LOOKING BACK

Introduction by Brig HB ‘Hennie’ Heymans, SA Police (Ret)

The golden thread of history in my life started with my father, the late Sergeant AF Heymans. He was born in Bethlehem in the Orange Free State and grew up in the hamlet of Van Reenen on the Natal / Orange Free State border. This is why this little piece of history is so dear to me.

After serving in the Special Service Battalion, during 1938 he joined the South African Police in Pretoria. For the most part of his career, he served in Durban. He used to subscribe to the The Nongqai and most English and Afrikaans newspapers and periodicals.

At one time during his service the son of Col WJ Clarke, who was the last Chief Commissioner of the famous Natal Police, no 12225 (M) Head Constable George Geoffrey Clarke was his Station Commander. As a raconteur my father told me many “police stories” that he heard from old Natal Policemen – many who were also former members of the late Natal and Cape Mounted Riflemen, later the SA Riflemen. I like to think that there is a historical connection and link between all policemen!

Out of these “police stories” grew a strong link with our past – and today I honour their memory bygiving them the credit for kindling the interest of police history in my heart.

We were an Afrikaans speaking family with many English relatives – however, today the history ofthe Natal Mounted Police is as much part of my field of interest as that of the Oranje VrijstaatRijdende Dienstmacht or the late South African Police.

Once on a recent visit to my paternal Aunt, Mrs Mims West Thomas, who lives in Van Reenen andwho is the owner of the little Roman Catholic Church, Llandaf Oratory, she gave me a copy oftyped manuscript by an Assistant Commissioner of the Natal Police, Lt-Col GS Mardall, OBE, JP.

This manuscript is dated sometime before 1938.

On the 1 st of April 2013 the old South African Police would have been one hundred years old! The11