Monday 20 January 2014

January 2014 Edition.

SPRINGBOK CYBER NEWSLETTER

January 2014 edition

British government papers from 1984 recently released under the 30-year rule make very interesting reading – particularly concerning Margaret Thatcher’s attitude towards South Africa.

These papers reveal that despite opposition from Foreign Office “mandarins” (notoriously liberal before the Thatcher Government came to power – and only gradually moderated thereafter) Margaret Thatcher insisted upon meeting the then South African President P.W.Botha at Chequers in 1984. (It should be remembered in this regard that overseas at this time P.W.Botha had a very hard-line image, something which those of us active in the patriotic struggle in South Africa of course knew was false.)

Perhaps even more significantly these papers also confirm that Margaret Thatcher refused to raise the subject of jailed ANC terrorist leader Nelson Mandela with President Botha, again against the wishes of many within the Foreign Office. Margaret Thatcher of course knew a thing or two about terrorism, being confronted by IRA terrorism at the time, and of course she once accurately termed the ANC “just another terrorist organization”. She realised which side was in the right in South Africa, and was not afraid to say so – indeed following the recent disclosures the odious ANC sympathiser Peter Hain condemned the Thatcher Government for “craven indulgence to apartheid [sic] rulers”, something which given Hain’s track record of quasi-terrorist sabotage of sporting events must be regarded as praise indeed!

It should also of course be remembered that at this time the Reagan/George H.W.Bush Administration was in power in the United States, and they had actively encouraged the South African government to launch military operations again Cuban forces in Angola – so therefore also had a strong desire to ensure that civilized rule remained in place in South Africa. Furthermore it should not be forgotten that international Communism was tottering at this time, and that under Mikhail Gorbachev the previous threatening Soviet infrastructure would soon come tumbling down.

When all these facts are taken into account – particularly the recently confirmed revelations about Margaret Thatcher’s attitude towards South Africa – the decision by successive NP governments under first P.W.Botha and then F.W.de Klerk to surrender the country to the ANC terrorists becomes even more unbelievable. It is of course now far too late to do anything about the Nationalist’s sell-out of the country, but the true historical record can and must be put straight. It was not other Western governments who betrayed South Africa – it was South Africa’s own treasonable NP government and the lemming-like Nat-supporting electorate!

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SPRINGBOK CLUB DECEMBER GATHERING

As mentioned in the December SCN, the Springbok Club’s planned Day of the Vow meeting for 2013 had to be cancelled for reasons beyond our control. The organisation did however stage an informal get-together in central London during December, which turned out to be a very convivial and enjoyable event. It is of course hoped that the Springbok Club will be able to resume its traditional Day of the Vow commemorations in 2014.

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JANUARY SPRINGBOK CLUB EVENTS

The Springbok Club has received a very generous offer of a 10% discount on tickets for the forthcoming Saracens RFC v. Natal Sharks match which will take place at Allianz Park on Saturday 25th January (kick-off 15.15 hrs). Ticket prices range from £22.00 to £68.00 (meaning that after the offered discount they will cost from £19.80 to £61.20). It is hoped therefore that there will be a good contingent of Springbok Club members and supporters at this game, and we have been allocated a section in the “Red and Black” stand which is situated behind one of the goals, but seated under cover. Tickets for this section are priced at only £22.00 (£19.80), but Springbok Club members and supporters who wish to sit in more expensive seats will still be entitled to the 10% discount. For more details about how to order tickets at discount prices either e-mail: springbok@falklands.org or ‘phone: 07711188430.

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Details of the Springbok Club’s 2014 AGM have now been finalized, and are as follows :-

Date : Thursday 30th January 2014

Time : Assemble from 18.30 hrs, AGM to commence at 19.00 hrs.

Venue : The Two Chairmen (the upstairs Sedan Room), 39 Dartmouth Street, London SW1H 9BP (nearest tube station: St.James’s Park). N.B. This is not the same The Two Chairmen near Trafalgar Square which has been used for previous meetings, but is situated where Dartmouth Street, Queen Anne’s Gate and Old Queen Street all converge.

All fully paid-up members of the Springbok Club are entitled to participate in this meeting, though only Honorary, Life and fully paid-up Full Members will be allowed to vote or to stand for office. Non-members will however be allowed to attend, but not to participate in discussions.

