2 Inhoud VOORWOORD................................................................................................................................7 Hennie Heymans 7 BEDINK DIT!....................................................................................................................................8 Koot Swanepoel...........................................................................................................................9 TROU TOT DIE DOOD TOE 9 Genl JV van der Merwe................................................................................................................9 BOOK: THE TALL ASSASSIN: The darkest political murders of the old South Africa 13 by Allan Elsdon. 13 Johan Mostert (Former Secretary of the State Security Council) ...............................................14 1986: BOMB SQUAD: LIMPET MINE DETONATED AT SAP HILLBROW 17 Sgt Koos van der Merwe............................................................................................................17 Introduction.................................................................................................................................17 1838: BLOUKRANS-MOORDE 23 Marnè Pienaar ATKV via dr. Dreyer van der Merwe. .................................................................23 SABOTASIE? QUEENSWOOD: KRAG- EN WATERONDERBREKING 25 HB Heymans 25 SPOORWEË: DIEFSTAL: KOPERDRAAD....................................................................................36 J & J Wepener 37 TRANSFORMER & ELECTRICITY INFRASTRUCTURE THEFT REACHES CRISIS LEVELS....38 Mimmy Godwe ...........................................................................................................................38 POLICE 4 CHRIST 39 Fanie and Susan van Vuuren.....................................................................................................39 SOUTH AFRICAN CONSTABULARY: ST ALBANS CATHEDRAL: PRETORIA 40 Frank Winder and William Endley 40 HULDEBLYK: JOHNNY DYKES....................................................................................................43 Sidney Trollip 43 GRAVE OF CONSTABLE WILLIAM EAGLE (SAC & TP): FORT EDWARD.................................45 Charles Leach............................................................................................................................45 1956: WALKING 32 MILES TO JOIN THE SOUTH AFRICAN POLICE 46 24-25 JUNIE 1956: MET DAPPER EN STAPPER STAP EK 32 MYL MY LOOPBAAN BINNE ....47 Lt-kol (afgetree) J. J. (Stompie) du Pont 47 GEDIG: “DOGTERTJIE” 51 Lt-kol MJJ van Rensburg (SALM – Afgetree).............................................................................51 DIE PADDA EN DIE VALK 53 (Chris Botha) 53 SOUTH AFRICAN POLICING SNIPPETS: 17 FEBRUARY 2024..................................................54
3 Chris Botha.................................................................................................................................54 ABSTRACT 54 PRIVATE PROSECUTION UNIT INTERVENTION ENSURES SA NAVY OFFICER IS PROSECUTED FOR DEADLY CRASH.........................................................................................56 Barry Bateman | AfriForum 56 COLONEL ALGERNON ESSEX CAPELL CBE, DSO...................................................................57 Gerhard van Tonder 57 OPERATION MIRACLE: 26 SEPTEMBER 1979 71 Gerhard van Tonder...................................................................................................................71 THEY STOOD ALONE: THE SIEGE OF ELANDS RIVER, 4–16 AUGUST 1900 85 Gerhard van Tonder...................................................................................................................85 POLISIE-SIELKUNDE | POLICE PSYCOLOGY............................................................................97 A PERSONAL VIEW OF CRIMINAL PROFILING WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO FAMOUS FEMICIDES 97 AUTHOR: 97 ’N PERSOONLIKE SIENING VAN KRIMINELE PROFILERING MET SPESIFIEKE VERWYSING NA BEKENDE VROUEMOORDE..................................................................................................97 SOUTH AFRICAN COMMONWEALTH WAR CASUALTIES BURIED ACROSS THE WORLD –PART SEVENTY-THREE. 103 Captain (SAN) Charles Ross (SA Navy Retired)......................................................................103 • Padua War Cemetery - Italy 104 • Aldershot Military Cemetery – United Kingdom 105 • Sfax War Cemetery - Tunisia 105 • Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery - Tunisia............................................................................107 SLOT | END.................................................................................................................................112
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Hennie Heymans
Wat ‘n besondere uitgawe is hierdie versameling Brokkies ingestuur deur ons lesers.
Een van die mooiste – uit die hart uit – huldeblyke wat ek ooit gelees het, word met ons lesers gedeel. Die huldeblyk is deur Sidney Trollip en dit handel oor Johnny Dykes. Kameraadskap was een van die polisie se baie sterk punte.
Uit die pen van genl Johan van der Merwe verskyn die storie van Afrikaner-bedrywighede tydens en na die Kodesa-tydperk. Dit is ‘m baie interessante greep uit ons Afrikaner-geskiedenis en ook ‘n interessante faset in die SA Polisie se geskiedenis. Die polisie was nog altyd getrou aan die mense van Suid-Afrika ten spyte van die gebeure wat op die politieke platvorm afspeel.
Mnr Johan Mostert bespreek die boek: “The Tall Assassin” deur Allan Elsdon. Hy weerlê sekere bewerings.
AO (afgetree) Koos van der Merwe vertel op sy kenmerkende humoristiese manier hoe hy ‘n kleefmyn verwyder het by Hillbrow-polisiestasie. I.p.v. ‘n medalje vir dapperheid het hy op die mat geëindig!
Gedurende die nag van 16/17 Februarie 1838, het die mees tragiese oomblik in Afrikaner geskiedenis afgespeel, die grootste kindermoord in ons land se geskiedenis het plaasgevind.
Hennie Heymans vra of dit sabotasie is, as die kragdrade en substasies geplunder word vir die koperdraad in die kragverbindings? Die watertoevoer loop ook deur. Dit lyk of die boewe nie gevang word nie.
Die Spoorweë loop ook deur want die koper-bobaan wat aan elektriese treine hul krag voorsien word ook gesteel. Is dit nie tyd dat die polisie mense vir sabotasie aankla nie?
Fanie van Vuuren het uit die hart uit ‘n gebed vir die polisie geskryf. Lees asseblief die gebed biddend.
Frank Winder het gaan kyk na die SA Constabulary se artefakte wat in die St Alban’s katedraal gestoor word.
Charles Leach rapporteer dat toeriste darem besoek aflê by konst William Eagle se graf by Fort Edward.
Lt-kol Stompie du Pont vertel hoe hy 32-myl te voet moes aflê om by die SA Polisie aan te sluit. Ltkol MJJ van Rensburg deel met ons ys gedig met opskrif “Dogtertjie”.
Twee inskrywings is van genl-maj Chris Botha: Oom ‘n gedig: Die Padda en die Valk en ‘n artikel “Police Snippets”.
Dan het ons die interessante Rhodesia Desk, polisie-sielkunde en dan ons Suid-Afrikaanse militêre grafte.
Geniet en lekker lees!
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VOORWOORD
BEDINK DIT!
‘n Gedagte vir julle kosbare Boekie
Jabes leef voor die kruis en moes hom beywer vir die seën van die Here deur die onderhouding van die wet en daarom moes hy vra na wat hy nog nie gehad het nie, naamlik die seën van die Here en ‘n vergrote grondgebied.
Na die kruis kan ek en jy Efesiërs 1 vers 3 bely oor ons lewens - God het my geseën met alle geestelike seëninge wat daar in die hemele is in Christus. Ek is die geseënde van die Here.
My grondgebied is deur die kruis so vergroot dat ek volgens Galasiërs 4 vers 6 nou kind van God is en daarom SY erfgenaam. Galasiërs 3 v. 14 verklaar dat die seëninge van Abraham nou ook myne geword het.
Hierdie genade van ons Hemelse Vader maak nie sin nie, maar as dit sou sin maak, is dit nie genade nie.
Dit is dié genade wat nie sin maak nie, wat JESUS aan die kruis bewerkstellig het vir ons, sodat dit sinvol in ons lewens gestalte kan kry.
Dank die Here dat ons genade nie kan koop of verdien nie.
Dink net hoe sou mense baklei om die beste genade te bekom. Dink net wat se gelde mense sou aanbied vir genade! Verseker sou die rykstes die beste kon kry. Verseker sou die invloedrykes op die beste aanspraak maak.
Dit is juis opregte genade uit ‘n Goddelike Vader hart, wat genade skenk aan elkeen, ryk of arm, mooi of lelik, lank of kort. Maak nie saak wat jou velkleur is, of waar jy bank, of hoe solvent jou bankrekening is of aan watter kerk jy behoort nie, genade is vir ons almal.
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Al maak genade nie vir ons sin nie en sukkel ons soms om dit te begryp, moet ons dit net aanvaar en self bly toepas in ons lewens deur genadig te wees teenoor ander. Dan kan ons saam met die liedjie skrywer uit ons hele wese saam sing; “Amazing grace how sweet the sound.......
Koot Swanepoel.
(Kopiereg, uit my Boek "Genade maak nie sin nie")
TROU TOT DIE DOOD TOE
Genl JV van der Merwe
IN Januarie 1991 het die Regering en die ANC ooreengekom om ʼn veelpartykonferensie te hou om ʼn grondwet vir ʼn nuwe bedeling op te stel. Die konferensie sou as die Konvensie vir ʼn Demokratiese
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Suid-Afrika (Kodesa) bekend staan. Die onderhandelinge het in die Wêreldhandelsentrum in Kemptonpark plaasgevind, langs die Johannesburgse Internasionale Lughawe (nou die O.R. Tambo Internasionale Lughawe).
Namate die onderhandelinge tussen die Regering, die ANC/SAKP-alliansie en ander partye gevorder het, het die weerstand in regse geledere begin opbou. Die Afrikaner-Volksfront (AVF) is gestig met genl. Constand Viljoen, voormalige hoof van die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag, as leier en verskeie afgetrede generaals van die Weermag en Polisie as sy adjudante. Die AVF het later uit ʼn koalisie van 21 konserwatiewe Afrikanerbewegings bestaan, waaronder ook die AfrikanerWeerstandsbeweging (AWB). Genl. Viljoen het die Boerekrisis-aksie (BKA) gestig as ʼn soort militêre vleuel vir die Volksfront. Kol. Jan Breytenbach, ʼn Weermag-veteraan wat in Angola Bataljon 32 aangevoer het, het bevel oor die BKA gevoer. Talle gewese Weermaglede het hulle by die BKA aangesluit.
Met die kundigheid en vernuf waarmee lede van die veiligheidstak informante in die binneste geledere van die ANC/SAKP-alliansie en ander radikale organisasies geplant het, het die veiligheidstak ook spoedig informante in die regse binnekringe gehad.
Dit het my telkens verbaas hoe mense wat in eie geledere en soms ook in die openbaar die hoogste agting geniet het, bereid was om ter wille van geld die saak waarvoor hulle hulle oënskynlik beywer het, te verloën. Dat geld byna sonder uitsondering die vernaamste dryfveer was, is gewis en seker. In sekere gevalle mag daar dieper beweegredes gewees het, maar patriotisme was dit nooit. Die samelewing sal waarskynlik verstom staan as dit ooit rugbaar sou word wie as informante vir ons opgetree het. Dit het mense ingesluit wat die grootste vertroue van hul leiers en ondergeskiktes geniet het en deur die samelewing as lojale ondersteuners van hul saak beskou is. Ons het onderneem om ons informante se identiteit tot elke prys geheim te hou. Ek is trots daarop dat, ondanks druk uit verskillende oorde, geldelike aanbiedinge en soms ook persoonlike oorwegings, dié onderneming tot dusver deur elke lid van die veiligheidstak gestand gedoen is.
Ons het altyd streng daarteen gewaak dat informante ʼn leidende rol speel of enigiets doen wat ʼn misdryf kon uitlok. Sommige informante was in leiersposisies, maar selfs dan was ons versigtig dat die informant nie mense aanstig om ʼn misdryf te pleeg nie. Ek het by geleentheid, ná die stigting van die BKA, genl. Constand Viljoen, vir wie ek groot agting gehad het en wie se integriteit te alle tye bo verdenking was, versigtig gewaarsku dat niks wat in die geheim gedoen word, geheim bly nie.
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Dit spreek vanself dat die meeste blanke Afrikaanssprekende polisielede begrip en deernis gehad het vir die emosies wat die politieke veranderinge in Afrikanergeledere veroorsaak het. Natuurlik het ons ook ons vrese en bedenkinge gehad, maar ons het die handhawing van wet en orde eerste gestel. Ons is dikwels in Afrikanergeledere verwyt dat ons onverskillig jeens die lot van Afrikaners staan. Elke regdenkende polisielid het egter besef dat indien ons die handhawing van wet en orde ondergeskik aan ons eie emosies sou stel, ons die land in ’n chaos en anargie sou dompel.
Ons eerste groot botsing met regses het gevolg toe die Staatspresident, mnr. F.W de Klerk, besluit om op 9 Augustus 1991 ʼn openbare vergadering van die Nasionale Party op Ventersdorp te hou.
Dit was die tuisdorp van Eugène Terre’Blanche en die hartland van die AWB. Ons het besef dat die AWB alles moontlik sou doen om die vergadering te ontwrig en dus gereël dat lede van die onlusbestrydingseenheid die orde sou handhaaf.
Inligting wat van informante ontvang is, het daarop gedui dat AWB-lede in groot getalle by die vergadering gaan opdaag om dit met geweld te ontwrig. Ons het mnr. De Klerk vooraf gewaarsku dat die situasie uiters gespanne is, maar hom verseker dat ons alles moontlik doen om die AWB te stuit.
