SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER
May 2020 edition
It has been very reassuring to receive many supportive responses to our hard-hitting editorial in last month’s SCN, in which we questioned the extent and severity of the current Wuhan Flu epidemic, heavily criticised the draconian “lockdown” measures which had been enforced worldwide to deal with it, and condemned all those supine individuals who had been willing to comply with these tyrannical restrictions without any resistance. To be sure, we did receive a couple of messages opposing the line which we have taken, and two more which were very ambiguous in nature, but on the whole the reaction from our readers has been most encouragingly positive, with several saying that they would re-circulate our comments. It would seem therefore that our supporters possess far more common-sense than the average citizen!
During the last month there have been several further specific developments which have only increased suspicions about the true situation prevailing around the world. Firstly the UK Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, was himself admitted to hospital allegedly suffering from the COVID-19 virus (Wuhan Flu). Since then rumours have abounded that he had actually tested negative for COVID-19 and that in reality he had been stricken by another similar flu-like virus which had been around for many years. If true – and even if not – this simply reminds everyone that in the past other nasty infectious viruses have been floating around in the atmosphere without any busybody medicrats previously advocating that the whole of society should be closed down in order to deal with them! We have also of course had the cases of two prominent advocates of the “lockdown” restrictions themselves quite openly flouting them – Dr. Catherine Calderwood and Professor Neil Ferguson. Quite clearly therefore these two leading experts are fully aware that the “lockdown” regulations are unwarranted.
But there is another far more sinister individual sitting on one of the UK Government’s advisory panels. Her name is Susan Michie and she sits on the “COVID-19 Behavioural Science Advisory Group”. Michie is a Health Psychologist at University College London, and has appeared on BBC2’s Newsnight attempting to justify the imposition of the draconian “lockdown” restrictions. But it is not her academic qualifications or pronouncements which concern us however, but the fact that she is a leading member of the Communist Party of Britain! The CPB broke away from the official Communist Party of Great Britain in 1988 in order to advocate more extreme Stalinist policies and to follow a pro-Peking agenda. For an alleged Conservative Government to appoint a person with such vile anti-democratic views to sit on an important scientific advisory panel is surely nothing short of disgusting!
As we emphasised in last month’s editorial, not all medical advisors around the world advocate “lockdown” policies in order to restrict the spread of Wuhan Flu. It is not only Sweden and Belarus who have taken a more sensible position in this regard, but also we hear Cambodia and Nicaragua, with Mongolia abandoning a “lockdown” after a very short period, and several European countries making the restrictions only advisory. It is difficult to compare how the two different approaches have resulted however, as figures from many Western countries are totally unreliable. This is not only because no distinction between those dying with Wuhan Flu and those dying from Wuhan Flu is made, but furthermore because many deaths from other strains of flu-like viruses are also counted in order to “boost numbers” – and indeed we have even received a report of a death from a clear heart attack having “COVID-19” recorded on the death certificate as a contributory cause of death! When total deaths are compared to those in similar periods in previous years are analysed, however, initial results suggest that although the numbers have hardly altered in Sweden and Belorus, they have risen significantly in those countries like the UK where the “lockdown” restrictions have been vigorously enforced. This is not only because of higher suicide, domestic violence and high blood-pressure death rates which we mentioned last month, but also because people with other life-threatening conditions have either been too scared to enter hospital, or because the hospital authorities have only interested in treating those who have tested positive for Wuhan Flu! It would seem therefore that those who have enforced the “lockdown” lunacy have blood on their hands.
So why therefore have so many nations succumbed to all this unjustified panic and over-reaction to the Wuhan Flu epidemic? In authoritarian states ranging from Orbán’s Hungary on the Right to Ramaphosa’s “new” South Africa on the Left it has undoubtedly been in order for them to establish even greater totalitarian control; in the United States it has been because states where the Donkey Party is in power they have wanted to damage President Trump; and in most of the EU it has been because they are frightened to disobey Auntie Angela. In Britain, however, the main reason is clearly quite different – indeed it is openly stated! The aim isn’t to save lives - it is to save the “precious” National Health Service!
