Wednesday, 18 March 2026

March 2026 Edition.

SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER

March 2026 Edition

The current military action being taken by the United States and Israel against the tyrannical Islamic regime of the mad mullahs in Iran is greatly to be applauded. In the January Edition of the SCN we criticised Donald Trump’s administration for [then] doing nothing to help the brave people of Iran (Persia) when they rose up against the mad mullahs and their oppressive internal security services. The rectification of this failure may have been late in coming, but as the old saying goes: “better late than never”.

Although all decent people around the West will have been pleased and relieved that at last the global curse of expansionist Mohammedanism is being effectively confronted, there have sickeningly – and perhaps inevitably – been groups of Quislings who have sided with the enemies of their own nations. This of course has occurred previously both in the United States during the 1960s over the Vietnam War and more generally throughout the West during the two Gulf Wars of the 1990s and 2000s. Such apparent weaknesses and self-hatred in Western nations has of course only encouraged the expansionist Mohammedans slyly to increase their surreptitious invasions of “immigrants” into so many Western countries.

The most despicable example of this weakness was of course the disgusting withdrawal of American forces from Afghanistan by the inept Biden administration. This of course not only encouraged Iran and other militant Islamic nations to intensify their aggression against the apparently cowardly West, but also denied us of another potential front for operations when the inevitable conflict with the mad mullahs of Iran occurred. In this regard it has been most interesting to recall a powerful and prophetic speech which the late, great, Prof. David Marsland gave to the Springbok Club in 2004, “Fighting for Freedom – Fighting Tough”. Although this speech was written and delivered over 20 years ago now, and before the UK left the EU (which Prof. Marsland of course firmly advocated), it now seems strangely relevant once again, and is well worth reading in full. It can be accessed at :-

http://www.springbk.org.uk/speech5.html

Had Prof. Marsland’s advocation of a “pincer” attack on Iran from both Iraq and Afghanistan after the successful conclusion of the Second Gulf War been enacted (as he argued in favour of in his epochal paper “Start the War” which he delivered to the National Radical League in 2003) then the current War in the Middle East would not have been necessary, and tens of thousands of innocent people in Iran (Persia) and Israel and elsewhere in the region would not have been cruelly slaughtered by the evil Islamic Iranian regime and its proxy terrorist organisations. Now that the United States and Israel have begun their necessary military offensive to rid the world of the threatening expansionist regime of the mad mullahs it is to be hoped that the Trump administration does not “go wobbly” (as alas previous US administrations did both during the Vietnam War and the First Gulf War!) and finishes the conflict to its logical conclusion by putting the necessary “boots on the ground”. Irano delenda est!

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SPRINGBOK CLUB NEWS

As so many members and supporters were engrossed with watching the Winter Olympics for much of February the Springbok Club decided not to stage any event during the month. The organisation will however be staging a trip to the Jewel Tower in Westminster later this month, the details of which are as follows:-

Date : Thursday 26th March 2026

Time : Assemble between 13.00 hrs and 14.30 hrs.

Assembly venue : The Speaker, 46 Great Peter Street, Westminster, London SW1P 2HA (where we will return at approximately 17.00 hrs)

The Jewel Tower, which is an English Heritage property, is situated between the Houses of Parliament and Westminster Abbey, contains fascinating exhibits and digital reconstructions of the history of the building from Tudor times until its use as the National Weights and Measures Office in the 19th Century.

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The Springbok Club is planning an exciting country walk between three historic pubs in East Anglia during April, and in May will be welcoming a most interesting guest speaker who will address the organisation. Full details about both these events will of course be given in future editions of the SCN.

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PATRIOTIC FORUM NEWS

In April the Patriotic Forum will be welcoming Mr. Edward Spalton, the Honorary President of the Campaign for an Independent Britain, as guest speaker, and in May will be staging a trip to the popular Rochester Sweeps Festival in order to watch and enjoy the displays of Morris Dancing and traditional British folk music. The organisation also plans to stage meetings to be addressed by a sitting county councillor, a representative from another leading EuroSceptic organisation and a visiting Australian supporter later during 2026. Further details will of course be given in future editions of the SCN.

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NEW BANKNOTE DESIGNS

There has been much controversy over the decision by the Bank of England to remove pictures of prominent people from the back of banknotes and replace them by pictures of nature – a theme which was apparently selected in a poll. Much has been made of the fact that the picture of Sir Winston Churchill will disappear from the back of the £5 note, and this of course is to be greatly regretted, but Sir Winston’s picture is only one of four which appear on Bank of England notes. Those on the back of the £10 and £20 notes, respectively the author Jane Austen and the artist JMW Turner, are non-controversial (though perhaps men and women of greater merit could have been chosen), but the person who is currently featured on the £50 note, Alan Turing, who although being a brilliant scientist who played an important role in vital code-breaking during WW2, was also a known and admitted homosexual, and so is therefore a highly unsuitable person to be pictured on national banknotes. The idea of replacing pictures of famous people on the back of Bank of England banknotes is therefore perhaps not such a bad idea after all!

But what about the pictures of nature which are now due to replace them. Hopefully these will feature our animal friends rather than pictures of characterless plant-life. There are two specific campaigns which have already been initiated which we would give our full support to however, namely :-

1) The Red Squirrel. The Red Squirrel has been an indigenous mammal throughout the British Isles for millennia, but unfortunately the introduction of its North American cousin, the grey squirrel, a couple of centuries ago has had a devasting effect upon it, as the immigrant species has managed to out-resource it and as a result its numbers have declined alarmingly. Happily positive actions taken by groups campaigning for a return to its natural dominance throughout the British Isles have achieved some most encouraging and hopeful results. The web-page of one such group can be found at :- https://www.change.org/p/save-our-red-squirrels-enforce-protections-prioritise-habitat-in-uk-woodlands/u/34381617?cs_tk=A8UYVG6tUcALEgXTu2kAAXicyyvNyQEABF8BvGQxMmY2NmE5NWY1ZTg4OGIyZmUxYWMyODkxMDVjYTg5NTFlM2NmOGQ5ODEyZWQ4N2VhNTIzNjJkZjY0MTE3MTY%3D&utm_campaign=bc27333fcf574bd4bfc0aa246ae6dab1&utm_content=sunrise_v1_0_2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=petition_update&utm_term=cs

2) Hedgehogs. Because of its natural defence mechanism of simply rolling up into a prickly ball when threatened with attack the hedgehog has suffered more than most creatures at the hands of the increased population of the British Isles, as escalating developments in housing and especially road-building have not only destroyed much of its natural habitats but have also directly threatened individual members of its species. The web-page of an organisation specifically campaigning for the hedgehog can be found at :-

https://www.change.org/p/help-save-britain-s-hedgehogs-with-hedgehog-highways/u/34378658?cs_tk=AxNNL1H0UcALEnH_umkAAXicyyvNyQEABF8BvGM2ZjFiNmE1M2E0MThmNzRhZDgyZjc1ZTgzZTdhZWY4MTBmYzVjMTQ1ZDdlYWUwZjE2MTdiZGIyMDY3YWUxYzU%3D&utm_campaign=1d16e5deb2d243bfa62a99cfc290b710&utm_content=sunrise_v1_0_2&utm_medium=email&utm_source=petition_update&utm_term=cs

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CALL FOR A EUROPEAN CRICKET COMPETITION

This year’s T20 World Cup competition held in India and Sri Lanka (Ceylon) was perhaps most notable not for the victory by India, nor for the number of high-scoring innings, but by the fact that for the first time ever five European national teams took part in a global Cricket competition. Apart from the consistent traditional world Cricket super-powers of England and Australia, global dominance in the game shifted from the West Indies during the second part of the 20th Century to Asia during the early 21st Century – but could this mean that it is now shifting yet again, this time to Europe?

In an article by Tim Wigmore in the Daily Telegraph of 19th February a powerful argument was made for an annual Cricket “Five Nations Competition”, but perhaps a better idea would be for a bi-annual European Cup consisting of two groups of four followed by semi-finals and a final (ideally of the 50-overs format rather than T20)? A “European Cup” competition was held for two seasons at Folkestone during the early 2000s consisting of the Netherlands and France and two Kent scratch teams during its first year, when one of the Kent sides won, and then joined by Belgium (where of course the game began) and Germany the following year when the Netherlands were victorious. Alas this tournament did not prove too popular, probably because its time had still not come, but it is surely now time to try again! Apart from the five teams who competed in this year’s World Cup (England, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands and Scotland) a further three could be added from preliminary knock-out stages. Hopefully this idea with be given serious consideration by the ICC.

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INSPIRING “BRITISH EMPIRE ON FILM” VIDEO

A supporter has alerted us to a fascinating, indeed an inspiring video from the “British Empire on Film” series, recording the British colonial presence in the Sudan shortly prior to the outbreak of WW2. The Sudan became a British colony in 1899, although it was officially given the misnomer title of “The Anglo-Egyptian Sudan” in order to placate the nominal Egyptian rulers, Egypt itself having been a de facto British colony since the 1870s (see The Imperial Patriot No.42). Alas post-WW2 national exhaustion, made worse by the sell-out policies of the Attlee Labour government and the Nasserite revolution in Egypt, precipitated the British abandonment of the Sudan, which culminated in a complete withdrawal in 1956. This was the first of the many subsequent examples of the disastrous British policy of abdication from its responsibilities in its African colonial Empire. The video of the British colonial presence in the Sudan can be accessed at :-

https://www.facebook.com/reel/904685452287741

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HINDU TEMPLE IN PETERBOROUGH TO BE SOLD

We have recently been informed about a report that the building which houses a Hindu Temple in Peterborough (of all places!) is going to be sold by the local council for re-development. Although of course the presence of Hindus in the U.K. is nowhere near as worrying as the presence of Mohammedans, and although there is suspicion that an Islamic councillor has been backing this sale for his own nefarious reasons, it is even so most encouraging to learn that at least one building which houses an alien religion on our shores is shortly to be removed. The report in question can be found at :-

https://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/news/local-news/hindus-left-in-tears-temple-33083543

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SEARCH SERVICES FOR THOSE SEEKING LOST RELATIVES

Find any South African, even those who have emigrated. We also search Botswana, Namibia and ex-Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Please use the search request form at :-

http://www.bellemodel.biz/emails/emails.php?id=emails_from_SCN

Also check :-

https://www.bellemodel.biz/uruguay/uruguay.php?id=uruguay_from_letter_uy

(This site is for people who have considered emigrating from South Africa, specifically to Uruguay.)