Genl. Adriaan de la Rosa, wat in bevel van die onlusbestrydingseenheid was, sou bevel oor die polisielede voer. Genl. Louw Malan, my adjunk, sou met die leiers van die AWB onderhandel om te probeer verseker dat die vergadering vreedsaam verloop. Ongeveer 800 polisiemanne, almal opgelei in onlusbestryding, is ontplooi.
Die vergadering sou in die Kommandosaal op Ventersdorp plaasvind. Toegang tot die saal is deur lemmetjiesdraad en polisievoertuie beperk. Polisiehonde is ook ingespan om toegang te beheer. Lede van die Nasionale Party het reeds vroeër die dag by die saal aangekom. In daardie stadium het alles nog vreedsaam verloop. Mnr. De Klerk sou eers die aand by die saal aankom. Sy motor het onder sterk polisiegeleide uit Pretoria vertrek, maar ’n ruk voor sy aankoms het groot getalle AWB-lede gewapen met pistole en gewere op Ventersdorp toegesak. Ander reëlings moes inderhaas getref word. Mnr. en mev. De Klerk en hul geselskap is voor Ventersdorp voorgekeer en per helikopter na die hospitaal gebring, waar ʼn Casspir gewag het. Voor hulle kon land, het die polisievlieënier iemand met ʼn geweer op ʼn dak gewaar. Uit vrees dat dit dalk ʼn AWB-skerpskutter is, het hy om die dorp gevlieg en die polisie op die grond per radio oor die verdagte ingelig. Toe die polisie bevestig dat dit veilig is, het hy by die hospitaal geland. Mnr. De Klerk en sy geselskap is daarvandaan met die Casspir na die saal. Daar was toe reeds ʼn groot getal gewapende AWB-
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ondersteuners wat die polisiemanne uitgejou en beledig het. Mnr. De Klerk en sy geselskap het omring deur polisiemanne van die Casspir na die saal gestap.
Die situasie was uiters gespanne. Pogings deur genl. Louw Malan om mnr. Piet Rudolph, sekretarisgeneraal van die AWB, te oorreed om die AWB-lede te onttrek, het op niks uitgeloop nie. Die AWBlede het al hoe meer uittartend begin optree en beledigings is veral na genl. De la Rosa geslinger. Hy is uitgekryt as volksverraaier en uitlander. Genl. De la Rosa het kalm en onverstoord met sy taak voortgegaan en aan een AWB-lid gesê: “Ek is ʼn Boer net soos jy, maar ek is hier om wet en orde te handhaaf.”
Aangevuur deur mnr. Rudolph het die AWB-ondersteuners die lemmetjiesdraad stormgeloop. Genl. De la Rosa het daarop opdrag gegee dat traanrook gebruik moet word. In die daaropvolgende geharwar het AWB-lede op die polisie begin vuur en drie gewond. Op bevel van genl. De la Rosa het die polisie teruggevuur en een AWB-lid doodgeskiet.
AWB-lede het begin vlug in die rigting van die hoofstraat, waar hulle die ruite van voertuie wat deur swartmense bestuur is, stukkend geslaan het. Hulle het ook op ʼn bus gevuur, maar niemand is getref nie. ʼn Bakkie met ʼn doodskis agterop het in die rigting van die AWB-lede gery en hulle het op die bestuurder begin vuur. In sy nood om weg te kom, het die bestuurder tussen die AWB-lede ingery en twee doodgery.
Die vergadering in die Kommandosaal het sonder ontwrigting plaasgevind. Ná die tyd het mnr. De Klerk en sy geselskap met Casspirs na die hospitaal vertrek, waar hulle die beseerde polisiemanne besoek het. Hulle is toe per helikopter daar weg.
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BOOK: THE TALL ASSASSIN: The darkest political murders of the old South Africa
by Allan Elsdon.
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Johan Mostert (Former Secretary of the State Security Council)
Former members of the Bureau for State Security (dubbed BOSS by certain sections of the media) still receive queries from people of all walks of life as to the authenticity of the book, The Tall Assassin: The darkest political murders of the old South Africa, by Allan Elsdon. The title of the book refers to General “Lang Hendrik” van den Bergh, head of the Bureau from 1969 to 1978. The author was a junior member of the Special Branch (SB) of the South African Police and has never had any access to Van den Bergh. For the sake of history, the seriously distorted portrayal of Van den Bergh and the Bureau begs a proper perspective.
According to the publishers, Random House Struik (Umuzi), “[t]he book draws on facts, reconstructing likely scenarios where details were not obtainable. [The front cover of the book also states “Based on Facts”]. “Van den Bergh, who was responsible for the arrest of Nelson Mandela, built a formidable intelligence network linking into MI5, the CIA, Mossad, and French and German intelligence agencies. According to this book, he may have been involved in the assassination of HF Verwoerd, the death of Nic Diederichs, Steve Biko’s murder, as well as the murder of Anton Lubowski and Prof. Johan Heyns.”
Despite the claim that the book is based on facts, the stories are far removed from reality. The only facts in the book are references to well-known historical people and events. All the narratives and embellishments are figments of the author’s imagination. It must be kept in mind that the
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intelligence services operated on a very strict “need-to-know” basis during that time. It would not have been possible for an “outsider” or a junior to obtain the kind of information that the book peddles. Not even highly placed insiders would have been privy to activities of such a nature; only a select few. Elsdon never was a member of the inner circle of the Special Branch. Bluntly stated, the book contains a lot of poppycock.
It could be said that “the lady doth protest too much”, was it not for the fact that influential people believed in the authenticity of the stories. Even educated people such as Prof. Ockie Geyser, emeritus professor in History at the University of the Free State, believed in what was dished up as the truth. He swallowed the book hook line and sinker and wrote a review strongly recommending the book as an insight into what transpired under the previous regime: “As jy die boek toeslaan, besef jy hoe skrikwekkend dit werklik is as ’n ideologie ’n bewind se agente hul moraliteit oorboord kan laat gooi om bisarre doelwitte te bereik. Vreesaanjaend as jy daaraan dink dat fanatici beskermd in uitvoerende kernposte kan beland”.
What is the truth? After PW Botha’s ascension to power, he immediately ordered the intelligence and security communities to keep their distance from Van den Bergh. The fierce animosity between Botha and Van den Bergh was well known. He became persona non grata in the intelligence and security establishments and that he remained until his death. It is therefore totally ridiculous that he could have been involved in the killings of Steve Biko, Anton Lubowski and Johan Heyns, as the book alleges. The latter two incidents took place after Van den Bergh has already left the scene.
As far as Biko is concerned, it is inconceivable that the Police would have involved Van den Bergh in the Biko affair. The police never involved the Bureau in their operational matters. The Police did not, to put it mildly, have any affection for Van den Bergh (after he told people that he took the cream of the Special Branch with him to the Bureau, thereby implying that those who remained were not the cream of the crop.)
The Lebowski affair was a military matter and to link Van den Bergh to that incident is another illustration of how ridiculous the claims in the book are. The then Minister of Defence, General Magnus Malan, admitted to some Defence involvement in the affair in Parliament. The incident took place a decade after Van den Bergh retired.
In the case of Heyns, the exact opposite of what is stated is true. Heyns was held in high esteem by the Bureau and later by the National Intelligence Service (NIS) which replaced the Bureau in 1980. At the time of Heyns’ murder (1994) Van den Bergh has long since left the scene. NIS staff actually
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admired Heyns for his views. Senior and junior people in the NIS were shocked when they heard the news of Heyns’ assassination.
Other allegations such as Van den Bergh’s involvement with the murder of Verwoerd and the “murders” of prof. Johannes Bruwer are equally absurd. By the time of Verwoerd’s murder Van den Bergh was a middle level policeman and in no position to take such decisions. Bruwer, as was the case with Heyns, was highly admired in government circles and amongst influential members of the intelligence services. As far as former president Diederichs is concerned, to imply that he was involved in the Smit murders defies the imagination. Facts do not even faintly support such speculations. The Smit murders remains a mystery.
During the 1970’s the Bureau acquired a portion of an island in the Vaal Dam from the Rand Afrikaans University (RAU) for regular training as well as brainstorming sessions, hence the name Kopkrap (literally “head scratch”). Modern conveniences were erected. What it was not used for is the training of violent activities or assassinations as alleged by Elsdon. Elsdon included photos of the island in the book. This is clearly an attempt to mislead the reader in order to lend authenticity to his charge. This is highly unethical.
The allegations in the book can be refuted but the unfortunate reality is that people still believe them. The one major incident mentioned in the book where Van den Bergh was involved, was the socalled Information Scandal. That, however, did not involve any human rights transgressions.
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Introduction
FROM AN OFICIAL ANC PUBLICATION:
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1986: BOMB SQUAD: LIMPET MINE DETONATED AT SAP HILLBROW
Sgt Koos van der Merwe.
SPM Limpet Mine
“MK Special Operations Combatant Marion Sparg is Arrested
7 March 2023
On 19 February 1986, Marion Sparg placed two limpet mines in the toilet at Cambridge Road Police Station, in East London, which exploded, causing massive damages. The day following the killing of the Gugulethu Seven, on 4 March 1986, at approximately 09:00, Marion Sparg applied for a gun licence at John Vorster Square Police Station in central Johannesburg. Afterwards, Sparg made a detour to the stairway between the second and third floors of the police station, where she placed a limpet mine. As the mine exploded around midday, it shattered windows up to the fourth floor, scattering glass rubble over a wide area, and blowing a ten-metre hole in the wall. Two officers from the motor-vehicle theft unit, who were inside the building, were injured. Furthermore, two pedestrians who were walking outside the building also got injured.
On 7 March 1986, after the apartheid President PW Botha had lifted the state of emergency during a speech in which he claimed that there had been a discernible drop in the levels of violence in South Africa, Umkhonto we Sizwe (MK) Special Operations guerrilla, Marion Sparg, was arrested. Apartheid policemen arrived at Sparg’s apartment, where one of the officers mentioned that they had come to arrest her in connection with the bombing of police stations. While they were conducting a thorough search of the premises, the policemen found three limpet mines, as Marion Sparg casually commented that she thought they were there because of the Hillbrow bomb. After they asked where she placed the bomb in the Hillbrow Police Station, she told them that it was inside a plastic bag in the toilets. Immediately the apartheid senior police officers sent a team to Hillbrow station, where they performed a controlled detonation of the limpet mine.” https://www.anc1912.org.za/mk-special-operations-combatant-marion-sparg-is-arrested-7-march2023/
On this day, Friday the 7th of March 1986, I had been a member of the team that arrested Marion Sparg. (This is a complete story on its own!!)
The commanding officer of Security Branch Witwatersrand at that time was Brigadier (later Maj.Gen.) Gerrit Erasmus A certain Lieutenant (name withheld) and I were the explosives team for that day) when we arrived at the SAP Hillbrow Station.
It was decided (!!) that I should go to the area and identify the explosive device. I went to the area as Marion Sparg described it.
The toilets were inside the Hillbrow Police station, and you had to enter through the Charge Office
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The explosive device, a SPM Limpet Mine, was wrapped in a plastic shopping bag and placed on the dividing wall between the last 2 toilets. This wall just reaches about three quarters of the way up to the roof, about 2 m high. On the outside of the toilets there was a small passage and then there were the entrances to the holding cells. Directly opposite the area where the explosive device was located, was the holding cells for the Juveniles. When the area was evacuated, it was found that this Cell, containing the Juveniles, could not be unlocked as the lock malfunctioned. (Perhaps…the guy trying to unlock the Cells had a case of bad nerves)
This caused quite a problem (FOR ME) as there were a number of juveniles in the cell. The explosive device thus had to be removed from the toilet area so as to be made safe or detonated under controlled conditions outside the premises.
It was again decided (!!) that I should go back to the Limpet Mine and remove it from the toilet area.
REMEMBER, this Limpet Mine was placed at the toilets on the 4th of March, now it was the 7th!!!!
Some clever guy (?) developed a clamp that could be placed over the Limpet mine remember the SPM Limpet Mine was a half round shape with two horseshoe shaped magnets at either end… and these clamp(s) were placed over the ends of the Limpet Mine where the magnets were located and the 2 clamps were connected with a rod that had an eyelet in the middle where a rope was connected. The idea was that the Limpet mine could then be safely removed remotely by tugging on this rope and hauling it in safely!!! (In theory!!)
I then went and passed the clamp and rope through the outside small window (facing the Cells), of the toilet, then I went to the front entrance of the Charge Office and walk through the Charge Office to enter the toilets.
It needs to be noted that, at this time, the area surrounding the Police Station was now filled with spectators and the TV Camera Crews were also there, including some high-ranking officers. The spectators were warned to clear the area for their own safety, but as you know, they did not really react to these warnings.
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Hillbrow Police Station is surrounded by flats and the spectators were standing outside on the passages hanging over the guardrails watching what was going on. The spectators were warned to clear the area for their own safety, but as you know, they did not really react to these warnings.
I did not really notice what was going on as I was more focused on what I was going to do. (Or not do!!!) By this time the sun was also setting, and it was getting dark. Reaching the inside of the toilet I immediately placed the clamp over the Limpet mine as prescribed in the standing orders. To do this I had to stand on the toilet to reach the Limpet Mine.
Me being very mindful of the fact that: The Limpet mine was placed there about 3 days ago, that the previous Limpet Mines placed in the other Police Stations did explode as planned
DONT PANIC ... do the job and get out of there ASAP!!!!
