Issue No. 15 - March 1999

This issue of the Tudor Rose regretfully brings doleful tidings. The casualty list is long and includes the Honorary Colonel, Gilbert Brown. His obituary and those of others constitute a significant proportion of the reading.

Lt Peter Connan, the Regiment’s up and coming shot drove his vehicle at high speed into the rear of a stationary coal truck at night, pulverising both of his legs. Fortunately he is recovering well.

Lack of contribution from readers remains a serious problem and is the main reason for lateness of publication or non-publication. Should you feel a need to complain, write something instead, you might find it a palliative.

In particular, what is required is news of members - preferably with photo- graphs. One likes to know what has happened to old comrades.

It seems that we do not appreciate the privilege of living in a constitutional state in which we have the freedom to express ourselves. Perhaps we have become to used to coercion. The history of our armed forces tells us that South Africans are not a great nation of volunteers. During the First and Second World Wars, in comparison with the Australians, Canadians and New Zealanders, we were relatively small beer. In Australia the veterans are a very powerful lobby group. Here they hardly make a squeak. Why should that be?

By way of controversy: in his book Victory in Italy, author Neil Orpen stated that poor response to appeals to sign up for service was influenced by many factors including 'the unfortunate influence of some womenfolk at home'. Maybe we don’t volunteer for anything because we are henpecked. Hope to hear from you.

The death of the Honorary Colonel after a lengthy period of indifferent health is the subject of a separate obituary in this issue of the Tudor Rose. My association with him in both a personal and military capacity will be remembered with pride and gratitude. His dignified presence and sage advice will be sorely missed.

My last report covered the Regiment's visit to the United Kingdom and other memorable events which took place during the course of the year.

One of the reasons for not making mention of the developments within our own SANDF is that there has been much turmoil in the destiny of the military as a whole. With the tide of change that has engulfed soldiering in general, the impact of this has had many detrimental effects on the practical issues of part time soldiering as we all know it.

The Regiment has, nevertheless, braved the storm for some years now and has endured the difficult times. Without conscription and with a voluntary military system that has not met expectations, to maintain existing voluntary serving members' interest and commitment without the opportunity for them to attend promotion courses and follow a planned military career path, the career of an existing volunteer soldier is destined to assume a different guise.

There have been enormous constraints placed on recruitment and remuneration and this has consequently led to attrition.

Only the well-motivated, existing volunteers with a 'die-hard' attitude and vision have kept the machine turning. Julius Caesar aptly said 'one volunteer is worth ten pressed men'.

This is still true today. The issues are continually being emphasised and addressed at the highest level and, with the support of the Reserve Forces Council, policies and attitudes are emerging with a positive prognosis.

Essentially, a cold war has been waged over the past years. It has been a war of strategy, planning and time, waged by officers who are experts in the art of part time soldiering.

At Regimental Headquarters the battle has take on a different form. We have had to assess the bigger picture and focus on our position, aims and goals. With this in mind it is important not to forget the basics and where we have come from.

Motivation, training, logistics and proficiency have had to be generated from within our ranks. We recruited the best in secretarial and administrative personnel, initiated a renewed interest in weapons and weapon training. We aligned ourselves with, and focused our attention on, matters that influence the destiny and importance of the Regiment and marketed ourselves by all practical and professional means at our disposal. We have excelled in shooting, the basic skill of any infantryman. The result of these endeavours has been the creation of vision, influence and respect. With this renewed respect and influence, came change and adaptation which was, for many old soldiers, difficult but vital in the overall plan. Gratifyingly the Regiment curbed the outflow and has started to show signs of growth and renewed interest.

South Africa and Africa as a whole are faced with new urgencies which require military capabilities of a high standard to ensure peace and the protection of national sovereignty. In Africa armed conflict is prevalent. As-the leading power on the continent we would be naive to think that there is no threat.

Sir John Slessor states in Strategy for the West, 'It is customary in democratic countries to deplore expenditure on armaments as conflicting with the requirements of the social services. There is a tendency to forget that the most important social service that a government can do for its people is to keep them alive and free.'

The Regiment has achieved much despite difficulties this year and will continue to play a role as one of South Africa's renowned traditional Regiments. The structure and role have all but been finalised and hopefully the Regiment will meet the needs that the future will present it with.

I take this opportunity to wish all members of the Regimental family contentment and success in 1999.

It is with profound regret that we record in this issue of the Tudor Rose the death of Colonel Gilbert Blundell Brown, MC, JCD, Honorary Colonel of the Regiment. Col Brown died on 14 December 1998. The semi-military funeral took place at the Maryvale Catholic Church on 18 December.

Col Brown joined the Regiment in 1934 and was commissioned in 1936. During the Second World War he served as adjutant in the North African campaign and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry at the battle of El Alamein (23 October 1942). After the Regiment returned to South Africa, Col Brown became a squadron commander in the composite Dukes/RLI and, later, a company commander in the Dukes/Scottish/RLI (DSR) and served in Italy.

In 1947 the Regimental Association was established and Major Brown (as he then was) was elected its first chairman.

