| MusterList by Name | |||
| Surname | First Names | Number | History |
| AARDEN | PAUL MICHAEL | 2354 | 1997 – General manager of Sun Microsystems for South and Central Africa, based in Johannesburg. 1999 left Sun Microsystems. |
| ABBOTT | GORDON | 905 | |
| ABDINOR | ROBERT JAMES | 2355 | 1973 in Durban at Interocean Lines. He was with DOAL (German East Africa Line) before joining Nedlloyd. His last voyage was on the coaster MV Induna which was lost at sea with only one survivor on or about 05 September 1978. He was according to reports second officer. On 5 September 1978 she encountered heavy weather off the southern tip of Madagascar and began taking water in the forward hold. When the ship began to sink, two lifeboats were lowered but capsized.The chief officer and second engineer managed to board a life raft and while trying to assist other crew members were blown away from the ship. Twenty-four days later the chief officer was rescued some six hundred miles from where the ship sank by the Greek vessel Constantia, the engineer having died some days before. There were no other survivors. |
| ABERCROMBIE | JOHN DAVID | 2356 | Previously with S.A. Maritime Safety Authority. 2016 took up a lecturing position at the Maritime College in Oman. April 2019 returned to lecturing at Durban University of Technology. 1971 crewed on the ketch Howard Davis on the first Cape to Rio yacht race. |
| ABRAHAM | GEORGE | 1337 | Previously a Commander [Engineer] in the S.A. Navy and later joined the mining industry. Retired. Deceased 26th October 2021. |
| ABRAHAMS | ANTHONY HORTON | 1213 | Telegraphist SANF during WWII. Born 3rd December 1927. Deceased 1993. |
| ABRAHAMSE | FREDERICK | 2513 | |
| ACKLAND | MARK JOHN | 2594 | Previously with Grindrod Shipping Cape Town. 1995 joined Kien Hung Shipping as their Cape Town Branch Manager. 2000 – Branch Manager of Diamond Shipping, Cape Town. 2003 joined Cape Reefers as Operations Manager. 2011 retired. |
| ADAM | JOACHIM CONRAD | 2429 | |
| ADAMS | HARRY ALEXANDER | 669 | |
| ADAMS | WALTER PERCY | 1338 | |
| ADANK | ALEXANDER LEOPOLD EMIL | 395 | During World War II sailed with Hogarth Shipping Company on “Baron Carnegie” which was sunk by enemy action. 1964 – Durban Harbour Pilot. |
| ADOLPHS | KARL KONRAD CHRISTIAN | 2322 | |
| AINSLIE | ALLAN STUART | 424 | Born Kingwilliamstown, 1st May 1913. Son of William Stuart Thompson Ainslie and Constance Pauline, nee Lewis. Ed, Dale College, Kingwilliamstown. Cadet Draft 1929-30 (Senior Cadet Captian). After leaving General Botha Allan Stuart Ainslie became a cadet in the White Star Line and also a Probationary Midshipman RNR. In 1938 he joined the RAF in which he became Flight-Lieutenant and was awarded the DFC for gallantry in action during operations off the Island of Silt. He was lost with flying-boat and crew over the North Sea on 29 June 1940. |
| AINSWORTH | ANDREW | 2873 | After G.B. sailed with Safmarine until 1990 when he went to Witwatersrand University to study quantity surveying. Completed his honours degree in 1993 and relocated to North America managing a regional office in Charlotte, USA, which handles pre and post contract services in the building trade. |
| AKESTER | JOHN CLAYTON | 1925 | After G.B. went to Universtiy and qualified as a Civil Engineer. After many years in business in Johannesburg moved to Durban where he took over Ocean Sailing Academy with a partner. 2011 retired. 2015 Financial Director, Vlocity Communications in Cape Town. |
| AKKERMAN | BAREND JOHAN AUGUST | 24 | Sailed with British & Commonwealth Shipping Company until 1978. Sailed on passenger vessels, Clan Line, Bowater paper carriers and King Link bulk carriers. Then joined Unicorn Lines and sailed as Chief Engineer until retirement in 1988. Deceased 11/01/2013. |
| ALBERT | VICTOR GERALD | 1747 | Sailed with S.A.R.& H, Safmarine, Bank Line, Union Castle, Rennies, Smiths Coasters and the department of Transport. Worked in various jobs in the Bahamas, USA, Japan and UK including skipper of a luxury yacht. 1966 returned to S.A. And worked in various posts for various companies. 2003 Toll Reach Operations Manager. Deceased 14th September 2016. |
| ALBERTYN | LESLIE JACK | 846 | Deceased 1985. |
| ALCOCK | WILLIAM GEORGE VICTOR | 1145 | 22nd December 1942 joined the sv Lawhill as cadet. |
| ALDER | SYDNEY WILLIAM | 1390 | Deceased May 2018. |
| ALEXANDER | JOHN FLETCHER | 301 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Union Castle Line. Latterly a doctor resident in Knysna. Deceased 22/02/2005. 1945 was First Lieutenant on HMSAS Natal. |
| ALEXANDER | ROBERT CLIVE | 1537 | 1951 – Rhodesian Army. Stationed in Malaya. |
| ALGAR | ALAN RICHARD | 1146 | May 1943 joined the Royal Navy as a Special Entry Cadet. September 1945 to February 1946 Sub Lieutenant Course. Then joined the South Atlantic fleet in Simon’s Town as S/LT Navigator. 1949 to 1952 served on three aircraft carriers in the Yellow Sea and Korean war. 1956 one year army staff course. Then went to USA as Exchange Instructor in Navigation direction. 1962 to 1964 navigation direction of the naval staff at the Admiralty. 1965 to 1966 Far East as Executive Officer of the ex Aircraft Carrier HMS Triumph which became a heavy repair vessel. 1967 to 1968 Personnel Division at Whitehall (Admiralty). 1969 to 1971 joined the defence sales organsiation. 1971 left the Royal Navy and joined a ship building firm as their sales director. Carried out ship sales duties all over the world. 1984 retired. Deceased 12/03/96 |
| ALGAR | BASIL IVAN | 1022 | Extract from the book History of Unicorn Shipping Lines. Basil Algar, sent to the four masted steamer Sontay as a cadet after leaving the training ship General Botha and joining Union Castle in 1941, spent the entire war on the former Vichy French troopship that has been captured while on a voyage from Madagascar by a joint South African and British naval squadron. She had been brought to Durban, where her accommodation was modified to carry over 1 800 troops, and she was placed under Union-Castle management. Shortly after sailing from Durban, the ship came under attack from a submarine in the Mozambique Channel, but the Royal Navy gunnery crew fought off the submarine with the vessel’s six inch gun mounted on the poop. Surviving several aerial attacks in the Mediterranean, the ship moved troops along the North African coast, participated in the invasion of Italy and then sailed for India to take troops to Burma. Indeed, she carried the first British troops up the river in Burma after the occupation of that country by the Japanese. Algar worked for a spell in a bank after the war, but the call of the sea lured him to serve with a small Greek company trading out of South Africa, as well as on ships operated by South African Lines, Mollers of Hong Kong, and Safmarine, and on South African harbour tugs. The time with Mollers was particularly interesting. He joined their Alpha Oranje in Durban at the start of a long voyage to Hong Kong via India and Aden. A spell on a salvage tug proved useful later during his career with Unicorn as did his service on Louise Moller, a tanker that tried to break a blockade by the Nationalist Chinese in the approaches to Shanghai. His first command was SAL’s Kaapland and he also spent time in London as the company’s cargo superintendent. After his return to South Africa he was appointed master of Point Shipping Company’s Komati, formerly Smith’s coaster Mead. He responded favourably to an approach from Ron Sellick to join Smith’s Coasters as their marine manager and became a familiar figure on Maydon Wharf for years, taking personal interest in the cargo operations and the running of the ships. The report of the manager of Smith’s Coasters in June 1956 included a note about Basil Algar: The employment of Captain Algar as Marine Superintendent has raised and is still continuing to raise the standard of our operation at Maydon Wharf, and the standard of our ships’ maintenance and husbandry out of all recognition. Captain Algar has proved eminently successful in the job for which he was employed.His initial misgivings about the merger with African Coasters were put aside as Algar moved from stevedoring manager in 1966 to marine manager of Unicorn in 1968, positions he found extremely challenging and exciting as he was still directly involved in cargo handling innovations and found the team with whom he worked extremely good. The highlight of the career of this remarkable man – who also had an intense love of fine art and a proven ability as an artist and cellist – was his appointment to the Unicorn board as marine director in February 1975. When he retired in 1984 he could certainly reflect on an unusually interesting and varied career in shipping. His experience had been invaluable to the company as it embarked on a fleet renewal programme, developed containerization, and ventured into the offshore supply vessel business. At both Smiths and Unicorn Algar was personally responsible for improving the management systems for the ships’ operations and for tighter discipline aboard the vessels. Overall, his contribution led to a more efficient coastal shipping industry. Deceased 8th March 2019. |
| ALLAN | PETER | 2323 | 2002 Master with Red Funnel Ferries, Southampton. |
| ALLAN | SYDNEY | 272 | After Bothie apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall Line. |
| ALLDERMAN | DERRICK COWAN | 963 | After G.B. joined Shell Tankers and when WWII broke out was at sea as a Deck Apprentice in the Shell tanker m.v. Carelia. January 1941 joined the R.A.F. and was selected for Air Crew training. May 1942 awarded his wings and a commission as Pilot Officer. Served in the Middle East and Malta. Latter part of 1943 returned to South Africa and spent the next 18 months flying Ansons at Youngsfield. 1945 flew out to India to become involved in trooping flights between Karachi and Chakulia. Demobilised at the end of WWII and after returning home went fishing for pilchards at Walvis Bay. After selling his boat spent five years with Consolidated Diamond Mines in Oranjemund. Then 26 years with a frozen food business, 17 of which were spent in George. Deceased 09/12/2010 |
| ALLDERMAN | GORDON LANE | 1147 | After leaving the General Botha went back to school for one year. Then joined the S.A. Navy at the end of 1943 as an Ordinary Seaman. Then seconded to the Royal Navy and saw service in the South Atlantic, Indian Ocean and the Pacific. After the war attended Elsenburg Agricultural College in Stellenbosch for two years and farmed ever since. 1993 Manager on a Citrus Farm in Addo. Deceased 02/06/2012. |
| ALLEN | RICHARD ANTHONY | 407 | |
| ALLEN | CHARLES JOHN | 327 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. Reported in “Both watches” 1952: With the rank of Lieutenant-Commander, S.A.N.R. is Commanding Officer of the South African Naval Reserve at Port Elizabeth. After Bothie joined the merchant marine and ten years later served in WWII which evetually took him to the recaptured Tobruk where he was harbour master for two years. Later returned to Port Elizabeth where he commanded the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Base from 1954 to 1963. After WWII he returned to stevedoring in Port Elizabeth and later became manager of Constructional Enterprises. 1947 started a camping and caravan hire business before forming the Port Elizabeth Express Delivery Service and P E Storage Company which he ran for 30 years. Deceased 30th May 2005. |
| ALLEN | DALE FREDERICK THOMAS | 2033 | In 1959 I joined Smiths Coasters until August of the same year, then like many a better man before me I was lured away from my maritime endeavours by a young maiden of considerable charm. The next three years was spent with the Goldfields Mining Group as an underground official (read Learner Official/Shift Boss). Having been abandoned by aforementioned young maiden I joined Lever Brothers for a few years in their Sales Division. At the end of 1964 the travel bug bit and spent the next four years travelling and doing too many different jobs to enumerate, amongst them a Butlins Holiday Camp Red Coat (Bag man) and a test driver for MIRA (Motor industrial research) I think their philosophy was that if you could drive on South African roads you could drive anywhere. On my return in ’68, I got married and joined the fledgling Penguin-Poolquip Group as a rep. In their filtration division, and was national sales manager when the company was liquidated (not my fault-honestly) I was employed by the liquidators for a year or so, until everything was wound up and was then offered a position with a franchise of the Pall Filtration Group, the Head Office being in Portsmouth U.K. The windows of the lecture rooms overlooked H.M.S.Victory, I can probably sketch it in my sleep. Somewhere along the way I joined Round Table until they evicted me at age 40, as they tend to do. If Mike Lundy happens to read this, I still have a copy of the minutes of the meeting of his first meeting as chairman of Hout Bay Round Table at which I was a guest. (Hangover registered 9.9 on Richter the next day). In 1984 I joined Lions and was President of Randburg Lions in 87/88 and President of Northcliff Lions in 2010/11. Had a lot of fun and met some wonderful people along the way. Left Pall in 1994 as travelling and being away from home was interfering with domestic bliss, a bit too late and I received my independence a couple of days before the rest of the country became a democracy. A complete change of direction saw me in the garage door industry. The Wispeco Group has a policy of compulsory retirement at 65, they put up with me until 69 and a policy reshuffle saw the rule enforced. 2014 I’m freelancing in both the garage door and swimming pool industry and generally not stressing too much. |
| ALLEN | BRUCE LEWER | 1982 | Did not complete his training on the Ship. |
| ALLEN | ROBERT | 965 | |
| ALMOND | GORDON EDWARD | 1926 | |
| ALSTON | STEWARD EDWIN | 63 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. |
| AMMERLAAN | ROLAND ANDREW | 2088 | |
| AMOS | ROBIN CLIFTON | 1748 | |
| ANDERSON | ROBERT WARREN | 365 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line. |
| ANDERSON | MAURICE MICHAEL | 1586 | |
| ANDERSON | ALLAN HENRY | 481 | 1930 winner of the King’s Gold Medal. Joined Union Castle as Cadet. Was a Lieutenant in the Royal Air Force during WWII. |
| ANDERSON | WALTER ROBERT | 847 | After serving his apprenticeship and obtaining his 2nd Officers Certificate joined the Royal Fleet Auxiliary and was eventually promoted to Master on their tankers. After WWII he returned to S.A. and worked for Union Castle Line in a shore position. Later joined the harbour service in Cape Town from where he retired as Assistant Port Captain in 1985. Deceased 22/04/2004. |
| ANDERSON | PETER GARY | 2493 | |
| ANDERSON | BRUCE GRAHAM | 2706 | |
| ANDERSON | IAN HENRY MAYNARD | 1277 | Reported deceased. |
| ANDREW | GRAHAM ALLISTER WALLACE | 1587 | |
| ANDREW | JAMES WALLACE | 18 | The first Both Boys to go to sea as Cadets in Merchant Shipping did so with a South African Company, the Thesen Line. They were D.W. Rudd (Cadet Number 11), I.L. Green (Cadet Number 13), J.W. Andrew (Cadet Number 18) and L.A. Fourie (Cadet Number 56) who were all apprenticed in January 1924. 1964 Assistant Port Captain in Port Elizabeth. |
| ANDREWS | LEONARD JOHN | 1804 | John Andrews came to the General Botha from the Boys’ High School in Potchefstroom, making his mark at the Bothie as a boxer, winning the junior extra heavyweight title in the l954 Schools Amateur Boxing Championship. On completion of his time at the Botha, John returned to the Transvaal starting work as an official learner at Ellerton Gold Mine before transferring to Buffelsfontein near Klerksdorp. In 1957 he met his wife to be, Gloria and moved to Carletonville where, while studying for a mine captain’s certificate, he was posted to Western Deep Level as shift boss. In November 1961 he and Gloria were married in Krugersdorp and they moved back to Klerksdorp to start a family, which eventually resulted in two daughters, Bev and Cheryl. After a further four years on the mines, John decided to call it a day and went into selling air-conditioning. He enjoyed his sport and was selected for Western Transvaal and Griqualand hockey, as well as Transvaal spear fishing. This latter activity took him to Port Elizabeth where he continued in the air-conditioning business leading in due course to a partnership in Cape Town with his former Port Elizabeth manager. In November 2003 John and Gloria decided to retire to Fish Hoek in order to do all those things they couldn’t do while John was working and, in particular, to spend some time with their three grandsons, Greg, Jamie and Dean. |
| ANDREWS | ARNOLD McCABE | 791 | |
| ANSLEY | WILLIAM ALFRED | 1023 | |
| ARBUCKLE | DONALD STUART | 2410 | |
| ARCHER | LIONEL SHAWN | 2707 | After obtaining obtaining 2nd Officers Certificate, joined Freight Marine in Durban spent 8 years working my way from Boarding Clerk up to Ro Ro Port Co-ordinator. Then moved back to Zimbabwe and started a property development business and invested in commercial farming, lost everything in Mugabe’s land grab. Got on bus to Beira and straight back into the Shipping business. Starting building a small tourist resort, stopped working in shipping 2019 to get resort going. Name is Illa da Marocanhe, as we have an island within a lagoon. |
| ARCHIBALD | STEPHEN ALEC | 1214 | |
| ARGUILLE | HARRY MICHAEL | 1278 | 1945 – 1946 – S.A. Navy 1946 – 1948 – Union Castle Merchant Fleet 1949 – 1959 – Land Surveyor, Cape Town Municipality 1969 – 1980 – Minister, Methodist Church, Worcester, Swaziland, Burgersdorp, Umkomaas (Natal), Newcastle and Cape Town. 1981 – 1992 – Minister, United Reformed Church in the U.K. (Chelmsford) November 1992 – retired Bothie nickname “Skaap” Deceased 2002 |
| ARMSTRONG | JOHN WHITFIELD | 848 | |
| ARMSTRONG | JOHN WILLIAM STEWART | 2218 | 1963 Winner of the Nettleton Trophy for Management of Boats. 1964 at sea with Mobile. 1994 Marine Superintendent with Pentow, Cape Town. Responsible for the Deck Superintendency of the Pentow Fleet. 2006 retired. |
| ARNESEN | OLLEY | 121 | Joined Andrew Weir as apprentice. |
| ARNOLD | JOHN | 1538 | |
| ARNOLD | ROBERT | 245 | Did not complete training nor go to sea, took up shore employment. Born 4th July 1911. Died at Johannesburg on 12th October 1934 as a result of a motor accident. |
| ARNOLD | JARVIST | 152 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a Seaman. |
| ARNOTT | SYDNEY EDWIN | 1391 | 1951 – Rhodesian Army. Stationed in Malaya. |
| ASHLEY | RONALD EDWIN | 1081 | |
| ASHWORTH | BRUCE ALAN | 1082 | Joined Moss Hutchinson Line of Liverpool in March 1942 as Cadet on.m.v. Kheti, an ammunition supply vessel, on special Admiralty service attached to the Far East Fleet. Seconded to the Mediterranean Fleet for the Sicilian landings in July 1943 and the invasion of Italy in August after which rejoined the Far East fleet in Tricomalee Sri Lanka. Returned to S.A. end of 1944. 1945/6 third and second Officer on Radfield. 1947 second officer on Fort Meductic and Caithness. 1948 Chief Officer on Laeveld on Van Riebeeck Lines. 1949 Chief Officer on Hoeveld. 1950 Chief Officer on Bokeveld and obtained Master’s FG. 1951 appointed Master on the Roodewal (ex Bokkeveld). 1953 – 1987 Superintendent with Royal Interocean Lines and Nedlloyd Lines, Durban, until retirement in 1987. Deceased August 1999. |
| ASKHAM | RODNEY WARREN | 2823 | |
| ATHERSTONE | PETER GRAHAM | 1634 | |
| ATHERSTONE-REYNOLDS | SIMON SANCROFT | 2519 | Previously at sea with Safmarine. Later joined Safmarine Bulk Division, H.O. Cape Town in Operations. 1996 relocated to England, working for Zodiac in bulk shiping operations. 2004 working for the RSPCA in Brisbane, Australia. |
| ATHERTON | GREGORY ARTHUR | 2681 | Sailed as Third Officer with Safmarine and Second Officer with Unicorn, before going to UCT and studying Civil Engineering. Whilst studying, sailed with Unicorn and on various fishing boats with Sea Harvest during vacations, graduating in 1988. Then started work for a consulting engineering firm in Cape Town but was recruited by Henry Boot Construction after only 6 months and sent over to the UK in May 1989. Started his own construction company in 1998 and traded until 2007, when he took a year off to go sailing with his family. On returning to the UK in 2008, he accepted a two year construction contract in Bahrain. 2014 working as Business Development Manager for a construction company in the UK. |
| ATKINSON | DONALD EDWARD | 1691 | After leaving G.B. joined Vacuum Oil Company (which later became Mobil and then Engen). Served as Area Operations Manager in Port Elizabeth, Cape Town, Bloemfontein and Durban. Transferred back to Cape Town in 1983 as Distribution Manager at Head Office and retired as Special Projects Manager in June 1993. Deceased 31/08/2009. |
| ATKINSON | NIGEL GEDDES | 1392 | Served with Silver Line Ltd before obtaining second officers Foreign Going in London in 1950. Came ashore in 1952 into a commercial career, ending up prior to retirement in 1989 as a Divisional General Manager in the Dunlop Group of companies. Deceased May 2007. |
| ATKINSON | DAVID BRUCE | 2856 | Six years with Safmarine. In 2016, wife and I moved and have settled in New Zealand. After almost 30 years in the electronics industry I went into the building industry. I’ve recently started a new job with a courier company. |
| ATTLEE | DENIS JOHN | 849 | WWII AB RNVR (SA) / SANF. |
| ATTWELL | LIONEL WILFRED | 1983 | Previously a newspaper man before joining the church. 2005 A messianic Jewish preacher. Deceased 02/09/2014. |
| ATTWELL | ROBERT ST LEGER | 850 | Deceased 1991. WWII Leading Seaman SANF. |
| ATWOOD | PATRICK GASTON | 2708 | Sailed with Unicorn Lines 1979 to 1985 followed by a period in 1985 with Barefoot Cruises in the Caribbean. Returned to S.A. and sailed on various vessels of the government departments of Environment Affiars and Conservation until 1991 when joined Portnet in Cape Town. Served on harbour tugs, assistant port captain and training officer. 1996 relocated to New Zealand and sailed as Third Officer on a rail and vehicle ferry between the North and South Islands of New Zeland for two years. 1998 joined the Wellington Regional Council as deptuy harbour master. |
| AUER | RUDOLPH | 2137 | 1960 – Chief Cadet Captain and Queen’s Gold Medalist. After Bothie joined the S.A. Hangklip and later the S.A. Navy, completing his Bachelor of Military Science in 1964. Served at sea in various frigates and smaller vessels and in 1969 was appointed to France for Submarine training with the French Navy. Served in S.A. Submarines including in command. Spent three years as Naval Attache in Paris, France, returned in Command of Submarine Flotilla, before retiring from the S.A. Navy in 1990. Thereafter had his own business, Auer Sepcialist Contractors, until 1999 when relocated to New Zealand. 2000 teaching computer systems engineering and networking in New Zealand. 2005 moved to Sydney. |
| AURET | CECIL NOEL | 484 | Born Shamva, Southern Rhodesia, 22nd December 1915. Son of Henry Hugo Auret and Martha Elizabeth, nee Marais. Ed, Rand Collieries School. Cadet Draft 1930-1. Cecil Noel Auret joined the Hogarth Line in 1932. During the war he enlisted and served in the Royal Natal Carbineers. He was killed in action at Gazala, Libya, on 5th June 1942, and at the time of his death was Acting Corporal. |
| AVERY | MICHAEL JOHN | 1749 | Joined the Marines which was later transferred from the S.A. Army to the S.A. Navy. Served on numerous vessels and also served as Master at Arms on many S.A. Navy ships and shore establishments. Also became a well known figure in the sailing fraternity. Retired. Deceased 16/01/2013. |
| AVONTUUR | BRADLEY LINTON | 2896 | Reportedly committed suicide in 1987. |
| AYLES | BILL MICHAEL CRANSTON | 1692 | 1953 – 1961 – Clan Lines Steamers. Last Ship, Umtata, later renamed Klipbok. 1960 obtained Masters Certificate. 1961 – 64 – Teacher Training College, Manchester 1964 – obtained Teacher’s Certificate. 1964 – 68 – Teaching Primary School children, Liverpool. 1968 – 94 – teaching in Comprehensive School, Jersey, Channel Islands. Nautical studies and mathematics. Part time lecturer, navigation evening classes. 1972 open University Degree B.A. 1974 – 84, Chairman nautical studies southern examining group, England. 1973 – Mate on Square Rigger Regina Maris. 1984 – VHF Examiner. 1992 – took part in first race Kersey to San Sebastian, Spain, to celebrate the traditional skills of Ocean Navigation. 1993 – Channel Islands triathlon supervet champion. 1994 fell of bike, retired from racing. Deceased March 2017. |
| BAARD | JACOBUS ADRIAAN JOHANNES | 851 | Born Moorreesburg, 24th April 1921. Son of Jacobus Adriaan Johannes Baard and Huibrecht Gertruida Christina, nee Dippenaar. Ed, Moorreesburg High School. Cadet Draft 1936-37. Jacobus Adriaan Johannes Baard became an apprentice with the Runciman Shipping Company after completing his course on General Botha, obtaining his Second Mate’s certificate in 1941. He then joined the RAF and received his training in the USA, Canada and Engalnd, obtaining his wings in September 1943. He was killed in a plane crash at Woodborough, Wiltshire, on 18th October 1943. |
| BAARTMAN | ARIE | 2166 | 1962 – 68 – Cadet, 3/O & 2/O with Safmarine. 1968 – 71 – 2/O & C/O & Master with Rennies Coasters. 1971 – 82 – Mate & Master Tugs, S.A.R.& H. Cape Town. Have done relief duties in Saldanha, Port Nolloth, Luderitz and m.v. Johan Hugo. 1982 – 87 – Pilot Walvis Bay 1987 – Pilot East London. 2006 RETIRED. |
| BAARTMAN | HENDRIK CHARLES | 2089 | Engineering Manager of Gebo South Africa, Cape Town. Deceased 20/09/2010. |
| BAGLEY | GEORGE EALES | 1144 | Won a prize for “Knowledge of the use of instruments”. Joined the Seaward Defence Force [SDF] as a Junior Rating 19th February 1942. Served in South African waters and in the Mediterranean, 1945 was Lieutenant on HMSAS Spindrift. Discharged from service 7th April 1946. After his service he went on to study at Natal University and graduated as the first person to receive an Honours Degree in Social Science. He went into personnel management and training thereafter ending up as Personnel Manager at Safmarine for many years. 1968 personnel manager of Safmarine. Deceased mid 1980s. |
| BAILES | ROBIN ANDREW | 2520 | After obtaining his Chief Officer’s Certificate FG with Safmarine did a BSc in computers in Grahamstown. Then moved to Swakopmund in Namibia where he worked on an uranuim mine for about 9 yaers. Thereafter worked in Sacramento, USA, for 4 years before settling in Alaska in 1997 remaining in the computer industry. |
| BAILEY | DENNIS ALFRED | 2138 | 1964 third officer with Safmarine. |
| BAILEY | ROY FAULKNER | 1148 | |
| BAILEY | JOHN CLEMENT | 792 | Deceased. |
| BAILEY | HAROLD THEODORE | 966 | 1941 Midshipman on ther battleship HMS Barham. Survivor from the sinking of the H.M.S. Barham which capsized and sank within three and a half minutes after being struck by 3 torpedoes, 25/11/1941, “somewhere in the Mediterranean.” 865 officers and men went down with her. See page 237 of War at Sea, author C.J. Harris. |
| BAILEY | PERCY JOHN | 259 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. Also worked for Tongaat Sugar in an engineering capacity and at one stage found himself at sea as a second engineer. He then joined the Harbour Service prior to the beginning of the war and at the outbreak joined the Crash Boat Squadron at Salisbury Island, Durban. He saw continuous service on coastal defense and the rescue of downed airmen. He finished up on the crash boats as Officer Commanding the No. 1 motorboat squadron at Langebaan, West Coast. Retired at 45 and became the manager of the Formosa Inn in Plettenberg Bay and later overseeing the building of the new Beacon Isle Hotel in Plettenberg Bay. Deceased 06//10/1995. |
| BAIN | JAMES LYNES | 906 | WWII Air Corporal SAAF. |
| BAIN | GORDON DALGARNO | 2235 | 1963 – 1963 Audit Clerk, Natal Provincial Administration. 1965 – 1967 Cadet Officer, Merchant Marine (SAFMarine). 1968 – 1969 Audit Clerk, Natal Provincial Administration. 1970 – 1975 Computer Programmer with PMBurg Corporation. 1976 – 1969 Data Processing Manager with PMB Corporation. 1979 – 1981 Senior Systems Analyst with Port Elizabeth Municipality. 1982 – 1990 Data Processing Manager with Port Elizabeth Municipality. 1991 – 1998 Information Systems Manager with Port Elizabeth Municipality. 1991 – 2000 Retired but contracted to Municipality to insure applications were Y2K compliant. 2001 – Retired but still support a few special customers with legacy applications. |
| BAIRSTOW | ROBIN CHARLES | 2874 | 2016 CEO & MD I&M Bank (Rwanda) Ltd |
| BAKER | GEORGE HENRY | 1083 | |
| BAKER | DEREK GEORGE WITCOMBE | 1805 | Derek Baker joined the General Botha from Outeniqua High School in George, a smallish city which he always stoutly defended. He made his mark in his senior year as a silver bugler in the band. On leaving the Botha he returned to George and was tragically killed in a car accident on the Outeniqua Pass a few weeks later, 1955. |
| BAKER | JOSHUA FIELDON PORTAL | 604 | Apprenticed to Prince Line. Served as Sub Lieutenant on the HMSAS Southern Sea during WWII. Lieutenant J.F.P. Baker, SANF (604) had served in the anti-submarine vessel HMSAS Southern Isles escorting convoys to and from Tobruk which had earned him a Mention in Dispatches “for his consistent devotion to duty and for the example he has set his ship’s company during air attacks at Tobruk and off the Libyan coast”. He volunterred to be seconded to the Royal Navy and to serve in submarines and was First Lieutenant of HMS Trident from October 1943 to September 1945. HMS Trident earned the battle honours Mediterranean and Atlantic during this time. |
| BAKKER | BRADLEY JAN | 2773 | |
| BALL | OWEN STANLEY | 58 | Did not return in 1962. After I qualified was offered a position with Safmarine, but on the eve of departure met my wife to be then, and happily married ever since. Self-employed (Kindeace (Pty) Limited) as a consulting design company for 36 years in the material handling business. 2019 retired and building model boats J Class Endeavour 1:33, SL Bat Windemere steam launch 1:12, Bristol Channel Pilot Cutter 1:33 That my father was on in the depression years Cardif Harbour etc etc all radio controlled and fully functional. Looking down the list of my fellow cadets is most nostalgic yet feels like yesterday, with so many stories to tell. |
| BALL | ALBERT EDWARD | 317 | |
| BALL | STEPHEN ALLERY | 2875 | |
| BALL | GREGORY | 2735 | After my 3 years in Safmarine ending in 1983, I completed the following: SA Navy 3 years Permanent Force Finance Branch. PicknPay 8 years Retail Branch Manager. OK Bazaars. 4 years Retail Branch Manager. Shoprite Checkers 24 years Retail Branch Manager and Claims Assessor. I have retired officially in March 2021. |
| BALLANTYNE | ANGUS JOHN | 605 | Sergeant in S.A. Army WWII, PoW. |
| BAM | CAREL STEPHANUS | 1084 | Deceased 1988. |
| BANACH | JAN ROBERT | 2411 | 1996 in Singapore working for a line management company as their Operations Manager for South East Asia. Controlling two lines in that region, one with connections to New Zealand and the other to Australia. June 1998 relocated to England. Based in London as General Manager of a new shipping operation Europe to Nigeria. 2008 relocated to Singapore with an oil company and latterly in Australia. Deceased 29th May 2015. |
| BANDS | PATRICK MICHAEL | 2682 | |
| BANGLEY | LEONARD JOHN | 227 | After Bothie apprenticed to P&O Line. During WWII served with the South African Seaward Defence Force and was awarded a DSC and was mentioned in dispatches: “For skill and resource in action against enemy Submarines while serving in H.M. South African Ships Protea and Southern Maid and in H.M. Naval Aircraft: The Distinguished Service Cross. Lieutenant Leonard John Bangley, S.D.F. (from the London Gazzette).” |
| BANKS | GRAHAM JOHN | 2034 | Previously a Director of Cape Gas in Cape Town. Graham developed a career in marketing, and was the Marketing Manager for Afrox, Cape Town and PE. Later joined BP. 1982 – Marketing Manager in non-ferrous metals for McKechnie. 1987 – Entered the winemaking industry when he became Manager of Drakenstein Winery. Moved up to General Manager of Boland Wine & Brandy (Paarl). Around the turn of the millennium he became Marketing Manager Overseas Marketing for Roodesandt Winery. |
| BANKS | DAVID LAWRENCE | 731 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. The first Botha Boy to die after WWII began, he was an apprentice wireless operator. He was seriously injured when the Wapiti bomber in which he was flying crashed into a sand dune at Blouberg Strand on 5th October 1939, and he succumbed the following day. He was, however, not considered by the authorities to have been on war service when he met his death. |
| BANKS | DENNIS ROBERT | 1215 | After Bothie sailed as Cadet with Union Castle Line, obtained Second Officer’s Certificate in 1946. Then sailed with various companies including Court Line, Johnstone Warren Line, Headlams of Whitby, Safmarine, West Wales Shipping and Bullard King. After obtaining Chief Officer’s Certificate spent following years with Standard-Vacuum Oil on their tankers. 1957 joined the Harbour Service in Durban, 1960 Port Elizabeth Harbour tugs, before returning to Durban in 1965. Retired as Senior Harbour Pilot, Durban, in 1986 and ran his own business from home. Deceased 11th August 2016. |
| BANKS | ERNEST | 485 | During the war sailed aboard Blue Funel Shipping Company “Centaur”, a hospital ship, which was sunk by enemy action. 1964 – Durban Harbour Pilot. Deceased 01/03/1991 |
