NEW LIGHT ON AIR CRASH OF YESTERYEAR

The news of an air crash on their doorstep saddened many Beaufort Westers in 1942. Details had faded till Rose’s Round-up, July 2009, brought them sharply into focus. The crash cost the life of Second Lieutenant Desmond Thornhill Gilfillan only a few days before his 21st birthday. After reading the story south African National Defence force researcher, Colonel Graham du Toit, sent Round-up a short write up covering Desmond’s military servicer record and the circumstantial report of his death. “Desmond, the son of C H Gilfillan of Teviot Station, near Middelburg in the Karoo, was born on July 13, 1921. By profession he was a farm manager until he volunteered and enlisted for full-time war service on January 30, 1941.After completing Basic Training at No 75 Air School at Lyttelton, near Pretoria, Desmond was selected for flying training. He began training as a pilot at No 3 Air School at Randfontein on November 8, 1941. On January 5, 1942, he was transferred to No 7 Air School at Kroonstad, but later moved to No 25 Air School at Standerton where he excelled obtaining “A” grading for general flying, instrument flying, navigation, bombing and gunnery. Desmond qualified on February 2, 1942 and on June 12, received his “wings” and officer’s commission. He was then stationed at No 27 Air School at Tempe in Bloemfontein. Desmond was killed at about 11h45 on July 8, when his aircraft, a Miles Master Mk11, serial number 2953, struck rising ground near Beaufort West while at low level from Tempe to No 9 Air Depot at Brooklyn in Cape Town. He was flying solo at the time. Desmond was buried at Middelburg with full military honours. His grave is in the English Church Section of the cemetery – Plot B, row 7, Grave 66. He was 20 years old at the time of his death. Had he lived he would have celebrated his coming of age five days later.”

THE MAN BEHIND THE MEMORIAL

July 8, 1942 is forever etched into the memory of former Beaufort Wester, Ray de Villiers. He and his brother, Peter, were spending a winter school holiday on Steynskraal, with their mother. On the fateful day of the air crash, while working in the lands, they saw a sudden plume of smoke rising near the N1, then under construction as a national road. Aware that an accident must have happened they dashed home, collected their mother, who grabbed her first aid kit and “every bandage she could find” and raced towards the scene. After a bumpy eight-kilometre trip across the veld they saw the crashed aircraft ahead of them. “It was a fearful sight,” said Ray. “Its engine was on fire and intermittent minor explosions were emanating from the wreckage. Workers from the Nigrini farm, Springfontein, and road construction workers were milling about. The pilot was lying on the ground a short distance from the plane. He had obviously been thrown clear as the plane slithered across the veld from its point of impact to its final position. Quite clearly, he was dead. His scalp was badly mutilated. His barrathea jacket lay a short distance from his body. This disaster deeply affected me and I have always felt a memorial should be erected at this spot, so when I began practicing law in Beaufort West I called Desmond’s sister Cynthia Southey to suggest it. She discussed this with Desmond’s cousin and closest friend and then called me back saying they felt a memorial so far from his home would be a rather lonely reminder of the tragic loss of a young life”. The years rolled by and still Ray felt that it was essential to commemorate this piece of South African history. After he retired Ray pursued the idea, but it was not easy to get things done from faraway Somerset West. Then in 2008, with the help of Jos van Vuuren, of Steynskraal, he managed to have a memorial erected with a granite tablet made by J A Clift.

DON’T FORGET TO REMEMBER

The magic world of stories and books awaits book lovers visiting Richmond from October 22 to 24. A full programme has been planned for his year’s Karoo Book, Art and food Fair Designed to meet all tastes, it promises to be a winner.