He assumed command of the Regiment in 1955 and saw it through the very difficult period of 'suspended animation' when, for political reasons, the future of the regiment hung in the balance. He retired as commanding officer in 1962 and continued to play an active role in the Regimental Council.

He was appointed Honorary Colonel in 1972 and served as such with distinction until his death. Sixty four of his 83 years were devoted to the Regiment.

In civilian life he was a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Secretaries and was financial director of Crittall Hope Ltd. He was the Chairman of the Johannesburg Country Club for 15 years and for his contribution to the club in this capacity was elected an Honorary Life Member.

News of his death elicited letters of condolence to the Regiment from many quarters. Col Brown was widely respected and admired.

It is difficult to imagine a Regimental event without his imposing and inimitable presence. 'We shall not see his like again.'

29 January 1955-17 August 1998

All of those in the Regiment who knew him were miserable to learn of Don Whittle's sudden death. His brother, George, also a member of the Regiment, arrived at Don's house to find him dead with a book at his side and his glasses on. Don's death was a great shock to George whose father and sister had also recently died. We offer George our sincere sympathy.

George wrote the following about Don:

Don was born in Johannesburg and was educated at St John's College and the University of the Witwatersrand. From an early age Don showed an interest in anything military which was not surprising as both his grandparents had served in the British Army, his paternal grandfather in the Loyal North Lancashire Regiment in the seige of Mafeking. As a boy at St John's Preparatory School he fought many an exhausting campaign in the Wilds and the wattle plantations at the bottom of the D rugby field. It was at that time that he began collecting military regalia and spent most of his spare time at the Museum of Military History. His own military career began in 1972 with 1 Maintenance Unit. He served in Ovamboland and completed his service with East Park Commando. He joined the RLI as a volunteer in 1988. This was the highlight of his military involvement as, like so many other RLI men, it was only once he joined the Regiment that he found what he had dreamed about as a boy playing soldiers.

Many are not aware that it was Don who visited Major Hugo Whyte at Bodmin and, together with Kevin Mulligan, sowed the seeds of resuming the Regiment's alliance with the DCLI.

Those who worked with Don at Stannic and his friends and service colleagues will remember him for his integrity, loyalty and willingness to help anyone in need, often beyond the call of duty.

Although reserved by nature, he valued his friends and was always proud to be an RLI man. Although his period of service with the regiment was not a long one it gave him much satisfaction and happiness and, in a way, fulfilled his dreams.

Bill Mincher wrote this obituary for Ron Dwver:

In 1957 Ron Dwyer, his good friend George Haswell and myself were amongst the first recruits allocated to the RLI following the regiment's period of 'suspended animation'. The Regiment had been disciplined by military command for clinging to a proud tradition and resisting proposed changes. It was through the good offices of General Klopper when he became Chief of the General Staff that the Regiment survived.

I met Ron Dwyer when we attended the selection board for Junior Leaders. The successful candidates were Dwyer, Haswell, Henderson, Mincher, Peters and Scott who all became officers in the Regiment except for Henderson who was killed in a motor accident before his first parade with the Regiment.

We were the new boys on the block in the Regiment and had no older brothers to show us the ropes. Ron seemed to be so worldly wise. He had been well educated, was well-heeled and his father was a director of Santhagens Winery. There was much to learn about good wine, liqueurs and cigars and Ron appeared to be at the sharp end of these matters. What is more we had a lot in common in that his twin sister, Cynthia, and I shared the same birth date.

Ron and I attended our Platoon Commanders course together at the Military College at Roberts Heights (changed to Voortrekkerhoogte and recently to Thaba Tshwane) where Ron exhibited his organising ability. We were camped at the Elandsfontein range and on the Sabbath Ron arranged for a friend to drive over from Johannesburg to meet us at a pre-arranged RV so that we could go to town, have a decent shower and enjoy the traditional roast beef lunch in style. When we returned to camp from our extended 'bird-watching' trip in the veld we soon learnt that we were in trouble as the course commander had called an order group that afternoon and discovered that we were missing. We were subsequently excused when we caught him pouring a stiff brandy in his tent at a time when the then Minister of Defence (Frans Erasmus) had decreed that the army was to be 'dry'.

I will always remember Ron as a friend with a good sense of humour and a wry smile. He had many good friends and was a keen sportsman, playing a good game of golf and tennis. Dave Vos, Ron Dwyer, George Haswell and Ian Melvin competed in the Eriksen Golf Trophy at Geduld on an annual basis. Ron suffered from multiple sclerosis and in his late twenties lost his sense of balance, He was confined to a wheelchair in his thirties, losing a lot of his independence.

During his service with the Regiment Ron served as adjutant.

17 January 1941 - 17 August 1998

Errol was killed in a motor vehicle accident. Apparently the Land Rover in which he was travelling to Kimberley with his business partner overturned, killing both occupants. He leaves his wife Carol and sons Gary and Gregory to whom the Regiment extends its sincere condolences.

Errol joined the Regiment in the early 60s and by 1965 was a Company Sergeant Major. He acted as Regimental Sergeant Major on several occasions and in particular at the Regimental camp at De Brug in May 1965 under command of Bertie Simpkins. Errol was a very good shot and a key member of the Regimental shooting team. He was an excellent rapid shottist with the .303 rifle and will be remembered in particular for his amazing score of 47 out of 50 in the 300 yards snap at National Bisley which he fired in virtual darkness.

