SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER
April 2020 edition
Over the past month the entire world seems to have gone mad. The emergence of a new strain of virus in Wuhan, China, towards the end of last year, known alternatively as Coronavirus, COVID-19 and Wuhan Flu (though we will only use the latter more colloquial term from now onwards) has caused irrational panic and total over-reactions amongst most of the world’s governing authorities.
We must spell out some basic indisputable facts. Viruses have been with us and have regularly mutated ever since life on earth began, and death, although always very sad, is also something which has always been with us and which cannot be prevented. The extent and severity of the current Wuhan Flu outbreak has however been greatly exaggerated. It is apparently not as virulent as previous epidemics caused by the mutation of flu viruses such as the Swine Flu epidemic of 2009/10 and the Asian Flu epidemic of 1957/58 - let alone the Spanish Flu epidemic of 1918/19! Furthermore the "lockdown" restrictions which have been put in place around the world are clearly way over the top, and because they restrict our fundamental rights of freedom of movement and freedom of association must therefore be regarded as highly suspicious. If such extreme measures were not considered necessary during earlier epidemics of flu virus mutations such as those mentioned above then why are they considered necessary now? This is a basic question which simply hasn’t been answered by any of the pro-socialist-medicine fanatics who have advocated and imposed the draconian “lockdown” measures.
But not all medical experts and scientists are in agreement that Wuhan Flu is so dangerous that it warrants the tyrannical “lockdown” restrictions. The human body is a remarkable organism and manages to produce anti-bodies which attack and eliminate virus threats. The alternative solution advocated to counteract the current or any viral epidemic is known as Herd Immunity. Put simply this means allowing the virus to spread naturally among the population, but is then rapidly attacked by human anti-bodies and mutated out of existence. To be sure, this involves the deaths of some of the more vulnerable members of society who contract the virus whilst still virulent, but such deaths are also resulting from the alternative “lockdown” solution - if official figures are to be believed! Herd Immunity was always the method used to overcome viral epidemics in the past, so why not now? It is also the method that has been chosen with greater effect by medical authorities in both Sweden and Belarus - and as one is an ultra-liberal society and the other an extremely authoritarian state they therefore can't be in cahoots!
We must also take a close look at the death figures being banded about around the world in order to justify the dictatorial “lockdown” measures. In the Lombardy region of Italy (how odd that the current epidemic never seemed to spread extensively outside this region?) it was stated that 98.8% (in other words almost 100%) of those admitted to hospital with Wuhan Flu either had pre-existing respiratory problems or were over 80, and two-thirds of the initial intake into British hospitals with the virus were said to have been given nine months or less to live in any case! It has also been significant to note that the majority of those named to have died from the virus in the UK seem to have been immigrants - particularly from South Asia, an area of the world of course notorious for its poor personal hygiene standards. The question must be asked therefore how many of those who it was claimed died of Wuhan Flu actually more accurately should have been described as having died with Wuhan Flu – if indeed they had been correctly diagnosed with the virus at all! It will be very interesting to note how the total number of deaths from natural causes during the period of the epidemic compares to numbers from the same period in other years. Early anecdotal figures from Lombardy indicate that the difference is very small.
Our main objection to the draconian "lockdown" restrictions, however, is that as President Trump accurately stated, “the ‘cure’ is far worse than the disease” – our only difference to this statement by President Trump is that we would insert the word “infinitely” between “is” and “far”! Financial worries have always been the main causes of suicides, and there have already been reports of escalating suicide rates around the world - as well as cases of domestic violence and child abuse through families being cooped up for so long together. There have also been reports of far higher rates of death through high blood-pressure as a result of increasing anxiety - and many observations of bad driving have been reported, which we suspect may be mainly due to so much anger about the unpopular "lockdown" and fear of police-state arrests simply for motoring.