| BARATA | AMERICO VALENTE | 2666 | 1978-1987 – At sea with Safmarine. 1988-1994 Farming in Upington 1995-2005 Safmarine/Maersk 2006 – 2010 Smit Operations Manager: Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russia, Angola (Luanda), Indonesia (Tangguh). 2011-2013 Marine Manager at Moma Mine in Mozambique 2014-2016 Port Manager, Base Titanium Kenya, Mombassa. 2017 Retired in Portugal. |
| BARBER | FREDERICK JAMES GRENVILLE | 1339 | |
| BARBER | TERENCE SYDNEY | 2595 | |
| BARBIER | DANIEL EDWARD | 1927 | After G.B. went to Agricultural Collage at Potchefstroom for two years before becoming a learner farmer in the Winterberg. Later joined the Sir Abe Bailey Estate in Colesberg in charge of general farming and the sheep stud. Later moved to Komgha before purchasing his own farm at Kei Road in 1961 where he farmed sheep and cattle until 1978. Thereafter farmed at Steynsburg until retirement in 1993. Deceased 12th April 2018. |
| BARDON | EDWARD JAMES | 50 | Joined Royal Navy as Boy Seaman and sent to HMS Impregnable. |
| BARKER | GUY JOHN | 2636 | 2000 – Claims Manager with S.A. Marine Corporation, Cape Town. 2001 – Joined Cape Reefers in Cape Town. 2002 – Joined S.A. Stevedores in Durban. July 2002 – Joined Smit Marine as a Loading Master based in Mossel Bay. November 2016 – company changed to African Marine Solutions (AMSOL). |
| BARNARD | HENRY IGNATIUS | 2753 | 1995 – Marine Surveyor with P&I Associates, Port of Richards Bay. 1996 – relocated to Beira as Manager of Lloyd’s Agency and P&I Associates / R.M. de Gruyter. 1999 – working for the World Food Program in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique based in Richard’s Bay. 2000 – Owner of an Inn in Richard’s Bay. 2005 – moved to the Free State where he runs a B&B, Oude Werf. 2010 owns a glass company in Gauteng. |
| BARNARDO | ELDRED FRED | 1806 | ‘Barney’ Barnardo enrolled at the General Botha from Clapham High School in Pretoria and on completion of his time at the college, joined Safmarine. He and ‘Ikey’ Quayle went away to sea together as cadets in the South African Merchant. ‘Barney’ finished his time as a cadet with Safmarine and then joined Thesens, where he served as second mate in the Herero Coast. He then came ashore joining Europe/Africa Shipping Lines in Durban, rising to be their Durban manager. In 1980 he joined Ellerman and Bucknall in Johannesburg, before passing away in the early 1980s. |
| BARNARDO | TREVOR | 2167 | |
| BARNES | LAWRENCE ROBERT | 1450 | 1948/49 – Sailed as Cadet with Safmarine. On S.A. Constantia. 1950 – 58 – worked in various branches of Standard Bank in Natal and Witwatersrand. 1958 – 63 – Transport Controller with Dickon Hall Products, Nelspruit. 1964 – 68 – Office Manager with Leyland Motor Corporation, Nelspruit. 1968 – 72 – Secretarial Officer with Syfrets Trust in Cape Town. 1973 – 93 – joined Eskom as Regional Auditor, Western and Eastern Cape and later in Natal. 1986 moved to the Finance Division and became Senior Financial Accountant in various regions. Retired in 1993. Deceased 13/11/2012. |
| BARNES | STANLEY IVAN | 852 | WWII Private Regiment President Steyn / Air Mechanic SAAF. |
| BARNES | MICHAEL GEORGE | 2234 | After G.B. joined Safmarine, sailed on various vessels including tankers. When Safmarine introduced containerisation Mike transferred ashore as a Stowage Coordinator for the container vessel fleet. He became manager of the Department in 1983. 4 years later he was offered the post of Fleet Training Officer, a position he held until 1990. Still with Safmarine he then moved to container control as LAN Administration maintaining the programs which tracks the movement of containers. In 1993 he returned to sea and sailed as Chief Officer with a Dutch coasting company for a few months. Then rejoined Safmarine as Chief Officer. July 1997 promoted Master with Safmarine. Retired. Deceased 20th October 2020. |
| BARNETT | HAROLD WALTER | 191 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line and joined the R.N.R. as a midshipman. 1925 won the Royal Meterreological Society of Great Britain, first place in the society’s Howard Prize Essay Competition. Harold Walter Bennett (191) joined the S.A. Naval Service and was commissioned. When almost all the personnel of the S.A. Naval Service were paid off during the Great Depression he was transferred to the Royal Navy and during the Second World War he was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-commander and awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for gallantry at Crete. |
| BARNETT | GEORGE ANDRIES | 486 | |
| BARNS | GEORGE HENDON | 1216 | 1943 joined Royal Naval Reserve as a Midshipman. Served on the Armed Merchatn Cruiser H.M.S. Canton, heavy cruiser H.M.S. Emerald and Frigate H.M.S. Lock Quich. Took part in the Normandy beach landings in France on 06/06/1944 and saw action with the North Atlantic Convoys and Far East. 1945 promoted to Sub-Lieutenant. After cessation of hostilities, returned to South Africa and joined the Civil Service and was stationed in many different parts of the country. Did a short service commission in the S.A. Navy from 1963 to 1966 and thereafter returned to the Civil Service. 1984 promoted to the Rank of Deputy Director and served the last two years as head of his department in Durban. 1986 retired to the Eastern Cape. Deceased 15/03/2001. |
| BARR | OSWALD RAYMOND | 139 | After Bothie apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall Line. Served in the Royal Navy during WWII and retired at the rank of Commander. “This year, another Botha Boy distinguished himself, making headlines around the world. On 25 October (1938) the Sandpiper, a British gunboat, was bombed by Japanese planes at Changsha in China. The Daily Telegraph said: It seems incredible that the crew of 78 all escaped injury. This was probably due to the fact that throughout the bombing two officers, Lieut.-Commander Eames and Lieutenant Barr, remained on the bridge and kept the crew below decks. The lieutenant, who was second-in-command of the Sandpiper, was O.R. Barr (139, 1924/26). 15th August 1941 he had been promoted to Lieut.-Commander in the RN and won the DSC.” |
| BARRACLOUGH | BRIAN MONTAGUE | 1451 | |
| BARRATT | PETER ROBERT | 2324 | |
| BARRELL | CHARLES HOWARD | 448 | |
| BARRETT | JUSTIN RHODES | 2546 | 1976 – 78 – Safmarine as Cadet and Acting Third Officer. 1980 – 81 – After 2 months on the “Cable Restorer” served on the Safmarine Deep Sea salvage tugs “Wolraad Woltemade” and the “John Ross” as Third Officer. 1982 – 84 – Second Officer with Safmarine and Mobil Shipipng. 1984 – joined De Beers Marine as Chief Officer, promtoed to Master in September 1986. 1993 Master of m.v. “Grand Banks.” Later appointed Marine Superintendent for De Beers. |
| BARRETT | JAMES DESMOND | 1085 | 9th February 1942 joined the sv Lawhill as cadet. Sailed for sometime on the s.v. “Lawhill” as Third Officer and then shipped out on the “Commondore”, a five masted schooner which sailed between South Africa and South America. After marrying came ashore and went steeple jacking on the reef. Deceased 28/02/2004. |
| BARRETT | GRAEME RHODES | 2325 | 1995 – Harbour Pilot, Port of Richards Bay 2003 at sea with de Beers Marine. 2012 joined NAUTIC Africa. |
| BARRY | AUSTEN KOLBE | 606 | Born Butterworth, Cape Province, 11th April 1916. Son of Anton Rector Kolbe Barry and Dorothy, nee Nankivel. Ed, Victoria High School, Grahamstown. Cadet Draft 1932-2. Austen Kolbe Barry joined the Clan Line in 1934, in which he served during the first two years of the war. He then enlisted with the RAF and was killed in an air operation on enemy shipping off the Island of Patmos in the Aegean Sea on the night of 2nd February 1944. 139220. Flying Officer A K Barry RAFVR. Navigator, 38 Squadron RAF Bomber Command, Med. Undertaking a sweep across the Aegean, down with the aircraft, at sea. Wellington JA108 3 Feb 1944. Buried Rhodes War Cemetery 2.B.3, Greece. |
| BARRY | RICHARD CHARLES | 2521 | After 14 years with SACD, latterly their Marketing Manager S.A. Container Depots Durban, started his own freight management company, RB Freight Management in 2003. 2011 GM of a logistics company in Ghana, with offices in Burkina Faso. Deceased 10/06/2011. |
| BARTLETT | FREDERICK JOHN ASHMEAD | 607 | Apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line (Bank Line). Deceased. |
| BARTLETT | GRAEME JOHN | 2035 | |
| BARWELL | EMMOT ALBERT CHARLES | 1340 | Deceased. |
| BARWOOD | MICHAEL CHARLES | 2736 | Started a business in 1996 called Max design, doing logo design, letter heads and the like. |
| BASSETT | DALE | 2637 | |
| BASSILL | JOHN CORRIE GRAEME | 2326 | 2007 University of Johannesburg. |
| BATES | RICHARD WILLIAM | 1279 | |
| BATTESON | ALBERT JAMES | 166 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a Seaman. |
| BAUMGARTEN | MARK RUDOLF | 2522 | At sea with Safmarine until 1987. Started his own business in the furniture industry and after a few months bought into a timber supply franchise. 1997 moved to New Zealand and joined International Paper, an American Based company, who are huge in the timber and forest business, as their Logistics Analysist in sales and procurement. Deceasd 06/02/2004. |
| BAUMGARTNER | HANS-RUDOLF | 2357 | Subsequently changed his first name to John. 1971 crewed on the ketch Howard Davis on the first Cape to Rio yacht race. |
| BAXTER | ROBERT ROPER | 160 | After Bothie apprenticed to P&O Line. |
| BAXTER | JOHN ARTHUR | 608 | Apprenticed to Houlder Line. |
| BAXTER | JAMES DARTNELL | 2236 | Reported deceased. |
| BAXTER | JOHN DUNCAN | 2197 | 1963 to 1966 with T&J Harrison Line and then with S.A. Marine Corporation until 1977. Thereafter sailed as Master with Sanko Line including three years as their Marine Superintendent based in Tokyo. 1986 to 1989 Master with Thome Ship Management. 2008 established Marine Consultants in Australia. |
| BAYLEY | JOHN STEWART | 2511 | 1975 joined SANDF and did a trade with them in electronics. Worked as an electrician doing factory maintenance until about 1985, then self employed until about 2008. Took up a repping job for 7 years in Durban. Wife got a job in Joburg so I moved to Joburg April 2014. Opened own business in August doing household repairs and maintenance. |
| BAYLEY | GEOFFREY WALKER | 732 | In 1939 G. W. Bayley failed his Board of Trade eyesight test and was thus precluded from serving at sea as a deck officer. He joined the gold mines. In the Second World War he was awarded the Military Cross [MC] for his actions in the Sidi Rezegh tank battles [late November 1941]. He was serving as a Lieutenant in the South African Tank Corps [SATC] of the South African Army. |
| BAYMAN | STEPHEN | 2139 | 1961 – 63, Cadet with Clan Line. 1963 – 66, sailed as Third and Second Officer with Sugar Line Ltd. 1966 – 68, second Officer with Safmarine. 1968 – 69, Chief Officer with Marine Diamond Corporation. 1969 – 70, Master with SAB Lines. 1970 – 71 Chief Officer with S.A. Harbours (tugs). 1971 – 75 Managing Director, Ship Delivery Ltd. Thereafter has gained 18 years oilfield experience consisting of 8 years on Jack-ups as Master/Barge Engineer, Jack Man, Rig Mover and Towmaster. 10 years on semi submersibles and Derrick Barges as Master, Barge Engineer, Tow Master, Rig Mover and O.I.M. 1994 Master/OIM/PIC NAN HAI 6. |
| BEAMISH | RORY KILROY | 2237 | Owner of Beambug, Cape Town. Deceased 31/08/2011. |
| BEARD | WALTER FREDERICK | 58 | |
| BEARPARK | LEONARD FRANK | 1539 | |
| BEATER | RODERIC ALDWORTH | 733 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. |
| BEAUMONT | BYRON RAOUL TREVOR | 1861 | Raoul built up Beaumont Wines [Western Cape] over a goodly number of years, being the creator of and inspiration for many fine full bodied reds! On lighter note, he and his wife Jayne gave their names to two superb “quaffable” delights – “Raoul’s Rustic Red” and “Jayne’s Walker Bay White” – both great marketing successes. Deceased 03/01/2008. |
| BEAVITT | REGINALD ALVIS | 1024 | After G.B. Midshipman RNR and joined HMS Cathy. Escorted convoys between Greenock & Sierra Leone. May 1941, HMS Viscount North Atlantic convoys until 1944, after D Day. Traveled to Port Elizabeth on the ‘Andes’ to join HMS Banff and served in the Far East. Demobilized in Durban April 1946 and held various Posts in the Commercial field. May 1949 joined the Natal Provincial Administration Traffic Inspectorate. Remained until retirement in 1989 as Chief Traffic Inspectorate of Ciski Government after being seconded there to form the Ciski Traffic Department. Was actively involved in yachting. Deceased 23/05/2007. |
| BECKER | DAVIS LIONEL | 25 | 1995 – Marine superintendent with Portnet, Port of Richards Bay Deceased 05/09/2005 |
| BECKET | ROBERT MILNE | 1577 | Joined Clan Line in 1951 and stayed until 1955. Then joined Old Mutual at Pinelands and worked in the Powers SAMAS Department. Did a District Office Course and opened a District Office at Stanger, Empangeni, Eshowe. Later returned to sea with Smith Coasters and obtained Masters Certificate Joine S.A.R.& H. in May 1970 and was with them until August 1993. In that time had been Master of the ‘F.C. Sturrock’ and did a few distress jobs. ‘The Voith Tug, Paul Sauer’ was next. This tug to me was the best I have handled. With this tug I also did a few tows. What a good sea vessel she was. Next was the ‘Jan Haywood’, another voith, also very good. Last in the tug line was the ‘Bart Grove Shuttle’ which I enjoyed but compared to a voith, well one does get spoilt. I then understudied on the Dredger ‘Ribbok’ and took over as Master in 1986. 1989 moved ashore 1993 retired. Deceased 03/01/2007. |
| BECKETT | ARCHIBALD DONALD MCPHERSON | 38 | Was First Class Boy Petty Officer and obtained first class certificates in both scholastic and seamanship in the final examinations of the S.A.T.S. General Botha. Served as Probationary Midshipman R.N.R. and was later apprenticed to the Union Castle company, s.s. Sandgate Castle. Left the sea in May 1929 and took up appointment as Senior Guide to the Cango Caves. Born 26th May 1907. Died under tragic circumstances at Oudtshoorn on 31st March 1932. |
| BEESLAAR | SAMUEL JACOBUS | 2717 | |
| BEILES | MAURICE WALTER | 1393 | Maury [Maurice] Bassett, died on the evening of 24 October 2016 while being operated on for a tumour. Club records show that he had been a Cadet in SATS General Botha at Red Hill. When Maury retired he was the Director responsible for Consumer Marketing at Mobil S A. In SATS General Botha he was known as Maurice Walter Beiles No. 1393 [1945-1946 term]. He reportedly changed his name to Bassett shortly after completing his two years. He was not a seagoer. |
| BEKKER | JAN JOHANNES | 2198 | 02/1963 – 10/1968 – Cadet to Third Officer with Safmarine. 10/1968 – 06/1969 – Second Officer with Durban Lines. 06/1969 – 09/1970 – Chief Officer with Unicorn Lines. 12/1970 – 12/1975 – Supermarket Manager with Greatermans & Checkers. 01/1976 – 02/1977 – Owner/Manager of Durbanville “Wimpy Bar? 03/1977 – 07/1986 – S.A.T.S. Cape Town Tugmaster. 08/1986 – 07/1987 – Owner/skipper of own fishing vessel. 07/1987 – 05/1989 – S.A.T.S. Cape Town Tug Mate & Port Control 06/1989 – 05/1992 – S.A. Sea Products, Hout Bay, Master of MFV “Aster” 1995 – Tug Master at Fawley Terminal, Southampton, England. Deceased 18th June 2012. |
| BELL | KENNETH ALFRED | 1149 | WWII AB SANF HMSAS Good Hope. |
| BELL | RONALD GRANT | 1750 | Joined T&J Harrisons of Liverpool and after obtaining Chief Officer’s Certificate joined Safmarine and sailed a Master. 6 years later joined G.A. Chettle, Marine and Classification Surveyors and 8 years later returned to Safmarine to assist with the preparations for the introduction of containerisation in S.A. Later years transferred from oeprations to the commercial office of Safmarine Durban until retirement in 1999. Deceased 13th August 2004. |
| BELL | ALFRED GEORGE | 540 | |
| BELL | ALFRED CLEVELAND DE VILLIERS | 46 | Placed in S.A. Navy as Ordinary Seaman. WWII AB SANF. |
| BELL | COLIN HARRY DAVID | 2273 | Previously sailed with Safmarine and in 1997 a yacht builder in Cape Town. 2003 Proprietor of Triplex Plywoods in Cape Town. 2012 reported deceased. |
| BELL | JAMES DOUGLAS | 793 | |
| BELL | DAVID JASPER ROBERT | 1807 | David Bell joined the General Botha from Kuils River High School and established himself in boxing, rugby, whaler pulling and the band. He boxed in the Western Province School Championships, where he won his bout; played rugby for the Botha; pulled in various whaler crews and played the base drum in the band, which has given him an extraordinarily strong back!! He was confirmed in the Anglican Church (The Rec Hall) by the famous Bishop Lavis of Cape Town. After leaving the Botha, he served his apprenticeship with Union Castle Line and returned to them after passing his second mates, serving as a fourth officer in the Winchester Castle then onward and upward, passing his mates and serving as third officer and then second officer in the Union Castle fruit ships. In 1962, having been in London for a while, making friends with a bunch of Aussies, David went off to Western Australia where he worked for Elder Smiths Ships Agency as a boarding officer. In 1965 he moved into insurance and in 1968 into real estate – and that became his lifetime work. In 1963 David met Julia Davison in Perth and they married soon after. They have a married son with two daughters and a more recently married daughter with a son and daughter. As are all grandchildren, they’re delightful. David is now ‘almost’ 100% retired but still does the odd job looking after a real estate office while the owners take time off. David and Julia have lived down in the south western corner of Western Australia at a small place called Dunsborough (25 kilometres south of Perth) for 15 years and fully believe they live in a paradise of beaches, wineries and good friends. David is very involved with the local community; the rugby club and Gold Oldies rugby; a local choir; surfing and swimming off the myriad beautiful beaches and both are involved in the local Anglican Church. As David says, ‘Life doesn’t get much better than that!’ |
| BELLINGAN | HEINRICH JOHANNES | 967 | WWII Air Mechanic SAAF. |
| BENJAMIN | SIDNEY JOHN ALFRED | 1280 | Went to sea on S.A.R.& H. ships and obtained Chief Officer’s Certificate, came ashore and joined Holland Afrika Agency. In 1970 joined African Coaling and worked his way up becoming Managing Director of the Company. Deceased 18/03/1994. |
| BENNETT | JOSEPH HENRY RENOUF | 1394 | |
| BENNETT | GEORGE BENJAMIN | 670 | 1934 promoted Senior Cadet Captain. 01/1935, joined the B.I.N.S. Co in London. Served three years as a cadet but left in Durban to join Crown Mines in Johannesburg. 04/1940, entered the S.D.F. in Cape Town as Sub-Lieutenant on mine sweepers. 1941 sailed ‘Whylock’ to Durban in Command. 11/1942 went to Alexandria to take over ‘Boksburg”. Swept North African ports. First ship to enter Tripoli 25/01/1943. 1945 rejoined Crown Mines. 1949 joined Mine Safety Appliances in Durban 1961 sent to Sydney to form Australian company for M.S.A. 1982 retired. Deceased 07/11/2000. |
| BENNETT | DEREK | 1453 | After G.B. sailed with Safmarine and later Bank Line, joining their vessel Gugerat. Thereafter he went to England and joiend the Royal Navy fleet Air Arm. Due to the death of his father he resigned his R.N. Commission and returned to S.A. and rejoined Safmarine. His First Command with Safmarine was on the S.A. Vanguard follwoed by the S.A. Merchant, S.A. Trader, and S.A. Huguenot. He was drafted ashore in Durban as Marine Superintendent in 1966. Deceased 30/01/1988 |
| BENNETT | WALTER TEMPLEMORE | 1086 | 9th February 1942 joined the sv Lawhill as cadet. |
| BENNETT | FRANK VERNON ROBBIE | 398 | |
| BENNETT | BASIL WILFRED | 1341 | Deceased 10th December 2011. 1946 joined the ss Lawhill as cadet, later transferred to the Plettenberg. Resigned from the S.A.R. & H. and joined the Johannesburg City Council where he was employed in various sections. Worked for a period for Chamber of Mines before returning to the Johannesburg City Council where he stayed until retirement. |
| BENNETT | GORDON LANGLEY NEPEAN | 1803 | Served his apprenticeship with Bank Line and later returned to his home in Kenya. Reported deceased. |
| BENNETT | FREDERICK WILLIAM | 377 | |
| BENNETT | GORDON KEITH | 1452 | 1948 indentured with Ellerman Hall Line, sailed on five different vessels, promoted to 4th officer before resigning to join Simmer and Jack Mines as a learner mine surveyor. Eight years later joined Rand Water Board as Topographical and Engineering Surveyor from where he retired after 34 years as Principal Surveyor. Deceased 4th June 2015. |
| BENNIE | DUGAL ANDREW GOVAN | 2293 | |
| BENSE | FRANCIS HOWARD | 1395 | |
| BERGH | OLAFF HERCULES | 1500 | 1964 Petty Officer, S.A. Navy. Coxswain SAS Haerlem. |
| BERGH | OLOFF HENRY | 671 | Did not complete second year, medically unfit. |
| BERGSTROM | LESLIE ANTON | 907 | WWII Trooper SA Tank Corps / Signaller SA Corps of Signals. |
| BERGSTROM | OTTO THEODORE | 672 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. Failed final exam 1934. Returned in 1935 for a further year’s training. Passed December 1935. |
| BERRY | HUGH CHAPPELL | 609 | Cadet – Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company. War service November 1939 – HMS Comorin, HMS Queen of Bermuda (AMC) and finally HMS Tay, a River Class Frigate. Was First Lieutenant, initially midshipman and Sub Lt RNR. Then LT SADF seconded to RN. After war, in textile business until retirement. Deceased 16th May 2009. |
| BERRY | ANTHONY JOHN | 2709 | |
| BERTRAM | MARK ROBERT | 1396 | Deceased 20th March 2015. Mark was essentially a businessman running and owning several businesses in Rhodesia and Malawi. Mark was a keen sportsman, playing rugby, baseball, fencing, and a bit of golf. He also loved fishing. |
| BERTRAM | DAVID LAURENCE REGINALD | 2824 | October 1986 – Obtained Class 4 End 1987 – Resigned from Unicorn. End 1991 – obtained Bachelor of Journalism at Rhodes University April 1992 – obtained a Commercial Pilots Licenses May 1992 – rejoined Unicorn July 1992 – joined Lifara International and sailed Chief Officer on LPGC Hetland July 1996 – Marine Surveyor with A.R. Brink & Associates, Durban. Jan 2002 – Joined Mediterranean Shipping Company as Fleet Safety Officer based in Durban July 2005 – Became Operations Manager for MSC in charge of all ports and all port operations as well as Fleet Safety Officer Oct 2009 – Director Shosholoza Operations (MSC South Africa BEE operations company) Oct 2010 – Country Manager MSC Swaziland based in Matsapha Swaziland Oct 2017 – resigned from MSC and moved to Plettenberg Bay to play golf and fly. |
| BEST | STEPHEN FRANK | 2789 | 1997 – IT Specialist, Network Services, with IBM Cape Town. |
| BESTEL | MARCEL GILLIES | 2683 | |
| BESTER | MICHIEL JACOBUS | 328 | |
| BESTER | FREDERICK | 1808 | ‘Frikkie’ Bester was one of the General Botha boys from Wynberg Boys’ High School. From the very beginning he shone as an outstanding bugler and trumpeter and is remembered as such by all his class mates today. He pulled stroke oar in the ‘A’ whaler crew and proved an excellent bowler for the cricket team. In his junior year, Frikkie won the floating trophy for Navigation and Seamanship and in his senior year was appointed Junior Cadet Captain, winning the Seamanship Trophy and a mathematics prize, as well as the Silver Bugle for his musical ability. On leaving the Botha, he served his apprenticeship with T & J Harrison, then a spell with Safmarine and later, master with Thesens. He lectured on the staff of the General Botha for 19 years before taking up a post with the Department of Transport, Marine Division in Cape Town where, in due course, he became one of their senior examiners of masters and mates. Young candidates for their second mates would know they were in for a grilling if ‘Frikkie’ was to take them for orals! “I’ll be fair but you’ll need to know your stuff!” was his dictum. Frikkie obtained his Extra Masters in 1985. In 1963 Frikkie married Leonore Janssen and they had two children, Frederick and Jenny. This marriage ended in divorce in 1985. Frikkie married Rosemary (Rosi) in 1987. Frikkie continues to do the odd marine consulting job but in essence, he and Rosemary live in happy semi-retirement in Cape Town. |
| BESTER | ANDRIES JACOBUS | 371 | |
| BETBEDER | GEORGE NICOLAS | 487 | 1931 Junior Cadet Captain. Joined British Tanker Company in 1932 and won the Company’s third year apprentice prize. Indentures cancelled October 1934 due to ill health after an accident on board the British Strength. Returned to S.A. as a sailor on T.S.T. W.H. Fuller. Employed by Ellerman & Bucknall as a shipping clerk from January 1935 to April 1936 before joining E.R.P.M. in July 1936. January 1938 to December 1939 worked for Palmietkuil Mine. Started on Randfontein Estates April 1940 and left May 1949 to go to Stilfontein. Retired from Stilfontein Mine as Chief Survey Draughtsman in 1977. Since then to 1995 employed as caretaker of the block of flats where he resided. Deceased 29/05/96 of cancer. |
| BEYERS | BEVAN CHRISTOPHER | 2219 | Joined Safmarine as Cadet and rose to the rank of Chief Officer before joining Portnet (now National Port Authority). Deceased 11th November 2003. |
| BEYERS | JAN ANDRIES | 466 | Worked for Standard Bank. Previously Hon. Treasurer of the Old Boys’ Assciation Cape Town Branch. Deceased 13/01/93. Served as Sub Lieutenant (June 1942) in the Mediterranean During WWII. |
| BIERMANN | HUGO HENDRIK | 610 | 1933 Senior Cadet Captain. Apprenticed to Prince Line. Hugo Hendrik, better known as HH, passed away 27th March 2012. As past Chief of the S.A. Navy as well as past Chief of the S.A. Defence Force HH received a high profile funeral service attended by a number of retired Chiefs of the S.A. Navy as well as the present Chief of the S.A. Navy. After the service his coffin was borne away on the traditional gun carriage by the S.A. Navy. After G.B. served as a Cadet in the British Merchant Navy until 1938 when transferred to the Maritime Department of the S.A.R.& H. 1938 commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant in the RNVR war reserve. 1946 appointed Lieutenant Commander, S.A. Navy Permanent Force. 1952 Naval attaché, London, Rank, Commander 12/52 Naval and Marine Chief of staff. Rank, Commodore. 1957 promoted to Rear-Admiral. 1965 promoted to Vice Admiral. Chief of the Navy and Commander, Maritime Defence, S.A. Defence Forces. 1972 promoted to Admiral. Appointed as Chief of the S.A.D.F. 1976 retired from the S.A.D.F. Since retirement served on the boards of: St Dunstans, N.S.R.I., Sandock-Austral, Trust Bank, K.F. Albrecht & Co, Suiderland Ontwikkelings Korporasie, Gilbeys Distillers & Vintners, Sunnyside Travel Bureau, Pretoria. Patron of the G.B. War Memorial Fund. HH was described as “The father of the modern South African Navy”. Served with distinction in WWII and was awarded the OBE. Hugo Biermann South African AdmiralHugo Hendrik Biermann, SSA, SD, OBE (6 August 1916 – 27 March 2012) was a senior officer in the South African Navy. He served as Chief of the Navy from 1952 to 1972 and Chief of the South African Defence Force from 1972 until 1976, the only naval officer to have served in the post. South African Navy Battles/wars Early life Born in Johannesburg on 6 August 1916, Biermann was one of four children. His brothers Phillip and Stefanus (Chips) served on whalecatchers that had been converted to minesweepers during the Second World War. His brother Stefanus reached the rank of rear admiral in the South African Navy. Biermann started school in the Transvaal until his father was transferred to Cape Town. He completed his schooling at Jan van Riebeeck High School and, after leaving school at the age of 16, joined the South African Training Ship General Botha. After two years training on the General Botha from 1932 to 1933, Biermann entered the British Merchant Navy as a cadet and served until 1938, when he was transferred to the Maritime Department of the South African Railways and Harbours. Career In January 1940, he was called up for full-time service and transferred to the Seaward Defence Force. Promoted lieutenant in mid 1941 he commanded HMSAS Imhoff, HMSAS Roodepoort and HMSAS Aristea, before being promoted to lieutenant commander in command of the salvage vessel HMSAS Gamtoos. The crew of the HMSAS Gamtoos cleared several Mediterranean ports of sunken and scuttled ships, and at Marseilles, Biermann blew a hole in the harbour wall so that he could enter the Vieux Port and begin work. The Gamtoos went on to salvage the Sidi Aissa, towing it away to clear the valuable graving dock at La Ciotat by 14 December 1944. This earned Biermann appointment as an Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE). The citation for his OBE reads: Post-war and rise to senior command He was also the Senior Officer of the minesweeping squadron. In 1950, Biermann was transferred to Defence Headquarters and served on the staff of the then Director-General of the South African Naval Forces. Two years later he attended the British Naval Staff Course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich, and was appointed as naval attaché at South African House, London with the rank of commander. Frans Erasmus reshuffle In 1952, Erasmus posted Brigadier Pieter de Waal as a Military attache to the United States, replacing him with Biermann, one of only seven Afrikaans officers in the navy in 1948. Then Commander Biermann was appointed Naval and Marine Chief of Staff (the head of the navy) on 1 December 1952 and promoted to the rank of commodore, jumping two ranks. During his tenure the Simonstown Agreement was signed on 30 June 1955. He held commodore rank until 1 April 1957, with the handing over of the Simon’s Town Naval Base, he was promoted to rear admiral. Biermann was made vice admiral on 1 December 1965, when his position was simultaneously retitled as Chief of the Navy. In 1972, Biermann took over the position of Commandant General of the South African Defence Force and promoted to admiral, the first time this rank was used in the South African Navy. The title was changed to Chief of the South African Defence Force a year later. In 1977, Biermann authored ‘The South African Response. The Southern Oceans and the Security of the Free World: New Studies in Global Strategy’. The navy’s submarine base was named after him. Contribution to yachting in South Africa The South African Ocean Racing Trust (as the SAORT became known) selected the Iate Clube do Rio de Janeiro, who were willing to co-operate in the organising of the race and the race would be known as the Cape to Rio. The first race was organised for 1971, with the organisers anticipating at most 15 entries into the race. However, the race attracted a large amount of interest and 58 boats entered the 1971 race. Awards and decorations He was also appointed Grand Cross of Naval Merit of the Order of May from Admiral Guillermo Brown of Argentina, and the Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Infante Dom Henrique of Portugal. He was the first recipient of the Southern Cross Decoration, which he received upon his retirement as Chief of the South African Defence Force in 1976. Personal life The couple had two children, Hugo Hendrik and Diana. Biermann died on 27 March 2012 at the age of 95 in a retirement home, Silvermine Village, near Cape Town. He was buried with full military honours. References, Military offices. New title |
| BIGGS | HENRY VALENTINE | 382 | |
| BIGGS | HUGH ANTHONY | 1635 | |
| BIGWOOD | SYDNEY | 541 | 1932 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Apprenticed to Hall Line. Worked at the Satmar Oil Refinery in Boksburg. Deceased early 1980s. |
| BIMA | MICHAEL LAWRENCE | 2220 | Sailed on the S.A. Merchant (Safmarine) in 1965. Obtained Chief Officers Certificate and sailed as second officer. Came ashore and studied computer science before joining the CSIR. Later joined a company that handled naval systems. 2009 retired. |
| BINGHAM | AUSTEN | 1217 | Born Ladysmith, Natal on 7th November 1925. Son of William Hopworth Bingham and Constance Preston, nee Wood. Ed, Ladysmith High School, Natal. Cadet Draft 1942 – 3 (Junior Cadet Captain). Austen Bingham joined the RNR in 1944 as Temporary Midshipman and was killed while in HMS Colsay of a minesweeping flotilla, owing to one of our mines breaking adrift. |
| BINOS | JAMES MICHAEL | 1 | First cadet to join the engineering course. After G.B. Joined Norwich Union Insurance as a Filing Clerk. Two years later became a Trainee Insurance Assessor and remained in assessing until 1973. After various positions in the insurance industry joined Minet Insurance Brokers in 1982 and was transferred to Johannesburg. Company later merged with Glenrand and is now known as Glenradm I.B. Which is the largest management owned insurance brokers in S.A. Retired as their Group Claims Director after 20 years in subject position. Then joined Crawford & Co, as Insurance Loss Adjuster in Cape Town. Retired 2003 to the country village of McGregor and consulting for a leading international Loss Adjusting Company. Also owns an art gallery. 13 Mill Street McGregor 6708. |
| BINTLEY | JEFFREY | 1862 | |
| BIRCH | LOUIS GEORGE | 276 | |
| BIRCH | PATRICK JAMES | 1087 | Left General Botha to sail on the “Lawhill”. Then on Tankers during the war. After that stayed at sea for approximately 12 years. 1946 Able Seaman on ss Dalia. Came ashore and worked for Babcock & Wilcock in Worcester before moving to Johannesburg where he worked for the City Council, G.K.N. Mills and finally retired from ARMSCOR. Deceased 11/05/2008. |
| BIRD | MALCOLM JOHN | 1454 | Reported in “Both Watches” of 1953 as an Officer in the British Merchant Navy sailing to the Persian Gulf. |
