SAS President Kruger

Three Ships Parade 2012 – Port Elizabeth

Cameron Kinnear — Sun, 10 Mar 2013 15:05:03 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

THREE SHIPS SUNDAY SERVICE

19TH FEBRUARY 2012

The SA Legion Annual Three Ships Service to commemorate the SS Mendi, HMSAS Southern Flow and SAS President Kruger (affectionately known as “PK”) – all lost during the month of February, was held on 24^th February 2013 at St Paul’s Church.

The Service was well attended, with some standing at the rear of the church. The Sea Cadets took centre stage, and as usual, were impeccably turned out.

A candle was lit for each ship in a sad and nostalgic moment, especially for the survivors of the “PK”. Treasurer Bartie gave the address:

Address

Good morning Friends of the South African Legion. Welcome to this most important service and thank you for making time to share with us as we honour South Africa's lost Sons.

Firstly a thank you to our chaplain, Reverend Ruthell Johnson, for once again allowing and encouraging us to use the Church for this service, and to the ladies behind the scenes who put the service sheets together and assisted with the technical set-up in the presentation, as well as those who will supply sustenance to us after the service in the Hall.

Indeed February is a sad month in the annuals of the South African maritime history. It is at this time that we gather to pay homage to those Son’s of South Africa who paid the supreme sacrifice at sea during the month of February. The Port Elizabeth Branch has elected to pay homage each year to those who died at sea – while most of the other Branches have chosen to commemorate a land battle.

Over the years we have dealt at length with the sinking of the SS Mendi, which sank after being rammed by a vessel twice her size, in the English Channel in the early hours of the 21st February 1917, whilst enroute to France with the last contingent of troops from the Native Labour Corps. As you will remember the vessel sank in 20 minutes taking over 600 troops to their deaths in the icy waters of the Channel.

Just before the service last year, a letter appeared in the EP Herald concerning a grave which had been found. The writer was Mr Nick Ward of Littlehampton, he is a World War 1 Battlefield Tour Guide and a Researcher. I was able to contact Mr Ward but the story he had to tell arrived too late for that service.

In the course of some research he was doing, he came across a headstone in the Littlehampton Cemetery. This headstone recorded the burial place of three African men who were victims of the Mendi sinking. This headstone had been raised by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission but unfortunately they only recorded the full name of one victim, Smith Segule and the other two as Pte Jim and Pte Simon. The full names of the three men are Simon Lingansio, Jim Mbombiya and Smith Segule all identified by the ID tags during the coroners investigation before the burial.

Mr Ward has negotiated with the Commonwealth War Graves Commission to have a new Headstone erected recoding the full names of the three men who were interred in the grave. This will take about 18 months. It is hoped that when the official blessing of the new Headstone takes place it will be in the presence of the South African High Commissioner. Mr Ward will lay three poppies at the grave today in memory of these three men. Mr Ward told me a couple of days ago that national press interest in the UK has been stirred up about this grave head-stone and could receive a national press airing this week.

We also remember the brave little HMSAS Southern Floe, a converted whaler which was serving as a minesweeper in the Mediterranean Sea during World War 2. She sailed from Tobruck on the evening of the 10th February 1941 to carry out an anti- submarine patrol off the swept channel. It is surmised that sometime in the early hours of the morning of the 11th February she hit a mine and sank almost immediately with the loss of all but one of her crew, Stoker C J Jones – he was not even one of her permanent crew but had been drafted in the place of a stoker who was ill. He clung to some flotsam for 12 hours before being rescued by an inbound warship.

But our main theme today relates to the sinking of the SAS President Kruger, and we are privileged to have a number of survivors with us today.

In 1955 the South African Government decided to modernise the South African Navy with the purchase of a large number of new warships, including 3 Type 12 Frigates.

But even at the beginning of its life, the President Kruger suffered a twist!

The 1st keel was laid down at the Alexander Stephen and Sons Shipyard in Glasgow in 1958, whilst the second keel was laid 11 months later at the Yarrow & Co Shipyard in Glasgow. The South African Government decreed that the first hull to be launched, at Stephen and Sons, would be named the SAS President Kruger and that the second hull to be launched from Yarrow & Co would be named the SAS President Steyn. The third hull would be named the SAS President Pretorius.

