SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER
March 2017 edition
A most interesting article appeared in the Daily Telegraph of 23rd February entitled: “United States could become an ‘associate member’ of the Commonwealth”. This article can be found at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2017/02/23/donald-trumps-love-royal-family-may-see-united-states-join-commonwealth/
The idea of the Commonwealth having “Associate Members” was first floated at a Swinton Circle meeting of December 2012 when the suggestion was made that Hong Kong should be offered “Associate Membership” to help increase its autonomy whereas at the same time decreasing pressure from Communist China. This idea received widespread support, though it was pointed out that there was at that time no such thing as “Associate Membership” of the Commonwealth. This subsequent suggestion of initiating such “Associate Membership” for the United States is not only a good idea in itself therefore (as under recent GOP administrations, and under the current Trump administration in particular, relations with the UK and other brother English-speaking countries have improved exponentially), but could also help to increase the scope and relevance of he Commonwealth around the Globe – not only regarding Hong Kong but also towards other similar beleaguered territories with historic British connections.
The last New Britain campaign mounted by the late, great, Dennis Delderfield was to encourage the Republic of Ireland to join the Commonwealth. The Swinton Circle gave its full and enthusiastic support to this campaign, but unfortunately it didn’t receive any positive response from RoI officials (in spite of the fact that the former RoI president Mary Robinson had once advocated such a step). The idea of offering “Associate Membership” to the RoI might therefore be an ideal compromise that could be acceptable to even the most hardline elements in RoI society – after all the difficulties envisaged following Brexit if the RoI was to remain part of the EU could be offset by this alternative global grouping encompassing all of the British Isles.
Dennis Delderfield also advocated offering Commonwealth membership to Norway. This idea we however didn’t agree with, as Norway has never had any historic British connection (at least not in the last 950 years!), and indeed has its own distinct ethnic character and global realm of influence. Furthermore Norway also has its own long-established and highly-respected Royal Family, so therefore the fact that the British Monarch acts as the Head of the Commonwealth would clearly present great difficulties in this regard. There are however two other overseas nations which have both been severely afflicted by recent disasters which have had British connections in the past and where the offer of Commonwealth membership – or perhaps “Associate Membership” – would be beneficial to all. The first of course is Iraq (Mesopotamia), which British and other Commonwealth troops helped to liberate from the despotic monster Saddam Hussein less than twenty years ago, and the second is Greece, which of course has suffered more than any other EU state from foolishly joining the Euro currency-zone. Many may not be aware of any British connections to Greece, but Corfu and the rest of the Ionian Islands were British Protectorates from 1814 until 1864. Furthermore Cyprus was a former British colony and indeed is already part of the Commonwealth – and the idea of Enosis (unity with Greece) has always been a dream of Cyprus’s majority Greek population. By joining the Commonwealth – even if only as an “Associate Member” – Greece could start to disentangle itself from damaging EU membership and perhaps even manage to re-introduce the Drachma as its currency, and moreover the dream of Enosis could at last become reality.
But it is the idea of the United States becoming an “Associate Member” of the Commonwealth which excites us most. The fratricidal wars of 240 years ago could at last be put behind us and the great nations of the English-speaking West could advance together towards a better and more glorious future for all. The triumph of Brexit and the other successes from the magic year of 2016 could therefore be proved just the beginning of a far more idyllic world. As we’ve observed in the past: “The days ahead will inspire us”!
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SPRINGBOK CLUB NEWS
The Springbok Club held its 2017 AGM last month, at which a reformed Committee for the forthcoming year was appointed. Following the completion of the business side of proceedings a special tribute was staged in honour of the memory of that great South African patriot Clive Derby-Lewis JCM. This consisted of the readings of translations of orations .delivered at Clive’s funeral in South Africa at the end of last year by two leading members, and a special speech entitled “Clive Derby-Lewis as I knew him” delivered by the newly-elected Chairman of the organization. A copy of this speech can be accessed at: http://www.springbk.org.uk/speech15.htm
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The Springbok Club is planning a trip to watch the University Boat Race on the Thames on Sunday 2nd April. If you are interested in attending please let us know in order to discuss rendezvous arrangements. The Kent Branch of the Springbok Club is organizing a trip to this year’s Rochester Sweeps’ Festival, which will take place over the weekend of 29th and 30th April and 1st May (the exact date of this trip depending upon which day proves the most popular). To find out more details about both these events please either e-mail: springbk@netcomuk.co.uk or ‘phone: 07711188430.
