"In the absence of orders, go find something and kill it."
 - Field Marshal Erwin Rommel

Look at the spectators all dressed in "tribal" finery, the traditional "Haka" performed by the All Blacks, the war of words between the different factions and the psychology behind the game. Constant referrals to events in the past that people feel somehow "wronged" their team, or of course the refs always biased against your own team! Looking on the official Facebook World Cup page I was greatly amused to see that both sides in that closely fought South Africa/Wales game felt that the ref was on the other side!

How far back does one go?

The 1906-07 Springbok tour was a watershed in South African sport. It was the first overseas tour by a South African rugby team and it was during this tour that the term 'Springboks' was coined for a South African team and for 'Springbok' to denote an individual who has represented South Africa.

The 1937 South Africa tour to Australasia was one of the most successful Springbok tours in history, so much so that the touring team was nicknamed the "Invincibles". The squad was captained by Philip Nel. The tour started on 26 June 1937 at the Sydney Cricket Ground in Sydney, Australia with a 9-5 win over the Wallabies. The Springboks followed up the win with an emphatic 26-17 win on 17 July at the same grounds, outscoring the Wallabies 6 tries to 3 and taking the series 2-0. When the Springboks arrived in New Zealand later that year nobody expected them to win the series, as no other South African team had ever achieved the feat, and when the New Zealand leg of the tour kicked off on 14 August with a 13-7 loss to New Zealand at Athletic Park in Wellington, it seemed business as usual. Mr Nel and his men had other ideas however as they came back to deal New Zealand two convincing defeats; a 13-6 win at Lancaster Park in Christchurch and a 17-6 win at Eden Park in Auckland, taking the series 2-1. The latter translates into a 27-6 (5 try to nil) win using today's point system. The 1937 Springbok team remains the only Springbok team ever to have won a series in New Zealand and contained legendary players such as Danie Craven and Boy Louw.

These two teams have met a total of 81 times since 1921 - and the statistics are 3 draws, 45 wins for New Zealand, and 33 wins for South Africa. So hopefully we see an interesting clash again this year!

We wish all the of the teams the best (not really) - and we at least here in South Africa are looking forward to some really good rugby. Bring home the trophy boys!

ALL the Springbok matches of the 2011 World Cup campaign will be shown on a Big Screen at The View

Events in The Regiment

OC's Report by Lt Col D. Smythe

The Band retained their position as the best band at the July gatherings and were declared South African Champion Band after the final gathering in Benoni on the 30th July. Well done Band!

MilComp and CIOR participation. Lt A Roberts RSO: 1TS and Sgt LD Daniels Jetted off to Berlin then onto Warsaw, Poland to participate in the NATO/CIOR YROW and MilComp respectively. They held the Regiments' name high and both did very well.

The RSM held his WOs’ Sgts and NCO dinner on 23rd – attended by the WOs, Sgts and NCOs mess members. Guests included the WO SA Army Res/Chairman of the TSRA, CMWO T Wright, HC, MMM, JCD & Bar.

The Transvaal Scottish Officers' Mess dinner went off as planned (besides the normal last minute adjustments to seating plans etc). Colonel Jerry Heal (UK Defence Attache, Royal Marines) gave a fantastic speech, and the dinner was attended by many guests including Colonel Hugh Blackman of the Royal Scots Dragoon Guards.

The SANDF has agreed to finance the manufacture of a new Regimental Colour. We hope to have this ready for presentation at our 2012 Birthday Celebration.

On the 22nd July : His Grace the Duke of Athol was installed as a Knight in the Order of St. John. The event was staged at St. Georges Anglican church in Sherbourne Rd, Parktown, Johannesburg. Pipe Major Craig Whitley and Piper Rhys Fitter piped the Highland Cathedral and the Athol Highlanders at the investiture.

(DD SMYTHE, JCD)
Officer Commanding
Johannesburg, 22 September 2011

Parachutists from 44 Para, some Air Force Pumas doing a flypast and then bringing in some loads, a "Small Arms" Infantry attack and then 120mm Mortars, G5, G6 and the MRL - very impressive firepower.

The return journey took a bit longer than expected, because we had to stop and "Water the Horses" at Kraalkop! (There's a story in there somewhere!)

Thanks to MOTH Old Bill Peter Boberg from Steel Helmet Shellhole for arranging the transport, refreshments and food for a thoroughly enjoyable day. We will join you again next year.

