The South African
Military History Society

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Krygshistoriese Vereniging



History of the Society - Newsletter No3

Documents from the archives

NEWSLETTER NO. 3
MILITARY HISTORY SOCIETY.
	I THINK IT ONLY FAIR TO INFORM YOU OF THE SITUATION AS IT
STANDS AT PRESENT.
	THE IDEA OF A SOUTH AFRICAN MILITARY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
OCCURRED TO ME DURING 1965. I WROTE TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE S.A.
NATIONAL WAR MUSEUM WHO VERY KINDLY OFFERED TO PUT A MEETIN
PLACE AT OUR DISPOSAL AT THE MUSEUM. IN A SUBSEQUENT LETTER HE
STATED THAT HE FELT SURE A SOCIETY WITH A RESPONSIBLE COMMITTEE
WOULD BE ABLE TO OBTAIN ASSISTANCE FROM THE MUSEUM FOR THE
PUBLICATION OF A JOURNAL AND TO ENSURE THIS THE SOCIETY WOULD
HAVE TO AFFILIATE TO THE MUSEUM. HOWEVER, NO DEFINITE PROMISE
OF ASSISTANCE HAS BEEN MADE FOR THE JOURNAL.
	I THEN PROCEEDED TO CONTACT AS MANY PERSONS AS POSSIBLE IN
ORDER TO PUBLICJSE THE VENTURE AND TO FIND OUT WHAT RESPONSE THERE
IS TOWARDS IT. TO KEEP THE INTEREST OF ThOSE WHO EXPRESSED THE
DESIRE TO JOIN, IT THOUGHT OF SENDING OUT A SERIES OF NEWSLETTERS
OF WHICH YOU HAVE ALREADY RECEIVED TWO. ALL THIS IS BEING DONE
AT MY EXPENSE AS I FEEL IT UNFAIR TO ASK FOR FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE
UNTIL A COMMITTEE IS FORMED TO CONTROL SUCH MONEY.
	IN ORDER TO GAIN MAXIMUM PUBLICITY AND MEMBERSHIP A COUNTRYWIDE
CAMPAIGN HAS TO BE LAUNCHED. OVERSEAS INSTITUTIONS WITH SIMILAR
AIMS HAVE TO BE CONTACTED.
	THE CHAIRMAN OF THE CENTRAL AFRICAN DIVISION HAS OFFERED TO
APPOINT ME LIAISON OFFICER AND CHAIRMAN DESIGNATE OF A SOUTH
AFRICAN DIVISION OF THE MILITARY HISTORICAL SOCIETY IN LONDON. I
THINK THAT WE SHOULD ATTEMPT TO ESTABLISH OUR OWN SOCIETY AND NOT
A BRANCH OF ANOTHER.
	WE HAVE NOW ARRIVED AT THE STAGE WHERE I FEEL I CANNOT CARRY
ON ALONE. WE NEED SOMEONE BETTER KNOWN THAN I TO SPEAK TO THE
NEWSPAPER REPRESENTATIVES. YOU MUST ADMIT THAT YOU HAVE NEVER
HEARD OF ME UNTIL NOW. WE ALSO  HAVE  TO FIND SOMEONE TO PRESIDE
AT THE FIRST GENERAL MEETING
	PLEASE DO NOT MISUNDERSTAND ME. I AM PREPARED TO SERVE ON THE
COMMITTEE AND DO MY FULL SHARE OF WHAT HAS TO BE DONE. THE ONLY
DIFFICULTY IS THAT I AM NOT CAPABLE OR IN A POSITION TO DO
ThE PRELIMINARY WORK TOWARDS ThE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE SOCIETY ALONE.
ANOTHER THING, SEVERAL PERSONS HAVE BROUGHT TO MY NOTICE
THAT DIFFICULTY WILL BE EXPERIENCED IN FINDING ''WORKERS''  TO RUN
THE SOCIETY. LET US  HAVE OVERWHELMING SUPPORT IN THIS RESPECT
AND NOT A GROUP OF PERSONS  OUT FOR PERSONAL GAIN.
	LASTLY, A PREVIOUS ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO ESTABLISH A SOCIETY IN
ThIS COUNTRY. MOST UNFORTUNATELY, IT DID NOT SUCCEED. THIS HAS
CAUSED A CERTAIN AMOUNT OF SUSPICION TO FALL ON THIS ATTEMPT.
SITUATIONS VACANT: INTERIM CHAIRMAN AND LIAISON OFFICER.
N GOMM

South African Military History Society / scribe@samilitaryhistory.org