The South African
Front Cover illustration
Cover Illustration::
SADF paratroopers jumping from a Lockheed Hercules C-130B of the SAAF in the early 1970s.
The insurgent war had not yet escalated and SAAF aircraft were not yet painted in camouflage
livery.
The South African Saviac parachute was not yet in production and paratroopers were still
using the US-designed and West-German produced T-10 canopy and harness.
Inside front cover illustrations:
Battle Honours 2nd SAI
Regimental Colour of the 2nd South African Infantry
with the ten Battle Honours selected from the fourteen
gained for France and Flanders, plus Egypt 1916.
This Colour is on display in the Anglo-Boer War Museum in Bloemfontein
The Battle Honours in bold are the ones appearing on the Regimental Colour.
Garnet George Green would have been involved in all the above mentioned battles in 1916 and 1917. He was killed on 23 March 1918 so was not involved in any of the 1918 battle honours. He was out of action when he was granted ten days leave 13 -25 November 1916, and when he was hospitalised with enteric fever from 3 May to 26 June 1917.
(Compiled by Brian Thomas)
Inside back cover:
General J.H. de la Rey’s grave and monumental headstone
Rev G Stephan Botha
In line with Victorian custom, General J.H. de la Rey’s grave was covered by an elaborate granite tombstone in 1917. A bronze bust by sculptor Fanie Eloff, grandson of President Paul Kruger, was affixed as centre-piece on the tombstone. For 104 years this grave was left undisturbed, although the collapse of municipality function in recent times has led to neglect of the graveyard. Visitors to the grave became few and far between.
During the weekend of 17/18 April 2021 it was discovered that the tombstone had been vandalised, and that the bronze bust had been stolen. A R20,000 reward was offered for the recovery of the bust which had not been found at the time of printing.
The F.A.K. (Federasie van Afrikaanse Kultuurvereniginge) surveyed the damage and sponsored the restoration of the grave and monument. Jacques Muller, a sculptor from Pretoria, undertook to produce a replacement bust. He had previously made the replacement on the grave of President Paul Kruger. The replacement was made of a non-metallic material which has no economic value.
The vandalised grave and damaged remnants
A closer view of the restored headstone
The sculptor, Jacques Muller,
with the replacement headstone
At the unveiling: Jacques Muller, the sculptor;
Dr Danie Langmer, Managing Director of the F.A.K.;
Mr Louis Pretorius, great-grandson of General H J de la Rey
Mr Louis Pretorius with his mother,
Rosina Pretorius, granddaughter of Gen H J de la Rey.
Her mother, Pollie de la Rey, was the general’s daughter
Back cover:
Grave of General ‘Koos’ de la Rey in Lichtenburg, north-west province.
Photographs courtesy of Stephan Botha
Medals of Garnet George Green,
the last officer to leave Delville Wood
Refer to article by Brian Thomas
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