Contributors

Prof. Evert Kleynhans M.Mil, PhD (Mil) (Stell)

Evert Kleynhans is an Associate Professor in the Department of Military History at the Faculty of Military Science of Stellenbosch University. He is the editor of Scientia Militaria: South African Journal of Military Studies. His primary research interests include the South African participation in both world wars.

His recent book publications include Hitler’s Spies: Secret Agents and the Intelligence War in South Africa (Jonathan Ball Publishers, 2021), The Naval War in South African Waters, 1939-1945 (African Sun Media, 2022), and the co-authored 20 Battles: Searching for a South African Way of War, 1913-2013 (Jonathan Ball, 2023).

Dr. David Broc Katz M.Mil, PhD (Mil) (Stell)

David Brock Katz obtained his B Comm and B Accounting degrees at the University of the Witwatersrand in the early 80s and practiced as a Chartered Accountant thereafter. After obtaining his Master of Military Science (cum laude) in 2014, in 2021 he qualified for a Doctor of Philosophy in Military Science at Stellenbosch University.

He currently serves as an active member of the SANDF with the Andrew Mlageni Regiment and is a Research Fellow at Stellenbosch University in the Faculty of Military Science. David lectures at the Army, War and Defence Force Colleges and has published numerous papers in several academic journals.

His book publications are South Africans Versus Rommel: The Untold Story of the Desert War in World War II (2019) and General Jan Smuts and His First World War in Africa 1914-1917 (2022). He has co-authored 20 Battles: Searching for a South African Way of War 1913-2013, which Jonathan Ball published in July 2023.

David is a trustee on the South African National Museum of Military History Building and Development Trust. He lives in Johannesburg with his wife Adina, with whom he pursues an avid passion for Motorcycles, Classic Cars and travel around our beautiful country.

Dr. Garth Conan Benneyworth MA (Heritage Studies), PhD (History)

Garth Benneyworth is a historian on Southern Africa’s military history within the global context. His work is internationally recognised for contributing to a more nuanced understanding of the complexities of conflict, and its impact on history and society.

He pioneered the first archaeological excavations on the South African War (1899-1902) black concentration camps, after identifying 13 historical terrains across the country.Garth obtained his first degree, a MA from the University of the Witwatersrand in 2002 and later a PhD from the University of the Western Cape (2017). His consultancy curated and built museum exhibitions including the Nelson Mandela National Museum. Chief Albert Luthuli Museum, Liliesleaf Museum, the Magersfontein Battlefield Museum, and Voortrekker Monument, amongst others.

Garth served both with the SADF and SANDF on various operational deployments and is published widely in several academic journals. Two recent books are: WORK OR STARVE, Black concentration camps and forced labour camps in South Africa, 1901-1902; and THE BATTLE OF MAGERSFONTEIN Victory and defeat on the South African veld, 10-12 December 1899.

Since 2017, Garth is Chairperson of Council for the War Museum of the Boer Republics. In 2014, he led the development of Heritage Studies at Sol Plaatje University and is a Senior Research Associate at the University of Johannesburg. His passions include battlefield research, military history, archaeology, writing and travelling to new and varied destinations.

Peter Albert Dickens B. Soc Sc (Rhodes) PG. Dip (UNISA)

Peter Dickens works closely in South African military veterans affairs, in the United Kingdom he is the President of the South African Legion of Military Veterans – United Kingdom and Europe Branch and he is also the founding Chairman of the Royal British Legion – South African Branch. In South Africa he is the Old Bill of the Memorable Order of Tin Hats – Seagull Shellhole.

Peter has a Bachelor of Social Science from Rhodes University and a Post Graduate Diploma from the University of South Africa. He is currently registering and submitting a proposal for a Masters in Military Science (MMil) in Military History at Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Military Science. He is also currently on a lecturing circuit on early anti-Apartheid militarised resistance movements with focus on Sailor Malan and the Torch Commando.

In terms of military experience, Peter served in the South African Army in both the SADF and the SANDF as an Operations Officer, a Convoy Commander and finally as a SSO3 in 15RCD – Gauteng Command, he holds the rank of Captain.

Peter has three broad passions – underwater wreck diving, flying light aircraft and military history. Commercially, alongside his wife Karen, he is the Managing Director and co-owner of a craft brewery and distillery business called ‘The Spirit of Hermanus’ based in South Africa.

26 thoughts on “Contributors”

  2. I have been in contact with my US Congressman for the following reason: To honor coalition veterans. Even though America often fights wars with coalition forces, these efforts are never honored by the US government. The US does honor its own forces, but not those they partner with. If you want to throw in your 20c contact Christina.McGarry@mail.house.gov at the office of Congressman Mario Diaz-Balart and lets see if we can get this done.

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  4. Just came across this great blog! Brilliantly done and a so good to see someone documenting our military history in this way. Thanks Peter from a former Company Commander of 14RCD in Voortrekkerhoogte!

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  5. Thanks for the article on Angola and the SAAF aircraft that were flown there. I was once at Snake Valley with Col Mac Gregor and as we walked between the hangers came upon a large number of
    Cessna 185.s which were having their Portuguese markings removed and taken back into SAAF inventory. I imagine they came from Mozambique.

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  6. Peter hello

    Your article about the liberation of Florence augments my family history and resonates deeply. Thank you!