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Later during the year the Springbok Club will be staging several most interesting meetings, including one to be addressed by a famous wildlife conservationist, three featuring prominent personalities from Rhodesia’s UDI years, and a special meeting where the guest speaker will be an eminent visiting South African. Two more long-term events for 2017 have also already been arranged, firstly a trip to the WWII battlefield at Arnhem in the Netherlands over the weekend of 11th/13th August, and secondly the organisation’s participation in the annual “Raising of the Flag” ceremony in Norfolk on Sunday 10th September. We ask all supporters therefore to diarise both of these events, and to let us know if they are keen to attend by either e-mailing: springbk@netcomuk.co.uk or by ‘phoning: 07711188430.
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NEW BRITAIN/SWINTON CIRCLE NEWS
Unfortunately we must report that we have still heard no word from either Mr. Patrick O’Dwyer or from his sister Ms. Lorraine O’Dwyer/Easter concerning arrangements to finalise the formal merger between New Britain and the Swinton Circle. We have however been informed of the disturbing news that Mr. O’Dwyer is seriously ill, and that this is evidently the reason for his failure to re-contact Swinton Circle officials in this regard. We have also been informed about two other former leading officials within New Britain who may be in a position to act on behalf of the organisation in place of Mr. O’Dwyer and Ms. O’Dwyer/Easter. Needless to say, further news on this matter will be reported in future editions of the SCN as events develop.
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Alas these delays in finalising the formal merger between New Britain and the Swinton Circle has meant that the special buffet meeting to launch the new merged organisation has had to be put back from March until May. The guest speaker at this event will be a leading MEP who was closely involved in the “Vote Leave” campaign. More precise details will of course be given in future editions of the SCN. Following this New Britain/The Swinton Circle has several other provisional events lined-up for the months ahead, including meetings to be addressed by another sitting MEP, a former Conservative MP and an acclaimed author.
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PRIMEVAL SAVAGERY IN THE “NEW” SOUTH AFRICA
We have recently received the following most disturbing report concerning animal cruelty occurring in the “new” South Africa from the Network for Animals organization :-
“Finn is a street dog unlucky enough to draw the attention of psychopathic brutes in South Africa. Having nothing better to do, the young thugs caught Finn, sawed off one leg, then hanged him and while he was choking to death, threw stones at him. A brave passing motorist saw what was going on, rescued Finn and rushed him to Imagine Animal Dreams (IAD), a small volunteer-run animal shelter that operates in the remote Kraaifontein area of the Western Cape.
“By the time Finn got there it was almost too late, but Cecelia Jacobs, the founder of IAD, fought for his life and after intensive care, Finn is now a healthy happy three-legged dynamo.
“Finn is one of 40 dogs and 30 cats that Cecelia cares for, supporting their upkeep and veterinary bills from her work as a pharmacy assistant. Her most immediate problem is finding money to buy a new engine for her aging pick-up truck. Without it she can’t ride to the rescue of the hundreds of street dogs that live in nearby poor areas.
“Animal lovers can never stand idly by when dogs are in need. Together we will provide the financial means to get Cecelia’s dog-rescue vehicle fixed and ready to help her provide dogs and cats a haven from torture.
“It’s good to know that people like Cecelia exist and that because of her Finn, the three-legged dynamo, has a chance of happiness. The world must sometimes seem inexplicably cruel to dogs, who only want to be with humans as our friends
“Please show Finn there are good people in the world who despise torturing animals: please give generously so that he and his buddies will never face torture or hunger again.”