Errol was an exceptionally pleasant man and motivated soldiers by his kindness and humour. He always took a keen interest in regimental affairs and will be missed by his contemporaries in the Association.

Since the previous issue of the Tudor Rose (Issue 14) July 1998 the following have passed to Higher Service;

Colonel Gilbert Blundell Brown

Donald Stuart Whittle (post- WWII)

Ron Dwyer (post-WWII) Errol Kuck (post- WWII)

Keith Oxlee (post-WWII)

Laurie Brown A Coy (WWII)

Arthur Cantrell (WWII)

'Dutch'Diepraam (WWII)

John King (WWII)

Les Golding (WWII)

Derek Robertson (WWII) (Died in Australia)

Alfie Torr (WWII)

Johnnie van Wyk (WWII)

'Bubbles' Willows (WWII)

We remember old Comrades and offer our very sincere condolences to their next-of-kin

Despite the fact that Defence Force priorities precluded the allocation of funds and mandays for reserve force training, the Regiment continued Regimental training with its own resources as it is impossible to motivate volunteers without it.

The training officer, Maj. Chad Schutte, accordingly arranged a training weekend, which was held at the Paardefontein range, north of Pretoria. A measure of sociability was introduced into the programme, families being invited on the Sunday to a braai.

Elementary section training was carried out in both day and night work.

The RLI was tasked to arrange shooting training for units of 7 SA Division. The units which participated in this training beside the RLI were the Transvaal Scottish, the Witwatersrand Rifles, the Div. Signals unit, and the Technical Services unit. L/Cpl M Wolmarans and Rfn Hensel qualified for the marksman's proficiency badge at the shoot.

The annual cricket match for the Mulligan Trophy between the Officers' and Sergeants' messes took place at the City Deep Action Cricket arena on Monday 29 June. The officers' team comprised Lt Col Vos, Maj’s Keene and Schutte, Capt Tavendale, Lt Peter Connan, his brother Jack, and Lt van Staden. The game was won by the officers.

Former Lieutenants John Gibson and Tony Vaughan visited the Mess on 6 July, which was a pleasant surprise for those who had not seen or heard from them in many years. John Gibson keeps himself busy at the Chobe Game Lodge as he has done for some while and Tony Vaughan has a fencing company in Johannesburg which is keeping him well fed during the crime wave.

The annual Officers Mess Dinner took place at the Rand Club on 14 August 1998. The guests were Col Bob Snelling who proposed the toast to the Regiment, Stan Smith and Dave Harrison of Snelling's All Sorts, Johnny Sexwale and Rear Admiral Lukas Bakkes. Col Snelling, who is the SANDF's longest serving officer, gave an excellent speech.

The Commanding Officer's 'Year end function' was held on 7 December. Maj Dave Sharp, BEM, formerly an officer in the British Army, was inducted as an honorary member of the Officers Mess at the function and presented the mess with a silver wine cooler.

Mario Bobba was made an honorary regimental bugler

The Commanding Officer presented S/Sgt George Ravno and Regimental Secretary Lin Andrew with silver salvers in recognition of their exceptional service to the Regiment during the year.

Lt Demetri Demopolous was awarded the Rose Bowl for having scored the highest score in the Officers'/Sergeants' Pistol Shoot held during the Alamein Weekend. The competition was won by the Officers' Mess.

A few years back Archie Smith received a letter from one Eve Vlasakova from Prague in the Czech Republic in which she enclosed photographs of the graves of two RLI men buried in the Prague war cemetery. The men were 83990 Cpl JJ

On 21 November 1998 Cot Dave Vos and Lt Cot Selwyn Vos attended a gathering of Honorary Colonels at the home of Col Aaron Searll in Cape Town. Beside the two RLI officers all of the honorary colonels who attended were from the SA Air Force. Dave Vos attended in the place of Col Brown who was unable to be there owing to illness.

An important event occurred at the Fort on 10 December, which was the 50th Anniversary of the International Declaration of Human Rights. The event was attended by numerous state and foreign dignitaries, including the Deputy President, Mr Thabo Mbeki.

The Commanding Officer and Adjutant were invited to attend the luncheon which was held in the Association Function Room.

The Deputy President graciously agreed to sign the Officers' Mess visitor’s book, as did many other of the guests.

He who laughs last laughs the laughest.

(WO I Frederick George Crumpton, PMM, SA Infantry Corps)

I know all you little buggers from Jo'burg! You all smoke the weed! You're so bad that when you die and go to hell the Devil will give you a wheelbarrow full of coal and a packet of matches and tell you to go into business for yourselves!

(WO I FG Crumpton's words of welcome to Johannesburg ballotees reporting for basic training at Tempe, cl963)

About the Tempe Tigers, those ‘wimmin’ will give you a disease. You will know that you've got it when you go to urinate and your appendage falls off. But that's not all. When you bend down to pick it up your eyeballs drop out!.