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BOOK OFFERS

“LIEUTENANT COLONEL ALFRED JAMES TOMLINSON: MEMOIRS OF AN AFRICAN PIONEER AND BSAP OFFICER" is now available at Amazon.com, and can be shipped to anywhere in the world. This book contains excerpts from Lieut. Tomlinson's writings detailing his experiences as a member of the BSAP in Southern Rhodesia, where he rose from the rank of an ordinary trooper to retire as the commanding officer. It also includes the personal story of Majaqaba Ncube, a man who was enslaved by Lobengula when his entire village was massacred by the chief's soldiers. After he escaped, Lieut. Tomlinson saved him from certain death and gave him a job. They lost contact and were reunited after 45 years, when Majaqaba presented Lieut. Tomlinson with an earthenware jar.

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"THE SAINTS" – a unique documentary in support of the book on the brief history of the RLI.

DVD available along with other premium titles of historical interest from Msasa Enterprises. Visit www.rhodesianvideos.co.za or write to msasavideos@gmail.com for more information. UK contact telephone: 07865088212.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?

No.328: Mr. Henry Klotz of Durban.

Henry Klotz was a popular Durban city councillor and later Mayor of the city. Although Durban Council elections were traditionally conducted on a non-party basis it was a well known fact that Henry Klotz was a member of the National Party. His position within the party was very puzzling however; he was a great friend and political ally of Dave Taylor (see December 2021 SCN) who was positioned well to the Right of party, and through him established friendly contacts with several members of the Conservative Party of SA (which Dave Taylor himself was closely associated with), but once Mayor aligned himself with more verligte members of the NP city council caucus who supported beach integration. Regardless of his actual position he was a very affable and clubbable person who maintained friendly contact with a wide range of people in Durban society. It would be very interesting to learn what became of him after South Africa was taken over by the ANC and his days as a city councillor were over.

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RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH

The Accord on Afrikaner Self-Determination (the Afrikaner Accord) was a South African political accord which recognised the right of the Afrikaner people to self-determination. The accord was signed by the Freedom Front the ANC and the National Party-led South African government in 1994. Unfortunately, and perhaps predictably, the terms of this accord were never fulfilled by the incoming ANC regime. A petition calling on the ANC government to honour this accord has however been launched, and to sign this petition, and to learn more details about the accord, access the petition site below :-

https://www.change.org/p/pieter-groenewald-pressure-the-anc-to-honour-the-afrikaner-accord-of-23-april-1994-2/u/33765688?cs_tk=A4KCX5iFK787AZAOmmgAAXicyyvNyQEABF8BvDUwODA3ZTRlMTA1YTJkMTJmOGE4NTViZjQ2MzJhYTIyNTljZjNkMWY5NWJhZDNjNDNiMDVkZDI2YjEzZmJhMzQ%3D&utm_campaign=a4aa6125978b49d196ea547d159e0ae0&utm_content=initial_v0_9_0&utm_medium=email&utm_source=petition_update&utm_term=cs

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

WHITE FLIGHT

Sir,

The African penguin and White people in South Africa are both becoming extinct. God bless and guide President Trump. He sure got my vote!

Yours etc.,

Gary Ballard, California, U.S.A.

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FAMILY TRAVEL

Sir,

I understand that those convicted in the Pakistani grooming gangs scandal may be deported back to Pakistan. The problem is that everybody has the right to a family life which I firmly believe in. The solution is simple. If anyone is deported then his/her whole family, including mothers, fathers, aunts, uncles, cousins etc. must all be deported with them. Hence their right to a family life is ensured.

Furthermore, as an OAP on a pension I object most strongly to having my taxes used to send them home. I therefore insist that all their assets must be seized and used, not only for their transport costs, but put towards the costs of their trial, prosecution and prison service. This is the best way to make criminals realise that “crime really does not pay”.

Yours etc.,

J.Wraith, Wiltshire, U.K.

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UNBALANCED

Sir,

It is odd that an organisation such as yours established to encourage patriotism continues to spread vile Russian propaganda with the intent of destroying Ukraine - an independent sovereign nation. Ukrainians are a proud people who are fighting for their existence. No Ukrainian missiles or rockets are being fired at Russian hospitals, schools or apartments yet Putin with his criminal cronies do this every day of the week.

At the very least your organisation should present balanced arguments form both sides. You do not.

Yours etc.,

Hugh Counsell, London, U.K.

[ We are mystified as to what “vile Russian propaganda” we have allegedly been spreading. As we’ve mentioned several times previously, we have never known an issue which has divided patriotic opinion so radically as the current Russian/Ukrainian conflict, and for this reason we have tried to avoid the subject as much as possible. If we do have any stance on this issue then it is that, although we respect the aspiration of the Russian people for re-unification, we believe that military action was totally the wrong way to achieve this, and as a result therefore hope that this tragic brothers’ war can be ended as soon as possible.]

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THE SCOURGE OF ANTI-SEMITISM

In one of the “Letters to the Editor” which we published in last month’s SCN concerning Dave McCalden it was alleged that he was an anti-Semite. This present writer, who knew Dave McCalden personally during the mid-1970s, would dispute this allegation. To be sure after he emigrated to the United States during the late-1970s he became associated with a milieu who propagated what they termed “revisionist history” (what today is termed “holocaust denial”). This theory that the Nazi holocaust of the Jewish people never occurred is of course ridiculous, but it doesn’t in itself indicate a hatred of the Jewish people. By all accounts Dave McCalden weirdly became convinced that the Holocaust never happened, and it was his misplaced intellectual honesty which caused him to be associated with holocaust denial rather than anti-Semitism itself. Furthermore, if the rumour that he faked his own death circa. 1990 is true then the reason was probably because he at last came to the realisation that holocaust denial was nonsense, and wanted to start a fresh life under a new identity completely untainted by his earlier stupidity.

Alas however our movement has been plagued on several occasions by the scourge of anti-Semitism. Our roots lie with the National Party of the United Kingdom (NPUK, which subsequently metamorphosised into UKIP) which was itself an off-shoot of the National Front after that organisation was unfortunately infiltrated and taken-over by a clique who harboured clear neo-Nazi sentiments (indeed it could be argued that if it wasn’t for this vile neo-Nazi infiltration the NF would have achieved as much success during the 1970s as ReformUK is achieving today!). Moreover the leader of the NPUK, John Kingsley Read, often stated that the NPUK and “Zionists” (by which he meant supporters of the State of Israel) should unite against the common foe.

When many from our movement re-located to Southern Africa during the late-1970s we sadly again encountered the poison of anti-Semitism. As was mentioned in the “Where Are They Now?” section of last month’s SCN about Davis Bell, Joan Benson, the wife of the acclaimed journalist Ivor Benson, clearly harboured strong anti-Semitic opinions and tragically these started to influence Ivor himself in some of his later writings, and support for his National Forum organisation thereby declined as a result. On he whole however anti-Semitic sentiments were very rare in patriotic circles in Rhodesia and South Africa during the days of civilised rule, and indeed the Patriotic Forum (Mk.1) had a number of Jewish South African members. This isn’t really surprising as the State of Israel was one of civilised-ruled South Africa’s few overseas friends, whereas the terrorist ANC of course had close fraternal links to the PLO and other Palestinian terrorist organisation. One of the few exceptions to this rejection of anti-Semitism in patriotic circles was the notorious Arthur Benjamin Kemp (of whom more later), who although initially seeming to be a supporter of our movement unilaterally renamed our PPSAN newsletter “The South African Report” after it was handed over to him and turned it into a vehicle for paranoid anti-Semitism - most notoriously in one edition entitled “The ANC and the Jews” which argued that the ANC was controlled by “The Jews”, the complete antithesis of the truth of course as most ANC leaders were themselves rabid anti-Semites!

When we were forced to leave South Africa after it became clear that the ANC terrorists were going to be handed control of the country, and relocated back to the UK to re-establish our movement here, we occasionally encountered a few anti-Semitic paranoids. The first of these consisted of a small group of malcontents, who we nicknamed “the sickly clique”, who caused big problems not only for us but also for the Conservative Monday Club. Thankfully most members of this clique now appear to be dead! Two far more serious problems occurred during the 2010s however.

Firstly in 2011 some vile obviously fabricated pornographic photographs were circulated which were claimed to be of a leading member of our movement. It was soon revealed that one person involved with this disgusting smear was none other than Arthur Benjamin Kemp who had himself re-located to the UK and joined the controversial “British National Party” (BNP), a short-lived party founded by one of the neo-Nazis who had early infiltrated and severely damaged the reputation of the NF – but the main instigator of this sick obscene smear campaign turned out to be a certain Anthony “Tony” Hancock, a notorious printer and distributor of extreme anti-Semitic tracts. In an e-mail sent by mistake to the targeted victim of his smears Hancock admitted that he had instigated this vile smear campaign because the target had written disparaging comments about the BNP and “revisionist history” (i.e. holocaust denial) in general! Hancock died the following year (2012) of what has been described as “slow motion suicide by self-neglect”.

The second serious problem encountered by our movement at the hands of anti-Semites occurred at a meeting of the Swinton Circle in 2015. This meeting was gate-crashed by a group of uninvited strangers who proceeded to disrupt the gathering by shouting out pro-Nazi comments, and when asked to leave refused to do so and then proceeded to wreck the meeting. Two of the gate-crashers subsequently served jail sentences, one of whom, a fanatical anti-Semite by the name of Jeremy Bedford-Turner, being jailed for a year under the Public Order Act for stirring-up racial hatred against the Jewish community. This embarrassing incident could have marked the end of the Swinton Circle side of operations, but the late, great Dennis Delderfield, who was at the meeting and highly angered by the antics of the anti-Semitic disruptors, agreed to merge his own New Britain movement with the Swinton Circle to form the Patriotic Forum (Mk.2) shortly afterwards, and so this potential very harmful false association with anti-Semitism was avoided.

