The meetings and lectures have continued during the latter half of the year with full and appreciative audiences of members of the Society and friends, and we are once again indebted to Maj Gen P Pretorius, Director of the SA National Museum of Military History for kindly allowing the Society the use of the auditorium for meetings.

An interesting outing to Pienaarspoort on Sunday 25 August 1991 was arranged by David Panagos. A further outing, more in the nature of a working party, was held on Sunday 6 August 1991 under the guidance of the chairman, Professor I B Copley, when those participating visited the military cemetery and camp site at Rietfontein in the Hartebeespoort area, Silkaats Nek and Commando Nek.

A very pleasant Society braaivleis was held at the Military History Museum on Friday evening 18 October, the first one to be held since the 21st Anniversary Braaivleis on 16 October 1987, and was attended by about forty members and guests. The occasion was enlivened by the piping of Pipe Major Michael Stanton. Thanks are due to the Director of the Museum for providing the venue and the assistance of certain members of his staff. Thanks are due particularly to Felix Machanik for the manner in which he, virtually single handed, made himself responsible for all the catering arrangements, which contributed so much towards the success of the evening. The chairman made a presentation of a handsome book gift voucher to Nick Kinsey in appreciation of his services to the Society following the relinquishment of his duties over many years as a member of the Committee, the organizer of the monthly lectures, and as Assistant Editor of the Military History Journal.

Both the Society and the Military History Museum have been greatly concerned at the rising costs of publishing the Military History Journal. Accordingly, discussions were in progress at the close of the year with a view to the amalgamation of the Journal with the Museum Review. The proposal would, in effect, mean a new Journal probably to be entitled Military History Journal incorporating the Museum Review. Although this would mean considerable savings in costs to both the Society and the Museum, agreement still has to be reached on the financial implications to both parties and the practical editorial arrangements involved.

Congratulations are accorded Mr Ian S Uys on the publication of a further book by him entitled Rollcall: The Delville Wood Story which may be regarded as the definitive reference work on this famous battle. A review of this book appears elsewhere in this issue of the Journal.

H W Kinsey

10 January : Mr C J D Jackson MBE,MM, 'Long Range Desert Group Operations in World War 11'

14 February : Cmdt 0 E F Baker, 'South Africans in Operation Dragoon, 1944'

14 March : Dr A Kayle, 'The loss of the Birkenhead'

11 April : Annual General meeting and talk by Mr T C D Leaver, 'Capt R C Nesbitt VC and the Mazoe Patrol'

16 May : Dr G F Jacobs, 'Experiences in Sumatra, 1945'

13 June: Mr S Calburn, 'German Authoritarianism'

11 July : Mr L A Wildenboer, 'Sannaspos'

8 August: Mrs J M Copley, 'The Third Battle of Ypres, 1917'

12 September : Prof W D Maxwell-Mahon, 'Lawrence of Arabia: The Damascus Campaign'

17 October : Prof D B Saddington, 'Roman Frontier Defences in Britain'

14 November: Mr J Mahncke, 'Stalingrad, 1943'

12 December : Capt (SAN) I C Little, 'The US Navy and the Revolutionary War of 1776'