SAMHSEC meeting 13 July 2026
Louis Eksteen & Gavin Slater discussed the various battlefields around Dundee and the Dundee Diehards.
The Dundee Diehards is a South African Battlefield Re-enactment Team. Formed in 1999 for the centenary re-enactment of the Battle of Talana, the Dundee Diehards have grown into a respected volunteer, non-profit military re-enactment organisation. The team has earned national and international recognition for its historically accurate battle portrayals, ceremonial displays, parades and guards of honour. The Anglo-Zulu War and Anglo-Boer War are the group’s specialities. The Diehards have been commissioned by the BBC, SABC, National Geographic and M-Net for films, television series and documentaries, bringing South African military history to life for audiences around the world.
SAMHSEC Requested the Pleasure of your Company to talk about military history on 27 July 2026
In session 1, Malcolm Kinghorn discussed Features of the War by Field Marshall Sir Douglas Haig, published in The London Gazette on 8 April 1919.
Douglas Haig was the Commander-in-Chief of the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) in France from 17 December 1915 for the remainder of World War I. He was a competent writer, whose style was clear, formal and factual. His writings are reliable and focused on accuracy and record-keeping rather than literary craft.
The London Gazette is the UK government's official public record of key national events since 1665.
Part I of Haig’s Final Despatch as Commander-in-Chief of the British Armies in France and Flanders covered the advance into Germany. Part II, titled “Features of the War”, provided a general reflection on the entire conflict.
Haig was adamant that operations on the Western Front should be seen, not as isolated battles, but as a single, continuous engagement from 1916 to 1918. He warned against drawing lessons from one phase only, as this risked “unsound doctrines” about modern war.
Haig compared the Great War to “conclusive battles of history” between forces of roughly equal strength, emphasising that the same stages -deployment, struggle, and decision -were present.
The Preliminary Phase: Manoeuvering for Position, ended with the establishment of continuous trench lines from Switzerland to the sea. The Period of Struggle included prolonged attritional fighting, where the main forces clashed in “close and costly combat” which continued until after Germany’s March 1918 deployment of its reserves in Operation Michael had been neutralised. The Final Phase: Breakthrough and Pursuit, culminated in the collapse of German resistance in late 1918.
He highlighted the importance of endurance, coordination among Allies, and the integration of new technologies (artillery fire control, tanks and aircraft) into strategy.
Haig’s despatch was intended to shape postwar military thinking, stressing that modern wars are long, cumulative struggles rather than short, decisive encounters. By publishing in The London Gazette, Haig’s reflections became part of Britain’s civic and military remembrance of the War.
Haig’s interpretation has been controversial. Some historians see it as justification for attritional tactics, others as a realistic appraisal of industrialised warfare.
The London Gazette website is https://www.thegazette.co.uk
The recording of the presentation is in the SAMHS Zoom library.
In session 2, Peter Duffel-Canham discussed 3 books with the theme of South African POWs in Italy during WW2, namely The Way Out by Uys Krige, Hike to Freedom: Modena to the Volturno by Donald Savage and The Melancholy State - The Story of a South African Prisoner-of-War by Schalk George Wolhuter.
SAMHSEC meeting 10 August 2026
André Crozier is to discuss the Battle of Britain: the planning and science behind the victory.
SAMHSEC Requests the Pleasure of your Company to talk about military history on 31 August 2026
RPC meetings are opportunities to share your knowledge of a military history subject or book with fellow military historians. Presentations should last approximately 15 minutes to allow time for sharing the pleasure of one another’s company. You can do any number of RPC presentations per year. Please contact André at andrecrozier@gmail.com if you want to share your knowledge.
As August is Women’s Month, we’re inviting ladies to be our speakers for the 31 August RPC meeting. Talks that highlight women’s stories or contributions to military history would be most welcome.
Hidden Histories progress report
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/index.html
The following have been added since newsletter 262 July 2026:
Basotholand Gun War Memorial, Uitenhage
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/basothogun.html
Christ Church, Alexandria, Eastern Cape
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/cchalex.html
Dynamite Factory War Memorial
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/modderfn.html
Grey High School War Memorial
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/greyhigh.html
Knights Deep War Memorial
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/knightsdp.html
Mossel Bay War Memorial
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/mosselb.html
Nanaga Methodist Church
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/nanaga.html
Prince Alfred's Guard War Memorial
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/pralfred.html
Saint Andrew's College, Grahamstown War Memorials
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/grandrew.html
South African National Jewish War Memorial
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/natjewish.html
Steytlerville War Memorial
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/steytlerv.html
Thaba Tshwane (New) Military Cemetery
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/thabatsw.html
Lt Col JPH Crowe VC
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/crowe.html
Captain Joseph Malone VC
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/malone.html
Prince Alfred's Guard Drill Hall
https://samilitaryhistory.org/memorial/pagdh.html
Thanks to all who have contributed already and call to arms for those whose contributions are yet to come.
SAMHSEC
Chairman: Malcolm Kinghorn culturev@lantic.net
Secretary: Stephen Bowker stephen@stephenbowker.co.za
Speaker coordinator: André Crozier andrecrozier@gmail.com
Scribe: vacant
Field trip coordinator: vacant