It is bewildering, to say the least, to understand what motivates certain people who otherwise support the progress and ascendancy of Western civilisation to adopt such a paranoid and irrational hatred of one of the smallest but most admirable Western peoples – the Jewish people. Surely it is obvious to all but the most pea-brained that the State of Israel is a bulwark which is protecting the whole of Europe against the threatening spectre of Islamic expansionism?

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If you appreciated this edition of the SCN then perhaps you might consider making a donation to Patriotic Press, the publisher of the SCN. Unlike many other cyber-publications we receive no subscription fees or outside funding. All those involved with the publication are unpaid and work entirely voluntarily, but there are inevitable costs associated with running a cyber-newsletter such as this. We depend upon our readers to help us, either with regular or one-off payments. Such contributions can be made by direct bank transfer, our bank account details being :-

Bank name: NatWest Bank Ltd., Herne Bay Branch Sort-code: 60 – 10 – 37 Account Name: Patriotic Press Account No.: 54015138 IBAN : GB35NWBK60103754015138 IBAN BIC : NWBKGB2L

Tuesday, 24 February 2026

February 2026 Edition.

SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER

February 2026 Edition

In the January 2026 Edition of the SCN we observed how the new year has started off in a most dramatic manner on a number of fronts. Now, a month later, it appears that these dramatic developments have not only continued but have even escalated.

Before going any further we believe that President Trump must be congratulated upon dropping his ridiculous and dangerous threat to seize Greenland. The compromise agreed whereby the United States only obtains sovereignty over a small number of military bases which they already control in reality means nothing, as it simply codifies legally that which has been the case in practice for decades. The vast majority of Greenland’s landmass will thus remain part of the Kingdom of Denmark, as is clearly the wish of practically all of Greenland’s inhabitants. President Trump is also to be congratulated upon his hasty clarification of his clumsily-phrased comment which had initially been interpreted as an inaccurate claim that other NATO nations did not fight on the frontline in the West’s War against Terror in Afghanistan – a comment which, if true, would have been not only wrong but also highly insulting.

In spite of these two most welcome corrections it has even so been quite worrying to note that President Trump has neither “finished the job” in Venezuela nor so far fulfilled his promise to help the people of Persia (Iran). There have however been some most encouraging recent US Naval manoeuvrers in the Gulf, which have all the hallmarks of signalling more fundamental military intervention to depose the regime of the mad mullahs in that sorry land. By so doing not only will the good people of Persia (Iran) be liberated from the tyrannical Islamic theocracy under which they have suffered for far too long, but it will also be a serious blow to the Hamas and Hezbollah terrorists which the mad mullahs have been the main sponsors of. It will not only be the security of the State of Israel which will benefit from the toppling of the Islamic regime, but the security of the entire West!

On the domestic US front it has however been a matter of concern to learn that many federal Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agents are being withdrawn from Minneapolis, at a time when subversives seem to be running loose on the streets of this city. This alas seems to indicate a cowardly surrender to the forces of insurrection, which has very bad omens for not only the United States itself but also for other Western nations who are also plagued with largescale numbers of unwanted and trouble-causing third-world immigrants. It has been significantly more encouraging however to note the excellent sentiments which US Secretary of State Marco Rubio expressed at the recent Munich Security Conference when he warned European nations about the existential dangers of allowing the cohesion of their countries and their traditional cultures to be destroyed by mass alien migration. It is to be hoped therefore that this warning is noted by elected officials in the United States itself.

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SPRINGBOK CLUB NEWS

The Springbok Club‘s 2026 AGM was held last month, and proved a most successful and pleasant event. The Organiser gave a full and most encouraging report about the organisation’s activities held during 2025, and the progress which was made last year as a result of these events. The Treasurer then reported that finances were basically stable even though a slight loss was recorded for the year – but also observed that membership renewals had not been as steady as they should have been, and proposed that membership renewal reminders should be sent to all members when they were about to lapse. The current Executive Committee was then re-elected unanimously en bloc, and it was proposed and unanimously agreed that Mr. Gavin Sandeman should be offered the position of Honorary President – an offer which he readily accepted. Finally a provisional itinerary of events for 2026 was agreed upon.

Membership to the Springbok Club remains at £500.00 for Life Membership, £20.00 per annum for Full Membership and £15.00 per annum for Associate Membership, and payments can be made by direct bank transfer, the details for which being as follows :-

Bank name: NatWest Bank Ltd., Herne Bay Branch Sort-code: 60 – 10 – 37 Account Name: The Springbok Club Account No.: 13512056 IBAN : GB35NWBK60103713512056 IBAN BIC : NWBKGB2L

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The Springbok Club has not arranged any activity during February because everyone has been so pre-occupied with following the Winter Olympics, but in March will be staging a trip to the Jewel Tower in Westminster, and in April and May will be welcoming two most interesting guest speakers to address the organisation. Full details about all these events will of course be given in future editions of the SCN.

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PATRIOTIC FORUM NEWS

The Patriotic Forum staged a most memorable Burns Night/Australia Day celebration in central London last month. After enjoying some sumptuous haggis and other traditional Scottish meals the following messages of solidarity from Australian-based supporters of the organisation were read out :-

From Mr. Anthony Williams, now based in New South Wales :-

“Here’s a warm greeting: G’day mates, and a hearty Sláinte Mhath to all you fine folk gathered for Burns Night! Here I am, an Aussie expat originally hailing from the land of haggis, kilts and Rabbie Burns, raising a cold one (or a wee dram if we’re keeping it traditional) on this special double-header: your brilliant Burns Night and our own Australia Day. To the immortal memory of Robert Burns – the ploughman poet who gave the world Auld Lang Syne, Tam o’Shanter, and wit and heart to fill a library. Your words still stir the blood whether you’re in Edinburgh, Melbourne, London, or anywhere the Southern Cross shines. And to Australia – this wide brown land of endless beaches, tough-as-nails spirit, fair-go values, and sunsets that make you stop and stare. From the red dirt of the Outback to the green waves of the coast, we’re proud to call her home. So tonight, whether you’re addressing the haggis or firing up the barbie, let’s toast the best of both worlds: Scottish fire in the soul and Aussie grit in the heart, May the lassies be bonnie, the lads be bold, and the friendships be as strong as a eucalyptus root. Happy Burns Night & Happy Australia Day! From one proud son of both nations – cheers to freedom, poetry, and a bloody good party! Raise your glass – to Rabbie, to mateship, and to the lucky country we love.”

From Mr. Bob Vinnicombe of Devonian and Cornish stock, now based in Sydney, New South Wales :-

“Greetings from Australia from a Britisher resident here. Pauline Hanson’s One Nation Party is out-polling the Liberals! Keep up the good work there against the Forces of Darkness!”

From Mr. Allan Ford, now based in Queensland

“From an ex-Gillingham boy, now a 76 year old Aussie patriot, I am so sad to see both our countries in their current state. As an ex-Man-of-Kent I know we will survive and come out better and stronger. We will make both our countries better for the current errors. Good luck and God bless you all.”

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In the Spring of 2026 the Patriotic Forum will be welcoming Mr. Edward Spalton, the Honorary President of the Campaign for an Independent Britain, as guest speaker. The organisation also hopes to stage meetings to be addressed by a leading official from the Turning Point UK /i> organisation, a sitting county councillor, a representative from another leading EuroSceptic organisation and a visiting Australian supporter later during 2026. Further details will of course be given in future editions of the SCN.

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MESSAGE FROM ANIMAL SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL

We have recently received the following harrowing message from the Animal Survival International organisation concerning the ill treatment of South African lions exported to Lebanon. It reads as follows :-

“Lion cubs Issam and Kelly have been saved from wildlife traffickers in Lebanon – potentially one of the largest trafficking operations ever intercepted in Lebanon.

“The state of these infant lion cubs will leave you aghast!

“Authorities stopped traffickers at an army checkpoint north of Lebanon, 90 minutes outside Beirut.

“To their horror, they discovered 1,500 caged exotic birds - many already dead - and two terrified lion cubs hidden among them. The two-month-old cubs, frozen from fear, were hidden in small plastic cat boxes with no food or water, and were drenched in their own urine.

“All the animals were confiscated by the police, and the traffickers were arrested.

“After veterinary examinations, the birds – both wild-caught and captive-bred – were able to be released back into the wild or sent to specialized organizations.

“But both cubs, who are believed to be siblings, were severely underweight and exhibited signs of malnutrition and abnormal development.

“They were in a shockingly bad way.

“Heartbreakingly, due to the extent of human-inflicted abuse, Issam was unable to walk normally.

“The development of both infant cubs was severely stunted due to the conditions in which they were kept captive.

“Issam’s disabilities were particularly severe. The muscles in his back legs had not developed properly, and his legs were not strong enough to support him. It was utterly tragic to see, Alan - a helpless eight-week-old cub struggling to walk.

“His mobility problems were caused by being confined in a small plastic crate for who knows how long - combined with a lack of proper care, nutrition and exercise - all of which the cubs would have received had they not been stolen from their mother and their natural way of living.

“Issam and Kelly will need intensive rehabilitation, as well as expert care, for the rest of their lives.

“The cubs were placed with an animal welfare organization in Lebanon until the right sanctuary could be found. That is where our partner, Drakenstein Lion Park in South Africa, stepped in.

Drakenstein Lion Park has committed to giving the cubs a lifelong home at their sanctuary where no breeding is permitted, and where wild animals live free from physical visitor interaction in semi-wild spaces.

“The lifelong care for both cubs will amount to hundreds of thousands of dollars over 20 years.

“If we can raise $7,300 (around £5,732 ), we can help ease the long-term financial pressure on our partner for an entire year, so they can continue rescuing wild animals in serious trouble.

“All animals in our partner’s care are given the highest quality food, veterinary care and shelter, but our partner cannot continue to rescue and rehabilitate severely needy wild animals without your help today.

“Please help give these rescued cubs the life they truly deserve after their terrible abuse at the hands of humans.

“We partner with ethical big cat rescue facilities to give rescued wild animals the lives they deserve after being born into cruel and abusive situations.

“The reality is that when ‘exotic pets’ are bred and confiscated outside of their indigenous countries, many have nowhere to go and may end up in zoos… or worse… euthanized.

“This is an outcome we at ASI will ALWAYS fight to avoid, and thus it is of critical importance that we support our ethical sanctuary partners.