| BIRTLES | JOSEPH ANTHONY | 2430 | Started with Safmarine on the S.A.Vergelegen 18/01/1972 and did the longest service 10.82 months . In 1983 spent 11.34months in Shimizu attending the building of the Sea class bulkers. At the beginning of 2000 I was on the Ferosa which was taken over by Enterprise Shipping . Unfortunately the Management and myself were not too compatible and they offered me retrenchment which I gladly accepted . During my leave / retrenchment I forwarded my CV to numerous Companies and was picked up by Safmarine / Maersk in Cape Town and they offered me a Chief Officers job which I accepted towards the end of 2000 . Strangely enough I was quite happy in this position and stayed as Chief Officer until I was promoted to Master once again on the Safmarine Concord 27/07/2004. During these last tours of duty the one that stands out is probably the handing over of the Oranje 16/12/10 to 07/01/12 in China to Greek owners, last container vessel on the South African Registry. Retired in May 2012 on attaining the age of 60 and subsequently I am working back to back on the Safmarine Chilka, 3 on 3 off and am basically on voyage contract.. When I sign off here I will have basically 20 years as Master , 14 as Chief Officer and 42 years in service. |
| BIRTWHISTLE | JOHN | 853 | Born Middlesborough, England, 10th October 1920. Son of Henry Birtwhistle and Mary Elizabeth, nee Full. Ed, Hamilton School, Pretoria. Cadet Draft 1936-7. After completing his course in General Botha John Birtwhistle joined the Harrison Line. He was a member of the Boys’ Naval Brigade. When serving as Third Officer on the SS Designer, which carried cargo of mines and torpedoes for the Persian Gulf, he lost his life when she was torpedoed and sunk off Freetown, West Africa, on 9th July 1941, the only survivors being six Lascars who were landed at Cape Town but later died, and a naval gunner, who was landed at Oporto. |
| BISHENDON | JOHN | 1578 | |
| BISHOP | GEOFFREY ROBERT HARDEN | 177 | |
| BISHOP | VINCENT CAREL | 2710 | |
| BISHOP | JOHN CAMPBELL | 1540 | Deceased 19th September 2001. |
| BISSET | WALTER ERNEST HUBERT | 734 | Joined H Hogarth & Sons (Baron Line) April 1936 as apprentice and served all his time with them until obtaining masters in Glasgow December 1943. Joined Harbour Service in Durban May 1944. Mate and Master on Tugs and Dredgers. Pilot in Port Elizabeth 1959 – 1969. Assistant Port Captain in Cape Town and Walvis Bay, Deputy Port Captain and finally retired Port Captain Cape Town 1978. Selected to represent SA Merchant Navy in Victory Parade, London 1946. Deceased 12/12/2012 |
| BITZKER | PETER ERICH | 1751 | After G.B. joined the S.A. Navy as Midshipman. Then followed various appointments both ashore and afloat specialising in Gunnery with rapid promotion to Commodore. 1964 Officer in Charge Gunnery School, rank of Lt Cdr. 1976 – 1984 appointed as the Defence Attaché at the S.A. Embassy in Bonn, Germany. 1985 returned to S.A. and appointed the Director Naval Inspectorate, Naval Headquarters in Simon’s Town and in 1986 appointed Inspector General (S.A. Navy) until retirement in April 1986. Deceased 17th June 2019. |
| BLACK | VINCENT HUGH | 854 | 1938 – 1940 Apprentice Rigger East Gold Mines 1941 – 1953 Rigger, Ropeman Rigger Broken Hill Dev Co, Northern Rhodesia. 1953 – 1963 Rigger, charge hand, foreman Chin Gola Consolidated Mines, Northern Rhodesia. 1964 – 1984 Rigger apprentice Training Officer S.A. Naval Dockyard Simonstown July 1984 retired Deceased 12/07/95. |
| BLACK | PETER MICHAEL GORDON | 1150 | WWII Trooper 2 Special Service Battalion. |
| BLACK | GEORGE | 2358 | Sailed with Safmarine. |
| BLACKBURN | WALTER ALONZA | 908 | |
| BLACKETT | PETER FRANCIS | 2465 | Sailed with Safmarine from 1973 to 1983. After obtaining my Masters certificate I joined the Harbour Service in Durban where I worked for 15 years in various positions, starting on the tugs as a Deck Officer and then later Tugmaster and finally as a Pilot.In 1998 I joined Pentow Marine where I worked as a Discharge Advisor at the Durban SBM, with a brief secondment to the Marsha Bashayer Terminal in Sudan as a Load Master/Mooring Master. In 2000 I joined Qatar Petroleum as Senior Port Supervisor/Pilot in the Port of Ras Laffan. In August 2005 I was promoted to the position of Harbour Master in Ras Laffan, the worlds biggest LNG export terminal. In October 2012 I left Qatar and commenced working for Svitzer in Angola as their Country Manager. I was based up in Soyo where we operated 11 vessels for our client, Angola LNG. After nearly 4 years with Svitzer in Angola I left there in July 2016 and relocated back to my home town of Port Elizabeth. |
| BLACKLAWS | DOUGLAS STUART WILSON | 2091 | 1964 with Ellerman & Bucknal Shipping office in Durban. |
| BLAKE | PATRICK JOHN | 1541 | Prevously Chairman of the Old Boys’ Association. Deceased 21/07/86 |
| BLAKE | RODERICK JOHN | 1542 | |
| BLANEY | IAN JAMES HENRY | 1025 | 1941 March Joined s.s. Sandown Castle at Cape Town. 1943 Joined s.s .Rajput as 3rd officer. 1944 June 6th Took part in D Day landings, destination was Sword Beach. We got there but were chased out by Jerry lobbing a few shells in our direction. Ship was the Fort Fork. 1945/1949 Joined Buries Markes as second officer on Fort Deaselake and LA Cordillera. 1949 October obtained Masters Certificate . Joined Palm Line in 1950 as second and then chief officer. 1954 May I left Palm Line to join Rea Limited as a Cargo Superintendent. Rea Ltd were taken over by Mersey Docks and Harbour Company following the Devlin Report. In 1978 I transferred to the Seaforth Grain Terminal as Assistant Manager taking early retirement Feb.1982. Deceased 15th February 2019 at age of 95. |
| BLATHERWICK | REGINALD RAYMOND | 1088 | |
| BLENT | GERALD CLARK | 1397 | |
| BLOOMFIELD | STEWART ALDIN | 1863 | Stewart passed away peacefully on Sunday 24th August in hospital, with his family by his bedside. Stewart always spoke warmly of the General Botha and his years as a cadet were very happy ones. He was Senior Cadet Captain in ’55 and attained third in the Queen’s Gold Medal Competition; Special Merit Cadet Captain for which he was awarded a pair of brass binoculars from Shell Tankers Ltd.; Silver Bugle; C. in C.s Prize (sic); Practical Seaman’s Prize and was described as ‘Cheerful, Steady and Reliable’ on passing out. Stewart served 4 years with Ellerman & Bucknall before coming ashore to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). His company indenture describes him as follows: ‘completed the full term of his indenture to our satisfaction. He was favourably reported on by the various masters under whom he served, being at all times sober and trustworthy,’ He became a Trainee Estates superintendent which involved forestry, sugarcane planting, cattle management and trout farming. Mid 1962 joined British Motor Corp, in Mutare as a Production Trainee. Mid 1960’s moved to General Motors in Port Elizabeth and subsequently worked for several big name companies. Retired 2003 having served for 20 years as Industrial Engineering Manager with Defy Applications in Durban. 2010 relocated to Cambridgeshire, England. |
| BLUETT | GEOFFREY | 406 | |
| BLUETT | ARTHUR WILLIAM | 1455 | December 1947 – joined Safmarine as a Cadet s.s. Morgenster. October 1959 – promoted to Master s.s. South African Pioneer. 1964 Master of m.v. Langkloof. 1965 – 68 – Marine Superintendent (New Construction). 1968 – Marine Manager April 1974 – General Manager Decemebr 1982 – Alternate Director to Board of Safmarine. May 1985 – Director to Board of Safmarine 1981 – 1990 – Chairman South African Nautical Academy “Genearl Botha” board of control. 1981 – 1996 Board Member National Sea Rescue Institute of S.A. 1990 – Chairman, National Operations & Technical Committee, N.S.R.I. 1992 – 1993 – Chairman, National Sea Rescue Institute of S.A. 4th March 1988 – Awarded the Order of the Star of South Africa (non-military); Class III, Commander. Past President of S.A. Shipowners Association. Deceased 08/06/2006 |
| BODLEY | GEOFFREY WILLIAM | 794 | 1945 served as Second Officer on the General Botha. 1948 was Second Officer on the S.A. Government vessel Gamtoos. Went missing whilst on his way to re-join the ship 16th August 1948. |
| BOLE | IVAN VICTOR | 1693 | Sailed with Shell Tankers Presently lives in Havant on the South coast of England where he owns a highly repsected sail-making business, Arun Sails, Rockall Sails and Sail Loft at Bosham. |
| BOLE | ALAN GODFREY | 1588 | 1951 indentured to the Blue Funnel Line of Liverpool, England. Outward bound sea school, Aberdovey, Wales 1961. Extra Master Mariner. Acting Assistant Marine Superintendent, Lecturer, Trinity House Nagivation School, Hull. Specialised in Marine Radar. 1965, Senior Lecturer, in cahrge at Liverpool Radar school. 1972, Principle Lecturer in Electronic Navigation systems and simulation at Liverpool Polytechnic (now Liverpool John Moores University). Deputy Head, Deaprtmetn of Maritime Studies. 1980 to 1990 member of the Steering Committee of the International Radar and Navigation Simulator Lecturer’s Conference. 1988, retired from Lecturing to undertake private consultancy. Elected fellow of Royal Institute of Navigation. Founder Member of the Nautical Institute, elected a Fellow in 1979. Captain, Merchant Navy Reserve. International Kite Flyer. R.Y.A. Yachtmaster Ocean and Offshore Examiner. Co-Author of a number of books on Radar and ARPA. |
| BOLT | COLIN ANTHONY | 1752 | Completed his apprenticeship with British India Line and then moved to Safmarine. After obtaining his Master’s FG Certificate he joined African Coasters which became Unicorn Lines. He sailed as Master for 5 years before taking up the post of Marine Superintendent for the fleet. Left Unicorn about 1969 and went into ship repair for a couple of years with Dorbyl and Long Ship Building. After this he became a Marine Surveyor with Captain G.A. Chettle and retired as Senior Partner in 2001. Deceased April 2008. |
| BOLTMAN | LEX LINNIHAN | 1501 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Joined the Royal Navy as a special entry Cadet in May, 1950. On conclusion of his training period at Dartmouth, he was awarded first prize for navigation. Later resigned from the Royal Navy and studied medicine at the University of Cape Town. Worked at Groote Schuur Hospital, Edendal Hospital and later joined a practise in George followed by his own practise in Alice. After five years moved to East London where he practised as a GP for 30 years. Deceased 17th March 2011 on his 79th birthday. |
| BOLTON | PETER MICHAEL | 1543 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952: “Is about to complete his sea time for Second Officer in the Roxburgh Castle.” |
| BOLTON | ERNEST JAMES | 1694 | 1964 Chief Officer with Shell Tankers. 1996 – retired Master from Unicorn Lines. Deceased 2nd September 2015. |
| BOND | KENNETH GORDON | 1753 | Reported deceased in a motor bike accident. |
| BOND | ARTHUR HENRY | 129 | |
| BOND | ALEXANDER GERARDUS LEONIDES | 735 | Niece reported him deceased. |
| BOND | TREVOR CECIL | 1754 | Obtained his pilot’s license and at one time owned a few aircraft. Previously owned a restaurant and has been a successful estate agent in the Eastern sector of Pretoria. Has also done engineering consulting. Was heavily involved in crocodile farming and became Vice Chairman of the Crocodile Association. |
| BOND | RUDOLPH NICHOLAS CONSTANTINA | 611 | Daughter reported him deceased. |
| BOOKER | EDGAR PERCIVAL CLAYTON | 488 | After completing General Botha joined Bank Line 18/12/1931. Torpedoed whilst serving on the m.v. Imkomati as Second Officer, 16/06/1943. Obtained Masters Certificate number 40 in Durban 01/12/1941. 07/11/1943 joined S.A.R. & H. as tug mate. 1964 harbour pilot in Port Elizabeth. 28/02/1976 retired as Acting Port Captain, Port Elizabeth. Deceased 09/01/95. |
| BOOTH | GEORGE ARTHUR | 2359 | December 1969 – November 1978 – with Safmarine obtaining Master’s F.G. January 1979 – joined Operational Mobilisation to work abroad their book exhibition ship, Doulos. Served as Chief Officer and then Masters. 1987 – 88 – In Operationa Mobilisation South Africa with occastional trips either on m.v. Doulos or m.v. Logos II. January 1989 – rejoined M.V. Doulos for a year as Master before moving ashore in New Zealand as Manager/Director of Operation Mobilisation there. Occasional relieving trips still made on the two ships. |
| BOOTH | NORMAN LESLIE PEABODY | 1218 | |
| BOOTH | HAROLD | 60 | Born 04/03/1907 Deceased 11/05/1980 First to be awarded the ‘Kings Gold Medal’, 1923 Union Castle Mail Steamship Company United: Sandgate Castle – 13/03/24 to 02/02/25 Cadet apprentice Sandown Castle – 03/02/25 to 11/02/27 Cadet apprentice Dromore Castle – 12/02/27 to 04/04/27 Cadet apprentice Balmoral Castle – 24/06/27 to 11/07/27 Cadet apprentice Worked for Cape Town City Council. Signed up during World War II and served on numerous minesweepers. Rank Lietutenant. He was in command of I9 SANF vessels during (and just after) the war |
| BOOTH | JOHN GRAHAM | 323 | WWII Leading Seaman SDF / Sergeant SAEC. |
| BOOYSEN | PETRUS JOHANNES | 59 | Joined the S.A. Navy Engineering Branch and died in the S.A.S Kurger accident. |
| BORDER | REX ANDREW | 1809 | Rex Border came to the General Botha from Hermanus High School. Although younger than the average cadet (only 16 in 1954) Rex excelled and in his first year gained prizes for class proficiency and geography. In his second year he was promoted to Senior Cadet Captain and his top, Quarterdeck, was awarded the prize for ‘Most Efficient Top’. He also garnered a senior certificate physics prize and a special merit trophy. As an eyesight defect precluded him from going to sea as a deck officer, Rex’s ambition was to join the Royal Navy as an electrical engineer. This meant attending Cambridge University in the UK where he would need passes in A-levels maths, physics and applied maths. However as the Royal Navy’s entry level age was 18, Rex was obliged to remain at the Botha for a third year during which time he played a useful game for the Under-19A rugby team. Faced with having failed one of his A-level exams, the physics practical which precluded him from Cambridge, Rex, undaunted, enrolled at Rhodes University, finally graduating with a BSc and an Honours Degree in Mathematics. While at Rhodes, he played double bass in a jazz band and enjoyed a round or two of golf, in which sport he excelled, representing SA Universities and earning his colours against Natal. On graduating, Rex joined IBM in Johannesburg as a trainee systems engineer and in 1969 formed his own computer science bureau (CAB), which processed computer work for many large corporations. CAB grew until it employed 65 people with branches in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town. Rex moved to Cape Town in 1979, selling his interests in CAB in 1985. He continued doing the odd computer work, planning to retire in 2004. While at Rhodes, Rex met Mary-Anne Murray, sitting for her fine arts degree and teacher’s diploma. They married in 1961 and have five children. The eldest, Jeremy, died before the age of three but the remaining four, Belinda, Tessa, Nicholas and William all graduated from UCT with one or more degrees, all getting married and producing lovely grandchildren. Looking forward to the 2004 reunion, Rex died suddenly from cancer 18th November 2003 leaving a family of nineteen, scattered between Cape Town, Canada and the USA. Mary-Anne still lives at Sunset Links in Milnerton, where Rex had been improving his golf when he finally retired. |
| BOSKER | THOMAS | 2360 | 1970 – 75 – Saled with Blue Star Line 1976 – Electronics course at Technikon. 1977 – sailed with Univorn and served with South African Railways & Harbours. 1978 – 82 – saledw ith Mercury Shipping Line. 1982 – 85 – Own businses in Knysna. 1986 – Lieutenant in S.A. Navy. 1987 – Portnet, Port Manager of Mossel Bay. November 1997 relocated to Canada. 1999 – working for a U.K. company servicing North Sea Oil Rigs. 2001 – returned to UK working for Associated British Ports on the Humber River as a Harbour Pilot. |
| BOSMAN | JOHAN VON BACKSTROM | 27 | After Bothie joined S.A. Navy as Seaman. |
| BOSMAN | IAN BRIAN | 2361 | 1999 – Chief Officer of the Fisheries Research vessel, Africana. “Much water has passed under the bridge since the Africana, This includes fiber optic root clearance in the Bristol channel and off the south coast of Ireland, diamond survey and mining off the Namibian coast (Smit & Norwegian company), environmental protection (Smit Amandla), offshore supply west Africa (RK Offshore), seismic survey south east Asia (MMA Offshore). Also, in between, some Port Captain/supercargo related work in Mozambique. 2015 doing contractual work for MMA Offshore involving vessel inspections and internal audits.” |
| BOSSERS | PIETER | 2547 | 1995 Lloyd’s Agency Manager, Marine Surveyor and P&I representative based in Beira, Mozambique. Cadet with Unicorn obtaining Master’s Certificate. 1988 joined Manica Freight Services based in Beira and Maputo in the above post. 1995 resigned from Manica and relocated to Walvis Bay, Namibia, and started own survey company, Raffles Inspection Services. 2014 qualified as a Pastor and providing ministry services to seamen at Walvis Bay. |
| BOSTOCK | HOWARD ROBERT REEVES | 212 | After Bothis apprenticed to Prince Line. |
| BOTES | DEJON LOUIS | 2327 | |
| BOTHA | PIETER BARENDSE | 421 | 1929 Runner up for the King’s Gold Medal. Reported in “Both Watches” 1952. Served his time in the Union Castle Line until 1932. Then, during the shipping depression of that year he left the sea to farm at Somerset East, where, after some years of endeavour, he has made a big success of his farm Rietfontein. |
| BOTHA | THEUNIS ROUX | 221 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a seaman. |
| BOTHA | KEITH MAITLAND | 1089 | 1946 was Third Officer on the Radfield, Moss Hutchinson Line of Liverpool. 1964 tug Master in Durban Harbour. Reported Deceased. |
| BOTTOM | EDWARD WILLIAM | 1695 | 1953/56 – Bullard King & Co. 1957/58 – Clan Line Steamers. 1959/62 – Johannesburg Fire Department. 1963/67 – Smiths Coasters. 1968 joined S.A.R.& H. and later appointed harbour pilot. 2016 moved to U.K. Deceased 6th August 2017. |
| BOUCH | HAROLD NORMAN | 420 | Became a motor mechanic for a period before joining the ss Erica. Jumped ship in Melbourne to get married. Continued at sea during WWII and eventually became a painter in Australia. He did his apprenticeship as a motor mechanic in Johannesburg as his father wanted him to work in the family business, but the lure of the sea was too strong. The only info I have of the ships he sailed on are:- SS Erica sailing out of Durban, during the years 1937,38 & 1940. He arrived in Melbourne in 1940 on the M.V. Stensby (having jumped ship), he then served on the Kooringa in 1941, the Dumosa in 1941/42 and the Duntroon in 1942 sailing out of Melbourne . Details from his daughter [helibouch@primusonline.com.au]: “Sailing was in his blood as I have traced the Bouch Family ancestors back to 1750 and they all came from Sutton Bridge or Long Sutton Lincolnshire, and dad’s Great, Great Grandfather was a Master Mariner , I have his certificate No S35585 from Greenwich. He was master of the following ships:- Patriot , Clifton, Ebenezer, Goward, Royal Mall, Anson, Margaret , from 1855 to 1868 also I found a genealogy web site, stating he was master of the windjammer Elizabeth Huddleston.” |
| BOUCH | SYDNEY GERALD | 65 | |
| BOULDEN | GRAHAM DAVIS | 1026 | Deceased 2017 aged 91. |
| BOUWER | REON JOHANN | 2328 | 1968: completed one year at GB as senior cadet captain and being voted “best cadet of the year”. Also received the “cargo work” prize. 1968: cadet at General Botha, Granger Bay 1969-1971: Ellerman and Bucknall, PE office and student at UPE 1972-1991: various positions in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town 1992-2007: outdoor and adventure camps in Villiersdorp, Western Cape 2007: retired in PE. |
| BOWEN | DESMOND WALTER | 1151 | 1943 – 1945 – Cadet in SAR Ships including Danish Vessels Selandia & Inga Maersk. 1945 – 1946 – Third Mate Steusky & Plettenburg. 1946 – 1949 – Second Mate Erica, Dalia, Agulhas & Nahoon 1950 – First Mate & Relieving Master Hoeveld 1951 – was spent as Skipper of Ovenstones Purse Seiners Pilchard Fishing ex Walvis Bay. 1952 – Skippered the “North Cape” from Cape Town to Western Australia where she was used in the Crayfish industry. Swallowed the Anchor and entered commerce. Held number of Chief Executive positions & Director of several of Australia’s largest companies. Retired late 1991 and opened own marketing consulting company. Sold 2001 and retired again. Deceased 26th May 2003 |
| BOWERS | GARY LLEWELYN | 2825 | 1987 – Obtained Class 3 Navigation Certificate. Joined Wolraad Woltemade, Pentow Marine. 1989 – resigned from Pentow. 1990 – started with Sea Harvest as Training Officer. Obtained diploma in Industral Relations. 1992 – studying Third Year B.Comm (Unisa). |
| BOWLES | ROGER GEOFFREY | 1984 | 1958 – 62 – Shell Tankers, Second Mates Certificate. 1963 – 67 – A.E.C.I. South West Africa. 1968 – 72 – Cymot Ltd (Motor Spares) Cape Town and Durban 1972 – 87 – Gaydon Spares Centres, Regional Manager Diplomas: Business Management, Marketing Management & Finacnial Management 1987 – 88 – own businses 1988 – 90 – Parts Manager, Top Parts, Pietermaritzburg. 1990 – 91 – Sanlam Assurance 1991 – present (11/93) – Estate Agent and Independent Insurance Agent. |
| BOWLES | WILLIAM RUSSELL | 1810 | Contact with Bill lost 2018. Bill Bowles exchanged the strict Brothers of St Joseph’s College, Rondebosch (Marist Brothers) for the rigors of the General Botha, where he won the Senior Certificate Prize for English. On leaving the General Botha, Bill married his childhood sweetheart, Betty Docherty and took a job with the Cape Times Ltd in the photo-lithographic section. He was the fifth generation of his family to follow a career in Lithography.Unfortunately his first marriage ended in divorce when Betty refused to accompany him in a career change move to Johannesburg. During this period Bill travelled to Japan and Hong Kong and also met his soul-mate Peggy who consented to marry him in June 1961. A marriage that lasted through 48 years ending only at Peggy’s passing in August 2009 after contracting Alzheimer’s Disease. His career moved from the then Transvaal to Mossel Bay from where he opened and ran various companies extending to both Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. Fate, however, intervened in the form of Peggy’s illness and Bill personally undertook the care of the love of his life for almost three years at Nazareth House Port Elizabeth until her passing. He retired from all forms of business activity in the early 2000’s and lived in Port Elizabeth where he used his flair for the written word and passed the time in this pursuit which included two novels and an anthology. |
| BOWMAN | JOHN PETER | 1636 | 1964 Petty Officer on SAS President Pretorious, S.A. Navy. |
| BOYS | EDWARD | 673 | |
| BRADFIELD | VICTOR THOMAS | 1456 | Served Cadetship with Southern Steamships before joining the British Merchant Navy and served with various companies. Went ashore in England in 1955. Moved to the U.S.A. in 1975 to accept a position with a manufacturing company. Subsequently started own manufacturing and mail order company which was sold in 1995. 1997 retired and living in Florida, U.S.A. |
| BRADFIELD | ERIC GARDNER | 602 | |
| BRADFIELD | DENNIS OWEN | 1502 | |
| BRADFORD | STEWART CRAIG | 2431 | 1995 Dairy farming in the Eastern Cape, near Port Elizabeth. |
| BRADLEY | ROBERT DENNIS | 1985 | 1964 working for Modern Hairdressing Supplies, Cape Town. 2004 with the City of Cape Town Finance department. 2005 retired. |
| BRADSHAW | FRANCIS JOHN SCOTT | 1152 | Served in the merchant navy during the war years. After the war, he returned to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and spent some time with his uncle, a tobacco farmer, learning the trade. He was then allotted a farm in the Doma area. This farm was virgin bush when he arrived there and he had to develop it from scratch in order to grow tobacco and maize. Deceased 22/11/2005. |
| BRAITHWAITE | NEIL BIRCH | 1697 | |
| BRAMHALL | DAVID MICHAEL CHARLES | 1698 | |
| BRAND | GERRIT PIETER VISSER | 1153 | Reported in newspaper “Mercury” 17/11/1983: Captain Geritt “Dutchy” Brand, 58 master of the freighter Kowie died yesterday in Cape Town after a long illness. A former naval man who spent almost his whole working life at sea, Captain Brand grew up at Aurora in the Cape. He served in both the merchant navy and South African Navy, spending World War II in warships in the Mediterranean, the Pacific, Africa and Madagascar. |
| BRAND | FLORIS JACOBUS VISSER | 674 | Joined lower deck in SAR Ship “Dalia”. 1945 all the deck officers of ss Dalia were Bothie Boys: W.E. Jenkins (104) Master. E. Holmes (253) chief officer. V. Canning (740) second officer. F.J.V. Brand (674) third officer. J. Butler (1281) cadet. 1964 Master of Thesen’s Zulu Coast. |
| BRAND | FERDINAND | 909 | Deceased. |
| BRANSGROVE | AUBREY GORDON | 489 | 1931 Junior Cadet Captain. Entered S.A. Naval Service as Stoker. Deceased June 2000. |
| BRAUN | ROBERT | 1219 | |
| BRAUNSCHWEIG | RYAN | 2638 | 1996 – Chief Officer with de Beers Marine, Cape Town, Diamond Mining. 2003 with Smit Salvage. |
| BRAY | GRAHAM SIDNEY CRAWFORD | 2523 | After G.B. sailed with Safmarine before coming ashore into Stevedoring and Ships Agency. 1998 Managing Director of a computer company. |
| BREBNER | RONALD ROBERT BERTTIE | 910 | 1964 stevedore in Port Elizabeth. |
| BREBNER | SIMON GEORGE | 2639 | 1988 Safmarine Johannesburg Sales Representative / Sales Manager 1993 appointed as Saflink (Safmarine Marketing Division) representative for Malawi, based in Lilongwe. 1995 Regional owner’s representative for Safmarine based in Harare covering Zimbabwe, Zambia and Malawi. 1997 transferred back to Safmarine H.O., Cape Town. 1999 joined Unicorn Lines as Branch Manager, Cape Town. 2000 joined P&O NLL London as Trade Sales Manager, Africa Trades. 2006 joined MAERSK LINE as General Manager , Sao Paulo, Brazil. 2008 transferred to APM Terminals as Chief Commercial Officer , Tangiers Morocco 2011 transferred to APM Terminals Bahrain as Chief Commercial Officer 2015 joined Abu Dhabi Terminal , UAE as Chief Commercial Officer 2018 joined Peterhead Port Authority, Scotland as Chief Executive. |
| BRECKON | DOUGLAS THOMAS | 1457 | “I went to sea as a cadet indentured to BI, British India Steam Navigation Company. My first ship was Tairea, built in 1924, three funnels, twelve boilers and capable of 16 kts, no doubt a greyhound of the seas in those days. The reason for three funnels was that she was built for the China coast where, in Chinese thinking there was a correlation between the number of stacks and a vessel‘s seaworthiness. Next was the Talma, built before Tairea and awaiting scrapping. She had two funnels. Thereafter sailed on single stacked ships only. On completion of sea time in BI, wrote Second Mates in London after studying at Edward V11 college Then signed on the Bullard King ship Umzinto, under Roy Harber (GB cadet 291). Put in time for First Mates there and signed off in Durban. Studied at the MN Officers Club in Gardiner Street where Denny Underwood (GB Cadet 656) taught two nights a week. Managed to pass the written portion but failed the oral portion and had to put in extra sea time. Fortunately SARShips Aloe needed a third mate, and I signed on under Scotty Edwards. Sat for orals again in Adelaide, Australia, and was successful there. Remained on Aloe for a further year as second mate, until she was sold to Greek interests. I then signed off and Safmarine, whose entire fleet consisted of three Victory ships, needed a Fourth Officer, and I signed on Vergelegen. When I had accumulated enough sea time for Masters, I signed on the Warwick Castle as a Quartermaster to work a passage to the UK. Attended school at Warsash, and became a paid up member of the Rising Sun, as well as the Bugle in Hamble. In spite of that managed to pass Masters and worked a passage back to Cape Town as ordinary seaman on the Athlone Castle Shortly thereafter, Safmarine acquired four more ships. This opened up tremendous promotion possibilities, and I received command of Constantia in January of 1959. Safmarine had also opened their own offices in the States, and I was sent over as Port Captain, Houston to oversee operations in the US Gulf and South Atlantic. Held this position for three years, and then moved to New York as Marine Superintendent. Then to Cape Town as Marine Manager for a further three years. Went back to the States as Vice President, and served in various positions there until finished up as President. Retired to Huntington Beach California, known as Surf City.” |
| BREMNER | JAMES HILL | 267 | Obtained first class extra certificates in navigation and seamanship, etc. In the final examination of S.A.T.S. General Botha. Prizes won: “Howard” Silver Medal for first in navigation and seamanship, first in technical and non-technical subjects, first in nautical astronomy, first in geography, second in sailmaking, second in technical subjects and second in science. Apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall line and served in s.s City of Khartoum and City of Mobile. Born 19th June 1910. Died at Colombo, Ceylon, on 17th April 1930. |
| BREMNER | EDWARD COTSWOLD | 2140 | 1961 – 1970 sailed with British & Commonwealth and thereafter in various ranks with Springbok Line, Clan, Bowater Shipping and Union Castle. Joined Portnet in 1970, served as Mate and Master on the Harbour Tugs in Cape Town and Port Elizabeth. 1978 appointed Harbour Pilot in Walvis Bay and in 1982 in Port Elizabeth. Served as Assistant Port Captain in Port Elizabeth until 1996 when appointed Port Captain in East London. 1998 relocated to Saldanha. 2000 relocated as Port Captain, Cape Town. 2004 appointed Chief Harbour Master for National Port Authority. 2006 retired but continued with pilot and tug masters training. 2012 fullly retired. |
| BRENT | HILTON DOUGLAS | 2621 | 2003 Tug Master with National Port Authority, Saldanha Bay. |
| BRERETON | JOHN ANTHONY HARDMAN | 125 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line and joined the R.N.R. as Midshipman. |
| BREWER | DAVID JOHNSTON | 1755 | Joined the Clan Mactavish in East London. After obtaining Second Officer’s Certificate in 1957 joined Safmarine as Third Officer. Came ashore in 1958 and joined NCR as a Technician. 1971 relocated to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and owned a Hardware Store until 1990, thereafter worked in production. Deceased 22/07/2000. |
| BREWIN | KENNETH ALEXANDER | 1864 | Did not return to the training ship in 1955. After G.B. went into the Motor Trade but joined the S.A. Navy in June 1956. Qualified as a Diver and Seamanship Instructor and served in various ships and bases. Was also on detached duties to the army to assist in the Formation of the Waterborne Regiment in Langebaan. Returned to the Navy in January 1985 and was posted as Salvage Officer for the S.A. Navy for 3 years. Attained the rank of Warrant Officer 1st Class and received the only Van Riebeeck Medal to be awarded in the S.A. Navy. (Admiral Woodburne received the Van Riebeeck Decoration). September 1989 drafted to Durban as Command Master-at-arms of Naval Command East, retired April 1990. Returned to Simon’s Town formed K B Salvage and Fishing CC, purchased a 13m fishing trawler which he worked from Kalk Bay Harbour, sold 1995. 1996 established a tourist resort in Binga, on Lake Kariba, Zimbabwe. He was one of only four Defence Force personnel ever to be awarded the van Riebeeck Medal [VRM]. This was a very prestigious decoration awarded to Warrant Officers, Senior Ratings and Junior ratings in the Navy as well as to personnel in the other services “for distinguishing himself by outstanding acts of resourcefulness, perseverance or personal courage or by his outstanding leadership or responsibility and personal example against an enemy in the field”. |
| BREWIN | HARRY GEORGE | 2 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48: has been appointed a Harbour Pilot in Table Bay Harbour Service. Was one of the Sea Cadets that sailed the TS General Botha (previously the HMS Thames) from the United Kingdom to South Africa in 1921. He went on to become a Master Mariner serving in various vessels. He was Senior Harbour Pilot in Cape Town in the 1950’s and in East London in the 1970’s. Passed away in East London in the late 1970’s. Extract from the book “Gentlemen – The Ship!” author Ian Manning ex cadet 1956 term 1955-56: After leaving the training ship at the end of 1923 he served his apprenticeship with Hall Line and Andrew Weir and Company’s Bank Line. He then wrote and passed his Second Mate’s First Mate’s and Master’s (Foreign Going) tickets in England. He later joined the South African Harbour Service as a Mate in Durban and then served in Cape Town and Walvis Bay as a tug-master. He was Master of the tug Sir Charles Elliot when she was wrecked during rescue operations when Dunedin Star grounded, leaking, on the Skeleton Coast North of Walvis Bay during the Second World War. He was an experienced and very capable Pilot in Table Bay Harbour. One of his accomplishments was berthing Shaw Savill and Albion’s large passenger ship Dominion Monarch in a South-Easterly gale, a feat for which he is well remembered. He was subsequently posted to East London where he retired about 1967. Captain Brewin died in Frere Hospital, East London, at 2020 on 13 December 1978 and his ashes were scattered at sea from the Pilot Launch A.C. Craigie after a service conducted by the Reverend Donovan, a Mission to Seafarers Padre. |