To make a donation to the Network for Animals’ fund to help the South African Imagine Animal Dreams charity go to :-
https://networkforanimals.org/newsletter-page/he-was-tortured-hanged-and-stoned/?nid=f2ab4a315ada96d88756bfdb47b954e0&uid=67f27c064dcb0f9bfcc410007d136132
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THREE CHEERS FOR RORY McILROY!
Rory McIlroy, the leading British Golfer, recently played a round of Golf with the newly-inaugurated US President Donald Trump. Sadly – and seemingly inevitably – this friendly act of sportsmanship was greeted with howls of protest from the left-wing rabble on both sides of the Atlantic. We however salute Rory McIlroy for participating in this act of transatlantic friendship. President Trump is of course intensely proud of his British ancestry, and so this comradely gesture can only help to strengthen British-American solidarity even further.
We are reminded, however, of a similar round of Golf played between a head of government and a leading Golfer during the 1960s, namely that played between Gary Player and the then South African Prime Minister John Vorster. Gary Player had earlier proudly written in his autobiography “Grand Slam Golf” that he was “of the South Africa of Dr.Verwoerd”. Gary Player was widely praised for his patriotism at the time, but alas during following decades he proved to be a classic “Vicar of Bray”. He subsequently gave his active support to P.W.Botha’s sell-out policies, and now has even been prepared to remain in the ANC-ruled “new” South Africa thereby seemingly giving support to the terrorist-regime. It is therefore to be hoped that in years to come Rory McIlroy doesn’t similarly turn out to be a “Vicar of Bray”!
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REMEMBERING NICK FOURIE
One of the staunchest supporters of our movement when we were still based in Durban during the 1980s was Nicolaas Cornelius Fourie - always simply known as Nick Fourie. Sadly and unbelievably after we were forced to leave South Africa Nick Fourie evidently naively became associated with a cranky Afrikaner-separatist outfit, which we had known for some time was a front-organisation deliberately established by the sell-out NP government in order to divide and discredit authentic opposition to their surrender policies. Alas, apparently under the influence of this phoney outfit, Nick took part in a hair-brained attempt to “invade” Bophuthatswana, and was brutally murdered as a result. Undoubtedly had we been able to remain in South Africa we could have warned Nick about the deceptive nature of this outfit, and as a result he would probably still be alive to this day. As we still remembered the Nick of the 1980s when he was a mainstay of the patriotic movement in Natal we therefore decided to write a glowing tribute to him in S.A.Patriot-in-Exile No.33 following his tragic death – after all ignorance, especially naïve ignorance, should not be considered a fault.
Recently, however, we have been made aware of an on-line article about Nick which, although quoting extensively from the article in S.A.Patriot-in-Exile, “butchered” this article considerably to create the impression that he was far more heavily involved with the phoney organisation than he actually was. Furthermore the creators of this web-page seemed to be blissfully unaware that this absurd outfit had long ago been exposed as an NP-front. We were of course very angered by this attempt to smear Nick’s memory in this way, so in order to try to put the record straight and to protect his reputation we decided to place the full original article written in his tribute on-line as well. Nick Fourie was a great South African patriot - and was also a good friend. His memory must not be besmirched! The on-line version of our tribute article to him can now therefore be accessed at:
http://www.springbk.org.uk/NickFourie.htm
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MORE INFO’ ABOUT AIDA PARKER
A supporter from the United States has recently informed us of a couple of web-sites featuring the writings of Aida Parker, the famed South African investigative journalist (see January 2017 SCN). These can be accessed at :-
http://www.cycad.com/cgi-bin/Aida/index.html
and
https://web.archive.org/web/20071013115257/http://www.matriots.com/apn/
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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 :-
http://www.bellemodel.biz/emails/expatriates/toplist_expatriates.php?id=toplist_expatriates_from_
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BILTONG AND BOEREWORS
Springers Biltong offers a marvellous range of biltong, boerewors and drywors – all of the very highest quality, reasonably priced, and fully registered and licensed with their local authority Their web-site can be accessed at :-
http://www.springersbiltong.com/index.html
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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.