As time for the launch drew near, the labour union declared a strike at Alexander Stephen and Sons thus delaying the building of the President Kruger hull, and it became obvious that the first hull to be launched would in fact be the one at Yarrow & Co – the President Steyn. But the Government was adamant – the first hull to be launched would be called the President Kruger and thus at somewhat short notice the hull at Yarrow & Co was renamed the President Kruger – the hull at Stephen and Sons became the President Steyn.

Upon the completion of her acceptance trials and working up procedures, the President Kruger set sail for South Africa. The President Kruger arrived in Simon's Town harbour to a tumultuous welcome on the 28th March 1963. And so began a new era in the history of the South African Navy.

On the 15th February 1982, the President Kruger and President Pretorius in company with SAS Tafelberg, the Navy replenishmentvessel, sailed for a 5 day exercise with the submarine SAS Emily Hobhouse.

Part of the exercise was for the two frigates to “screen” the Tafelberg from the Emily Hobhouse. But because the speed of the frigates was such that they out-ran the Tafelberg, they carrier out a manoeuvre which reversed their course. They had a choice of turning inwards or tuning outwards. The inward turn was much more delicate than the out-ward turn. The President Kruger chose to turn inwards.

The inward turn manoeuvre was not well executed. The situation was also complicated by the “loss” of the image of the Tafelberg on the radar due to the heavy sea clutter. When the error was detected, corrective action was taken but too late, and at 03.56 on the morning of the 18th February 1982, the ice reinforced bows of the Tafelberg cut deeply into the President Kruger, mortally injuring her. The collision took place directly above mess 12, where most of those who lost their lives were sleeping. At 04.40 the Captain took the decision to abandon ship. At 05.29 the President Kruger plunged beneath the waves to the bottom of the South Atlantic nearly 4000 metres below. Yesterday 30 years ago this terrible tragedy took place!

The Roll of Honour of those who perished on that dark and tempestuous sea reads as follows:

Chief Petty Officer J Booysen

Chief Petty Officer H W Smith

Chief Petty Officer W M G van Tonder

Chief Petty Officer D Webb

Petty Officer S P Bothma

Petty Officer G A F Brind

Petty Officer R C Bulterman

Petty Officer G W de Villiers

Petty Officer E Koen

Petty Officer H Lotter

Petty Officer R A Mc Master

Petty Officer R F Skeates

Petty Officer W R Smith

Petty Officer M B R Whiteley

Petty Officer C J Wium

Able Seaman G T Benjamin

In all of these tragedies, there is a strong indication of the frailty of mankind. Frailty includes the way we as humans make decisions. In all these tragedies the decisions seemed to have been inappropriate; a decision was made on the SS Darro to travel and high speed in fog conditions; perhaps the navigator on the HMSAS Southern Floe took an inappropriate decision as to where the swept channel was; the decision taken on the SAS President Kruger on the execution of the inward turn was inappropriate. Yet through this frailty, human will to survive was also manifest in those who simply refused to die but fought for survival and did not lose faith in God. This will to survive, this faith in God can be paraphrased in the reading today that neither death nor life shall be able to separate us from the love of God in Whom we trust.

This service, friends, is our commemoration of those who perished and our celebration of those who survived the tragedies of the SS Mendi, HMSAS Southern Floe and SAS President Kruger, irrespective of their ethnicity, colour or religious beliefs, those men of courage, those men of valour, all sons of South Africa

“At the Going Down of the Sun and in the Morning,

We Will Remember them”.

W M Bartie

19th February 2012

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SAS President Kruger Memorial Parade – UK

Cameron Kinnear — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:52:50 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

Painting by Derrick Dickens, artwork by Theo Fernandes

On the 24th February the SA Legion UK will pay tribute at two ceremonies to the SS Mendi and the SAS President Kruger.

If you are able to attend you are very welcome.