(WO I FG Crumpton's lecture on the virtues of chastity to ballotees reporting for basic training at Tempe cir. 1963)

This photograph is not a regimental photograph but is of historical significance to the Regiment. It shows a group of school cadets at a training camp. In it appear two cadets who were to become Regimental Sergeants Major of the RLI, namely Selwyn Rogoff and Neville Wegener.

In addition, it shows two other members of the Regiment; 'Moose' Donaldson and Garth Strong. Perhaps there are others. The august personage in the centre of the front row is that great gentleman and gunner, WO I Barry Tivers who was the Command Sergeant Major, Witwatersrand Command. The PF Corporal was Corporal Avers. Those were the days when boys were men (more or less).

This photograph was taken in 1961/2, a year before WOs Wegener and Rogoff commenced their training as ballotees. WO Tivers was a bombardier in 1926. He was one of those 'proper' sergeant majors that one came to miss in the permanent force. He was thoroughly professional and, what was so important, non political and of uncompromising integrity.

A function was held on Friday 29 May 1998 at the Turffontein Racing Club to pay tribute to Bertie Simpkins for his 65 years of dedicated service to the Regiment. Approximately a hundred of his many friends gathered to enjoy the function with him.

Unfortunately there were no photographers at the function to record the event. If there were, the editor has not received any copies of photographs and would like to.

For a number of reasons, chiefly the budgetary constraints which led to the cessation of ALL training from April through to August, regimental shooting had been in the doldrums since the Gold Cup final shoot. Fortunately that period of inactivity (on the shooting front anyway) came to an end and practices were resumed on Saturday 15 August at Johannesburg West Range. The layoff obviously had a positive effect. After some shaky scores in the following practices, the team fired its qualifying shoot for the Gold Cup on 5 December and ended with a very acceptable total of 1757. S/Sgt Sakkie Niewenhuizen achieved top score of 237 and was the winner of the Macdonald Trophy for 1998. The team, having qualified, looks forward to the Gold Cup final to be held at Ladysmith in March 1999.

Recruiting, recruiting and recruiting - that's what we should be doing right now, to build up our NCO cadre! We are fortunately being very successful with retention but, with the rationalisation of army units (including some confusion about possible rationalisation) which is currently taking place, there MUST be vast numbers of trained and experienced infantrymen who still have the interest and are looking for a new home. We are short of NCOs in all departments and we must work continuously towards building up to our full complement. The availability of courses and the resultant promotions seem distant at the moment but this situation should (must!) improve soon.

Good news from the USA is that W02 Archie Smith has now been joined by his family in California and is settling well into his new life and job. Fortunately the wonders of e-mail communication (it beats anything the military has come up with) enables frequent contact and he reports that California is everything he expected and that the USA is, all round, 'larger than life!'

Archie is getting the Tudor Rose on a regular basis which enables him to stay abreast of Regimental matters. We wish the Smiths everything of the best.

A reunion of former members of the Sergeants' Mess took place on

26 October and many familiar faces were seen, many of them topped by grey hair, some without teeth. It was good to see Robbie Wickham, Gary Blackman, Cyril Hackett, Iaian Halley, Richard Gauldie, Rodney Kuck, Selwyn Rogoff, Roy Carrick (up from Durban), Noel Greeff and Jonathan Levi (from Cape Town). Those ex-sergeants who read the Tudor Rose are asked to put in an effort to attend functions such as these.

There are two universal and important weapons of the soldier, which are often overlooked - the boot and the spade. Speed and length of marching has won many victories; the spade has saved many defeats and gained time for victory. (Field Marshal Sir AP Wavell, The Good Soldier, 1945)

All a soldier needs to know is how to shoot and salute. (Attributed to General JJ Pershing)

The best form of 'welfare' for the troops is first-class training. (Erwin Rommel: Rommel Papers)

This modern tendency to scoff and ignore tradition and to sacrifice it to administrative convenience is one that wise men will resist in all branches of life, but more especially in our military life. (Field Marshal Sir AP Wavell : Address to officers of the Canadian Black Watch, Montreal, 1949)

The annual El Alamein weekend was, once again, a great success.

It commenced with the get together on Friday evening, followed by the shoot on Saturday at the Mnandi shooting range and the parade and luncheon at the Military History Museum on the Sunday.

It was pleasing to see many faces from different parts of the country. Jonathan Levi, Noel Greeff, Andre Brandt and Jimmy Tickton came up from Cape Town and Roy Carrick from Durban.

The Alamein weekend takes a great deal of organising and it would be encouraging for the organisers to see many more faces at next year's event. Once again Neville Wegener supplied all the paperwork, i.e. maps, programmes etc, and also the use of the business's truck to transport all the supplies out to the range.

Quartermaster George Ravno put in a huge amount of work in his inimitable cheerful way. The regiment and association are indebted to them for the success of the weekend.

The shoot was preceded by the Officers'/Sergeants' Pistol shooting competition, the results of which are reported on by the respective messes.

This is yet another attempt to record regimental history from the 'Mug’s eye view, hoping (vainly?) to encourage others to send in their recollections.

By 1974 the cold war was hotting up, conventional training was a thing of the past. Everyone was now thinking of COIN Ops, Coin being the buzz word for counter-insurgency operations. Antisa forces were getting more anti, not that any of the RLI men could notice it.

