PAST EVENTS
The Command Sergeant Major (Natal Medical Command) WO1 Roley Medlin, a career soldier of 22 years standing, and a keen historian to boot, was our guest speaker in April. In a fascinating and most entertaining story he unfolded an amazing piece of research and historical detective work, in an attempt to solve some puzzling aspects relating to the King's colours which were presented to the Cape Medical Corps in 1904. By way of an introduction he briefly outlined the tradition and ceremonial connected with King's (or Queen's) colours as distinct from regimental colours. His historical interest was aroused by a chance remark he overheard some years ago about a King's colour, which, contrary to normal conditions, had been awarded to a medical unit, and had become 'lost'. All he had to go by was that the letter 'A' and figure '1' featured in its name and that it had seen war service. He had to discover the name of the unit, and which war or wars were involved. Was the unit a colonial or Imperial one, were the colours presented before or after a war, in South Africa or overseas? The first breakthrough came when he discovered that the Cape Medical Corps had been presented with the King's colour after the Anglo/Boer War, but at that stage neither an 'A' nor a '1' seemed to feature in its title. A research into the history of this Corps led to King Williams Town, where, during the first half of last century, Dr John Ross, the Medical Officer of the King Williams Town Volunteer Artillery, had organised an ambulance service during one of the frontier wars to bring wounded soldiers from the Amatolas to Fort Yule. (This service became the forerunner of the St John's Ambulance Brigade). Dr Ross's successor, Col Hartley, V.C., set about developing this service and formed the Cape Medical Corps. When Dr Faskally started a similar unit in Cape Town it became D Coy (or No.2 Coy), because the K.W. Town unit was obviously the No.1 coy, that is, A Coy of the Corps. D Coy had always remained at the Cape, to staff the military hospital (now Wynberg), whereas A Coy had always followed troops into battle on active service, be it the Langeberg campaign (Kuruman), or Magersfontein, Paardekraal, Tweefontein and many others.
In 1904 the Princess Christian, representing King Edward VII, presented the King's colours to 26 units at a parade in Cape Town. Among these was the Cape Medical Corps, but more specifically A Company (No. 1 Coy). As it was not possible to bring this Company from K.W. Town to Cape Town for the occasion, the colours were received by B Company instead. However, not to rob the Company which had earned it, of its honour, Col Lucin suggested that, the consecration of the colour be undertaken by A Coy in K.W.Town. This was done, but then the colour receded into oblivion. The last available record was that it had been put up in the ordinance stores at K.W. Town, but it was no longer there. Colours which are no longer in use are normally laid up in churches, more often than not in Anglican churches, subject to proper documentation and ritual. Enquiries at Anglican churches throughout the land drew a blank. Painstaking and dogged research eventually enabled WO1 Medlin to locate the unrecorded colour at St Andrew's Presbyterian church in K.W.Town, then, by chance, an also unrecorded, apparent replica, was found in St George's Cathedral in Cape Town. How all this has come about is part of the mystery still to be solved.
A unique aspect of the award of this colour is that the Cape Medical Corps was the first S.A. medical formation to receive a colour, also the first South African formation to receive a King's colour. It was the only occasion that a colonial noncombatant unit received a King's colour and that a King's colour was presented to a unit which did not even have a regimental colour.
An appropriate appreciation of a most interesting and colourful talk was expressed by fellow-member Ken Gillings.
FUTURE EVENTS
Following a popular request a one-day outing is being planned for Sunday, 2 July. Please note this date in your diaries. A detailed itinerary will appear in the June newsletter. The general plan is to visit FORT PEARSON and ULTIMATUM TREE on the north coast, the GINGINDLOVU battle site, FORT KWAMONDI and the NONGQAI FORT and museum at ESHOWE.
Programme of Monthly Meetings:
MAY 11TH COLONEL LOUIS HEAP will deliver a talk on "THE UNDECLARED WAR" (the War in the townships).
June 8th Major Denis Sheil-Small, M.C., will show video tape recordings of "The Gurkhas in Training" and "The Queen's visit to Nepal". Major Sheil-Small is the author of "Green Shadows: A Gurkha Story" and co-author of "The Gurkhas, The Undeclared War" and "A Pride of Gurkhas".
The venue for the above meetings will be the functions room on the first floor of the Westville North Library, 167 Blair Atholl Road. The Library building is on the corner of Blair Atholl and Iver Roads, at the robot-controlled intersection of BLAIR ATHOLL - IVER RD - DUNKELD RD. The entrance to the library parking area and building is from Iver Road. Commencement time will be 19h45 and friends and interested persons are welcome to come along.
Ice and water JUGs will be provided, but please bring your own GLASS and bottled or canned refreshments. There is a gentle ramp and entrance door on the Blair Atholl Road side for those members who may find stairs difficult to negotiate. The functions room is air-conditioned (if desired) and TV/VCR equipment is available on request.
Tania van der Watt
Secretary: Durban Branch
S.A. Military History Society
Box 870 Hillcrest 3650
Tel. 74mmmm