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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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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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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Robert Leslie McCleland has kindly succumbed to my pressure and tender mercies to produce a history of his line of the McCleland family. As I am totally in the dark regarding what I call the Gerald McCleland lineage, I am extremely grateful for his filling in this part of the McCleland clan’s history.
Main picture: Gerald McCleland 1870-1955
This blog chronicles the glory days and ultimate swansong of the Beetle that my brother, Dean, had originally acquired in 1973.
Main picture: The VW Beetle before being modified
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