NO GOODBYES FROM BOKKIE

In the Karoo stories of tame springbok (hansbokkies) and bottle-fed lambs (hanslammertjies) are legion. An old farmer recently told a delightful tale about “Bokkie”, his childhood “friend”. When he was about six years old, he had a tame springbok that followed him everywhere. Then, the time came for him to go to boarding school and his Dad suggested that Bokkie might be happier in a herd of his own kind. The young man, with all the wisdom of his six years, sagely agreed. After all, Mom and Gran really didn’t have time to care for Bokkie, and he would obviously be happier with his “own family”. Late one afternoon the family set off with Bokkie on the bakkie, reasoning that it would be easier for him to “befriend” other buck when they were restful and not likely to scamper off. Bokkie was dropped off at what seemed a suitable place and the family, who loved him dearly, drove off a little distance reasoning that if he got too lonely, he would come across the veld to them. They set up camp, made a little fire, braaied some meat and settled for the night. Bokkie didn’t come and in the morning, he was gone. So, quite satisfied that their plan had worked, they set off home with heavy hearts. It was a quiet trip. They all missed Bokkie. On arrival they found Bokkie, comfortably asleep, right in the middle of Mom and Dad’s double bed! Needless to say, Bokkie never left the garden area. He died on the farm of old age.

COMFORT WAS THE KEY

One of the most comfortable ways of travelling to the old Orange Free State in 1853 was on Bloemfontein-bound wagons that left Colesberg from the front of Meintjies and Dixon’s store. They set off promptly every third week and the proprietor of the service proudly advertised that he personally accompanied the wagon train to ensure his passengers received every comfort if was possible to bestow on such a long and tedious journey. Also, because he knew the route well, he was able to point out interesting sights on the way. He would have done well as a modern-day tour guide!

STRUCK BY THE SUN

The Karoo sun can be fearsome. Way back young Richard Southey-Brook of Goliad’s Kraal, near Graaff-Reinet found this to his cost. Late in January 1857, in the middle of a blistering day at the height of summer, he decided to take a dip in the farm dam. It cost him his life. It was just after midday when Richard plunged into the inviting water after doing a few chores for his father. The deliciously cool water instantly soothed away the heat of the day, totally refreshing him. He then lay in the sun to dry off. That evening Richard felt nauseous and light headed. The doctor was called, but Richard died, as the doctor said: “from a stroke of the sun received while bathing.” Richard was only 12 ½ years old.

GOD PROTECT ME FROM MY FRIENDS

Harry Benjamin was devastated when he opened his store one Monday morning in 1855 to find he had been robbed. He was even more distraught to find that the perpetrator was Daniel Hogan, his friend and trusted confidential storeman – a man who had been in his employ for five years. Hogan’s duties included opening packages on their arrival from Europe, or destinations in the Colony, and checking the contents against orders. On investigation police discovered it was Hogan’s “practice to abstract a portion of the contents, then report the delivery as defective.” Everyone, of course, simply assumed the goods had been short packed and application was made to the consignors to make good the shortfall. Most companies quickly sent additional supplies on the understanding that a credit would be passed, or financial refund made if ever the missing goods turned up. They never did. Some missing items were, however, discovered as a result of excellent police work by Chief Constable Watson. After “smelling a rat”, Watson went around to Hogan’s house to check and there found most of the missing goods, according to the Graaff-Reinet Advertiser of March 14, 1855. But, not satisfied with just gently pilfering, Hogan had become greedy and had started taking bigger and bigger portions from each consignment. Then, one night he returned to the store and “snatched an entire valuable order”. Watson’s diligent investigations led to the discovery that Hogan was also short packing goods being sent out. In the interests of business and his good name Harry Benjamin always replaced these. Watson found that this had been going on for quite some time and that no one ever suspected the confidential storeman of malpractice. Hogan was arrested. His house was searched, and Chief Constable Watson found over £200 worth of stolen property secreted “all over the premises”. At his trial Hogan tried to implicate two other people, but after rigid examination,” they were discharged.