| BRIANT | MICHAEL STAFFORD | 1811 | One of many from Rondebosch Boys’ High, ‘Mozwate’ (later ‘The Junkman’) Briant attended the General Botha and while there became the tenor drummer in the band and attained the dizzy heights of badge cadet. On leaving the Botha he joined the British India Steam Navigation Company as cadet, serving in 13 of their ships over three years. These included the troopship Dilwara, moving troops mainly around the Mediterranean and taking part in the Suez fiasco; and the Kenya, where he held hands with Princess Margaret for approximately 2 seconds. A particular fascination for Chinese Junks and a love of the Far East propelled him to join the China Navigation Company, where he served in the South China Sea and Western Pacific for five glorious and sybaritic years. During this time he met up with fellow Bothie boy Colin Ogg (51/52) and talked him into the idea of sailing a junk across the Pacific. Together they had the 42 feet junk Ying Hong built on the small island of Aplichau and in due course set off from Hong Kong heading east for America. An encounter with a typhoon in the China Sea brought them to shelter in Taiwan from where, on setting off once again, they were obliged to beat against the NE Monsoon for days on end with little or no progress. It was then that they made the momentous decision of turning round to head west for South Africa, a decision which was to significantly affect Mike’s life! Arriving in Durban, Colin left to resume a normal life while Mike met his crew for life, Paddy (nee Patricia Mast). The two sailed on to the Caribbean where two sons were born, both on the island of Grenada. After exploring the Windward Islands allowing their two sons to get through initial babyhood, the Briants continued their voyage to the States where they eventually sold Ying Hong. The family returned to South Africa in 1968 to settle in East London. There Mike and Paddy started a small leather business and laid the keel for a new junk, Chi Lin. To assist with the building costs, Mike made a number of ship and yacht delivery trips in collaboration with the inimitable Tubby Eastman. In 1976 they sold the leather business and moved to Cape Town, where Mike joined Land and Marine as master of the Atlantic Shore. In 1978 Mike moved to Irvin & Johnson as marine manager spending the next ten years trying to make seamen out of fishermen. During this time he took part in a couple of South Atlantic races and a number of Double Cape races. Together with ‘Bunny’ Curran, the pair founded the South African Sail Training Association for Under-Privileged Youngsters. Chi Lin was launched in 1982. In 1988 he joined Peter Wilmott in Deep Salvage 1 as salvage master and operations manager, a saga of ambitious eccentricity which included the discovery of the wreck of the Waratah and involved several other highly unprofitable salvage operations. After two years, in which they managed to avoid doing each other serious injury, Peter and Mike parted company on the best of terms. Many other commands followed, all small hands-on ships; some very strange; fishing voyages to Tristan da Cunha; an Antarctic scientific expedition; large tandem tows across the Atlantic to Guiana; a spell in Brazil managing a fishing company; and an epic tow job from Montevideo to Rio, where Mike came close to losing the rigs and the installation of the Mossgas production platform from construction to start up.Home was by this time in Simon’s Town, Topsail House, the old St Joseph’s Convent School which, between periods at sea, he and Paddy converted into apartments and self-catering accommodation. Topsail House was sold in 1995; Mike and Paddy moved on board Chi Lin and sailed away. For the next ten years they cruised the Caribbean, Bahamas, United States, Nova Scotia, Azores, Ireland, England, and Central America. Winters were spent gainfully employed topping-up the cruising kitty; salvage tugs in Yemen; ice-breaker supply vessels in the North Sea and a year spent lecturing, inspiring young Irishmen at the Cork Institute of Technology. Chi Lin’s final deep sea voyage was from North Carolina to British Columbia via the Panama Canal. After transiting the canal, a momentous Pacific passage, Balboa to Nanaimo taking an arduous 83 days! (They could have walked it faster). Here Mike and Paddy ‘swallowed the anchor’ and six and a half years later obtained their ‘landed emigrant’ status in Canada, whereupon they built a house in celebration. Chi Lin, with 78,000 nautical miles under her keel is still sailed every summer in the sheltered waters of the Georgia Strait. Mike and Paddy’s eldest son John went to the General Botha then Safmarine. Their younger son Paul became a professional yacht skipper and now lives in San Diego. Two grandchildren in Canada and two in California – ain’t life great! |
| BRIANT | JOHN STEVEN | 2857 | Sailed with Safmarine including 2/O on the salvage tugs in 1988 then spent 2 years as Master on a 40m Motor Yacht in the Med. Thereafter spent 1 year in Nigeria and Brazil on supply boats. Then moved to Windjammer Barefoot Cruises as 1st Officer on passenger sailing vessels. Obtained mates and masters certificates in 1993 in Tasmania, Australian Maritime College. Then a year with BT Marine on cable ships before taking up present position as Cargo Superintendent on the Coast of British Columbia. Bothie nickname : “Spike”. |
| BRIDGMAN | HENRY BASIL | 1342 | After Bothie I joined the Union Castle fruit ship, Rochester Castle, as a deck hand. After nine and a half trips to England and one and a half years later I returned to the Sundays River Valley where I started citrus farming. In 1980 we moved to Kenton on Sea where I ran a business for 8 years. In 1989 moved to Knysna and decided to work at the Retirement Village of Lesiure Gardens. Deceased 22/12/2010. |
| BRINDLE | ROBERT WILLIAM | 1865 | Was on the boxing tema at Bothie. After Bothie joined Shell Tankers. 1995 – Harbour Pilot, Port of Richards Bay. Retired 2001. 2004 – relocated to Port Elizabeth. |
| BRINDLEY | PATRICK WILLIAM STEPHEN | 2622 | 1981 – Third Officer Safmarine Container ships. 1982 – 85 – Bachelor of Business Science at UCT. 1986 – 87 – LLB at UCT 1988 – 89 – Articles with Routledge-MacCallums, Cape Town. Admitted as an Attorney. 1991 – Practising Attorney. Post graduate diploma in tax law at UCT. |
| BRINK | DANIEL WILLEM | 2036 | 1964 2nd Officer in the South African Merchant. 1995 – Port Captain, Port of Richards Bay 2003 – Relocated to Cape Town responsible for National Port Authority Marine Nationally.Went to sea with Safmarine for 11 years and obtained his Masters. Joined SAR&H (eventually named Transnet National Port Authority of SA). Became marine pilot. 2003 – became National Harbour Master – being in control of all the National Ports harbour masters and as such formed part of the head office team 2004 Retired, but does marine consulting work – which took him to Madagascar, England and Mozambique. Fully retired 2012. |
| BRINKLEY | HOWARD | 1154 | |
| BRISTOW | GARY WARREN | 2790 | |
| BRITON | ANTHONY PAUL | 2791 | 1985 resigned from Safmarine. 2015 Planning manager for Edward Snell, a wine & spirit merchant in South Africa. |
| BRITZ | JOHANNES PETRUS | 2037 | Reported deceased. |
| BROADBENT | GERALD | 2386 | |
| BRODERICK | WILLIAM GERALD | 1343 | Served 18 months with Union Castle on the Roslin Castle and Richmond Castle. He returned ashore and served an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic. Had own business which he sold before joining Leyland Motors in 1956, was manager Northern Natal and Zululand. 1981 joined MAN truck and bus as manager in Ermelo before retiring from there in 1992. 1997 built a factory for his son and continued to work for his son in the reinforcing business. Deceased 13/09/2011. |
| BROMFIELD | CLIVE EDWARD | 2038 | 1959: Started apprenticeship as electrician with Virginia Gold Mine, O.F.S., during which time he mastered the saxophone. After the apprenticeship: spent a year playing the saxophone at Palm Grove, Margate, then another year with the Prison’s Department Military band, Kroonstad, which led to 3½ years playing the saxophone in the South African Air Force band. Then Clive resumed his trade as electrician and apprentice tutor at Braamfontein. Then on to Kloof Gold Mine where he completed his technical studies, and worked as a Hoist Technician. Clive then worked for Siemens for 8 years and then joined the SABC in the Transmitter Department, where he worked for 19 years up to his retirement in 2003. Deceased 13/04/2013. |
| BROMLEY | ANTHONY CLIVE | 1699 | Deceased 17/08/2002. After leaving General Botha, he started working for the Old Mutual, I think, initially as an office clerk. He continued working at the Old Mutual until retirement at age 60, in the position of Pensions Manager. Thereafter he was asked to come back to work for the Old Mutual, as a consultant, which he did pretty much up until his passing. |
| BROOKS | SHAUN STAFFORD | 2623 | |
| BROOKS | WILLIAM JAMES | 107 | |
| BROWN | ALAN COLBRON | 2684 |
S.A. Navy 1984 – 90. Served on Strike Craft – Assistant Weapons Officer. Drafted to S.A.S. Saldanha 1989 as Senior Divisionsal Officer, rank Sub-Lieutenant. Sea Harvest Saldanha 1990 – 92 as Shore Operations Manager. Transferred to Mossel Bay 07/1992 as Fleet Operations Manager Mariette Fishing, a company of Sea Harvest. |
| BROWN | JAMES FRANCIS STANLEY | 1700 | |
| BROWN | ALAN MALCOLM | 490 | After G.B. served apprenticeship with Anglo-Saxon Petroleum (Shell Tankers). Later left the sea and joined Natal roads survey department. 1940 enlisted in S.A. Engineering Corp and served “up north”. 1943 drafted to SAAF Air/Sea Rescue and commanded several boats, bases and squadrons. 1953 drafted to Artillery and then Marines as O.C. Harbour & Boats. 1955 drafted to S.A. Navy in Simon’s Town as O.C. Several SO Boats and laid up mine sweepers. 1963 retired from the SA Navy and purchased land on the shores of Island Lake, Wilderness, George area and built a caravan park. 1985 sold the park and retired in George. |
| BROWN | EUGENE GUY PATRICK | 210 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. |
| BROWN | HOWARD CLARKSON | 1076 | Served in the Royal Navy and was on the HMS Ajax during WWII. Also Midshipman on HMS Carnarvan Castle and in her was in action with a German raider which may have been the Graf Spee. Retired Land Surveyor. Deceased 04/01/2001. |
| BROWN | WILLIAM HENRY | 136 | After Bothie apprenticed to Blue Funnel Line. 1964 was a rigger in an engineering firm in Durban. |
| BROWN | ANDREW | 234 | After Bothie apprenticed to Aberdeen White Star Line. |
| BROWN | STANLEY FREDERICK | 1503 | Spent some time fishing on the West Coast and eventually obtained a diamond concession off the West Coast. Deceased mid 1993. |
| BROWN | HERBERT STANLEY | 255 | Born Braamfontein, Johannesburg on 3 August 1910. Son of Frederick Brown and Annie Maria, nee Russel; ed. Krugersdorp Town School; Cadet Draft 1925-7. After leaving General Botha, Herbert Stanley Brown became an Apprentice with Andrew Weir & Co., obtaining his First Mate’s certificate in 1929. He was serving with their MV Rowanbank when, towards the end of January 1941, she was reported last after leaving Freetown, West Africa. As no further news was received he was presumed drowned near Freetown in January 1941. |
| BROWN | NEIL CLIFFORD | 2362 | 1970 – 73 – South African Lines as Cadet 1973 – passed Second Mates 1973 – 74 – Durban Lines as Second Officer 1974 – passed Mates 1974 – 2017 – with Deutsche Afrika Linien. 1977 – passed Masters 1978 – joined the Dal Cement Fleet. Third Officer till December 1975. Second Officer till 1978. Chief Officer till 1986. 1987 to 2017 Master on various DAL and Lafarge cement carriers. 2018 Master on a 5,000 ton cement vessel trading in the Mediterranean. |
| BROWN | DAVID MOBERLY | 170 | 1925 Winner of the King’s Gold Medal and the of Lonsdale’s medal for boxing. After Bothie joined the R.S.S. Discovery as a Seaman. Was a S.A. Army POW during WWII, demobbed with the rank of Staff Sargeant. |
| BROWN | PAUL HARRISON | 2221 | 1964 a clerk in the Marine Department of William Cotts & Co., Durban. |
| BROWN | MICHAEL GERARD | 2168 | 1964 cadet in the South African Marine Corporation’s m.v. Langkloof. 1996 – National Operations Manager for Polaris Shipping based in Durban. Did cadetship with Safmarine. After Second Mates sailed on the coast and islands and did Masters FG in Durban about ’68. Sailed as skipper on coasters for a year and came ashore for a spell to help rebuild an old sailing vessel, Cariad, in Durban. Amazing bunch of guys involved in this project. Helped sail her in the first Cape to Rio race, 1971. Sailed another yacht from Rio to Malta and spent a couple of years travelling around Europe, financed by odd stints on tug/tenders in the establishing North Sea oil fields. Came back to SA to get married. From ’73 to 2006 did various things ashore like stevedoring, ship owners rep., agent, ship operator, supercargo, attending long shipping lunches, etc. In between did a bit of sailing, mainly on my brothers yacht, including a Cape to Rio. Ended up moving from Durban to Velddrif where we built a house and in 2006 decided to sell it and buy a yacht. Not really a yacht, more a stinkpot, but very comfortable for the two of us to cruise the Med from Turkey to France and the bits in between. Went through the rivers and canals in Europe depositing ourselves into the North Sea in Belgium and crossing to the UK ending up in a lovely marina on the Norfolk Broads. Sold the boat in 2012, came back to Velddrif, Western Cape. 2020 moved to live in France. |
| BROWN | DUNCAN MENJIES | 542 | 1932 Junior Cadet Captain. 1932 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall Line. Born Kirkcaldy, Scotland, 19th February 1915. Son of George Aichison Brown and Caterine Berry, nee Menzies. Ed, Rondebosch Boys’ High School. Cadet Draft 1931 – 2 (Junior Cadet Captain). Joined Ellerman Lines 1933-38, transferred to Bank Line. WWII posted to RNR as Sub-Lieutenant. Survivor of Auxilary Cruiser Foylebank. Transferred to Auxiliary cruiser HMS Camito as Lieutenant. Put in command of caputered Italian tanker which was struck by a torpedo and sunk. Reported missing, believed killed, 6th May 1941. |
| BROWNE | PATRICK | 1756 | Jan 1954 – May 1969 at sea with Safmarine, latter 5 years as Master. May 1969 – 1993 – ashore with Safmarine as Assistant Superintendent, Superintendent, Marine Manager, Executive Manager Retired 1993. Previously member of the War Memorial Fund Managing Committee. Deceased 22/11/2009. |
| BROWNLESS | JOSEPH SIEGFIELD | 1090 | First General Botha Cadet to join the s.v. Lawhill, serving some years on her as Cadet. Then joined a Danish tanker “Ingemersk” as 4th and then 3rd Officer, this being run by the then S.A.R.& H. Wrote Second Officer’s Certificate at the Hull Trinity College in England and further study obtained a square sail endorsement. Sailed as Second Officer on a Polish Ship around the Eastern U.K. Coast and to Europe. Later treturned to South Africa and sailed on various ships run by the S.A.R. & H. Failed his eyesight test when applying to write Chief Officer’s Certificate, so came ashore and became a toolmaker with the Railways. Studied further and became a Factory Engineer. 2006 Retired. Deceased 15th June 2015. |
| BRUCE | CLAUDE | 425 | Apprenticed to Hogarth Line. |
| BRUETON | PETER EDWARD | 736 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. Deceased December 1937. |
| BRUMMER | CORNELIUS GERHARDUS | 491 | |
| BUCHANAN | JAMES ALEXANDER | 1398 | 1950 – 2/O Certificate, King Edward VII, London 1952 – C/O Certificate, Sir John Cass College 1956 – Masters Certificate, London University 1947 – 1950 – Cadet with Union Castle Line 1950 – 1958 – Third to Chief Officer, Ellerman Lines 1967 – 1968 – Master with Unicorn Lines, Coastal voyages 1958 – 1963 – Lecturer at Nautical Academy, Cape Town 1964 – 1969 – Chief Executive Officer at S.A.M.N.A. “General Botha” 1969 – 1970 – Safmarine, Fleet Liason Officer 1971 – 1981 – Safmarine, Training and Development Officer 1982 – 1990 – Safmarine, Marine Personnel Manager Deceased 12/05/2001 |
| BUCHANAN | JOHN GRAHAM | 1928 | |
| BUCHAN-SYDSEREFF | THOMAS HAMBLY | 1027 | Joined the Royal Navy in 1941. Trained as pilot in the Fleet Air Arm and tragaically killed during landing in 1951. |
| BUCHHOLTZ | PAUL FREDERICK MEIRING | 911 | Apprenticed to “Sir William Reardon-Smiths” of Cardiff for 4 years. During this period was torpedoed twice by U-100 & U-56. January 1943 joined “Straits Steamship Company” of Singapore. January 1946 – joined “Thesens”. January 1948 joined “South African Lines” at sea and ashore as Cargo Officer/Marine Superintendent. December 1956 joined “South African Marine Corporation” at sea and ashore as Marine Superintendent. 13th May 1941 – was Commended in the “London Gazette” for brave conduct in the Merchant Navy. (Kings Commendation for Brave Conduct.) Deceased 18/11/1999. |
| BUCKLE | ROGER WILLIAM | 75 | Born Harrismith, 27 November 1907, son of William Geroge Buckle and Deborah Richardson, eg. Government School, Harrismith; Cadet Draft 1922-3. In 1924 Roger William Buckle joined S.A.R. & H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman and in 1928 left the sea to join his father’s business. During the war he became a Warrant-Officer in the Union Defence Force, QSC Unit, and while on service contracted a fatal illness which caused his death on 24 October 1944. |
| BUCKLEY | IAN HILTON | 2412 | 1999 with P&O Ports, Durban. Deceased 5th August 2015. |
| BUCKLEY | PETER GORDON | 968 | |
| BUCKNELL | MICHAEL CHARLES HENRY GLYNN | 1155 | Apprentice Officer British India Line 12/42 |
| BUITENDACH | JAN JOHANNES | 795 | WWII Private POW Escort Company. |
| BULCOCK | FRANCIS MOSS | 315 | |
| BULLEY | ALASTAIR JOHN | 2294 | Left after a few weeks on board. |
| BULLICK | JOHN STANLEY | 60 | 1964 completed his apprenticeship with K. Fulton & Co. 2009 own refirgeration company. |
| BULLOCK | GEORGE STANLEY | 111 | B. Umtali, Southern Rhodesia, 26 January 1907, son of Robert Stanley Bullock and Adeline Rosa; ed. High School, Umtali, Southern Rhodesia; Cadet Draft 1923-4. On completion of his course in General Botha George Stanley Bullock joined the Clan Line as an apprentice where he remained throughout his career. When war broke out he was studying for his Extra Master’s Certificate. The SS Clan Macfadyen, on which he was serving as Second Officer, was torpedoed in November 1942 off Trinidad, West Indies, by an enemy submarine and sank within ninety seconds of being hit. The submarine was U508 commanded by Lieutenant George Staats and the Clan Macfadyen was hit at 0002 on 27/11/42. George Bullock did not survive the attack. |
| BULMER | NEVILLE EDWIN | 1220 | Came from Kimberley and was the sick bay attendant on the Bothie. Joined the Royal Navy Reserve and later worked for Shell in Port Elizabeth. Bothie nickname was “Teddy”. Deceased 27th June 2017. |
| BULPIN | THOMAS VICTOR ROMSAY | 737 | He was discharged on medical grounds from S.A.T.S. General Botha on 19 March 1934. He was in S.A.T.S. General Botha for less than two months. Attended St. John’s College, Johannesburg before joining SATS General Botha. He was born in 1918 in Umkomaas, Natal. At the age of 16 he entered the cinema business as a technician, later enlisting with the South African Air Force. He also joined the Associated British Cinema Corporation and was sent to cover Africa for their news reels. While travelling, he gathered information for his books. Later he began his own publishing company and focused on this and his travels until his death in 1999 at the age of 81. |
| BUNBURY | RICHARD MURDOCK | 912 | Was a POW during WWII, rank Signaller. |
| BUNCKER | LOUIS AUSTEN BICCARD | 1637 | |
| BUNN | MICHAEL GEORGE | 2466 | Cadet – Safmarine and Unicorn. 2nd Mate/Mate – Unicorn and Sea Fisheries. Studied CIS/IAC Diplomas (ACIS/AIAC Management). Portfolio A.C – D.C.F. Properties Assistant Management A/C – Safmarine (SAECS Service) Financial Manager – ITC Travel, Admin Manager – Grindrod Containerlink Financial Manager – Media Film Service Production Accountant – Ground Glass Insurance and HR – Media Film Service Retired – part time accounting and bookkeeping |
| BURCHELL | KEITH HOWARD | 2169 | Joined Safmarine in December 1961 served on SA Merchant whole of Cadetship. 2nd Mates in Liverpool in 1964. Served 3/0 on S.A.Seafarer, SA Transporter. Mates in Cape Town in 1965 Served 3/0 S.A.Victory, I/0 Lankus, 2/0 SA Van Der Stel, 2/0 S.A.Tzaneen. Masters in Cape Town 1969 Served 2/0 & C/0 Cable Restorer resigned in 1969. 1969 Started two businesses in Cape Town, Diving Bell and Marine & Industrial Ship Cleaning sold in 1970. Joined SAR&H (later SATS and Portnet) in Mossel Bay Sept 1970- 1972. Served as Mate & Master Tugs/Dredgers East London 1972-1975. Served as Master & Pilot in Walvis Bay 1975 -1981 Served as Senior Pilot Cape Town 1981-1984. Served as Harbour Master & Pilot and Ass. Port Captain Saldanha 1984-1988. Served as Port Captain Walvis Bay 1988-1991. Served as Manager & Senior Manager Marine Operations and Lighthouses 1991-1997 Johannesburg (During this time served on various International Maritime bodies and as IALA Councillor) Appointed CEO of Transnet Subsidiary Marine Data Systems (MDS) 1993 -1998 JHB Served as Commercial and Operations Director on secondment and on contract to MDS 1998-2004 JHB. Retired from Portnet 2001. Contracted to MDS as Director 2001-2004 JHB Retrenched from MDS – 2004. Started Burport Marine Consultancy Africa (Pty) Ltd, Managing Director. Established B&B – 2005. Greenville Lodge, Cyrildene JHB. Sold B&B 2010- Relocated with Businesses to Cape Town. 2011 joined GBOBA Cape Town Branch and also founding Chairman of GBOBA Bursary Fund until 2019. Remained a Board Member of the Bursary Fund. SOMMSA committee member. |
| BURGER | WILLEM GIDEON | 543 | Apprenticed to Union Castle Line. |
| BURGER | ANDRIES PETRUS | 1020 | |
| BURGER | BAREND FREDERICK | 216 | After Bothie apprentcied to Blue Funnel Line and joined the R.N.R. as a midshipman. 1964 Assistant Port Captain Table Bay Harbour. |
| BURGER | STEPHANUS | 410 | |
| BURNETT | JACK DANIEL | 675 | Left the GB 13/02/1935 on his 16th birthday. Photograph of J.D. Burnett in our album showing him in Air Force uniform, RAFVR Sargeant. |
| BURNHAM | PETER BRUCE | 2467 | Pete sailed as 4th Officer on the passenger/mail ship, S.A. Vaal in 1975. Wrote and obtained his Second Mates Certificate in Durban in 1976 and left Safmarine to follow a career in Civil Engineering. Studied until 1980 and has worked for one of the major contractors ever since. His most notable contract to date was his involvement on the Garden-Route arch bridges. Sea-going activities continue in the yachting field and is presently a cruising association of S.A. Examiner and a holder of a yachtmaster ocean certificate. May 2017 retired. |
| BURNS | LEONARD JAMES | 66 | Placed in Prince Line as apprentice. |
| BURNS | BRUCE FRAZER | 2468 | After Bothie joined the Rhodesian Army. 2Lt Bruce Burns (Engineers Corp) was killed in action on 06 September 1979 when he perished, along with 16 other servicemen, as a result of a SAAF Puma helicopter being hit by an RPG7 during the raid on Mapai, Mozambique. |
| BURR | ERIC HAIG | 738 | Born Golder’s Green, London, 16 August 1918. Son of Frederick Burr and Isilone, nee Taylor. Ed, King Edward VII School, Johannesburg. Cadet Draft 1934 – 35. (Junior Cadet Captain). After leaving General Botha Eric Haig Burr joined the staff of the Government Gold Mining Areas and at the commencement of the war enlisted in the SAAF. On 20th October 1941 he was reported missing after a raid off the Libyan Coast. At the time of his death he held the rank of Second Lieutenant. |
| BURT | JOHN | 1156 | After British war service, Second Mates Certificate, service as Third Mate and sunk in the Black Sea, entered the commercial field of business in South Africa. Qualified B.Com, FCMA, FCIS and returned to England as a Management Consultant. Returned to S.A. in 1963 and ended his career as director of companies. Four children, (youngest son in RECCE Commando’s awarded Honoris Crux in the “Crocodile Incident”). Proud moment: rowed in number 1 cutter crew against Royal Navy whilst still a chum [junior cadet]. Deceased 30th August 2014. |
| BURTON | FREDERICK | 796 | |
| BURTON-DURHAM | EUSTACE MORTIMER HIDDINGH | 913 | WWII Signalman RNVR (SA) / SANF / Private 7 Battalion 1st Reserve Brigade. |
| BUSH | PETER JAMES FREDERICK | 1986 | After G.B. joined Port Line. 1966 – joined an Engineering company in the U.K. making motor car bearings. 1969 – joined the Port of London authority. Personal achievement in PLA was the formation of “TOSCA”, Oil Pollution clearance team, being set up as a permanent force. 1993 – promtoed to Harbour Master, Vessel Traffic Management, responsible for the Thames Navigation Service which is their VTS. They have radar surveillance of the Thames over the area of the outer estuary to Greenwich. Some 65 miles of river. This is accomplised utilising 12 radar stations and two VTS centres. 1999 – Retired. |
| BUSH | CONWAY GERALD | 544 | Apprenticed to P&O Line. Late thirties commissioned into the Royal Navy. |
| BUSH | EDGAR HAROLD | 250 | Born Aliwal North, 12 September 1911, son of Herbert Vallentine Bush and Edith Caroline; ed. Zastron Secondary School; Cadet Draft 1925-7. After leaving the General Botha Edgar Harold Bush joined the British and Continental Lines, serving with them until he obtained his Master’s Certificate in 1931. He then became attached to the S.A.R.& H. and was employed at Durban Harbour until the outbreak of war, when he enlisted in the SAR & H Brigade No 2, responsible for dock operations. While handing over, an explosion occurred on an American Liberty Ship unloading ammunition at Bari, Italy, on 11 April 1945, involving Captain Edgar Harold Bush, who lost his life. |
| BUTCHINS | SYDNEY ADAIR | 1638 | After G.B. Cadet with Blue Funnel Line for 3 years, obtained Second Officer’s Certificate in 1955. Then sailed as Third Officer with Safmarine and Bullard King Line. 1956 – 1969 with the Royal Air Force as Flgiht Navigator, rank of Flight Lieutenant. Then flew as Navigator with Air Lingus for one year and with South African Airways for 10 years during which time obtained a degree in maths & physics with the University of South Africa. As a top student obtained a bursary to do a honours course at the University of Cape Town in Astrophysics. 1979 obtained a bursary to do a D. Phil at Oxford Univesity, completed in 1983. Taught at Univesity College London for 2 years and then became a Principal Systems Engineer with Racal Avionics for 2 years. 1987 became a Senior Lecturer in Aeronautics at London Guildhall Univesity. Retired in 1993. |
| BUTLER | JOHN | 1281 | Deceased. 1945 all the deck officers of ss Dalia were Bothie Boys: W.E. Jenkins (104) Master. E. Holmes (253) chief officer. V. Canning (740) second officer. F.J.V. Brand (674) third officer. J. Butler (1281) cadet. 1964 was a rigger with an engineering firm in Durban. |
| BUYS | DUDLEY DANNY | 41 | Reported deceased. |
| BYRAM | DOUGLAS EDWARD | 914 | |
| BYROM | GEORGE MICHAEL | 2858 | 1995 – Assistant Manager of Polaris Shipping, Port of Richards Bay. 2008 Country Operations Manager, Kenya & Tazania, Wilhelmsen Ship Service. “I left Kenya/Tanzania middle of 2010 and spent 4 Months in Dubai with MUR Shipping Ltd. I am now in Johannesburg with MUR Shipping RSA Ltd/ Shipping Branch of Macsteel International as Port Captain/Planning. Its very exciting as we own 11 Ships which are named African Eagle/Falcon all birds and we have about 40 Ships on Charter world wide at anyone time.” Deceased 18th May 2017. |
| BYWATER | TOM FREDERICK | 612 | After Bothie returned to Johannesburg where he worked for the municipality and qualified as a motor mechanic. Joined the South African Naval Forces at the beginning of WWII and attended an officer’s training course in Port Elizabeth in 1942. Thereafter he commanded a Harbour Defence Motor Launch patrolling the South African coastline for enemy submarines. He was stationed at various times in Cape Town, Durban and East London. In 1944 he was part of the South Atlantic Escort Force. After the end of the war he served a further two years in the Navy in charge of demobilisation at Hector Norris Park in Johannesburg. After being demobbed in 1947 he joined his father and brother in the family second hand car business where he remained until just before his death on 26th September 1980. |
| CAIN | DANIEL HUGH | 1812 | Dan Cain was a Durbanite from Durban High School. He has become immortalised as the chum who was ‘taught how to swim’ in a story by ‘The Junkman’ but in fact should be remembered as an excellent scholar. As a junior cadet he nabbed a navigation prize and in his senior year a physics prize. On leaving the General Botha he joined British India Line serving in a variety of cargo ships and passing his examination for mates in London. While in Australia, Dan resigned and joined the Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. In 1967 he took a job as tug master in Newcastle, NSW where he remained until 1992. Dan then fulfilled every sailor’s dream and bought a pub in Kilcoy in the Outback, before finally retiring to Mooloolaba in 1998. In l965 Dan married Diana Kellner in Sydney and they had two daughters, Samantha and Amanda, along with two grandsons. Dan passed away 9th March 2007. |
| CAINE | EDWARD MARTIN | 2141 | Served my cadetship with British and Commonwealth Shipping. Attended James Watt College in Greenock for my Second Mates Certificate. Worked ashore in Scotland, New Zealand and South Africa for a number of years before resuming my seagoing carreer in Australia. Mates and Masters Certificates in Sydney and ending my seagoing carreer as a Torres Strait Pilot. Retired in 2004 and now happily pretending to be a farmer on a 17 acre property in rural northern Tasmania. |
| CAIRNCROSS | ALEXANDER | 739 | 1935 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Initially did a voyage from Durban to Cape Town experiencing serious sea sickness. He then joined the S.A.R. & H. as an Electrician. In due course he took control of the Electricians workshops as well as responsibility for the lighthouses on the S.A. Coast. Deceased 01/04/2000. |
| CALDER | TREVOR ALLWYN | 2092 | |
| CALDER | GARY WILLIAM | 2826 | 1995 – Manager of Polaris Shipping, Port of Richards Bay. Then moved to CMDM Shipping, as Branch Manager, Richard’s Bay. Core busienss importing logs from East Africa and exporting to the Far East. |
| CALDER | ROBERT MC PHERSON | 2039 | 1964 with Stanvac Refineries, Durban. Worked at Playtex as the manufacturing director but retired when the company sold to Sara Lee. Bothie nickname “Pepsi”. Deceased 15/03/2013. |
| CALLAGHAN | JOHN | 1701 | |
| CAMERON | JOHN | 1504 | After Bothie went to sea in S.A.R.& H. Ships, Agulhas and Dalia. After obtaining 2nd Officer’s Certificate in Durban, relocated to Australia and salied with Burns Philips for 10 years. Left the sea in 1962 and spent some 15 years with the Australian Stevedoring Industry Authority as Port Inspector, Senior Survey Officer – Research and Development and Industrial Officer. With the demise of the authority in 1977, then worked at several different positions in Bond Stores, Warehousing and Retail. Retired. August 2019 newsletter returned, possibly deceased. |
| CAMERON | COLIN CAMPBELL | 2295 | |
| CAMERON-ELLIS | ROBERT BRUCE | 1690 | Reported deceased 2001. |
| CAMMINGA | ROELOF | 2624 | 1995 – Manager of Omni Stevedores, Port of Richards Bay. Then joined Island View Shipping as their Richards Bay Representative and later appointed their Branch Manager. |
| CAMP | NOEL JOHN TEMPLE | 5 | In the Bothie was Petty Officer 1st Class. After Bothie apprentice with Thesen Line. 1964 was farming in Natal. Deceased 27/08/96 |
| CAMPBELL | JOHN JOSEPH | 613 | Apprenticed to Union Castle Line (lower deck). 1964 was a clerk in the Harbour Revenue Department, Durban. |
| CAMPBELL | ALEXANDER NEIL | 2859 | |
| CAMPBELL | ARCHIBALD CLIVE | 1929 | 1957 – 59 S.A. Reserve Bank, Exchange Control and Accounts and then went to Kodak as Administration and Control Officer. 1960 – 1995 with Standard Bank of S.A. Last appointment being Senior Manager for the Northern Transvaal Region for electronic banking division. After retirement from the bank joined Commuter Card/Net 1 support services in 1997 testing the smart card for installation in the mini bus taxi industry. 1995 to 1997 had his own pool care business and a supermarket. This was followed in 1999 a period with Suka Sihame. Deceased 12/12/2013. |
| CAMPBELL | COLIN PHILLIP | 51 | Placed in S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| CANDY | ROBERT LEONARD | 2711 | 1996 – Lecturer at Natal Technikon. After leaving Safmarine I went on to become a mechanical engineer. Thereafter I went on a venture to the UK and when I tried to get employment, I discovered the birth place of the industrial revolution had long since forgotten what a mechanical engineer was or did. I then took what was initially going to be temporary job on a cross channel ferry using my Class 4 Engineers Officer of Watch as my Second Mates had expired but stayed on. I have been luckily enough to sail on the Trinity House vessels, SA Agulhas plus others. 2021 sailing as Chief Engineer with Swire Pacific Offshore in Australia. |
| CANDY | JOHN LONGFIELD | 797 | 1936 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Winner of the King’s Gold Medal. Deceased 28/08/2007. |
| CANN | RONALD ALLEN | 969 | Royal Navy Reserve appointed to HMS Comorin as Midshipman 3rd January 1940. Served in WW2 in the Royal Navy. Lt.Ronald Allen Cann from Capetown S.A. Deceased. |