The agenda will be as follows :-

1) Organiser’s report for 2013.
2) Treasurer’s report for 2013.
3) Election of officers to the Executive Committee and other appointments for 2014.
4) Motions for debate (if any).
5) Any other business.

All nominations for office and motions for debate must be proposed and seconded by Honorary, Life or fully paid-up Full Members of the Springbok Club, and must be submitted in writing or by e-mail to springbok@falklands.org prior to the meeting.

Once the business side of the meeting has been completed (at approximately 20.00 hrs) Mr. Cliff Moore will give a short talk about his experiences and memories of Rhodesia. Essex-born Cliff Moore lived an adventurous in Africa during the 1950s and 1960s, during which time he lived and worked in South Africa, Swaziland, Mozambique, Nigeria and Kenya, before settling in the then Southern Rhodesia in 1958. Whilst in Rhodesia he served in the BSAP Special Reserve and Security Force. Non-members will of course we welcomed to attend this stage of proceedings.

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SWINTON CIRCLE NEWS

In view of the fact that our friends and fellow-patriots from the New Britain movement have organized such a fantastic itinerary of events for 2014 (15 in all!) the Swinton Circle Committee have decided to curtail the organisation’s own activities for the coming year, and to give full and active support to New Britain’s events instead. Details about the first three such events planned for January and February are detailed in the New Britain News section below, and we hope that all Swinton Circle members will therefore give them their full support.

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The Swinton Circle is however planning a meeting of its own later during 2014 (probably in March) which will be addressed by a leading official of a prominent EuroSceptic pressure group. More details of this event will be given in future editions of the SCN.

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As agreed at the Swinton Circle’s 2013 AGM, the organization will shortly be embarking upon a campaign to encourage the inauguration of a regular Winter Commonwealth Games. More details about this campaign will be given in future editions of the SCN.

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NEW BRITAIN NEWS

As mentioned above, New Britain have organized a spectacular itinerary of events for 2014, details of the first three of which, taking place in January and February, are as follows :-

1) Sunday 26th January – Australia Day celebrations: At 14.30 hrs a wreath will be laid at the statuette of Admiral Arthur Phillip (the first Governor of Australia who was born in the City of London), which is situated in Watling Street immediately to the rear of St.Paul’s Cathedral. There will then follow a procession through the City of London headed by the Cinque Ports Drum and Pipe Band to St.Sepulchre’s Church, where an Australian-themed reception will take place in the Henry Wood Room. There will be no charge for this event.

2) Tuesday 4th February – Goldsmith Lecture: The annual Goldsmith Lecture in memory of Sir James Goldsmith will take place at 19.00 hrs at University College London. This year the guest speaker will be Mr. Zac Goldsmith MP, the son of Sir James Goldsmith, the Chairman of the Lecture will be Sir Teddy Taylor, and the Guest of Honour will be the Rt.Hon. Lord Tebbit CH. Tickets for this lecture will be priced £5.00.

3) Thursday 6th February – New Zealand Day celebrations: At 12.00 noon a wreath will be laid at the statue of Captain James Cook in The Mall. This will be followed by a lunch at a near-by restaurant, and then by a New Zealand-themed reception in the City of London at 19.00 hrs. There will be no charge for this event.

For more precise details about all these events please ‘phone New Britain on: 02072472524.

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REPORT FROM THE ZIMBABWE CONSERVATION TASK FORCE

We have recently received the following quite disturbing report from the Zimbabwe Conservation Task Force. It reads as follows :-

“ELEPHANT CYANIDE POISONING

“A gang of 6 poachers has allegedly poisoned 41 elephants with cyanide in Hwange National Park. The 6 poachers allegedly placed salt laced with cyanide around the water holes where the elephants drink. The elephants eat the salt and die from the poison. 17 tusks have been recovered by police and the 6 poachers have been arrested.

“The other problem is that when other animals and birds feed on the rotting elephant carcasses, they will also die from the poison. Hundreds of animals are now at risk. The police suspect that there could be more elephant carcasses in the park that have not yet been discovered.

“This is the disadvantage of overestimating the elephant population in Zimbabwe. The poachers read that Zimbabwe's elephant population far exceeds its carrying capacity and this encourages them to poach them. The punishment meted out to poachers who are caught, is not harsh enough to discourage them from re-offending. They need to be given some extensive jail time.”