Before WW2 Britain had an excellent and efficient health sector based on free-market principles, where independent hospitals and GPs were free to run their own practices with no centralised bureaucratic interference. For the poor and under-privileged who could not afford health services there was a system known as “The Panel” which operated perfectly adequately. This however was not good enough for the Attlee Labour Government which sadly came to power after WW2, who were hell-bent on imposing socialist medicine onto the UK. This was orchestrated by their Minister of Health, the demonic Aneaurin Bevan. Bevan was a hideous character, both physically and ideologically. Initially an ardent socialist and member of the Labour Party, he defected to Sir Oswald Mosley during the early 1930s, before returning to the Labour Party before the start of WW2. He didn’t join the wartime coalition government however, but sat on the tiny opposition benches, and here he delivered one of the most disgraceful speeches made during the war years, when he condemned the National Government (who were then of course fighting a war for national survival) for not doing enough to support the Soviet Union! A decade later, moreover, he made an equally treacherous speech in Trafalgar Square in which he condemned Britain’s action during the Suez Crisis. The NHS which Bevan created soon became notorious for providing free medical treatment to all and sundry upon demand, and as a result acquired the nickname of the “National Hypochondriacs Service”!
Since then the NHS has become something of a secular religion for the Left and others who should know better, and all criticism of it has become verboten. This has never been more apparent than during the current Wuhan Flu epidemic of course, for as we know there have been many quite ludicrous manifestations of support for it. But has all this praise for socialist medicine been justified? When it was initially believed that the NHS didn’t have enough beds where did they look for help – eh, the private sector, When it was realised that they didn’t possess sufficient ventilators who did they approach to manufacture extra supplies – eh, the private sector. When it was then believed that new hospitals had to be established urgently (the “Nightingale Hospitals”, which have actually been barely used) who did they look to to construct them – eh, the private sector. When it was discovered that the NHS had allowed most of the protection equipment for its staff to become out of date without renewing them, who did they approach to replace everything – eh, the private sector. It seems obvious therefore that in spite of the NHS receiving over £140.4 BILLION in taxpayers’ money each year the private sector can still do things far more efficiently than they can - so surely it is therefore time to privatise the lot of it!
------------------------------------------------------------------
SPRINGBOK CLUB NEWS
It goes without saying that because of all the continuing “lockdown” nonsense the Springbok Club was again unable to stage any activities last month. The organisation has however managed to obtain four excellent guest speakers for the next few months, once all restrictions have been lifted. We’ve also learnt the splendid news that a member from East Anglia celebrated VE Day by displaying a large REAL South African flag at the front of the house where he was living!
------------------------------------------------------------------
PATRIOTIC FORUM NEWS
The Patriotic Forum has also of course been unable to stage any events during the last month because of all the “lockdown” lunacy. The planned joint celebration of the 250th Anniversary of the landing of Captain James Cook at Botany Bay and of Empire Day will still be staged IMMEDIATELY that all the draconian “lockdown” restrictions have been lifted however - though we can also report that the Patriotic Forum reminded everyone of the anniversary of Captain Cook’s claiming of Australia for the British crown both by e-mail and via FaceBook, so that all supporters could celebrate this important occasion in their own individual way!. The organisation is also provisionally planning six other activities for the latter part of the year.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
THE IMPERIAL PATRIOT
As we reported last month, the third edition of The Imperial Patriot (which will be numbered No.40 for continuity reasons) has now been completely written, so all that remains now is for it to be printed and distributed. Unfortunately our appeal for funds to do this last month was not completely successful. If everyone on the SCN circulation list was to contribute only £1.00 then we would have sufficient funds to print the magazine; if everyone could donate merely £2.00 then we would have a sufficient amount both to pay for the printing and for the postage to all our subscribers around the world. By far the best means to help, however, if you’re 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)
Payments for all subscriptions and 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 a payment please also e-mail us, so that we can correlate everything.
PLEASE DO NOT LEAVE ALL FINANCIAL RESPONSIBILITIES TO JUST A HANDFUL OF DEDICATED INDIVIDUALS WHO CANNOT REALLY AFFORD SUCH MONETARY BURDENS!
-------------------------------------------------------------------
MESSAGE FROM THE NETWORK FOR ANIMALS
We have recently received this following most sorrowful message from the Network for Animals organisation :-
“When a country suffers, its animals suffer most. We urgently need help to save donkeys in Zimbabwe!
“The country is suffering from the worst drought in 40 years. In some parts of Zimbabwe, it hasn’t rained in over a year. The drought is so bad the UN say two million people could starve to death and is raising hundreds of millions of dollars to help them. Animals aren’t getting that kind of help so it’s up to animal lovers like us to help.
“Donkeys can’t find food on their normal grazing pastures and their owners, who depend on the donkeys to pull transport carts, can’t afford to buy food because prices have sky-rocketed.
“Donkeys are dying daily, and our team saw starving donkeys everywhere.