| CANNING | VICTOR | 740 | Second officer on SAR&H ship ss Columbine.1941 he had been in the crew which had brought the tug Watermeyer from Britain and in October 1941 he had joined a Free French ship at East London as second officer. This vessel was torpedoed in the East Indies. Second officer on SAR&H ship ss Columbine. At 20.00 hours on 16 June 1944 the unescorted Columbine (Master Arne Reidar Simensen) was hit on the port side just abaft the engine room by one torpedo from U-198 while steaming at 9 knots about 25 miles west-northwest of Cape Columbine, South Africa. The crew began to abandon ship in all four lifeboats with some troubles in a heavy swell and moderate seas with a fresh wind blowing from the shore out to sea, but already after eight minutes the ship was hit by a coup de grâce and sank within two minutes after the cargo of timber caught fire. The Portuguese steam merchant Angola was seen two miles on port bow when the attack occurred, altered course and passed Columbine on her starboard side making no attempt to render assistance. The master, 17 crew members, two passengers and three gunners were lost. 28 crew members and one gunner survived: the 16 occupants in the boat in charge of the chief officer were picked up by a patrol craft and taken to Cape Town and the others made landfall near the Cape Columbine Lighthouse.1945 all the deck officers of ss Dalia were Bothie Boys: W.E. Jenkins (104) Master. E. Holmes (253) chief officer. V. Canning (740) second officer. F.J.V. Brand (674) third officer. J. Butler (1281) cadet. |
| CANNING | CLEMENT CHARLES ALEXANDER | 492 | During WWII served in the SAAF Motor Boat Wing. |
| CANTLAY | JOSEPH HAMPTON | 676 | |
| CANTLE | HARRY ERNEST | 1282 | Joined Elder Dempsters in 1945, and sailed in ss New Brooklyn, ss Calgary, mv Accra, ss New Texas, and ss Biafra. Left the company in 1948 when he went home to Rhodesia and became a Game Warden, which he still was when he was murdered by burglars in 1995. Previously with the Rhodesian National Parks and Wild Life Department. Murdered by would be robbers at night in his home, Maun Botswana, on the 27th December 1995. Robbers were arrested and charged with murder. |
| CANTY | ALICK ROWLAND | 236 | |
| CAPSTICKDALE | STANLEY HALL ELPHENSTONE | 970 | Born Sydney, New South Wales, Australia, 9th October 1921. Son of James Ernest Capstickdale and Ellen Marguerit, nee McLeary. Ed Marist Bros. College Observatory, Johannesburg. Cadet Draft 1938-9. Stanley Capstickdale joined the RN at the outbreak of war as a Midshipman and served in HMS Carnarvon Castle and HMS Shropshire. In January 1942 he joined the SAAF as a pupil pilot, receiving his Wings in July 1943. He later went to the United Kingdom, attached to the RAF as bomber pilot, and was killed in a flying accident 24th July 1944. |
| CARBERRY | WILLIAM | 109 | Enlisted S.A.R.&H. Ships as Seaman. |
| CARELSE | PETER JOHN | 2774 | 2003 immigrated to New Zealand. |
| CARLILE | BRUCE TREVOR | 2329 | |
| CARNAN | THOMAS | 677 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1953: Lieutenant in S.A. Navy. After G.B. he worked on the mines for a period. Joined the Royal Navy during the early days on the war serving on board H.M.S. Cornwall and H.M.S Nelson. Then transferred east serving on Fairmiles for a couple of years before returning to S.A. He joined the S.A. Navy in Simonstown and then Durban in the early fifties and took early retirement as a Lieutenant. He started Finland Motors on the Bluff in Durban and went on to establish himself very successfully in his business ventures. Past Durban OBA Committee Member. Decesaed 29/08/95. |
| CARPENTER | CLIVE ALLAN | 2363 | |
| CARR | DAVID JOHN STUART | 1639 | 1964 sailing with Shell Tanker Company. |
| CARRASCO | IAN MICHAEL | 2469 | Holds Extra Masters Certificate. 1998 – Master with Pentow Marine on Salvage tugs. 2012 Marine Safety Advisor for Angola LNG, Soyo Angola. |
| CARRINGTON | PETER MILNER JOHN | 1399 | On leaving the Bothie, Peter went to sea on the s.v. Lawhill where he spent 18 months. Apart from the time he was with Thesen’s Coasters he spent most of his sea time with SARShips. He joined the S.A. Harbour Service in Cape Town in 1956. He moved to Durban in 1964 where he was tug master and then harbour pilot. In 1978 he became assistant port captain in Port Elizabeth and in 1983 he was made port captian of Ricahrd’s Bay. Retired in 1988. Deceasd 10/03/2001. Father of Mike Carrington 1976 and Chris Carrington 1977. |
| CARRINGTON | MICHAEL ALLAN JOHN | 2548 | Previously sailed with Safmarine before joining Portnet, initially as Tug Master in Cape Town. Late 1999 transferred to Mossel Bay as Harbour Master and Pilot. 2002 moved to Australia. 2005 tug Master. Father Peter Carrington 1945/46 and brother Chris Carrington 1977. |
| CARRINGTON | CHRISTOPHER EDWARD JULIAN | 2581 | Sailed with Unicorn Linesa and died in an accident at sea. Whilst working in a pumproom the work party became aware of gas. Whilst assisting a Cadet to exit the pumproom Chris himself was overcome by the gas. Father Peter Carrington 1945/46 and brother Mike Carrington 1977. |
| CARSE | JOHAN | 2199 | 1963 joined Safmarine as cadet South African Seafarer 1966 Obtained my 2nd Mate certificate in Liverpool and joined 3rd Officer South African Shipper. 1966 Left Safmarine and joined mv Glyntaf (Glenafon Shipping Co, Cardiff) tramping 1967 Left mv Glyntaf and obtained my Chief Mates certificate in Cape Town 1968 Joined Zapata Oil Co as Mate/Navigator tug Plato and signed off Texas, USA 1969 Immigrated to Canada joined Canadian Coastguard as 3rd Officer ice breaker John A Macdonald’ escorted the ss Manhattan through the NW Passage to Prudoe Bay, Alaska 1969 Obtained my Masters certificate Halifax, Nova Scotia 1969 to 1975 Worked Imperial Oil Ltd , Northland Navigation and BC Ferries 1975 Obtained my Masters certificate in Cape Town. 1975 to 1999 with Portnet, last three years as Marketing and Port Manager, port of Cape Town. 1999 returned to sea with S.A. Marine Corporation/Maersk as Chief Officer. 2000 Immigrated to New Zealand. 2000-2006 GM, Lamnalco Nigeria and Oman. 2006- 2010 seconded to Abu Dhabi JV ADNOC-Lamnalco.. 2010- 2013 APMSCO-Jordan 2013-Lamnalco consultancy work incl. Kuwait 2014 Resigned from Lamnalco and retired to New Zealand. |
| CARSTENS | JOHANNES JACOBUS FLORIS | 798 | April 1938, Joined Ellerman & Hall Line. July 1942, joined the Seaward Defence Force as S/Lt. Served in minesweepers. June 1947, joined the S.A.R.& H. as a clerk. January 1953 joined the S.A. Navy again. Served at sea as gunnery officer and as O.C. of various minesweepers. Also O.C. of S.A.N. Barracks. Setpember 1978 retired from the Navy. January 1984, appointed in civilian capacity as Senior Stores and Administration Clerk at S.A.Naval Staff College Muizenberg. April 1990, retired. Decorations: Chief of Defence Force recommendation. Good service medals, bars – silver & gold. 1939 – 1945 Star 1939 – 1945 Medal Atlantic Star, Africa, Star, Africa Service Medal Promotion dates: January 1953, S/Lt. December 1954, Lt. January 1960, LT/CDR. July 1966 CDR. May 1973 Captain. Reported deceased October 1997. |
| CARSTENS | KENNETH | 678 | Joined lower deck in “Arundel Castle”. Retired Trinity House Ship Surveyor. Deceased 04/10/1991. |
| CARSTENS | JOHANNES ARNOLDUS | 915 | Born Moorreesburg 29th June 1920. Son of Martin Johannes Michael Carstens and Elizabeth Maria, nee Cilliers. Ed, Moorreesburg High School. Cadet Draft 1937-8. In 1939 Johannes Arnoldus Carstens joined the Prince Line and on 31 May 1941 when serving in the Scottish Prince, died of asphyxiation from an escape of gas while working in the hold, as the vessel had been badly damaged in the evacuation from Greece. |
| CARTER | KENNETH LEONARD | 1221 | After serving his time at sea he joined the South African Railways and Harbours in late 1953 as Mate in Durban. He served on various harbour craft there as Mate and Master. Promoted to Walvis Bay as Pilot in 1966 returning to Durban in the same grade about three years later. Served as Pilot, Assistant Port Captaina nd Deputy Port Captain in Durban and eventually being appointed as Port Captain in Durban after Peter Cox, 1942/43, retired. Was Port Captain for about two years until he retired in 1987. Deceased 03/08/2000 |
| CARTER | THOMAS ERNEST CRICK | 144 | |
| CARTER | ALFRED SAMUEL | 741 | Born Ladymsith, Natal 22nd March 1920. Son of Victor Charles Carter and Rosina Letitia nee Dicks. Ed, Mansfield Road School, Durban. Cadet Draft 1934 – 35. In 1936 Alfred Samuel Carter joined the Bank Line, and in 1941 became Sub-Lieutenant in the Seaward Defence Force, where he remaiend for a year. He then joined the RNR, was afterward transferred to the SANFUR, and on 28 November 1942 was reported missing, presumed killed, in the loss of the Greek submarine Triton. The Greek submarine Triton was sunk by the German patrol boat UJ201 off Kafirea in the Aegean Sea on 28 November 1942. |
| CARTER | PHILIP MICHAEL | 2667 | 1978 joined the S.A.R. & H. Dredger, Reebok, and Unicorn in 1979 as Cadet. 1984 left the sea and started a carpentry business but in 1985 joined Rennies as a supervisor, warehousing. 1986 rejoined Unicorn Lines and obtained Master’s Certificate in 1992. 1993 joined Portnet as Mate and Master on Harbour tugs. 1994 joined P&I Associates as Marine Surveyor and was later promoted to P&I Operations Manager, Durban. March 1997 joined D.S. Oliver as a Marine Surveyor. Later same year formed own marine surveying company, Master Marine Survey. 2020 immigrated to England. |
| CARTER | KENNETH FRED SYDNEY | 1458 | |
| CARTER | COLIN SETH | 1028 | |
| CARTWRIGHT | FREDERICK TIMOTHY | 2222 | |
| CARVER | BRIAN ALLAN | 2170 | 1964 second officer in Thesen’s m.v. Matabele Coast. Served in the Merchant Navy until 1964 with T&J Harrison Line. Later joined Thesen Coasters. Studied at the University of Cape Town, 1965 to 1969 (Mechanical Engineering) and worked in the railway industry until 1999. Runs own businesses in Pretoria. |
| CASELEY | NORMAN THOMAS | 1157 | Sailed on the four masted barque s.v. Lawhill, three voyages including rounding Cape Horn. Thereafter sailed on other vessels including troop transport in 1945. 1947 joined Safmarine and was Third Officer on the S.A. Vergelegen on her first voyage under the S.A. Flag. 1955 obtained Extra Master’s and then taught for a year at Hull Trinity Navigation School before returning to South Africa to take over the Navigation School in Durban. Thereafter spent two years at the Kalk Bay Bible Institute preparing for missionary work. Worked for Scripture Union and in 1965 joined the S.A.M.N.A. General Botha as Senior Lecturer. 1969 moved to Port Elizabeth to run the Youth for Christ and at the same time opened own business as a marine surveyor and compass adjuster. Later joined the Department of Transport and retired in 1990 as Chief Surveyor and Examiner. Deceased 28th October 2018. |
| CASEY | GRAHAM | 916 | 1939 – Chief Cadet Captain the Genearl Botha. 3rd November 1939 posted to the HMAMC Bulolo as Midshipman RNR. During WWII served in mine disposal and on midget submarines. 1948 was second officer on the Laeveld, Van Riebeeck Lines. 1964 was Master of Smith’s Coasters Ingane. Reported deceased. |
| CASTLE | JOHN CHARLES BELLOTT | 1505 | |
| CATZAVELOS | GREGORY | 1029 | Deceased 06/01/1991 |
| CAUVIN | FRANK TRAVERS | 799 | Born Liverpool, 15th March 1920. Son of Fernand Joseph Cauvin and Sarah, nee Marshall. Ed, Grey’s College, Port Elizabeth. Cadet Draft 1935 – 36. On completion with General Botha joined Andrew Weir and served in the Isipingo. After passing his Mate’s Certificate was appointed Third Officer, MV Derbyshire. In February 1945, when serving in the MV Anculus he was discovered to be suffering from pulmonary tuberculosis, from which he eventually died on 14th February 1947, his death being officially confirmed as attributable to War Service. |
| CAVANAGH | PETER MICHAEL | 2596 | He went to school at St Henry’s College and then did the compulsory 12 months in the Army in Potchefstroom. This was followed by six months at Bothy. After a stint with Safmarine worked for the Durban Corporation and National Port Authority (Transnet) and finally for an accounting firm in Durban. Reported deceased September 2017. |
| CAYTON-BOXALL | CHARLES FREDERICK | 1544 | |
| CELLARIUS | JUSTUS JAMES | 415 | Failed eyesight test on joining and joined a bank in Prieska. After 37 years with the bank, retired in Port Elizabeth in 1967. Deceased in 1993. |
| CELLIER | GUY ANTHONY | 2582 | After a successful 2 years with Safmarine and being awarded the prize for Best All-Round Cadet at Bothie, I went into forestry and studied at Stellenbosch University, University of Washington and University of Kwa-Zulu Natal where I earned my Ph.D. I have lived in Hawaii for 25 years. Previously CEO of Forest Solutions International LLC |
| CERONIE | JOHANNES LUDEWIKUS | 800 | Appointed to Blue Funnel Lines and granted midshipman R.N.R. completed apprenticeship in Thesens Coasters. 1939 called up by R.N.R. to assume duties at naval headquarters, Durban. 1940 transfererd to Seaward Defence Force as Sub Lieutenant, subsequently changed to S.A. Navy, Naval career in Executive Sea going capacities. 1949 resigned from Navy and joined S.A.R. & H. as Shipping Agent. 1951 appointed shore superintendent of all SAR Ships and chartered vessels and retained title of SAR Ships Agent. 1973 manager Pandora Maritine Agencies. 1977 Safmarine Buyer, Marine Supplies. Retired December 1987. Decorations: 1939-1945 Star, Atlantic Star, African Star. War Medal 1935 – 1945. Africa Service Medal joined the Cape Town Branch Committee in 1951. Deceased 14/11/98. |
| CHALLENOR | ROYSSE VIVIAN | 257 | Obtained first class certificates in navigation and scholastic. Prizes won: first in Geography. Was apprenticed to British & Continental S.A. Line ss Cambrian Marchioness and, on insolvency of the line, joined, as seaman, ss Bareeba in order to complete sea time. Also served as seaman in Elder Dempster Line. Passed second mate’s examination at Durrban in August 1932 and obtained a billet at the Rose Deep Gold Mine, Germiston. Born 30th July 1909, died August 1935. |
| CHALMERS | WILLIAM TROTTER | 426 | 1930 appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. 1930 apprenticed to Houlder Line ss “Gambia River”. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Union Castle Line. 1964 was manager of African Associated Stevedoring Co., Table Bay Harbour. |
| CHAMBERS | REGINALD LORENZO WILKINS | 1459 | 1951 – Rhodesian Army. Stationed in Malaya. Deceased 28/09/2008. |
| CHAMBERS | WILLIAM EDWARD | 1802 | |
| CHAPLIN | DESMOND CHARLES | 545 | Entered Sun Line as “Wireless Watcher”. |
| CHAPLIN | DAVID RICHARD | 2274 | Deceased 16th February 2020. |
| CHAPMAN | EVAN GRANVILLE | 493 | Was a POW during WWII. When Evan Granville Chapman was born on 19 November 1914, in Kimberley, Kimberley, Cape Province, South Africa, his father, Harry Chapman, was 30 and his mother, Mary Rawson, was 24. He married Myrtle Kathleen Osborne on 9 November 1946, in Salisbury, Mashonaland East, Southern Rhodesia. They were the parents of at least 1 son. He died on 17 October 1972, in Sofala, Mozambique, at the age of 57. |
| CHAPMAN | HAROLD | 239 | Joined H.M.S. Erebus, Devonport, England, 16th Septemer 1927 as Royal Naval Cadet; subsequently appointed Midshipman, H.M.S. London. Was a Lieutenant, Royal Navy, second in command of the submarine, HMS Thetis, which was lost with all hands on the 1st June 1939 during sea trials. |
| CHARLTON | JOHN ROBERT | 1930 | |
| CHARNLEY | NEWBY JOHN ASHWORTH | 173 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a Seaman. 1964 was a representative of Suncrush Mineral Water Company, Durban. |
| CHASE | ELLIOTT | 1283 | ‘Bob’ Chase was on the sailing vessel ‘Lawhil’ in 1945/6 and delivered her to Lourenco Marques (now Maputo) as Third Mate. Previously owned a shop in Coffs Harbour, Australia. Deceased 09/11/1995 |
| CHEEK | DONALD | 1344 | Reported 1964 – joined Marine Diamond Corporation’s “Emmerson K” as mate and was promoted to Master on same vessel. He has just taken a group of oceanographers, geologists and divers to explore Vema Seamount approximately 400 nm NW of Cape Town. This is said to rise to approximately 114 ft below the surface. Deceased 12/04/2006. |
| CHEESMAN | NEVILLE NORWOOD | 679 | 1964 farming in Natal. |
| CHETTLE | GEOFFREY ARTHUR | 119 | Entered Ellerman & Bucknall as apprentice. First Bothie Boy to achive Extra Master Certificate. Became a Major in the South African Air Force during WWII. Previously served with the S.A. Harbour service in Durban before starting a Navigation class at Natal Technikon. 1964 operating his own company of marine surveyors in Durban. ================================================== While the majority of Botha Boys pursued their chosen career at sea, many had also taken to the air, where their success rate was remarkable. The Vital role of G.A. Chettle (119) in the war-time SAAF, as well as the career which led up to it, were well described by Francis H. Gibson in an article in The Outspan of 21 April 1944: Major G.A.Chettle, SAAF, Chief Instructor of No. 42 Air School, Port Elizabeth, is one of the Botha’s early cadets (1923/24). He joined the Ellerman-Bucknall Line as an apprentice, and rose to Fourth Officer in 1928, but, like many others, was driven ashore by the Great Depression, becoming a freelance journalist. In 1935 to 1937 he delivered ships all over the world as master in the service of a London Company specializing in ship delivery. In 1937 he gained his Extra Master’s Certificate, the Merchant Navy’s highest qualification, facing many hardships ashore to gain the time to study and sit for it. In the same year he became an associate member of the Institute of Naval Architects and the SA Harbour Marine as mate. In 1938 he opened the only marine school for masters and mates at the Durban Technical College. The next year he was put in charge of the SAR & H Marine School at the Point. Released for war service he joined the SAAF as navigation instructor; many thousands of pupils have since passed through his hands; hundreds of them are blitzing Germany now. |
| CHETTY | NEIL | 2897 | Since leaving the sea in 1995 with Safmarine, I moved to National Ports Authority as Pilot in Durban Harbour in 1997, and in 2005 became the Harbour Master for Port Elizabeth. In 2009 became the Port Manager for Port Elizabeth and built the new port of Ngqura. In 2014, I joined Zadco in Abu Dhabi, UAE as an offshore Harbour Master and since September 2017, I am now with Hutchison International Terminals in Port of Ajman, UAE as a Manager Marine Affairs. |
| CHOWLES | JOSEPH EDWARD | 163 | |
| CHOWLES | FRANZ CONSTANTINE VON BULOW | 1400 | |
| CHRISTENSEN | GEORGE | 205 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line. |
| CHRISTENSEN | TREVOR LEIF | 2561 | Sadly my sea-going career was cut short in ’79, largely due to ill-health. I have however remained in the maritime industry ever since in Container Depots (SACD for 10 years) and with several Freight Forwarders. I am currently (2021) involved in education within the Freight Forwarding company for which I work. |
| CHRISTIE | ERIC HAROLD DACRE | 2093 | 1964 member of the S.A.T.S. General Botha Old Boys Association committee in Cape Town. Understood he worked from Eagle Insc. Co. at the time. |
| CHRISTIE | ALWYN RAMSAY | 1460 | After G.B. served Apprenticeship with Southern Steamships on the T2 tanker ‘President Brand’. After obtaining Second Officer’s Certificate joined the Royal Fleet Auxillary after a working trip to the U.K. on the Pretoria Castle as AB. Lost the sight in his right eye after an accident on board and swallowed the anchor three weeks short of Master’s Certificate. Following 2 years at a Government Training Centre and night school, took up engineering with a local Portsmouth firm as a Draughtsman. Later studied environmental engineering and joined another firm for 10 years going from Draughtsman to Technical Sales Manager. Left to start own contracting company designing, manufacturing and installing systems. Retired in 1995. Deceased 31/10/2103. |
| CHRISTISON | ALISTAIR BRUCE | 2260 | Left Bothie 1965 – cadet with Ellermans then 3rd mate and 2nd mate with Safmarine Joined Freight Services Durban as a ships Agent and was transferred to Johannesburg. Spent time with Titan Industrial and Wolhuter Steel and then joined Sappi in 1983 Retired early 2004 as Group Transport Manager and started my own distribution and logistics company – which I still run (2015). Currently (2015) engaged in analysis work for the Port of Mombasa and also helping develop the National Freight Strategy for the RSA Department Of Transport. |
| CILLIE | CHARL DANIEL | 2040 | Deceased 16/05/2013. |
| CLAASSENS | JOHN CHARL | 2685 | |
| CLACK | GRAHAM HILTON | 2432 | 10 years with Safmarine. Then Safmarine (Arthur Bluett) seconded me to Bothie for 6 months as lecturer/instructor. Came ashore for a while to start a family and joined Sea Harvest at Saldanha Bay holding Fleet Training and HR portfolio. Then spent 9 years with Irvin & Johnson in various posts: Marine Superintendent Development, Freezer Fleet Fishing Master, Senior Marine Superintendent and acting Marine Manager. Thereafter did a stint of farming in Tulbagh and found it was more profitable to be in the Marine Industry and joined Portnet in Cape Town as Tug Master also obtaining a 10,000 tonne Pilot License and did some piloting in Cape Town during my spare time. Thereafter joined OCTO Marine later known as Smit Terminals and was back offshore as Master on the Deep Salvage 1 (dive support in Oil & Gas) on the west coast of Africa and later the Tinitini. Involved with start up of new marine oil terminals (GPC) in Georgia for 2 years, followed as Marine Superintendent at start up of new terminal in Russia for 2 years. Then SMIT Terminals moved me to the UAE as HR Manager. After a total of 8 years with SMIT I joined Noble Denton Middle East as Senior Marine Surveyor and later Principal Surveyor and Marine Consultant. In this position I did some interesting projects for Saipem as Project Marine Advisor on the 4 billion dollar Dolphin Project in Qatar & UAE (offshore construction) – we chartered a total of 85 offshore vessels for this project to carry out diverse offshore works. Also enjoyed consulting for Maersk Oil Qatar on an oil field extension development project in the Al Shaheen field. After 5 years with Noble Denton, Zakher Marine International requested me to join them as Special Projects Manager carrying out Strategic Corporate Development projects. I was building capacity within the company for a supposed 2 years but ended up spending 3years with this company before finally throwing in the towel and settling down in Cape Town. In 2010 I started a business in the Green packaging technologies (Earthly Directions EcoPack (Pty) Ltd) known as EcoPack which is now flourishing. I am also actively developing related “Green Tech Businesses” within the “Earthly Directions” brand. I am really enjoying my time back home and having fun with business! |
| CLANCY | GODFREY WILLIAM | 855 | |
| CLARK | NOEL HAROLD | 414 | |
| CLARK | THOMAS OLIVER | 329 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line. 1964 harbour pilot in Durban. |
| CLARK | MALCOLM LIONEL | 1987 | Joined Safmarine and came ashore 1960.Started a career in marketing with BP Southern Africa. Emigrated to Canada in 1977 and was involved in the Aviation industry. Retired to Vancouver Island in 1997. |
| CLARK | WILLIAM EVAN | 247 | Born Durban, 30 November 1910. Son of William Evan Clark and Eleanor Evelyn; ed Mansfield Road School, Durban; cadet draft 1925/26. In 1927 William Evan Clark joined the Union Castle Mail Steamship Co. As Cadet and served in the Merchant Navy until 29 October 1942, when he was released to join the SANF. He was on his way out from England on priority passage to take up the post of Lieutenant, SANF, since he could not be attested in London, when the Ceramic, on which he was travelling, was torpedoed and sunk, and he lost his life on 7 December 1942. |
| CLARKE | LESLIE CYRIL | 1158 | 1944 was an Able Seaman in the new SANF frigate HMSAS Good Hope. |
| CLARKE | CEDRIC THOMAS | 1506 | 1949 – Joined a firm of Chartered Accountants as an Audit Clerk. 6 months later spent 8 months as Cadet on S.A.R.& H Ship ss Aloe. Whereafter returned to accounting and later commerce. 1958 – qualified as Chartered Secretary. Spent 13 years with Caltex. Various positions, including retail manager for Central African territories, leaving in 1968 as Real Estate Manager. 1968 – joined Estate Agency, Syfrets Trust Co, Ltd, Advancing to Property Sales Manager. 1973 – joined the Board of Executors to become Managing Director of their property companies. 1980 – self employed as an Investment Property Broker. Various positions on the Institute of Estate Agents. Retired and lived in Australia. Past Committee Member of the Association. Deceased 07/01/2010. |
| CLARKE | STEPHEN JOHN GORDON | 2042 | Served 5 years at sea with British India before attending Wits University, Economics and International Relations, 1964-68. Relocated to the U.K. as a Community Development Worker for 12 years and teaches as a specialist in the subject at the University of Wales. 2007 retired, but continue to teach, do research and consultancy work. Have written a few academic books and focuses most of his time on social health matters. 2014 graduated with Ph.D |
| CLARKE | PETER LESLIE | 2041 | |
| CLARKE | ANTHONY | 1401 | Went to sea with S.A. Lines on the Aelo but came ashore a year later and joined Robb Motors in their shipping department where he remained for 5 years. 1951 he joined the Municipality of Cape Town Fire Department as a Fireman and by virtue of examinations passed, rose to the rank of Station Officer. During this time was trained in all aspects of fire-fighting, fire-prevention, first aid and rescue methods. He aslo spent many years training which included marine personnel from various shipping companies as well as lecturers at the Genearl Botha, Granger Bay. During service as officer in charge of Epping Fire Station in Cape Town, initiated and conducted familiarisation tours on numerous concerns in the Epping Industrial area. Passed away 12/08/1996 from complications resulting from a burst ulcer. |
| CLARKE | PAUL MARK | 2737 | 1985 came ashore, brief stint as Marine Cargo Super for Safmarine at the container terminal before becoming assistant training manager. 1987 moved to Durban as Marine Personnel Manager for Safmarine. 1988 switched to marketing and sales with Safmarine before leaving shipping and moving into the Pharmaceutical industry in October ’88 as a sales representative with Glaxo. 1990 Promoted to regional sales manager and moved to Johannesburg. 1990 2002 stayed in the Johannesburg in the Pharmaceutical Industry but moved into marketing (with first Glaxo and thereafter Janssen-Cilag). 2002 Moved to Basel, Switzerland as a Global Brand Manager with Novartis. 2004 returned to RSA as marketing and sales manager for Consumer Health with Janssen-Cilag. 2005 Joined Aspen Pharmacare as Divisional Head. 2010 Moved to Boehringer Ingelheim as Consumer Health Care Head in RSA. 2013 Moved to Poland as Divisional Consumer Health Care Head still with BI. |
| CLARKE | FREDERICK | 1091 | |
| CLAYDON-FINK | SPENCER BERTRAM | 1169 | February 1943 – Cadet with Thesens September 1943 – Deck Boy with SAR Ships. January 1944 – June 1946 – joined a Norwegian Company as an Ordinary Seaman, promoted to Able Seaman. July 1946 returned to S.A. and sat for Mates Certificate. 1947 – 1950 – worked ashore in the Gypsum industry. May 1950 – joined Department of Sea Fisheries as an Able Seaman September 1950 – promoted to Chief Officer, 7 years, and Master for 2 years. November 1962 – transferred to S.A. Navy, Sub Liutenant. Various sea and shore appointments. Retired May 1980 with the Rank of Commander. May 1982 joined the S.A. Navy as Confidential Books Officer in a civilian capacity. Decorations: Bronze long service, 1939/45 Star Atlantic Star, Pacific Star war medal. Deceased 01/02/2006. |
| CLAYDON-FINK | ROYSTON ARTHUR | 1228 | Born Green Point, Cape Town, 22 January 1927. Son of Bertram Edward Claydon Fink and Blanche Muriel. Ed, Christian Brothers College, Green Point. Cadet Draft 1942-3. On completion of his course in General Botha, Royson Arthur Claydon Fink joined the Anglo-Saxon Pretroleum Co, as an Apprentice, serving in the m.v. Taron when she visited France, Italy and USA. In February 1945 after spending his leave in England, he was transferred to their Goldshell, in which he was serving when the tanker struck a mine off Antwerp and was blown up. It was mid-day and with the exception of a few memebrs of the crew, all were having lunch. Those who were on deck and were thrown into the sea, were rescued, but Royston Arthur Claydon Fink was not one of the survivors; and his death due to drowning was presumed on 16th April 1945. |
| CLAYTON | MICHAEL JOHN | 1018 | 1964 serving in the S.A. Navy. |
| CLAYTON | CHARLES JOHN | 2433 | Sailed with Unicorn Lines and Durban Lines 1971 – 76. Then worked for pharmaceutical companies until moving to Canada in 1998 where he worked in the IT industry, 2005 TLE Manager for Wal-Mart. Was also a volunteer with the Canadian Coast Guard Auxiliary as a Captain. President of Mensa Toronto after being chairman of Cape Town and Durban branches of Mensa. Deceased 23/03/2008. |
| CLEARY | JOHN JOSEPH CURTIS | 546 | Royal Tank Corps in the thirties. |
| CLEGG | IAN PHILLIP | 2793 | Deceased. |
| CLEVENOT | CHRISTOPHER PATRICE | 2898 | 1996 serving at sea with Safmarine. 2001 relocated to New Zealand. 2019 a pilot for the Port of Tauranga for the last eight years, before that was pilot-tug driver in Auckland for about five years. |
| CLIFTON | LIONEL HENRY | 137 | 1937 studying to be ordained in the Church. |
| CLIFTON | KEITH JAMES LAW | 1159 | Deceased May 2010. Submitted by Michael Linck: “Keith was a great guy and one who favoured maintaining high standards, albeit personally remaining quietly in the background.. He was born in Kimberley. Like me, both he and I were General Botha 1941/2 vintage. Also, similar to me, he wet to sea as a midshipman R.N.R. and served on cruisers of the East Indies and British Pacific Fleets. At the end of the Second World War he transferred to the S.A.N. and later obtained a B.Com degree at the University of CapeTown. Around about that time he was also Honorary Secretary of the CapeTown Branch of the General Botha Old Boys Association, successfully helping its early development. Subsequently he held positions with both Imperial Tobacco and Mobil Oil, both in secretarial and accountancy roles. For a time he was also a principal aide to Evan Campbell, the former High Commissioner for Rhodesia in the UK and travelled with him on Tobacco Industry promotional visits, mainly to the Far East. Before finally retiring Keith moved from Johannesburg to CapeTown and ultimately settled at Silvermine Village, Noordhoek. |
| CLOETE | COLIN ANTHONY | 2640 | Safmarine 1978 -1979, General Botha 1979, SADF Oudtshoorn 1980, Lt Marines 1981, IT Operations & contract programmer 1982 in various IT companies Deqtime, Ollivetti, Xerox. Sales & Management roles in ACTNET, DENEL, IBM. Started own companies, contracted in Saudi Arabia as project manager 2002 – 2005, Started own company Quintica Middle East in Dubai 2006 – 2011, sold company and 2013 reside in Cape Town. |
| CLOUGH | ANTHONY DAVID | 1579 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 With the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company in the Far East. |
| COBURN | FRANK STILWELL | 547 | Born Heidelberg, Transvaal, 31st December 1916. Son of George Oldham Coburn and Jessie Gertrude, nee Stilwell. Ed, Witbank Intermediate School. Cadet Draft 1931-2. In 1933 Frank Stilwell Coburn became an apprentice with Messrs. Hogarth & Sons, serving in their Baron Dichmont and later in their Narragansett, when she was lost in mid-Atlantic on 25th March 1942. He was reported missing, presumed drowned. |
| CODRINGTON | WILLIAM ALEXANDER | 1640 | 1952 joined Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co (Shell Tankers) as apprentice, promoted to 2nd Officer. 1960 joined Union Castle Mail Steamship Co. until 1972 when Chief Officer. Included 5 years as Cadet Training Officer both ashore and afloat. 1973 joined Gulf Oil Tankers and served in command of their tankers until 1976. Then joined World Wide Shipping Agency in command and served at sea until 1979 when came ashore in Hong Kong as Port Captain and presently (1996) in charge of group safety, training and environment with various ancillary responsibilities. Also serving on assorted nautical and educational committees in Hong Kong. Appointed a Director of World Wide Shipping Agency on the 1st of January 1994. 1998 retired in London but acts as Marine Advisor to World Wide Shipping Agency. Deceased 01/12/2006. In 1961 he inherited a baronetcy from his father and became Sir William Codrington Bart. |
| COERTZE | PAUL JOHN | 2754 | |
| COETSEE | KENNETH KERR | 680 | Deceased 11/10/98 |
| COETZEE | PETER DWIGHT | 2171 | 1964 cadet in Safmarine’s m.v. Langkloof. 2003 Warehouse Manager, Western Cape, for Safcor Panalpina. 2006 retired. Committee Member of GBOBA Cape Town Branch. 2011 founding board member of GBOBA Bursary Fund including a period as Treasurer. |
| COETZEE | MARIUS JOHAN | 2 | After Bothie qualified as a Millwright with the S.A. Railways before going to sea with the Union Castle and Safmarine. Obtained Chief Engineer’s Certificate followed by a B.Sc at University of Cape Town. Returned to SA Railways & Harbours before joining SA Airways. 1978 relocated to Canada and 2002 was a consulting engineer working in the field of electric power station design. Retired. Changed surname from Coetzee to Smith. |
| COETZEE | MARIO | 742 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. |
| COETZEE | BAREND FREDERICK | 2200 | Did not return 1962. |
| COLE | LEONARD ANTHONY | 1641 | Joined Irvin & Johnson as a Cadet working through the ranks to become a Fishing Master based in Durban for the company. Later returned to Cape Town participating on various fishing expeditions including Mount Vema and Tristan da Cuha. 1972 based in Walvis Bay, fishing. Has caught all species of prdouct which one obtains from the sea, from the “lowly” stock fish to finding the first prawn grounds off the Kwa-Zulu Natal and Mocambique coasts. 2008 retired. |
