South African Military History 
Society

CAPE TOWN BRANCH

January 1989


THE 1989 SEASON COMMENCES WITH THE FOLLOWING TWO MEETINGS AT THE VARIOUS VENUES INDICATED, COMMENCING AT 8 P.M.


(A) WEDNESDAY 11TH JANUARY 1989: IN THE LECTURE ROOM OF THE JOSEPHINE MILL, BOUNDARY ROAD, NEWLANDS, OPPOSITE THE BREWERIES, ADJACENT TO THE NEWLANDS RUGBY GROUNDS. (NOTE CHANGE OF THE USUAL MEETING DATE, AND THE VENUE).


"A VERY RICH LIFE", a talk by COMMANDANT A.P. RICH, a former pilot in the South African Air Force, whose career ranged from World War Two to the nineteen-seventies, during which he flew a variety of aircraft including fighters, bombers, transport aircraft and helicopters. He also saw active service during the famed Berlin Airlift of 1948/1949, and the Korean campaign. Commandant Rich is a renowned raconteur, and you are assured of a memorable evening's entertainment (no idle promise, this - the Chairman has already heard the talk elsewhere!)


(B) THURSDAY 9TH FEBRUARY 1989, IN THE DU TOIT ROOM OF THE ATHENAEUM, 154 CAMPGROUND ROAD, NEWLANDS (NOTE THE REVERSION TO THE CUSTOMARY DAY AND VENUE).


"A HISTORY Of CEREMONIAL". a talk by COMMANDANT PAUL GROBBELAAR. A veteran soldier and history buff, Commandant Grobbelaar fills a rather out of the ordinary military post. As "Captain of the Castle", a magnificent echo of VOC days, he commands the "Castle Guard", a ceremonial unit which has been functioning at the Castle, Cape Town, since April 1987, but traces its historical roots back to a unit known as De Kaapsche Regiment, which garrisoned the Castle from 1700 till it ceased operating in 1795 upon the first British occupation of the Cape.

Commandant Grobbelaar's tasks involve taking charge of all ceremonial occasions, researching and reviewing the old traditions and useages, and assisting in the creation of the new, greatly enlarged museum complex. In his talk he will trace the origin of ceremonial during the Dutch period, prior to the first British occupation, discuss the planning and introduction of the "Castl~ Guard" in1987,a~a teli of:some of th~ plans for the future as regards both the Castle and its "Guard".


VISITORS ARE WELCOME TO ATTEND


PAUL LANGE CHAIRMAN. Telephone nn-nnnnafter hours.
VICE-CHAIRMAN: MAJOR TONY GORDON Telephone mm-mmmm after hours.


South African Military History Society / scribe@samilitaryhistory.org