A different view on current affairs & history
Apart from the Boks stealing the knockout matches from under the noses of their opposition, remarkable was the winning scoreline in three matches in a row by a margin of ONE. SMAC pays tribute to this number and elevates it to godlike status.
It was about 1986 and Guy Fawkes was coming up, my favourite day of the year as a kid. I motivated my friends at Kentron to make it a memorable event as I had the ideal place in the sticks at Crowthorne. We passed the hat around the department and collected enough to buy a number of big boxes of fireworks. My partners in crime in those days were Martin Clark (RIP), aero engineer, Grant Wilson, mech engineer, better known for pulling a moonie at the drop of a, well, pants. Other notable miscreants were Dave Thompson (RIP), and Richard Wainwright. The first two and myself formed the Terrible Trio as we shared a lift club and were similarly irreverent and always looking for fun or kak. We decided that between us we had 12 years of engineering study and so were well qualified to design a proper skyrocket – stand aside Elon.
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Before my recent 8-day visit to Port Elizabeth and my appearance on Gino’s Spot, I never had any information on the other legs of the McCleland family tree. After Helen McCleland contacted me I now have a font of information on the Tisdale family line courtesy of Neil McCleland.
Neil has agreed to provide information in the form of vignettes which I will post as I receive them.
Main picture:
This biography was written by Neil McCleland, the grandson of Walter. I have added additional information and family information otherwise it is true to Neil’s original biography. The pictures have also been provided by Neil.
Main picture: Flight Lieutenant Walter Joseph McCleland when serving in the Royal Flying Corps
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I never knew my grandfather, Harry William McCleland, as he passed away in 1924, twenty-nine years prior to my birth. Harry William was attested into the Union Defence Force at Roberts Heights aka Voortrekkerhoogte, but now Thaba Tswane, at the age of 43. It was in all probability desperation which spurred him to be attested at such an advanced age. After failing twice at farming, once due to a flood in the Gamtoos Valley and then as a cattle farmer at Destades due to the rinderpest and then being declared insolvent, Harry had relocated his family of five children [at that stage] to Schoenmakerskop. Without an income and a family to support, joining the army was Harry’s solution to his financial woes.
Main picture: Harry William McCleland in army uniform
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As his life wound down but before the candle of his life guttered and fizzled out, Norman Lovemore “decided to amuse myself by rambling amongst the many memories which haunt [ed him]”. In 1982 in the twilight of his life, he set out on a new adventure, a journey to record the highways and byways of his interesting life for posterity. The only detours that he made was to knowingly exclude those parts of this journey of which he was ashamed.
In using Norman Lovemore’s transcribed reminiscences, I have largely retained the original script but have detoured to improve readability and have often converted the first person into the third person. I have also taken the liberty to improve his grammar and vocabulary where required. In all other respects I have been faithful to Norman’s original text.
Main picture: Norman Lovemore as a pilot in the Royal Flying Corps during WW1
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The objective of any biography is to obtain an understanding of what motivates that person and how they handle situations, especially the troublesome ones. Essentially what one attempts to do, is to understand what makes a person tick. Even in the best cases, vital pieces of evidence are missing, hidden behind the veil of their private lives. Just ask a divorced person for a resume of their ex-spouse and compare the response with what is publicly known about the person. The mask will slip, and the real person will be revealed. So it is with Francis McCleland except that Francis’ obnoxious actions towards third parties became common knowledge and were not restricted to one person. Being so egregious, the other parties took public umbrage at Francis’ actions and hence his personality – or at least to the putrescent bits.
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Humans understand facts by categorising them in multiple ways. The most utilised method is a three way distinction. In reality this method, whilst providing simple solutions, most are completely incorrect as it does not allow for nuances as life is a shade of grey and not black or white. Hence incorrect conclusions are derived. Despite these reservations in this blog I have used the classification the Good, the Bad and the Extraordinary. According to this methodology, Clarence Wood can be classified as extraordinary.
Do you concur?
Note that the Woods referred to are not Ashley and Doreen Woods of number 36, but rather Clarence Wood of number 44.
This is the Wood’s story as recounted by Rosemary MacGeoghegan [nee Wood] with additional information provided by sundry other people.
Main picture: William, Elize and Harry Wood in South End in 1864
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Bruce Koloane obviously agreed to plead guilty to his three charges at his disciplinary hearing which meant that no evidence was led and, hence, no red faces, particularly for No. 1 – that is if his face could turn red. Thinking about it, even if he was melatoninally challenged like me, he still would not
blush as he has no shame.
But I digress. Pleading guilty is very useful in certain cases.
Main picture: Uit klaar parade, Officers Course, Tech Services Corp, Dec 1981
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Now faded in the mists of time, the Bondelswarts Rebellion of 1922 is a mere footnote to the history of Southern Africa. In the early years of the 20th century, the whole of the area was in tumult. South West Africa was captured by the South Africans from the German colonisers in 1915. With South West Africa now controlled by South Africa in terms of a League of Nations mandate, the khoikhoi peoples of southern SWA became restive, mainly for legitimate reasons.
This series of blogs covers the first-hand account of a South African Police Force officer, John Dunn, who was involved in the suppression of a rebellion by the Bondelswarts people in southern SWA.
Part 1 provides context to this rebellion, the Bondelswarts way of life and their homeland and only provides a terse introduction by John Dunn into being assigned second-in-command of the S.A. Police Mobile Squadron.
Main picture: John Dunn in later years