| COLE | EDWARD WILLIAM | 548 | |
| COLE | THOMAS ROBERT DOYLE | 494 | |
| COLEMAN | KENNETH SOMERVILLE | 374 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. |
| COLEMAN | GEORGE MARTIN | 1284 | reported deceased June 2008. |
| COLEMAN | DAVID HUGH MICHAEL | 2827 | Previously with Freight Marine Shipping as Ship’s agent and in 1997 with S.A. Marine Corporation Bulk Division. 2000 Operations Manager, Martrade London 2001 Operations Manager, Dry Bulk, Billiton Freight Trading, Holland. |
| COLEMAN | NELSON JAMES | 1075 | |
| COLEMAN | DERRICK NIGEL WOODYATT | 1507 | 1949 signed on the seine net fishing vessel, FV North Cape, for delivery from San Pedro, California, to Cape Town. Was lost overboard without trace off the coast of South America. |
| COLEPEPER | PHILIP NICHOLAS | 12 | After G.B. appointed probationary Midshipman Royal Navy Reserve and apprentice with Clan Line. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Clan Line. |
| COLLIER | PETER CHARLES | 2296 | 1968 to 1974 at sea with Safmarine. Thereafter came ashore and became a Human Resources Manager for Sports Equipment International, Tongaat Hulett Sugar, Dunlop Tyres. 2008 established his own company as a Human Resource Consultant. 2009 joined Agri-IQ as their Projects and Human Resource Director. Retired end of 2016. |
| COLLINS | GEOFFREY | 2239 | 1996 – working for the National Productivity Institute in Cape Town. 2010 retired. |
| COLLINS | DENZIL RICHARD | 1642 | Dec 1951 – Jan 1960 Safmarine – Cadet to Chief Officer 1959 – Obtained Masters F.G. Certificate 1960 – 61 Dart & Howes in Export Department 1961 – joined Ellerman & Bucknall with whom appointed to Operations department Cape Town 1972 – 76 Assistant Branch Manager Durban 1976 – 83 Regional Manager Port Elizabeth 1983 – 90 General Manager Natal, Durban 1991 promoted Director of E&B, Cape Town August 1997 retired. Deceased 23rd June 2016. |
| COLLOCOTT | EDWIN REGINALD | 971 | Deceased 06/04/1998. Sailed on Safmarine’s S.A. Morgenster in 1948/49. Subsequently worked for Wispeco in Jacobs. |
| COLLY | DAVID JOHN | 2470 | Holds Extra Masters Certificate. 1995 – Principal Officer, Department of Transport, Port of Richards Bay. 1996 – Transferred to DOT Cape Town, later named SAMSA. 2014 retired to farming. |
| COLMAN | RONALD BASIL | 1545 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Served in the South African Marine Corporation as a Cadet for 6 months. Gave up the sea and is now (1952) a draughtsman in Cape Town. |
| COLTMAN | IVAN HALLEY | 241 | |
| COLTMAN | CHARLES HARRY | 801 | |
| COLYVAS | DIONISIOS | 802 | 1940 serving on RFA War Brahmin. |
| COMMERFORD | ALAN ANTHONY | 2524 | I sailed with Safmarine from 1975 to 1982, inclusive, before deciding to look for greener pastures ashore. During this time I obtained my 1st Mates & Mates tickets and was probably about 10 months seatime away from being able to write my Masters when I decided to leave the sea. I enrolled at UCT and did a five year BSc course studying Quantity Surveying. My seagoing experience and qualifications stood me in good stead during these years though as I was able to get an end of year vacation job with Unicorn, in a seagoing capacity, where I earned enough to keep me in beer, cigarettes and rent for another year. Varsity fees was another thing though which kept me in debt for a number of years after graduating. After UCT I worked for a number of years as a quantity surveyor in a small Cape Town practice before joining Old Mutual Property as a Property Development Manager and I have been here for the past 20 or so years. |
| COMPION | MARTIN HORAK | 1345 | 1946 – 1952 – In business in Windhoek raising funds for medical studies. Commissioned in ACF. Artillery training on Robben Island. 1953 – 1959 – Studied and graduated at Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin. Returned to S.A. General practise after internship in Uitenhage and East London. During years of practise in Namibia transferred to medical corps and did annual duty on the border as a Major. 1989 – Semi retired, Swakopmund. Doing a daily clinic at Henties Bay. Town Councillor of Swakopmund. “Only one claim to fame – I bet you haven’t one Bothie boy who has pulled a live, but doped, lions tooth.” Deceased 2018. |
| CONNOCK | TERENCE ALLOYN | 972 |
Served in the Royal Navy, including Submarines. Served on H.M.S. Cumberland with N. John G. Young (No 1080 1939/40) for 2 1/2 years and then on “Asturias” until she was torpedoed on 24/07/1943. The Italian submarine which torpedoedt eh “Asturias” surrendered about a month later and was brought into Durban. Following received from D.E. Cowley #1093:”Although I lost track of him for a while when I was living in the U.K., I met up with him again during the 70’s. He was at that time working in the publishing business in Durban but died suddenly, I think in the late 70’s, of a heart attack. I attended his funeral at Stellawood. As I recall Terry was SCC in 1940 and Joung Young was CCC.” |
| CONNOLLY | NORMAN WATSON | 4 | After a long battle with cancer passed away 26th November 2015. Norm is one of 5 Fish Hoek boys who attended Bothie between 58 to 61. Post Bothie he completed a heavy engineering apprenticeship at the naval dockyard, Simonstown. At that time it was still under Royal Navy control. He joined Safmarine’s ss SA Merchant, completed one trip and decided seafaring wasn’t for him. Norm was very unhappy about “apartheid” and after marrying, migrated to Australia. At this time the Australian east coast was developing its electricity grid, building power stations. Norm joined the construction teams, after one was completed one moved to the next. So this meant caravan living, two sons were were born and raised in a caravan. Norm built a house at Caves Beach, Newcastle, NSW (very like Fish Hoek). Started work at the coal loading facility Newcastle harbour (government run). Then when coal exports increased beyond the government facility a huge private enterprise coal loading was built and Norm worked there until retirement. A very good tradesman, completed complicated house alterations, enjoyed surfing, camping, did many trips up north with his 4WD + offroad caravan. In retirement enjoyed cruising around the Pacific islands. Norm and Jen had a great relationship of 50 years and 3 wonderful children, 2 boys and a daughter. Norm was always ready to stop what he was doing to help someone else. He has been taken before his time. |
| CONNOR | BRIAN JAMES | 1402 | 1964 representative of an engineering company, Durban. |
| CONRADIE | IVAN | 681 | |
| CONSIDINE | TREVOR | 1222 | |
| COOK | PETER WALLACE | 1546 | Deceased 10/03/2004 Served a short while with Elder Dempster Lines. Later joined the civil service, retiring in 1993. |
| COOK | RICHARD MILLER | 1285 | Previously farmed tobacco in Rhodesia. |
| COOK | PETER RONALD | 2860 | 1994 sailing as Second Officer with Safmarine. 1999 at sea with De Beers Marine, Diamond Mining. |
| COOK | ANTHONY HOWARD | 1160 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952. Part owner of a fishing boat – African Boy – at Port Elizabeth |
| COOK | DOUGLAS REGINALD | 614 | Apprenticed to Anglo Saxon Line and Hogarth Line. Was a POW during WWII. |
| COOKE | JOHN THOMAS | 743 | |
| COOKE | ALAN AUSTIN | 2275 | 1968 – Sailing on the S.A. Stateman, Safmarine. Thereafter with Mediterranean Shipping Company and in 1997 started his own ship’s agency, Seamaster Maritime, based in Durban. Deceased 27/08/2008. Alan was born in Cape Town in 1948. He matriculated at Pinelands High School and attended GB during 1966. After serving as a Cadet with Safmarine Alan joined Durban Lines and gained his Masters Ticket at the age of 26 (youngest Master in the group). He came ashore in 1972 and joined Mediterranean Shipping Company [MSC], later Rennies, as operations manager. In 1994 he formed a partnership Seamaster Marine which later became Vulindela Agencies. Alan passed away on 27 August 2008 |
| COOKE | PETER JOHN DENTON | 2413 | |
| COOKE | WILLIAM BARRY | 1030 | |
| COOKE | JAMES EDWARD | 61 | 1964 joined the S.A. Navy Diving School as Leading Diver. Director of Atlatech (Pty) Ltd. Company provides diving, salvage, shipcleaning, pumping, drydock, painting, oil pollution control and stevedoring services. 1983 awarded the Woltemade Decoration for Bravery, Silver for laying demolition charges on the bow section of the burning oil tanker Castillo de Bellver. |
| COOMBE | NOEL HENRY | 149 | |
| COOPER | NICHOLAS | 2094 | 1960 – 76, sailed with T&J Harrison and later with Geest Line. 2 years Master on a 600T Coaster, tramping. 2 years master on a 650T Twin Screw Motor Yacht based in Monte Carlo. 3 years Chief Officer with Kuwait Shipping Company. 1976 – 79, Master with Uiterwyk Corporation. 1979 – 83 Port Captain with Uiterwyk Corp based in Alexandria, Egypt. 1984 – 89 Marine Cargo surveyor with Perfect, Lambert & Co, of London covering Mediterranean and Middle East. 1989 – 90, Port Captain with Afram Inc Tampa, Florida. 1990 – 91 Marine Superintendent with Gulfship Marine Inc. based in Houston. 1992, Port Captain with London Offshore Consultants Inc. and Ewig International of Houston, Consultant with Allied Maritime Co. 1993, Chief Officer with Safmarine and Master with Midocean Ship management. 1994, Master with Pentow Marine and 1995 Master with Safmarine, of Cape Town. 2000 joined Maersk as Master. Past President of the Nautical Institute. Deceased 30th April 2018. |
| COPE | WILLIAM KNOX | 1813 | Bill (‘Ben’) Cope was another student from that famous Boys’ High School in Potchefstroom, the school that has produced so many leading Bothie Boys. At the General Botha he not only did well scholastically, winning the prize for practical seamanship, but also excelled as a sportsman, pulling in the ‘A’ whaler crew and forming part of the boxing team. In his senior year, he was promoted Junior Cadet Captain. On leaving the Botha, Bill served his apprenticeship with Ellerman Hall Line, sailing in the City of Dundee and City of Philadelphia, along with Louis Nel. After passing his second mates in Cape Town, Bill decided to give up the sea and took a job with the Metal Box Company in the field of quality assurance. He then moved through De Beers Diamond Research, the concrete division of Hume Pipe Company and then to the clay division of Stone Quarry and Crushing. A career change from cement and concrete took him to the South African Bureau of Standards where he served in their civil engineering department’s minerals testing lab in Cape Town before becoming a SABS accreditation and quality systems auditor. 1995 Bill established his own company, Petro Malan Associates, Industrial Engineering Consultants, finally retiring in 2005. He was married to Jeanne and they have two daughters. Bill and Jeanne lived happily in a pleasant retirement complex in Noordhoek. Deceased 29th June 2020. |
| COPE | GEORGE ALFRED | 363 | 1964 employed in a responsible position connected with the Cape Explosive Factory. |
| COPE | EDWARD CECIL | 274 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line. |
| COPELAND | CHRISTOPHER HARVEY | 1814 | One of our ‘mad Rhodesians’, Chris Copeland came from Prince Edward School, Salisbury. He proved an outstanding boxer, taking part in the Western Province Schools’ Championship, the Novice Championship along with various inter-watch tournaments, ending his two years undefeated. He was also the cymbalist in the band. In his senior year he won a seamanship prize and the Good Fellowship Trophy. Chris commenced his seagoing career in Shell Tankers T2 tanker Tectarius, together with Dick Whipp and Mike Shaw. After a year he was transferred to the white oil carrier Bela on the Malaysian coast. In June 1956 he joined the Volsella being promoted to fourth mate, serving on the Persian Gulf to Haifa run via the Cape. In this ship he found himself in the first northbound convoy after the re-opening of the Suez Canal. In July 1957 he was transferred to the Hydatina as third mate finding John Sampson (51/52) there as second mate. Chris then attended the King Edward VII Nautical College in London, obtaining his second mates in December 1958 after which he returned to Rhodesia on leave. During this leave spell Shell Rhodesia offered Chris a position discharging fuel barges from Kigoma at Mpulungu on Lake Tanganyika. He accepted and then worked in various positions in Zambia, Rhodesia and Malawi until 1982 when he transferred to BP in Johannesburg and then to the Eastern Cape and Cape Town. Retiring in 1996 after 40 years with the Shell/BP Group, Chris returned to East London to relax, sunbathe and play golf but instead, started his own fuel agency, selling products for Exel and BP and an environmental firm. While working in Ndola in 1966, Chris met and married Jenny Curtis and they have two sons, both of whom are married and are also living in East London. Chris’ future plans are to sell the business, reduce his golf handicap and take on Tiger Woods! |
| COPLAND | NICHOLAS RICHARD | 2775 | |
| COPPINGER | ANTHONY STEPHEN | 1092 | Born 1925. Deceased 2006. WWII Air Mechanic SAAF. |
| COQUELLE | PAUL ROBERT NOEL | 449 |
1930 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Union Castle Line. |
| COQUELLE | BRUCE D’ARCY | 2261 | Sailed for three years on an ore carrier to Japan, a tanker to the Persian Gulf and a container ship between S.A. and U.K. Then became a salesperson with a company involved in the distribution of STP oil additives. 1975 started his own automotive accessory business which 30 years later is known as Autoquip Group PTY LTD. Deceased January 2012. BORN ON BENONI ON 25TH MARCH 1947. WENT TO BOARDING SCHOOL IN KIMBERLEY FROM AGE 6. EDUCATED AT KIMBERLEY BOYS PREP AND MATRICULATED FROM KIMBERLEY BOY’S HIGH IN 1964. PLAYED ‘CRAVEN WEEK’ RUGBY AND ‘NUFFIELD WEEK’ CRICKET WHILST AT SCHOOL, ACCEPTED FOR THE GENERAL BOTHA MERCHANT NAVY TRAINING COLLAGE IN GORDON’S BAY IN 1965. JOINED SAFMARINE IN 1966 AS A JUNIOR NAVIGATION OFFICER AND SERVED FOR 3 YEARS ON BULK CARRIERS, TANKERS AND GENERAL CARGO VESSELS. RESIGNED IN 1969 AS A RESULT OF FAILING AN EYE TEST PRIOR TO WRITING 2ND.MATES EXAM. JOINED QUINTON HAZELL SUPERITE AS A SALES REP AND OVER THE NEXT 10 YEARS OCCUPIED VARIOUS MANAGEMENT POSITIONS IN DIFFERENT SUBSIDIARIES WITHIN THEIR STABLE. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A 3 YEAR STINT WITH TRICO WINDSCREEN WIPER BLADES AS MARKETING MANAGER, WHEREAFTER HE JOINED A FRIEND, GEORGE SANTANA IN HIS NEWLY FORMED BUSINESS, AUTOQUIP, AS GENERAL MANAGER FOR JOHANNESBURG. A YEAR LATER, HE AND GEORGE BOUGHT OUT THE THEN MAJOR SHAREHOLDER, PARTS CENTRE. IN 1987 THE GROUP LISTED ON THE J.S.E. TO TAKE ADVANTAGE OF THE LISTINGS BOOM AND TO RE-FINANCE THE BUSINESS. IT LISTED ON THE VERY SAME DAY THAT WALL STREET CRASHED. IN 1988 GEORGE EMMIGRATED TO AUSTRALIA WITH HIS FAMILY AND BRUCE BECAME MANAGING DIRECTOR. IN EARLY 2000 THE DECISION WAS TAKEN TO DELIST THE COMPANY. IN FEBRUARY 2008 RELOCATED FROM JOHANNESBURG TO GORDON’S BAY AND COMMUTED TO HEAD OFFICE IN JOHANNESBURG ON A BI-WEEKLY BASIS. BRUCE PASSED AWAY ON THE 7th.JANUARY 2012 AFTER A LONG ILLNESS. BRUCE IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE , DAWN , HIS 2 CHILDREN & 2 STEP CHILDREN |
| CORDER | ALISTAIR SCOTT | 2828 | October 1999 Managing Director Apliso.com Somerset West, Western Cape. My own company specialising in ISO Management Systems, Health and Safety, Quality Management, Environment Management as well as Training and Business Consulting. |
| CORNELL | LUKE CHRISTOPHER | 2718 | |
| CORNISH | ANTHONY COLIN | 1161 | |
| CORNISH | MORTON BARRY | 1815 | For years Barry completely confused the General Botha records by starting off as Barry Cornish from Maritzburg College and ending up, through adoption, as Barry Young. He was an outstanding swimmer and in the Gordon’s Bay Regatta, came first in the junior mile open sea race and a year later, second in the senior mile open sea race. In his senior year, Barry was promoted to Junior Cadet Captain and at year’s end, won the prize for character and came third in the Queen’s Gold Medal competition. He added to this by beating the side drum in the band. Barry enjoyed the Botha so much that he stayed for a third year becoming Drum Major! On leaving the Botha he went off to British India Line, serving with them for many years. Together with Mike Briant, he wrote his second mates at Warsash then, in due course, his mates, masters and Extra Masters (the latter by the age of 27) all at Warsash. During this time he met and married Suzanne Olier, a nurse from the South of France working in London. Barry then bought a small yacht in which he, Suzanne and their three month old daughter Veronica sailed out to South Africa. Obtaining a job with African Coasters as master of the Nahoon, he was soon promoted marine superintendent with them. After three years there, Barry took a job with Zapata Oil, working as master in their oil field supply vessels. He then moved to ODECO, a drilling rig company, taking command of the Ocean Prospector, the world’s first self-propelled semi-submersible oil rig. In 1975 Barry and family emigrated to New Zealand to take up a teaching post with the New Zealand Maritime School in Auckland where he found steady employment for fifteen years. Barry then set up his own school, the ‘City of Sails Maritime School’ in Auckland and continued actively running it for many years while also lecturing at the Maritime School. Barry remained a keen competitive swimmer all his life, swimming every day. He was the only New Zealander in the Masters Section of the International Swimming ‘Hall of Fame’ in Fort Lauderdale, Florida to have held several FINA world masters records. In his late sixties Barry designed and built a motorised catamaran naming her Pacific Zulu. He and Suzanne had had plans to go cruising in Tonga, Fiji and other Pacific archipelagos but technical issues and, perhaps, senior years put paid to that wonderful idea! Barry, happily retired with Suzanne in Auckland for many years – with their daughter, two sons and three grandchildren all there too, died 4th December 2014. |
| CORNISH | SIMEON REEVE | 917 | Served in the Royal Navy during WWII. 29 September 1939 appointed as Cadet RNR to the Armed Merchant Cruiser Carnarvon Castle. |
| COTTER | JOHN WILLIAM PATRICK | 3 | |
| COTTRELL | PETER | 1931 | |
| COURAGE | ANTHONY | 2201 | Royal Marines, England. Reported deceased 1999. |
| COURAGE | PHILIP MARK | 1702 | |
| COURT | CHRISTOPHER PAUL | 2792 | Resigned from Safmarine in January 1986 and moved to the U.K. Obtained an H.N.D. in Marine Engineering (Design Field). Wandered the world working in some weird and strange countries and places doing equally strange jobs. Finally returned to Africa in about mid 1989 and opened own business. Did a lot of work in the engineering line and graphic design field. Sold this business to his employees in mid 1991, after relocating to Durban. Worked in Durban at Dorbyl Marine as the Mechanical & Piping Design Section Leader for their very recent new builds for C.S.M. Relocated with wife and son to the U.K. Self employed as a Technical Consultant and Designer in various fields. 2010 Manager for an IACS Classification Society Project Department for Europe, African and the Middle East (European Division) which deal with new buildings and major conversions in both the Marine and Offshore Sectors. |
| COUSENS | RICHARD OWEN | 2142 | Did not complete the training, spent only 1 year on the ship. |
| COUSENS | RICHARD CARRINGTON | 495 | 1931 Senior Cadet Captain. 1931 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. DOB 23/07/1914. After Bothie sailed as apprentice for 3 years with the British Tanker Company. After obtaining second Officer’s certificate returned to S.A. and joined a mining company. At the outbreak of WWII joined the Seaward Defense Force and served on S.A. vessels and Royal Navy destroyers in the Mediterranean, during which time he commanded two anti-submarine escort vessels. After WWII returned to S.A. and joined the S.A. Navy. First command was the SAS Transvaal and in 1955 commanded the SAS Good Hope. 1959 appointed Commander of the Dockyard followed in 1961 with the appointment of Naval Attaché to the S.A. Embassy in London for a four year period. On return to S.A. In 1965 was given command of the SAS Tafelberg, the newly acquired fleet replenishment vessel. Retired from the S.A. Navy 31st July 1972. Deceased 25/09/2007. |
| COUSENS | GORDON BRYCE FRANCIS | 312 | |
| COWAN | FRANK SANDWELL | 117 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line. |
| COWAN | HUGH HAMILTON | 154 | Did not complete training. |
| COWELL | PETER JAMES | 2262 | 1994 – Iscor, Saldanha Bay. 2005 Atlantic Maritime Services, independent marine consultant and surveyor. |
| COWIE | GORDON MINDEN | 25 | After Bothie joined the S.A.R.&H. Ships and later South African Naval Service as Ordinary Seaman. |
| COWLEY | DENNIS EDWARD | 1093 | Served his time with Bank Line (Andrew Weir) Third Mate with Weirs, Elder Dempster, Mollers and Safmarine. Second Mate with African Coasters and later with Smiths Coasters based in Durban. Assistant Superintendent (1965-67) and Superintendent (1967-80) of the Durban Corporation Shark Meshing Operation off Durban and Brighton Beach. Retired 1980. Deceased 10th August 2016. His campaign medals included the Atlantic Star, the Africa Star and the Burma Star. “A belated thank you for your kind message when Dennis died. There can’t be many left now who were on the ship but he was very proud of being one of the “originals” and we never went to CapeTown without making a special pilgrimage to Simonstown where all the well remembered landmarks were pointed out to me. I mentioned to you that I would see if there was anything I could add to his biography in the Muster List but this is all I could find so feel free to use as much or as little of it as you wish or have space for in the November Newsletter. Dennis’s two years on the General Botha ended in December 1941 and in 1942 at the tender age of 16 he joined the British Merchant Service and was apprenticed to Bank Line for three years to the end of 1944, most of that time on ships involved in the Atlantic convoys sailing out of Glasgow and Liverpool to New York and Halifax, Canada. When I was looking through Dennis’s papers I came across his Ordinary Apprentice’s Indenture, an impressive document which stated that in addition to board and lodging he would be paid six pounds for the first year, eight for the second and twelve for the third, in return for which he would undertake (amongst other things) “not to frequent taverns or alehouses, nor play at unlawful games”. Then on the reverse of this document it was certified that the said Apprentice “served with us and during the period was attentive to his duties, willing and strictly sober” so both sides of the bargain were kept and at the end of his three year apprenticeship Dennis walked away with twenty six pounds plus War Risk Money! After the war his service with various shipping companies, including Elder Dempster, Mollers and Safmarine, took him to the Far East, India, Ceylon (as it was then) and Australia as well as to South America. Then after some years ashore he joined African Coasters and later Smith’s Coasters based in Durban, but in 1965 he got the job of Assistant Superintendent, and two years later Superintendent, of the Durban Corporation Shark Meshing Operation for Durban and Brighton Beach, and by so doing kept his connection with the sea till he retired in 1980. As a keen member of the GBOBA he never missed the opportunity of attending a Bothie gathering on our return visits to Durban from Canada and always looked forward to the arrival of the Newsletter, even if as time went on, the only reference to any of his contemporaries was likely to be in Anchors Aweigh! I’m sorry I couldn’t have come up with more revelations about Dennis’s adventurous life but I did my best and look forward to seeing the final entry in the November Newsletter, after which of course please remove our email address from the mailing list. But I want to say that you do a great job Tony, and thank you for all the pleasure you gave Dennis and continue to give to so many others by keeping the Bothie spirit alive. With kindest regards Jennifer Cowley |
| COWLEY | TIMOTHY JOHN | 2172 | After G.B. went to sea with Blue Star Line of London and later with Ellermans and then Safmarine. 1970 joined the South African Navy as Lieutenant until 1973 whereafter joined Land & Marine and salvage Contractors as Master of the LM Gemsbok which foundered in Table Bay on 2/9/75. Thereafter in command of the company’s replacement tug/supply and salvage crafts before being promoted to Marine superintendent and then Operations Director. March 1984 transferred to London and set up a shipbroking office for land & marine. 1986 company amalgamated with Safmarine Tug Division to form Pentow Marine and the London office closed. Elected to stay in the U.K. and founded Marint Offshore Services employing a team of specialist towage and salvage consultants and brokers. |
| COX | MICHAEL HOWARD TESLING | 973 | Seconded to the Royal Navy for the duration of the hostilities leaving GB early and appointed to the AMC Carnarvon Castle as Temp. Prob. Midshipman and saw action against the German raider Thor. Also served on Destroyer HMS Scimitar and Corvette HMS Nigella. Demobbed after the war as a lieutenant. After the war did various jobs including running a pleasure launch in East London for 5 years. Passed away from cancer in 1972 after seeing his third son complete his time on the Bothie. Submitted by his son Kieron Cox (2364, 1969): Delving a bit deeper. He was listed as Sub Lieutentant in 1 October 1944 in the SAN but seconded to the RN (promoted to Sub Lt 25 Sep 1943. “From what I gather he spent the 1943 onwards in the Indian Ocean. He was married on the 25 March 1946 in uniform and I guess demobbed shortly afterward. My brothers and I understood that he was promoted to full Lieutenant sometime after October 1944 but before the wedding.” |
| COX | PETER JOHN | 1223 | Junior Cadet Captain and runner up for the King’s Gold Medal. Sailed as Cadet in the m.v. Sealandia, a Danish war prize run by the S.A. government as a troopship, thereafter in the S.A.R.& H. ships, Agulhas, Erica, Dahlia, and Hangklip. Joined the harbour service after obtaining Master’s in 1952. Started in Walvis Bay and served in all ports, except Port Elizabeth in various capacities. Was a harbour pilot in Durban during the hectic days of the Suez crisis in 1967. Appointed Port Captain and opened up Richard’s Bay in 1976 and piloted the first ship in to the harbour, S.A. Vaal. Promoted from there to Port Captain of Cape Town in 1982 and very shortly afterwards appointed Port Director Durban, being the first marine officer to be given this post which was in overall charge of the port’s total operation. Retired October 1986 and then completed a B.Com. Deceased July 2012. |
| COX | GEORGE | 1461 | |
| COX | KIERON MICHAEL TESLING | 2364 | Went to sea with Safmarine, obtained his Master’s F.G. in 1978, and joined the staff of the S.A.M.N.A. General Botha in 1979. 1984 he became responsible for all simulation training at the academy. On the demise of the Academy in 1988 he formed his own company, now called Maretek, which specialises in Maritime Educational Systems and has supplied radar simulation and computer aided training packages to all of the nautical establishments in S.A. and Namibia as well as some in Germany, Canada and Scotland. For some years he followed in his father’s footsteps and ran pleasure trips on the Charter Vessel Condor at the time that the Cape Town Victoria and Alfred Waterfront was being developed. Has carried out VTS projects in South Africa, Vietnam, Estonia and Portugal. Has designed and supplied some 11 Radar Simulators in both Namibia and South Africa. Marine Educational Software used in many parts of the world. 2015 the National Sea Rescue Institute awarded Keiron their “Alric Simpson Award” for his remarkable contribution over the past 29 years to the training of NSRI crew. Previously GB Trust Trustee and GBOBA Cape Town Branch secretary. |
| COX | THOMAS STANLEY | 549 | Entered Sun Line as “Wireless Watcher”. 1964 owned a garage business in Rhodesia. |
| COX | ROBIN WAVELL | 2043 | Reported deceased. |
| COXON | NEIL CHRISTOPHER JACK | 2899 | |
| COXON | TREVOR JAMES | 2514 | 1974 – 86 – sailed with Unicorn Lines, obtained Masters Certificate in 1983. February 1986 – joined Rennie Murray & Co. Durban as a Marine Surveyor. December 1995 – transferred to Maritech Services Durban as Marine Surveyor and Branch Manager. 2014 own company Marine Surveyors and Consultants based in Durban. |
| COXON | BRIAN | 2414 | 1996 – Master with Unicorn Lines. 2016 Master with Grindrod Group. |
| COXWELL | WILLIAM JOHN ESMOND | 1988 | |
| CRABBE | ANTHONY ERIC | 2365 | Joined Deutche Afrika Linien Gmbh. with Neil Brown and Keith Wright. On the sale of M.V. Stellenbosch in 1983 moved with the vessel to the new owners as master. Worked as tug master and pilot in East London. In 1998 moved to Dubai Drydocks as Dock Master/Pilot In 2008 moved to Marine Superintendent for the Dubai Royal Fleet and thereafter as DPA/CSO for the Abu Dhabi Royal Fleet. Now owner/partner with Fabyachts, a yacht management company in Dubai, while cruising the English canals and rivers in the summer on his widebeam “Marimba”. |
| CRANE | CHRISTOPHER IAN | 2876 | 2020 stated his own business “Ian Crane Maritime Ltd.” Carnival U.K. Southampton Apr 04 – Jun 20 Manager Cunard and P&O Cruises. Mitsui O.S.K. Bulk Shipping Europe Ltd. London May 02 – Apr 04 Asst Manager car carrier section. Inchcape shipping services Southampton Oct 00 – May 02 Port Agent. Diamond Shipping Durban Apr 98 – Mar 99 Operations manager. Tucuxi Maritime Richards Bay Jun 97 – Apr 98 Manager. Tall ships (PTY) Ltd Richards Bay Sep 95 – Jun 97 Port Agent. Centromar Shipping Durban Apr 95 – Aug 95 Port Agent. Marcanship Agency Durban Jul 94 – Apr 95 Port Agent. Rennies Ships Agency Durban Dec 92 – Jul 94 Port Agent. Centromar Shipping Durban Nov89 – Jul 92 Port Agent. Unicorn Lines Johannesburg Jul 88 – Nov 89 Freight assistant. Unicorn Lines Durban Jul 84 – Jul 88 Deck Cadet. |
| CRAXTON | CHARLES LEONARD VALENTINE | 450 | Cadet with Union Castle Line, ss “Sandown Castle”. |
| CREEL | RICHARD BRUCE | 1094 | |
| CREWE | MICHAEL GEORGE | 1757 | Sailed with Ellerman & Bucknall until 1957 when he came ashore to join E.A. Hiles & Co in Johannesburg. 1959 travelled to Europe in a Norwegian vessel and in 1963 worked in marine claims at Lloyds before joining a large firm of assessors in London in their marine department. 1966 returned to S.A. and joined a small insurance firm which grew and is now First Bowrings. 1972 started his own business of marine surveying and loss adjustment until 1992 when offered Branch Manager of Rennie Murray in Johannesburg until retirement in 1997. |
| CREWS | ARTHUR BERTRAM | 418 | Obtained first class certificates in both navigation and scholastic, and ordinary in seamanship at final examinations of S.A.T.S. General Botha. Prizes won: second navigation and seamanship, second non-technical subjects and second in mathematics. Was apprenticed to Elder Dempster Line and served in s.s. Fantee and Calgary. Born 13th November 1912. Died at Durban on the 14th April 1933 as a result of a boating accident. |
| CROFTON | ROY WILFRED HARTLEY | 2276 | Reportedly deceased. |
| CROMER | PETER MILTON | 1162 | |
| CROMMERLIN | PETER KEMSLEY LAKE | 1031 | |
| CRONIN | DENIS JOHN | 856 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1953. Lieutenant-Commander in S.A. Navy. Reported in “Both watches” 1959. Deceased 20/11/59. Joined Harrison Line in 1939. In 1942 he entered the South African Naval Forces as Sub-Lieutenant, serving in minesweepers and motor launches until his appointment as Navigating Officer to South Africa’s first frigate, HMSAS Good Hope. In 1954, he became a Lieutenant-Commander, and his last appointment was fleet communications officer to the South African Navy Chief of Staff. |
| CROOME | KEITH BROWN | 1816 | Keith Croome was another product of Wynberg Boys’ High School. In his second year he was promoted to Senior Cadet Captain and his watch, Starboard Watch, won the Inter-Watch Sporting Trophy. On leaving the General Botha, while waiting for his ship, his father suggested that he take a temporary job at John Dickinson and Company (Croxley). By the time Keith was finally called to sea in March he was firmly established ashore and had met his wife to be, Vi Behrens and so declined the appointment ‘with thanks’. In January 1959 he and Vi were married in Fish Hoek and Keith accepted a transfer to Bloemfontein. After a year he joined Spicers ‘The Paper People’ transferring to Johannesburg as a travelling sales representative. Promotion back to Bloemfontein as branch manager followed. That was a five year stint, followed by a transfer to Pretoria for another two and a half years. Then Cape Town for five years, followed by promotion to Director and transfer to Johannesburg. After five years of the high life, Keith took an easier route in 1999 by returning to the Cape Town branch to sort out its problems and prepare for retirement. Keith and Vi have a son, Beric, who has a UCT doctorate and practices as a tax advocate in Johannesburg, writing regular perceptive tax guidance articles as a sideline; and a married daughter, Karen with two sons in Cape Town. She runs a bookshop in Long Street, specialising in Africana. Keith passed away in 21st April 2011 with Vi, the love of his life, following a short while later. |
| CROSBY | JOHN VERNON | 1163 | |