So… after placing the clamp over the Limpet mine, still wrapped in the plastic shopping bag, I went outside to report to the Lieutenant that he can start to pull the Limpet mine out of the toilet with the rope attached.
The Lieutenant had established an area away from the Cells, in the driveway leading to the SAP office block behind Hillbrow Police Station where the explosive device would be made safe or disposed of by controlled demolition.
The “Koekepan” was also there hitched to the Lieutenant’s Ford Siera XR6, ready to remove the explosive device to another area if so decided.
After asking the spectators again to leave the area, the Lieutenant started to pull on the rope remember, this rope was about 30m long, and lo and behold, the clamp comes out of the window without the Limpet Mine!
So, it was decided (!!) that I should go back and again attach the clamp to the Limpet mine!
I went back to pass the clamp and rope through the window again, then proceeded around the front again, through the Charge Office and into the toilets again, there I found the Limpet mine lying on the floor in front of the toilet. Before putting the clamp onto the Limpet mine again, my thoughts were that the clamp must have slipped off because the Limpet mine was wrapped in the plastic bag and the plastic must be slippery and this caused the clamps to slip off, so, I picked the Limpet mine up,
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removed the plastic bag, replaced the clamps, and placed it back on the floor beneath the window at the side of the toilet just ready to be pulled up and out the window.
Again, I walked out of the building, past all the spectators, TV Cameras and senior officers and reported to the Lieutenant that the clamp was attached again.
Again, the warning was given to all the spectators to move away not that it happened!
The Lieutenant again started pulling on the rope. this time more carefully things were going well… UNTILL… the Limpet Mine reached the window and got caught on the burglar bars and again the clamp came loose.
Again, it was decided (!!) that I should again go back and attach the clamp.
So, I went back again, passed the clamp and rope through the window and again walked around the front of the building, through the Charge Office and into the toilet. Now I noticed that the clamp not only came off the Limpet mine, but the Limpet mine was now lying inside the toilet bowl.
At that moment, it flashed through my mind what Col. “Veilige-Frans” van Eeden (RIP) and Maj. Paul Hattingh taught us during training, that the time delay on a Limpet mine consisted of a tiny piece of lead, of which the thickness of the lead governed the time delay of the fuse to detonate, and taking into consideration that:
(a) this approximately 2kg of explosive device has now already fallen from the height of about 2m and landing hard on the concrete floor; and
(b) again, falling about 1m from the window into the porcelain bowl of the toilet;
(c) that the clamp has now slipped off the Limpet Mine 2 times in a row;
(d) It was decided (!!) twice that I should go back to the Limpet mine after it got detached from the clamp and fallen onto a hard surface.
(e) Most probably the clamp would again detach itself when pulled through the window and again falling about 1m to the ground.
(f) Most probably it would again be decided (!) that I should go back and place the clamp back again!
I then decided that my luck has held up to this point and it might not last much longer, so I picked the Limpet mine out of the toilet bowl and carried it in my hands, through the empty Charge Office,
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out the front doors, past the Senior Officers, past the TV cameras, past all the spectators, walked right up to the Lieut. and asked him what he would like to do with this Limpet mine.
Ok, I must admit, this caused a bit of a stir!
The Lieutenant decided that he was going to make use of a controlled explosion to destroy the Limpet mine right there in the parking lot in front of the SAP Office building. We placed the Limpet mine on a sandbag and then placed a demolition charge on top of it and covered it with more sandbags. The Lieutenant was going to detonate it electronically from a distance. We rolled out the wires, tested the continuity and then prepared for detonation.
All the spectators were again asked to clear the area and that an explosion was going to take place in 5 min. The alarm was sounded, then it was sounded a second time and the countdown started and the Lieut. pressed the plunger home.
What an explosion!!!!!!
2kg of TORPEX going off!!!
The explosion shattered; I think it must have been about a hundred windows in the SAP Office Block!!!!!
The tail end of the story!!!
On the Monday, back in the office at John Vorster Square, I am informed during the morning that I had to report to the Divisional Commissioner immediately.
Now I am thinking…Medal, here I come!!!
Arriving at the said office, I am standing in front if the Divisional Commissioner, and…I am hauled over the coals for what I did…goodbye medal!!!
By the way, the Lieutenant, was also not very popular regarding all the damage to the DC offices!! Fluit-fluit my story is uit
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LESUFI DEPLOYS CRIME PREVENTION WARDENS (CPWs)
ILLEGALLY, SAYS RESEARCHER
David Bruce, Independent Researcher and ISS Consultant, finds that the deployment of Gauteng Province’s Crime Prevention Wardens (CPWs) are illegal. The CPW initiative is widely linked in the public domain to the Premier of that Province, Panyaza Lesufi. Bruce also points out that the recruitment process for the initial 3 200 CPWs were “rushed”, and that the Province has not “given forethought to how it will develop and manage the CPWs, or whether it has the organisational capacity and infrastructure to run a policing agency of this size”. In addition, writes Bruce, “the provision of training for the CPWs has been ad hoc”, and that “the latest batch of 1785 recruits is being trained by the South African National Defence Force – which lacks the experience to train the police”. The Gauteng government has, according to Bruce, indicated that it intends to arm the CPWs but the “Gauteng government’s lack of capacity to train CPWs in firearm use exposes the public to danger from poorly trained ‘police’”.
Readers can read more about this at https://defenceweb.co.za/security/civil-security/only-sas parliament-can-authorise-new-armed-police-bodies/ (accessed 16 February 2024), and may find the comparison to the Law Enforcement Advancement Plan (LEAP) initiative of the City of Cape Town (with financial support from the Western Cape provincial government) useful.
SOUTH AFRICAN INTRODUCED THE VALUE OF INTELLIGENCE TO THE POLICE OF FIJI
The Fiji Times reported on 14 February 2024 about the necessity to have intelligence in every police investigation. According to this report Mr Henry Brown, former Fiji police head of intelligence and investigations remarked that “intelligence is a very key component of investigations” and also “You cannot have investigations without intelligence”. Mr Brown credits former Fiji Police Commissioner Ben Groenewald with the creation of a separate intelligence and investigations capacity for the police in Fiji, and with his (Brown’s) appointment in the post. Readers can read about this article at https://www.fijitimes.com.fj/intelligence-a-very-key-component-of-investigations-former-officer/ (accessed 15 February 2024).
Editor’s note: There is an interesting South African angle to this story. “Commissioner Ben Groenewald” is a retired South African Police Service (SAPS) commissioned officer. Major General BJJ (“Ben”) Groenewald (SOEG SOE) joined the former South African Police (SAP) during late 1967, served in several functional and staff posts in both the SAP as well as the later SAPS, wrote all his police promotion examinations, obtained a Bachelors as well as an Honours degree in Police
Science from Unisa, and retired on retirement date during early 2010 after more than 40 years of service in organised policing in South Africa. He was appointed as the Commissioner of Police for
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Fiji on 14 May 2014 and completed his service there during November 2015. The reader can read about Gen Groenwald’s sojourn in Fiji in The Nongqai (Vol 14 No 8B, August 2023) which is available for free on the SA Mirror and ISSUU platforms of the world wide web.
PRIVATE PROSECUTION UNIT INTERVENTION ENSURES SA NAVY OFFICER IS PROSECUTED FOR DEADLY CRASH
Barry Bateman | AfriForum
27 February 2024
Naval officer Keamogetswe Khunofu was back in the Vredenburg Magistrates Court today, 20 months after the culpable homicide case against him was removed from the roll because of the police’s failure to finalise the investigation. The intervention of, and ongoing pressure from, AfriForum’s Private Prosecution Unit on the South African Police Service (SAPS) has meant a step towards justice for the grieving family of Michelle de Clerck.
The intervention has also resulted in disciplinary steps being taken against two police officers for their conduct in the matter.
On 9 November 2021, De Clerck was run over by a car being driven by Khunofu as she tried to cross a street in Saldanha, Western Cape. It is alleged that Khunofu was driving recklessly and was intoxicated at the time of the crash. Eyewitnesses allege that Khunofu was speeding while racing against another car in the busy street. Khunofo was at the time a student at the University of Stellenbosch’s Faculty of Military Science based at the Saldanha Navy Military Base.
De Clerck’s mother, Elmarie, approached the unit in June 2022 when the matter was removed from the roll. The history of the case revealed numerous postponements because aspects of the investigation, such as blood alcohol results and forensic reports, had not been completed and compiled in the docket. The unit engaged with the Saldanha SAPS detective branch commander, who at first was helpful, but later became uncooperative and simply ignored email correspondence. In March last year the unit filed a service complaint against the investigating officer and his branch commander. The SAPS has confirmed disciplinary steps have been taken against the investigating officer for poor investigation, and against the branch commander for his conduct towards the unit.
Barry Bateman, spokesperson for the unit, says failures by the police have caused harm to the De Clerck family. “There must be consequences for police officers who abdicate their Constitutional duty to investigate crime and serve the interests of society, notably the victims of crime. Without the intervention of the Private Prosecution Unit this investigation would never have been finalised and a grieving family would not have had the opportunity to find the closure that justice provides. The unit will continue to monitor the case,” he said.
Elmarie de Clerck attended court proceedings. “I am very grateful for AfriForum involvement and ensuring that the was placed back on the court roll. We hope that justice will prevail,” she said. The matter was postponed to 15 April.
Statement issued by Barry Bateman, Communications Manager: Private Prosecution Unit, AfriForum, 27 February 2024
https://www.politicsweb.co.za/politics/ppu-intervention-ensures-sa-navy-officer-isprosec?utm_source=Politicsweb+Daily+Headlines&utm_campaign=a07063c382-
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EMAIL_CAMPAIGN_2024_02_27_03_28&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_-a07063c382%5BLIST_EMAIL_ID%5D
COLONEL ALGERNON ESSEX CAPELL CBE, DSO
Gerhard van Tonder
Abstract
A biography of Rhodesian police and military commander, Colonel Algernon Essex Capell CBE, DSO.
Keywords
British South Africa Police (BSAP)
2nd Rhodesia Regiment
Cape Mounted Riflemen
Bethune’s Mounted Infantry
South African Constabulary
German East Africa
Commandant General Southern Rhodesian Forces
Commissioner of Police
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Former British South Africa Police (BSAP) Commissioner and Commandant General of Southern Rhodesian forces, Colonel Algernon Essex Capell is remembered for his exemplary service as Commanding Officer of the 2nd Rhodesia Regiment (2RR) in the World War One East Africa theatre.
Major Algernon Essex Capell DSO, shortly before World War One.
Algernon Essex Capell was born on 1 November 1869, in Tettenhall Wood, Wolverhampton, Stafford, England, to the Reverand Horatio and Mrs Ada Capell. His grandfather was the Hon Adolphus Frederick Charles Molyneux Capell, brother of the 6th Earl of Essex.
Capell attended Felsted School in Essex near London, and was intended for the army, but owing to an eye injury during a fencing bout, he was rejected on medical grounds. At the age of 18, on 5 May 1888, in Cardiff, Wales, he enrolled with the Merchant Navy on a four-year indentured apprenticeship with an Australian shipping company. However, after sailing around the Horn to the west coast of South America, on his return to England he sought release from his contract when he was accepted for service in the Cape Mounted Riflemen (CMR). In 1890, Capell was sent to King William’s Town (now Qonce) in the eastern Cape Colony in South Africa.
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Cape Mounted Riflemen badge and standards.
South African Freemason membership registers of 1897 reveal that Capell was residing at Kokstad, East Griqualand, Natal.His “profession” is listed as a Corporal in the Cape Mounted Riflemen (CMR). Capell served for nine years in the CMR.
At the outbreak of the Second Boer War, Capell was commissioned in Bethune’s Mounted Infantry, and saw action at the battles of Colenso, Spioen Kop, Vaal Krantz, the Relief of Ladysmith, and the action at Scheeper’s Nek.
During a rearguard action he was taken prisoner while trying to get a wounded man away, and was confined in the Barberton jail for four months before his release by British troops.
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In the Barking, East Ham & Ilford Advertiser, Upton Park and Dagenham Gazette of 2 June 1900, the newspaper reported in glowing terms of Capell’s recent actions in South Africa:
ESSEX OFFICER’S GALLANT DEED. LIEUT. CAPEL’S SACRIFICE
The disaster to Col. Bethune’s force near Vryheid, when H Squadron was cleverly ambushed by the Boers, although only an “incident” of the campaign which could not affect the issue, naturally created a feeling of widespread regret. But as a set-off to the disaster, many individual acts of great gallantry have been reported. Among those who distinguished themselves by their bravery was Lieutenant Algernon Essex Capel [sic], an old Felstedian.
As is generally known, the Squadron was ambushed under a kopje by the enemy, who were in overflowing numbers. Our total loss, including officers and men, amounted to 68. Some officers and troopers managed to escape, and it was in this matter that Lieut. Capel acted & great part. He nobly gave up his horse to a wounded trooper and was himself taken prisoner. Lieut. Capel, intimated, was educated at Felsted School, and on going out to South Africa, joined the Cape Mounted Rifles [sic]. He was, however, serving with Bethune’s column of mounted infantry during the recent advance in Natal.
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Capell, left, and Bethune.
Bethune’s Mounted Infantry operational area in the Second Boer War.