Trish also writes romantic suspense and romantic comedy fiction. www.trishjaxon.com
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"BLUE WATCH" by Gwyn Fford-Osborne
Rhodesia, in 1975 and a bloody vicious civil war is at its height. A war between the White minority supported by the Black majority and the ZAPU and ZANU terrorist groups, supported by Zambia and Mozambique. Kensington, a small town in the farming belt has been the subject of several terrorist attacks but with only a small police force for defence, the local T.A. unit having been called up for service on the Zambia border the situation appears grim. Until Iffor Meredith turns up on a pilgrimage to meet up with his wife and son of his old army buddy, recently murdered by terrorists. A deadly ambush on the "Dix" family and his escape from a land mine attack makes Iffor determined to offer resistance of some form or other to the terrorists. His application to join the Rhodesian Army has been accepted and he sets about forming a small militia. With all the fit men already on call up, who can he recruit from. Then he's invited to a darts match at the Moth Club and meets up with the remnants of the town's Fire Brigade, the men considered too old for call up. Blue Watch.
Available from: www.diadembooks.com
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CREST PUBLISHING BOOKS
The latest book published by Crest Publishing is entitled: “BOWLS - QUIRKS, CHIRPS AND ANECDOTES". This is not an instruction manual but rather a cheerful, humourous and sometimes controversial chronicle about the game and its history worldwide. Written to celebrate 40 years in the sport by the author, Glenn MacAskill, it should be of interest to all bowlers and other sports enthusiasts.
For more information about all books published, or to make an order, please contact Crest Publishing at: P.O.Box, 4178, Honeydew, Johannesburg, 2040, South Africa, e-mail: glennallanmacaskill@gmail.com, or visit the Crest Publishing web-site at: www.crestpublishing.co.za. Special discounts are available to ex-servicemen, Rhodies and Springboks!
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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 msasasa@iafrica.com for more information. UK contact telephone: 07415 753 340.
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?
No.220 – Mrs. AUDREY JACKLIN of Pinetown.
Audrey Jackilin was a prominent personality in the Natal Table-Tennis scene during the 1970s, and, being a great animal-lover, was also a keen and active supporter of the SPCA. She was an extremely friendly and charming person, who was clearly a proud South African. It would be very interesting to learn where she is now.
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RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH
The fourth and final interview conducted with Clive Derby-Lewis following his imprisonment by the ANC regime, in which he discusses the final years of his time incarcerated in the C-Max section of Pretoria Central Jail, and his release under house-arrest, can be accessed at :-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5P0Z3Dqi9fw
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
DEATH CERTIFICATES
Sir,
As I’ve said before, any White person still living in South Africa is certifiable.
Yours etc.,
“Billeeboy”, Bathgate, West Lothian, U.K.
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FRIENDS UN-UNITED
Sir,
I remember watching the Soweto riots on television. All I saw was rioting kids, probably not knowing what they were doing, but egged on by Commie activists. I was horrified. Having applied two years previously to emigrate to the Republic of South Africa, without success; therein lay the fall of White South Africa. Not, I hasten to add because I alone was unsuccessful, but the Afrikaner establishment was confident in its misguided view that they, and they alone, would secure civilised rule in the South Africa They must have refused thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of Whites in the 70s because they were not Afrikaners and thereby would challenge their rule. In the end it was their own immigration policies and one of their own traitors who instigated the fall of civilised rule.
Yours etc.,
“Loyalist”, Glasgow, U.K.
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CLIVE OF AFRICA
Sir,
You wrote well of Clive [December 2016 SCN – Ed.].
We were to have travelled to Pretoria at Christmas to stay with Clive and Gaye [well, at least in a pub close to their pad] and to celebrate his being free. Both Caron, my wife, and I had met Clive and we both recognised the rare quality of our brother-in-law.