“Saving animals and the planet, “Campaign Director “Animal Survival International,

“P.S. Baby lion cub siblings Issam and Kelly were ripped away from their mother soon after birth to be sold as pets in the Middle East. Traumatized, orphaned and deformed, they need all the help they can get to recover and live in peace at our partner sanctuary. Please, help! Without your support, animals like these have nowhere to go. Every donation helps keep rescued wild animals out of zoos… or worse!”

To contact Animal Survival International, or to make a donation to assist their campaign to help save lions like Issan and Kelly, visit their web-site at : https://animalsurvival.org/

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THE 2026 WINTER OLYMPICS

The Organising Committee of the Milano/Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games are to be applauded upon co-ordinating such a memorable and basically problem-free spectacular. The Games didn’t start off too well however, as the Opening Ceremony regrettably contained some of the same concessions to “political correctness” which ruined the Opening Ceremonies of the London 2012 and the Paris 2024 Summer Olympics, most notably the choice of “woke” personalities to carry in the IOC flag. Perhaps not quite as bad as London 2012 however, for at least some of the flag-holders had sporting credentials! The most sickening aspect however was the cameo-speech given by Charlize Theron, the South African/American actress (as Ms.Theron seems to have no Italian connections whatsoever it is very difficult to understand why she was chosen to participate in the first place!), in which she seemed to honour the evil terrorist leader Mandela! As Ms.Theron has strong Afrikaner ancestry it is difficult to understand how she can live with her conscience after praising this leader of the ANC terrorists who have been murdering her own people!

But the sporting events themselves proved a great success. Perhaps there are a few criticisms which can be levelled at the increased number of events, particularly the “non-sporting” competitions which rely upon the opinions of judges rather than the stop-watch or the tape-measure, and the artificial relays and team events which have been added to basically individual disciplines, but against this the inclusion of ski-mountaineering proved a most impressive new addition to the schedule. It was a pity however that Women’s Nordic Combined events still weren’t added alongside those for men, and that the Alpine Combined events now consist of two separate contestants rather than just one – which surely defeats the whole purpose of the discipline? We would also suggest that Winter Pentathlon competitions are added consisting of single events in Cross-country ski-ing, Alpine ski-ing, speed-skating, Luge tobogganing and ski-jumping? Perhaps in future Winter Olympics these suggested additions could replace the more artificial events?

As far as the actual results were concerned it was interesting to note that the “new” South Africa sent a small team this year, after sending no-one at all to Beijing in 2022 – though predictably they didn’t win a single medal! Great Britain’s performance proved their best even however, winning 3 golds, a silver and a bronze – the first time ever that the country had won more than one gold medal at a single Winter Olympics! Matt Weston must be specially congratulated for winning two gold medals for Great Britain in Skeleton events of course, but other notable performances which should also be highlighted include those of Johannes Klaebo (Norway, Cross-country ski-ing), Frida Karlsson (Sweden, Cross-country ski-ing), Franjo von Allmen (Switzerland, Alpine Ski-ing), Federica Brignone (Italy, Alpine Ski-ing), Jens Oftebro (Norway, Nordic Combined), Anna Strom (Norway, Ski-jumping) and Francesca Lollobrigida (Italy, Speed-skating).

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LET GREENLANDERS DECIDE

We have recently been notified about the following message sent by Patrick Schroder, Senior Research Fellow at Chatham House. It reads as follows :-

“In November last year, I had the chance to visit Nuuk, Greenland. And yesterday I was able to share some of the insights from those conversations on The James O'Brien Show.

“One clear takeaway from my Greenland visit: let Greenlanders have agency over the future of their country. People I spoke with have a strong vision for what they want, and it is neither the status quo, nor a future where Greenland is annexed by the US under the Trump Administration.

“As the Greenland debate heats up and geopolitics, security, and critical minerals take centre stage, it becomes even more important not to decide for Greenlanders, but to listen to them. Self-determination is not a slogan; it’s a prerequisite for any legitimate discussion about Greenland’s future.”

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BRILLIANT SPEECH BY MARCO RUBIO

As mentioned in our Editorial above, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio delivered a brilliant speech at the recent Munich Security Conference, in which he warned about the existential threat to the great European nation states posed by the mass immigration of third world aliens into the continent. A full version of this powerful speech can be accessed at :-

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yOjBJ89aeXA

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SEARCH SERVICES FOR THOSE SEEKING LOST RELATIVES

Find any South African, even those who have emigrated. We also search Botswana, Namibia and ex-Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Please use the search request form at :-

http://www.bellemodel.biz/emails/emails.php?id=emails_from_SCN

Also check :-

https://www.bellemodel.biz/uruguay/uruguay.php?id=uruguay_from_letter_uy

(This site is for people who have considered emigrating from South Africa, specifically to Uruguay.)

------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOK OFFERS

“LIEUTENANT COLONEL ALFRED JAMES TOMLINSON: MEMOIRS OF AN AFRICAN PIONEER AND BSAP OFFICER" is now available at Amazon.com, and can be shipped to anywhere in the world. This book contains excerpts from Lieut. Tomlinson's writings detailing his experiences as a member of the BSAP in Southern Rhodesia, where he rose from the rank of an ordinary trooper to retire as the commanding officer. It also includes the personal story of Majaqaba Ncube, a man who was enslaved by Lobengula when his entire village was massacred by the chief's soldiers. After he escaped, Lieut. Tomlinson saved him from certain death and gave him a job. They lost contact and were reunited after 45 years, when Majaqaba presented Lieut. Tomlinson with an earthenware jar.

----------------------------

"THE SAINTS" – a unique documentary in support of the book on the brief history of the RLI.

DVD available along with other premium titles of historical interest from Msasa Enterprises. Visit www.rhodesianvideos.co.za or write to msasavideos@gmail.com for more information. UK contact telephone: 07865088212.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?

No.327: Mr. David Bell of Durban.

David Bell hailed originally from Townsville, Queensland, Australia, but it is uncertain how he came to re-locate to South Africa. He worked in insurance for Dennis Cook Williams and Associates in central Durban, and was a member of the exclusive Durban Club. He still retained a strong Australian accent, in spite of talking in a rather dull monotone voice. Not exactly a man to set the world on fire, he was an avid member of Ivor Benson’s National Forum (which evolved into the Patriotic Forum mk.1) and a staunch anti-Communist, being a keen supporter of the World Anti-Communist League. He however never became active with any of the right-wing South African political parties. During the late 1970s he would often chair and speak at National Forum meetings in Durban, but in the early 1980s friction broke out between him and a group of colleagues (including Ian Long – see July 2024 SCN) and Ivor Benson and other leading members of the organisation. He left the National Forum as a result and helped to establish the short-lived Vanguard Association, without ever joining the Patriotic Forum (Mk.1). It is uncertain what caused this friction, but it may well have been because his wife was Jewish, whereas Ivor Benson’s wife Joan harboured some rather unfortunate anti-Semitic sentiments. The last we heard about him was from Ian Long some dozen or so years ago, who reported that he was still living in Durban, but had had to undergo a very serious operation. He evidently survived this, so it would therefore be very interesting to learn what happened to him after this.

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RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH

Even though the discreditable attempts by the US government to lay claim on Greenland now seem to have died a natural death, it is probably still a good idea to familiarise ourselves with the Danish government’s position, which is explained fully on their website at :-

https://denmark.dk/people-and-culture/greenland

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

CARRECT

Sir,

Re: Dr. Albert Schweitzer’ s comments [see February 2025 SCN – Ed.]: No matter how much you wash and polish a Volkswagen, it will never be a Ferrari.

Yours etc.,

H.Koch, Transvaal, South Africa.

----------------------------

…… AND DAVE McC in L.A.

Sir,

I remember Dave McCalden - we never met but one of his former fellow-NF and NPUK members once described him as a "Marxist." He described himself as a "democratic socialist racialist" in a letter to The Guardian in 1978. As he was also an Ulster Loyalist, anti-Semite and hunt saboteur, I believe he merits an entry in a directory of political eccentrics! However, the NPUK basically folded in 1977 - its Councillor Kingsley Read changed his designation to the Democratic National Party that year and Independent the next. Dave McCalden then moved to Los Angeles.

Yours etc.,

Mark Taylor, London, U.K.

---------------------------

…… AND DAVE McC IN HIS GRAVE

Sir,

Although it is roughly 50 years ago now, as an ex-member of both the National Front and National Party of the United Kingdom, I have memories of Dave McCalden as a prominent nationalist about that time. I recall him attending a League of St. George meeting in central London having driven in on a flashy motorbike. Although, I can't claim too much personal knowledge I expect that most of those who knew him would agree that he was a very independent-minded chap whose outspoken demeanour made it difficult for him to conform within an organization. When I enquired with the same question as to what had happed to him, I was told on what I thought was good authority that due to his somewhat libertine life-style he had died of Aids. I would be happy to be corrected?

Yours etc.,

Michael Woodbridge, Denbighshire, U.K.

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WAS IAIN MacLEOD MURDERED?

Iain MacLeod was a prominent Conservative MP and cabinet minister under almost every Conservative leader from Sir Winston Churchill to Edward Heath. As he served as Secretary of State for the Colonies from 1959 until 1961, a period when so much of the British Empire was surrendered, he quite obviously was not a particular favourite of ours – but a long-standing rumour which has recently resurfaced perhaps casts him in a very different and far better light.

Iain MacLead died suddenly just one month after being appointed as Chancellor of the Exchequer by Edward Heath after his surprise General Election victory in 1970. He had been severely wounded whilst serving in the Army during WW2, which had left him with a limp and a spinal injury, but in spite of this the official cause of his death was variously given as appendicitis, a heart attack and terminal cancer. Almost immediately, however, the rumour began to circulate in Westminster that he had actually been murdered, a rumour which was given much weight to by a statement from his personal doctor that he had not been suffering from cancer and the fact that he had initially been discharged from hospital with an “all clear” before returning home to 11 Downing Street!

Being a leading member of Heath’s shadow cabinet prior to the 1970 General Election victory he was clearly a great supporter of Heath’s Euro-fanaticism, but a recent claim has been made that after examining all the books regarding the national finances upon his entry into 11 Downing Street he came to the realisation that it was not in Britain’s economic interests to join the Common Market (as the EU was then known) – and was not afraid to voice his conversion on this matter at cabinet meetings, much to Heath’s chagrin. This might be adding two and two together to make five, but when the rumour that MacLeod had been murdered is added to the revelation that he made such a complete volte-face regarding Heath’s pet project of forcing Britain’s entry into the Common Market (EU), is it not possible that Heath, or someone close to him, may have arranged to have him “bumped off”?

