UDF – Blogging while allatsea

Tag: UDF

Roll of Honour. St John’s College, Houghton

25/11/2018

Heritage, Johannesburg, Military, Personal, School Memorials, South Africa, United Kingdom, World War 1, World War 2

St John’s College in Houghton has a very strong connection to the military, and there are two chapels on the premises. The larger chapel houses the Roll of Honour, whereas the Crypt Chapel has the Delville Wood Cross in it. I have dealt with that chapel in a previous post and this post really deals with the Roll of Honour. Unfortunately my images are less than satisfactory, but I was pushed for time and was not able to concentrate on what I was photographing, which is probably why it has taken so long for these images to appear in the first place.

I really started working on the Roll of Honour as a result of my involvement with “Lives of the First World War”, and really looked at the 1914-1918 portion of the Roll of Honour and created a community for it (Community will be unavailable until July 2020). I had hoped to be able to tie a name into a specific record but I was not always successful. The problem really is that some names tie into a number of possibles, or don’t tie into anybody and without more details I am just unable to do anything except guess, and even then I cannot. The results here may not be correct and I do welcome any help with them.

The inscriptions are on wooden panels and it was not easy to read them which is why I took an image with the flash and an image without one. Images link to either CWGC or South African War Graves Project. There are 4 sections to this page: World War 1, World War 2, Post World War, Private Memorials.

World War 1

CA Bailey (1)

R O Bettington

S. Dunstan (2)

A.Eastwood (3)

A Fraser (4)

W. Hirst (5)

R. Johnstone (6)

C.D. King (7)

H. Mallett DCM
S Marsh (8)

R. Martin (9)

J Peters (10)

B. Stokes (11)

W. Ware-Austin (12)

(1) CA Bailey. No possible candidate found

(2). S Dunstan. There are two possibles at CWGC but no way to tie either of them to the ROH.

(3) A Eastwood. No possible candidate found

(4) A Fraser. Possible candidate

(5) W Hirst. No possible candidate found

(6) R Johnstone. Two possibles but no way to positively tie them to the ROH

(7) CD King. Many possibles but nothing to tie them into the ROH

(8) S Marsh. Two possibles but no way to positively tie them to the ROH

(9) R Martin. Many possibles but no way to positively tie them to the ROH

(10) J Peters. Many possibles but no way to positively tie them to the ROH

(11) B Stokes. No possible candidate found

(12) W. Ware-Austin. No possible candidate found.

World War 2

	L. Adams (2) J.O. Alcock J.E. Andrews P.H. Andrews (3) B.H. Black P.V. Boon R.P. Burmeister H.C. Campbell (4) E.F. Cary G. Cherrington (5) B.V. Clarence J.P. Cleaton-Jones J.T. Corlyon C.L. Cousins B.R. Curtis-Setchell C.P. Davis J.H. De La Harpe R.H. Denehy R.C. Drinkwater R.L.B. Du Preez C.C.W.P. Dutton E.G. Elliott-Wilson J.M. Ferrar E.S. Fraser L.R. Fuller S.L. Gettliffe P.W. Glenton T.O. Gordon-Barrat (6) E.P. Hamilton
	J.S. Harley H. Haswell B.D. Havnl (1) J.A. Hill (7) M.R. Hill G.W. Hirschfeld C.B. Hull D.F.C R.Y. Hull E.G.S. Hurtzig E.B.H. Impey H.F. Irlam T.M.G. Jenkin I.L. Johnson R.M. Keating G. Lawrie W.W. Layman G. De V. Leach B.L. Lewison A.W. Little D.S.C. M. McCardle R. MacDonald (8) R.C. McIntyre K.B. MacWilliam A.D. Mason J.M. Mathieson A.M. Miller D.F.C. (USA) P.J. Mockford W.D.R. Moffatt A.W.R. Morisse T.P. Munro D.F. Murray (9) D.A. Nairn C.H. Nethersole J.H. Nixon
	D. Paddon R.G. Parry F.W. Phillips R.N. Philpott N.C. Pickard J.D. Pitman J.D. Powrie I.R.R. Pryde N.B.R. Pryde B.P. Purves (10) F.M. Reim (11.) B.J.A. Rennie M.C. D.W. Reynolds E.L. Robinson G.L.D. Rogers R.W. Rowan D.F.C. A.D. Schleiss H.F. Smith N.A. Smith L.R. Spoor B.H. Stewart N.B.L. Stirton A.R. Thomson J.A. Twiddy C.D. Wackrill P.R. Walker L. Warren-Smith G.I. Washington E.V. Whitehead D.S.O. S.H.J. Whitehead D.W. Whyte K.E. Wickee M. Williams P.S. Wimble

(1) Surname appears to be Havnl but this may be missing characters.

(2) May be http://www.southafricawargraves.org/search/details.php?id=160

(3) May be http://www.southafricawargraves.org/search/details.php?id=537

(4) Two possibles but not able to confirm which it is

(5) No data on a G Cherrington

(6) Aka known as Baratt, Thomas Oxenham Gordon

(7) Two possibles but no way of checking which it is

(8) May be http://www.southafricawargraves.org/search/details.php?id=14221

(9) Two possibles but not enough information

(10) May be https://www.cwgc.org/find-war-dead/casualty/2239953/purves,-brian-percival/

(11) Initials are given as M.F on grave

Post World War 2

M.D. Reitz (1952)

C.H.C.R. Stewart (12)

R.H. Mentis (1963)

P.N. Gettliffe (12)

D.A. Carshalton (1976)

D.R. Mitchell (12)

A Gordon-Bennett (1978)

A. De Kiewiet (12)

(12) No record found

Private Memorials.