But it is the long-term economic devastation which will prove the biggest disaster to result from the lunatic “lockdown” restrictions. Already billions of Pounds/Dollars/Euros have been promised around the globe in order to compensate companies and individuals ruined by the imposition of these unjustified regulations. As Theresa May accurately stated a couple of years ago “there is no magic money tree”, so these promises can therefore only be fulfilled by taking out massive loans – and loans have to be repaid! Taxes will therefore have to be raised dramatically and vital services drastically cut back – and not only during the immediate future but for generations to come. Our children’s and our grandchildren’s generations are therefore going to have to suffer great deprivation simply because some Medicrat fanatics had the bright idea of closing down the whole of society for a few weeks – or even worse, God forbid, for a few months! Even if we are to accept that the Wuhan Flu virus is as severe and as extensive as some pro-socialist-medicine bureaucrats suggest, and even if we are to accept that the draconian “lockdown” measures are the only way to deal with it, is trying to prevent the earlier-than-expected deaths of tens of thousands of people today really worth the well-being of tens of millions of people, not only today but for generations to come?
We are not conspiracy theorists, and always reject the wackier conspiracy theories such as those advanced by the certifiable David Icke with the contempt which they deserve, but there is quite clearly something very suspicious – indeed very sinister - going on here. For those who doubt our analysis of the situation and the conclusions which we have drawn we suggest that they read just a few of the multitude of postings which we have received on this subject over the past few weeks. We recommend just four of these articles below, all of them are measured and written by respected authors and all appeared in reputable publications :-
https://www.spectator.co.uk/article/The-evidence-on-Covid-19-is-not-as-clear-as-we-think
https://www.visualcapitalist.com/history-of-pandemics-deadliest/?fbclid=
https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2020/03/28/unprecedented-curtailment-freedom-must-end-soon-possible/?WT.mc_id=e_DM1226206&WT.tsrc=email&etype=Edi_FAM_New_ES_Sun&utmsource=email&utm_medium=Edi_FAM_New_ES_Sun20200329&utm_campaign=DM1226206
http://freenations.net/a-pandemic-is-a-panic-of-academics-lockdown-suicidesvirus-flights/
There is however another aspect to the Wuhan Flu epidemic which we regard as even more worrying and concerning than the over-the-top actions of the authorities themselves, and that is the tame and sheep-like manner in which so much of the populations of the world have accepted the draconian restrictions placed on them without question – dutifully not leaving their houses except for prescribed reasons, and ludicrously standing two metres (why always the metric measurement we wonder, why not six feet?) apart from their fellow human-beings. One cannot help wondering therefore whether the real reason for the whole international exercise was to see just how compliantly the sheep would behave? Most sickening of all, however, has been the rise of “little Hitlers” in pharmacies, supermarkets and Post Offices who with a little bit of unqualified authority given to them tell their fellow citizens to stand behind arbitrary lines and castigate them for going out to post letters which they do not believe are necessary. These jumped-up little nincompoops should remember that at the Nuremberg trials it was ruled that acting on orders to enforce bad laws was no defence!
Quite clearly a lot of people are going to have a lot of things to answer for once all this nonsense is over. In the meantime we call for a coordinated worldwide resistance campaign to oppose all these ridiculous “lockdown” regulations – and for a person of eminence and global respect to emerge who will be brave enough to say to the faces of all the Medicrat fanatics advocating these unsubstantiated restrictions: “THE EMPEROR HAS NO CLOTHES”!
------------------------------------------------------------------
SPRINGBOK CLUB NEWS
As alas was only to be expected, the Wuhan Flu hysteria meant that last month’s planned Springbok Club meeting which was to have been addressed by Mr. James Lockwood had to be postponed. As soon as everything is back to normal this meeting will of course be immediately re-scheduled. The Springbok Club is also pleased to announce that two other prominent personalities have agreed to speak for the organisation before the end of the year.