In his capacity as Commander-in-Chief, South African Forces, Field Marshal Frederick Roberts’s, in his despatches published in the 8 February 1901 issue of The London Gazette, mentions Captain A.E. Capell as one of four Bethune’s officers “as having distinguished themselves on more than one occasion.”
On 29 November 1900 (The London Gazette, 19 April 1901), Captain A.E. Capell was appointed a Companion of the Distinguished Service Order (DSO) “in recognition of services in connection with the Campaign in South Africa, 1899-1900.”
In late-1900 Capell enlisted as a captain in the South African Constabulary (SAC), which had been set up during the Second Boer War with a view to them taking over certain areas of South Africa
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secured by the British. However, they ended up more as a paramilitary fighting unit. From the time the SAC was raised until the end of the war, it was not able to undertake traditional police duties, but it was employed as a military force under a commander-in-chief, and was constantly engaged in field operations and on blockhouse-lines duty.
On 4 February, Commander-in-Chief of British forces in the Eastern Transvaal, General Bruce Meade Hamilton, believing the country to be completely swept, ordered Major James Fair, the Commanding Officer of C Division, SAC, based near Van Tonder’s Hoek, Heidelberg, to push his line of posts farther out into the veld. Before moving his main body, Fair despatched a party to reconnoitre the ground east of the Waterval River, which his information led him to suspect was occupied by the enemy in some strength. (Fair became Resident Commissioner and Commandant General in Southern Rhodesia, 1908-11).
The reconnaissance was carried out on the 8th by 130 picked men under Captain Capell. Fifteen miles north of Vlakfontein station, upon encountering a Boer commando of more than 400, the SAC force opened a heavy fire on it. The Boers responded with a determined attack on Capell’s front and left flank, and succeeded in rushing that flank. Capell then withdrew a portion of his centre to a second position, from where he was able to cover the retirement of his left flank. Under sustained attack, his right flank held their position the whole day until nightfall when they withdrew safely. In spite of being pressed by overwhelming numbers of Boers, Capell withdrew the remainder of his force with great skill and coolness and retired, contesting the ground, back to his line of blockhouses some seven miles distant.
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SAC badges.
Commended by Capell for “gallant conduct in tending wounded under murderous fire,” Surgeon Captain Arthur Martin-Leake, himself wounded three times in the action, was awarded the Victoria Cross. As a postscript, Martin-Leake earned a second Victoria Cross (Bar) during World War One, the first of only three men to ever be awarded the Victoria Cross twice.
In Lord Kitchener’s final despatch, published in the London Gazette of 29 July 1902, Captain A.E. Capell DSO, is mentioned as being one of a “small portion of the kind assistance or loyal service rendered me by civilians and soldiers during my command in South Africa.” This was the second time Capell was mentioned in despatches.
In 1903, Capell married Lois Ethel Slatter (1877–1944). On 3 March, during the afternoon, Major Capell and Miss Slatter, daughter of the late Mr William Slatter of Stratton, Cirencester, were married in the fourteenth century parish church of St Mary the site of the Roman fort of Canovium on the banks of the River Conwy.
The bride entered the church escorted by Major General Hugh S. Gough CB, CMG, who “gave her away”. Gough was a British Army officer who became Lieutenant Governor of Jersey. Capell’s father, the Reverend Horatio Capell, who was the Rector of Great Easton, conducted the wedding ceremony. Capell’s best man was Captain Arthur Slatter, the brother of the bride. The couple went on to have three children: Algernon, Joan and Robert.
(Gentlewoman, 14 March 1903)
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After the war, Capell remained in South Africa in the service of the SAC, until 1908 when, while as ‘Commissioner of Police’, the Orange River Colony government terminated his service on purely political grounds. Because the Orange River Colony Police was formed exclusively from the members of the former SAC, the government intended to convert the former semi-military force into a regular policing force in the true sense of the word. The success of the envisioned force rested and depended on the force’s senior officers and specifically on the new soon to be appointed commissioner.
The government had little choice but to appoint existing officers from the SAC into senior positions. From 1907 until 1910, most, if not all, inspectors and sub-inspectors in the Orange River Colony Police had previously served in the SAC with the ranks of lieutenants and captains. On 29 August 1908, the Chard and Ilminster reported:
REMARKABLE OUTBURST BY BOER MINISTERS
The South African mail has brought reports of two extraordinary speeches made in the Orange River Colony Assembly in Bloemfontein by the Premier and the AttorneyGeneral of the Colony. Both Ministers admitted that they had dismissed a British officer, Major Capell, from the Commissionership of Police because they wanted to make a Boer force of the police instead of “a foreign force.”
Mr Barlow, who raised the question of Major Capell’s “retrenchment,” pointed out that the officer had been a policeman for twenty years. “Major Capell,” he said,
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“belonged to a force which had been a military force. We are replacing Major Capell because he has not the requirements. We want the police to come more into line with the old Free State.
“My colleague [the Attorney-General] must consider the wishes of the people. The Government is determined to undertake the unpleasant task of replacing when it is necessary.”
(Hull Daily Mail, 25 August 1908)
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Top, SAC Headquarters staff, and above, SAC officers c.1905. It could not be ascertained if Capell appears in these photos. (Will Endley) Capell had had lengthy and honourable service in the SAC and in other forces. In addition, he could write and speak Afrikaans like a native. In comparison, his successor, Mechiel du Toit, had been a partner in the company Hofmeyr and du Toit, who were general dealers in Cape Town. Before the war, du Toit had been employed as a surveyor in the Surveyor-General’s office in Pretoria. The critics forgot to mention that du Toit had been an officer in the Staatsartillerie of the South African Republic. These were the credentials offered by Du Toit.
In 1909, Capell was appointed Assistant District Commissioner, Dagoretti, Nairobi County, British East Africa. Here he was also commander of the East Africa ‘Legion of Frontiersmen’, a private London-headquartered organisation, founded to be a field intelligence corps that would watch over and protect the boundaries of the Empire. The Legion never achieved significant official recognition; in part because many Commonwealth nations’ laws prohibited militia groups. The 29 January 1909 edition of the local Nairobi newspaper, Advertiser, reported,
Major Capel [sic] of Dagoretti was severely wounded lately when after a rhino. The brute turned on his pursuers and as Major Capel was getting from behind a tree to put in another shot one of his boys carrying a spear at the trail dashed past him in a fright, the spear piercing the right side of his chest. Under doctor’s care the wound is healing satisfactorily.
In 1910, Major Capell was appointed Commandant of the Colonial Forces and Chief of Police at Grenada in the British West Indies. The following year he was also appointed “an Official Member of the Legislative Council of the Island of Grenada” (The London Gazette, 3 January 1911). In 1913
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he returned to Africa to become Assistant Commissioner of the British South Africa Police (BSAP), Southern Rhodesia.
At this time, the British South Africa Company had, at the insistence of the Imperial authorities, reverted to appointing the BSAP’s senior officer from outside the ranks, and Major General Sir Alfred Hamilton Mackenzie Edwards KBE, CB, became Commissioner of the BSAP. However, it was stipulated by London that, in the event of war being declared, the Commissioner would take on the responsibilities of Commandant General, assuming command of all the military forces in Rhodesia, including the Southern Rhodesia Volunteers, the Rhodesia Regiment and all forces in Northern Rhodesia.
And so when World War One broke out and the British High Commissioner in Cape Town declared the BSAP to be “on active service”, Capell was appointed to succeed Edwards in command of the BSAP.
On 15 September 1914, a small force of the BSAP and Northern Rhodesia Police, under the command of Major Capell, who was already Victoria Falls, crossed the Zambezi River with orders to capture Schuckmannsburg, a small German outpost in the Caprivi Zipfel, together with adjacent territory. This was accomplished without resistance on 21 September.
The 2nd Rhodesia Regiment (2RR) was formed in November 1914, and on 1 January 1915, Capell was appointed as its commanding officer. In March 1915, the regiment sailed for German East Africa. On 14 May, Capell was promoted to the rank of temporary lieutenant colonel (The London Gazette, 11 May 1915).
A detailed account of Capell and the 2RR’s hellish tour of duty in German East Africa can be found in the definitive Rhodesia Regiment 1899–1981 (Peter Baxter, Hugh Bomford, Gerry van Tonder, Rhodesian Services Association, Tauranga, 2014). Enquiries: theeditor@rhodesianservices.org
An enthusiastic welcome by Rhodesia’s leading military, political, civil and church leaders, dignitaries and members of the public greeted the disease-ravaged 2RR at Salisbury Station on its return on 14 April 1917. A proud Colonel Capell paraded his troops, who were inspected by Commandant General of Southern Rhodesia Forces, General Alfred Edwards. In part of his reply to speeches from Edwards and civic leaders, Capell said,
I wish we could have finished the campaign. It is hard luck not being in at the kill, but there is no doubt that after two years in a climate such as East Africa, a white regiment is finished. The stamina is knocked out of it; but as you have kindly suggested, we hope, and we are very keen, to go to another theatre, very keen indeed. I think our secret wish is Flanders.
I do not think there is anything else to add, except to thank you, and I do thank Rhodesia for the very kind praise which you have given to us, and that praise is very
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acceptable indeed to us. But as we have not yet finished our job, we accept it with diffidence.
I would only like to say that your Regiment has done its duty. It is your Regiment, and I am not bragging about it. It is not my show, it is your show, and it has done its duty in every sort of situation and circumstances in the campaign, in the field, on the road building bridges, swimming rivers, crossing rivers; it has never failed me, and I believe it has never failed the officer who has been in command of the troops up there. It has done nothing startling; nothing that we wish to brag about. It has done its plain and simple duty, and absolutely nothing more. If I may say so, I think that Rhodesia, too, has done its duty by the Regiment.
Capell’s World War One Medal Index Card.
Sadly, the 2RR was disbanded on 12 October 1917, and Capell’s wish for the regiment to serve in the Western Europe theatre never materialised. At the end of the war Capell was appointed Commissioner of Police and Commandant General in Southern Rhodesia, on the retirement of General Edwards, a post he held until his retirement in 1926.
For his services in East Africa, Capell was awarded the French Croix de Guerre (The London Gazette, 31 August 1917). In 1924 was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE).
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A strict disciplinarian, who set an example of hard and simple living to his men, Capell was at heart a kind man. He was a keen member of the Prisoner’s Aid Society, of which he was president for several years, and a determined opponent of capital punishment.
Whilst he was a noted shot and big game hunter, who “devoted most of his life to big game and other shooting when on leave”, he was firmly opposed to the useless destruction of game and for many years was president of Wild Life Protection Society and a member of the SPCA. He was also a writer and artist of no mean merit, having written The 2nd Rhodesia Regiment in East Africa and was president of the Rhodesian Society of Arts.
Colonel Capell passed away 23 February 1952 at Resthaven, a care home for the aged in Borrowdale, Salisbury (now Harare). He was buried with full military honours in Salisbury Cemetery on the 25th. The Commissioner of Police, Brigadier James Appleby, and the Commander, Military Forces, Brigadier Storr ‘Dooley’ Garlake, were in attendance in addition to other BSAP officers. Also present were Mr Justice W.E. Thomas, chairman of the 2nd Rhodesians Association, and representatives of the other associations in which he had held office. The bearer party consisted of NCOs of the BSAP. The service, which was held at the Anglican Cathedral in Salisbury, was conducted by Father Victor. Trumpeters of the BSAP sounded the ‘Last Post’ and the cavalry ‘Rouse’ at the conclusion of an impressive service.
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BSAP NCOs carry Capell’s coffin from Salisbury Cathedral to the waiting gun carriage.
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Colonel Capell’s medal group reconstruction. From left to right: Commander of the Order of the British Empire; Distinguished Service Order; 1914–15 Star; British War Medal; Victory Medal, with Mentioned in Despatches.
Queen’s South Africa Medal, with ‘Laing’s Nek’, ‘Transvaal’, ‘Relief of Ladysmith’, ‘Tugela Heights’ clasps;
King’s South Africa Medal, with ‘South Africa 1901’, ‘South Africa 1902’ clasps; Croix de Guerre (France), with Mentioned in Despatches.
OPERATION MIRACLE: 26 SEPTEMBER 1979
Gerhard van Tonder
(Unless stated otherwise, all images are from the author’s own collection)
Abstract
In September 1979, combined Rhodesian security forces launched an external ground and air attack against five ZANLA insurgent camps in the Chimoio area in neighbouring Mozambique. Keywords
Rhodesian Light Infantry, Rhodesian Air Force, Selous Scouts, Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment, Rhodesian Artillery, ZANLA, Frelimo, Mozambique.
In spite of previous Rhodesian Security Forces’ successes against Zimbabwe African National Liberation Army (ZANLA) bases in the Manica Province of Mozambique, it became evident from reconnaissance missions that camps had again been established in a 60-kilometre radius from the town of Chimoio, not far from the Rhodesian border town of Umtali (now Mutare).
Within this area, in what had become known as the Chimoio Circle, or New Chimoio, and to the east of the Chimoio–Tete Road, aerial photographs revealed a large, sprawling complex of five ZANLA camps. The whole 64 square-kilometre area was heavily fortified, with an extensive system of trenches and bunkers protected by heavy weaponry and anti-aircraft guns. ZANLA and their advisors had chosen a prominent ‘bald’ kopje to site a large force of men and anti-aircraft weapons to defend the camps below from air strikes by the Rhodesian Air Force. The kopje was nicknamed ‘Monte Cassino’ by the Rhodesians.
