PAST EVENTS
Our September guest-speaker, Mr Graham Nicholls, a veteran of the British South Africa Police and the Rhodesian bush war, presented an illustrated talk on a little known subject - "The Taming of the Landmine". Before he got to the "taming" aspect of his talk he gave a fascinating review of the inventions and developments which brought landmines into being. This was a process which grew over a period of seven centuries. It started with Friar Roger Bacon's invention of gunpowder in the 13th century, but it is of interest to note that no explosive other than gunpowder was introduced until the 19th century. However, from Waterloo in 1815 until the opening phases of WWI there was a vast improvement in the quality and effectiveness of firearms, artillery, machine guns and explosives. Heavy artillery and machine gun barrages led to fortified lines, trenches and barbed-wire entanglements inhibiting free, roving movements. The stalemate was eventually broken by the British invention of the tank.
Though pitifully inadequate and inefficient when first used by the British about the middle of WWI, it held out prospects of crossing barbed wire and trenches and giving mobile support to troops in battle. From the battle of Cambrai in November 1917 the stalemate of trench warfare began to turn. As tanks became more proficient and aggresive, counter-measures to the tank menace and other armoured vehicles had to be found. German engineers fabricated anti-tank mines in the front lines from artillery shells or from boxes packed with explosives. They were detonated either by impact levers or modified handgrenade fuses. By 1918 proper anti-tank mines had been developed but little else followed.
The opening of WWII saw the tank come into its own. All fighting and transport vehicles were motorised and vulnerable to mines. When the Germans attacked in the Ardennes the Allies suffered from a shortage of anti-tank mines. 100 000 were needed only 16 000 could be allocated. The terrain in North Africa was ideally suited for tank warfare and a/t mines became a high priority, but neither side had mine detectors. When advancing in motorised columns allied sappers sat on mudguards watching for signs of disturbed soil. At Mersa Matruh South African sappers laid no less than 2 700 mines in one day. Clearing minefields necessitated the location of individual mines by prodding the ground with a bayonet or other sharp instrument which was painfully slow.
Our speaker then took us in some detail through the various developments of anti-mine activities and equipment: Harley Davidson motorcycles with steel hooks attached to the rear axle; the Scarab tank fitted with a boom and large rollers at front; the more successful Scorpion flail tank with a powered roller and swirling lengths of chain; the Sherman Crab flail tank with a maximum clearing speed of 2.2 kms per hour and a path some three meters wide. In the Rhodesian and South African bush wars where landmines were laid individually rather than over large areas the use of hand-operated electronic mine detectors and prodding had to be used. As these were very slow processes the emphasis shifted to designing personnel carriers which, even if they detonated a mine, would protect their crews and could be repaired. This resulted in a crop of vehicles with names such as Camel, Rhino, Leopard, Hyena and Buffel. Characteristic features in most models were a 43 degree V-shaped body, with 8mm to 3 mm mild steel sides, on a high chassis, some with wheels fitted on axles well away from the body to facilitate replacement, and strong roll bars. These vehicles provided remarkable protection. For instance, in 12 detonations involving 'Rhino' and 45 occupants, only one person was killed. In the case of 140 detonations involving 'Hyena' and 578 occupants, there were only two deaths. The landmine had indeed been tamed.
After a lively question time Mike Diamond moved an eloquent vote of thanks to the speaker.
By way of a curtain-raiser Metro Goldwyn Hall presented its "Military Magazine" in the form of a quiz about persons, places and events which was enjoyed by all.
FUTURE EVENTS
Programme of Monthly Meetings:
OCTOBER 17TH COMMANDANT DANIE LAÄS will talk on "OPERATION MODULAR" (with special emphasis on 61 Mechanised Battalion Group's attack on the Angolan 47th Brigade). N.B. As the second Thursday in the month falls on a public holiday this meeting will take place on the THIRD Thursday in October. )
November 12 Fellow-member Major Darrell Hall will present an illustrated slide/video talk on "The Gulf War"
December In recess.
January 9 Lt Col JCW Aust will talk on The Rhodesian Light Infantry.
The venue for all meetings is the functions room, first floor, Westville North Library, 167 Blair Atholl Road, Westville. The Library is on the corner of Blair Atholl and Iver Roads, at the robot-controlled intersection of Blair Atholl - Iver - Dunkeld Roads. Meetings are held on the second Thursday in the month (UNLESS OTHERWISE ANNOUNCED) at 19H45 (7.45 p.m.). Please bring your own glass and canned or bottled refreshments. Ice supplied. FRIENDS AND INTERESTED PERSONS ARE WELCOME TO COME ALONG.
CAPE TOWN BRANCH NEWS
"Angola 1987 1988: South Africa's Final Phase" An illustrated lecture by MAJOR HELMOED ROMER HEITMAN, MA (War Studies), University of London, noted military authority, author and journalist, to be held at the Athenaeum, 154 Campground Rd, Newlands on Thursday 17th October at 8 p.m. Non-members are welcome.
Ysterplaat Air Force Base: 1941 - 1991 To mark the Base's 50th anniversary an OPEN DAY will be held on Saturday 19th October.
For further information contact Major Antony Gordon (Chairman) Tel 614-nnn or Paul Lange (PRO) 617-mmm (after hours).
(Mrs) Tania van der Watt
Secretary: Durban Branch
S.A. Military History Society
Box 870 Hillcrest 3650
Tel. 74mmmm