------------------------------------------------------------------
PATRIOTIC FORUM NEWS
The Patriotic Forum alas has also been hard-hit by the “lockdown” madness, and as a result the planned event later this month to celebrate the 250th Anniversary of the landing of Captain James Cook in Botany Bay has had to be postponed, and will now be merged with the organisation’s annual Empire Day celebrations at the end of May. The Patriotic Forum also still intends to stage a special lecture in honour of Dennis Delderfield in August, and has two other high-profile guest speakers booked to address the organisation during following months.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE IMPERIAL PATRIOT
We are most pleased to be able to announce that the third edition of The Imperial Patriot (which will be numbered No.40 for continuity reasons) has now been completely written – so all that now needs to be done is to have it printed and then distributed. Unfortunately we are still lacking in funds to be able to take these next steps, so therefore hope that readers will be able and willing to help us overcome this problem. By far the best means of doing this, if you are not already a subscriber, is to take out a subscription, and current subscription rates for 12 editions (including postage) are as follows :-
U.K. £19.00
Europe: Euro:26.00
South Africa: R675.00 (surface mail) R945.00 (air mail)
U.S.A.: $37.50 (surface mail) $52.50 (air mail)
Australasia: $60.00 (surface mail) $85.00 (air mail)
In addition a selection of 50 copies of The Imperial Patriot and the earlier S.A.Patriot-in-Exile can be purchased for £25.00, Euro:35.00, R850.00. US$50.00 or Aus$80.00 (all overseas mailings by surface mail).
Payments for any of these purchases, of for any other donations, should be transferred to :-
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
When you do make any payment please also e-mail us, so that we can correlate everything.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MESSAGE FROM THE SANWILD WILDLIFE SANCTUARY
We have recently received this following important message from the SanWild Wildlife Sanctuary, and hope that some of our readers may be able to help :-
“We had an incident last week with one of our residents, a naughty rhino by the name of Josh, that partially broke a part of our perimeter fence: "We have told them over and over to ‘play nice’ but sometimes they just don’t listen -haha."
”Luckily the break in the perimeter fence was noticed timeously and reparations can start immediately. Although incidents like these are not uncommon or isolated, reparations require substantial fencing material, which we do not always have on hand.
“We would like to start a maintenance/reparations ‘kitty’ which will allow us to do immediate repairs if need be, which in turn will safeguard the animals and the farm with no time delay.
”We once again call on your goodwill to assist us in this endeavor either by donations of the fencing materials needed and/or financial contributions towards buying the fencing material.
“Please find below a list of fencing material needed in repairing the fence. Any donations and/or contributions, however small, will as always be greatly appreciated.
”Material List :-
Galvanised steel wire (2.4 mm)
Standard Y-droppers (140 x 3 meters)
Thin fencing wire (2mm)
Bobbins
Strains
Tensioners
Fence batteries
Labour costs
”If any company or individual would like to contribute financially or by donating material, please contact us at lizel@sanwild.org to make arrangements.
”Thank you to everyone that has supported SanWild over the years. We really do appreciate it.
”Kind regards,
”The SanWild Team”
The SanWild Wildlife Sanctuary web-site can be accessed at: www.sanwild.org
-------------------------------------------------------------------
WHAT DID VAN NIEKERK DO?
Grant van Niekerk, the Coloured South African jockey who has been riding in Hong Kong for the past two seasons, was suddenly sacked by the Hong Kong Jockey Club earlier this month, and had his licence withdrawn. He was “sacked” – not “warned off” – and the HKJC went to great lengths to emphasise that the “decision was as a result of a conduct-related matter which does not pertain to any race riding or other racing integrity-related matter”. We wonder therefore if anyone knows what van Niekerk did which caused this extreme and sudden action?
