July 2023 edition
The antics of the so-called “Just Stop Oil” outfit – obstructing traffic by staging “slow marches” and disrupting major sporting events by hooliganistic vandalism – are not only criminal, they are insane.
It is not only the actions of this weird body which are totally wrong - it is their very motivation! Nature’s gift of oil has been absolutely vital for the functioning of global society for over two centuries now. It is essential for all forms of meaningful transport and keeps all of the wheels of industry turning. Even the alleged alternative forms of energy such as electric batteries and wind-turbines require considerable amounts of oil for their very manufacture! The more that the aims of this retrograde group of paranoids are considered the more totally lunatic they are seen to be!
It is therefore essential that the powers-that-be not only condemn the criminal actions of this outfit, but also confront their objectives head-on. If their deranged aim of stopping all use of oil was to be enacted then the whole world would stop functioning, and there would thus be anarchy and chaos everywhere, with massive deaths and destruction resulting across the planet. It would not only be human society which would be destroyed by this consequent collapse in global infrastructure, but also animal life which would be the target for marauding bands of hungry mobs, and indeed the entire planetary eco-system would disintegrate. It doesn’t take a university degree to realise that this would be the inevitable outcome!
The true motivation of those behind “Just Stop Oil” is therefore the dismembering of all the achievements and civilisation of human history, and a reversal of all the progress which mankind has made for the benefit of all life. Surely nobody in their right mind would ever wish this? There is therefore something extremely sinister about this whole outfit, and we therefore call upon those in authority to take decisive action to eliminate this harmful organisation and, if need be, to detain its leadership in institutions for the criminally insane.
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SPRINGBOK CLUB NEWS
The Springbok Club held a most interesting and enjoyable buffet-meeting earlier this month which was addressed by Mr. Mike Parvess PMI. In his highly enthralling talk Rhodesian-born Mike Parvess told something about his early life in Rhodesia, his time in the South African Army, and then his return to the re-named Zimbabwe where he took up farming and joined both the Police and Army Reserve. He told specifically about his success in both armed services as a top rifle marksman, but then gave a riveting account of how after he relocated to the UK he took up Archery and became one of the country’s leading competitive Archers, showing the audience his competition bow and arrows, the trophies which he had won and some pictures of his triumphs.
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The Springbok Club will be holding an informal gathering in central London towards the end of August in order to welcome a prominent South African to the UK. All members of the Springbok Club will be informed of he precise details of this event in due course.
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In September the Springbok Club will be organising the annual “Raising of the Flag” ceremony at Sudbury in Suffolk, this venue being chosen because it was the childhood home of Leander Starr Jameson. In October the organisation will be going to watch a Rugby match featuring a club with strong South African connections, in November it will be holding its annual UDI Day celebration buffet-meeting which will be addressed by a prominent expatriate Rhodesian, and in December the Springbok Club will be marking the Day of the Vow with a gathering in the Southend area. More details about all these events will be announced in future editions of the SCN.
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PATRIOTIC FORUM NEWS
Members of the Patriotic Forum celebrated Canada Day earlier this month, thus continuing the admirable tradition started by the late Dennis Delderfield, whose New Britain organisation of course merged with the Swinton Circle in order to form today’s Patriotic Forum. In September the Patriotic Forum plans to hold a special get-together to welcome someone with strong Commonwealth connections.
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THE IMPERIAL PATRIOT
Edition No.43 of The Imperial Patriot has now been published, and copies have already been circulated to all UK subscribers. Copies are also about to be sent to all continental European subscribers, shortly after which copies will be sent to subscribers in the rest of the world. If you are not already a subscriber to the magazine now might therefore be a good time to take out a subscription. A 12-issue subscription costs £19.00, R675.00, US$37.50 or Aus$60.00 (including postage). Details about methods of payment are given at the end of this SCN.
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MESSAGE FROM THE ANIMAL SURVIVAL INTERNATIONAL
We have recently received the following most worrying report from the Animal Survival International organisation about the threats to wildlife in Kenya. It reads as follows:-
“In Kenya, a tragedy is unfolding that is both sad and frightening as charcoal burners destroy forests to make charcoal for barbecue cookouts around the world. It is hard to believe, but the glowing coals that fuel barbecues have terrible implications for animals.