American General, George "Guts and Glory" Patton

Mobilizations, Shooting & Parades

A "Visitors Day" is being arranged by the Adjudant on the 1st October 2011 - please contact him should you wish to see our troops and get an idea of the standard of training - then please e-Mail the Adj - here

And here is the report from our team that shot in the National Championships by Cpl W. Vermaak:

Well done guys, for those below the top 100 we have a lot work and preparations to do for next year, set your sights on a personal goal for next year and start working now. Congratulations to Hannes who came third (B Class) in the SANDF Championships held on Saturday the 30th.
 

Team performance 5 Team matches are shot during the championship and we were awarded three third places and two fourth places. This was an exceptional performance by the team. We were fortunate to enter 2 four men teams and the results are as follows:

Our heritage and ideals, our code and standards - the things we live by and teach our children - are preserved or diminished by how freely we exchange ideas and feelings.
- Walt Disney

For full details and maps - click through on this link

2012 - 110 Years

• End April - Officers' Mess Dinner
• 2nd June - Transvaal Scottish hosted League Shoot
• 8th June - Cocktail Party
• 9th June - Medal Parade, Colours Parade, Sunset Parade
• 10th June - Church Parade

Regimental Ball 2012 - Date to be finalised

MEDALS AND DECORATIONS

"The number of medals on an officer's breast varies in inverse proportion to the square of the distance of his duties from the front line."  -Charles Edward Montague

Design:
The medal is silver. The design was suggested by Field Marshal J.C. Smuts. The obverse depicts a map of Africa, surrounded by the name of the medal in English, Africa Service Medal and Afrikaans, Afrikadiens-medalje. The reverse depicts a springbok prancing through the veld.

The ribbon is orange-red (the colour of the shoulder flash worn by South African volunteers), edged in green and gold (the "springbok" sporting colours, which were adopted as the Defence Force colours).

World War II ex-servicemen referred to the ribbon of this medal as "Ouma's Garter". "Ouma" (i.e. "Granny") Smuts was the wife of the South African World War II prime minister, Field Marshal Jan Smuts. The nickname was a tribute to her unstinting efforts to supply the South African troops with home comforts. Each medal bears the regimental number and name of the recipient. (All British stars and medals of the Second World War given to South Africans were similarly named, although citizens of Great Britain and other Commonwealth countries received unnamed medals.)

A bronze King Protea flower emblem was authorised, to be worn on the ribbon of the Africa Service Medal, for valuable services in connection with the Second World War. It could be awarded posthumously and was the equivalent of a Mention in Despatches for services rendered away from the battlefield.

"The Transvaal Scottish Regimental Council has been busy with an upgrade and restoration of the View. This has been done with the assistance of the National Lotto Distribution Trust Fund who have made a generous contribution to the project. The ground floor work has almost been completed and will be ready for the open day at the end of September. The View will be open again for the normal Regimental activities thereafter.

We must again stress that this refurbishment does not mean that the View is lost to the Regiment. On the contrary, it means that the Regiment now has a splendid new home of which we can be truly proud. Now we as a Regiment must use it, proudly, responsibly and frequently.

We look forward to seeing all our members and their various friends and family back in the home of the Transvaal Scottish."

Last Months' Military Trivia
You must get to the part of the Irishman! - Ed

We asked which German medal was instituted  in 1813 by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia?

The answer of course is "The Iron Cross"

The Iron Cross (German: Eisernes Kreuz) was a military decoration of the Kingdom of Prussia, and later of Germany, which was established by King Friedrich Wilhelm III of Prussia and first awarded on 10 March 1813 in Breslau, during the Napoleonic Wars. The recommissioned Iron Cross was also awarded during the Franco-German War, the First World War, and the Second World War.

The Iron Cross was normally a military decoration only, though there were instances of it being awarded to civilians for performing military functions. Two examples of this were civilian test pilots Hanna Reitsch and Melitta Schenk Gräfin von Stauffenberg, who were awarded the Iron Cross First Class and Second Class respectively for their actions as pilots during the Second World War.

The Iron Cross was also used as the symbol of the German Army from 1871 to March/April 1918, when it was replaced by a simpler Greek cross. In 1956, the Iron Cross resumed its German military usage, as it became the symbol of the Bundeswehr, the modern German armed forces. The traditional design is black and this design is used on armored vehicles and aircraft. A newer design in blue and silver is used as the emblem in other contexts.