-------------------------------------------------------------------
LATEST SOUTH AFRICAN NEWS
As all our readers will be aware, the “new” South Africa is now a complete basket-case, and these two most interesting reports which we have recently received from The South African on-line news service really spell out in detail just how totally chaotic the country has now become: :-
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/bailout-business-rescue-saa-cancelled-flights-salary-delay/?utm_source=TheSouthAfrican.com+Weekly+News&utm_campaign=cdad8b1b35-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_11_19_2019_15_2_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0ee2bd076e-cdad8b1b35-80737155&ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_11_19_2019_15_2_COPY_01)&mc_cid=cdad8b1b35&mc_eid=6c0ba79d5f
and :-
https://www.thesouthafrican.com/news/it-defies-logic-appointment-of-new-eskom-chair-baffles-critics/?utm_source=TheSouthAfrican.com+Weekly+News&utm_campaign=cdad8b1b35-EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_11_19_2019_15_2_COPY_01&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_0ee2bd076e-cdad8b1b35-80737155&ct=t(EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_11_19_2019_15_2_COPY_01)&mc_cid=cdad8b1b35&mc_eid=6c0ba79d5f
------------------------------------------------------------------
ENCOURAGING NEWS FROM ISRAEL
We have recently received the following most encouraging report about Israeli/British friendship and co-operation from the We Believe in Israel organisation. It should never be forgotten of course that during the days of civilised rule the State of Israel was one of South Africa’s best overseas friends, and that de Klerk’s sell-out to the anti-Semite Mandela and his ANC terrorists hurt Israel more than any other country :-
“British trade with Israel is booming and bilateral relations are expanding in defence, science, tech, business and cyber-security in what amounts to a new strategic partnership between the two countries, according to a new report by the Britain-Israel Communications and Research Centre (BICOM). Bilateral relations will get an extra boost this week when HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales, embarks on his first ever official visit to Israel.
”Britain and Israel: The new strategic partnership outlines the strength and depth of the relationship in foreign policy and defence ties, education and scientific collaboration, and cultural links. Bilateral trade was worth $10.5bn in 2018, an increase of 72 per cent since 2012 and British exports to Israel increased by 132 per cent in the same period.
”In foreign policy Britain and Israel share priorities including the fight against radical Islamist terrorism, the British military deployment to Syria, support for the Hashemite Kingdom in Jordan, and the isolation of Hezbollah in Lebanon. Britain and Israel also share a common aim to prevent Iran acquiring a nuclear weapon; curbing Iran’s missile programme; countering Iranian proxies in the Middle East; and stopping the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ international network of terrorist organisations.
”Israeli Ambassador to the UK, Mark Regev, said:
’His Royal Highness’ visit takes place as we prepare to celebrate 70 years of full formal Israel-UK diplomatic relations, and underlines the exceptional progress we have made. This is particularly the case in trade, with our economic relationship growing by 25% over the past two years. Another key area where our cooperation in innovation is making a real difference can be found in cyber, where the partnership between our governments is helping support joint research to keep our citizens, our companies, and our countries safe. Our more traditional security cooperation is going from strength-to-strength. We have welcomed many high-level military exchanges, with the Israeli Air Force’s recent participation in the Royal Air Force’s prestigious Cobra Warrior exercise over British skies serving as a powerful example of our militaries working even more closely to enhance our common security. In these past 70 years of full formal Israel-UK diplomatic relations, the progress we have made is remarkable. We are partners whose shared prosperity and security is built on our common values of democracy, liberty and the rule of law, and the visit of His Royal Highness is but the latest cause for us to celebrate all we have achieved together.’
”Key facts from the report:
The UK is Israel’s third largest export market, behind the US and China.
British exports to Israel were worth $6.2bn in 2018, an increase of 132 per cent since 2012.
The increase in British exports to Israel was largely driven by a 14,000 per cent increase in oil exports worth $3.8bn in 2018.
Israeli exports to the UK were worth $4.34bn in 2018, an increase of 21 per cent since 2012.
The increase in Israeli exports to the UK was largely driven by a 52 per cent increase in pharmaceutical products worth $2.8bn in 2018.
UK-Israel commercial cooperation in cyber is growing stronger. Israeli cyber security experts play an important role maintaining London’s status as a safe and secure global financial centre.