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Insurgents
Based on initial estimates of 1,000–2,000 insurgents housed in the camps, Combined Operations (ComOps) made the decision to mount a ground-and-air attack on the ZANLA complex, using a flying column of 100 troops from the Selous Scouts and the Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment.
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of Robert Mugabe’s ZANLA army.
Top: RhAF No. 5 Squadron English Electric Canberra. Above: RhAF No. 1 Squadron Hawker Hunter.
Rhodesian Air Force Canberra bombers would initiate the attack, with Hawker Hunter ground-attack aircraft and field guns of the Rhodesian Artillery providing heavy support as the assault progressed. One hundred paratroopers from 2 Commando, 3 Commando and Support Commando of the Rhodesian Light Infantry (RLI) would be dropped east of the camp to put stop groups in place.
As a ploy to draw attention away from the real reason for this large gathering of troops, vehicles and aircraft near Umtali, RLI troops were deployed in mock Fire Force operations in the neighbouring Tribal Trust Lands (TTLs), firing live ammunition to authenticate their presence.
It was, however, to prove a very costly deception, when a K-car (attack Alouette III helicopter) carrying the Officer Commanding 3 Commando, Major Bruce Snelgar SCR (Post), flew into powerlines. Major Snelgar, pilot Air Lieutenant Paddy Bate and his tech, Flight Sergeant Gary Carter, all perished as Alouette III R5705 crashed into the ground.
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RhAF No. 5 Squadron Alouette III.
The Flying Column moves through Rhodesia’s Honde Valley en route to the Mozambique border.
Under cover of darkness on 26 September 1979, the column, under the command of Captain Richard Passaportis, left the Selous Scouts Nkomo Barracks for Ruda Base Camp in the Honde Valley, just one kilometre from the Mozambique border. The convoy, which would pass through the Mutasa TTL, comprised Daimler-Benz Unimog 25s, Panhard Eland 90 armoured cars fitted with 90mm guns, armoured Crocodile and Puma troop carriers, QF 25-pounder artillery pieces, and the Selous Scouts’ own bespoke armoured vehicle, the ‘Pig’.
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Rhodesian Armoured Cars Eland 90s. (John Wynne-Hopkins)
Overall command of the operation would rest with Lieutenant Colonel Brian Robinson (SAS) and Wing Commander Norman Walsh (RhAF) of ComOps, from a Douglas Dakota DC-3 overflying the area. At night, Lieutenant Colonel Ron Reid-Daly (Selous Scouts) would take over from his command centre on a nearby kopje. ComOps Tactical Headquarters would be based at the Grand Reef airbase, Forward Air Field (FAF) 8.
Eland 90 armoured cars struggle to scale the slippery banks of the river into Mozambique.
A bulldozer would be in place to assist with crossing the Gairezi River into Mozambique. Large numbers of troops and helicopters had also assembled at Lake Alexander just north of Umtali.
It was planned that the flying column, together with the artillery, would enter Mozambique early the following day and set itself up at a burned-out store, codenamed ‘Madison Square’, ready to follow the Canberra bombing run at 7.00 a.m. At this point, near the target the artillery would also be unlimbered and be ready to support the air strike. At the designated hour, however, the column with the important artillery support was still waiting to cross the Gairezi River.
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Rhodesian troops concentrate at ‘Madison Square’.
The crossing onto Mozambique soil proved very problematic. Successive vehicles, weighted down with troops and ordnance, bogged down while attempting the border river crossing. Eventually, the bulldozer had to individually drag each vehicle across, with the Puma-towed field guns being particularly awkward and resulting in them falling far behind in the column.
The 20 vehicles of the column had by this time become very fragmented, and as Canberras of RhAF No. 5 Squadron were dropping their payloads over New Chimoio at the scheduled time of 7.00 a.m., most of the convoy was still stuck at the river crossing. By mid-morning, forward elements of the column had reached Madison Garden, but it was only by 2.00 p.m., seven hours after the air force bombing runs, that the main body of the convoy finally arrived at this staging post.
From Madison Square, the flying column struck east, heading towards the road that would take them north to the camp. Arriving at the foot of Monte Cassino late that afternoon, the men were to spend an eventful night as the column was subjected to RPG-7 and 75mm recoilless-rifle fire. While clearing trenches to secure their position, Trooper Gert O’Neill of the Selous Scouts was killed. The RLI stop groups, already in place, had an equally lively night, as fleeing insurgents stumbled into their ambush positions.
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RLI stop group east of Monte Cassino.
Come the following morning, further anti-aircraft defensive positions were identified on adjacent features, codenamed Hills 761 and 774; the latter being given the moniker Ack-Ack Hill. Flying through a cloud of flak, a Hunter strike from RhAF No. 1 Squadron dropped sixteen 1,000-pound Golf bombs on enemy positions, including Hill 774, which flanked Monte Cassino.
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Rhodesia’s own Golf bomb. (Beryl Salt)
This allowed the Rhodesians to capture the hill, which the defenders had vacated, taking their heavy weaponry with them. From this strategic point, Lieutenant Chris Gough and his men were able to direct mortar fire and Hunter strikes onto Monte Cassino.
On day three, Lieutenant Simon Willar’s call-sign, with close support from Hunters clearing his way, skirmished north towards Monte Cassino, clearing spot heights of ZANLA and neutralising their heavy weapons.
After the successful questioning of an enemy capture, Captain Peter Stanton reported to Lieutenant Colonel Tufty Bate, commander of the RLI, that information gleaned from the insurgent had provided a clear picture of what the attackers could expect at the top of Monte Cassino. With this in mind, further discussions were held with Captain Passaportis, leading to an infantry assault at 10.00 a.m. Two Selous Scouts troop call-signs led by Lieutenants Chris Gough and John Barnes, together with an RLI troop from 3 Commando commanded by Captain Bobby Harrison, began the challenging ascent. Lieutenant Gough took the steep, direct route, while the other two call-signs slowly made their way up the trench-latticed western route. Heavy supporting mortar fire was brought to bear on the top of the kopje immediately prior to the arrival of the Rhodesian troops. Elements of the Rhodesian Armoured Car Regiment had at this time also secured the adjoining Ack-Ack Hill.
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An 81mm mortar crew on a modified Unimog fire on Monte Cassino.
Exhausted, the troops finally reached the top of Monte Cassino, finding it totally deserted. The Rhodesians now had strategic control of the base. Three soldiers were seriously wounded during the assault, and Trooper Ted Mann of the Selous Scouts was killed when a captured weapon he was trying to disarm exploded in his hands.
Lieutenant Gough and his men walked into a scene on top of Monte Cassino devastated by air and ground bombardments, littered with weaponry, supplies and other war matériel. The smell of dead insurgents permeated the hot air, but few bodies were actually found. Evidently, most of the insurgents had withdrawn in what appeared to be a relatively orderly manner.
Twelve 44-gallon drums of sadza (maize-meal porridge, the staple of central and southern Africa) attested to the fact that the base must have housed several thousand insurgents and campfollowers. The occupants had been drilled to evacuate eastwards and pick up the road to Chimoio.
There were numerous anti-aircraft emplacements scattered among a vast and elaborate system of trenches and bunkers, the weapons ranging from Soviet-made 12.7 mm DShKT heavy machine
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Evacuated Monte Cassino trenches.
guns and 37mm 61-Ks. Large stocks of ammunition, tinned goods, food and medical supplies were also found.
The operational command ‘Pig’.
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A Rhodesian soldier inspects a Monte Cassino bunker.
That night, an RLI call-sign, Romeo One, positioned at a road block on the main road to Chimoio, saw a column of enemy tanks and troop carriers approaching their position. As the Soviet-made tanks, backed up by what appeared to be a company of FRELIMO (Mozambique) infantry came closer, Colonel Reid–Daly, alerted to this fresh threat by radio, suggested to Captain Passaportis that Major Winkler move his Eland armoured cars into a protective cordon around his Pig-based HQ, codenamed ‘Hotdog’.
Reid-Daly then guided the artillery onto the FRELIMO convoy. After five ranging rounds, the next ten shells from the old British 25-pounders landed in quick succession amongst the attackers. The tanks immediately responded with some wild firing as they turned to flee the area. This was met by another salvo of shellfire from the Rhodesian guns, one round scoring a direct hit on a tank.
A Rhodesian artillery 25-pounder shelling the ZANLA positions at New Chimoio.
The FRELIMO rescue bid ended in a rapid withdrawal back towards Chimoio. Aerial reconnaissance the following morning revealed the FRELIMO column limping home, but before an air strike could be brought in, the convoy had camouflaged up in an area of thick bush, only moving out again when darkness fell. On Sunday, September 30, the Rhodesians retired, leaving behind a few call-signs to monitor enemy activity.
A few days later, on 3 October, a large and heavily armed FRELIMO column was sighted. One of the call-signs, remaining concealed, reported that the column had fired with anti-aircraft guns on the now vacant Monte Cassino with great accuracy.
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As the Rhodesian column moved north towards Cruzamento, concern grew that their objective was to carry out an attack on the Security Forces base at Ruda in retaliation for the attack on New Chimoio.
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Top and above, the Operation Miracle strike force prepares to return home.
Rhodesian Air Force aircraft were scrambled to deal with the threat. At about 1.00 p.m., low-flying Canberras passed over the enemy convoy, dropping Golf bombs. Canberra R5203, crewed by Flight Lieutenants Kevin Peinke and ‘JJ’ Strydom, only released half of their bombs, so the pilot decided to turn and do a reverse run, but this fateful decision would cost them their lives as the enemy, seeing the aircraft turn and come back, had sufficient time to concentrate ground fire at the vulnerable bomber. The stricken aircraft, having lost both engines, was coaxed to glide back across the border. Sadly, however, they did not make it, the Canberra crashing just short of the border, killing both men on board.
A while later, Hawker Hunter R1821, flown by Air Lieutenant Brian Gordon, was also hit by ground fire, causing the aircraft to crash and kill the pilot. Whilst it was difficult in the thick haze for other aircraft to find the wreckage of the Hunter, it is known that FRELIMO had discovered the site as they had recovered what they could to display in a museum in Maputo.
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A captured Soviet-made M-55A Zastava 20mm.
‘Hotdog’, the mission’s logistics landing zone near Monte Cassino.
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Captured war matériel at Monte Cassino.
A ZANLA ‘flag’ found at Monte Cassino.
Anti-aircraft weapons captured at Monte Cassino on display in Salisbury (now Harare).
The months of September and October 1979 were very costly in terms of human lives lost due to aircraft coming down during the Rhodesian Uric and Miracle cross-border operations into Mozambique. Eighteen men of the Rhodesian armed forces and three of the South African Air Force (SAAF) died when their Puma helicopter (164) was shot down by enemy fire in Mozambique. Their bodies remained where they fell. A further three died in Rhodesia just as Op Miracle was about to be launched. In all, a Canberra bomber, a ground-attack Hawker Hunter, an Agusta Bell 205 ‘Cheetah’ helicopter, an Alouette III helicopter and a SAAF Puma helicopter were all lost.
THEY STOOD ALONE: THE SIEGE OF ELANDS RIVER, 4–16 AUGUST 1900
Gerhard van Tonder
Abstract
The Boer investment in August 1900 of the British Elands River staging post halfway between Rustenburg and Zeerust in the Western Transvaal.
Keywords
Second Boer War
Elands River
Marico District
Lieutenant Colonel C.O. Hore
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Rhodesia Regiment
British South Africa Police
Southern Rhodesia Volunteers
Protectorate Regiment
Colonel Robert Baden-Powell
Colonel Herbert Plumer
General Koos de la Rey
General Christiaan de Wet
Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Carrington
Lord Frederick Roberts
Lord Herbert Kitchener
By August 1900, ten months after the outbreak of hostilities between British forces and those of the Transvaal and Orange Free State Boer republics in South Africa, Her Majesty’s troops were starting to gain the ascendency across the subcontinent in what became known as the Second Boer War.
In the previous December, in what was dubbed the Black Week, the British had suffered nearly 3,000 casualties in a series of defeats at Stormberg, Magersfontein and Colenso. The latter was the first of four attempts by General Redvers Buller VC, to relieve the besieged Ladysmith in northern Natal.
With the arrival in Cape Town of Lord Frederick Roberts VC on 10 January 1900, as supreme commander of British forces in South Africa, and Lord Herbert Kitchener, his Chief of Staff, the tide gradually started to turn in Britain’s favour.
By the end of May 1900, and after the British military disaster at Spioen Kop, Roberts embarked on his “great flank march” to take Bloemfontein, capital of the Orange Free State. Ladysmith, Kimberley and Mafeking were relieved, and Pretoria and Johannesburg taken.
Around Pretoria was harboured Roberts’s army, consisting of a mounted infantry division of eight corps, two infantry divisions, two unattached infantry brigades, four cavalry brigades and four companies of Imperial Yeomanry.
However, in the northwest of the region there were no British troops. One of only a small handful of British officers in the area, the aging Lieutenant General Sir Frederick Carrington was placed on the staff of the South Africa Field Force and given command of the Rhodesian Field Force. But on his arrival from England, Carrington discovered that his field force had been severely depleted of manpower by Colonels Robert Baden-Powell and Herbert Plumer for operations in the Bechuanaland Protectorate (Botswana) and along the Limpopo River frontier between the Transvaal and Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe).