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WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO “THINKERS LIBRARY”?

A reader recently enquired about whether anyone knows what has happened to Thinkers Library, the mail-order book retailer which operated in South Africa during the 1980s and 1990s. This company was run by a very friendly and enthusiastic man who we shall refer to only as Frank (see February 2007 SCN) and his girlfriend Jacky (indeed the company was originally called Jacky’s Books). Some of the titles stocked by Thinkers Library proved somewhat controversial (to say the least!), but even so Frank was a good and loyal supporter of our movement when we still operated in South Africa itself. As we also had not heard anything from or about him for several years we checked on-line, only to discover that the Thinkers Library web-site hadn’t been updated since 2003! If anyone can help us and our enquirer regarding what actually happened to this company then we would be most grateful.

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GIBRALTAR: BRITAIN IN THE SUN

We have been most pleased to see that Channel 5’s excellent programmes, Gibraltar: Britain in the Sun, have now returned for a second series. These programmes about vibrant life in Gibraltar today are being broadcast every Tuesday for the next few weeks at 20.00 hrs. Well worth a view!

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OLYMPIC FEVER

The highly successful 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympic Games will of course be a tough act to follow, but the Russians certainly seem to be preparing an excellent and spectacular Winter Olympic and Paralympic Games at Sochi this year. Excitement is of course mounting around the world, and the Swinton Circle has already posted a good luck message to all British and Commonwealth competitors on its web-site. Unfortunately however these Games are facing a serious terrorist threat from Islamic Jihadists, who have already carried out a couple of bombing atrocities in southern Russia. By so doing the Islamists are of course making common cause with militant homosexuals who are also antagonistic to the current Russian Government. Interesting!

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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

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BOOK OFFERS

"REDNECK P.I." a romantic suspense novel by Trish Jackson.

"Twila's a redneck and proud of it. Harland's a P.I. with a target on his back and a twin brother. An explosive situation!"

Available at www.uncialpress.com in electronic format, and from Amazon.com in print and electronic format.

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"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 B.S.A. Police 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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"P.K. VAN DER BYL - AFRICAN STATESMAN" by Hannes Wessels

ISBN: 978-1-920143-49-7 / paperback / illustrated
Retail price: R250.00, Web-site price: R200.00 + postage

The narrative gives the reader an overview of the history of the White man in southern Africa with detailed emphasis on the Rhodesian story through the life and times of PK van der Byl, one of the major players in a political drama that ended in the accession to power of Robert Mugabe under the auspices of the British government. By his very nature PK was controversial and confrontational. This account is likely to give offence to some because it portrays him as bluntly as he was in real life. Much can be contested about PK van der Byl but few will dispute he was an extremely colourful character with a devilish sense of humour. This memoir covers his life with a full flourish while doing nothing to detract from the seriousness of the international political and military conflict in which he was engaged. The reader will glean new information on a highly controversial subject and emerge with a more sympathetic understanding of what PK van der Byl and his colleagues did and strove for. The human tragedy that has followed the removal from power of Ian Smith and his Rhodesian Front party will almost certainly force the reader to deal with some uncomfortable conclusions, of value to anyone sincere about grappling with the volatile and deeply troubling challenges that confront all Africans today.

This book and others of interest can be purchased from 30 Degrees South via their web-site: www.30degreessouth.co.za

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"BLUE WATCH" by Gwyn Fford-Osborne

Rhodesia, in 1975 and a bloody vicious civil war is at its height. A war between the White minority supported by the Black majority and the ZAPU and ZANU terrorist groups, supported by Zambia and Mozambique. Kensington, a small town in the farming belt has been the subject of several terrorist attacks but with only a small police force for defence, the local T.A. unit having been called up for service on the Zambia border the situation appears grim. Until Iffor Meredith turns up on a pilgrimage to meet up with his wife and son of his old army buddy, recently murdered by terrorists. A deadly ambush on the "Dix" family and his escape from a land mine attack makes Iffor determined to offer resistance of some form or other to the terrorists. His application to join the Rhodesian Army has been accepted and he sets about forming a small militia. With all the fit men already on call up, who can he recruit from. Then he's invited to a darts match at the Moth Club and meets up with the remnants of the town's Fire Brigade, the men considered too old for call up. Blue Watch.