The RLI was now part of a CF Brigade, which consisted of the Jocks, Regiment Springs and the RLI. Col Shorty Whitford of the Jocks was the Brigade Commander and WO I Colin 'Lofty' Laker, formerly of the 7th Medium Regiment (3rd Tvl Scottish) and Regiment Oos-Rand, was the Brigade Sergeant Major.

The brigade was to take part in Exercise Gazankulu, a COIN exercise in the 'homeland' of Professor Hudson Ntsanwisi. The exercise was under the control of the second-in-command, Witwatersrand Command, Col Viv Torlage.

The exercise became known by several variants of the name Gazankulu. To Lofty Laker it was Gorgonzola and he did not know where the hell such a place might be. To Major Bruce Daigleish it was Cassangoola. The rest of us more or less had it right.

The exercise commenced with the training phase held in Potch on the Dirkie Uys range. The Regiment assembled, as was its custom, at the Union Grounds and marched to Park Station where it entrained for Potch. The Regiment detrained at Cachet station, which was also traditional when training at Potch. From Cachet it moved by vehicle to Dirkie Uys where it was to 'rough it' for the training phase. By this it was meant that the Regiment was to have to sleep under the stars. There was no tentage available. What the reason for this was, no-one knows. But as was stated in the account of the Regiment's introduction to COIN ops in Exercise Tamboti, military life was inspired by the gung-ho attitude of Vietnam. Having to sleep under the stars in Potch held little appeal.

We had all our transport - Bedfords in those days - because we were going to travel to Gazankulu in convoy. The Bedfords had easily detachable canopies on them, so we detached these and used them as tents. Very innovative. The result was an orderly looking Bedouin camp. It was tarted up by the traditional whitewashed stones and a flagpole which Noel Greeff lifted from the rifle range. Although we were all very proud that Noel had 'organised' the flagpole, the event was not viewed with the same elation by the Military Police. It must have been a very special pole because the MP’s placed their most competent sleuths on the path of its retrieval. They arrived at the camp determined to make arrests. When asked how they could identify the pole as being the one that they were seeking they pointed to the bullet holes in it. The circumstantial evidence was indisputable. So seriously did the MP’s regard this felony that it had to be resolved by the Brigade commander.

The training was conventional non-conventional training. At its conclusion Spud Shannon displayed his competence with the 81 mm Mortar. Asked to deliver fire on a tree about 2 clicks distant he squinted over his thumb, adjusted the bipod and on his first round uprooted the target. No mathematical calculation or plotter board required, it was pure mastery. John Smith demonstrated his aptitude with the 3.5 inch rocket launcher in equally impressive fashion. Dave McGuicken and Driver Gilmore had a face off with knives one dark night,either party being encouraged by their respective supporters to bring the matter to its rightful conclusion. This would really have given the MPs something to think about. By and large, the training was, as usual, 'successful'.

While at Potch an historic event occurred. The Regiment received a consignment of badges. This might not seem significant but it was. When South Africa became a Republic in 1961, all of the Regiments which had any emblems in their regalia which were vaguely associated with Britain, were instructed to remove them. Crowns were out. So were ducal coronets. Regiments whose insignia were adorned with these unpatriotic devices had to design new badges. The RLI was one of them. A new coronetless badge was designed. The name of the Regiment had also to be removed. However, it took a long time for the ‘new' badges to get made. The story is told in one of the Regiment's previous publications. The Regiment never wore the 'new' badge. It wore the infantry bokkie while over the next decade the Regimental authorities, and Dave Vos in particular, 'badgered' Army HQ to allow us to retain the 'old' badge. Eventually they relented. The new 'old' badges were delivered at this camp and for the first time since 1961, the entire Regiment was issued with 'proper' badges. It did a lot for morale. If the Regiment endures, it will owe its badge to Dave Vos. This was an application of a famous Vos maxim: 'The RLI only loses the battles it wants to lose'.

The training phase completed, the Regiment embussed for a long and pleasant journey to Gazankulu via Groblersdal. No sooner had the convoy left Potch than it was lost. The navigator was Capt Storey. Recollection has it that the scene was reminiscent of the Keystone Cops. When in doubt do nothing. The convoy ground to the traditional halt until everyone got their bearings. Eventually and uneventfully we arrived at Giyani. Petrol en route was arranged by the Sappers and this was very impressively done. As an exercise, the convoy from Potch to Gazankulu was first class.

Having arrived at Giyani, Cmdt (as he then was) Dave Vos and his team went into conclave with the Brigade commander and other regimental commanders and the Regiment was subsequently deployed. A most unpleasant PF training officer was attached to Regimental HQ. No attempt to engage him succeeded. He was sullen, hypercritical and humourless. He insisted on keeping himself aloof and set up his lone stretcher under a tree from where he could beetle his eyebrows in scorn and disapproval at all our attempts to please. Fortunately he developed a headache and was compelled to ask the Regimental MO, Frank Gottschalk, for something to relieve it. Frank administered a potion which put him to sleep for three days. There was this paragon of military virtue 'idle and in bed after reveille', snoring in his stretcher for all to see. When he wakened he packed his kit and left and the camp commenced to be enjoyable.

