PAST EVENTS
Fellow-member Steve Watt came down specially from Pietermaritzburg to address our August meeting on "The Anglo-Boer War in the Harrismith District", illustrating persons and places with excellent transparencies.
- Lieut-General Leslie Rumble, commander of the 8th Infantry Division had his headquarters there. He was an exact, smart and methodical soldier who had seen service in the Zulu War as a gunner. During the defence of Potchefstroom in the 1st Anglo-Boer War he was wounded. During the 2nd Boer War his 8th Division saw action at Dewetsdorp, Biddulphsberg and in the Brandwater basin before he reached Harrismith on 6 August 1900. Harrismith became the base for all military operations in that region, i.e. providing escorts for convoys involved in the construction and manning of block-houses, and undertaking various expeditions to control and pacify the surrounding country.
- Rundel's forces took part in only one battle, at Groenkop, December 25, 1901. De Wet's commando overwhelmed the escort of a construction party engaged in building block-houses. In this connection our speaker presented a series of slides depicting a number of men who fell in this action, giving a thumb-nail sketch of their careers and circumstances. All the military graves are to be found within a separate precinct of the Harrismith cemetery. Their original number was 384, but later reburials of 91 casualties from surrounding areas has brought the present total to 475. Steve brought with him meticulously executed lay-out plans and statistics giving the locality and identity of each and every grave.
Major George Albamus Williams, for instance, died in action at Groenkop on Christmas day 1901, along with 61 men. He had previously served in the Sekukhuni campaign and was at the time of his death 2IC of the 11th Battalion, Imperial Yeomanry. He was wounded in 14 places while attempting to operate a field gun. Together with him died his adjutant, Lieutenant (temporary Captain) George Grice, 3rd Battalion, Scottish Rifles, aged 22 years. Lieut. John Stanley Hudson, in command of the 36th Company, Imperial Yeomanry, was mortally wounded as he gave the command to fix bayonets in the attack on the north face of Groenkop. Lieut. Stephen Hardwicke, in command of a pom-pom section, "T" Section Vickers Maxim, R.A., having lost most of his men tried to operate the pom-pom by himself and fired a few rounds. He was killed while trying to spike the gun lest it fell into Boer hands. But not only the dead were mentioned. Among the living the name of Thomas Joseph Crean stood out as being the only soldier in the Division who gained the V.C. He had qualified as a medical doctor in Ireland and was a well known athlete, who had represented Britain in a rugby team which toured S.A. in 1896.
After the tour he started a medical practice in Johannesburg. He joined the I.L.H. and was in Ladysmith during the siege. In a skirmish at Tygerskloof (between Bethlehem and Harrismith) Crean was noted when he went out under heavy fire to administer care to the wounded. He only gave up when he was wounded a second time. In WWI he was Medical Officer to a cavalry brigade. He died in 1923.
Having dealt with many more cases than is possible to mention here, Steve then gave his attention to historic buildings and landmarks. His "Then & Now" slides were of particular interest to those members who know Harrismith and could more readily appreciate both the changes and the attempts at preservation.
Our chairman, Cmdt 'SB' Bourquin, took it upon himself to thank the speaker most warmly for an excellent talk.
By way of a supporting programme, Maj Darrell Hall presented the second part of the 'Heritage of the Royal Artillery', under the 'Metro Goldwyn Hall' banner. During the course of the evening our chairman presented Darrell, in the name of the Johannesburg branch, with an inscribed tankard, in appreciation of the services he rendered to that branch during the years he spent in the Transvaal.
FUTURE EVENTS
SABC TV's 'BATTLEFIELDS' series, in 13 parts, is due to commence on Monday evening, 10th September at approx. 7.30p.m. See the TV Guide for further details and watch out for our own Durban Branch 'TV Star' members: 'SB', Darrell, Ken and George.
Programme of Monthly Meetings
SEPTEMBER 13TH Fellow-member COLONEL B.M. ADAMS will talk on "Experiences as a Military Attaché in the Republic of China" (this talk will include the showing of a spectacular video of the 1988 National Day Parade for the new President.)
October 11th Fellow-member Mike du Toit will talk on "Camouflage".
November 8th Colonel Peter 'Monster' Wilkins will present a slide talk on "The Re-fuelling of aircraft in flight during the Falklands War".
December In recess.
1991
January 10th Evening outing.
February 14th Fellow-member Major Darrell Hall will present an illustrated lecture on "The Raid on St. Nazaire 1942".
The venue for all meetings will be the amenities room, first floor, Westville North Library, 167 Blair Atholl Road, Westville, on the second Thursday evening in each month commencing at 19H45 (7.45 P.m.) Please bring your own bottled or canned refreshments. FRIENDS AND INTERESTED PERSONS ARE WELCOME TO COME ALONG.
At our next meeting the MGH short presented by Major Darrell Hall will be "Ceremonial Uniforms". (10 - 15 mins).
(Mrs)Tania van der Watt
Secretary: Durban Branch
S.A. Military History Society
Box 870 Hillcrest 3650
Tel. 74mmmm