“We found an emaciated donkey foal who had been abandoned and left to die. He was badly dehydrated and so weak from starvation, he couldn’t walk – and his pulse was fading. We worked as fast as we could. We talked to him while we worked – calling him “Simon” – to keep him conscious. We managed to get him to MARES, a donkey sanctuary that we support financially. We thought he was on the road to recovery but, as we write this – we have just learned that he has passed away.
“We have tears in our eyes. We must save donkeys like Simon. Please, please help us. We desperately need donations to buy hay bales for the donkeys in Zimbabwe to help get them through this drought.
“Network for Animals relies entirely on donations from generous animal lovers like you. People are desperately poor in Zimbabwe, and simply can’t help. We must help!
“Please, if you possibly can, donate to Network for Animals now, so that we can come to the aid of the donkeys of Zimbabwe. Time is running out, and we are desperately concerned about their plight!
“For the Animals,
“Brian and Gloria Davies (and Max and Flora!) - Founder and CEO.
“P.S. Donkeys are such gentle, undemanding and quiet-natured creatures. They want nothing more from us than care and love. Please help us save them.”
For more details about the Network for Animals organisation, or to make a donation, visit their web-site at: https://networkforanimals.org/
-------------------------------------------------------------------
NEWS OF MARTIN POTTER
Most readers will probably remember Martin Potter, who together with Shaun Tomson was one of South Africa’s top Surfers during the early 1980s, and one of the leading Surfers in the World at the time. Upon prompting from Patrick Kenney, a great supporter of our movement, a keen Surfer himself and one of the most steadfast campaigners against beach integration, we carried a feature on Surfing in S.A.Patriot No.18. This article was accompanied by a picture of Martin Potter, (admittedly rather blurred!) who Patrick greatly admired and evidently knew fairly well. Martin Potter actually wasn’t South African by birth – he was born at Blyth in Northumberland – but his parents had emigrated to South Africa when he was 2 years old and whilst the country still enjoyed civilised rule. His mother however saw the writing on the wall for civilised South Africa before most of us however, and decided that in order to safeguard Martin’s Surfing career the family must return to the UK, settling at the Cornish Surfing paradise of Newquay. Alas little more was heard of Martin Potter after this move, but we’ve recently learnt that he is now a leading commentator on the sport for the World Surfing League World Tour, and is now based in Victoria, Australia. It was good to learn that Martin is still heavily involved with Surfing therefore, and we wish him and his family every success for the future.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
AUSTRALIA REMEMBERS
Reg Watson from Tasmania, Australia, has recently forwarded us a copy of the following extremely well-researched and historically fascinating article which he’s written in order to mark the 250th anniversary of Captain Cook’s landing at Botany Bay :-
“April 26th this year will be the 250th anniversary of the first voyage of James Cook and the first European discovery of the eastern coast of Australia then known at New Holland.
“On the 26th August 1768, one of the world’s greatest explorers, James Cook, left Plymouth England on the bark, The Endeavour, of 370 tons, originally called The Earl of Pembroke. Then a lieutenant (commissioned by King George III) and not captain, this Yorkshireman of forty years of age was ordered to sail to Tahiti where the transit of Venus was observed the 3rd June 1769. It was hoped that by doing so, the distance could be worked out between the sun and the earth. Navigation depended on astronomy, so besides being a voyage of exploration it was also a scientific one. On board with Cook were some notable people, such as astronomer, Charles Green, two well-known naturalists, Swedish Dr Daniel Carl Solander and 25 year old Joseph Banks together with assistants and artist John Reynolds and artist and naturalist Herman Sporing. There were also a crew of 71 and 12 marines, making a total of 93 men.
“Cook was also innovative in that he took measures to prevent scurvy (lack of vitamin C) in his men, making sure they ate fresh meat, fruit, vegetables, pickled cabbage and vinegar where ever possible. He looked after the men’s clothing, so they would have dry and warm things to wear in the cold latitudes. He also took musical instruments, books and fishing lines for the men to use in their time off.