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If you appreciated this edition of the SCN then perhaps you might consider making a donation to Patriotic Press, the publisher of the SCN. Unlike many other cyber-publications we receive no subscription fees or outside funding. All those involved with the publication are unpaid and work entirely voluntarily, but there are inevitable costs associated with running a cyber-newsletter such as this. We depend upon our readers to help us, either with regular or one-off payments. Such contributions can be made by direct bank transfer, our bank account details being :-

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Tuesday, 20 January 2026

January 2026 Edition.

SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER

January 2026 Edition

Few years can have started off so dramatically worldwide as 2026, and all of these important developments seem to have involved President Donald J. Trump in one way or another.

The intervention in Venezuela and removal of ex-President Nicolas Maduro in order to face charges of narco-terrorism and conspiracy to import cocaine in the United States is of course to be applauded – but, as John Bolton has accurately observed, this intervention didn’t go nearly far enough as the rest of the Maduro regime remain in place. The Venezuelan people therefore continue to be suppressed under this tyrannic regime, and as a result more and more will be fleeing unregulated to the United States. Why Donald Trump thinks that Maduro’s designated Vice-President Delcy Rodriguez Gomez, with her close ties to Venezuela’s despotic Minister of the Interior Diosdado Cabello, would prove any different in the oppression of the Venezuelan people defies belief. Surely the US intervention should have gone far further and involved the implementation of fresh internationally-observed elections, especially as an alternative Venezuelan government lies ready under the leadership of Maria Corina Machado, who by her fawning support for the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize to Donald Trump has shown that she would bring Venezuela firmly back into the Western fold.

At much the same time the people of Iran (Persia) have shown great courage by defying the equally oppressive regime of the mad mullahs in their country. Here President Trump has promised that he will “rescue” the Iranian protestors and that “Help is on its way”, but alas such promises still appear to be only words, and Iranian patriots continue to be slaughtered in the streets. Again an alternative government in the form of a Western-orientated constitutional monarchy under the leadership of Shah Reza Pahlavi lies awaiting, so why therefore hasn’t the promised “help” arrived to “rescue” the country and to re-install the Pahlavi dynasty?

Another attempted uprising against the current order has however occurred in the United States itself, this time not opposing an oppressive regime but rather the exact opposite, wishing to undermine the country and its Western democratic society by allowing more and more illegal third-world immigrants to settle and remain. The federal Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) agency have done an excellent job in trying to remove these parasites, but after one of the self-hating supporters of the illegal immigrants was shot by an ICE agent in Minneapolis whilst trying to prevent them from doing their duty all hell broke loose in the city as the “enemies within” violently confronted the forces of law and order. President Trump has threatened to invoke the Insurrection Act to quell this lawlessness, but alas at the time of writing has failed to do so.

The most disturbing development this year has however been President Trump’s bizarre and illegal threat to seize Greenland. Greenland has been a Danish possession since 1721 – i.e. since before the United States was even established! It has been well-ruled by Denmark ever since, and has never had any long-standing connection to the US. It is not ruled by narco-terrorists, nor by mad mullahs, and as Denmark is an advanced Western nation and a fellow member of NATO there is absolutely no risk of Greenland being used by either Red China or by Russia as a springboard to de-stable the United States. This irrational claim on Greenland is therefore not only deranged but also highly dangerous, as it risks causing conflict between Western nations at a time when they are all under potential threat from the Islamic world and from Red China. It is said that Donald Trump has only made this reprehensible threat because he wishes to go down in history as the President who re-enacted the Monroe Doctrine and increased the size of the United States. He should be reminded therefore that the original Monroe Doctrine was only concerned with Latin America, namely only lands to the south of the United States! Furthermore if he wished to increase the size of the country then why not grant Puerto Rico statehood or re-establish ownership of the Panama Canal, which was a US territory before being given away by the insipid Jimmy Carter – or perhaps even by liberating Cuba and claiming far more logical and acceptable ownership of that island!

Donald Trump gained the US Presidency both is 2016 and in 2024 with a lot of goodwill, not only from this publication but also from patriotic forces throughout the West in general. Now however he risks losing all this goodwill by failing to complete the job in Venezuela, by failing to keep his promises to the Iranian people, by failing to support his own ICE agents adequately – and particularly by his lunatic and perilous claim on Greenland. We therefore call upon him to see sense and to turn his desire for expansionism south rather than north, otherwise he will go down in history as the president who plunged the entire West into jeopardy.

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SPRINGBOK CLUB NEWS

The Springbok Club held a most enjoyable informal gathering last month at which, inter alia, Mrs. Susan Beresford told something about the situation in the “new” South Africa when she left the country a couple of years ago.

----------------------------

The 2026 Annual General Meeting of the Springbok Club will be held on Sunday 25th January 2026 in the upstairs “Snug” room of The Antelope, 22 Eaton Terrace, Belgravia, London SW1W 8EZ (nearest tube station: Sloane Square), commencing at 14.30 hrs. You are reminded that although all fully paid-up members of the Springbok Club are entitled to attend and to participate in discussions, only Honorary, Life and fully paid-up Full Members will be allowed to vote or to stand for office. Cash membership renewals may however be made on the day.

The agenda will be as follows :-

1) Organiser’s report for 2025. 2) Treasurer’s report for 2025. 3) Election of officers to the Executive Committee and other appointments for 2026. 4) Motions for debate (if any). 5) Any other business, including discussions about plans for activities during 2026.

All nominations for office and motions for debate must be proposed and seconded by Honorary, Life or fully paid-up Full Members of the Springbok Club, and must be submitted in writing or by e-mail to the current Executive Committee at least 48 hours prior to the meeting.

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PATRIOTIC FORUM NEWS

The Patriotic Forum will be staging its traditional Burns Night/Australia Day celebration on Sunday 25th January 2026, commencing with a haggis meal at the Sir John Hawkshaw Wetherspoons pub at Cannon Street Station (City of London, EC4N 6AP) at approximately 16.15 hrs, and then journeying on to the bust of Admiral Arthur Phillip (who founded Sydney and became the first Governor of New South Wales) towards the rear of St.Paul’s Cathedral where at approximately 18.30 hrs the Australian National Anthem will be sung.

In the Spring of 2026 the Patriotic Forum will be welcoming Mr. Edward Spalton, the Honorary President of the Campaign for an Independent Britain, as guest speaker. The organisation also hopes to stage meetings to be addressed by a leading official from the Turning Point UK organisation, a sitting county councillor, a representative from another leading EuroSceptic organisation and a visiting Australian supporter later during 2026. Further details will of course be given in future editions of the SCN.

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MESSAGE FROM “SAVE OUR RED SQUIRRELS”

We have recently received the following most important message from the Save Our Red Squirrels organisation. It reads as follows :-

“Once common across the UK, these shy, iconic mammals now cling to survival in just a few woodland strongholds. They are more than a countryside symbol – they are a national favourite. Even King Charles III has called them “ambassadors for nature”. Their cultural importance is so widely felt that they now feature on the UK’s new 2p coin, their copper-red coats echoing its hue.

“It’s only thanks to tireless volunteers, local groups and small charities that red squirrels survive in England at all. But those efforts are being quietly undone. While it’s illegal to kill a red squirrel, destroying its habitat is still allowed – and it’s happening. Ancient plantations known to support reds are being felled with no mitigation, no reassessment, and no consequence. Enough is enough. If we don’t act now, we risk losing red squirrels from England for good.

“WHY IT MATTERS

“Red squirrels are now functionally extinct across most of England. Officially listed as Near Threatened (Woodland Trust), they survive in just a few strongholds in the north where targeted conservation continues. Core populations remain in :-

• Cumbria • Northumberland • County Durham • Lancashire • Parts of North Yorkshire

“Their range has shrunk drastically due to habitat loss and the spread of the non-native North American grey squirrel – which outcompetes reds and carries the deadly squirrel pox virus. DEFRA data shows grey squirrels now outnumber reds in both Cumbria (by 17.3%) and Northumberland (by 25%).These regions offer the last hope for recovery – if we act now to protect and restore habitat.

“THE QUIET CRISIS

“Despite conservation success stories – like the recovery of reds on Anglesey – threats remain :-

• Forestry England reportedly plans to clear-fell one of the largest red squirrel woodlands in the north. • At Killhope, County Durham, a thriving red squirrel plantation has already been razed. • At Pow Hill Bog, reds cling to a fragile strip of woodland, under pressure from recreation and road traffic. • In Northumberland, several red-supporting conifer plantations have been heavily or entirely felled. • Under the UK Forestry Standard, landowners are advised to retain at least 20% of woodland for biodiversity – but in practice, this is often ignored.

“THE GREY SQUIRREL PROBLEM

“It's not their 'fault' - as they were brought from North America by the Victorians - but... Non-native greys:

• Carry squirrel pox (fatal to reds) • Strip bark from hardwoods, causing tree death and disease • Cause significant property damage – insurers like LV= report rising claims worth hundreds of millions

“We have wildlife laws on paper – but they’re not being enforced.

“WHAT WE’RE CALLING FOR

“We urge the UK Government and devolved authorities to :-

• Enforce existing legislation – including the Wildlife and Countryside Act and Forest Research Operational Notes – in red squirrel areas. • Add red squirrels to the Habitats and Species Conservation Regulations 2017 – just as badgers and beavers were in 2022. • Implement the 20% biodiversity set-aside properly, with oversight and penalties for non-compliance. • Reform and expand squirrel management grants (e.g. WS3) to support more private landowners in northern England. • Promote mixed native planting of trees – Scots pine, hazel, oak – to boost long-term biodiversity.

“TIME TO PUT RED SQUIRRELS ON THE NATIONAL AGENDA

“Most people don’t realise the true impact grey squirrels have – or how close we are to losing reds in England entirely. We don’t need to rewrite policy. We just need to enforce what’s already there. We must protect vital habitat. We must prioritise native biodiversity over profit.

