Newsletter No. 560
July 2025
NOTICE OF AUGUST MEETING
NOTE CHANGE OF DATE AND SPEAKER FROM THAT ADVERTISED PREVIOUSLY
1. During August the SAMHS, are invited to join with the SA National Society for the Ken Gillings Memorial lecture. Thus, there is no competing SAMHS meeting for August. This the lecture is scheduled to take place at 9.30 for 10.00 am on the MORNING of Saturday 23rd August at St Margaret’s Church, Delaware Ave, Virginia.
AS Phil Everitt has had to travel to the UK to attend to family matters the date and topic have been changed.
The speaker for this event will this be Hugh Bland who knew Ken well and shared the same interests, the battlefields of KZN. After his tribute to Ken, Hugh will speak about the battle of
Hugh will conclude by showing photographs of some interesting military sites that are not so well known in the region, such as:
This is a joint meeting of SANS and SAMHS
Meeting Cost: R30 for Members (including SAMHS, members), R50 for Visitors – A Car Guard will be on Duty
Refreshments will be served after the meeting
For catering purposes please R.S.V.P to meboyes@saol.com before the 21st August. The formal notice of the meeting is attached.
NEWSLETTER 1 The July meeting of the SAMHS had a good turnout of members and guests and consisted of an introductory DDH on the Northrop “B2 Spirit” stealth bomber, which was in the headlines recently, following the US raids on Iran. This consisted of a PowerPoint presentation of specifications and size comparisons with other well-known bombers such as the Boeing B52 and the Avro Vulcan, followed by a video showing the main features of the aircraft particularly the innovations to ensure its stealth characteristics which result in the radar cross-section being 0.0001m2, about the same as a bird!
This was followed by the main presentation by specialist battlefields guide Warren Baker who gave a masterly presentation on the “Zulu Civil Wars”. This was actually the internal strife in the Zulu Nation with factions competing for the Kingship of the Zulu Nation. These included struggles of Mpande, his son Cetewayo for the throne as well as the strife amongst the 13 Kinglets established by the British after the Zulu War. These led to far greater bloodshed than either the Boer-Zulu struggle and Blood River and the Anglo-Zulu War.
The largest loss of life occurred at the Battle of Ndondakusuka in December 1856, when Cetewayo and his USuthu faction slaughtered the warriors and followers (including women and children) of his half-brother Mbuyazi on the banks of the Mathambo River (place of the bones) and the Tugela River. This resulted in hundreds of corpses being carried downstream into the sea. Six of Mpande’s sons, including Mbuyazi, were killed that day. John Dunn, who had sided with Mbuyazi, escaped by swimming across the Tugela River. This established Cetshwayo’s position as the dominant personality in Zululand and heir to the throne pf Mpande.
2 Journal
The SAMHS Journal for July has been received and was distributed to those at the July meeting. Those who were not present can collect them from Graeme Fuller at the upcoming combined SANS/SAMHS meeting on 23rd August or at the September SAMHS meeting. There are also several copies of previous Journals which have not been collected. The members concerned will be notified by email and can contact Graeme (as I will be away) in order to make arrangements for collection. Note that although those paying late will not have received a Journal, there is no pro-rata reduction in subs for payments/joining late in the year, but the full payment any time in the year entitles the member to both Journals for that year.
3 Forthcoming Events
3.1 URGENT FOR THOSE INTERESTED IN LOCAL HISTORY
Col Pat Acutt has asked that we disseminate the following:
“Dear friends and colleagues. YOU’RE INVITED! The long awaited “Sundowners at Old St Thomas Chapel” is set to take place at Old St Thomas, cnr Ridge (Peter Mokaba) and Julia Roads at 16:30 for 17:00 this coming Monday 11 August. A scarcely known oasis of tranquility in our busy city. Please bring your good ladies, camping chairs, whisky/wine, ice, glasses, nibbles, fleece jackets …… whatever.
We intend to wrap up soon after sunset, so it won’t be too long an evening. I will start proceedings with an extremely brief/concise history of Old St Thomas to set the scene. I hope you will enjoy this fascinating moment, embracing the lesser known but founding spiritual history of our beloved Durban. Homeland Security will be in attendance. I look forward to seeing you at this unique event.
God Bless,
Pat”.
3.2 SA Legion notice:
ANNUAL CIVIC COMMEMORATION AND DELVILLEWOOD MEMORIAL PARADE. (previously postponed)
at the Cenotaph, Farewell Square, Dorothy Nyembe
(previously Gardiner) Street, Durban on Sunday, 17 August 2025 @ 10:30.
Timings:
Representatives laying wreaths are requested to report by 10:00 with their clearly labeled wreaths and to hand them to an orderly on arrival.
Please be seated by 10:15.
Dress:
Military Participants : Dress Code 1A
Military Spectators : Dress Code 1B
Civilians & Veterans : Lounge suite or Association Dress with Orders, Decorations & Medals
Ladies : Hats (optional)
RSVP Essential Those wishing to attend please see attached Notice from SA Legion.
4 Music from Scotland 31st Aug at DLI contact Ken Mustard below:
5 ADVANCE NOTICE OF THE SEPTEMBER MEETING.
The 13th September Meeting of KZN Branch of SAMHS will be addressed by Kevin Jordan of Glenwood High School on “Traditional Natal Schools and their contribution to both World Wars”. He will give details from his extensive research into the past pupils of our schools who paid the supreme sacrifice, in addition to describing some of the characters and their experiences.
The introductory DDH will be a short presentation by Vice-Chair Charles Whiteing on
The meeting will take place on SATURDAY 13th August 2025 at 1.30 for 2.00pm
The venue returns to our usual; the St Cyprians Church Hall off Umbilo Rd, with secure parking and liquid refreshments for cash.
Entry is free and open to all, with visitors welcome, but a donation of R20 for the car guard and gives entry into the monthly raffle is requested from all attendees.
That’s all for now folks, remember the 23rd August and bring a friend!
Regards
Phil
P R Everitt, Chair KZN Branch, SAMHS,
WhatsApp only: 0844371636
Or
Charles Whiteing, Vice- Chair KZN Branch, SAMHS,
Cell/WhatsApp: 0825554639
South African Military History Society / scribe@samilitaryhistory.org