“Opening his sealed orders after the transit, he was told to explore the existence of any great land south of Tahiti to latitude 40. Leaving the south Pacific island he took a chief with him named Tupaia. Not finding any great south land he sailed for New Zealand. There he met the local natives, which was a peaceful encounter, leaving on the 1st March 1770 after five months sailing around the two islands. He then had to make a decision to return directly to England via Cape Horn or to go home via the Cape of Good Hope. So, on 1st April 1770 the Endeavour sailed westward towards Van Diemen’s Land. On the 20th April, second-in-command, Lieutenant Zachary Hicks sighted land which was on the north-east coast of Victoria. Cook named it Point Hicks. Nine days later, 29th April, following the coast, he anchored for the first time in Australian waters at a spot now known as Kurnell, a site on Botany Bay. Cook ordered his wife’s cousin Isaac Smith to ‘jump ou’” and set foot on land. Therefore Able Seaman Smith was the first recorded Englishman to set foot on Australian soil. The following day, in the afternoon, Cook, Banks, Solander and Tupaia landed. Here they met some aborigines and a minor altercation occurred, but efforts of friendship were fruitful. They stayed for a week. During this time, Seaman Forby Sutherland died of illness on the 2nd May and became the first European known to die on the shore. Sutherland District takes his name. Also one sailor deserted and what became of him no one knows.
“There are numerous memorials to the landing, sometimes confusion with the date. This is because Cook’s log dates are a day behind calendar dates. After leaving, further exploration and landings occurred. Port Jackson, Port Stephens, Cape Hawke, Moreton Bay, Cape Townhend, the Barrier Reef, Magnetic Land, Whitsunday Passage and many other points and localities were named. Off the coast of Queensland the Endeavour struck a reef and after 23 hours on the rocks, Cook succeeded in heaving her off into deep waters. He did this by throwing overboard guns, ballast, casks, decayed stores, in an effort to lift the ship off the coral on the next high tide. Initially he was unsuccessful; finally in a higher tide the Endeavour was free and floating. In his journal he gave the overall name of “New South Wales.” He then sailed through the strait between Australia and New Guinea and landed at Batavia, where a number of his companions and crew died from malaria. Finally Cook returned to England where he became the hero of the day.
“So what are we doing to celebrate and highlight this remarkable man and his most important historical voyage to our land? Very little I am afraid, whereas New Zealand is planning substantial events. Here we are bereft of leadership on the issue. The replica of the Endeavour will be sailing around Australia for the anniversary, but in actual fact, it only sailed the eastern coast. There will be a number of exhibitions. How can such a powerful event be down-played by the nation? One can only shake one’s head for lack of fibre.
“Cook, as we should all know, had two more voyages and after the second voyage he was made a Fellow of the Royal Society. He died 14th February 1779 while in Hawaii on his third voyage.
“How do we sum up Cook? His meticulous maps of his discoveries and his humanitarian treatment of both his crew and the people he came in contact with have given him a heroic reputation which has lasted for centuries.”
------------------------------------------------------------------
ORANGISM THRIVES IN Co.DONEGAL
A supporter currently based in the Philippines has recently informed us about a most inspiring YouTube video featuring the annual Orange Order parade at Rossnowlagh in Co. Donegal. It is tremendously encouraging to see how even after 98 years of falling under the Republic of Ireland the Orange culture of their brother Ulster counties is still thriving in this part of Co. Donegal. This video can be viewed at :-
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YnUmuihreUU
------------------------------------------------------------------
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
TALES OF IMAGINATION AND MYSTERY
Supporter Bob Vinnicombe from Australia has self-published a book, the reading of which might help while away the hours in this time of "self isolation" due to the Wuhan virus.
The book is “Tales of Imagination and Mystery”, 196 pages, small paperback.
If you like Edgar Allan Poe's Tales of Mystery & Imagination or The Twilight Zone you will like these stories.
Price is Aus$25 overseas outside Australia, Aus$15 in Australia. Pay by PayPal to bobvinnicombe@gmail.com
----------------------------
“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.258 - Mr. GEORGE TYERS of Cape Town.
George Tyers was born in 1975, and was living in Cape Town in 1996. He worked as an armed response officer at Camps Bay, and his father was an Anglican clergyman. If anyone has any clue about where he can now be traced please let us know.
-----------------------------------------------------------------
RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH
In the December 2019 Edition of the SCN, in the tail-piece article entitled “’Bumler’ – 20 years of Good Riddance”, we asked whether anyone could locate a copy of the article “Brendan Joseph Willmer – the Career of a Political Phony” which had been written during the 1980s. We are now happy to be able to announce that a supporter has managed to find a copy of this article, which has accordingly now been placed on-line. Although Willmer was a complete rogue who did great harm to the patriotic movement in Southern Africa during the late 1970s and early 1980s, and although he is long since dead and therefore has no current relevance, this article even so makes enthralling reading, and acts as a warning about the modus operandi of similar such political charlatans who might be around today. The on-line version of this revealing article can now be accessed at :-
http://www.springbk.org.uk/BJW-CPP.htm
-----------------------------------------------------------------
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
NOT SO MAD
Sir,
I never had the privilege of meeting “Mad Mike” Hoare, but have known people who did. "Mad Mike” was in real life eminently charming, intelligent, cultured, well-adjusted and a brilliant commander.