“SIGN THIS PETITION TO :-

• Enforce red squirrel protection laws. • Include red squirrels under the UK’s strongest legal safeguards. • Protect and monitor at least 20% of sustainable woodland for biodiversity. • Stop habitat destruction before it’s too late. • Secure a future for one of Britain’s most beloved native species.

https://www.change.org/p/save-our-red-squirrels-enforce-protections-prioritise-habitat-in-uk-woodlands/

“Thank you for helping protect our precious reds.”

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PETER DIMMOCK MEMORIAL AWARDS 2025

The winners of the 2025 Peter Dimmock Memorial Awards were as follows :-

British Sports Personality of the Year : RORY McILROY (Golf)

British Sports Team of the Year : BATH RUGBY FOOTBALL CLUB

Overseas Sports Personality of the Year : TADEJ PODACAR (Slovenia, Cycling)

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HEDONISM RULES!

There has been much comment in the UK media regarding England’s rather disappointing performance in this year’s Ashes series “Down Under”. Certain commentators have tried to place the blame on the team being allowed to “unwind” whilst having a break between matches at the seaside resort of Noosa on the Queensland Sunshine Coast. Poor old Ben Duckett seems to have been singled out for particular criticism in this regard after a video emerged which seemed to show him as being slightly tipsy.

Several things should be born in mind here however. Firstly there is no such thing as a bad Australian team; the current Aussie team may have been weaker than some, but it is clearly still probably the strongest in the world. England however are currently in a state of re-building, particularly in the bowling department, and few people realistically thought that they were capable of re-gaining the Ashes this year. The kill-joy critics should however remember an incident which occurred during the Lords Ashes Test in 1948 when on the morning of the third day’s play England players were surprised to see Denis Compton turning up at the changing room wearing a tuxedo – evidently he had been up all night at a trendy night-club in London with Anna Neagle. He promptly went out and scored 53 against the likes of Lindwall and Johnston!

Perhaps England’s current team should therefore be encouraged to engage in more hedonistic activities between matches, not less!

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REMEMBERING MAURICE OWEN

Maurice Owen was a great supporter of the patriotic movement in Durban during the 1980s (see SCN January 2004). He was best known however for his Boxing exploits. He fought as an amateur, representing Natal at Heavyweight on several occasions, before after retirement becoming one of the leading Boxing promoters in the city, staging many bills at the D.L.I. Drill Hall in the middle of Greyville racetrack.

What is not so well known is that he also ran a very successful ceramic tiling company, and somehow he came into contact with a relative of the then Shah of Iran, who was so impressed with the floor and wall tiles which he had to offer that she gave him a contract to tile one of the royal palaces in Iran. He evidently travelled to the country once to inspect the palace in question, but alas before the contract could be completed the Iranian Islamic revolution took place and his contact have to flee with the Shah, and Maurice’s tiling contract was therefore never completed.

Maurice Owen sadly died in 2003, but we wonder whether he’s now looking down from above and observing all the clamour for the restoration of the Pahlavi Dynasty some 47 years after he lost his tiling contract and contemplating what might have been!

-----------------------------------------------------------------

SEARCH SERVICES FOR THOSE SEEKING LOST RELATIVES

Find any South African, even those who have emigrated. We also search Botswana, Namibia and ex-Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Please use the search request form at :-

http://www.bellemodel.biz/emails/emails.php?id=emails_from_SCN

Also check :-

https://www.bellemodel.biz/uruguay/uruguay.php?id=uruguay_from_letter_uy

(This site is for people who have considered emigrating from South Africa, specifically to Uruguay.)

------------------------------------------------------------------

BOOK OFFERS

“LIEUTENANT COLONEL ALFRED JAMES TOMLINSON: MEMOIRS OF AN AFRICAN PIONEER AND BSAP OFFICER" is now available at Amazon.com, and can be shipped to anywhere in the world. This book contains excerpts from Lieut. Tomlinson's writings detailing his experiences as a member of the BSAP in Southern Rhodesia, where he rose from the rank of an ordinary trooper to retire as the commanding officer. It also includes the personal story of Majaqaba Ncube, a man who was enslaved by Lobengula when his entire village was massacred by the chief's soldiers. After he escaped, Lieut. Tomlinson saved him from certain death and gave him a job. They lost contact and were reunited after 45 years, when Majaqaba presented Lieut. Tomlinson with an earthenware jar.

----------------------------

"THE SAINTS" – a unique documentary in support of the book on the brief history of the RLI.

DVD available along with other premium titles of historical interest from Msasa Enterprises. Visit www.rhodesianvideos.co.za or write to msasavideos@gmail.com for more information. UK contact telephone: 07865088212.

------------------------------------------------------------------

WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?

No.326: Mr. Basil Petzer of Southampton.

Basil Petzer was one of the earliest subscribers to the SCN, though alas he was never seen at any Springbok Club events nor did we receive any further communications from him. It is believed that he was an ex-Rhodesian rather than an ex-South African, but alas recent copies of the SCN sent to him have been returned to us as evidently his last known e-mail address is no longer operative. If anyone could tell us how he can now be contacted we would be most grateful.

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RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH

Reza Pahlavi, the son and heir to the last Shah of Iran, has been receiving massive support on the streets of Iran during the current popular uprising against the regime of the mad mullahs. He advocates a secular democratic Iran, and his web-site can be accessed at :-

https://www.rezapahlavi.org/

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

HOOT IF YOU AGREE

Sir,

President Trump refused to go to the G20 meeting in South Africa. What a hoot!

Yours etc.,

Benny Sparrow, Durban, Natal, South Africa.

----------------------------

JEWISH QUESTION

Sir,

What is the Springbok Club’s attitude/policy towards Israel, anti-Semitism, the Jewish people?

I gather that you - the Springbok Club as an establishment - are against Holocaust denial. Are you also against anti-Semitism?

I’d be grateful for a candid reply.

Thank you in advance.

Yours etc.,

Jillian Becker, California, U.S.A.

[ The Springbok Club as an organisation, being mainly concerned with the southern African diaspora and the British Empire and Commonwealth in general, doesn’t of course have any official attitude/policy on these matters. I think it is fair to say however, given that the organisation is fully supportive of the preservation of Western civilisation, it is unofficially totally pro-Israel and completely opposes all forms of anti-Semitism. We remember well the close, friendly and mutually-beneficial links which the State of Israel had with South Africa during then days of civilised rule, and furthermore the organisation has several keen supporters who have Jewish blood in their veins! – Ed. ]

----------------------------

FAIR DINKUM

Sir,

Australia is no longer allowing free speech :-

https://www.facebook.com/stories/117104841249526/UzpfSVNDOjEzODA0NDM2ODM4NjYyNzE=/?view_single=1&source=shared_permalink&mibextid=wwXIfr

Yours etc.,

A.Cameron, New South Wales, Australia.

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OBITUARY

BRIGITTE BARDOT

It was with much sadness and sorrow that we, and millions of others throughout the West, learnt of the death of Brigitte Bardot at the end of last month. Brigitte Bardot exemplified the French post-WW2 Nouvelle Vague cinema and personified all that was exciting about French culture and society at the time. She became the pin-up for countless young (and not so young!) men around the Western World.

Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot was born at Paris in 1934 into a wealthy upper-middle-class Parisien family. Blessed with mesmerizing beauty, a wonderful singing voice and natural acting ability it wasn’t long before her talents were spotted, and she was engaged as a model for Elle magazine at the age of only 15. She appeared in her first film, “Le Trou Normand” in 1952 and went on to appear in 47 feature films, starring in most of them. Among her most outstanding successes were “Manina, the Girl in the Bikini”, “And God created woman” (a performance which gained her the appellation of “evil” from the Vatican – a sobriquet which did her career no harm whatsoever!), “La VĂ©ritĂ©”, Jean-Luc Godard’s masterpiece “Le MĂ©pris” and “Viva Maria!”. Although not so well known in the English-speaking world, she was also a highly successful recording artist in France, recording at least four albums including “Brigitte Bardot Sings” and the collaboration with Serge Gainsbourg, “Bonnie and Clyde”.

Alas Brigitte Bardot’s private life was not so successful. She married four times, the first three of which ended in divorce. She was furthermore rumoured to have had many affairs, though almost all of these were mere speculations and “wishful thinkings” on the part of the other parties, and most of them were vigorously denied. She only had one child, a son named Nicolas-Jacques from her second husband Jacques Charrier, but sadly she subsequently became estranged from him.

In 1973 she shocked the world by retiring entirely from the entertainment business and devoting all of her time for the rest of her life to her passion for animal welfare, founding and then running her own Brigitte Bardot Foundation for animal rights. She once said: “I gave my youth and my beauty to men, I am now giving my wisdom and my experience, the best of myself, to animals”. Even though she became a vegetarian during the 1960s she didn’t become a doctrinaire vegan, her vegetarianism being because of her concern for individual animals rather than for any blanket opposition. She received many awards for her tireless work for animal welfare from around the world, including from the United Nations Environmental Programme and from PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). When the animal rights activist Jill Phipps was crushed to death by a lorry during a protest against the transport of live calves to be slaughtered for veal Brigitte Bardot made a point of flying to the UK to attend her funeral at Coventry Cathedral. Her love for animals was so great that she invariably shared beds with then, even those as large as small ponies!

Brigitte Bardot’s overriding concern for animal welfare spurred her on to her second great mission of the second part of her life – her French patriotism and her striving for the preservation of Western culture in general. She became increasingly shocked and angered by the Muslim practice of Halal slaughter of animals, and this anger quickly turned into forthright opposition to the increasing number of third-world immigrants – particularly Mohammedans – entering France which she saw as diluting and potentially destroying French culture and identity. She became fiercely outspoken in her comments about the third-world invaders, being convicted of “inciting racial hatred” on six occasions and receiving increasingly heavy fines – but she was not to be intimidated and fearlessly maintained her opposition to the mainly Muslim immigrant population who she maintained was: “destroying us, destroying our country and imposing its habits”, and who had: “kept the genes of savages” by beheading goats and sheep without anesthetising them first. Such sentiments were of course anathema to the egalitarian leftist sections of French society, but they were welcomed and applauded by more patriotic elements – not all of whom had been fans of her earlier acting career! Her bravely expressed comments were not her only contribution to the patriotic cause in France however, for in both 2012 and 2017 she openly endorsed Marine Le Pen, the leader of the Front National/Rassemblement National party, at the French Presidential elections, and emphasised her commitment to the party when in 1992 she married Bernard d’Ormale (the marriage which lasted!), a key advisor to Jean-Marie Le Pen, the father and predecessor of Marine Le Pen.