This Months' Military Trivia - Just for Fun

Some Good News

Article about the Scottish Horse War Memorial by:

Chitra Bodasing
Joburg East EXPRESS
Bedfordview Edenvale NEWS
 

The badly vandalised Scottish Horse War Memorial, in Kensington, is on its way to returning to its former glory. Last week Mr Eric Itzkin, the deputy director of immovable heritage in the city’s department of community development, confirmed that the purchase order for restoration and repair of the monument was approved. “I am glad to say that people have been appointed to conduct the restoration. The Scottish Horse War Memorial is a landmark structure that gives Kensington its identity. Once the restoration is complete we hope to get the support of the community to help make sure that no one vandalises the monument again,” he said.

In the June 1, 2010 edition of the EXPRESS it was reported that the lightning conductor on the back of the cross was missing.

Ms Sharon Doubell, a Kensington resident, said that she was concerned as the monument had a hole chopped in the centre as well as at the beginning of the tunnel underneath it. She believed that people dug up the monument thinking that there were items of value buried inside. Last week Ms Lee Cahill, Kensington resident and from the Johannesburg Advocacy Group (JAG), said that she was delighted that the restoration of the Scottish Horse War Memorial will be going ahead. “Johannesburg has a rich and varied history, and we believe it is essential to preserve that history for both residents and for local and international tourists. Apart from its historic value, the memorial is also situated on one of the city’s most spectacular view sites, and offers a unique vista of both the inner city and the landscape to the east, which includes the Bezuidenhout farm, one of the original farms on which Johannesburg was established. Sunset views are, in particular, a special treat.

“Further, as much as it is important to preserve the site for present usage, it is also important to preserve it for the use, information and benefit of future generations. A connection to all aspects of our history gives us a sense of where we come from, and solid ground on which to build a new and vibrant future,” she said.

JAG has been working closely with the city in the hopes of having the monument restored. Ms Cahill thanked Mr Itzkin who according to her went out of his way to obtain budget for the project and complete the tendering process required for specialist contractors to undertake the work on the monument.

“Sincere thanks are equally due to the Transvaal Scottish Regiment and, in particular, to Lieutenant Colonel Don Smythe, who is assisting us with, among other things, photographs of the original monument and the names of those listed on it as some names were lost when the monument was vandalised,” said Ms Cahill.

Lt Col Smythe said that he and the regiment are ecstatic about the restoration. “There are a lot of monuments that have been vandalised and we are happy that that something is being done to repair the damage to the Scottish Horse War Memorial. We have great interest in this monument. This memorial is a replica of the one erected on the Esplanade of Edinburgh Castle in Scotland,” he said.

Ms Cahill said that the community will also be assisting with security measures to ensure that the restored site remains safe and undamaged. She said that the long-term objective is to work with the city to make this monument into an attractive sanctuary equipped with benches, permanent garbage bins and possibly even some trees and flower beds.

“The immediate project will consist of a full restoration of the monument itself, which is built from the indigenous stone found in the area. Since JAG began working with Mr Itzkin Eric on this project, the I Love Kensington Association (Ilka) has formed a Heritage Trust dedicated to this kind of work in the area. As JAG’s primary focus is on civil society advocacy, we have therefore asked the trust’s committee whether it would be prepared to take over the project management of this restoration, which will include liaising with the local community to assist with security arrangements.

“JAG will continue to offer both information and support in any way that it can, and we look forward to the day when we can all enjoy the beauty of the restored monument again,” said Ms Cahill. Mr Brendon Burmester, chairperson of Ilka said, “This is exciting news. We will help make sure that the monument is secure. We are going to raise funds for a camera so that the monument can be monitored. We will also seek the services of the local security companies. I am glad that council has taken a step to make sure that historical areas such as the Scottish Horse War Memorial are kept in good condition. A meeting will be held to discuss how we are going to go ahead with plans,” said Mr Burmester.

The Scottish Horse War Memorial is situated on Caledonia Hill. Access is from Highland Road. The monument commemorates all officers and men from the Scottish Horse Regiment who were killed in action, died of wounds, disease or by accident during the South African Anglo-Boer War in 1901 – 1902. It is one of Johannesburg’s earliest war memorials overlooking the site of one of the largest remount camps of the Anglo-Boer War, 1899-1902. 

Politics ought to be the part-time profession of every citizen who would protect the rights and privileges of free people and who would preserve what is good and fruitful in our national heritage.
Dwight D. Eisenhower