After an adventurous life serving in the British Army and organizing safaris, he first of all fought for Tshombe in the Western-betrayed secession of Katanga. Then, in 1964, he was summoned back to the Congo to spend a total of eighteen months founding and leading Five Commando-and seeing off the drug and blood-crazed Simbas, saving the Congo from Communism and barbarism.
Unfortunately in 1974 his offer to lead a force of between 1,500 and 2,000 men against Frelimo when the Portuguese collapsed in Mozambique was refuted by the appeasers running South African foreign policy at the time. While he was technical adviser on the film "The Wild Geese" I doubt if the Colonel was really based on him - Colonel Faulkner was a drunk; Colonel Hoare wrote that "Nobody will follow a booze artist - except possibly into a pub!"
As for the Seychelles - I wish he'd succeeded. Given proper backing he would have, and his treatment in prison by a vindictive government was far worse than Mandela's!
Politically he was against apartheid, against Communism, and for a better deal for the Blacks without handing over the country to them. South Africa could have done worse than make him President - and did!
Yours etc.,
Mark Taylor, London, U.K.
----------------------------
FINAL DOWNFALL
Sir,
South Africa has now entered an economic recession which calls for bold, decisive action by government. Failing this, I foresee this country being taken over by anarchists and communists as unemployment rises, with no hope of economic improvement in sight.
Yours etc.,
Johan Geelvink, Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa
----------------------------
FRAUDER-LOST
Sir,
Mr Jacob Rees-Mogg was pictured sitting next to Gregory Lauder-Frost at a dinner several years ago, after accepting an invite from the “Traditional Britain Group”. Confronted about the event, Mr Rees-Mogg admitted he had been tipped off about Lauder-Frost's views, but claimed Tory HQ had failed to corroborate the warning.
Rees-Mogg insisted he 'deeply regrets' attending a dinner party with such a far-right activist after being warned of his views. The Tory darling said he found the views of Gregory Lauder-Frost 'disgusting' and would never have gone had he been fully aware of them.
Gregory MacLennan Scholey Lauder-Frost (born Gregory Frost in August 1951) is an Australian-born convicted criminal and formerly associated with the right-most fringes of the Conservative Party. He is founder and vice-chairman of the “Traditional Britain Group” and is UK head of the far-right book publisher Arktos, seen as the publishing wing of the “alt-right” movement. Self-styled 'GLF' (an abbreviation of his initials), his opponents have been known to parody him as 'TPF' ('tonsured pleb frost') or 'Frauder-Lost'.
Yours etc.,
Richard Windsor, Canterbury, Kent, U.K.
----------------------------
FRIENDS OF RHODESIA
Sir,
Many years ago I was involved in a campaign here in Tasmania to help a better awareness of Rhodesia and to off-set the madness of hate against the country. Later I was a medical reporter and met, interviewed and became friends with two gentlemen, one now dead, who though Welsh went to Rhodesia and set up within one of the districts the first blood-transfusion service. The other, a micro-biologist, was an ex-major in the South African Army, who led the campaign here in Tasmania to rid the State of hidatis. Not sure whether he, Dr Gold Smidt, is still around.
Yours etc.,
Reg A.Watson, Lindisfarne, Tasmania, Australia..
----------------------------
MILLER’S TALE
Sir,
Most of my South African students are White. They came to Thailand in search of an affordable education, and the shot at emigrating to some other country where they can have a better life. There is no opportunity for them in South Africa, (from what I hear), so they came here.
Yours etc.,
J. Jellison, Bangkok, Thailand.
----------------------------
KNIGHT’S TALE
Sir,
You deserve a knighthood for your great devotion to our national heritage and interests! I can assure you that, despite any minor differences in approach we might have, I greatly appreciate all the good work you’re doing and the time spent and your encouragement. May God richly bless and guide you!
Yours etc.,
Alex Knox-Wylie, Bath, Somerset, U.K.
----------------------------
LIE DETECTOR
Sir,
The whole Wuhan thing is absolutely stupid. It's mass hysteria. Queensland was beautiful one day, then a police state the next.