I saw two private memorials amongst the panels.

Hugh Grier Mertens

Cyprian Ryland Jenkin
Tom Michael Glanvill Jenkin

Mendi Memorial at Hollybrook Cemetery in Southampton, UK

26/01/2014

Heritage, Mendi, Outside RSA, ROH, South Africa, World War 1

Technically this memorial is not a specific Mendi Memorial, it really commemorates by name almost 1,900 servicemen and women of the Commonwealth land and air forces whose graves are not known, many of whom were lost in transports or other vessels torpedoed or mined in home waters. More information about the memorial may be found at the relevant CWGC information page.

Memorial at Hollybrook Cemetery in Southampton

My own interest in the Mendi started many years ago when I read “Black Valour” by Norman Clothier. At the time it was the definitive book about the Africans and Coloureds that served with the South Africans during the wars. Coupled with my interest in ships, it became a natural extension of my webpage and my graveyard photography. It took many years to finally be able to visit the Mendi Memorial at Avalon Cemetery and from then on things just happened. That Mendi webpage is still a work in progress even after so many years, and deep in my heart I always wanted to visit some tangible relic to the Mendi in the United Kingdom.

I got that opportunity on 10 April 2013 while I was in Southampton.

The “Mendi Corner”

It was a very emotional moment to stand at that spot and see those plaques for the first time. Strangely enough it had been a grey overcast day so far, but just for that short period the sun came out and shone on the memorial for me.

There are two CWGC memorials in Hollybrook Cemetery, as well as numerous CWGC graves scattered around inside of it. Yet, this is a very special piece of England. A number of Mendi casualties are buried at Portsmouth Milton cemetery, and I would eventually get to visit them too.

Google Earth co-ordinates for the memorial are: 50.933687°, -1.430978°

I returned later in the year and left a small poppy cross for my countrymen who died so far from home, and on 23 February 2014, I participated in a wreath laying at this memorial. For me it was a very special moment, In some small corner of Southampton there is a place that will always be South African.

Mendi Memorial in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth

26/01/2014

Eastern Cape, Heritage, Mendi, ROH, South Africa, World War 1

These photographs were taken on 12 June 2011 in New Brighton, Port Elizabeth by Ronnie Lovemore and are used with his permission.

Mendi Memorial. New Brighton

This is the second Mendi Memorial that I was able to add to these pages, and like the one in Avalon seems to be in danger of loosing its context. The photographer remarked that a light has been taken from the top of the memorial and the area was filthy. The Google Street view of the memorial also showed an unmaintained and water sodden area that does not befit what it stands for.

Dedication plaque

For more information about the Mendi, check my sinking of the Mendi page. This Mendi Memorial may be found at the Google Earth co-ordinates 33° 54.379’S, 25° 35.873’E

Bezuidenhout Valley War Memorial

05/01/2014

East Rand, Extinct Memorials, Heritage, ROH, South Africa, World War 1

Memorial as at 24/10/2019

The memorial as at 23/02/2019

**Update 11/02/2019**

An article on IOL dated 29 January 2019 shows the derelict memorial had been further desecrated with red paint 2 weeks before Remembrance Day. It was still paint damaged on 14/01/2019

**Update 17/06/2018**

In June 2018 I was shown an article that showed the state of the memorial after it had been extensively vandalised beyond repair. There is an article on the Heritage Portal about it and frankly it is disgraceful. Unfortunately it seems as if the odds of it being repaired are small. Realistically it should have been moved years ago, but its now too late. Consequently this memorial is now extinct.

**Update 27/07/2018**

Stakeholders met to decided the future of what was left of the memorial and it has been proposed to move it to nearby Bezuidenhout Park, within the palisade fenced garden close to the principal farmhouse. But, the usual heritage impact studies have to be done although there is nothing left to study and budgets allocated and rubber stamps will need to be wielded. The needs of red tape must be satisfied. Personally I am a bit sceptical about the park considering that it too has had its share of vandalism. I will however only believe it when I see it. Article on Heritage Portal of 26 July 2018

Original post.

I originally visited the Bezuidenhout Valley World War One Memorial which is situated on the corner of Kitchener Road and 9th Ave in Bez Valley/Kensington during August 2007. At the time the memorial was in a very poor condition and the fountain was not working.

Memorial in 2009

I subsequently revisited the memorial in April 2009 and the fountain was actually in operation. although the area around it was still dirty and run down. Fortunately the name plaques were still intact and legible.

In 2012 things were not looking too great once again as this image taken from Darragh Centre testifies.

The destroyed memorial used to be found at Google Earth co-ordinates -26.191156° 28.087656° .

The Air Force Memorial at Bays Hill

04/01/2014

Border War, Korean War, South Africa, World War 1, World War 2

This beautiful memorial, completed in 1963, is well worth the trip to Pretoria for. Situated on Bays Hill, close to the Air Force Museum, it’s surrounded by well tended gardens and a magnificent view. Members of the South African Air Force who lost their lives in war and peace are remembered here, and on the Memorial Wall of the Garden of Remembrance. More on the history of the the Memorial may be found at the SAAFA Website

The memorial is open from 08:00 to 16:00 Monday to Sunday except Good Friday and Christmas Day. Entrance is free. There is a small chapel for services, as well as a Korean War Plaque and an RAF Memorial within its grounds.