The UK provided the Palestinian Authority with aid worth £500 million between 2011-2017.
The UK-Israel Tech Hub generated 175 partnerships worth £85 million between 2012-2018.
”To read the full report go here: http://www.bicom.org.uk/wp-content/uploads/2019/12/UK-Israel_The-New-Strategic-Relationship-Jan-2020-FINAL.pdf”
------------------------------------------------------------------
PORTILLO LETS CAT OUT OF THE BAG
In an otherwise excellent episode about Hong Kong from his latest BBC series Great Asian Railway Journeys, Michael Portillo stated in an off-guarded moment that both he (whilst still Secretary of State for Defence) and Chris Patten (the last British Governor of Hong Kong before the sell-out to Communist China) agreed that Britain’s possession of a colony at the end of the 20th century was an “anachronism”. To express such unpatriotic sentiments whilst both men held such top government positions was of course disgusting – particularly as the result of these appalling sentiments in this specific case meant the complete sell-out of the Hong Kong people to CCP oppression, a terrible fate which has become ever more obvious over recent months.
Chris Patten was always regarded as a very liberal member of the Conservative Party , and was highly unpopular therein as a result, so perhaps nothing better could have been expected from him. Michael Portillo, on the other hand, was initially regarded as being well to the Right of the Party, although many had their doubts about his true position. Maybe these doubts were very well-founded therefore, particularly as he has expressed several other Left-leaning comments during his otherwise brilliant Great Railway Journeys programmes. Michael Portillo has proved a superb broadcaster, so perhaps this should have been his chosen profession right from the start, rather than his ill-judged venture into Conservative politics.
------------------------------------------------------------------
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/uruguay/uruguay.php?id=uruguay_from_springbk
and
http://www.bellemodel.biz/emails/expatriates/toplist_expatriates.php?id=toplist_expatriates_from_springbk
------------------------------------------------------------------
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
------------------------------------------------------------------
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
----------------------------
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!
----------------------------
"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@mweb.co.za for more information. UK contact telephone: 07415 753 340.
------------------------------------------------------------------
WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?
No.257 - Professor DAVID MARSLAND of Buckingham.
David Marsland held leading academic positions at both Brunel University and the University of Buckingham, at the latter being Professor of Sociology. He was also an acclaimed geo-political commentator and produced many influential papers on current world affairs. He became a good friend of our movement when it became clear how close he was to us ideologically, and he was guest speaker at several Springbok Club and Swinton Circle meetings. Alas recent correspondence which we’ve sent to his University of Buckingham address have been returned as he’s evidently retired from his academic positions there, and attempts to contact him via his last known e-mail address have not been successful. We would therefore be most grateful if anyone could let us know how he can now be contacted.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH
Chris van Beljon of the BoereDroogteHulp (Farmer’s Drought Assistance) organisation spoke on the excellent Loving Life Live channel last week, and a YouTube video recording of his interview can be accessed at :-
https://youtu.be/kfs2dVGR8t0
-----------------------------------------------------------------
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
GHERKIN
Sir,
Jan Adriaan apparently had very similar experiences of Gordon “The Gherkin” Parkin to me. [see March 2020 SCN – Ed.]. I recall him once promising to take me to a National Forum meeting when my car was in for repair, but he never turned up, and his attitude when I complained to him on next meeting can only be described as cavalier. Then there was the occasion when we were holding a fireworks display and knowing that he had two young daughters gave him an invite to join us, but when he never turned up and I phoned him up his wife told me that he had gone to play football and she knew nothing about the invitation! He’s the most unreliable person who I’ve ever known. How on earth did his plumbing business survive?
Yours etc.,
Billy McArthur, Durban, Natal, South Africa.
[ My experience of the man as well. He shared the same birthday as me and one year I organised a double celebration party for both of us – but he didn’t even turn up for this! – Ed.]