His death seems to have coincided with the deaths of Andries [Treurnicht] and Connie [Mulder] with all three contracting infections 'in hospital' and subsequently dying. Clive was a recovering patient but his health two months earlier (during the interviews) indicated no illness that would kill him so quickly. All too suspicious in my mind.
In 1993 when the Hani death hit us in Australia and then both Clive and Gay were arrested and the 'list' made headlines, I was in the middle of my Masters. You can imagine how hard it was to keep my mind on my academic stuff. The jailing of my sister and my brother-in-law was a devastatingly hard thing to cope with. Then Gaye was released and Clive faced the rope. Then the death penalty was kicked out of the equation and Clive ended up with life.
I read all the transcripts of his trial and the TRC. I could not see anything anywhere that condemned Clive, and for 22 years I held the view that Clive was surprised when the Hani news hit. We all held that view and despite the YouTube interviews we still remember the surprise that the Hani death caused Clive and Gaye. There was also consternation that the killing may bounce back and hit them in the face. This ultimately proved to be prescient. The bounce was a big bounce.
But we were not there. Our impressions were formed 10,000 miles from the event. I knew that Hani was a merciless barbarian and a murderer of his own men. Aida Parker's brilliant work exposed Hani way back in 1977. Zambia was the 'killing fields' for many young Black South Africans, all by Hani's gun. I personally was not aggrieved by Hani's death. But I thought Walus' act to be totally stupid. And it was. It achieved nothing. Now Clive is dead and South Africa is a sh1t hole. I still have a son in South Africa and Caron's family all live there. After all, they have South African ancestors that go back to 1660.
I am off to Papua New Guinea soon. I was there a few months ago. I travel frequently, and at 72 I have no thought of retirement. We are due in South Africa this year. It will be a sad trip
Yours etc.,
Adrian Keefe, New South Wales, Australia.
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COCK AND BEAR STORY
Sir,
Russia did not intervene in Syria because they felt sorry for the locals. They did it to advance their own interests in the Middle-East. The Russian presence is unlikely to be for the benefit of US, UK and Israel.
Yours etc.,
HKH, Pretoria, Transvaal, Sougth Africa.
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OBITUARY
SOLOMON “MOMY” LEVY
It was with great sadness that we recently learnt that Solomon “Momy” Levy had died in December 2016. “Momy” Levy was born in Gibraltar during October 1936, a descendant of those who had settled in Gibraltar shortly after the Rock became British during the early 1700s. He served with distinction in the Royal Gibraltar Regiment, rising to the rank of Captain and becoming Gun Commander for Royal Salutes. His long-standing involvement with the regimental band and drum corps led to a special march being composed in his honour! In 1960, after leaving the army, he founded his own highly successful estate agents, but also immersed himself in much charitable work, not only within his own Jewish Community but also for his fellow-Gibraltarians as a whole. In particular he worked tirelessly for the Royal British Legion and eventually became President of their Gibraltar Branch. He was appointed a JP in 1994 and was awarded the MBE in 1999 – but in 2008 he gained his highest accolade when he was elected Mayor of Gibraltar. He was intensely proud of Gibraltar and its British connections and unflinchingly loyal to the UK and the British Crown – and became a leading “star” of Channel 5’s highly acclaimed documentary series “Gibraltar: Britain in the Sun”. When a delegation from the Springbok Club and the Swinton Circle visited Gibraltar in 2005 in order to celebrate the 200th anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar “Momy” Levy provided the poppy-wreaths which were laid on the graves of the only two sailors from the Battle who were buried on the Rock. When officials from the same organisations again visited Gibraltar in 2008 for the unveiling of the new memorial in honour to the Royal Marines he was again present, and remembered everyone immediately. “Momy” Levy was a great Gibraltarian – and a great servant of the British Empire! Our sincerest condolences are extended to his widow Sarah, his son Isaac and his three surviving daughters.
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