24/02/2013 SS Mendi and SAS President Kruger Parades

Parade Order – Milton Cemetery:

Weather permitting the parade will be held outside, weather not permitting the sermon and messages will be done in the Chapel and the wreaths laid in a shortened outside service.

11:00 Parade Muster and drill Practice

Colours take position behind Parade OC
Medal Parade for new recipients – march up, salute, step forward. Step back, Salute – left turn, rejoin.
Colours join the squad
Dismiss

11:30 Parade Muster at the chapel and march to ceremonial site (lower path)

Halt on the path below the row – colours take up position in the centre of the row
Message fromParade Commander on the SS Mendi
Sermon – reading, message and prayer appropriate to the men of the Mendi and the SA Labour Corps
Message from Lgr Peter Gillatt
Colours dipped
SA Legion Wreath placed
Roll call to the 9 SS Mendi casualties buried at Milton and individual wreaths are laid to each man by a member appointed in the squad – each man will exit the quad individually, march up – halt salute, step forward and lay wreath, bow, step back salute left turn and rejoin the squad
The Last Post played and Two minutes Silence
Act of Remembrance
Colours raised and rejoined
Squad march to the chapel
Dismiss

Parade Order – Portsmouth Memorial

13:00 Muster

Parade March to memorial and halt. Eyes front, Parade Commanders salute the memorial
Colours take up position
Introduction and call to worship – we come together Legion script
Message from Parade Commander – All serving men lost at sea
Bible Reading, Message and Prayer appropriate to all military disasters at sea in the modern era
Personal Message from Lgr Cameron Kinnear – SAS PK Survivor,
Colours Dipped
SAS PK Roll Call – Read by Lgr Cameron Kinnear
Wreath party to lay wreaths (SA Legion, SS Mendi and SAS President Kruger)
Act of Remembrance
Commitment and Dedication
The last post and 2 minutes silence
Colours raised and rejoin the squad
National Anthems (South African followed by God Save the Queen)
Eyes front memorial salute by parade commanders
Squad marched off and dismiss.

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1st Annual SA Naval Fraternity Social gathers steam.

Cameron Kinnear — Sat, 02 Feb 2013 15:38:55 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

The 1st Annual South African Naval Fraternity Social is gathering steam.

At 3pm on Saturday 23rd of February (THIS MONTH!) shipmates from various walks of life in the SA Navy will start gathering at HUB in Simonstown.

Some will avail themselves of the ship tours laid on by the Base PR Office, while others will start the banter and renewing of acquaintences and memories.

Havev you booked for the social?

If not, head over the the fraternituy website to do so now!

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HMS Plymouth Video

Cameron Kinnear — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 17:10:28 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

A video of the last remaining type 12M (Rothesay) class Frigate, almost identical to the President Class.

Engine Room and lower decks.

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Commemoration Image Collection

Cameron Kinnear — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:20:49 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

These images are provided courtesy of Cmdr Leon Steyn, SAN Museum.

View Photo Album

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Remembrance Day – SA Legion UK

Cameron Kinnear — Thu, 08 Nov 2012 13:29:46 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

UK Remembrance Day: South Africa’s 1st opportunity to remember fallen

This year on 11 November for the very first time, the South African Legion UK will formally march in London and Glasgow to remember the fallen.

PO Brian Ackers

Cameron Kinnear — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 09:35:05 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

PO Brian Ackers, one of the survivors of the PK on that night passed away on 16/8/2012 after a short illness.

He is a member of my extended family and his funeral is on Sat. 25/8/2012 from St Faiths Anglican Church, Milford Rd, Plumstead, Cape Town.

Brian will be buried on Sat. 25^th Aug, details as follows:

St Faith’s Anglican Church

Milford Road (off Dick Burton Road)

Plumstead (Cape Peninsula)

Viewing (08:00)

Service (09:00)

Thence to Plumstead Cemetery (Victoria Rd)

Brian always spoke passionately about the PK and the aftermath to me.

