KWAZULU-NATAL BRANCH

Newsletter No. 571
AUGUST 2026

NOTICE OF SEPTEMBER 2026 MEETING, AND NEWSLETTER

As announced previously the meeting will take place this Saturday, 5th September 2026, one week earlier than our usual 2nd Saturday of the month due to St Cyprians preparing for their Patronal Festival on the 12th September.

The SA Military History Society is honoured and fortunate this month to host a presentation by the Flag Officer Commanding Naval Base Durban, Rear Admiral Neville Howell.

His address will be preceded by a short (DDH) presentation by Mark Levin on the WW1 anti-German riots in Durban when a number of suspected German owned shops and businesses were torched and burnt.Similar mob violence occurred in Britain and colonies world wide following the German sinking of the trans-Atlantic liner Lusitania with large loss of civilian lives.

The meeting will take place THIS SATURDAY 5th September 2026 at 1.30 for 2.00pm, at St Cyprians Church Hall off Umbilo Rd, with secure parking and liquid refreshments available for cash. Entry is free and open to all, with visitors welcome, but a donation of R20 for the car guard which also gives entry into the monthly raffle is requested from all attendees.

Enquiries to Phil Everitt, Chair KZN Branch, SAMHS, Cell or WhatsApp:  0844371636. 

NEWSLETTER

1. PAST AUGUST MEETING

The initial short DDH presentation was given by Don Brown, former parabat during National Service and later member of 32 Bn. After describing the catastrophic collapse of the Portuguese rulers in Angola in Jan 1975 and the tragic flood of refugees, he moved to his personal experiences as a member of C Coy 1 Para Bn. Deployed on the SWA/Angola border in July 1975 on 26 August 1975 the base came under MPLA mortar fire causing a casualty.

This led to 1 Para accompanied by Eland (Noddie) armoured cars crossing the border into Angola and not meeting organised opposition, advancing swiftly, capturing Namacunde, and then Villa Perreira de Eco some 30-40 miles into Angola with minimal SA casualties. On 14 October Op Savannah officially began with a major SA incursion toward Luanda which only ceased after the Clark Amendment ended covert US support for anti-MPLA forces leading to a withdrawal in December.

In the main talk, MOTH John Goodrich spoke on the Crimea - “the mother of All Wars” 1853- 56.

In addition to covering the well-known ‘Thin Red Line’ of the 93rd Highlanders,

and the ‘Charges of the Light and the Heavy Brigades’, shown left to right here.

    

He also noted other innovations, photography and the telegraph which sent graphic descriptions of the conditions in near real time back to the home countries and the Mini Ball cartidge, which revolutionised infantry tactics with much longer more accurate fire.

    

The hospital care initiated by Florence Nightingale at her hospital at Scutari, across the Black Sea as she was not allowed closer to the front,saved countless lives and was the precursor of modern military health units.

Even the modern Officers’ Formal Mess dinners were introduced after Crimea as the officers quartered under squalid conditions in the field had lost their manners and courteous behaviour which needed to be restored !

2. Sad News

Only a few of the older members of SAMHS will remember Tania van der Watt a stalwart of the Branch, elected an Honorary Member of SAMHS, and the right hand of former founder, Chairman, and author ‘SB’ Bouquin. Sadly, I received news from her brother-in-law Clive Hull that “regrettably Tania passed away peacefully on 16th August in Busamed Hillcrest Hospital”. I have sent condolences to the family on behalf of the Branch.

3. DIARISE THE DATES:
Music from Scotland
Saturday 19 September, 2026 at the DLI Hall starting at 2pm.

4. A SELECTION OF PAST MILITARY HISTORY DATES IN SEPTEMBER.

4.1. 3rd September 1939, Britain and France declare war on Germany, following Hitler’s invasion of Poland.

    

4.3. The Battle of Stirling Bridge
on September 11, 1297, was a small engagement but its tactical and political consequences reverberated through Scottish history. William Wallace and Andrew Moray, joint commanders of the Scottish resistance to Edward I's occupation, defeated the English army under John de Warenne, the Earl of Surrey.

4.4. Border War Ops Modular
This was a series of engagements in mostly in September 1987. In the words of Chester Crocker U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for African Affairs "In some of the bloodiest battles of the entire civil war, a combined force of some 8,000 UNITA fighters and 4,000 SADF troops not only destroyed one FAPLA brigade but badly damaged several others out of a total FAPLA force of some 18,000 engaged in the three-pronged offensive. Estimates of FAPLA losses ranged upward of 4,000 killed and wounded.

    

... Large quantities of Soviet equipment were destroyed or fell into UNITA and SADF hands when FAPLA broke into a disorganized retreat... The 1987 military campaign represented a stunning humiliation for the Soviet Union, its arms and its strategy. ... As of mid-November, the UNITA/SADF force had destroyed the Cuito Cuanavale airfield and pinned down thousands of FAPLA's best remaining units clinging onto the town's defensive perimeters."

4.5. Anglo Boer War September 1901,
Louis Botha led a guerilla raid into Natal, and a number of battles took place, Blood River Poort 17 Sept Boer success, Mount Itala 25-26 Sept (illustration)

and Fort Prospect 26 Sept, successful British defences with high Boer casualties. Facing logistical problems and bad weather Botha was forced to withdraw.

4.5. WW1 Passchendaele,
For South Africans especially 20 September 1917 on the Menin Road out from the destroyed city of Ypres (called Wipers by the tommies), it took three hours for the four South African regiments of 1SAI Bgde, attached to the 9th Scottish Divisionto reach their assigned objectives, but at a high cost. Of the 2 576 men who had started the attack, 1 255 were listed as killed, wounded or missing (Debergh, 2017).

5. Journals

The new Journals were distributed at the meeting last month. Many were not collected and will be available again at the meeting this month. Please collect yours and those who cannot attend please try to arrange for a fellow member to collect for you.

Joan Marsh, at National Office can offer the alternative of an emailed pdf version and/or to receive a copy by post but this is obviously subject to the vagaries of the SA Post Office. If any members would prefer this in the future, please drop her an email to joan@trolleyscan.com You may also contact Joan on cell or WhatsApp at 066 093 7296

6. Presenters wanted.

We always have openings for power point illustrated short (20-minute) DDHs and 45-minute main talks and are actively looking for speakers for 2027. Please approach the Chair or a committee member to volunteer or suggest speakers.

7. NEXT MEETING The next meeting will again be as usual on the 2nd Saturday of the month namely the 10th October. The main speaker will be tour guide and retired Kearsney College teacher Kevin Smith who will give an illustrated presentation of the Anglo-Boer War battles.
This will be preceded by a short Military History teaser quiz to gauge audience interest and knowledge for a possible full quiz which will take the place of a presentation at the December meeting.

That’s all for now folks, see you THIS Saturday 5th September and if possible, bring a friend to boost numbers and help recruit new members!

Regards
Phil
P R Everitt,
Chair KZN Branch, SAMHS,
Cell or WhatsApp: 0844371636

Smile of the month