WAVERLEY NOVEL HELPS CATCH A THIEF

A young man reading a novel loaned to him by a friend helped Graaff-Reinet police solve a four-year-old robbery which had not even been reported. However, as the Graaff-Reinet Advertiser reporter wrote “In order to clearly understand the matter, we must go back some six or seven years.” At that time Government surveyor Brown was called to the frontiers on business. Before leaving Graaff-Reinet he locked all his possessions into two rooms of his house and gave the key to his agent a Mr De Villiers. According to Brown’s request De Villiers then let out the rest of the house to a family called Smith. Months later Brown returned to sell his furniture because he did not expect to return to Graaff-Reinet. He found several items missing, among them a green silk dress, pair of gold bracelets, number of books, a pair of double-barrelled pistols, a double-barrelled shotgun and stone bottle of Indian ink. He did not report the matter as he was under pressure to leave once more for the frontier. Time passed, hi work circumstances changed and two years later Brown was back in Graaff-Reinet. One evening he saw his son reading a volume of the Waverley Novels. He recognised the book as one that had been in the locked room. One enquiry he found his son had borrowed the book from one of the children of David Smith, the mason who had hired his house. This time he reported the matter and the police searched Smith’s house. There they found the silk dress, bracelets, pistol, India ink and several books belonging to Brown, plus several items belonging to other residents, such as a set of silver teaspoons. Smith fled, but his wife was arrested. It seems that she for many years had been helping herself to items from houses she helped to clean. A warrant was issued for Smith’s arrest.

DREAM COME TRUE

In 2006 enthusiasts from the Nama Karoo Foundation, working with the Department of Water Affairs and Forestry, began collecting cuttings and seeds of rare Bo-Karoo trees. Their aim was to establish a special indigenous nursery that would be able to supply saplings to other Karoo tree lovers. Now, at last, thanks to the efforts of helpers, such as Themba Msthualana, Jackie Mans, Irwin September, Jock Jones, Will and Margie Bracken, the nursery has become a reality and several plants, including wild olive trees, are available for sale

Note: This foundation also has details of a limited number of study bursaries available for people of San descent.

PUTTING SCIENCE IN PERSPECTIVE

Professor Cornelis Plug has spent years collecting biographical data on persons who contributed to natural sciences in southern Africa. This S2A3 biographical database, which currently includes about 200 explorers, plant collectors and amateur scientists active in their fields before 1910, is being developed under the auspices of the Southern Africa Association for the Advancement of science (S2A3).

RINDEPEST SIGNALLED THE END OF THE ROAD

Transport riders evolved to serve the needs of the developing hinterland towns and vanished with the coming of the rail. Over the years these men brought wagon loads of supplies from the coast to inland destinations initially using traditional ox wagons, which carried about 1 800 kg each. These soon became too small and in 1860 a new transport wagon came into production. Far bigger than the traditional wagon it had side rails and a half tent. The braking system was also completely changed, no longer did the driver have to rely on a brake shoe to slow down or stop the wagon Brake blocks were fitted to the rear wheels and operated by means of a screw. “These new wagons, drawn by teams of 16 to 20 oxen could carry loads of up to 4 500 kg. Normally they travelled in only two shifts a day – from 02h00 to an hour after sunrise and in the evening from 16h00 to 22h00” writes Jose Burman in Towards the Far Horizon – The Story of the Ox Wagon in South Africa. “The drivers chased cattle well into the veld away from the road to graze. This ensured their good condition. Living quarters were in the half tent at the rear where simple furniture, clothes, food and cooking utensils were stored.” The discovery of gold and diamonds gave the impetus for railway development, but it was slow and about 18 500 wagons travelled the roads to Kimberley before the railway reached there in 1885. Then, a new route, the eastern route to the Transvaal, attracted drivers, but the rinderpest struck and by 1897, ruthlessly destroyed the transport rider’s world. Over 500 000 oxen died effectively ending the era of ox-drawn wagons. Transport riders switched to mules, but the Anglo-Boer war (1899 – 1902) broke out and finally finished the independent transport riders as both wagons and mules were conscripted by the army.