Available from: www.diadembooks.com

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CREST PUBLISHING BOOKS

Crest Publishing retails books by Glenn MacAskill (ex-BSAP Special Branch) entitled "King's Gold", "Crime Lords", "Kill Victoria!", "Hunt the Assassin" and "MacKinnon's Diamond", and by the late Michael Bowery including "Canham's Run", "The Sligo Piper" "Kill the President", "Al Qaeda Armageddon" and his autobiography "Shred when Read", as well as novels by David Ruppert entitled "The Seven Watchmen" and "The Greater Glory" - all of which will be of great interest to South Africans and ex-Rhodesians.

For more information, 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" - DVD versions of the book about the history of the RLI

Now available from Msasa Enterprises. Contact: msasasa@iafrica.com or UK tel.: 07732 685400.

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WHERE ARE THEY NOW ?

No.182 : Mr. KEN DALGLISH of Durban

Ken Dalglish hailed from a Rhodesian family who purchased the Riviera Hotel on the Victoria Embankment in Durban during the early 1980s. The hotel was then run by Ken and his wife Karen (?), his sister Fiona and her fiancĂ© Eoin for the next few years. It became a popular haunt for members of the patriotic movement in Durban – but was also the place where “Mad” Mike Hoare’s ill-fated attempted Seychelles coup was hatched. Ken himself was a member of the “Ancient Order of Froth Blowers” party who tried to initiate the coup, and was involved in the subsequent hijacking of the Air India airliner on which most of coup members managed to escape from the islands. He served a prison sentence in Pretoria Central Jail after being found guilty of the hijacking, but didn’t return to Durban after his release, and was never heard of again. Contact was made with another member of the “Ancient Order of Froth Blowers” party who was by then resident in the UK during the late 1990s, but alas he claimed not to know what had happened to Ken. Needless to say several old friends would be very keen to make contact with Ken again – as he certainly has a story and a half to tell!

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RECOMMENDED WEB-SITE OF THE MONTH

Although encouragingly all opinion polls currently point to a decisive rejection of Scottish “independence” in this year’s important Scottish constitutional referendum, it is vital for patriotic pro-Unionist forces not to become too complacent. Undoubtedly the best vehicle to work through in order to ensure a decisive “No” vote is the official Better Together campaign, which although perhaps not as hard-hitting as many of our supporters would like, is even so far more likely to garner significant numbers of currently undecided votes. We encourage all of our supporters, whether they live in Scotland or not, to support the BetterTtogether campaign as actively as they can. Their all-encompassing web-site can be accessed at:-

http://bettertogether.net/

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

MERCENARIES AT THE GATES

Sir,

Plus ca change. Back in the 1970s, the Central African Republic was ruled by a maniac called Bokassa who declared himself to be Emperor. At least he and his fellow-monster “Field Marshal Dr” Idi Amin Dada were good for a sick laugh, unlike the even worse Macias Nguema of Equatorial Guinea. The fall of these three and Pol Pot were among the best things to happen in 1979.

However their successors do not seem to be much if at all better - there was Obote of Uganda, for instance. I believe that the only "honour-worthy" thing Sir Mark Thatcher has ever done was his involvement in the Wonga Coup in Equatorial Guinea - perhaps people like Bill Gates could use some of their fortunes to really make a difference in Africa and elsewhere. Am I defending mercenaries? Yes.

Yours etc.,

M. Taylor, London, U.K..

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BLUE GRASS STATEMENT

Sir,

Thanks for latest edition of the SCN. I'm able to pass on info’ to people in the large Brit’ (etc.)
ex-pat meet-up group in the DC area, and also in Louisville, Kentucky, where I'm temporality
working.

Yours etc.,

Alan Truelove, Louisville, Kentucky, U.S.A.

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FROST REPORT

Sir,

Excellent obituary for Sir David Frost and again for the Cliff Morgan one in the September SCN. Both very well written.

Yours etc.,

D.R.D., Rochester, Kent, U.K.

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OBITUARIES

ARIEL SHARON

Ariel Sharon, the Israeli military leader and politician who died earlier this month after being in a coma for eight years, was a great Israeli who provided phenomenal services to the State of Israel, and thereby to the West as a whole. Alas, however, the final years of his life were marred with controversy when he seemed to renege on the previous defiant stance which he had always adopted.