| CROSS | GORDON | 1508 | 1952 left the sea for medical reasons and became Assistant Accountant with Wire Industries Steel Products and Engeineering in Rhodesia. 1958 joined Rhodesian selection trust in its sales department and on its move to Zambia, became Assistatn Secretary of RST Administration Services. 1970 mvoed to Johanensburg and accepted a position as Group Secretary of a large mining company. Two and a half years later joined Carlton Centre, eventually as Secretary/Administration Manager. Later joined Old Mutual as Department Head Property Administration, later promoted to Manager of that department until 1995 when retired from Old Mutual. On retiring joined a security company as General Manager for 18 months. Then joined a property development group until retiring in 1997 to do horse riding, community work and consulting. Deceased 13th June 2012. |
| CROSS | MICHAEL JOHN | 1346 | Previosuly with the British South Africa police in Rhodesia. Reportedly moved to Australia. 1964 was a Detective Sergeant in the B.S.A. Police Force, Rhodesia. |
| CROSS | ANDREW | 2277 | 1967 – 70 – Cadet with Safmarine. 1971 crewed on the ketch Howard Davis on the first Cape to Rio yacht race. 1971 – 87 – Second Mate, Chief Officer, Master, Superintendent. Safety Officer, Loss Control Manager with Unicorn Lines. 1987 – Partner in Martime Protection Agencies. Primarily involved with Romanian and Polish Shipping and Marine surveying. 1994 – Moved to U.K. Claims executive with Charters P&I Club, London 2001 – Joined Lloyd’s as Insepctor of Agencies. 2007 retired. |
| CROSSLAND | RONALD BELFORD | 2583 | |
| CROSSLEY | JAMES HERBERT | 207 | |
| CROSSLEY | FRANK ALFRED | 615 | Apprenticed to Prince Line. Was a POW during WWII. Deceased 23rd February 2005. |
| CROWDER | MARK | 1095 | |
| CRUICKSHANK | MALCOLM ANDREW | 2794 | |
| CRUNDWELL | ARTHUR REGINALD | 69 | Reportedly did not go to sea. |
| CULLEN | CHARLES PATRICK | 1932 | After G.B. did not go to sea, but worked in various jobs until 1962 when found a derelict ex Norwegian Rescue boat ‘Sandefjord’ in Durban harbour. Patrick restored the Craft and together with his brother (barry Cullen 1953/54) sailed February 1963 to complete a highly adventurous circumnavigation. They produced a film of the voyage which was presented throughout S.A. January 1971 Patrick, together with his wife and 2 small children, sailed the Sandefjord on the first Cape to Rio race and then on to the West Indies and North America. After 6 years returned to S.A. and became a highly successful woodcarver in Hout Bay, Cape Town. Died in a car accident 05/10/96. |
| CULLEN | MICHAEL CRAVEN | 1866 | “Joined S.S.DALIA at Cape Town in March 1956, sailed to Lourenco Marques (now Maputo) and back. Ships articles expired so I had to sign off. I declined to sign on again as I had always been a keen sportsman and missed my soccer and cricket while I was at sea. I went to Vereeniging where I had grown up and got a job with John Brown Land Boilers as an apprentice Fitter. I met up with my wife, Beryl, who was in matric that year and we have been together ever since. We married in 1960 and have 4 lovely children. 1 girl and 3 boys. Our youngest son, Michael, played hockey for South Africa. In 1959 I secured a position at the Union Steel Corporation as a sales clerk on condition I played soccer for the company team in the local league. In 1963 I joined Caltex Oil Company as a sales representative. In 1966 I and 3 of my peers, all Sales Reps from Caltex, started a business building the canopies over petrol pumps for the oil companies. We built the canopy at a new B P Garage in Germiston and B P asked us if we would like to be the operators. I jumped in and took up the challenge. Beryl gave up her teaching position and we ran the business together. Some years later we decided to move to the Natal South Coast where we bought a trading store which we ran for some years. The trading store we converted to a supermarket and opened an Estate Agency Business from the same premises. We moved to Durban in 1980 and opened another branch of our Estate Agency in Durban. I retired at the age of 50 and we spent most of our time following the Natal and South African Hockey Teams around the country and around the world.” Deceased 22nd May 2020. |
| CULLEN | JOHN BARRY | 1817 | Barry Cullen, originally a ‘Vaalie’ from King Edward VII School in Johannesburg, excelled at the General Botha being promoted Chief Cadet Captain in his second year and at Prize Day 1954 being awarded the Queen’s Gold Medal. He also collared the prize for throwing a heaving line the furthest distance! However, his proudest memory of the General Botha is of pulling midships oar in the ‘A’ whaler crew. On leaving the Botha Barry joined Ellerman and Bucknall Steamship Company, obtaining his masters in Southampton in 1962, then continuing with ‘City Ships’ on their worldwide routes for a further five satisfying years. All that was due to change however when, as second officer in the City of Durban berthed in Durban, his younger brother Patrick (55/56) boarded in a state of great excitement. He had purchased, for a song, the 49 foot ex-Norwegian rescue ketch, Sandefjord, then 53 years old and with a distinguished history but considered by many in Durban to be ‘a vessel beyond the point of no return’. On keen inspection the following day, Barry agreed with Patrick ‒ the ketch’s frames and planking were in excellent condition. She would require a major refit however, new mast, sails and rigging but the Cullen brothers felt they could successfully complete the work and give the proud old vessel a new lease of life. It took almost two years hard work but finally, in February 1965, Sandefjord was ready for sea. She was provisioned for 400 days and with her complement of five young men and a girl, sailed from Durban on what proved to be her greatest adventure yet. Through the West Indies, the Panama Canal and out into the broad Pacific, Sandefjord made her landfalls in the South Seas in much the same way as Cook and other early navigators had done. Without exception she was well met at all her ports of call. She made friends easily … for herself and her crew. Moments of great satisfaction? Yes! Anchoring off Bermuda at dawn, the Atlantic crossing completed. Transiting the Panama Canal and then, instead of just sailing past the Galapagos Islands as in ‘City Ships’ being able to stand in close and drop anchor in some stunningly beautiful bays. The South Sea Islands of course, Tahiti, Moorea, Bora-Bora. On to Australia. After a lengthy passage from Bora-Bora of 50 days, a particularly fine ‘moment of satisfaction’ saw Sande, a cold mid-winter morning chilling her excited crew, beating inwards between North Head and South Head to enter beautiful Sydney Harbour and receive the warmest of welcomes. Finally, having sailed 30,279 nautical miles in 21 months, a thrilling homecoming to Durban on 8th November 1966. The Cullen brothers produced a documentary feature of the voyage and it did very well in South Africa and USA. Following a Grand American Premiere in Boston, CBS News bought the television rights for North America and aired the movie nationwide as part of their Great Adventure Series. Soon after, Sandefjord sailed across the North Atlantic to Norway – in the hands of a group of Norwegians with but one objective – a major rebuild to bring her back to original condition, as built in 1913. They succeeded to such good effect that Sandefjord, in pristine condition, recently celebrated her 100 year birthday at Risør in Norway. In the meantime, Barry had returned to the sea as mate with Safmarine. In 1978 Gold Star Line of Hong Kong (a subsidiary of Zim Israel Navigation Co.) needed ‘a master in a hurry’ and while on leave Barry was offered command of the Gold Pilot for a voyage to the Far East and back. This gave him his first visit to Hong Kong and Japan and led to a permanent position with another little known Zim offshoot, Haverton Shipping of London. Eleven satisfying and fulfilling years followed, sailing these British-flagged, Israeli-owned container ships in a highly competitive trade on wide ranging ocean voyages between the Far East and West Africa, calling always at Durban, demanding dedicated team effort from the crew and where the master was expected (and very often obliged to anyway because of poor communications in West Africa) to take full responsibility for trade decisions and day-to-day running of the ship ‒ as was customary in the old days! Just what Barry enjoyed. High standards and excellent camaraderie prevailed in the four Haverton ships. Barry married Wendy in Cape Town, during these years, acquiring an ‘instant family’ of four teenagers, Anton, Ross, Lisa and Astrid (9) – plus the Labrador and the cat. “Best decision of my life!” he asserted. With Zim’s fine policy towards officer’s wives and families sailing in their ships, Barry wasted no time taking his new family off on a fabulous voyage to Japan. “They got to know me and I them” he laughs. Adventure and laughter aplenty! Barry was able to take them off on exciting shore trips; a fast ride in the Shinkansen bullet train to the magnificent Buddhist temples in the ancient Japanese capital city of Kyoto, yes, fine but what the kids really enjoyed was visiting Tokyo Disney World! A son, Simon, was added to the family in 1984. As far as the four older kids were concerned he was their brother, end of story. And vica-versa. In due course Simon made many trips to the Far East with Mom and Dad. Approaching retirement, Barry landed a job with Safmarine Ship Management at ‘E’ berth in Duncan Dock; providing him with five challenging and active years. The Cullens lived for a while in Betty’s Bay, ‘between Mountains and Roaring Forties’ but returned to Cape Town, where Wendy is able to give wholehearted support to their five children and thirteen grandchildren. Barry keeps himself busy and for relaxation, finds there is nothing to beat a mountain hike at dawn with his dog in the pristine beauty of the Cape Peninsula National Park. Deceased 11th October 2018. |
| CUNNINGHAM | CLINTON REYNOLDS | 401 | Deceased 25th April 1939. |
| CURR | JAMES REGINALD LIGERTWOOD | 616 | Apprenticed to Hall Line. |
| CURRAN | RAYMOND BRADLEY | 2755 | |
| CURRAN | ERIC HUMPHREY | 744 | Born Milton Regis, Kent, England, 18th July 1919. Son of Andrew Francis Bernard Curran and Minnie Agnes, nee Beal. Ed, Selborne College, East London. Cadet Draft 1934 – 36 (Junior Cadet Captain). During the war, Eric Humphrey Curran joined the SAAF, being attached to the RAAF, in which he held the rank of Lieutenant. In April 1941 he was killed in an air crash at Ismalie, Egypt, during an air raid in the defence of Suez. |
| CURRAN | JOSEPH JOHN | 2434 | Served at sea with Safmarine until 1976 when joined S.A. Airways followed by one year in 1980 as a Game Ranger with Sabi Sabi Game Lodge. 1981 joined the computer industry with various companies in various roles including programming, systems analysis, project management and country manager for Software AG South Africa. When living on the coast was actively involved with the N.S.R.I as crew and operations controller. Semi retired 2018, providing training and coaching services to software development teams moving from traditional to Agile principles and practices. Previously, specialized for many years in training and consulting of project management in the software development industry, and recently established the mentoring programme which runs today for the Project Management Institute in South Africa. |
| CURRIE | ROBERT MARTIN | 617 | Born Glasgow, Scotland, 17th May 1916. Son of Atken McLaren Currie and Susan, nee Martin. Ed, Durban Technical High School. Cadet Draft 1932 – 33. Robert Martin Currie joined Andrew Weir & Co in 1934 and during the war served in the SS Langlegorse as Chief Officer. He lost his life during the bombing of the ship off the Irish coast, on 23rd January 1941. |
| CURRIE | RUSSELL CARLISLE | 496 | 19/09/1931 joined S.A. Naval Service. |
| CURTIN | MICHAEL JOHN | 1867 | |
| CURTISS | HERBERT MICHAEL | 1933 | |
| DA CAMERA PESTANA | TRISTOO VASCO | 2668 | |
| DA SILVA | ANTHONY FRANCIS | 2415 | DOB 17/07/1952. 1970-1974 cadet up to chief officer with Unicorn Lines. 1975-1996 Catholic Minister of Religion. 1997-2006 Third Officer to Master with Pentow Marine, later Smit Marine. 2006-2007 Tug Master with Comarco, Mombasa, Kenya. 2007-2011 Tug Master with Svitzer Africa. 2011-2012 Marine Compliance Officer, Soyo with Svitzer Angola. 2012-2017 Marine Standards Manager with Svitzer Angola. |
| DALE | JOHN DUDLEY | 1164 | Deceased December 2002. WWII WO II SAAF. |
| DALE | DAVID RONALD | 1989 | Deceased 25th August 2011. |
| DALRYMPLE | LOUIS ROSS | 105 | Entered S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| DALZIEL | ROBERT ANDERSON | 2756 | |
| DAMERELL | WILLIAM JOSEPH | 1165 | On leaving “Bothie” served as Cadet on the Barque “Lawhill” (2.5 yr) passed 2nd mates in Durban 1945 and joined Union Castle Line. Passed mates in 1948 and Masters in 1951 in London. Resigned in 1952 and joined SA Harbour Service at East London, served there and in Port Elizabeth. Tugmaster in Cape Town 1960. Pilot Cape Town 1962-65 Assistant Port Captain Walvis Bay, Port Captain there 1978-81. Port Captain Richards Bay 1981-83 and Cape Town 1983-86. Retired 1986 and joined SA Navy, Navigation Instructor at Maritime Warfare School, Simon’s Town until retirement. 1971 crewed on the ketch Howard Davis on the first Cape to Rio yacht race. 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Pacific Star & Victory medal. Deceased 17th July 2017. |
| DAMP | STANLEY HERMAN | 1509 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Recently obtained his 2nd Officer’s Certificate and appointed to SARShips “Dalia.” 1970 – 96 Tug Master Botany Bay, Australia. Retired. |
| DANCE | WILLIAM LEONARD | 497 | 15/09/1931 joined S.A. Naval Service. Reportedly died of pneumonia in the late 1940’s. |
| DANGERFIELD | WALTER VERNON | 498 | 1931 Junior Cadet Captain. 1964 studied in the Cape Town Academy for his Master’s Certificate. Subsequently rejoined Thesen’s as Master of the m.v. Pondo Coast. |
| DANIEL | ROBIN | 1462 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48 Has joined the ‘Vergelegen’ (Safmarine) as an Apprentice Officer. 1948 – 56 sailed with Safmarine. Then joined Durban Lines, coasting to Mozambique. Obtained Masters Certificate in 1958 and did a short spell as a Stevedore Superintendent for Storm & Co in Durban. Joined Durban Harbour Service December 1958 and retired as assistant Port Captain September 1991. Appointed shipyard ship Master for Dorbyl Shipbuilders and commanded three mini container vessels for their trails in 1992. 1996 Marine Consultant for Intershore in Durban, building offshore Oil Platforms for Angola. Deceased 02/04/2008. |
| DANKS | DESMOND AMBROSE | 918 | 1964 second officer in African Coaster’s Frontier. |
| D’ARCY | GERARD ALFRED | 550 | Apprenticed to Elder Dempster Line. |
| D’ARCY | PATRICK DECIMUS | 803 | Sailed with Blue Funnel, joined the S.A. Navy during WWII and was seconded to the Royal Navy. Served on minesweepers in the Mediterranean and after hostilities sailed his minesweeper back to South Africa as Commanding Officer. 1946 went into commerce. Deceased 1st June 1998. |
| D’ARCY | KENNETH FREDERICK NAYLOR | 919 | Joined the Royal Air Force during WWII rising to the rank of squadron Leader. Deceased August 1984. A Captain in the SAAF, he was seconded to the RAF and sailed out of Cape Town on September 2nd 1943 with 60 other SAAF pilots seconded to the RAF on the Rangitata, a New Zealand registered liner that had been converted into a troopship. Edwin Swales was part of that group and they eventually docked in Liverpool on November 7th having sailed in convoy via Tristan da Cunha, Montevideo, Freetown and Gibraltar to avoid German U-Boats. Captain KNF D`Arcy flew Spitfires with No 93 Squadron and was awarded the DFC. Captain K.F.N. D’Arcy, who was seconded to the RAF, and served first in 93 Squadron and then in 72 Squadron. |
| DART | ROBERT JOHN ASHTON | 260 | September 1927 joined the Cambian Countess (British and Continental Line) as an apprentice. 1929 company went bankcrupt and joined the ship Egyptian Prince (Prince Nile). This vessel was chartered by the Royal Navy and acted as a store ship to the Mediterranean fleet. After obtaining second officer’s certificate returned to S.A. as unable to secure another berth. Took a job in Estcourt with a farm implement company until 1932 when fofered a job with Bank Line as Third Officer. Obtained Master’s in 1936 and joined the S.A. Harbour service as Mate in East London. 1941 joined the S.A. Engineering Corps as a Lieutenant and served in Egypt and Libya. Promoted to Captain and awarded “Mention in Dispatches” for meritous services. 1944 demobilised and returned to the Harbour service in Durban. Went through all grades retiring in 1971 as deputy Port Captain. Deceased 10/05/2005 |
| DASHWOOD | ROBERT DAVID ANTHONY | 1347 | Sailed on the S.A.R. & H. Agulhas with Doug Harris 1943/45, Vivien Whitfield 1944/45 and Peter Etherington 1944/45 when Mike Goold was Master in 1948. Also sailed around Cape Horn on the sailing vessel ‘Lawhil’. Farmed in Stellenbosch. Deceased |
| DAVEY | LIONEL ALFRED | 84 | 1964 an engineer with the Southern Rhodesian Government. |
| DAVID | GERALD BRYAN | 2278 | 1997 – Second Officer with Pentow Marine sailing on salvage tugs. 1999 left Pentow Marine. Deceased 16/10/2008. |
| DAVIES | ANTHONY GRAHAM | 1580 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Sailing in the SARShip ‘Dalia’. |
| DAVIES | DAVID THOMAS | 1758 | Died in an accident overseas on 9th April 1961. Previously employed by the Dunswart Iron and Steel Company. |
| DAVIES | CHRISTOPHER MARK | 2795 | 1994, Portnet Tugs Cape Town. 2015 Relocated to New Zealand. 2019 harbour pilot, Wellington. |
| DAVIES | GUY ANDREW | 2712 | 1979 – 82 at sea with Safmarine. Then short period with the Gold Mines in Johannesburg. Dec 1982 – 84 – Cape Town Traffic Department, special operations squad. Then short period with Grand Bazaars as a Trainee Manager, Oct 1984 Stellenbosch Traffic Department. Accepted by UNISA for BAPOL Degree. Wrote and passed Police Science 1 in November 1986 and Public Administration 1 in November 1990. April 1987 – Milnerton Traffic Department. Commenced Diploma course with Lyceum College. Passed first year of the Institute of Traffic Officers course in 1988. May 1991 joined Grindrod Shipipng as an Operations Superintendent. 2001 relocated to the U.K. and worked for Rolls-Royce head office in their Security Team. 2002 relocated to Dublin and employed as Healthcare Manager in a business defence company. 2004 taken a post in Dublin Harbour. 2006 Relocated to Indonesia and 2008 returned to Ireland. |
| DAVIES | JOHN CAMERON | 1934 | At sea from Apprentice 1957 to Chief Officer, Smiths Coasters 1965. During this period I sailed with Shell Tankers, Safmarine, Union Castle Line, United Baltic Corporation, Smiths Coasters. With my Masters Certificate I joined the Harbour Service in September 1965. Served in East London, Luderitz, Port Elizabeth (Pilot 11 years) Saldanha Bay (Pilot for 3 years) Walvis Bay (Port Captian 1984 – 86 youngest at 45 years of age), Deputy Port Captian in Cape Town and Port Captian, Port Elizabeth from 1989. Retired 31/03/2000. |
| DAVIES | WALLACE OWEN | 1704 | |
| DAVIES | WILLIAM GEORGE | 1589 | |
| DAVIES | NORMAN TIMOTHY | 1703 | |
| DAVIS | ALEXANDER ALFRED | 82 | King’s Gold Medal runner up. Apprenticed to Blue Funnel Line. 1964 Senior Assistant Port Captain, Table Bay Harbour. Deceased October 1989. Alex Davies was born in Claremont, Cape Town in 1906 and was a cadet in the SATS General Botha 1923/24 draft, his number being 82. On completion of his training he joined “SAR SHIPS” (South African Railways and Harbours) and served in the SS Aloe. It was here he met his wife Muriel, to whom he was married for 55 years. He came ashore and worked in the SAR Ships office in Johannesburg for a while and then went back to sea, and on obtaining his Master Certificate joined the Harbour Service in Port Elizabeth. He was promoted to Durban as a tug master and did some sterling work in shifting dead warships during the Second World War. He was later promoted to Pilot at Durban, to Assistant Port Captain, Cape Town in 1960 and Port Captain in 1965 to 1966. On retiring he built a house at The Boulders, Simon’s Town and after a few years decided to return to Natal (today Kwa-Zulu Natal). The call of the Cape got strong again and he returned to live in Plumstead. His health deteriorated and it became necessary to remove his right leg. He died on 2 November 1989. He had formerly given instructions that there was to be a private cremation and his ashes were to be spread in Simon’s Bay by the NSRI. This was done on 2 December over the position where the old ship used to be moored. During his whole career he was extremely popular with all ranks and was particularly interested and considerate with all his staff. |
| DAVIS | PHILIP MICHAEL DUKE | 1820 | Mike Davis came from St. George’s Grammar School in Cape Town and on completion of his time at the General Botha, went away to sea in the Union Castle Mail Steamship Company. He wrote his second mates examination in Cape Town and then joined Thesens. During a port call in Walvis Bay he met a fisherman who invited him to join him for the next fishing season. Mike found that a great experience. Completing a boat delivery from Walvis Bay to Mossel Bay, he stayed on, fishing in small trawlers before joining African Coasters running between Durban and Walvis Bay. While in port in Durban he met Helen Wylie from Pretoria, a nurse at Addington Hospital. They were married in 1960 in the Missions to Seamen, Durban. In 1961 in Cape Town, Mike bought an old boat, the Susanah built in the famous Nieswand Yard in Luderitz. Fixing her up, he went crayfishing in her until it became illegal to dive for crayfish commercially whereupon he moved to Hermanus where he dived for abalone and where his three sons were born. In 1966/67 Mike worked briefly for De Beers Marine, before emigrating to Montreal in Canada and then on to British Columbia. Unfortunately, at that time, his South African certificates were not valid in Canada but after doing odd jobs, Mike finally managed to get a berth as cook/deckhand on a coastal tug. He re-qualified and then spent some very pleasant years towing log booms and barges off the British Columbia coast. In the process he moved up to the Queen Charlotte Islands, in sight of the south coast of Alaska. Mike gave up his seafaring life to be with his children while they grew up, ‘pre-empting’ some Crown land and living in a tent while he built a log cabin. He then got involved in beach-combing as part of a sophisticated enterprise salvaging logs which had escaped from log booms or fallen off log barges. The logs were gathered up by heavy mobile machines called ‘skiddies’, dragged below the tide line, barged and towed away by a tug. (The tide in the region could reach 19 feet above chart datum.) He also did some prospecting; claim-staking; carpentry; logging; felling trees and worked in a sawmill. By 1979 Mike’s marriage was in distress and as living in the wild limited his son’s choices for the future, he took them to Vancouver to finish their schooling. There he worked in the building trade as a finishing carpenter. Soaring interest rates and inflation brought major problems to the construction sector in 1982 so he left Vancouver, securing a berth on a small supply ship in the Western Arctic. At the end of the navigation season the owners asked him to upgrade his South African radar certificate so, with this in mind, he went to Halifax on Canada’s East Coast, finding jobs in supply tugs operating out of Newfoundland and Nova Scotia. In 1985 all the crews were laid off following a change in government policy but Mike had acquired the steel hull of a 190 metre Dutch yacht which he refitted and junk-rigged, moving aboard and making her his home. He then enjoyed the great life by hobo-ing around the Maritime Provinces of Canada. In 1988, Mike found himself in Labrador landing a job on a coastal tanker which worked the East Coast and Great Lakes. While away on this ship he pulled his yacht up onto the beach. On his return he found it under a snowdrift! While cleaning up the cabin his cup of nice hot coffee froze solid, so he hiked into town to find warm winter digs. He found them and he and his landlady, Virginia Moriarty, were happy together for the rest of Mike’s life! Virginia came from Happy Valley in Labrador. In 1989, Virginia and Mike set sail from Labrador seeking further adventures. 1990 found them in Vancouver with Mike once again a carpenter, pounding nails for a living. Happily, he soon managed to get a permanent job with British Columbia Ferries. On 23rd April 2014, a few years after his retirement, Mike passed away from a heart attack. As Gerry Stalling wrote; he was in his own bed adorned by the colourful woollen quilt Virginia had made for him; he was in his own house that they had built in Alert Bay on Cormorant Island in Queen Charlotte Passage ‒ the best possible way for Mike, colourful character to the end, to ‘meet his pilot face to face’. |
| DAVIS | ALBERT SAMUEL | 1166 | Reported in “Both Watches” in 1952, Lieutenant S.A. Navy, sailing in the SAS Protea. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953, Lieutenant in the S.A. Navy. His appointments in the S.A. Navy included that of the South African Naval Attache in France. While there he handled the Daphne submarine project in addition to his attache duties. He commanded the S.A. Navy Ships SAS President Steyn and SAS Pietermaritzburg among others. In the late 1970s while holding the appointment of Naval Officer in Command, Durban, he retired from the Navy. After retirement he was the Civil Defence Officer for the City of Durban. Deceased 09/01/2000. |
| DAVIS | HENRY GEORGE | 219 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. |
| DAVISON | DEANE FRANCIS | 745 | Born Johannesburg, 24th April 1919, son of John Deane Davison and Alma, nee Francis. Ed, Parktown High School, Johannesburg, completing his course in General Botha, Geane Francis Davison joined the British India Line and served in the Merchant Navy during the war. He was killed in the bombing of the Maid of Kent at Dieppe in May 1940. |
| DAWBARN | ALEXANDER ANDREW MARSHALL | 387 | Born Durban 17th September 1912. Son of Alex Proctor Dawbarn. Ed, Government High School, Standerton. Cadet Draft 1928-9. Alexander Dawbarn was employed as an electrician by Hubert Davies & Co. before the war and on the outbreak of hostilities joined the RAF and became a Pilot Officer. He was posted missing when engaged in operations with a fighter squadron on 10th April 1941. |
| DAWKINS | BRIAN IVOR | 2757 | 1996 – Chief Officer with De Beers Marine, Cape Town, Diamond Mining. 1999 – Left de Beers and opened a Restaurant. Continues to go to sea on contracts. 1980 to 1984 Safmarine, 1984 to 1986 Oil rigs, 1986 to 1998 – De Beers Marine (Chief Officer) 1998 to 2002 Contract work, reluctant restaurateur, NHD Marine Studies. 2002 – 2009 – Swire Pacific Offshore (Master), 2009 Sen DPO / Bargemaster on oil rigs in Brazil. 2021 serving as Captain/OIM (Offshore Installation Manager) on Seadrill’s rigs and floaters. |
| DAY | CHRISTOPHER SEAN | 2297 | 1968 – At Sea with Safmarine 1969 – 1972 – UCT B Bus Sc; sailed on the first Cape to Rio on HOWARD DAVIS 1973 – Sub Lt, S.A. Navy (National Service), assistant navigating officer on SAS JAN VAN RIEBEECK 1974 – 1976 – Oxford University (Rhodes Scholar), M.A. (Law) 1976 – 1979 – Hong Kong & Taiwan, working for Jardine Matheson & Co subsidiary Indo-China Navigation Ltd 1979 – 1981 – Montreal, Canada. Operations Manager followed by Marine Manager of Fednav Ltd, the dominant bulk shipping company operating in and out of the Great Lakes, and in the Canadian Arctic. 1981 – 1986 – New York, U.S.A. Executive Vice-President of Navios Corporation. Own and operated 36 bulk carriers trading worldwide as well as terminals in U.S. and South America. 1986 – 1989 – Vice President Citicorp Venture Capital, New York. Acquiring companies for Citicorp in leveraged buyouts (a great learning experience in the financial markets!) 1989 – 1999 – President and CEO of Navios Corporation after leading a leveraged buyout of the company with Citibank’s backing. I was able to buy 30% of the company and so was a part owner. We sold the company in 1999 after a very good 10 years building up the company again after the very demanding 1980’s! 1999 – Chairman of Teekay, A Vancouver based tanker company. During this period also Chairman at various times of Teekay Offshore Partners, Teekay LNG Partners, Teekay Tankers Ltd, Oceanic Bank in the Bahamas, the Compass Group (venture capital and high tech investing), Anholt Ltd (agricultural investments in South America, Eastern Europe and Africa, as well as oil and mining) and Transmarine Navigation in Long Beach. 2017 – Announced that I will be retiring as Chairman of the Teekay Group after 18 years, but remain on its Board as Chairman Emeritus. 2018 Teekay named a LNG Carrier “Sean Spirit”. |
| DAYNES | STANLEY ARTHUR | 413 | |
| DE BEER | HELMOED | 156 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a Seaman. |
| DE BEER | GEGORIUS EVERT | 1868 | After Bothie joined Shell Tankers. Later was a journalist for a well-known magazine based in Durban, sadly killed in a Motor Car accident on 13th Feb. 1962 on the Durban/Pietermaritzburg road. |
| DE BRUYN | FRANS JOHANNES CORNELIS | 618 | 1964 serving in the South African Police, Natal. |
| DE JAGER | JOHANNES PETRUS | 5 | |
| DE JONG | WILLEM EVERT | 551 | 1932 Junior Cadet Captain. Apprenticed to Union Castle Line. |
| DE JONG | GARETH EDWARD | 1935 | 1957 – 60 – Midshipman. Alfred Holt & Co (Blue Funnel Line) 1961 – 66 – Third and Second Officer, British & Commonwealth Clan Line/Spingbok Line and Safmarine. 1964 second officer in the South African Victory. 1966 – 68 – Chief Officer and Master with African Coasters. 1968 – 95 – S.A.T.S. (Now TNPA) Deck Officer. Tug & Dredger Master, Pilot, Assistant Port Captian, Operations Manager Breakbulk Cargo, Marine Operations Manager and 1995 Dry Docks Manager Portnet Cape Town. 1994 Honorary Secretary – Treasurer of the War Memorial Fund Managing Committee. Retired 1998. |
| DE KLERK | STEPHANUS JOHANNES | 196 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a seaman. |
| DE KLERK | JACOB JACOBUS | 619 | |
| DE KOCK | JAN PERCY HOFMEYER | 147 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a Seaman. |
| DE KOCK | GYSBERTUS HENRI | 6 | 1960 sailed as Engineer Cadet with Safmarine and 1961 with Arth. Mathiessen Rederei of Norway. 1966 to 1975 was an architecture student at the University of Cape Town. OBA committee member 1974 to 1977 before relocating to the Netherlands in 1977. 1998 independent project control consultant on International Offshore, Petrochemical and Civil projects. Retired in March 1999. 2007 Contracts Engineer with Shell Netherlands. THE LEGEND LIVES ONThe item THE LEGEND LIVES ON in the afore-last newsletter has prompted me to comment on the remarkable fact that two Bothie Boys of the years 1958-1959 are in possession of the St. Johns Cross. Although I received the St. Johns Cross under different circumstances than Colin Harwood, I am proud to be in possession of this distinction. The St. Johns Cross, in Dutch the ‘Johanniter Kruis’ is an eight-pointed cross worn around the neck, refer the photo on the website of the 50th Reunion General Botha 1957-1958 Old Boys of March 2008. Photo shows my wife assisting with placing the St. Johns Cross around my neck at a formal occasion. In 1984 I was invited to join the ‘Nederlandse tak van de Aloude Ridderlijke Orde van het Hospitaal van Sint-Jan te Jeruzalem’ (Johanniter Orde in short). In English: Netherlands section of the Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St. John of Jerusalem. The Order is also to be found in a few other EU countries. This meant that I would become a knight within the Order under a few of the following conditions: – be of noble birth and titled. – practise the protestant faith. – assist in a range of voluntary social activities when and where possible. – make yearly financial contributions according to one’s own discretion. Most activities take place in the Netherlands but sometimes we work together with other EU countries. My wife Dorothée (Doke), a Dame within the Order of St. John, is Regional Representative for the Province of Utrecht, in which we live. The actual ceremony of being knighted into the Order is a highly formal and very impressive occasion. The ceremony took place in the Hall of Knights in The Hague, similar to Westminster Abbey in London. The Hall was filled with the nobility of the Netherlands and invited nobility from other EU countries. There were twelve new knights and dames to be installed during this ceremony. We were all individually asked to promise to keep to the required conditions of the Order. Then we were individually called up to approach the Commander-in-Chief (Landcommandeur) of the Order, the late Prince Bernhard – consort of our former Queen Juliana, and kneel before him. He tapped me three times on the shoulders with the ceremonial sword stating my title and name and accepting me into the Order. The St. Johns Cross was then placed around my neck. Dames usually wear the St. Johns Cross on the breast, but also around the neck if preferred. It is difficult to make an exact comparison of my hereditary title of ‘Jonkheer’ with other countries as practically every country has its own rules concerning the status of nobility. We were reinstated into the nobility when the Netherlands became a kingdom. Before that it was in bits and pieces, some sovereign. As family we prefer to use the title of baronet for explanation and comparison to the British. Our family-eldest is Henri Markus baron de Kock, the 6th baron. See also my application forms of 1956 or 1957 for entrance to the Bothie. |
