENTS. Ice and water jugs will be supplied. There is ample parking, under Guard, in the grounds. FRIENDS AND INTERESTED PERSONS ARE WELCOME TO COME ALONG.

REMINDER - SUBSCRIPTIONS

Subscriptions are due in January each year and should be sent to the Secretary/Treasurer, S.A.M.H.S., Box 52090, Saxonwold, Tvl. Code 2132. The rates are R16,00 p.a. for Single membership and R19,00 for Family membership. As a number of Durban Branch members' subs are still outstanding, a computer print-out listing the state of payments as at 19 March 1988 will be available at our next get-together on the 14th April.

WELCOME

A warm welcome is extended to new members Dr and Mrs Gerry Brereton-Stiles.

(Mrs) Tania van der Watt,
Secretary, Durban Branch,
S.A. Military History Society,
Box 870, HILLCREST, 3650.
Tel. (031) vvvvvv