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British and Boer forces’ movements in the northwestern Transvaal in August 1900.
(Map Colonel Dudley Wall)
Following an urgent appeal to the War Office, extra troops were recruited to bring Carrington’s strength up to 4,000. These included the 17th and 18th Imperial Yeomanry, volunteers from Ireland and some of the English counties, and volunteers from Australia, New Zealand and Tasmania, paid for by the British government, and with exotic sobriquets such as ‘Bushmen’ and ‘Rough Riders’. The force was equipped with ten 15-pounder, quick-firing guns and eight Vickers-Maxim machine guns.
Roberts now divided the Western Transvaal operational theatre into districts, with the sole objective of mopping up pockets of Boer resistance. The Marico District, including the towns of Mafeking, Zeerust, Lichtenburg and Rustenburg, was assigned to Colonel Baden-Powell, his force comprising 1,100 Rhodesian Volunteers and British South Africa Police (BSAP).
All the while, British forces continued in their efforts to net the elusive Boer generals Koos de la Rey and Christiaan de Wet, who continued to believe that victory might still be within the grasp of their respective republics. The latter had been pursued across South Africa from the eastern Orange Free State to the Magaliesberg mountains in the north-western Transvaal, where he successfully evaded capture.
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With pockets of die-hard ‘bitter einder’ commandos scattered throughout the region, especially in the Magaliesberg, Baden-Powell deployed two mobile columns to effectively search out and neutralise these Boer units. One of these columns, the northern one, was under Colonel Plumer, with a force of 500 mounted men of the Rhodesia Regiment, equipped with four guns of the Royal Canadian Artillery. A small reserve of 100 mounted men of the BSAP was split between the two columns. In addition to this, each of 200 dismounted troops from the Rhodesia and Protectorate Regiments were held at Mafeking and Zeerust.
The movement of supplies by the British Army in South Africa was very demanding, requiring enormous numbers of draft animals.
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Generals Koos de la Rey and Christiaan de Wet.
With the objective of occupying Rustenburg, Plumer’s column move eastwards from Zeerust via Magatosnek in the rugged Magaliesberg mountains. This extensive range of mountains provided a substantial barrier, but several passes, referred to locally as ‘neks,’ allowed access to columns of troops with field guns.
En route, Plumer left a garrison of 100 men of the Southern Rhodesian Volunteers at the drift through the Elands River. Large supplies of provisions and ammunition destined for Rustenburg and brought up by waggon from Mafeking and Zeerust would be secured at this staging post.
Baden-Powell, in the meantime, had moved closer to Pretoria, occupying the Zilikats and Commando Neks to the west of the Transvaal capital. at Rustenburg he left behind a squadron of the Protectorate Regiment under Lieutenant Colonel C.O. Hore, but a few days later, Hore was ordered to retreat down the road towards Zeerust and the staging post at Elands River, as reports were being received of a large force of Boers descending on the town.
Carrington, in response to a requirement to bolster troop strengths in the region, had reached Mafeking on 27 July, but he was told not to proceed any farther east than Elands River, in anticipation of Rustenburg being evacuated in the face of large numbers of Boers under de la Rey, de Wet and Lemmer.
The Elands River camp on Brakfontein Farm in the shadows of the Swartruggens Mountains, once just a communications post between Mafeking and Rustenburg, had by now become a rustic fortified stronghold under the command of Colonel Hore.
His force, made up entirely of colonials, comprised 105 men of the New South Wales Bushmen, 141 3rd Queensland Mounted Infantry, 53 Mounted Infantry from other Australian states, 201 Rhodesian
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volunteers and BSAP troopers under Captain Sandy Butters, and 50 African drivers. Significantly outnumbered, surrounded by high kopjes and mountains, and with only one 7-pounder gun and two maxims to supplement their small arms, the garrison dug in, hoisted the Union Jack, and prepared themselves to defend the accumulation of stores and ammunition for which they were responsible. English writer Arthur Conan-Doyle would describe their actions over the next fortnight as the “finest resistance of the war.”
On 3 August, Carrington, with a column of 1,100 colonial volunteers and irregulars, had reached the Marico River, where he left 350 men with the 50 waggons needed to uplift the stores and ammunition at Elands River. He believed his progress would be swifter without the lumbering ox-waggons, plus he would replenish his own supplies when he arrived at Hore’s camp. Two days later, and a mere eight miles from Elands River, Carrington parked up the mule transport and continued east with 650 men.
As the column neared their objective, Carrington became concerned that the superior numbers of the Lichtenburg and Marico Boer commandos would not only hinder his passage, but that attempting to cross the last two or three miles over open ground would prove to be disastrous. After deploying two small patrols to find their way to Hore’s camp, only to have them taken prisoner, Carrington
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A Boer commando musters.
withdrew. As he retired, he felt that the only safe position would be Mafeking, resulting in his decision to recover all his troops from Groot Marico and Zeerust.
The post at Elands River was left to its own fate, but Hore and his men were not to know that they had been left on their own to hold the position. This was to prove historically unique, as there were no Imperial armies anywhere nearby, with the consequence that Rhodesians would fight for Rhodesians and Australians for Australians.
At breakfast on 4 August, the siege commenced as the first Boer artillery shell destroyed the camp telegraph. This was followed by barrage of artillery and rifle fire from the surrounding Boers, a force of 2,000. From kopjes to the west and east, 7- and 12-pounder guns and 1-pounder quick-firing pom-pom guns opened fire on the post, ranging from 3,000 to 4,000 metres. The Boer guns to the north were much closer, bombarding the hapless colonials, and in the process killing 1,379 of the 1,540 draft animals and horses in the camp. Boer snipers had entrenched themselves in the dry creeks to the north and south, and on either side of the Elands River to the west where it cut the Zeerust to Rustenburg road.
The disposition of the defenders of the beleaguered Elands River staging post.
On the first day of the prolonged Boer artillery onslaught, some 1,500 shells landed within the confines of the 12-acre camp, the hospital taking several hits. Five were killed and 32 wounded on that day.
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(Map Colonel Dudley Wall)
On 6 August, Baden-Powell attempted a rescue bid, but when erroneously hearing that Hore had surrendered, and while still 20 miles from Elands River, he turned around and retired to Rustenburg where preparations were well in hand to evacuate the town and fall back to Pretoria.
The defenders only had one field gun.
Lord Roberts made the decision to withdraw not only Baden-Powell, but also the forces of colonels E.O.F. Hamilton and R.G. Kekewich, the latter from the garrison at Olifants Nek.
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Boer Staats Artillerie.
After destroying 400,000 rounds of ammunition, Baden-Powell joined the other commanders, leaving the area between Mafeking and Commando Nek totally void of any resistance to the Boer forces under de la Rey. All that remained was the beleaguered garrison at Elands River.
The wily Free Stater, General Christiaan de Wet, seized the opportunity to not only join forces with de la Rey, but also to slip under Lord Methuen’s forces who were desperately trying to corner him. This bold move by de Wet, facilitated by Lord Roberts withdrawing all British forces west of Commando Nek, further exacerbated the situation at Elands River.
On 8 August, de la Rey sent a message to Hore, stating that he had driven back Carrington and suggesting the garrison surrenders. In reciprocal gentlemanly fashion, Hore declined, but asked that the Boers desist from shelling the hospital. The request was complied with, but fighting continued while Roberts mobilised his battalions to ensnare de Wet in the Magaliesberg.
Only by the 13th was news received that Hore had been bravely holding out at Elands River, despite round the clock bombardment. Contrary to prevailing talk, Elands River had not been overrun.
The Boers then commenced attacking at night, with the objective of cutting off the garrison’s water supply. The fortified camp safeguarding the war matériel was in fact about half a mile from the Elands River itself, their only source of water. Such forays by the Boers were repulsed by a small party of Southern Rhodesia Volunteers under Captain Butters, operating from a kopje to the southwest of the camp. A small detachment of Australian Bushmen under Lieutenant Zouch was
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Boer firing sangars.
similarly deployed on an adjacent kopje overlooking one of the creeks. Such defences, however, came at a price.
A native messenger had been despatched by Hore on 10 August to seek immediate assistance. By this time, de la Rey had withdrawn some of his investing forces in order to occupy Rustenburg and Olifants Nek, left vacant by Roberts’s troop recall. Shelling had consequently eased, with the relaxation of the cordon allowing the messenger to break through the Boer lines, reaching Carrington on 13 August. There was at last reaction from Roberts, who instructed Carrington to re-occupy Zeerust and assist with the relief of Elands River. Carrington’s force had been refitted and rested at Mafeking and had been increased with the arrival of extra troops from the north.
Now fully committed to succour the post, Roberts diverted his resources away from the pursuit of de Wet, ordering Methuen’s division, the nearest force, to move to Elands River at maximum speed. Lord Kitchener had, however, already started before the order was received.
Taking with him two cavalry brigades, Ridley’s Mounted Infantry and Smith-Dorrien’s battalions, Kitchener left at 2.00 a.m. on 15 August, and, after a rapid march of 35 miles, rode into the Elands River camp the following morning with a force of 10,000 men. Spearheading the column, Brigadier R.G. Broadwood’s cavalry had ensured the road was clear on the 14th, followed by Major General A. FitzR. Hart’s force.
While Kitchener was engaged at Elands River, Methuen, the senior officer in the Magaliesberg, continued the pursuit of de Wet. Carrington, with almost 3,000 men, had reached Otto’s Hoop, only halfway to Zeerust from Mafeking, and still a considerable distance from Elands River.
De Wet remained impossible to corner. It would ultimately take considerable persuasion by a very tired de la Rey for de Wet to accept British peace proposals, which did not include independence for the republics. His ‘bitter-end’ had come.
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Southern Rhodesia Volunteers, 1900.
The men of the Elands River garrison had had to endure almost two weeks of constant attack from the Boers, spending days in roughly hewn pits, suffering from the heat and thirst and the allpervading reek of the rotting carcasses of dead animals. Four Rhodesian Regiment troops were killed, the Rhodesian Volunteers lost two, and a further two BSAP troopers perished during the siege. The Australians lost seven, while seven native porters were also killed. There were 58 wounded.
History continues in its attempts to vindicate the decisions and actions of some of Roberts’s senior officers in the first half of August 1900. In July 1899, Baden-Powell had been sent to Rhodesia to raise two regiments, namely the Rhodesian under Colonel Plumer, and the so-called Protectorate under Colonel Hore. Baden-Powell took the Protectorate Regiment with him to Mafeking, where Hore was to gain considerable experience in the handling of siege conditions. Little did he know what else lay in his future. Plumer would go on to protect the Tuli area of Rhodesia, with the Rhodesia Regiment and elements of the BSAP. He would go on to become one of the greatest British generals of the World War One. Carrington only appeared later, having crossed Rhodesia after landing at Beira, commanding a brigade of Australian Bushmen. He therefore entered the Transvaal from its northwest border. It is argued that the forces at his disposal were significantly diminished by the fact that he was compelled to split the Rhodesian Field Force to reinforce Baden-Powell and Plumer. He however still had a
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Part of the area in the Elands River garrison used as a hospital.
force of 1,000 and a supporting battery of 15-pounder guns, enough for a determined push through to Rustenburg, clearing the Elands River staging post at the same time.
After a minor skirmish and some reconnaissance, Carrington turned back, but not only to the Marico or Zeerust, but all the way to Mafeking. Some of his officers and men noted the incredible speed with which 17 miles were covered that night by the retiring troops. Carrington returned to England at the end of the year.
Baden-Powell, having heard cannon fire in the direction of Elands River as he was making his way towards the post, concluded that either Hore had been overrun, or that Carrington had relieved the siege. He therefore returned to Rustenburg. A lack of supplies at Rustenburg prevented BadenPowell from committing his force to a further attempt to assess the situation at Elands River.
Boer General Jan Smuts said of the defenders of Elands River, “Never in the course of this war did a besieged force endure worse sufferings, but they stood their ground with magnificent courage. All honour to these heroes who in the hour of trial rose nobly to the occasion.”
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Filling in defence trenches after the end of the Elands River siege.
Of the defenders of the post, Rhodesian commander Captain Sandy Butters was awarded the Distinguished Service Order, while Corporal Robert Davenport and troopers Thomas Borlaise and William Hunt received the Distinguished Conduct Medal.
POLISIE-SIELKUNDE | POLICE PSYCOLOGY
A PERSONAL VIEW OF CRIMINAL PROFILING WITH SPECIFIC REFERENCE TO FAMOUS FEMICIDES
ABSTRACT: The article deals with the concept of profiling, a personal view of the concept and a proposal for an Afrikaans substitute for the word "profiling". The content of the article refers to the definition of profiling and offers speculative illustrative analysis and synthesis of international and South African unsolved femicides and emphasizes the importance of four important facets of investigation viz. The Modus Operandi of the offender and damage caused; the motivation of the offender; underlying psychodynamics in the offender; and the personality of the offender. A summary of characteristic similarities and commonalities of the murders is presented.
