SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER
August 1999 edition
With this edition the Springbok Cyber-Newsletter is exactly one year old. Many people thought that we would prove just a "nine day wonder" and would fade away after just a few issues - but we have stood the test of time, and indeed have thrived; our circulation list now is over double what it was when we started.We have never asked any subscription fee for the SCN (although one supporter bizarrely seems to imagine that he once paid to subscribe!) - and neither do we ever intend to make any charge.
The SCN is only part of our struggle to restore civilised rule to the African continent however. Of far more importance is our magazine, S.A.Patriot-in-Exile. Unfortunately, however, it is now almost three years since we were able to publish our latest edition, and the reason for this is purely the lack of one thing: money.
For months we have had enough material to publish this next issue, and many subscribers from around the globe have (quite naturally) become very frustrated at not receiving what they paid for. Something drastic must be done.
Already we have been promised one donation which will be almost sufficient to print this next issue, but in order to distribute it (and don't forget that we still have over two hundred subscribers in South Africa itself) we estimate that we need approximately a further £300.00.
If you are able to help in any way to assist us in this important task then please send your donations to : Patriotic Press, BCM SAPAT, London WC1N 3XX, UK. (All cheques, of course, should be made payable to "Patriotic Press"). Never forget that the SCN has never cost you a penny!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
JULY MEETING
Alas our July "pub evening" at the Brown Bear was very poorly attended. We must try to increase attendance figures even for informal gatherings such as these, as a lot of work goes into planning them.
At this gathering it came to light that Mr. Jan Taits (whose connections with South Africa are in any case very tenuous) has had to leave the Executive Committee of the Springbok Club. In his place, we are happy to be able to announce, we have welcomed Mr. Tony Waller onto Exco. Tony Waller is a former employee of Standard Bank, and visited South Africa to see the current state for himself only last year. He will undoubtedly prove a most valuable addition to the Club's Exco.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
AUGUST EVENT
As we've learnt that Grace Healey won't be returning from South Africa until later than originally anticipated, we've therefore decided to "swap" out planned activities for the next two months around. Our "autumn" braai will therefore become our "summer" braai. Many apologies therefore for having to give everybody such short notice of this event, but we trust you will all appreciate the tricky position that we have found ourselves in. The details of this braai are as follows :-
Date : Monday 30th August 1999 (Bank Holiday Monday)
Time : Any time from 19.00 hrs. onwards.
Venue : The Fruiterers Arms, Main Road, Crockenhill, Swanley, Kent.
This braai will be held in the beer garden at the back of this pub. Needless to say both braai facilities and drinks will be available - all you have to bring along is your meat, salads and utensils. Even if you don't want to join the braai yourself still try to come along to enjoy the convivial and friendly atmosphere - it will probably prove an ideal way to end the Bank Holiday weekend! (If you have any problems about finding the Fruiterers Arms then simple drop us an e-mail and we'll forward you more precise directions).
----------------------------------------------------------------------
BRANCH DEVELOPMENT
The Kent Branch of the Springbok Club plan to hold an informal "pub evening" during the first weekend of September. Precise details have still to be arranged, but it will probably be held at the Monument pub in Whitstable. If you are interested in attending then please drop us an e-mail and we'll forward you details as soon as everything's been organised.
Nick Maine and Cyril Foley are still busily involved establishing a branch of the Springbok Club on the Gold Coast in Queensland, as well as co-ordinating other branches in Australia. If you're from Australasia then please contact Nick in this regard at : nickmain@fan.net.au
The writer visited Devon earlier this month in order to see the Total Eclipse of the Sun, and took the opportunity of meeting up with two other good friends in the county. Firstly there was Geoff King from Barnstaple (Geoff, of course, was one of the five young British patriots who visited Rhodesia in 1976 in order to express support for the Rhodesian cause - see S.A.Patriot-in-Exile No.33), and secondly Ian Loram from Tor Bay (Ian was formerly very involved with the now sadly defunct pro-South African Patriotic Forum, and is now very active with the Campaign for an Independent Britain). Both colleagues proved extremely interested in the growth and work of the Springbok Club, but alas employment commitments mean that neither of them are in a position to take an active role in the organisation of the Club in Devon. Hopefully, however, another supporter from Devon will shortly be in a position to establish an active branch there.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
zimbabwe-RHODESIA RELIEF FUND RECEPTION
The zimbabwe-Rhodesia Relief Fund reception at the House of Lords (which we mentioned in the previous edition of the SCN) proved a great success.