----------------------------
FRAUDER-LOST
Sir,
To add to the real story of the thieving convicted jail-bird Mr. Frost, his parents were not UK ex-pats as he says, but his Mum was a born American citizen and his Father an Australian by many generations. He was never a person of any peerage background in the UK, but a scallywag criminal, convicted and jailed in the UK of a working background in Australia. He is not British or near it. Mr. Frost has misled the UK public for decades to his real life story with his fake UK accent of upper class tones. One could say he is an imposter who got the unsuspecting Mr. Rees-Mogg to dinner so he could talk pure manure to Mr. Rees-Mogg in 2013. We are not the Left-wing of UK but strongly protest to imposters and lost fraudsters who have wandered onto our shores. Foreign criminals should always be deported Mr. Frost.
Yours etc.,
Paul Goodwill, Brighton, Sussex, U.K.
----------------------------
SPORTING CHANCE
Sir,
If Israel Folau is right, Hell is going to be a very crowded place. I also believe that his extreme religious views have nothing to do with his ability or eligibility to play rugby. It was wrong to ban Muhammad Ali from boxing for refusing the draft, wrong to hound South African sportsmen because of apartheid, wrong to bar a Greek triple jumper from the 2012 Olympics for supporting Golden Dawn, and all sports boycotts should be rejected unless a rival event of similar stature can be organised. Let us keep politics and everything else out of sport.
Yours etc.,
Mark Taylor, London, U.K.
----------------------------
GINGER NUTS
Sir,
The February Edition of the SCN was excellent as usual. In my opinion it is good that Harry and his wife have left. In the long term I think this will be to the benefit of the Royal Family. Both totally unsuitable
Yours etc.,
Reg A.Watson, Lindisfarne, Tasmania, Australia..
----------------------------
NEVER BE RUDE TO A THAI
Sir,
I'll make certain to read that book you recommended [Africa par Adventure, written and compiled by Peter Ward and published by 1stBooks (ISBN: 1-4033-4964-9) – Ed.]. I just read your recent February Edition of the SCN and was pleasantly reminded of the humour of Terry Jones. I doubt the networks would ever give us that much freedom of expression anymore.
Yours etc.,
J. Jellison, Bangkok, Thailand.
----------------------------
JUDAS
Sir,
I thought you were altogether far too kind to Allan Robertson in the obituary which you carried to him last month. All the “good work” which he may have done in the early part of his political life surely amounted to nothing in the light of the manner in which he betrayed his former friends and attempted to takeover the Swinton Circle and turn it into a neo-fascist front-organisation in 2008, and then lived “in denial” refusing to accept that he had been constitutionally expelled and causing so many untold difficulties and embarrassments to the authentic Swinton Circle by establishing his fake London Swinton Circle in attempted rivalry after that.
Robertson was simply a coward who was too weak to stand up to the neo-fascist infiltrators. He isn’t even worthy to be remembered, let alone praised in the manner that you accorded him.
Yours etc.,
R.Greene, London, U.K.
------------------------------------------------------------------
OBITUARY
THOMAS MICHAEL BERNARD “MAD MIKE” HOARE
Thomas Michael Bernard Hoare – better known to the world as “Mad Mike” Hoare, or more colloquially as “Mad Mike Prostitute” - was a larger-than-life character best known for his mercenary activities in Africa, who sadly died last February aged 100 exactly. He was born at Calcutta, India, in 1919 to an Anglo-Irish family, but moved with his family to Ireland whilst only a few years old. With the granting of independence to the 26 southern counties of Ireland his parents, who were staunch Unionists and British loyalists, decided to move to the mainland. Although a bright child he was not overtly academically brilliant, and he never attempted to enter university, preferring instead to train to become an accountant.