What all the troops did at Gazankulu remains to be told by someone else. The obvious purpose of the companies was to patrol and encounter 'antisa' forces. The nature of coin ops is that success in this purpose is generally fortuitous. From the troops' point of view the most important aspects remained, in order of priority, post, canteen and the end of camp.

The end of camp came and the long journey back to Potch ensued. This journey created one of the Regiment's best known stories. It centred around the Brigade Sergeant Major, 'Lofty' Laker. Lofty Laker was one of those characters that no army can do without. He had an inimitable personality and an inimitable turn of phrase. He was a Sergeant Major of long standing. As the Brigade Sergeant Major he had his own jeep. After the convoys had left Giyani, the writer and W02 Selwyn Rogoff, the Regimental Transport Officer, followed up behind in a vehicle to see that there were no stragglers. A considerable distance from Giyani we encountered Lofty on the side of the road, his face a dust encrusted mask from which two reddened eyeballs protruded. We stopped and enquired whether we could be of assistance. Gratefully he accepted and explained his predicament in these terms: 'My jeep blew up just outside Giyani, the ‘tiffies’ hooked me up behind a Bedford and I had to eat shit all the way back to Brigade. When I got there I looked like Father Christmas and when the Brigadier looked at me he just laughed and laughed.' It is impossible to describe how funny this incident was. Lofty was a great man.

It was incredibly hot on the return journey and uncomfortable for the troops on the back of the Bedfords. The convoy stopped on a farm outside Groblersdat for the troops to overnight. The troops rigged up a swimming pool in the back of a Bedford and filled it from the farm's dam. The whole battalion had a swim in this makeshift pool. With the scent of orange blossoms and the wheat fields it was a very pleasant experience.

Once back at Potch there was the usual handing back of kit and the Regimental sports; stick man, road race, drill competition etc. The Regiment returned to Johannesburg by train where it was dismissed in the traditional manner.

The principal armed service of any country - in its professional attitudes, its equipment, its officer corps - is an extension, a reflection, of that country's whole society. (Corelli Barnett : The Swordbearers)

An army is an institution not merely conservative but retrogressive by nature. It has such a natural resistance to progress that it is always insured against the danger of being pushed too fast. Far worse and more certain ... is the danger of it slipping backward. Like a man pushing a barrow uphill, if the soldier ceases to push, the military machine will run back and crush him.

(BH Liddell Hart: Thoughts on War, 1944)

I have just read the latest issue of Tudor Rose and congratulate you on your first issue and agree that following Claud is some task. Wish you well for the future.

I found the record of those who have passed on disturbing as amongst them was a number of those who served with me in the Regiment, both pre-War as well as the early days and also at the two annual camps that I attended pre-War.

I agree with the sentiments expressed by Claud on p.23 'Where are they Now'. I for one would be most interested to hear of some of those with whom I served in the RLI.

Editor: Doug Boyder later sent the following which he thought readers might enjoy. It should be compulsory reading for global financiers who are busy doing what the hotdog salesman's son did. Thanks Doug)

How to invite depression

A man lived by the side of the road and sold hotdogs. He was hard of hearing so he had no radio. He had trouble with his eyes so he read no newspapers. But he sold hotdogs. He put up signs on the highways telling how good they were. He stood by the road and cried, ' Buy a hotdog, mister!'. And people bought. He increased his meat and bun orders. He got his son home from college to help him. But then something happened. His son said, 'Father, haven't you been listening to the radio?'. 'There's a terrible depression on. The European situation is terrible. The domestic situation is worse.' Whereupon the father thought, 'Well, my son's been to college, he reads the newspapers and listens to the radio, and he ought to know'. So the father cut down on his meat and bun orders. Took down his advertising signs, and no longer bothered to stand on the highway to sell hotdogs. And his hotdog sales fell almost overnight. 'You're right, son', the father said to the boy, 'we certainly are in the middle of a great depression.'

Trade Unions in the SANDF

A panic button for Minister Modise could save us all a lot of money. Having finally committed ourselves to R30-billion worth of new weaponry over the next few years we may yet find our gleaming fighter aircraft sitting idle on the runway and our redundant subs bobbing disconsolately about on the water in Simon's Town, assuming that somebody has remembered to tie them up. The Pretoria High Court has ruled that members of the armed forces can join unions and engage in collective bargaining with their employers which, in this case, is the government.

Admittedly the decision may still be overturned by the Constitutional Court but that will depend on whether or not the armed forces are deemed to be an essential service under the Labour Relations Act. Currently the Act precludes members of the armed forces and the intelligence agencies from joining a union and enjoying the right to strike because they are deemed essential services. If the Pretoria decision is upheld then the obvious solution would be to disband the defence force and save ourselves a lot of money because, by implication, they would be non-essential.

Personally I am in favour of outsourcing on something like this. It seems crazy to have all those soldiers hanging around on full pay just in case Lesotho decides to strike back. The whole problem with the perception of the armed forces is that they are not really doing a proper job unless they are out killing people or defending dams in distress. Dressing in battle fatigues and monitoring queues of old people trying to register for the election is hardly job satisfaction.