Brigitte Bardot died at St.Tropez, a Mediterranean resort which became synonymous with her name. She was a great Frenchwoman and a great human being, whose talents, activism and courage will inspire and galvanise patriots and animal-lovers throughout the Western World for generations to come. We join with millions of other admirers around the globe in mourning this truly magnificent woman who defined all that was best about France.

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If you appreciated this edition of the SCN then perhaps you might consider making a donation to Patriotic Press, the publisher of the SCN. Unlike many other cyber-publications we receive no subscription fees or outside funding. All those involved with the publication are unpaid and work entirely voluntarily, but there are inevitable costs associated with running a cyber-newsletter such as this. We depend upon our readers to help us, either with regular or one-off payments. Such contributions can be made by direct bank transfer, our bank account details being :-

Bank name: NatWest Bank Ltd., Herne Bay Branch Sort-code: 60 – 10 – 37 Account Name: Patriotic Press Account No.: 54015138 IBAN : GB35NWBK60103754015138 IBAN BIC : NWBKGB2L

Monday, 22 December 2025

December 2025 Edition.

SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER

December 2025 Edition

As the first anniversary of the start of Donald Trump’s second term of office draws near it is time to take stock of what has happened during this momentous year.

Donald Trump’s first presidency proved somewhat disappointing, for in spite of doing much to improve the US economy and increase American self-confidence and well-being at home his actions on the international stage were limited, and indeed seemed to be a return to the regrettable “splendid isolationist” policies of certain administrations from the tail-end of the 19th century. His willingness to go along with so many of the diktats demanded by the medicrats during the Covid-1984 hysteria also left a lot to be desired.

It didn’t take long for it to become apparent that his second term in office was going to entail a far different – and a far better – state-of-affairs however. To be sure his initial silly territorial claims on Greenland and even on Canada were to be regretted, but it quickly became clear that these comments were made more in jest than anything, and he soon changed tact and targeted his ambitions in the Americas southwards rather than northwards – something which we and other conservative commentators had advocated at the time of his earlier ridiculous claims. His desire for the ownership of the Panama Canal to revert to the United States (as of course was the situation prior to the treasonable handover by the Carter Administration) is bound to benefit security and trade in the region and is thus to be applauded, as also is his current willingness to take military action against the narco-Marxist regime oppressing the people of Venezuela.

Elsewhere in the world Donald Trump has done his best to end the “brother’s war” in the Ukraine, and has proved to be a good friend of Israel by initiating effective military strikes against threatening Iran and its nuclear development programme. There is much more that needs to be done in Asia to safeguard Western interests of course, most notably by reversing the disgusting actions of the Biden Administration of allowing the Taliban terrorists to re-establish their control in Afghanistan (which of course not only spread their evil influence in the region but also caused the flight of masses of lawless Mohammedan Afghan refugees to Europe!), and also by demonstrating to Communist China that the West will not allow them to invade the Republic of China (Taiwan). Hopefully however contingency plans are already being drawn up in the US State Department to resolve these two concerns.

Perhaps the greatest foreign policy achievement of the second Trump Administration, however, has been their forthright attempts to demonstrate to the leaders of Britain and Western Europe the great existential threat to their nations of allowing the continuing invasion of swarms of third-world immigrants into their countries, and by not ensuring their rapid repatriations. Of course explaining the phenomenal threats posed by these invasions should never have been needed, but so great has been the influence of egalitarian poison throughout the West during the second half of the 20th century that alas it has proved necessary. Let us hope that these essential warnings will be heeded by British and other European leaders, so that their future generations will be able to live in safety and prosperity, and to learn about the great debt which they owe to President Donald J.Trump!

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SPRINGBOK CLUB NEWS

This year’s Springbok Club’s annual UDI Day celebration meeting turned out to be a most enlightening and enjoyable event. The guest speaker, Mr. Gerald Parsons, gave a most impressive and enthralling account about how his grandfather, Cyril Parsons, had emigrated to the then young nation of Rhodesia in 1898, and had assisted in the early development of the country, before marrying, starting a family and becoming a consultant mining engineer. Gerald told how his father, Anthony “Tony” Parsons, was born in the country in 1909 prior to the whole family, who had been very disappointed at the result of the 1922 Referendum (when Southern Rhodesia narrowly voted to become a self-governing British colony rather than joining the Union of South Africa as its fifth province), decided to return to the UK in 1923. Gerald displayed a fascinating collection of documents which he had inherited from his grandfather about his time in Rhodesia, which included photos, maps, and even school reports. The Springbok Club would therefore like to thank Gerald Parsons for giving such a vivid insight into the founding years of the great nation of Rhodesia.

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The Springbok Club will be staging a belated commemoration of the Day of the Vow on Monday 29th December at The Antelope (the downstairs Snug Room), 22 Eaton Terrace, Belgravia, London SW1W 8EZ, assembling from 14.30 hrs onwards. This will be an informal gathering, though it is hoped that a South African supporter will be present who will be able to tell something about the current situation in that beleaguered land.

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The Springbok Club’s 2026 AGM will be held in late January next year, and in February 2026 the organisation will be staging a trip to Portsmouth in order to watch a significant cultural performance, following which, in March 2026, it is anticipated that the organisation will be welcoming an important South African visitor as guest speaker. Further details about all these activities will be given in future editions of the SCN.

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PATRIOTIC FORUM NEWS

The Patriotic Forum will be staging its traditional Burns Night/Australia Day celebration in central London on Sunday 25th January 2026, and in the Spring of 2026 will be welcoming Mr. Edward Spalton, the Honorary President of the Campaign for an Independent Britain, as guest speaker. The organisation also hopes to stage meetings to be addressed by a leading official from the Turning Point UK organisation, a sitting county councillor, a representative from another leading EuroSceptic organisation and a visiting Australian supporter later during 2026. Further details will of course be given in future editions of the SCN.

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MESSAGE FROM “HELP SAVE BRITAIN’S HEDGEHOGS”.

We have recently received the following somewhat encouraging message from the Help Save Britain’s Hedgehogs organisation. It reads as follows :-

“Hedgehogs in the UK are in serious trouble. Repeated studies have shown that the nation’s favourite animal is being wiped out. But there is something we can do to save it.

“Hugh Warwick is an ecologist and author who has been studying hedgehogs for over 30 years. He knows that the key cause of them dying out is that our landscapes are being fenced off into ever smaller fragments. We need to make sure new housing developments include ‘hedgehog highways’ – a 5 inch hole in the bottom of the fence that allows hedgehogs to move freely between gardens to find food and find a mate.

“This simple move would have a big impact on the UK’s hedgehogs – and it’s cheap and easy for developers to carry out.

“So Hugh is calling upon government to ensure every new housing development builds in these holes for hedgehog highways. This will allow gardens to be connected, creating the pathways they need to survive.

“We can’t sit back and let hedgehog numbers keep plummeting. It’s estimated that numbers are already down 95% since the 1950s. We have to act now.

“Please sign the petition at: https://c.org/p6nMxhYJb5 to call on the Ministry of Housing and Planning to make hedgehog highways a legal requirement of new builds.”

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PETER DIMMOCK MEMORIAL AWARDS 2025

Voting for this year’s Peter Dimmock memorial sports awards will be taking place this month. As in previous years there will be three categories of awards: British Sports Personality of the Year, British Sports Team of the Year, and Overseas Sports Personality of the Year. Simply e-mail: springbk@netcomuk.co.uk with your choices for the winners in all three of these categories. The winners will be announced in the January 2026 edition of the SCN, so get your votes in soon!

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IMPORTANT ITEM FROM THE “ACADEMY OF IDEAS”

There was a highly significant speech delivered at this year’s “Battle of Ideas Festival” staged by the Academy of Ideas by Bruno Waterfield (the Brussels correspondent for The Times) entitled “Are patriotism and the Nation State back?”. In it Bruno Waterfield argued that they definitely were on the way back, in spite of some rearguard actions being taken by certain more internationalist elements, and that the current manifestation of raising Union Flags on lamp-posts around the country is just an outward sign of something far deeper being aroused throughout the British nation. This epochal speech has now been placed on-line by the Academy of Ideas, and can be found at :-

https://www.academyofideas.uk/p/are-patriotism-and-the-nation-state-b57

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CHAGOS ISLAND SONG

Citizens of the British Indian Ocean Territories – the Chagos Islanders – who of course have been appallingly betrayed by the current British Government who are trying to surrender their island homes to Mauritius, have recently released a record featuring a song which highlights their plight. Representatives of the British Indian Ocean Territory Citizens’ Forum of course spoke at a Patriotic Forum meeting in July of this year (see August 2025 SCN), and this song – “The Archipelago Chagos” – was played with gusto at last month’s Springbok Club UDI Day celebration meeting. It can be heard at :-

https://youtu.be/wPJlyPcAWi0?si=5oKoQBgZ5kg_HYh9

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MYSTERIOUS NEW IRISH “REPUBLICAN” MOVEMENT SURFACES

A supporter from Surrey has recently alerted us to a most interesting, though somewhat unexpected, FaceBook video concerning a mysterious new “Republican” movement which has apparently surfaced in the RoI, which is totally opposed to third-world immigration into their island, and proposes violence if necessary in order to remove these alien invaders. A worrying facet about this new movement, however, is that it seems to be apeing all the symbolism of SF/IRA, even though it condemns the current SF/IRA leadership for its support of mass third-world immigration. A year or so ago a large Loyalist demonstration in Belfast, which was part of the mass protests throughout the UK in anger at the Southport atrocity, was joined by a contingent of more realistic Republicans who bizarrely carried RoI flags. This action was accepted by most Unionists as it hopefully signalled some form of rapprochement between Loyalists and more sensible Republicans as they both confronted a common enemy. The action of this new movement, regardless of how estimable their cause is, in staging a SF/IRA-style armed press conference with a RoI flag as a backdrop was of course regrettable. Had they instead staged it in front of the only true Irish Flag – the Flag of St.Patrick – then it would undoubtedly have endeared them to all their fellow-countrymen across the British Isles who are facing a common threat. The FaceBook video can be accessed at :-

https://www.facebook.com/share/r/17Y5cvEA9R/

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LATEST AUSTRALIAN NEWS

Our very good friend and supporter from Sydney, Australia, Mr. Bob Vinnicombe, has recently sent us a very encouraging report about the current political situation in Australia. It reads as follows :-

“Don't know if you have been following Australian politics but One Nation is polling an unprecedented 14 per cent nationwide. In a recent by-election they got more votes than Labor. They are out-polling the Greens while the Lib's are at an all-time low. On current figures they would get 3 people elected to the Upper House in the next NSW state election and have a 50 per cent chance of getting 4.”