At the outbreak of WWII he immediately volunteered to join the Territorial Army, but as soon as it was possible he enlisted in the Regular Army – in the ranks – joining the London Irish Rifles. He soon started studying to pass officer entry exams, and was quickly successful, and then starting as a 2nd Lieutenant eventually rose to the rank of Colonel. He was transferred to the Royal Ulster Rifles, where he fought against the Japanese both on the Indian border and in Burma. After WWII he emigrated to South Africa, settling in Durban, and started his own accountancy practice, whilst also dabblng in a number of other businesses – but urban life was not for him and so in 1953 he established his own tourism and safari company which enabled him to travel extensively throughout Africa. From then onwards he lived according to Nietzsche’s great dictum “live dangerously” – and as he lived to be 100 this certainly didn’t appear to be a bad maxim to follow!
In 1961 during his African travels he met Moise Tshombe, then a budding Congolese politician who, dismayed by the chaotic situation in the country caused by Belgium’s over-hasty abdication of power, was advocating an independence breakaway by his native province of Katanga. “Mad Mike” accepted Tshombe’s request to establish a mercenary army to assist with the establishment of an independent Katanga, and quickly managed to gather together a contingent of WWII-veteran colleagues from Durban, including several who subsequently supported our movement in the city some 20 or so years later, notably Tom Hawkins and Gerry Colenbrander, as well as Jerry Puren and Peter Duffy. The expedition to Katanga was initially a well-executed military success, but alas massive UN intervention forced Katanga to surrender and re-integrate into the Congolese state. Tshombe’s talents soon propelled him to prominence in central Congolese politics however, and once he had become President he quickly re-established his relationship with “Mad Mike” and hired him and his mercenaries to defeat and destroy the pro-Communist rebels in the east of the country. This proved to be an even greater military success for “Mad Mike”, with the rebels being rapidly annihilated in both Albertville and Stanleyville. It was at this time that “Mad Mike” made his famous comment about killing Communists being like killing vermin – with killing African Nationalists being not far short of this!
After the Congo operation had been concluded “Mad Mike” returned to anonymity as a semi-recluse in Durban – but all this was to change in 1981. He emerged as the mercenary leader of the ill-fated Ancient Order of Froth-Blowers Seychelles Coup attempt - which as well as including Jerry Puren and Peter Duffy again also contained our good friends Ken Dalglish and Mike Webb. After being accidently rumbled by Seychelles security staff the mercenaries hi-jacked a stop-over Air India jet and forced it to fly to Durban. Here they were all promptly arrested, but as the South African NP-government didn’t want to risk handing them over to any international authorities they were all tried in South Africa instead. All were found guilty and sentenced to lengthy terms of imprisonment in Pretoria Central Jail, with “Mad Mike” himself receiving a 20-year sentence – though he was subsequently released after serving only 33 months. This present writer met “Mad Mike” – a surprisingly short man in stature - when he addressed a meeting of The Circle Club in Durban during 1987, whereat he began his speech by quite openly stating “I received a ‘phone call from the State President’s Office who asked if I would lead an operation to overthrow the Seychelles Government” [these may not have been his exact words, but this was certainly the gist of what he said!]. It proved a captivating and highly informative speech, only ruined somewhat by describing the habits of some of the Black prisoners at Pretoria Central in somewhat over-graphic details!
In 1989 he relocated to France (he was a fluent French-speaker) and most surprisingly, given that he was brought up in the Church of Ireland, converted to Roman Catholicism. His devotion to this faith proved strong, and although by then a quite elderly man he completed a pilgrimage to Santiago de Compostela by walking the entire length of northern Spain. In 2009 he unexpectedly returned to the by then ANC-ruled South Africa to live on the Bluff in Durban, a most strange thing to do given that he had earlier compared killing Communists to killing vermin! Our sincere condolences are extended to all of his five remaining children.
------------------------------------------------------------------
Finally, if you would prefer to be deleted from our SCN circulation list then simply e-mail us with the word "unsubscribe". Alternatively, if you liked this SCN and think more of your friends would like to receive copies then please let us know their e-mail addresses!