Born in 1928 at Kfar Malal, Israel, into a family of Russian Jewish descent, Sharon did not excel particularly at school, although he was clearly intellectually brilliant. He found his true vocation in life when he joined the infant Israeli Army immediately after the State was founded (after previously serving in the Jewish Settlement Police), and fought with bravery and distinction in the 1948 War against Arab invaders, the 1956 Suez War and the 1967 Six-Day War. In spite of gaining a high reputation as a military commander in all these operations, and rapid promotions as a result, he never achieved the post which he most craved, that of C-in-C of the IDF. This was probably because he was a regular practitioner of the “Nelson Touch”, when he would deliberately ignore orders which he believed were flawed. Usually he proved to be correct in his analysis. Having retired a few years earlier to embark upon a new career farming on the edge of the Negev Desert, Sharon was called out of retirement by a desperate Israeli government following the surprise Egyptian attack of Yom Kippur 1973. Retirement hadn’t dented Sharon’s military genius, and with inspired determination he masterminded a reverse crossing of the Suez Canal which quickly and decisively ensured an Israeli victory.

Shortly after this Sharon was to make yet another career change, for he decided to enter politics, and was heavily involved in the formation of the Right-wing Likud Block. When Likud gained power in 1977 Sharon was initially appointed Minister of Agriculture, but in 1981 he was promoted to the position which he most wanted – Minister of Defence. In this post he took a defiant pro-active approach to defeating Palestinian terrorism, orchestrating the Israeli invasion of Lebanon in order to crush the Hezbollah terrorists who were ensconced in the country. His main tactic was to form a de facto alliance with the Christian Lebanese forces of the South Lebanon Army (who of course were later evilly betrayed by the Labour Government of Ehud Barak). In the course of this campaign two Palestinian “refugee camps” which were bases for Hezbollah terrorist operations were attacked and masses of terrorists eliminated. This necessary operation was predictably condemned by international liberal elements, and sadly Sharon and the Christian forces involved did not receive the backing from several important sections of Israeli society which they deserved. Sharon’s political career seemed to be over, but this was not to be. In 1984 he was back in Yitzhak Shamir’s Likud Government, eventually gaining the position of Minister of Housing – a post with considerable security implications given Israel’s frontline position facing expansionist Arab forces. He personally planned and supervised new Israeli settlements in Judea/Samaria, which not only provided housing for the growing Israeli population swelled by large-scale Jewish immigration from the former Soviet Union, but which also provided enhanced security for the nation as a whole.

Ariel Sharon, like all members of the Likud Governments, realized the importance of close – though secret – co-operation on military, technological and security matters between Israel and the then civilized-ruled South Africa. It was also widely rumoured that Ariel Sharon enjoyed close personal links with leading members of the Conservative Party of South Africa at this time.

Following Likud’s defeat in 1999 Sharon was elected leader of the party, and then took office as Prime Minister following Likud’s victory in the 2001 General Election. Initially he seemed to stay true to his defiant patriotic Israeli stance which had been the hallmark of all his previous careers, and indeed he cultivated a strong relationship with President George W. Bush. Something mysterious happened to Ariel Sharon halfway through his term of office however, for in spite of all his earlier resistance to encroaching Palestinian terrorist attacks and his determination to build new settlements in Judea/Samaria, he suddenly seemed eager to enact a compromise with the Palestinians, and even reprehensibly to force the closure and withdrawal of all the long-standing Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip. This sell-out inevitably caused a split in Likud, and he suffered the severe stroke from which he never recovered shortly after this. Whether it was his failing health which caused this astonishing volte-face on everything which he previously stood for will never be known, but alas it caused a dark cloud to overshadow his otherwise most praise-worthy life.

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MIKE BOWERY

It was with much sadness that we recently learnt of the death of Mike Bowery, a co-proprietor of Crest Publishing. Mike was a remarkable man who served in the British Army, the Metropolitan Police, the Nyasaland Police and the SAP. He also served with the Directorate of Covert Collection (DCC) for the South African Government. As a spymaster he ran sources of information throughout Africa, Europe, Indian Ocean Islands and China.

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See you again next month!