Yours etc.,
Bob Vinnicombe, Sefton, N.S.W., Australia
----------------------------
REGIMENTAL DISHONOUR
Sir,
I picked this link up whilst searching the web for sister Regiments of the Royal Irish. It’s an absolute disgrace and dishonour to the memory of Irish men who fought for the true South Africa. It would be on a par with renaming the Royal Irish Regiment the Gerry Adams Fusiliers!
https://www.defenceweb.co.za/featured/new-reserve-force-unit-names/
Yours etc.,
A. Barr, Ballymena, Co.Antrim, U.K.
----------------------------
ACTS OF DEFIANCE
Sir,
Many thanks for the very informative e-mails and all of the hard work you devote to it. I have had my doubts re this pandemic since the very beginning, but it is going to be very difficult ever to get to the real cause. A good and brave action would be for the world to wipe off their debts to China; they cannot, or would not want to argue with the rest of the world’s trading - but who would have the courage?
All this however should be a salutary lesson that we have to become a nation of producers, not consumers, which we should be, especially with the exponential rise of technology and AI making the need for imported cheap labour redundant. This in itself will bring problems from the bleeding-heart liberals re immigration and surplus labour, as our current population is approaching 70 million, 90% of which are a cost to the country.
My tiny contribution is that I never deal with companies that do not have their call centres in the UK, which would create much needed work, plus the spin off spending. Perhaps this is something we could all become involved with?
Yours etc.,
Roy Painter, St.Albans, Hertfordshire, U.K.
------------------------------------------------------------------
OBITUARY
SIR STIRLING MOSS
It was with great sadness that we learnt of the recent death of Sir Stirling Moss, aged 90. Stirling Moss had been born in West London in1929, the son of a wealthy Yorkshire dentist and a mother who was a descendent of one of the Duke of Wellington’s leading army officers during the Napoleonic Wars. He was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College, but did not prove academically brilliant – not because of any lack of intelligence but because of pure disinterest. His main interest at school was sport, at which he excelled in all disciplines, especially Rugby.
After school, however, like his sister Pat, his sporting interests turned to the main pursuits of his parents – show jumping and motor racing. Although his sister continued a successful career in both sports, Stirling himself soon concentrated purely on motor racing. He had started driving an Austin 7 aged only 7, driving around an orchard owned by his father. He obtained a driving licence at the earliest age possible and immediately put down a deposit on his first racing car, a Cooper F3. His breakthrough came in 1950 however, when he won the Ulster TT in dreadfully wet conditions driving a Jaguar Sports Car. After that he had a wide choice of F1 teams eager to sign him up!
In all he drove in 530 races during his career, winning an incredibly high number of 212 of them. 16 of his victories were in F1 races, but surprisingly he never won the F1 World Championship, which he competed in from 1951 until his near-fatal crash in 1962. It has been calculated, however, that if the F1 World Championship had used the same scoring system in his day as it uses today then he would have been World Champion on four occasions! Perhaps his greatest achievement, however was winning the Mille Miglia race in Italy in 1955 in the fastest time ever recorded. (The Mille Miglia was a 1000 mile race around public roads in Italy in a “Tour de France type style”, which was discontinued after 1957 following demands from the Vatican that it be stopped on safety grounds).
But Sir Stirling Moss was not only a great motor racer, he was also – like so many others involved in motor sport in his day – a great patriot. He always tried to race in British cars whenever possible, and lived for most of his adult life in a personally designed house in Mayfair, London, rather than becoming a tax-exile in Monte Carlo like so many later F1 drivers decided to do. He also had no qualms about competing in South Africa during the days of civilised rule in that country, in spite of pressures from Left-wing extremists which alas many other sportsmen of the era succumbed to. Unfortunately, however, again like so many other patriotic motor racers of his time, his patriotism didn’t find form in any more direct political activities – but he was determined that his triumphs should not only reflect on himself personally, but also brought prestige to the country of his birth and ancestry.
Sir Stirling was nicknamed “The Boy” during the early part of his career, but this epithet was actually appropriate throughout his life, for he never lost his youthful enthusiasm. He also clearly believed in Nietzsche’s great injunction to “Live dangerously”, as he often stated that he thought there was no point in living if there wasn’t the spice of danger. He never competed professionally again after his serious crash of 1962 at Goodwood, but he maintained close involvement in motor sports for the rest of his life, giving advice and expertise to budding drivers and manufacturers alike. He was knighted in 2000, an accolade which many thought was long overdue. Always an incurable ladies man, he was married three times, and had a daughter and a son. Our sincerest sympathies are extended to his surviving wife and to his 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!