“In protected areas reserved for animals, farmers illegally chop down forest trees and burn them for charcoal, leaving behind a destroyed habitat, resulting in hunger and death for all kinds of animals from small antelopes to elephants.
“The scale of the problem is immense! But there is a plan underway to begin to address it - called Operation Seedballs. Your support today will truly make a difference - and SAVE LIVES!
“Throughout Kenya, the landscape looks as if it is being ravaged by a dreadful disease that is leaving millions of black patches in the wilderness. The patches are the result of charcoal burning, burnt-out areas, smoking, active burns and smoldering burns stacked with packaged charcoal ready for transportation. This process is wildly illegal, but there is so much burning that rangers can’t control it, plus charcoal burners are so aggressive that rangers put their lives on the line when they try to arrest them.
“The effect on elephants is particularly disturbing because once the forests have gone, and their food with it, the elephants go closer to human settlements, eat their crops and sometimes injure people in their hunt for food. Then the villagers kill them and steal their tusks to sell on the illegal ivory market.
“The charcoal burning business is huge and difficult to control, and animal lovers must fight it as hard as we can. Teddy Kinyanjui from Nairobi’s Tamfeeds has a solution…
“So much charcoal has been burned in Kenya that huge piles of charcoal dust have built up, creating yet another toxic threat. Teddy’s company takes that dust and, using a special process that makes the dust a sticky ball, wraps tree seeds in it, making seedballs. The seed is the nucleus, and the dust forms a protective coating around it that prevents birds and animals from eating it. When it rains, the dust dissolves, freeing the seed and, hopefully, a tree grows.
“Teddy teamed up with Marc Goss, who runs the Mara Elephant Project in Kenya, an organization which protects elephants and helps preserve their habitat, and together they are starting to recreate forests in Operation Seedballs.
“Marc takes a helicopter to deforested areas in protected zones, flies low over the ground and drops thousands of seedballs from the air, mimicking the way trees naturally spread in Kenya when seeds are dropped by birds or animal dropping. Millions have been sown across Kenya in the last few years - it’s cheap, and it works. You can see new trees springing up where seeds have been sown.
“Because charcoal burners keep destroying trees even in protected areas, to be really effective, policing must be increased and many more seedballs must be distributed. We promised to ask our supporters to help - $50 (£44) buys 10,000 seedballs - if even 1% of the seeds grow, that’s 100 new trees!
“Marc took our team by helicopter to see the scale of the problem and sow some seedballs. Within the first few minutes of the flight, we lost count of how many rectangular charcoal-burning areas there are, dotted all over the protected Mount Sizwa area not far from Nairobi. Everywhere you looked, there were hundreds upon hundreds of burned areas where forests once stood. And this dreadful picture is repeated all over Kenya.
“Marc landed the helicopter in a place where all that was left of a forest were tree stumps, while in the near distance, smoke poured into the sky as charcoal burners worked their way through the next patch of trees. When we took off and followed the smoke, we saw a herd of confused elephants right next to several charcoal burns. The elephants were seeing their food disappear before their eyes, and there was nothing they could do about it.
“There are so many threats to animals… but what we saw that day frightened us. This vast, protected area is home to animals great and small and it was being destroyed in front of us. Concern turned to horror when Marc showed us pictures of an elephant who had been speared and killed when, seeking food, it got too close to humans - horrible pictures of a beautiful and noble creature lying dead with gaping wounds where his tusks once were. One fewer elephant in a world where every elephant counts in the fight against extinction - their numbers are plummeting. An estimated 55 elephants are killed every single day, 365 days of the year.
“We must support Operation Seedballs. Seedballs work. New trees will grow and provide new homes and food for threatened and endangered animals. Please help us seed a better future for animals by making a generous donation right now. We must stop poaching and charcoal burning, which is going to take time. Reseeding forest areas is something we can do today!
”Saving animals and the planet, ”Executive director ”Animal Survival International
“p.s. There is much more to be done - there are not enough rangers to catch the charcoal burners, and they need better equipment to do so. It costs $50,000 (£43,946) to train, equip a team and send it to a threatened area. It seems like a lot of money, but if enough of us band together and each make a small donation, perhaps we can do it. We can dream, but what animal lovers can do right now is donate to buy inexpensive seedballs to make sure forests survive. Please donate today if you possibly can. Elephants and all the other animals who cherish forests will be so grateful.”