KEYWORDS: Murder, femicide, prostitute, gender violence, profiling, unsolved, violence
AUTHOR: Dr Coert Mommsen
’N PERSOONLIKE SIENING VAN KRIMINELE PROFILERING MET SPESIFIEKE VERWYSING NA BEKENDE VROUEMOORDE
Die begrip “Profiling”
Ek het vir ‘n geruime tyd reeds as deel van my “Artikel Idees”, “Profiling” as ‘n moontlike tema vir ‘n artikel aangeteken. Omdat ek niks daarvan weet nie, het ek vir my redakteur by Nongqai, Brigadier Heymans gevra wat dit eintlik is.
Sy Antwoord was: “Die FBI het sielkundiges wat Profiling doen op kriminele - om te help om reeksmoordenaar op te spoor of om te probeer voorspel wat die misdadiger gaan doen of wie sy volgende teiken gaan wees”.
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My Antwoord was: “Dankie vir die beskrywing /redusering.
Dit het my in staat gestel om die eerste beginsels vir 'n naam en beskrywing neer te lê. Ek beplan om lg, in 'n artikel uiteen te sit. Dit sal seker eers DV in die nuwe jaar gereed wees. C.M.
Na ons gedagtewisseling het ek iets gedoen wat ek baie keer doen wanneer ek met ‘n vreemde ding te make kry, naamlik, om my voorkennis daaroor te toets. Ek besluit toe ek gaan na aanleiding van die Brigadier se antwoord op my vraag, probeer om oor die begrip “profiling” te spekuleer en soveel moontlik, kern-idees oor die beginsel, te genereer en op te teken, voordat ek enige bron oor die onderwerp nalees. Sodoende kon ek myself (soort van) toets. Gedagtes wat by my opgekom het was die volgende:
• Die elemente van “profiling” het te make met die volgende:
• Dit vorm deel van elke misdaad oplossing
• Dit word voorafgegaan deur ontleding (analise)
• Deur die identifisering van spesifieke bronne van inligting soos psigodinamiese prosesse; en die
• En die analise en samestelling van gegewens
Essensieël blyk dit dat profiling verband hou met analise en sintese van beskikbare inligting. Dit kom daarop neer dat toepaslike inligting ontleed en saamgestel word. Die woord “Profiling” loop eintlik die prosedure vooruit deurdat dit verwys na die aaneenskakeling van opvallende kenmerke van ‘n situasie vir die samestelling van ’n geheelbeeld (Soos in “Koppel die kolletjies”).
Dus kom “Profiling” kom eintlik neer op versamel, ontleed en saamstel. My gedagte in alle nederigheid dat ‘n samestelling van die woorde “ontleed” en “sintese”(samestelling), vir ‘n Afrikaanse woord “Sintesering” oorweeg kan word.
Dit kan van baie hulp wees om vir die doeleindes van sintesering, teorieë te formuleer oor die oortreder se
• Modus Operandi (Gedrag/optrede tydens die misdaad),
• motiewe, en
• onderliggende psigodinamika.
Formele definisie
Burgess M. en Douglas J.E. gee ‘n kort definisie en opsomming van Sintesering (“Profiling”) in hul artikel getiteld Criminal Profiling - A Viable Investigative Tool Against Violent Crime: “Die kriminele profileringsproses word deur die FBI gedefinieer as 'n tegniek wat gebruik word om die verrigter van 'n geweldsmisdaad te identifiseer deur die persoonlikheid en gedragseienskappe van die oortreder te identifiseer op grond van 'n ontleding van die misdaad wat gepleeg is.”
“Die proses behels gewoonlik (1) evaluering van die kriminele daad self, (2) omvattende evaluering van die besonderhede van die misdaadtoneel(e), (3) omvattende ontleding van die slagoffer en (4) evaluering van voorlopige polisieverslae. Bykomende stappe is (5) evaluering van die lykskouingsprotokol van die mediese ondersoeker, (6) die ontwikkeling van 'n profiel met kritieke oortreder-eienskappe en (7) ondersoekende voorstelle wat gebaseer is op die konstruksie van die profiel. Kriminele profilering is veral nuttig in gyselaarsonderhandeling en identifisering van skrywers van dreigbriewe, verkragters, brandstigters en seksuele moordenaars “ Die skrywers gaan voort:
“Kriminele profilering het sy billike deel van ondersteuners en teenstanders. Hierdie aspek van die veld van sielkunde, ook bekend as gedragsanalise, bied praktiese instrumente vir wetstoepassing waarmee reeksmisdadigers aangekeer kan word. Dit is reeds in die 1940's gebruik om FBI- en plaaslike agentskappe se ondersoeke te help, maar eers in die middel van die 1970's geformaliseer. Reeksoortreders is dikwels moeilik om op te spoor weens hul hoë intelligensie, die ontkoppelde
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aard van plaaslike wetstoepassing en ander faktore. Gedragsanalise skep 'n profiel wat dan gebruik word om oënskynlik onverbonde voorvalle met mekaar te verbind. In die artikel hieronder gaan ons kyk na vyf van die berugste reeksmoordenaars wat gevang is danksy kriminele profilering”. (1) https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/criminal-profiling-viable-investigative-tool-againstviolent-crime
Onopgeloste sake
As 'n liggaam gevind word en daar is geen getuies of enige aanduidings van wie die moord gepleeg het nie, kan dit vir die polisie baie moeilik wees om 'n verdagte te identifiseer," sê Gareth Newham van die Instituut vir Sekerheidstudies (ISS) (Mkhuma, 2015).
Newham meen verder:
“Ongelukkig is die situasie in Suid-Afrika nie veel anders nie, aangesien die meerderheid ernstige misdade onopgelos bly. Die jongste SAPD-jaarverslag vir die 2019/2020-boekjaar dui aan dat slegs 36,17% van verdagtes (751 720 uit 'n totaal van 2 078 225) in ernstige misdade soos moord, poging tot moord en verkragting opgespoor word (SAPD, 2020a). “ (2) https://www.servamus.co.za/index.php/component/content/article/208-servamus-sept-2021/673cold-cases-cold-justice
Illustrerende spekulatiewe beskouings van bekende onopgeloste moorde
Internasionale onopgeloste sake
Elizabeth Short (Swart Dahlia)
Modus Operandi en Fisiese skade aangerig
Die berugte Black Dahlia-saak het speurders al dekades lank verstom sedert die twee helftes van Elizabeth Short se liggaam in Los Angeles gevind is. In Januarie 1947 was Betty Bersinger en haar dogter die eerste wat Short se verminkte liggaam gevind het, volgens CNN. Haar liggaam is in twee helftes in die middel gesny, haar ingewande verwyder en haar mond van oor tot oor gesny – 'n sg.“Glasgow-glimlag”. Die moordenaar haar liggaamsdele gewas voordat hy dit in 'n leë veld gestort het. (3) https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-dahlia-autopsy-elizabeth-short-114120646.html
Elizabeth Short was ʼn aspirerende aktrise. Sy was besonder aantreklik met lang, donker krulle. Sy kon waarskynlik enige man se aandag trek en maklik toenadering ontlok. Die moontlikheid bestaan dat sy van haar voorkoms en talente gebruik gemaak het om haar doelwit te bereik. In dié proses sou sy sekerlik in aanraking gekom het met persone soos talent soekers en Hollywood agente/Individue wat hulself as sulks voordoen. Van die voordele verbonde aan haar soektog sou sy sekerlik dikwels deur sulke persone getrakteer en geromantiseer word. Baie sou sekerlik vergoeding van haar verwag. Dié het waarskynlik gewissel van ʼn “lek en ʼn belofte” tot meer intieme kontak. Elizabeth se liggaam is in twee gedeel, gewas en haar ingewande verwyder. Sy was 5 vt 4 dm lank en het 52 Kg geweeg. Om haar liggaam te vermink soos gebeur het, sou waarskynlik ʼn sterk persoon verg met anatomiese kennis. (Om ʼn menslike ruggraat te ontkoppel is sekerlik nie ʼn maklike taak nie.) Verder sou die was, middeldeur sny en vervoer van haar liggaamsdele baie fisiese krag en fiksheid verg soos dié van iemand wat sy/haar gesondheid oppas deur gereeld oefeninge te doen. Die moordenaar sou dus fisies sterk gebou gewees het.
Motivering
Motivering in die geval van Elizabeth se moord kan wissel van ontoereikende seksuele prestasie tot jaloesie en besitlikheid, of ʼn kombinasie hiervan.
Moontlike onderliggende psigodinamika
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Faktore soos ontoereikende seksuele prestasie, bespotting hieroor (Glasgow glimlag) skeiding van die liggaam (skeiding van die onderlyf (seksuele) - en bolyf (Skoonheid)) kon die gevolg kon wees van intense ambivalensie (Konflik tussen die aangetrokkenheid deur die voorkoms (Gesig) en seksuele aangetrokkenheid (Onderlyf). (Spekulasie ter verduideliking: “Hoe kon iemand so mooi soos jy my só verneuk en verneder?) Die moordenaar was waarskynlik ongetroud en nuut in die vermaklikheids-werwingsbedryf. Moontlik het hy hom voorgedoen as ʼn regte talent-agent.
Persoonlikheid
Waarskynlik sterk Introvert, Ontoereikende Persoonlikheid, Narsissistiese persoonlikheid, “Intermittent explosive disorder”.
Jack the Ripper
Modus Operandi en Fisiese handeling
Daar is duidelike ooreenkomste tussen JTR en ander prostituut moordstyle. Oor die jare het belangstellendes seker al aan die gruwelikstes gewoond te raak:
• Die meeste slagoffers was prostitute;
• Baie was drinkers;
• Almal is (oënskynlik) in die gesig geslaan (sommige erger as ander);
• Almal is dodelike steekwonde toegedien en waarskynlik toe oopgesny;
• Die snye was vinnige hale (“Ripped”) Tydens ʼn “Frenzy”( waansinnige uitbarsting) van die buik tot by die pubiese area. Byna soos dié wat dit sou verg om ʼn vleiskarkas te ontderm;
• Die ingewande was uit sommige slagoffers verwyder;
• Die hale word soms beskryf as sigsag / hakerig (amper soos dié wanneer ʼn mens ʼn dier se ingewande vinnig moet verwyder);
• Die lem/mes wat gebruik is vir die doodsteke én die ingewand-verwydering moes deur ʼn kenner gekies en geslyp gewees het (amper soos dié vermoëns wat van professionele slagters/vivisektoniste vereis word);
• Daar is min verwysing (in die verslae wat nagegaan is), oor die ingewande en bloed van die slagoffers (by die lyke self). Lg. moes ekstreem gewees het tydens die slagting en moes op ʼn baie onopsigtelike wyse verwyder/vernietig word, soos in ʼn slaghuis of ingerigte werkplek;
• So ʼn fasiliteit (Slaghuis of werkvertrek) moes in die nabye omgewing gewees het.
Volgens ʼn verslag kon mens vir 3p (2 ½ sent) ʼn groot glas Jenewer en ʼn stuk gedroogde brood koop. Dus, was erge honger stres swaarkry en depressie seker deel van die meeste vroue in Whitechapel se daaglikse bestaan. Die Ripper was heelwaarskynlik bewus hiervan en het self erge hongersnood beleef. Hy was waarskynlik ʼn slagter van beroep en wanneer hy genader was deur slagoffers, kon hy hulle Jenewer aanbied (“Die enigste verligting in hierdie ellendige lewe was 'n bottel Jenewer wat vir 'n paar pennies gekoop kan word en salige vergetelheid kon bied”) (4) https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Jack-the-Ripper/ en ʼn lekker biefstuk of ander vleis. In ʼn toestand van besopenheid het hulle die aanbod aanvaar en is saam met JTR na sy slaghuis, waar hy hulle in die gesig/oor die kop geslaan het. Hy kon hy hulle hierna oopsny, die ingewande verwyder en die bloed afwas sonder om ʼn teken hiervan agter te laat by die lyke. JTR was waarskynlik redelik jonk, fiks en geweldig sterk vanweë die feit dat hy vinnig moes gewerk het en die swaar (“dooie gewig”) lyke karwei.
Motivering
JTR het waarskynlik in moeilike omstandighede grootgeword. Sy motief vir die moorde was waarskynlik nie om sy slagoffers te pynig nie, maar eerder om vir die wêreld te wys hoe kwaad hy vir dié soort mens is/hierdie is hoe hierdie soort mens opeindig.
Onderliggende dinamika
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Hy was waarskynlik vanweë sy intelligensie en ervaring, slim genoeg om ʼn beroep in die voedselbedryf na te volg. Voortgesette en onbevredigde behoeftes ten opsigte van moederlike versorging, getrouheid/lojaliteit van ʼn kind wat verwaarloos is in terme van bogenoemde (voedsel, sekuriteit stabiliteit en getrouheid) kan vanweë jarelange voortgesette blootstelling aanleiding gee na vyandigheid en woede teenoor die moederfiguur. Hierdie vyandigheid kan geïntensifiseer word as die kyker besef die optrede van die moeder is vanweë alkohol misbruik/dronkenskap en heel moontlik, aanskouing en sintuiglike belewenis van geslagsverkeer tussen die moederfiguur en vreemdelinge).