It would be a privilege to have his Navy buddies @ the funeral. Thx. Colin Arends

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SAS Pietermaritzburg

Cameron Kinnear — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:31:48 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

SAS Pietermaritzburg at the Knysna Heads in 1953

Please assist us to justify an provisional protection order by adding your voice to the petition.

Sign the Petition!

It has been brought to the attention of the Society and the Civic Association that a salvor has been cutting and recovering steel from the wreck of the SAS Pietermaritzburg.
This ship was scuttled off Miller’s Point to act as an artificial reef. Apart from serving the South African Navy for many years the Pietermaritzburg, originally named HMS Pelorus, led the D-Day Invasion fleet on the 6th June 1944. Many feel that in the light of this ship’s history it should be left as is.

In order for a provisional protection order to be placed on the wreck it requires a meeting to be held at which the public must express their desire in this respect, a meeting will therefore be held at the Simon’s Town Museum and to which all interested parties are invited to attend.

Venue: Simon’s Town Museum
Date: Monday 30th July 2012
Time: 17h30

Eric Mawhinney
Chairman
Simon’s Town Historical Society

HMS Pelorus (J291) was an Algerine-class minesweeper, built by Lobnitz of Renfrew, Scotland and launched on 19 June 1943. While equipped with minesweeping gear, she was primarily assigned to convoy escort duty in the Atlantic. In 1944, she led the D-Day invasion of Normandy.

In 1947 the ship was sold to the South African Navy and renamed HMSAS Pietermaritzburg (and later SAS Pietermaritzburg). Still afloat well into the 1990s, many people wished to turn the ship into a maritime museum, but instead she was scuttled on 12 November 1994 to make an artificial reef atMiller’s Point near Simon’s Town, South Africa.

The wreck settled upright on the sand and remained fully intact for a number of years. During storms in 2006, the wreck was badly damaged and broke into three parts. However there are still a few places for divers to penetrate, therefore still making it a good wreck to dive. It houses abundant marine life and is a safe haven for a many species of fish. Maximum depth is 22 metres (72 ft) on the sand.

The Pelorus displaced 850 tons and had a crew complement of 85 men. Her armament consisted of a single 4″ antiaircraft gun, and four 20 mm guns. She was powered by reciprocating engines generating 2000 shp driving two shafts.

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A Sad Farewell to the last Frigate

Cameron Kinnear — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 07:43:39 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

A sad farewell to HMS Plymouth

Falklands frigate on which Argentinians surrendered lies rusting as it awaits final voyage to scrapyard on 30th anniversary of the war.

53-year-old vessel was decommissioned in 1988
Argentinian navy lieutenant Alfredo Astiz – the ‘Blond Angel of Death’ – surrendered 30 years ago to British forces in South Georgia
Current owners have agreed to sell 2,150-ton frigate to a Turkish recycling firm

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Bush War Research

Cameron Kinnear — Thu, 31 May 2012 11:39:49 +0000

SAS President Kruger website

The Bush War Research Journal is part of my current dissertation research for my Masters in African Studies at the University of Edinburgh.

I am currently looking for any UK-based veterans, who fought in the Southern African Bush War, who would like to be interviewed on camera by me for the purpose of this research.

If you or anyone else you know is interested, please contact me on:

07837851448
eriksensa@yahoo.com

See below for more details.

Current Research Proposal:
“With reference specifically to veterans of the South African Border War (aka Southern African Bush War); how does the act of talking to the camera, for example in an interview situation, codify or simplify the way people talk about or represent their histories? Or does it allow them to create more complicated and detailed narratives?”

About me:
I am a South African history/politics student and my focus is the Southern African Bush War and the soldiers who fought in it, on all sides, and their experiences and stories.

It is my intention to provide a platform for the unheard tales and to explore their significance and meanings and make them accessible to anyone willing to hear them, especially for the newer generations who have yet to hear of or understand this conflict and those who fought in it.

Previous work:

Thesis:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/48564518/Forged-in-Flames

Documentary – Part 01:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fclRzi4E9TY&feature=plcp

Part 02:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rdO1EM3Fpso&feature=plcp

Part 03:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TsMmTDDUJYk&feature=plcp

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