To contact Animal Survival International, or to make a donation to help Operation Seedballs, visit their web-site at :-
https://animalsurvival.org
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ATTEMPT TO DESTROY CRICKET
The report by the so-called “Independent Commission for Equity in Cricket” has proved to be a sinister and dastardly document. It has already been criticised by several leading players and officials for being completely superficial, though many commentators have been far more forthright in their condemnation.
It is probably best to start by examining the composition of this five-person Commission – only one of whom has had first-hand experience of playing the game at professional level :-
1) Cindy Butts, the Chairperson, is a Negress with no previous connection to the game of cricket. She also seems to have no formal legal or academic qualifications, and acts in a self-appointed role in “tackling inequality and complaints”.
2) Sir Brandon Barber is a former General Secretary of the Labour-supporting Trades Union Congress. His only connection to sport seems to be that he once served on the board of Sport England.
3) Zafar Ansari was the only member of the Commission with first-class Cricket experience, having played for Surrey from 2010 to 2017, before retiring early from the game. He is the son of the Pakistani left-wing academic Khizar Humayun Ansari who specialised in the field of “race and ethnic relations”.
4) Michelle Moore also seems to have no listed academic qualifications, terming herself simply as a “multi-award-winning leadership coach, author and educator”.
5) Michael Collins is an Associate Professor of Modern British History at UCL. He has also served on Middlesex CCC’s “diversity and inclusion committee” (sic).
With such a bunch of nonentities with little connection to the game of Cricket, and yet clear extreme-left leanings, it is therefore little wonder that their “findings” should be so biased and damaging to the game which, more than any other, exemplifies the British people and character around the globe? Let us therefore examine the three main critical “findings” of this Commission :-
1) That Cricket under the control of the ECB (the England and Wales Cricket Board) is institutionally racist – by which they mean that there are far more English people and Welsh people playing the game in England-and-Wales at professional level than foreigners. Well of course there are, for the simple reason that there are far more English and Welsh people living in England-and-Wales than foreigners! In order to justify this charge they make one claim which is clearly false, and that is that is that almost 30% of recreational cricketers in England-and-Wales are South Asians; this figure applies not to the country as a whole as they imply, but only to Yorkshire! (and as this figure is far above the percentage of South Asians currently resident in Yorkshire it means that it is actually the indigenous Yorkshire men and women who are discriminated against!).
2) That Cricket is in England-and-Wales is institutionally sexist. Those who have made this bizarre allegation obviously don’t know their facts! With the exception of Hockey, Cricket is the team sport with the longest and most honorable history of equality between the men’s and women’s game. The first recorded Women’s cricket match in England took place as far back as 1745, round-arm bowling was only legalised because women cricketers had difficulties bowling whilst wearing crinoline skirts, Martha Grace (the mother of W.G.Grace who used to bowl to him whilst he was a boy) had an obituary in Wisden after she died in 1884, the Women’s Cricket Association was founded in 1926, England Women played their first Test against Australia in 1934 – and the women’s game both at domestic and international level has grown apace ever since! Compare this with Association Football where women were actually banned from playing the game in the UK from 1921 until 1970! As for the Commission’s “complaint” that there has been no women’s Test Match at Lord’s, they should have checked their facts when they would have seen that the Women’s Cricket Association has largely eschewed Test Matches in favour of One Day Internationals for the past few decades, and that England Women have played regular One Day Internationals at Lords since the first match against Australia in 1976! This fatuous claim by the Commission that Cricket in England-and-Wales is “sexist” can therefore be seen to be void of all truth!
3) That Cricket in England-and-Wales is “elitist”. But all sport is surely elitist by its very nature. Its very purpose at all levels is the pursuit of excellence! As for the Commission’s objection to the annual Eton v. Harrow game being played at Lord’s – as it has been since as far back as 1805 (regularly since 1822) - we must ask the question “what on earth is wrong with this?”. This match is part of the whole rich fabric of the game in England, and the only possible reason for this inexplicable objection is that the Commission’s main desire was to destroy the very game itself, because it represents everything which is great and noble in the British character.