So what the government should probably do is take a tip from Johannesburg's northern suburbs and engage the services of a reliable armed response company. Very few of us want or need a security guard on the property all the time but when we hit the panic button we like to know that somebody will leap over the wall and pepper the retreating backside of the guy filching our TV with buckshot.

The macro version of this would be for minister Modise to have a panic button which he could push whenever he felt the country might be threatened by invasion, whereupon the armed response control room would phone to ask if this was a genuine call or whether one of his colleagues had mistaken the panic button for the BMW remote control.

The minister would then give his secret code number and armed troops would be swiftly dispatched to deal with insurrection, revolution or illegal smoking in whichever city had the red alarm light flashing. We would pay only a small monthly fee and the purchase and maintenance of equipment would be the problem of the security company. Obviously a fullscale engagement would mean we would have to chip in for the cost of ammunition. Here again, rather like medical aid, we could elect to go for 100% cover (the enemy gets completely obliterated) or 70% cover for a lower monthly payment (the armed response is limited to land attack and the restoration of essential services like shopping malls, cigar bars and cult cinema complexes).

Given this country's penchant for industrial action, the more likely outcome, if the Pretoria ruling is upheld, would be the creation or a more militant military. For example, prior to an act of engagement, contracts would have to be negotiated and a fair wage for a fair day's slaughter, would have to be hammered out around the table before we could go to war. A knee-jerk reaction to invasion without going through the proper channels could have potentially disastrous effects.

War is a notoriously unpredictable occupation and no respecter of the average working man's day. Do we, for example, have to pay time and a half for night attacks?

Should we not be negotiating tea breaks every two hours or thirty rounds of ammunition, whichever is the sooner? To ignore these fundamentals of good management is to invite trouble. Without them we could easily be facing industrial action such as 'shoot-to-rule' where only limited rounds are fired at the enemy until workers' demands are met. Then there are the important peace-time issues of whether the uniform is funky enough and the whole matter of why tanks can't be fitted with more comfortable reclining seats, pink fur on the dashboard and a sophisticated CD sound system with booming bass speakers.

We are in the starting blocks for the last year of the millennium as I write to share with you some thoughts on the future, not only to our Association, but of our Regimental family as a whole.

Most of you will be aware of the sad passing of our Honorary Colonel, Gilbert Brown, in December. Colonel Brown was the leader of our Regimental Family for

28 years. An honourable, intelligent and highly competent man who made his mark both in business and in war, he was ideal for the role. His honesty, his unfailing reliability, his ability to engender trust and confidence, and his sane and sensible approach, underpinned by a great store of wisdom and undertaking, kept the Regimental Family on an even keel despite the many shoals and storms which threatened to founder it over the years.

It is proposed that the AGM this year will be asked to elect members to specific portfolios on the committee. This is intended to ensure that specific areas of

concern will become the responsibility of individuals who are prepared to accept that responsibility. Examples of likely portfolios will be: MEMBERSHIP, PUBLICITY, WELFARE, FUNDRAISING, CLUB MANAGEMENT/BAR OFFICER AND FUNCTIONS. These will be in addition to the Treasurer and Secretary functions specifically provided for in the Constitution. The remaining members of the committee will be "without portfolio" but are likely to be slotted into one or more of the above mentioned areas or other areas which may be established.

Please come to the AGM having given thought to THIs and be ready to volunteer to fill a particular slot that you may be interested in.

Our attempt last year to get a regular pub evening going at our Club in the Fort (last Friday of each month) was not a success.

The underlying rationale, namely, to provide an opportunity for the broader membership to meet socially on a more regular basis, still seems to be valid. This suggests that the problem lies with the means adopted, the venue, the timing or perhaps the marketing of the concept. We would welcome your views or suggestions on this.

The important Association dates which you should diarize for the coming year are the following:

Annual General Meeting and Dinner Thursday, 6 May 1999

This will be held at the RLI Club at the Fort. Details will be sent out shortly.

Association Lunch Wednesday, 28 July 1999

Details to be advised

Alamein Weekend Friday, 21 October 1999 to Sunday 24 October 1999

This will comprise the usual cocktail party on Friday evening, Fun

Shoot and Braai on Saturday and El Alamein Commemorative Service and Lunch on Sunday.

Please note also that, in order to accommodate members of the committee who are unable to attend meetings on the last Thursday of the month, we have now scheduled committee meetings for the second Thursday of every month.

The Regimental Padre, Father Frank Hulley, has very kindly agreed to assume the position of Welfare Contact Officer for the Association and has already done

sterling work for us in this area. The modus operandi is as follows: If any member is aware of a fellow RLI or Association member who is ill, who has fallen on hard times or is otherwise in need of assistance, he should contact Lin Andrew at the Regiment at once with the relevant details and Lin will pass on the message to Father Hulley, who will took into the matter and make recommendations to the committee.

The committee has also resolved that, as from this year, some of the funds from the Watson bequest will be allocated annually towards purchasing and distributing Christmas Hampers among all World War 11 members of whom we have record.

We are currently engaged in an exercise to update our address list which, for

various reasons, have become unreliable. Members can help by asking any former RLI members whom they may know or come across whether or not they receive correspondence from the Regiment or the Association and, if not, to take their names and current contact details and send them in to Lin as soon as possible.