Expertly organised by former Rhodesian cabinet minister Denis Walker and the 7th Lord Sudeley, the atmosphere and the wine and canapes served proved truly delightful, and there were nice little cameo speeches both from our host, Lord Forester, and from Nicholas Winterton MP.
We were pleased to be able to meet several existing friends and supporters of the Springbok Club at this reception including (strictly in alphabetical order!) Peter Fisher from Hampshire, John How from Sussex, Robert Phillips from Somerset, Jim Sinclair from Jersey, Alice Stotter from Amsterdam and Barry Whyman (who looked resplendent in his maroon waistcoat) from Leicestershire. In addition we also made many new friends and gained several new supporters for the Springbok Club - and were able to sell a good number of our real South African flag lapel badges.
All in all a most enjoyable evening therefore - just a pity that Jim missed his flight back to Jersey!
----------------------------------------------------------------------
NEW PUBLICATION
Allan Robertson (the secretary of the London Swinton Circle, and a good friend and supporter of the Springbok Club) has recently launched an excellent new publication titled "Tough Talking from the Right", which describes itself as "A bulletin analysing current political and social policies".
We believe that this is a most admirable enterprise on Allan's part, and can fully recommend it to all our supporters. It costs only £4.00 for four issues, and can be ordered from : Tough Talking from the Right, P.O.Box 29208, London SE8 3UZ (payments to be made to "Tough Talking from the Right"). Please mention the Springbok Cyber Newsletter when making an order.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
BOOK OFFER
COVOS BOOKS of South Africa are specialist publishers of Africana, and offer a range of most interesting and illuminating books which will appeal to many of our supporters. Amongst the titles they stock are:-
FIREFORCE - One man's war in the Rhodesian Light Infantry, by Chris Cocks. Hard cover with dust jacket, 228 x 155 mm., 368 pages, 120 black and white and colour photos, plus maps and sketches. Widely acclaimed as the classic account of counter-insurgency warfare in Africa. Includes the RLI roll of honour, citations and operational orders. Price R185.00.
ONE COMMANDO - Rhodesia's Last Years, the Guerrilla War, by Dick Gledhill. RLI Publishing 1997. Soft cover, 178 x 111 mm, 218 pages, 20 black & white photos. The author's fictionalised account of his service in One Commando of the RLI during the height of the terrorist war. A cracker of a story; well balanced and intriguing. Price R90.00.
COVOS BOOKS can be contacted at : P.O.Box 6996, Weltevredenpark, Transvaal, 1715, South Africa. Tel.: +2711-4769926, fax.: +2711-4769927, e-mail : covos@global.co.za
[UK supporters might also like to know that the Springbok Club is now selling copies of FIREFORCE in this country, price £20.00 per copy. We also still have a small stock of real South African flag lapel badges left, price £5.00 each (+ 50p for p. & p.). All payments should be made payable to "Patriotic Press", and sent to: BCM SAPAT, London WC1N 3XX, UK.]
----------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?
A regular feature in which we ask whether anyone knows the current whereabouts of a friend or colleague who has lost contact.
No.13 : Mr. PAT MOHR.
Pat Mohr was a Rhodesian who became the hard-working and highly-respected Deputy Leader of the Conservative Party in Natal. He fought many elections (both at local and parliamentary level) for the Party, and always managed to obtain a far larger than expected number of votes. An estate agent by profession who lived on the Bluff, he evidently left Durban for Cape Town upon the fall of South Africa, and alas we then lost contact with him. By all accounts he established a number of business enterprises in the Cape, including a revolutionary car safety system and do-it-yourself cardboard coffins (no, we're not making this up!). Pat was such a very good friend that we would be extremely pleased to be able to make contact with him again.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE
Rhodesian-born Trevor Hutton is the current leading South African exponent of free-diving, having established 3 South African records on 23rd April 1999. The sport of free-diving may be unknown to many readers, but basically it is a form of underwater diving without any form of Scuba equipment. Trevor has furthermore recently been competing in the "Red Sea Dive off '99" in Egypt. He has an excellent web-site about his activities which can be accessed at :-
http://home.intekom.com/southern_right/p10.htm
----------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, if you would prefer to be deleted from our "Springbok" mailing list then simply send us an e-mail with the word "unsubscribe" in it. Alternatively, if you liked this Cyber-Newsletter and think that any of your friends would like it also, then please let us have details of their e-mail addresses!
See you again next month!