Persoonlikheid
Jack the Ripper was waarskynlik ʼn psigopaat. (5) https://www.casebook.org/dissertations/rn-oldwounds.html
Onopgeloste sake, Suid-Afrika
Onder tragiese onopgeloste moorde in Suid Afrika is dié van Luyanda Nkambule van Secunda en Tshegofatso Pule, om maar enkeles te noem:
Volgens ‘n Al Jazeera berig lees die tragiese agtergrond van Tshegofatso Pule as volg: “Tshegofatso Pule was agt maande swanger toe sy vermoor is en haar liggaam het op 5 Junie 2020 aan 'n boom gehang. Dit is haar storie en die verhaal van die ander vroue wat op daardie dag deur mans vermoor is in 'n land waar 'n vrou elke vier uur vermoor word.” (6) https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/6/5/our-bodies-are-crime-scenes-south-africasmurdered-women
Dié berig reflekteer die omvang van geweld teenoor vroue in Suid Afrika en dit is belangrik dat ondersoek ingestel word na ʼn gemeenskaplike faktor wat hulle in gemeen het. Alleen dán sal nader beweeg word aan ʼn geldige diagnosering van die verskynsel en ʼn konstruktiewe ingrepe uitgevoer kan word.
Geen spekulasie met betrekking tot onopgeloste Suid-Afrikaanse moorde word in hierdie artikel bespreek nie, uit respek vir die regte van die slagoffers en die gevoelens van hul naasbestaandes. Bekende suksesvolle sinteserings
Die webblad Online psychology degrees bespreek die belangrikheid van kriminele sintesering as volg: “Reeksoortreders val in verskillende kategorieë. Gedragsanalise kan wetstoepassers help deur insig te gee in die motivering en sielkundige samestelling van hierdie individue, of hulle nou brande stig, seksuele aanranding pleeg, diefstal pleeg of ‘n lewe neem. Omdat moord 'n uiterste misdaad is, kan reeksmoordenaars deur al hierdie faktore gemotiveer word, benewens die pleeg van herhaalde moorde. Dikwels word hulle slegs voor die gereg gebring deur 'n skerp begrip van gedragspatrone en eienskappe wat algemeen is vir misdade uiteen te sit, wat 'n belangrike komponent van kriminele profilering is. Die skrywers van ʼn artikel getiteld Five Serial Killers Caught Using Criminal Profiling skryf in die inleiding van hul artikel die volgende:
“Kriminele profilering het sy billike deel van ondersteuners en teenstanders. Hierdie aspek van die veld van sielkunde, ook bekend as gedragsanalise, bied praktiese instrumente vir wetstoepassing waarmee reeksmisdadigers aangekeer kan word. Dit is reeds in die 1940's gebruik om FBI- en plaaslike agentskappe se ondersoeke te help, maar eers in die middel van die 1970's geformaliseer. Reeksoortreders is dikwels moeilik om op te spoor weens hul hoë intelligensie, die ontkoppelde aard van plaaslike wetstoepassing en ander faktore. Gedragsanalise skep 'n profiel wat dan gebruik word om oënskynlik onverbonde voorvalle met mekaar te verbind. In die onderstaande artikel gaan ons kyk na vyf van die berugste reeksmoordenaars wat gevang is danksy kriminele profilering.” (7) https://www.online-psychology-degrees.org/list-articles/five-serial-killers-caught-using-criminalprofiling/
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Onopgeloste sake
Van die mees gruwelike onopgeloste moorde, is waarskynlik die moorde gepleeg deur “Jack the Ripper” (VK), die “Black Dahlia”(VSA) moord en die moord op Tshego Pule (SA)
Samevatting
• Elemente wat algemeen voorkom by die moorde bespreek, is gewelddadige gedrag as gevolg van emosie (Haat, woede, jaloesie, vyandigheid, verwyd, afsondering, verwerping);
• Die slagoffers vrouens met uitsondering van die moontlike transvestie, bi- of homoseksuele Fopdossers; die belangrikheid van omstandigheidsfaktore kan moeilik oorbeklemtoon word;
• Asook: die belangrikheid van persoonlikheid en psigodinamika;
• Vroulike ontrouheid kan lei tot geweld en moord;
• Sekswerkers word dikwels geteiken;
• Sosioëkonomiese faktore speel ’n belangrike rol in menslike gedrag;
• Die belangrikheid van toereikende kindersorg en ondersteuning is gewigtig;
• Psigodinamiese Teorieë oor die “Jack the Ripper” en “Swart Dahlia” deel die volgende gemeenskaplikhede:
• Duidelik is ʼn onderliggende gemeenskaplike faktor by die moorde, ʼn geweldige woede;
• Hierdie woede is gefokus op die vroulike voedings- (maag, derms) voortplantings(vrouedele) organe
• Waarskynlik het albei aanpassingsprobleme ervaar vanweë hul persoonlikheidspredisposisie
• Agtergrondsondersoeke van verdagtes is baie belangrik
• Sintesering kan van waarde wees tydens veral onderhandelinge met oortreders/risiko individue soos massaskieters en reeksmoordenaars
• Spekulasie deur kenners oor fundamentele faktore soos psigodinamika, motiveerders, omstandigheidsgetuienis en persoonlikheid moet nie summier verwerp word deur bevelvoerders nie. Die Opteken hiervan is van die grootste belang.
• Koerantberigte oor die sake is van onskatbare waarde
Gemeenskaplikhede
• Emosies soos geweldige woede, haat en persoonlikheidstipe is waarskynlik onderliggende gemeenskaplike faktore by dié en ander soortgelyke moorde;
• Woede-handelinge by die “Swart Dahlia” en “Jack the Ripper” moorde is gefokus op die vroulike voedings- (maag, derms) voortplantings- organe (vrouedele);
• Die funksies van die geskende dele (gesig en liggaamsbou) en verwyderde organe hou verband met basiese drange en die bevrediging hiervan (eet, drink en libido)
• Voortgesette en onbevredigde behoeftes ten opsigte van moederlike versorging, getrouheid/lojaliteit van ʼn kind wat verwaarloos is in terme van bogenoemde (voedsel, sekuriteit stabiliteit en getrouheid) kan vanweë jarelange voortgesette blootstelling lei na vyandigheid teen die moederfiguur. Hierdie vyandigheid kan geïntensifiseer word as hierdie gedrag met dronkenskap by die moederfiguur gepaard gaan en heel moontlik, die aanskouing en sintuiglike belewenis van geslagsverkeer tussen die moederfiguur en vreemdelinge).
• Flirtgedrag in onbekende omgewings kan gevaarlik wees.
Bronne
https://www.ojp.gov/ncjrs/virtual-library/abstracts/criminal-profiling-viable-investigative-tool-againstviolent-crime
https://www.servamus.co.za/index.php/component/content/article/208-servamus-sept-2021/673cold-cases-cold-justice
https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/black-dahlia-autopsy-elizabeth-short-114120646.html https://www.historic-uk.com/HistoryUK/HistoryofEngland/Jack-the-Ripper/
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https://www.casebook.org/dissertations/rn-old-wounds.html
https://www.aljazeera.com/features/2021/6/5/our-bodies-are-crime-scenes-south-africasmurdered-women https://www.online-psychology-degrees.org/list-articles/five-serial-killers-caught-using-criminalprofiling/
SOUTH AFRICAN COMMONWEALTH WAR CASUALTIES BURIED ACROSS THE WORLD –PART SEVENTY-THREE.
Captain (SAN) Charles Ross (SA Navy Retired)
South Africans took part in almost every war theatre during the First and Second World Wars. According to the Commonwealth War Graves Commission Casualty Data Base 7 290 (includes 607 unknown) First World War casualties and 9 986 (includes 84 unknown) Second World War casualties are buried in 1 207 cemeteries while 2 959 First World War and 2 005 Second World War casualties are commemorated on 48 memorials. This does not include the more than 2 700 South Africans who until recently were not commemorated by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. A new memorial to commemorate these South Africans is being constructed in the Gardens in Cape Town and should be completed in 2024.
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• Padua War Cemetery - Italy
On 3 September 1943 the Allies invaded the Italian mainland, the invasion coinciding with an armistice made with the Italians who then re-entered the war on the Allied side.
The Allied advance was stalled for two successive winters: in 1943 on the German defensive position known as the Gustav Line, stretching from the river Gargliano in the west to the Sangro in the east, and in 1944 on the Gothic Line in the northern Appenine mountains. At the beginning of April 1945, the Allies launched their final offensive against the German positions spread out in a line across Italy, south of Bologna. German resistance was by now beginning to disintegrate and the Allies were able to fan out rapidly across the Po valley.
Padua War Cemetery lies in the zone of the Allied breakthrough in the spring of 1945 when, despite some resistance, the town was captured by Indian troops.
The cemetery contains 517 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 32 of them unidentified. There are also four war graves of other nationalities and one non-war burial.
72 South African casualties from World War Two are buried in this cemetery.
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• Aldershot Military Cemetery – United Kingdom
400,000 Canadian servicemen were trained there.
During both wars, numerous regimental and corps depots were based in and around Aldershot. At the outbreak of The First World War, it was the headquarters of the Aldershot Command and of the 1st and 2nd Divisions, and the Depot of the Royal Army Medical Corps. The North and South Camps, divided by the Basingstoke Canal, remained in full activity throughout the War. During the Second World War, some
Aldershot Military Cemetery is a permanent military cemetery, the property of the Ministry of Defence. The Commission is responsible for the care of graves of both world wars within the cemetery.
There are 692 First World War graves in the cemetery, the earliest bears the date 5th August 1914, and the latest 11th August 1921. Many of these graves are in plot AF. The 129 Second World War graves are in groups in various plots, the largest group in plot A containing 86 graves.
7 South African casualties from World War One are buried in this cemetery.
• Sfax War Cemetery - Tunisia
In May 1943, the war in North Africa came to an end in Tunisia with the defeat of the Axis powers by a combined Allied force.
In the south, the Axis forces defeated in Egypt at El Alamein withdrew into Tunisia along the coast through Libya, pursued by the Allied Eighth Army. Most of those buried in Sfax War Cemetery died in attacks on successive Axis positions at Medenine, the Marith Line and Wadi Akarit, in March and April 1943.
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The cemetery contains 1,253 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War, 52 of them unidentified.
The single First World War grave in Sfax War Cemetery was brought in from Bizerta Sidi Saleru Muslim Cemetery in March 1983.
There is also 1 Greek soldier of the 1939-45 war buried here.
27 South African casualties from World War Two are buried in this cemetery.
• Moshi Cemetery - Tanzania
At the outbreak of the First World War
Tanzania was the core of German East Africa. From the invasion of April 1915, Commonwealth forces fought a protracted and difficult campaign against a relatively small but highly skilled German force under the command of General von LettowVorbeck. When the Germans finally surrendered on 23 November 1918, twelve days after the European armistice, their numbers had been reduced to 155 European and 1,168 African troops.
Moshi was unsuccessfully attacked by British troops at the beginning of September 1914, but on 13 March 1916, South African cavalry seized New Moshi and occupied Old Moshi on the 15th. For some weeks afterwards, Old Moshi became GHQ, and a centre for medical units, but the majority of the First World War burials in Moshi Cemetery were brought in after the Armistice from burial grounds* close to the Tanga (Northern) and Voi Railways. During the Second World War, Moshi was the headquarters of Southern Area with, a Major-General's Command and a concentration centre for troops destined for India and Burma.
Moshi Cemetery contains 90 Commonwealth burials of the First World War and a further 84 (two of them unidentified) from the Second World War. The cemetery also contains four non-war burials and two German war graves. * They included the cemeteries at EUPHORBIEN HILL (10 burials of the 12th South African Inf., March 1916), HIMO (12 burials of March-June 1916), SOKO NASSAI (19 South African Inf. and two of the 25th Royal Fusiliers, 21 March 1916) and STORE CAMP (11 burials, 21 and 22 March 1916).
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65 South African casualties from World War One and One casualty from World War Two are buried in this cemetery.
• Medjez-El-Bab War Cemetery - Tunisia
In May 1943, the war in North Africa came to an end in Tunisia with the defeat of the Axis powers by a combined Allied force. The campaign began on 8 November 1942, when Commonwealth and American troops made a series of landings in Algeria and Morocco. The Germans responded immediately by sending a force from Sicily to northern Tunisia, which checked the Allied advance east in early December. In the south, the Axis forces defeated at El Alamein withdrew into Tunisia along the coast through Libya, pursued by the Allied Eighth Army. By mid April 1943, the combined Axis force was hemmed into a small corner of north-eastern Tunisia and the Allies were grouped for their final offensive.
Medjez-el-Bab was at the limit of the Allied advance in December 1942 and remained on the front line until the decisive Allied advances of April and May 1943.
There are 2,903 Commonwealth servicemen of the Second World War buried or commemorated in MEDJEZ-EL-BAB WAR CEMETERY. 385 of the burials are unidentified. Special memorials commemorate three soldiers buried in Tunis (Borgel) Cemetery and one in Youks-les-Bains Cemetery, whose graves are now lost.
Within the cemetery stands the MEDJEZ-EL-BAB MEMORIAL, bearing the names of almost 2,000 men of the First Army who died during the operations in Algeria and Tunisia between 8 November 1942 and 19 February 1943, and those of the First and Eighth Armies who died in operations in the same areas between 20 February 1943 and 13 May 1943, and who have no known graves.
The five First World War burials in Medjez-el-Bab War Cemetery were brought in from Tunis (Belvedere) Cemetery or in Carthage (Basilica Karita) Cemetery in 1950.
The CEMETERY and MEMORIAL were designed by Sir J. Hubert Worthington.
16 South African casualties from World War Two are buried in this cemetery.
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