Please also ensure that we have your own correct contact details and let us know of any changes as soon as they occur.

Finally, we have decided to enter an Association team in the Argus Cycle Tour next year. Those who are interested in going down to the Cape for this event should speak to the team conveners, Selwyn Rogoff and Johan van Jaarsveld, and start training.

The service isn't what it used to be - and never was. (Service saying)

A nation that secures control of the air will ultimately control the world. (Alexander Graham Bell, 1909)

The services in war time are fit only for desperadoes, but in peace are fit only for fools. (Benjamin Disraeli : Vivien Grey, 1827)

Ed: This article is a 'filler', Jonas Michelson needed a page and a half to complete this issue

In the new South Africa history as a school subject is having to give way to such elevating topics as travel and tourism. Universities experience a drastic decline in the number of students enrolling to study history. The tired reaction to this by impoverished historians is : 'If you don't know where you've come from, how can you know where you are going?' and 'a nation without history is Re a man without a memory'.

While the new generation of amnesiacs heads mapiess into no man's land it will be left to the likes of you to yell after them as they plunge into the darkness, 'Didn't you read the sign?'. There may be some satisfaction in that.

At its inception the Regiment was a unit of the Transvaal Volunteers. This organisation was founded in 1903 after the convulsion of the Anglo-Boer War. It was based on the British Volunteer system, which came about as a result of British fears of French aggression in 1860. The British undoubtedly feared that the Boers might not have been sufficiently cowed by Kitchener's scorched earth policy nor satisfied by the Peace of Vereeniging.

To ensure that the Boers should not develop an inclination to revive hostilities, the British were obliged to maintain a garrison in the Transvaal which, had become a Crown Colony. The maintenance of regular troops is very costly and, as a result of the war, the British government was heavily out of pocket.

It made financial sense to have the colonials look after themselves and the interests of the mining magnates whose interests were British interests. The withdrawal of the British garrison was an attractive financial proposition. It was in the British interest to have the volunteers prosper.

Until the volunteers were properly trained, however, the British garrison would have to stay. The problem was that there was not much for the garrison to do. It is a universal truth that an unemployed soldier is a nuisance to himself and to the community. His superiors have to find things for him to do to obviate his dissipation from drink, philandering and gaming, for which activities, by and large, soldiers have a natural bent.

In the British Army, centuries of experience proved that a soldier's many idle moments were best occupied by organised games. So it came about that the British Army encouraged the organising of the Transvaal Volunteer Military Tournament. The first one was held in December 1907 at the Wanderers Grounds and ensuing tournaments were held each year at the same venue until 1912. There was probably no tournament in 1913 owing to industrial trouble on the Rand and of course, in 1914 the First World War provided alternative occupation.

The fare at these tournaments included mounted and dismounted combats and artillery driving competitions. The mounted combats featured events such as sword versus sword and lance versus lance. The dismounted combats included foil versus foil, sabre versus sabre and bayonet versus bayonet. There was a distinction between combats and competitions. Mounted competitions featured tent-pegging, lemon cutting, Heads and Posts and riding and jumping. The dismounted competitions featured tug-of-war and Field Ambulance. All of the events were interspersed with band performances.

The Patrons of the Tournament were the senior British officers in South Africa and the Vice Patrons the Honorary Colonels and commanding officers of the Volunteers. The committee consisted of officers of the volunteers. The Tournament was obviously organised in its entirety by the committee and was a means of providing the volunteers with a modicum of staff training. The programmes of the Tournaments indicate that they were no small occasions.

Several of the volunteer units were mounted such as the Northern Mounted Rifles, Southern Mounted Rifles, the Imperial Light Horse and the Transvaal Horse Artillery; many of the British regular units were mounted such as the 3rd Hussars, 15th Hussars, 9th Lancers, 12th Lancers, the Royal Dragoons and the Royal Horse Artillery. The spectacular events were reserved for them.

Unfortunately there was not much for the dismounted units. We all know how boring tug-of-war is. What was done in 'Field Ambulance' is not clear. At any rate the Regiment was unable to demonstrate its flair on bicycles and no doubt its sole ‘motor' would have frightened the horses.

Perusing the prize lists is quite embarrassing from a Regimental point of view. The Wits Rifles and Jocks feature in the first three in the bayonet v bayonet and Lance Sergeant Storm of the TC & MC 35th. In the Sabre v Sabre the Wit Rifles and the Jocks feature in the first three and Lance Sergeant Storm of the TC & MC 22nd. L/ Sgt Storm was the 142nd fastest gun in the west.

They were hot on dress in the Tournament.

The Rules stipulated:

In the various competitions for tent pegging, lemon cutting, Heads and Posts and Jumping, undress uniform without belts must be worm. Undress head dress may be worn. Volunteers must wear khaki jackets. (Nothing is said about trousers!).

The sources for the above information are the elaborate programmes that were prepared for the Tournament in 1908,1909 and 1912. They carried advertising from virtually all the businesses in Johannesburg. Imagine trying to get that for the volunteers today! Imagine volunteering today!