NEWSLETTER - JULY 2026

On 11th June Brian Adams repeated a lecture given earlier to the KZN branch, about his experiences commanding The Bushmen Battalion in 1983-85. He started with the "Carnation Revolution" which had toppled the government in Portugal in April 1974 and led to that country ridding itself of its colonies including Angola and Mozambique.

Bushmen had already been busy in eastern Angola working as trackers from 1965, intercepting freedom fighters which were threatening both the Angolan and South West African governments of the day. Now they were repositioned in the Caprivi Strip, the part of SWA which had extended north of Botswana and south of Angola to Zambia in an attempt to join up with German East Africa.

Brian used many photographs to show the base from which operations were carried out - originally Alpha and later to be called Omega. The base was about halfway between Rundu and Katima Mulilo - very isolated. There were two groups of Bushmen involved, one of which later set up a base Bravo, also in the Caprivi strip, from which they carried out their operations. He showed just how bad the 'roads' could become as well as the bushveld in which they were operating. They were known as 31 Battalion which later became 201 Battalion.

Half of the Bushmen were deployed on patrol along (and over) the Angolan border for a fortnight, alternating with the other half who were busy recovering and doing more training as equipment got renewed. Their families were accommodated at the base - as was Brian's own family - and his wife was instrumental in organising a school for the Bushmen children housed there. A Portuguese lady from the area known as "Mama Gandhi" started the bakery which became very much appreciated, staffing it with Bushmen wives. She also taught sewing and handicrafts to the Bushmen women at the base. Its location meant that the heat was the biggest problem for everybody - all the soldiers wore a hat which had been created by "Mama Gandhi" from sleeves removed from uniforms.

Each Bushman wife had her own house at the base (basic structures) and the soldier who had three wives said he spent two nights a week with each wife and one night on his own "out in the bush".

Brian is busy with a book which will no doubt prove interesting.

His video recording is, as usual, recorded in the Society's Video Library on the website.

Thursday 23rd July 2026 at 19h30 and then 20h15 NB THIRD THURSDAY

Speaker: Ian Binnie ( from the UK)
Subject: Twelve objects that will change what you thought about the British Empire and World War Two, used as illustrations

A rather idiosyncratic account about the British Empire and World War Two, using twelve objects as illustrations.
Although based on fact (he says!) many of the views will be controversial and challenge some commonly held views.
The talk will be Eurocentric but will refer briefly to the U.S. and the Far East.

Monday 13th July 2026 19h30 and then 20h15

Speaker: Louis Eksteen is to present a talk on
Subject: ABW battlefields around Dundee and the Dundee Diehards in Afrikaans.
This talk was postponed in May 2026 due to technical difficulties.

The next RPC (Request the Pleasure of your Company) Zoominar will be on Monday 27th July.
Details will be in the invitations

There will be 2 presentations - a short opener covering the Israeli raid on Entebbe exactly 50 years ago followed by Ronald Collyer's extensive research on the Battle of Isandlwana.

The venue is 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.

Aly Gardner-Shelby (alyg00734@gmail.com) writes:

I am building a Douglas family tree and am keen to explore the history and connections of my Douglas relations in South Africa - John Douglas is my 3rd-great-grandfather. His Diary and Medals were presented to the SA National Museum of Militay History in about 1986.

Stanley Monick, Society member and then curator at the [now Ditsong] Museum, edited the diary which is a record of John's experiences in the British Army and published them in 1997 as "Douglas's Tale of the Peninsula & Waterloo."

I grew up in Ireland and am currently living in the USA, so it isn't possible for me to visit the Museum at this time.

Any information will be appreciated.

The Journal is at the printers and will be sent to all paid-up members. Couriers will still bring bulk copies to Malcolm Kinghorn in PE; Pat Irwin in Grahamstown and Phil Everitt in Durban. Cape Town is served by hubs at the Navy Museum in Simon's Town, Ronnie Glass in the CBD and Graeme Johnson in Constantia.

The East Rand collects from David Scholtz and there are hubs in Illovo and Douglasdale as well. The balance of Johannesburg still relies on post - the Marshes enjoy? once-a-week street delivery again.

Members may also claim a pdf version and many of you prefer that to the postal route.
Post is still used in many country members' cases - and in Pretoria.

Please tell Joan if you want to change your way of receiving the Journal.

Eastern Cape details contact    Malcolm Kinghorn    041-373-4469    culturev@lantic.net

Gauteng details contact    Joan Marsh     010-237-0676    scribe@samilitaryhistory.org

KwaZulu-Natal details contact    Prof Phil Everitt    084-437-1636     everitt@iafrica.com