In view of the above we therefore call on this despicable Commission’s report to be rejected out of hand and to be immediately binned. Furthermore those responsible for initiating the disgusting report – particularly the appointment of the Commissioners – should be barred from holding any positions in the administration of the game ever again. Finally – just to make the leftist Commissioners even more angry – wouldn’t it be a good idea to initiate another annual public schools’ match at Lords, this one between Roedean and Cheltenham Ladies College!
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IT AIN’T HALF HOT MUM
“It ain’t Half Hot Mum” was the second of a trilogy of sitcoms devised and written by David Croft and Jimmy Perry broadcast by the BBC and based upon their own WW2 ad post-WW2 experiences. Although the first, “Dad’s Army”, and the third, “Hi-De-Hi”, have been repeated – rightly so - on numerous occasions by the BBC, the second, “It ain’t Half Hot Mum”, seems to have slipped into a black-hole as far as the BBC is concerned. The reason for this is undoubtedly because it is considered politically incorrect by the woke brigade!
The basic plot of “It ain’t Half Hot Mum” revolves around a Royal Artillery concert party stationed in first India and then Burma during the tail-end of WW2, and their hilarious escapades. What seems to offend the current BBC hierarchy is the fact that there are a number of Indian characters (including one played “blacked-up” by the renowned comedy actor Michael Bates) and an obviously homosexual character in the cast, and the script bristles with terms such as “coolies” and “poofdahs”! Such themes and language of course never did meet with the approval of the politically correct brigade – but the majority audiences lapped it all up!
It is a tragedy therefore that today’s ultra-sensitive BBC hierarchy should deny the current generation of the opportunity of watching this uproarious series on their channels – but all is not lost however as the That’s TV (UK) TV channel have managed to obtain the screening rights for this sitcom, and have been doing so on a nightly basis for the past few weeks! We therefore congratulate That’s TV (UK) upon providing this great service for today’s viewers!
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COVERAGE OF THE 12th JULY
For decades BBC Northern Ireland has presented live coverage of the annual 12th July parades in Ulster celebrating the anniversary of the glorious Battle of the Boyne. Following all the Covid “lockdown” nonsense this live coverage by the BBC reprehensively ceased, but last year GBNews stepped into the breach and provided live coverage instead. As this was at such short notice their coverage was somewhat amateurish, but this year the presentation was far more professional and captivating. Presented by Dame Arlene Foster (the former DUP leader and First Minister of Northern Ireland, who proved a “natural” TV presenter!), and with expert comments given by Dr. Gavin Hughes, the renowned historian of the era, GBNews’s presentation far outstripped the former BBC live coverage, lasting for two and a half hours, over double the length of the BBC’s former live coverage, and included some of the feeder parades and the Remembrance Ceremony at the Belfast War Memorial. Not for the first time therefore the relatively new GBNews channel has proved far more in tune with the true British people than the official state TV news channel. We therefore advocate and trust that their power and influence grows rapidly in the days ahead!
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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/uruguay/uruguay.php?id=uruguay_from_springbk
and
http://www.bellemodel.biz/emails/expatriates/toplist_expatriates.php?id=toplist_expatriates_from_springbk
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BOOK OFFERS
“LIEUTENANT COLONEL ALFRED JAMES TOMLINSON: MEMOIRS OF AN AFRICAN PIONEER AND BSAP OFFICER" is now available at Amazon.com, and can be shipped to anywhere in the world. This book contains excerpts from Lieut. Tomlinson's writings detailing his experiences as a member of the BSAP in Southern Rhodesia, where he rose from the rank of an ordinary trooper to retire as the commanding officer. It also includes the personal story of Majaqaba Ncube, a man who was enslaved by Lobengula when his entire village was massacred by the chief's soldiers. After he escaped, Lieut. Tomlinson saved him from certain death and gave him a job. They lost contact and were reunited after 45 years, when Majaqaba presented Lieut. Tomlinson with an earthenware jar.
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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@mweb.co.za for more information. UK contact telephone: 07415 753 340.
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WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?
No.296: Mr. PETER MOUNTFORD of Stoke-on-Trent and Durban.