We thank Bob for this report, and wish the patriotic Australian One Nation Party every success for the future!

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SEARCH SERVICES FOR THOSE SEEKING LOST RELATIVES

Find any South African, even those who have emigrated. We also search Botswana, Namibia and ex-Rhodesia/Zimbabwe. Please use the search request form at :-

http://www.bellemodel.biz/emails/emails.php?id=emails_from_SCN

Also check the list of South African expatriates/emigrants web-sites, which can be found at :-

https://www.bellemodel.biz/emails/expatriates/toplist_expatriates.php?id=toplist_expatriates_from_letter_uy

and

https://www.bellemodel.biz/uruguay/uruguay.php?id=uruguay_from_letter_uy

(This site is for people who have considered emigrating from South Africa, specifically to Uruguay.)

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BOOK OFFERS

“LIEUTENANT COLONEL ALFRED JAMES TOMLINSON: MEMOIRS OF AN AFRICAN PIONEER AND BSAP OFFICER" is now available at Amazon.com, and can be shipped to anywhere in the world. This book contains excerpts from Lieut. Tomlinson's writings detailing his experiences as a member of the BSAP in Southern Rhodesia, where he rose from the rank of an ordinary trooper to retire as the commanding officer. It also includes the personal story of Majaqaba Ncube, a man who was enslaved by Lobengula when his entire village was massacred by the chief's soldiers. After he escaped, Lieut. Tomlinson saved him from certain death and gave him a job. They lost contact and were reunited after 45 years, when Majaqaba presented Lieut. Tomlinson with an earthenware jar.

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"THE SAINTS" – a unique documentary in support of the book on the brief history of the RLI.

DVD available along with other premium titles of historical interest from Msasa Enterprises. Visit www.rhodesianvideos.co.za or write to msasavideos@gmail.com for more information. UK contact telephone: 07865088212.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?

No.325: Mr. Gary Lindsay of Durban.

Gary Lindsay lived in the Hillary suburb of Durban. He was the son of Mr. J. Lindsay who had been a supporter, albeit alas a rather inactive one, of the patriotic movement in the city. Gary himself started to become a keen supporter of the patriotic cause as well, though unfortunately only during the early 1990s at a time when the country was already starting to be sold-out, and when we ourselves were being forced to re-locate our activities. Contact with him was then sadly broken, but it would be very interesting to learn where he is now.

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RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH

Morris Dancing is a great British – specifically English – tradition, and happily after years of apparent decline is now experiencing a revived interest, in part because of recent significant increases in patriotic sentiments. There are several traditions and varieties of Morris Dancing, and the main ones now co-operate under the banner of the Joint Morris Organisations. The JMO web-site, which provides links to its main constituent bodies, can be accessed at :-

https://www.morrisfed.org.uk/about/jmo/

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

WATER TIGHT

Sir,

The article “Water in South Africa – A Presidential task force to the rescue!”, which you re-circulated via your Springbok Special Circulation List, is a most depressing read. When I lived in South Africa in the mid-seventies, water supply was considered to be the weak link in the country’s development. Since then solar panels combined with desalination technology have been proved financially viable by Israel. South Africa has two of the three the raw materials (sun and seawater) readily available. The third (competence) is woefully lacking.

Widespread disease seems utterly inevitable now, with the consequent begging for foreign aid and loans (with strings attached) from China.

Yours etc.,

Stuart Agnew, Norfolk, U.K.

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WILD ALTERNATIVES

Sir,

I don't understand the concern over wildlife management. An area of private land far greater than Kruger is already under wild animals, where the excess herbivores are shot and the meat sold in supermarkets. Impala, kudu, springbok, even zebra. On larger properties, lions and elephants are available to hunters. Buffalo too.

Unless wildlife can pay its way, it will die out. The alternative is to shoot all the animals and turn the land over to cattle and crops.

On a populous continent of hungry people, there's no place for sentiment, or setting aside vast areas for animals just because it's "a nice thing to do".

In UK, bears, wolves and the lynx were hunted to extinction. We don't want the same thing to happen here. Thankfully the wild boar has been re-introduced to Britain.

Yours etc.,

Geoff Hill, Johannesburg, South Africa.

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CARELESS MISTAKE

Sir,

Re: Margaret Thatcher. I agree with everything which Alys Denby said about Margaret Thatcher during a recent Cambridge Union debate. However, Margaret privatised Care Homes which was a big mistake. I live in a Nursing Home and I have spent in excess of £400,000 in fees. The Care Providers regard it as a business, making enormous profits. Guy Hands, the former Chief Executive of the Four Seasons Healthcare Group has a net worth of $500 million.

Yours etc.,

Jane Webster, Bath, Somerset, U.K.

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NOW YOU KNOW

Sir,

Britain especially, and most of the Western countries put pressure on the White government of South Africa to hand over the political power to the Communist orientated ANC, which was, and still is, nothing other than a criminal terrorist gang. We have been suffering their absolute incompetence and political power abuse for more than 30 years now, and it is increasing, not diminishing. Most of us have therefore no sympathy with those countries' immigration (rather invasion) problems. Their crime rate due to the invaders' presence is nothing compared to the crime rate in SA since 1994, when many MK-terrorists were appointed in the SA Police Service.

Yours etc.,

Andries Breytenbach, Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa

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OBITUARY

ROBIN ARNOLD SMITH

It was with great sorrow that we recently learnt of the death of Robin “The Judge” Smith, the outstanding South African-born England middle-order batsman.

Robin Smith was born at Durban in 1963. Both of his parents had been born in the UK however, and this enabled him to qualify to play for England (South Africa had been disgustingly barred from playing international Cricket by the ICC at the time). He was educated at Northlands High School in Durban North where he proved to be a phenomenal all-round sportsman, being – in spite of his muscular size – a champion sprinter as well as a superb Cricketer. It was whilst at school at Northlands that he acquired the nickname of “The Judge” because his hair texture and colour looked somewhat like a judge’s wig, an epithet which stayed with him for the rest of his life.

Robin’s brother Chris was also an excellent Cricketer, and was selected to play for Natal during the late 1970s. This present writer was told by Bob Sambridge (a leading club cricket umpire in Natal – see June 2010 SCN) whilst watching a Currie Cup match at Kingsmead at the time: “If you think he’s good you should wait until you see his brother!”. This proved to be a prophetic observation of course, for Robin made his own first-class debut for Natal at the age of only 17 in 1980, and soon established his position as a first XI regular. In spite of the fact that he played his club Cricket for Northlands Old Boys he tended to be a habituĂ© of Durban Collegians Club bar after matches where he socialised with other Natal team members, proving a most popular raconteur whilst displaying none of the arrogant “airs and graces” so often associated with leading sportsmen.

His career in South Africa didn’t last for long however, for in 1982 he followed his brother Chris to the UK, also joining Hampshire CCC where he became an immediate first XI selection. Six years later he further followed his brother into the England Test team, but whereas Chris only played in eight Test Matches Robin went on to play in 62 Tests for England, scoring 4,236 runs at an average of 43.67 with a highest score of 175, and taking 39 catches. He also played in 71 One Day Internationals for England, scoring 2,419 runs at an average of 39.01 with a highest score of 167*, and taking 26 catches.

Alas his international career ended in 1996 at the age of only 32. The fact that the England selectors failed to pick him again surprised most observers, but it is believed by some that his joie de vivre spirit, which was evidently not appreciated very much by the stuffy MCC establishment, was the main reason for this. His career for Hampshire continued unabated however, and when he eventually retired from the game in 2003 he had played a total of 426 first-class games scoring 26,155 runs at an average of 41.51 with a highest score of 209*, and taking 233 catches. Hampshire won two one-day trophies during his time with the county (including their first ever triumph in 1988 when Robin Smith himself scored an impressive match-winning 38 in the final against Derbyshire), and he proved a highly popular captain of the county from 1998 until 2002.

Alas, like many leading sportsmen, particularly those at the top of all-encompassing sports such as Cricket, Robin Smith found it very difficult to adjust to “civilian life” after retiring. He openly admitted in his acclaimed autobiography “The Judge: More Than Just a Game” that he “hit the bottle hard” at this time, with his marriage to Kath James and most of the rest of his life falling apart. Even though he moved to Perth, Australia, in 2007 to join his brother’s clothing company he didn’t initially overcome his problems – until he met and fell in love with a neighbour, Karin Lwin, who steadfastly brought his life back straight again. Sadly however his earlier over-indulgence caused lasting severe organ damage. After being taken to hospital for treatment to these damaged organs early last year he wasn’t expected to recover – but recover he initially did, though alas as his recent untimely death at the age of only 62 has shown this was only a “stay of execution”.

Robin Smith brought great joy to all who saw him play and to those who mixed in his social circles, and he should always be remembered for this. Our sincere condolences are extended to his partner Karin and to his children Harrison and Margaux.

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If you appreciated this edition of the SCN then perhaps you might consider making a donation to Patriotic Press, the publisher of the SCN. Unlike many other cyber-publications we receive no subscription fees or outside funding. All those involved with the publication are unpaid and work entirely voluntarily, but there are inevitable costs associated with running a cyber-newsletter such as this. We depend upon our readers to help us, either with regular or one-off payments. Such contributions can be made by direct bank transfer, our bank account details being :-

Bank name: NatWest Bank Ltd., Herne Bay Branch Sort-code: 60 – 10 – 37 Account Name: Patriotic Press Account No.: 54015138 IBAN : GB35NWBK60103754015138 IBAN BIC : NWBKGB2L