    My father was one of these liberators – who had been right through the Africa campaign – Captain Ian Ellis.
    My mother had been in the Resistance and could only re-enter her city after 18 months in hiding – Giovanna (Robin) Giachetti .
    My English grandmother opened their home in Florence to the conquering heroes, which became a sort of SA go-to haven with a family that spoke English! – Baroness Nelly Giachetti.

    My parents got engaged in Piazzale Michelangelo in 1944, were married in the Anglican church in Florence in July 1945, and my brother, appropriately called David, was born in 1947 after their return to SA, where they lived ever after.
    Ian died in 2003 and Robin is 96, in Cape Town.

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  7. You are to be congratulated Peter on a great resource. I read your sadness at the lack of interest in South African historical military affairs; but I guess one has to be philosophical. C’est la vie.

    Achieving a commission meant a lot to me and my family was deeply involved in SA military affairs from the Boer War (as a veg commandant) and in Delville Wood (as a subaltern) etc.

    I will follow your siren song of success with this great site.

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  9. Great stuff! I’m researching a book about my Uncle Captain Stanley Brown who was with 26 Squadron SAAF and flew Wellingtons against U-boats off Takoradi, Gold Coast in 1943 (MIA 18 Dec 43). Does anyone have anything about the SAAF in this little-known (but strategically vital) West African theatre?

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  10. Dear Peter,
    As a military history enthusiast, I recently visited the town of Żagań in Poland where the Luftwaffe’s Stalag Luft III prisoner of war camp for Allied air force personnel was located during World War II. The camp became the scene of ‘The Great Escape’ that took place there on 24/25 March 1944.

    I chanced upon your article on the subject, specifically dealing with Squadron Leader Roger Bushell, the South African-born RAF officer who was the driving force behind the ill-fated escape. He was one of The Fifty – recaptured escapees murdered by the Gestapo.

    Your article identifies Johannes Post, a Kriminalkommissar in the city of Kiel for the murder of Bushell. Whilst Post was certainly one of the most callous of the lot, and a fervent Nazi (he held the rank of SS-Sturmbannführer), the men who shot Bushell and his fellow escapee Lieutenant Bernard Scheidhauer of the Free French Air Force were actually Emil Schulz and Dr Leopold Spann of the Saarbrücken Kripo (Kriminalpolizei). The latter evaded justice, as he was killed in an air raid, but Schulz was charged for the murder of Bushell and Scheidhauer, along with Walter Breithaupt, driver of the vehicle. Several sources credit Breithaupt with providing accurate details of the killing, including the fact that Schulz was the one who shot Bushell.

    I thought this information gleaned from several books, notably Simon Read’s Human Game – The True Story of the “Great Escape” Murders and the Hunt for the Gestapo Gunmen published in 2012, will shed new light on an interesting though tragic story.

    Please keep up the good work and count me in as an avid reader.

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  11. Peter, as a former resident in Angola I´m not an outsider to these issues … Thanks a lot for the much detailed history on the Exodus of Portuguese nationals, who were pushed away from that territory as civil war broke out. Many of us managed to flee to S.W.A. via Oshikango and could save own lives ! We counted on ourselves and, of course, on “die Suid-Afrikaanse Weermag” … Please bring us whatever reports you can find related to the hidden cooperation between SADF and the Portuguese Army (I´ve been told of a few joint operations over Caprivi Strip). Best regards.

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  12. Dear Peter
    Many thanks for providing superb information on SA military history.
    It is a wonderful resource for posterity.
    Best wishes
    Brian

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  13. i have heard that the sas somerset is set to go to the breakers – as the sa navy cannot afford to have another preservation ship – she is leaking oil – currently – at v&a waterfront – the last report i have is dated jan 2019

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    • Can we not raise funds via a crowdfund page? We are losing so much history these days, as it is considered the ‘wrong’ history.

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  14. Greetings Peter!

    Happy to discover your blog – also just this week joined the SAL – UK.
    I’m across the pond in Ireland and do a bit of blogging myself. However, I miss the camaraderie that only the military can bring and believe civvies don’t get “it”… especially here as the military is looked down upon.
    Anyway, I will follow your blog with interest and hope to (maybe) add a little value to the SAL group. (I have previously connected with Garth on LinkedIn…)
    Here’s a link that has other links included that will give you a bit of background…
    https://ouchmybackhurts.wordpress.com/2016/04/09/april-a-to-z-hello-help-and-helicopters/

    Cheers for now,
    Vossie aka AJ Vosse – pen name

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  15. Hi Peter just stumbled on your great work on Heinz Werner Schmidt in doing my own little bits of research (quite amateurish) in this challenging time. Do you have any other further evidence of South African s or Namibians who fought for the Afrika Korp? Thanks again for some really great pieces and I look forward to following your blog. Keep up the good work. Stay safe in this difficult time.

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  16. Peter,
    I am son of ECR Baker, who has been credited with gaining the correct plaudits as the RAF’s top fighter ace – Pat Pattle – in the 2WW.
    When my father researched and wrote a book about the feats of Tom (as was known to his family – Pat to squadron colleagues), he painted an oil portrait, which he presented to Pat’s late brother Cecil.
    I believe Cecil donated the painting and Pat’s medals to the war museum in Johanesburg. I’m tring to obtain a picture of the painting. Are you able to help/assist?
    Wayne Baker

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