Peter Mountford was the younger brother of Alan Mountford (see March 2003 SCN) and was similarly a skilled all-round sportsman. Like his brother he was a “member” of the “Roper Set” (see The Imperial Patriot No.40), played Soccer for Durban Collegians, was a keen darts player, and regularly competed in the Comrades Marathon. His greatest achievement however was to finish in the top 10 of the Dusi Canoe Marathon one year during the 1980s. It seems moreover that he was still competing regularly in the Dusi Canoe Marathon up until 2017, so most surprisingly must have remained in the “new” South Africa far longer than most of those associated with the “Roper Set” did. Any further details about him and/or his brother Alan would be most appreciated.
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RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH
Steve Kirsch’s Newsletter, sometimes referred to as Substack, is a regular on-line newsletter written by the Silicon Valley entrepreneur Steve Kirsch, who after much self-funded research became increasingly sceptical about the Covid-19 pandemic and the methods being used to combat it. In particular he has recently produced devastating evidence that the almost universal demands that facemasks should be worn in order to prevent the spread of the virus was completely erroneous as facemask were totally useless in this regard – something which we and many like-minded bodies had been saying right from the start of the worldwide panic. His in-depth report and analysis, utterly demolishing the Cochrane Review on this subject, can be found at :-
https://kirschsubstack.com/p/the-debate-is-over-masks-do-not-work
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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
GOLD COAST
Sir,
Re: Gordon Brown's sale of UK gold reserves.
Just to say that from my old notes Gordon Brown sold 39.5 tons of the UK's gold reserves way back between 1999 and 2002. This from a total holding of 310 tons. At that time the USA had 8133 tons, China 1054 tons and so on. I'm sure that all national holdings are available from Google etc.
My involvement in all of these subjects is now vastly out of date. What of course I found in Westminster and Whitehall was that presenting verifiable facts and figures and using field experience may have had passing interest to the audience but, in politics, are irrelevant when it comes to priorities and public statements!
Just 2 or 3 years ago, pre Covid, the NHS had around 1 billion pounds of debt and 900 Million + of budget deficit. The UK government of the day, mattered not at all which Party was in power or who was Prime Minister, sold off whatever public assets, utilities and services they could to boost the Chancellor’s income streams, and that included a percentage of the gold reserves. The Prime Minister and his cabinet must be creative when it comes to any and every subject! It is political survival! In the UK you also have LOCAL politicians playing the same game. Cities like Liverpool, Croydon, Bristol, Slough, Warrington and Nottingham have been taken into bankruptcy and are being bailed out by the taxpayer/Westminster.
It’s no different here in Canada. Our populations keep growing by around 700,000 every year. That figure includes the 8 or 10 categories of immigrant plus births minus deaths. The demands on ALL public services therefore keeps right on growing. Canada is of course fortunate to have vast natural resources, however here in British Columbia we have mills closing down. Buying a property is out of the reach of many here today. There are big problems with homelessness, illegal drugs, hospital waiting lists etc.. One million people in this one Province of British Columbia have no GP. "Have a problem? Go to your nearest A&E".
As far as I am concerned, unless or until the present Party system is abandoned and replaced by a government of national unity or a meritocracy then things will continue to deteriorate.
Time to walk the dog. Priority Uno !!
Yours etc.,
Paul Rhodes, Sechelt, British Columbia, Canada
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SUN’S
Sir,
Using news sources which are banned in the West, it seems my analysis (built off the writings of Sun Tzu) still holds up 2,000 + years after he died. (Never get bogged down in long campaigns even if it causes your enemy to hurt another enemy, because one of them may game you later and then either you lose, or nobody wins.)
Well it has been discovered that Russia discovered a 2nd dirty nuclear bomb in the Ukraine. The first was around March and happened to fall into Russian hands at a time when Russia was more easy to blame. (I'll get back to that.) The second, however, is a different story and was ready to detonate when the Russians got to it. So, now Russia has invited the IAEA to examine all the evidence.
...I know why Russia did that because I studied nuclear reactors.
