The July meeting commenced with a short talk on First World War Art given by Mrs Jennifer Copley. Slides depicting the works of various artists from the Imperial War Huseum's Collection in London were shown, after which the Chairman, Professor Copley, introduced the main speaker of the evening, Major-General Philip Pretorius, our Museum Director.

General Pretorius' talk was entitled The Reluctant Rebel, 1900 and dealt comprehensively with the Boer invasions of the Cape Colony during the Anglo-Boer War. The involvement of General Pretorius' grandfather, Philip Pretorius, imparted an added personal perspective and poignancy to the talk.

General Pretorius described in detail the deployment of British troops as well as of the Boer forces prior to the invasion and illustrated by means of maps the routes taken by the invading Boers.

Emphasis was placed on the Boers attitude towards the invasion embodied in General Olivier's initial proclamation which included the justifications that the Colony was being attacked because it was used as a base by British troops and that the Free State and Transvaal were at war with the British and not the Cape Colonists.

General Pretorius analysed the reverses suffered by both forces and illustrated how bridges were destroyed by each side to impede the other's progress. General Pretorius examined the attitude of the Cape Afrikaners towards the invasion and the steps taken by the British Government to retain their loyalty, including the proclamation of Martial Law. In spite of these measures, 10,000 men took up arms against the British.

The British imposed punishment on the rebels in two stages. After the first invasion special courts were established to try the rebels. Because of the leniency of these courts, many Boers were encouraged to join up again. After the second invasion, the courts applied for more stringent penalties.

General Pretorius' grandfather who was conscripted by the Boers in Venterstad ended his military involvement as a refugee en route to Europe along with many other rebels. Some of the refugees were accommodated in Portugal where they were exceptionally well received and treated being given food, clothing and educational facilities.

After the conclusion of the peace treaty, Philip Pretorius returned to South Africa on the S.S. Bavarian where he still had the ordeals of internment at Bellview and a treason trial to endure before his freedom was restored. General Pretorius provided fascinating details of the lengthy and tedious legal process ins ti tuted by the courts against rebels. The entire talk was accompanied by relevant slides from a wide variety of sources which contributed greatly to its resounding success.

Next meeting: August 9th - Dr Stanley Monick - "The Boxer Rebellion 1900"

September 13th - Mr Achilles Kallos - In the Steps of Alexander the Great"

October 18th - Prof W D Maxwell - The Gallipoli Campaign"