SEARCHING FOR ROOTS IN THE KAROO

Brian Benningfield has a special love for the Karoo. His grandmother Maria Catharina Eybers was born in Beaufort West in 1892. Former own clerk J W Van Wyk, whose father Marthinus Jacobus owned a house at 26 Blyth Street and Roeloff Jacobus Johannes Eybers, the brave young man who saved Springfonein Dam in 1869 also appear on his family tree. After a cloud burst on October 23, 1869 three holes appeared in the Springfontein Dam wall. Two were easy to plug, but the third presented a problem. The wall threatened to collapse and flood the village. Then young Roeloff agreed to be lowered into the murky depths of the dam with a bag of sand. While under water he managed to pass a rope through the hole so that the bag could be pulled into it and successfully plug the wall. It was a dangerous task and Roeloff lived to tell the tale. Over the years Brian has spent many an unforgettable holiday with family on farms in the Loxton and Carnarvon districts. Way back he was also on the committee of Celtic Harriers Athletics Club, which helped Beaufort West Athletics Club organise the Beaufort West Marathon. Also, four years ago he cycled unaided from the northern suburbs of Cape Town to Carnarvon and back via Ceres, Sutherland, Fraserburg and Loxton. “It was a most wonderful and fulfilling experience. I cannot begin to tell you just how much I enjoyed the silence of the Karoo during that nine-day trip.” Brian recently rekindled his interest in the Karoo when he began researching the origins of his Beaufort West-based ancestors. He would love to her from anyone who knows anything about the Eybers or Van Wyk families. “In an old Braby’s directory I notices an Eybers Street in Beaufort West, just off Simpson Street and wondered whether this was named after Roeloff.”

NOT QUITE WHAT IT WAS SAID TO BE

One-time padmaker, (road builder) Graham Ross, who never stops searching for interesting stories of South Africa’s roads and passes, once came across fascinating information on Seweweekspoort. “It is popularly claimed that this pass was named after Berlin Missionary Society’s (BMS) Johan August Ludwig “Louis” Zerwick, who worked at nearby Zoar and soldiered through the mountains to preach the word of the Lord. This is simply not true. I once met one of his descendants, Hans Zerwick – I spotted his name on a notice board one day and went to see him. He very kindly loaned me his copy of Zollner, Linda and J A Heese’s book The Berlin Missionaries in South Africa and Their Descendants. This had interesting snippets about Zoar and nothing about Zerwick. Then I managed to get hold of a copy of a letter which Professor Theodor G Schwar obtained from the headquarters of the Berlin Missionary Society. It confirmed that Zerwick’s only contact with Zoar was when he took his children there to the school for missionary children and possibly delivered one or two sermons before returning north.

WHAT ROUTE DID THIS BIKE TAKE TO BEAUFORT?

Paging through an old country Lifestyle magazine Jana Korger saw a photograph of a bicycle. Not any old bicycle, but a childhood toy from years gone by. The memories just flooded back and she totally choked up with emotion. The article covered “what to see and do in Beaufort west” and included a picture of Tim Ellis’s bicycle shop in Blyth Street. This shop has changed little since Tim’s grandfather first owned it and just stepping through the door is like taking a step back to the late 1899s. Jana wrote to Round-up asking to be put in touch with Tim. “That bike originally came from Pietermaritzburg. We later moved to Barberton, then back to the cape. I think my mom finally sold it when we were in Villiersdorp. I would love to know how it ended up in Beaufort West.

FORTHCOMING EVENTS

October 1– 4 Athol Fugard Festival, New Bethesda

October 5 – 7 Arid Zone Ecology Forum, Graaff-Reinet

October 23 – 25 Second Annual Book Fair in Richmond, South Africa’s Booktown

Knowledge can be communicated but not wisdom. One can find wisdom, live it, be fortified by it, do wonders through it, but one cannot communicate nor teach it – Herman Hesse

The son of missionary parents and a precocious child, Hesse attended a theological seminary in his teens to please his parents but dropped out to pursue his dream of becoming a poet. He struggled with emotional problems throughout his entire life. In time he became a respected novelist and won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1946