You see, each nuclear reactor is a little unique due to highly technical reasons, as well as simple wear-and-tear. You could build two nuclear bombs from two RBMK graphite-moderated reactors, for example, but there will be tell-tale isotopes etc., which track back to the reactor in question if it's nuclear material is used for a bomb. As far as I last learned, no state actor or rogue actor can hide where the nuclear material came from, and in the event of a nuclear strike we may know the origin within minutes, because the reactor leaves a finger print - to say nothing of any technical equipment also coming from a reactor. It's may also be traceable to track raw nuclear materials. Russia knows that, and since the second bomb was probably constructed outside of Russia's control, the Western media can lie all they want (and they will obviously whip up a ridiculous story that the Russians somehow stole the nuclear fuel, whatever), but the origin is going to show.
Meanwhile, U.S. troops just arrived on Ukraine's border, and, while I largely fault U.S./E.U. leaders for sparking this Civil War, now we're credibly eyeing a nuclear exchange of some kind because it simply must be stopped. I strongly believe the Ukraine is responsible, and you have Zelenski, a madman asking for preventive nuclear strikes on Russia's sovereign territory, calling the shots, and I know he said it because he said it in English; his voice deranged and clearly psychologically ill/demented.
If I could advise President Putin, even though I support Russia's side, it would be not to fight to win quickly at any cost, thus putting Russia in a position of possible harm where it may not need to be. As I said, for Asia, it means China is learning and, of all people, the CCP should know Sun Tzu very well. If they do come for Taiwan, whatever errors they make, they won't be these errors.
Well, it's been quite a day and I'm still getting the specifics, but I know why Russia called for the IAEA: The Russian government is telling the truth.
Yours etc.,
Prof. Jason Jellison, Bangkok, Thailand
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OBITUARY
REGINALD ANDREW WENTWORTH WATSON
As mentioned in last month’s SCN, we were most saddened and devastated to learn of the death of our great friend and supporter from Tasmania, Australia, Reg Watson. Our movement first made contact with Reg when we were still based in South Africa, when he ran the Anglo-Keltic Society in Australia, and strong and mutually-beneficial contacts were made. Alas our forced relocation from South Africa meant that contact was lost for a while, but come the Internet Age we were able to re-make contact – and this proved to be a great advantage for all concerned.
Reg regularly wrote items and letters for publication in the SCN, and also sent reports and pictures for inclusion in The Imperial Patriot – the last being “The Tasmanian State Flag is 45 Years Old” which appeared in Edition No.42. He also wrote regular articles for the Australian audience, many of which were re-circulated via the Patriotic Forum Circulation Service, with several of those relevant to Australia Day being recited at the bust of Admiral Arthur Phillip (who served as the first Governor of New South Wales and founded the city of Sydney) in London at the Patriotic Forum’s annual Australia Day celebrations.
The following eulogy was read in honour of Reg at his funeral by his son-in-law Francis Ryan, which we re-print below with his full permission :-
“Reg was born in September 1949. His mother Ann had remarried after losing her first husband and a daughter in a tragic motorcycle accident at Macquarie Plains. Ann remarried a Reginald Watson to whom she had Reg. So, Reg had three half-sisters and a half-brother. Ann who died along with her father in the accident, June, Valma and John.
“Unfortunately, all are no longer with us. His early years were spent growing up in Moonah, where he went to the Moonah Primary School and for high school the nearby Adventist school. Reg spent his younger years hunting and fishing as well as going to the cinema and of course following his beloved football, especially at North Hobart.
“In his early years Reg worked in retail, moonlighting as a journalist and author. Reg also had stints running his own bookshop and later a health food shop along the way. Reg met Rose and was married in 1974 and a couple of years later they started a family having four daughters Kylie, Kate, Elly and Grace. Those years involved a lot of moving around on the western shore starting in the Huon Valley at Mountain River but mostly in Kingborough. A lot of time was spent on holidays, swimming, and lots of BBQs with friends and family. There was always a visit to an old church, church graveyard or building thrown in somewhere.
“Reg had many jobs as his daughters were growing up, but he was especially proud of his writing and published books. His daughters were too, going to as many book launches as they could. Reg and Rose went their separate ways but remained friends and more so in later years as they supported their children andgrandchildren. Reg moved to the Eastern shore where he lived for the last 23 years, living on the property here, in a house he turned into a veritable collectables shop.
“George and Chris have spoken of the public Reg. Reg was very much involved in the community with his love of history and concern for civil society. I know that a lot of people would be here because they know Reg from his involvement in the community. eg liked people and got on well with people from all walks of life, many of whom, who did not necessarily share his political views. His impact went far and wide as Reg made friends easily. He would make a friend no matter the age. Even the grandchildren’s friends loved Reg!
“One of his jobs was as a school bus driver. He would often make friends with the students and their families. One former student recently posted saying “it takes a special bus driver to positively impact you more than your teachers. However, he was most passionate about his daughters, grandchildren, and extended family.Somehow, he made all his family feel special even though he had four daughters and soon to be 13 grandchildren. He had a knack of making each of them feel special. Always checking in “when can I see you next” or “how are you going” he really did want to know. Spending time with his family every chance he got was Reg’s priority. An hour felt like a minute with Reg. He was so easy to talk to and never judged you.
“There were many family outings. His favourite places being New Norfolk and Richmond, where a side trip to an antique shop or an old church was usual. Even though it was a regular occurrence, Reg always made it fun. He would have a story or some interesting facts to tell along the way. A highlight for his daughter Elly, was Reg coming to see her in Sydney. He helped her wherever he could. It was while visiting Sydney he developed an interest in the history of Paramatta as it related to Tasmania.
“Nothing was too much for Reg when it came to family. “Would you be able to pick up the grandchildren Dad” he would be asked?” He always made it happen. He thought nothing of taking a grandchild or a whole family out for a Devonshire tea or on an adventure somewhere. “I have tickets to the Theatre do you want to come?” Reg loved giving gifts. If he happened to see something he thought you would like, you would get a text saying “I have a present for you” or he would bring your favourite food, just because he could. If the grandchildren went for a sleep over there would often be a special gift left on the bed for them.
“Reg loved his sport. Playing footy in the backyard with his cousins growing up, to playing tennis, squash, fencing and bushwalking to name a few. His favourite sport was football (not to be confused with soccer) and he was a strong Collingwood supporter (who sadly none of us go for) Locally he went for North Hobart which become a slight problem when his nephew started playing for Glenorchy. He followed John’s career with pride as John later played for the Adelaide Crows.
“His favourite pass time on the weekends was watching his grandchildren play their many sports. He found more enjoyment watching his grandchildren play footy than watching a big AFL match- Izac at Lindisfarne, Reuben and Elijah at Clarence and Evie at Lauderdale. Reg even made the time to watch a few of his great nephew Joe’s games. His support for his grandchildren’s footy even extended to Reg traveling to W.A. to watch my son Elijah play football with the Devils.
“His family was so important to him. His brother and sisters, his brother and sister in laws. His nieces and nephews and even his great nieces and nephews and cousins were special to him. He somehow invested in their lives too. Family get togethers where a highlight. He loved his afternoon teas. “Come for tea and cake” he would ask. Afternoon tea would always be served in China cups and saucers and from a fancy tea pot. If you were going on holiday and you mightbe only going to Launceston for a few days, he would say ‘call me, send me a postcard.’ He would always phone to talk to us because he was missing us. He was so proud of his grandchildren and would often be talking about them to someone.
“He was generous, kind, thoughtful, selfless, helpful, interesting, cheeky, mischievous, a storyteller, stubborn, stoic, opinionated and content with life and what he had. He loved his family so much; he lived his life for them, and they all adored him. He was the best Dad/Grandad (or as someone said “a next level Grandad”) you could have ever asked for. We are all heartbroken and life will never be the same, but we will “Keep Cool” as Reg would always tell us too. It’s bigger than Ben Hur was one of his sayings. Ben Hur is a three-and-a-half-hour movie that the kids would watch with Reg because it was his favourite movie. Reg was bigger than Ben Hur.
“One of the last things Reg said was “I will be looking down on you” and if that is possible, I am sure he will be. It would be fair to say if you were Reg’s friend you were lucky if you were his extended family, you were blessed and if you were his immediate family, you had won the lottery. Reg you are so loved.”
We echo these final words of Francis’s. Although we never met Reg, we still loved him. But more than this we admired and respected him – and his memory will always be an inspiration to us. Our sincere condolences are extended to Francis Ryan, his wife, and all of Reg’s children, grandchildren and other members of his extended family.
(More information about Reg Watson, and his life, work, ideology and motivation, can be found at: https://www.regwatson.com/about-reg/)
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