| DE KOCK | MICHIEL JOSIAS | 857 | After G.B. returned to High School to complete his matric. 1940 joined the South African Railways and Harbours, served in Johannesburg, Pretoria and Bloemfontein until early 1967 when he joined Atlas Aircraft Corporation. Retired from there in 1985. During WWII joined the Imperial Light Horse and served in the technical services and as a dispatch rider in Egypt and Italy. 1949 he joined the second battalion of the Transvaal Scottish and served as Company Quarter Master until end of 1966. Medals: 1939/45 Africa Star and Italy Star. 1939/45 Defence Medal 1939/45 British Defence Medal and Africa Service Medal. Due to failing eyesight he joined the National Association of Blind Bowlers in 1992 and has since played in four Nationals. Deceased 06/08/2007 |
| DE KONING | ROBERT JACOB | 2387 | Nov 1979 – obtained Class I Certificate April 1980 – resigned from Safmarine as Chief Officer July 1980 – resigned from Land & Marine & Salvage as Chief Officer. Sept 1980 – joined Harbour Service as 1st Deck Officer in Walvis Bay. Nov 1984 – Promoted to Tug Master in Walvis Bay. Oct 1989 – Moved to Richards Bay as Tug Master. Nov 1991 – promoted to Pilot in Richards Bay 1998 – joined Jessegaard Marine Surveyors in Richards Bay. Sept 1998 – relocated to Doha, Qatar, working in the Port of Ras Laffen as Senior Port Supervisor and Harbour Pilot. 2013 retired back to South Africa. |
| DE KONING | MEINDERT CORNELIUS | 2366 | March to November at sea operating from Scotland on oil rig supply vessels. November to March lived on his yacht in South Africa. Deceased 22/09/2004 |
| DE MEILLON | LAMBERTUS BERNARDUS SIEBRITZ | 319 | |
| DE VILLE | PAUL ROUX | 1590 | |
| DE VILLIERS | PIERRE FRANCOIS | 471 | After G.B. joined the Merchant Navy, SAR Ship “Aloe” as Deck Boy, and served on ships to the East, Australia, New Zealand and China. Came ashore due to ill health and worked in Durban harbour. Died in 1943 and buried in Philadelphia, Western Cape. |
| DE VILLIERS | IAN | 859 | In September 1939 Bob Hack & I reported to Scapa Flow as midshipmen RNR & joined HMS Asturius there. Soon transferred to HMS Aurania (Merchant Cruiser) Northern Patrols & Convoy Escourt duty (Tail of the Bank Greenock to Halifax run). 1941 onwards F.A.A. on Stringbags, Albacons, etc. North Atlantic, Med, North Africa, Ceylon & India (but not further east than Culcutta). From 1939 onwards had the pleasure of meeting Bert Holman, Snoek Danks, Jacko Jackson, Alistair Hay and other Bothie Boys in London from time to time. A great pal there was Peter Bjorgman, not an Old Boy, but “one of us.” No 1 Commando & Black Guard. After the war involved in forestry and sawmilling in Rhodesia. On retirement returned to S.A. and later joined his family in New Zealand. Deceased 03/09/2010 |
| DE VILLIERS | MAREE | 355 | |
| DE VILLIERS | JOHAN DUNLOP | 1991 | Previously with the National Port Authority in Cape Town. Deceased 09/11/2003. Served his apprenticeship with Shell Tanker’s Far Eastern Fleet and eventually joined SAR Ships where he became Master of the Johan Hugo. When she was sold he joined the harbour service. 1964 was chief officer in Smith’s Coaster Inyala. |
| DE VILLIERS | WILLIAM GERRARD | 2436 | One trip after obtaining my Masters F.G. in 1981 I joined the then “Harbour Service” and after seven years and several transfers found myself in the position of Harbour Master and pilot in the “Metropolis” of Luderitzbucht. Many hangovers later I crossed the great divide from “Sails” to “Sales” in search of that evasive “Pot-of-gold”. 1993, in command of the luxury toy, the motor yacht “Nautilus.” Resigned from Nautilus in January 1994. Deceaed 20/08/94. |
| DE VILLIERS | EUGENE MAEDER | 1990 | |
| DE VILLIERS | STEPHANUS JOSIA | 10 | Placed in Prince Line as apprentice. |
| DE VOS | MAARTEN DIRK | 2877 | |
| DE WET | DAVID PIERRE | 2044 | South African Address, c/o my sister: C/O Carol Prins, 1 Riverside Mews, Carlton Rd, Fish Hoek, 7975. After G.B. Cadet & 4/O with T&J Harrison. 1962 Chief Officer with Thesens Coasters and joined S.A. Navy in November 1962 as Sub Lt. Served at sea in various S.A. Navy vessels before joining the submarine branch in 1969. Shore appointments included posts at Naval College, SAS Simonsberg and as Flag Officer to Vice Admiral H.H. Biermann. 1969 went to France and commissioned the new submarine SAS Emily Hobhouse in Feburary 1971. Continued to serve in various shore and seagoing posts including Officer Commanding on submarines. 1983 joined Unicorn lines and was Marine Director 1984 – 89, followed as Director Projects & Planning, Director S.A. Liner Services & Director Special Projects. January 1995 became Director of Grincor Shipipng Services and served on various boards which have helped shape the Marine industry. Captain S.A. Navy C.F. 2005 retired. 2009 embarked on a farming venture in the Philippines. 2013 returned to Simon’s Town. 2019 returned to Philppines. |
| DE WET | JOHN BURNET | 1097 | Reported in “Both Watchse” 1953, Lieutenant in S.A. Navy. 1964 Officer Commanding SAS Haerlem, rank of Lt Cdr. 1972 Commander in the S.A. Navy. |
| DE WITTE | DENNIS | 2641 | After spending 9 years with Safmarine, up to 1986, now active as Owner and a Nautical Surveyor for a company in Rotterdam called Laarschot Marine Survey (a company under Nautisch Expertisebureau Van de Laarschot B.V.) Married to Suzanna since 1990 and has 3 children born in 1992 (Amy), 1993 (Jeremy) and 2002 (Sebastién) |
| DEACON | ROBERT HUGH | 1510 | Founding member of the National Sea Rescue Institute (NSRI). 1966 elected Honorary Chief Administrative Officer of South African Inshore Sea Rescue Service (SAISRS) charged with responsibilty for operations, crew enlistment and training. Name changed 22nd June 1967 to NSRI. Was a marine surveyor in Cape Town. After Botha joined the four-masted barque Passat. Sometime thereafter he sailed with Northern/Southern Steamships in one of their Liberty ships and then joined the Tristan da Cunha Development Corporation, to sail as Mate in the Francis Repetto and then the Tristania. He joined the staff of the Botha in 1968 and left again in 1969 to join Fox and Eastman as a surveyor. During his time at the Botha he was sailing master of the Howard Davis and station commander of the NSRI’s station #1. He died suddenly of a heart attack in the early seventies. |
| DEANE | RODNEY WILLIAM | 1286 | 1945 – 1947 – R.N.R. Midshipman to Sub Lieutenant. H.M.S. Lulworth, H.M.S. Nereide, Fairmile 1028. 1947 – two months at E. Geduld 1947 – 1948 – Union Corporation, Tanzania, Base Metal Exploration 1948 – 1954 – Williamson Diamonds, Tanzania, Diamon Exploration 1954 – 1959 – University of Michigan. BSc Geology and Mineralogy 1959 – 1989 – Lakefiled Research, Lakefield, Ontario, Canada. Research Mineralogist and Chief Mineralogist. 1989 – retired. Deceased 20/12/2008. |
| DEAS | WILLIAM GEORGE JEFFREY | 265 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. |
| DEITZ | BRIAN WILLIAM | 1511 | After Bothie returned to Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) went tobacco farming until 1952 when he went to Johannesburg and joined OK Bazaars. 1953 moved to the UK and obtained his Radio Officer’s Certificate joining Marconi International Comm in 1954. Spent five and a half years sailing around the world on a wide variety of vessels. 1960 emigrated to Canada and joined the Federal Department of Transport as an air radio operator and over a 5 year period worked his way up to Telecomm Area Manager. 1969 joined Manufacturers Life as a sales representative and for the following 9 years worked for a number of companies in a variety of positions obtaining the Chartered Life Underwriter designation. Also obtained his Chartered Financial Planners designation and a Securities License. Deceased 29/10/2007. |
| DEKKER | MARCEL | 2758 | |
| DELPORT | CECIL DANIEL | 1096 | |
| DEMONT | MICHAEL CLAUDE | 2435 | Sailed with Safmarine. |
| DENHOLM | EBENEZER THOMSON | 1403 | |
| DENNE | ALAN DENIS | 1936 | After Bothie joined Shell Tankers. |
| DENNETT | KENNETH GEOFFREY | 1869 | |
| DENNING | KEVIN EDWARD | 2625 | Cadet with Safmarine and Unicorn. Promoted to Third Officer in Unicorn in 1980. 1982 – 88 – Joined Department of sea fisheries. Second and Chief Officer on R.S. Africana. 1988 – Four months as Chief Officer and Master with Dawn Diamonds. Retrenched. 1988 – 90 – joined Ocean Offshore as Chief Officer on the tug Deep Salvage 1. 1990 – rejoined the Department of Sea Fisheries as Chief Officer on the S.A. Agulhas. Presently relieving Master for the R.S. Africana and the S.A. Agulhas. 1996 – Marine Surveyor with Calcon based in Cape Town. 1997 – Denmarine c.c. Marine Consultants and surveyors in Cape Town. |
| DENT | CECIL KALAYA | 379 | After G.B. went to College and then joined his father’s business in the liquor trade. Later ran the company, Stuttaford’s Van Lines. Deceased 03/08/2006. |
| DENYSSEN | DENIS BRYAN | 804 | |
| DERBYSHIRE | GERALD MICHAEL PARSON | 7 | |
| DERNIER | WILLIAM RONALD | 2298 | After Bothie sailed with Safmarine obtaining his Master Foreign-Going Special Grade Certificate. 1996 – Previously Principal Officer of the Department of Transport, Cape Town. Then promoted to Head Office of DOT Shipping in Pretoria. 1998 – relocated to Cape Town as National Operations Manager of the South Afriacn Maritime Safety Authority. 2005 retired from SAMSA and established a Bed & Breakfast business on the West Coast. Still consulting for the marine industry. 2020 fully retired. |
| DESMOND-SMITH | SYDNEY | 1224 | |
| DESMOND-SMITH | NEIL FINDLAY | 2095 | 1960 – Joined Ellerman & Bucknall. Served on the City of Durban, Carlisle & Hull. 1961 – Joined Insurance Indust as Junior Clerk and became a surf Lifesaver. 1964 – Joined Thesens Coasters as Second Mate. 1965 – Appointed equal partenr in an Insurance Broking Business ‘Hegestrom and Desmond-Smith.” 1966/67 – Committee Member of G.B.O.B.A. and Secretary 1967/69 – Crew Member of N.S.R.I. Esablished an insusrance programe for NSRI boats, equipment & crew. 1970/82 – various Senior Appointments in the Insurance Industry 1982 – Divisional Director of M.I.B. Cape, International Insurance Brokers & Risk Managers 1989 Awarded NSRI Shield of Appreciation. 2014 reported deceased. |
| DEVENISH | DAVID | 858 | Third Officer SS Empire Dawn 7/41 |
| DEVINE | MICHAEL JOHN | 1643 | |
| DICK | ARCHIBALD LIND | 974 | |
| DICKASON | STEPHEN RALPH | 2515 | 1997 – Harbour Pilot in Port Elizabeth. 2010 – Assistant Harbour Master & Pilot Esperance, Australia. |
| DICKIE | GAVIN CHARLES LAWRIE | 1348 | After G.B. joiend Bank Line. 1964 was with the Fire Department of Durban Corporation. Deceased 10/09/95 |
| DICKIE | JOHN PAUL | 2796 | |
| DICKIE | IAN | 1349 | Parktown Boys High. “A born rebel” Bothie licked him into shape. 1946-51 Ellerman Lines. Lots of chipping and painting and the occasional brawl. All the while improving his education. Married at age 21 and settled in Cape Town working in the Construction Industry setting up as a freelance agent in 1955. Eventually set up his own trading company supplying and later manufacturing construction equipment as import prices started to climb. Subsequently branched out of pure construction equipment and bought out Hill & Howie and Vicopac. Branches in Jhb & Durban. Also makes retro-reflective traffic signs. When semi-retired followed an interest of swimming and cycling as well as marine biology and natural history. Deceased 26/06/2011 |
| DICKIN | RAYMOND BURNET | 920 | Served in the Royal Navy during WWII. Sailed on HMS Dorsetshire, AMC Ranchi, HMS Amber, HMS Barham, HMS Snapdragon, among other vessels. Also appointed to the R.N. Naval Base in Phaleron, Greece, during their civil war. Deceased 15/09/2010 |
| DICKINSON | RONALD ALBERT | 2549 | Left the Merchant Navy in 1985 after working for both Unicorn and a Scottish gas carrier company. Went into chemical bulk liquid storage (on land) and returned to Australia. Spent six years in Dubai (1996 – 2002). 2009 relocated to China working for a Dutch company, Vopak. |
| DICKINSON | LELSIE ALLEN | 161 | After Bothie apprenticed to Prince Line. 1964 Assistant Port Captain, Durban. |
| DICKSON | JAMES | 233 | Was coxswain of Port Watch & Quarter Deck Boat Crew. After G.B. joined the stock exchange, then Dittmans as a Confectionist and later to Shabani Asbestos Mine, qualifying as an electrician. Then on to Que Que as Mine Manager and Engineer of the Primrose Mine. Returned to S.A. to work underground at Randfontein South Centicle Shaft. Later back to Chingola, Northern Rhodesia on construction of a power station. Again returned to S.A. City Deep Mines and joined the army in M.E.B. Mines Engineering Brigade T.E.C. served in Egypt and Italy in the armoured division. After WWII returned to Cape Town and joined Gearing & Jamieson as an Electrician. Active on various councils – industrial council; joint merchanics; apprentice board; electrical union. Later joined Chrysler at Elsies River, Cape Town and retired from there in 1973. Deceased 24/10/98. |
| DICKSON | MICHAEL ARNOLD | 127 | Born June 1980, son of Francis Dickson and Florentina Johanna ed. High School De Aar, Cape Province; Cadet Draft 1923-5. In 1925 Michael Arnold Dickson became apprenticed to the Houston Line, and served in the SS Hesione, gaining his First Mate’s certificate in 1938. Soon after the declaration of war he became a Sub-Lieutenant in the SDF, but while on service contracted pulmonary tuberculosis and was discharged as permanently unfit for duty. He died on 17 October 1946, from the effect of pulmonary tuberculosis and enteritis. His death was confirmed by the military authorities to have been directly attributable to war service. Awarded the Royal Lifesaving Society Medal July 1935. |
| DICKSON | CLAUDE WILLIAM | 1644 | After leaving, joined Shaw Savill Line operating between S.A. and Australia and then U.K. and Australia/New Zealand. Since he was desperate to follow his brothers to the Bothie, he completed his apprenticeship at the tender age of 18 years and 3 months and was not eligible to write his Second Mates ticket. The Company sent him home for an extended leave and when requested to join a ship some three months later, decided not to take up their offer. Married Dulcie in Cape Town and subsequently emigrated to the U.K in 1976. Took up various positions as Fire and Safety Consultant in the Petro-chemical industry specialising in the Fire and Safety design for Oil and Gas rigs which involved travel to various locations including back to S.A. (Mossel Bay Gas Rig); on to Montreal (Hibernia Gas rig) in Canada and then to Glasgow, Aberdeen, and London. Finally retired on health grounds in 1998 and lived in Reading, Berkshire. Deceased 07/02/2012. Awarded the Royal Lifesaving Society Medal December 1951. |
| DICKSON | FRANCIS GRAHAM | 1547 | First son of an ex-cadet to join the Bothie, M.A. Dickson (127). After leaving Bothie, he joined S.A.Lines ship Damaraland. Then followed a spell with Thesens Coasters and finally fishing for anchovies at Veldrift. Then left the sea and took up steel construction rigging ashore with various companies including finally, Consani Engineering for many years. Sadly passed away on the 8th October, 1999. |
| DICKSON | WARWICK KENNETH | 1591 | After leaving, had a short spell with Thesens Coasters before joining the Elder Dempster Line in Liverpool. Sailed on various ships of the line as cadet, Third Mate and Second Mate after achieving his Second Mate’s Certificate. Subsequently achieving his First Mates Certificate, he then joined Shell Tankers and later Safmarine where he sailed as Second Mate. After not having been home for seven years he returned to Cape Town to write his Master’s Certificate. There he met Betty, his wife to be, and decided to swallow the anchor. Then followed a variety of employment positions in Cape Town and Johannesburg before finally retiring to George. Deceased 25th September 2019. |
| DIENAAR | TIMOTHY GARTH | 2738 | Passed away in 1995. |
| DIETERLE | FREDERICK ALEXANDER | 1870 | Did not go to sea. Joined Burroughs businses machines. Worked in Cape Town and London. Played first team rugby for the Villager Football Club in Cape Town and Richmond Rugby Club in London. Went into packaging on my return to Cape Town in 1963. At present I have my own company wholesaling and distributing packaging material. Deceased 26th April 2002. |
| DINGLEY | RONALD EDWARD | 1078 | |
| DIXON | NOEL JOSEPH | 1287 | 1964 returned to South Africa after many years of service in the Rhodesian Railways and in temporary employment in the Durban Corporation Electricity Department. Deceased. |
| DOBEYN | PETER JOHN | 1759 | After G.B. worked as a Sales Administration Clerk for 3 years at an aluminium factory in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Later joined the British South African Police and served there for 17 years in the district branch, leaving in 1978 to go farming outside Salisbury (now Harare). In 1982 returned to South Africa and worked another 12 years at the aluminium factory ast their security administation officer whilst running his farm. Retired from the factory end of 1995 and continued farming of cattle, poultry, timber and leased out part to sugar cane farming. |
| DOBSON | GREGORY THOMAS | 2776 | |
| DOCKRALL | HENRY THOMAS | 1098 | WWII was Sub Lieutenant RNR/SANF HMS Celia 10/01/1942 Deceased 10/09/92. |
| DODDS | FREDERICK ALFRED | 98 | |
| DODKINS | TERRENCE PATRICK | 1512 | Last known living in Jamestown, St Helena Island. Deceased. |
| DOHERTY | BERNARD JOSEPH | 54 | Placed in Thesen Line as apprentice. |
| DOHERTY | ANTHONY EDWARD | 361 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. |
| DOHERTY | ALBERT ARTHUR | 78 | In Memorian. We deeply regret to record that Cadet Arthur Doherty died at Wynberg Military Hospital on November 22nd 1923. The burial took place on the following day, starting from the town pier, and the remains of Arthur Doherty were laid to rest in Glancairn Cemetery. All ships in harbour half-masted flags by order of the admiral, and H.M.S. Dublin sent a funeral party to represent the Royal Navy; the South African Naval Service also sent representatives. The coffin was followed by the whole ship’s company. Eight cadet petty officers acted as pallbearers and 20 beautiful wreaths were borne to the graveside by the late Arthur Doherty’s top-mates. The “last post” was sounded over the grave by two of the ship’s burglars. (Extract from the “S.A.T.S. Magazine”, 1922/23. Grave Ref no. 990/A8 Dido Valley. |
| DOMINY | MICHAEL GEORGE | 1760 | Served his apprenticeship with Clan Line and remained with them until he had passed his Master’s Certificate. He then returned to S.A. and joined the harbour service. Served on their tugs in all S.A. ports before returning to Durban as harbour pilot. 1982 promoted to Assistant Port Captain and later as Durban Dockyard Manager. |
| DONCASTER | STEPHEN PHILLIP | 2878 | 2014 a robot programmer in Thailand. |
| DONKIN | STANLEY | 860 | WWII Gunner 5 Field Brigade SA Artillery / 5 Field Regiment SAA. Wounded 31/05/1942. |
| DOORNEKAMP | CRAIG MARTIN | 2597 | 1998 at sea with Unicorn. Deceased 31/03/2008. |
| DORKIN | RODNEY BRUCE | 2550 | 1998 – Branch Manager of Polaris Shipping based in Johannesburg. 2003 – Marketing & Shipping Director of Keeley Granite. 2007 – left Keeley. |
| DORMER | CHRISTIAN VICTOR | 85 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a seaman. Deceased. |
| DOUGLAS | WILLIAM RODERICK | 2097 | 1964 completed his indentures with Hall Line and gained his second mate’s certificate May 1963. He was subsequently appointed to the m.v. “City of St Alban’s”. Previously of the ‘Training Centre for Seamen’, Cape Town. 1994 moved to New York, U.S.A. 1999 Director of the Paducah Centre for Maritime Education, a simulating training facility. This caters for the needs of continuing education of the Pilots and Captains in the tow boat industry on the Western Waterways of the United States. 2006 Director of the Centre for Maritime Education, Houston, Texas. |
| DOUGLAS | GRAHAM MARTIN | 2626 | 1977 to 1985 at sea with Unicorn, thereafter with Land & Marine, Safmarine, Pentow and Smit, at sea and as salvage master. 1997 – Tug Master with Portnet, Richard’s Bay. Received a bravery award whilst in Richard’s Bay. 1998 – joined Pentow Marine, Durban. 1999 – Master on a Dive Support Vessel operating out of the Bonny River, Nigeria, for an American Company, Stolt Comex Seawan. 2005 Sub LT in S.A. Navy, completed FTO 1 Officer’s course and served on a missile strike craft. 2006 to 2007 lecturer at Durban University of Technology before joining Svitzer. Thereafter with various tug and salvage companies before joining Alan Brink & Associates Durban in 2012. On Thursday, Apr 13, 2017 at 5:18 PM, Graham Martin Douglass wrote: I was working for Portnet in Richards Bay as Tug Master on the Marshall Clark..one of the older Voith tugs. We were on Night shift and Port Control requested we sail a New Korean Wood Chip vessel which had just completed loading. While enroute to the berth, the attending Pilot (also a Bothie boy – Dave Teague GB Cadet 2510 Term 1975) requested me to contact Port Control and request the urgent despatch of the Pilot helicopter,,,then a bell 212 Huey for medical evacuation. I was then asked by the pilot if we had an operative CABA set available immediately, and that there was a situation on board which required a CABA extraction from the hold which had gas in…!!!! I responded with the affirmative and was told the ships CABA sets where still in their new plastic wrapping..no masks fitted and so they were not able to do the extraction. Port Paramedics were on their way to assist. Once alongside the vessel the pilot instructed me to assist and report on board the vessel at no 2 hatch with my CABA set.Port Paramedics had arrived but seemed reluctant to do the extraction. Once on board it was evident that no one was keen to enter the hatch because of the gas threat and a ferocious Alsation dog guarding the hatch access way .The dog belonged to a security officer who was conducting a stowaway search and he had entered the hatch and did not return, so crew working with him sounded the alarm. I donned the CABA set and shouted to the crew to distract the dog so I could get access. At the same time a Port Paramedic decided to follow and assist me. We had only 4 minutes to rescue the security officer before he would be brain dead from oxygen starvation..we were well beyond that but had to proceed with the extraction. The hold was 3/4 full with green wood chip…stepping onto it, you got sucked down like quick sand,so lying on my stomach I conducted several investigatory sweeps with my hands in the blackened hold. On the second sweep I detected a 9 mm pistol and handed it to the paramedic behind me who would not leave the access ladder.The dog was attacking anyone near the access hatch. On my third sweep I felt a boot then the rest of the body which was limp. I was able to pull the body slowly towards the access ladder and by sheer luck got him upright and close to the ladder.A rope was slung under his arms and we finally hoisted him out the hold going backwards up the ladder.He was bleeding from sever head wounds..once upright and pumping his chest while ascending the ladder he started to breath. Paramedics took over once he was on deck and the helicopter evacuated him to hospital, he was alive but still unconscious. I returned to my tug and continued with Port duties. The situation was as follows. 1. The security officer was in fact a police man in the SAPS dog unit and he was moonlighting with the security company to earn extra money. 2. He had limited knowledge of ships and the dangers associated with cargo’s. 3.His father was the Regional Provincial Commander. 4.The Filipino crew had warned him not to go into the hatch but language was a barrier. 5.The ships CABA sets had never been used or even tested and they could not get the masks to screw into the oxygen bottles…. a safety violation for sure. 6.Brain Death occurs at about 4 minutes due to oxygen starvation. 7.Green wood chip was declared a hazardous cargo after this accident.Green wood chip continues to LIVE in the chip form , the ..osmosis action continues and it sucks the oxygen out the air in the hatch then releases it back as carbon di oxide gas, making the hatch atmosphere lethal, once the hatch covers are closed. 8.The young 21 year old policeman was declared brain dead on arrival at hospital and after 4 days, his parents , pulled the plug as he would never recover.Severe head injuries was also a mitigating factor. There were many lessons learned and Captain D.W. Brink (GB Cadet 2036 Term 1957/58) then Port Captain awarded me for bravery. I understand the incident was forwarded to IMO by SAMSA. |
| DOUGLAS | ALASTAIR ANDERSON BREMNER | 2096 | 1997 – With G.F.C. Mining, Gauteng. Became a learner Miner in 1961 and after working through various mining positions was appointed General Manager of cementation Mining in 1988. Author of several technical papers on Shaft sinking and awarded a Gold Medal by the Association of Mine Managers of S.A. for one. 2005 retired. Deceased April 2006. |
| DOUGLAS | SHOLTO ARTHUR IAN | 746 | Deceased July 1938 Leukemia. Buried in Eshowe, Zuzuland. |
| DOUGLAS | CLIVE WILLIAM PETER | 1818 | Another ‘mad Rhodesian‘, Clive Douglas actually hailed from Northern Rhodesia but had been a boarder at Graeme College in Grahamstown. In his junior year at the General Botha he won a good progress trophy and in his second year was promoted Senior Cadet Captain. He was also the Band’s Drum Major and a bugler and won the Musician’s Trophy. On completion of his time on the Botha Clive returned home to the Copper Belt in Northern Rhodesia where he took up mining. With the collapse of the copper industry, he moved down to Somerset West and finally went to sea in the Department of Transport’s RSA. He was in the process of slowly working his way up the nautical ladder when he was struck down by illness and passed away 8th December 1998. A number of his old Botha mates attended his memorial service in Cape Town. |
| DOVEY | GEORGE THOMAS | 429 | After Bothie his legal guardian refused permission to allow him to join the navy and returned to East London finding employment as an office boy at a furniture shop. Completed five years peace-time training with the Kaffrarian Rifles. During WWII he went north with the KR’s after the fall of Tobruk but upon arrival in Egypt was transferred to the special services battalion with whom he served for the duration of the war. After the war he eventually rose to the level of production manager at Glenton & Mitchell from where he retired at the age of 63. Deceased 02/09/2002 |
| DOW | JAMES RODERICK | 2098 | After G.B. joined the Banking Industy. After working in almost every Bank, Building Society and Insurance company in existence then decided to try his hand in sales. Joined a company by the name of Alfred Dunhill Ltd and has been with the same group for 20 years. 1996 the Provincial Manager for a company called Interncontinental Tobacco Company in Natal. “To put it in Bothie parlance, I am a ‘ting’ Seller”. 1999 retired. 2004 moved to London and working in the IT industry. |
| DOW | ROBERT MC DIARMID | 2087 | |
| DOWNES | ERNEST SINCLAIR | 206 | |
| DOWNES | MICHAEL | 2861 | 1984 joined Unicorn Lines and sailed on various vessels. End of 1985 resigned from Unicorn and did two years national service in the S.A. Navy, qualifying as a Diver. Spent time sailing the S.T.S. Howard Davies whilst in the Navy. 1988 joined Clicks Stores (retail store) as Trainee Manager and promoted to Branch Manager in 1990, opening the Grahamstown Branch. 1996 promoted to Regional Mangager with Diskom (Retail Store) of the border region. 1997 emigrated to New Zealand continuing in retail business as Store Manager of Warehouse Stationery in Tauranga. 2013 relocated to Australia. |
| DOWNIE | KENNETH TERENCE | 2900 | Sailed with Safmarine and in 1992 to 1993 worked in Safmarine’s Container Stowage Co-ordination Centre in Cape Town. Thereafter freelanced as deck officer and skipper on various types of vessels including yachts and supply vessels, before relocating to New Zealand in 2000. 2003 working for NYK Line as a Ship Planner/Logistics Officer. 2007 moved to Sydney as National Operations Manager, Hanjin Shipping Line. Later joined Patrick Stevedores as an Operations Planner at their Melbourne head office and thereafter National Marine Operations Manager for Maersk & Hamburg Sud Shipping Lines. 202O relocated to Canada. Deceased 2nd October 2020. |
| DOWNING | BARRY JOHN | 1819 | Barry Downing was a local boy in every sense of the word, as he lived in The Strand and had attended Hottentots-Holland High School at Somerset West. At the Botha he was an enthusiastic fisherman and swimmer, finishing as runner-up in the junior mile open sea race in the Gordon’s Bay Regatta. He also played a sterling game of rugby for the under-19As. Of all the class, Barry was the first away to sea when he joined Safmarine, a shipping company he remained with for almost the rest of his life, except for a short trip with MacAndrews of Liverpool. Obtaining his first command, the SA Tzaneen in 1972, he was promoted to Safmarine’s cargo superintendent in 1976 and to cargo manager in 1992. Barry became a well-known and highly-respected personality on the waterfront, both in South Africa and in the USA, where he was seconded for long periods of time. In late 1992 Barry transferred to SA Stevedores as operations manager, until his retirement in 1996. He also served for many years on the General Botha OBA Committee. Barry passed away 25th July 2003 survived by his wife Gaynor, a son and two daughters. His memorial service was attended by a large number of his old shipmates. |
| DOYLE | SEAN MICHAEL | 2862 | I was a cadet with Safmarine and attended Bothie in 1985 where a week before final exams I failed my sight test so no merchant navy career for me. I left S.A a few months later after deciding that I would prefer doing my national service in the Caribbean not Angola and joined Windjammer cruises as a unlicensed 2nd Mate. I then started running yachts and after obtaining a 3000 ton U.S. license ran and built numerous large motor yachts worldwide. I left running yachts and settled in Fort Lauderdale where I have been a yacht broker [Merrill-Stevens Yachts] since 2000. |
| DOYLE | CARL PATRICK | 2879 | 1994 sailing as Chief Officer with Safmarine. 1999 sailing as Master for Safmarine/Maersk. 2007 sailing own yacht around the world. 2014 – We continue life as gypsies on our boat ‘Obsession’. Presently we are based in Kota Kinabalu, Borneo. It is a convenient safe port located just outside the typhoon belt which allows us to cruise the Philippines and nearby Pacific islands and then leave the boat and family in a safe place when I work. I still work as a Master with Maersk (my current vessel is the Maersk Laberinto on the Europe / South America trade) so our sailing is in 3 month sections as I work a 3 months on 3 months off rotation. |
| DRAKE | RAYMOND VIVIAN | 1225 | 1964 a clerk with the S.A. Permanent building Society. |
| DREYER | CASPER BECKER | 499 | 1964 in the building trade in his own business in Ontario, Canada. |
| DREYER | DOUGLAS | 2388 |
Previously at sea with Safmarine. “My lungs collapsed at sea in 1975 and was told to go to Cable Restorer for a year before I could go back to sea , but decided I did not want to waste my time there , so went to university for a year to see if I would get into veterinary school . I was fortunate enough to get into veterinary school and graduated from Onderstepoort in 1981.Was in practice for 4 years in Port Elizabeth , joined a partnership in Durban , then opened my own practice in Pietermaritzburg. After some harrowing experiences which affected my daughters we decided to leave SA , I sold my practice and emigrated to New Zealand in 1997. Been practicing in private practice here in Kerikeri and then Auckland , and currently doing welfare veterinary work at the SPCA . |
| DRIVER | JOHN HARRY | 42 | 1962 – 1970 Apprentice Millwright with S.A.R. & H., drawing office at Germiston designed railway trucks at Dorman Long Africa Ltd. Later became assistant to the works manager on matters technical. 1970 – took over late father’s photo studios, Stella Nova Studios, Benoni April 1971 – joined police reserve rising to Major. Ten year long service award and the police 75th anniversary medal. |
| DRYDEN DYMOND | RICHARD PAUL | 380 | Was in command of the HMSAS Protea in the Mediterranean in 1941. First Commanding Officer (Lieutenant Commander) of the S.A. Navy’s first Frigate, HMSAS Good Hope in November 1944. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. Was in command (Lieutenant Commander) of the Frigate HMSAS Natal on her ‘hush-most-secret’ dash to Annex Prince Edward and Marion Islands. 1950 received command of HMS Wessex from his Bothie shipmate, A.S. Pomeroy (373), under whom she became HMSAS Jan van Riebeeck in the South African Navy. Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 – December 1952 promoted to Captain, S.A. Navy. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953 – Officer Commanding (Captain) Salisbury Island Naval Base, Durban. 2nd April 1957 handing over of Simon’s Town to the South African Navy. Captain H.F. Bone RN, handed the original key of the naval dockyard to Captain R.P.D. Dymond – the new commander of the dockyard. |
| DU PLESSIS | DAVID JOHANNES | 1100 | |
| DU PLESSIS | STEPHANUS ARNOLDUS | 747 | Born Aberdeen Road, Cape Province, 2 July 1918, son of Jan Stephanus du Plessis and Sarah Susanna, nee Mare. Ed, High School, Joubertina. Cadet Draft 1934 – 35. In 1936 Stephanus Arnoldus du Plessis joined the Prince Line as an Apprentice and served in their Malayan Prince running between America and India. When war broke out he was in London studying at a nautical college for his examination and signed on with RAF as a wireless operator and gunner. On 18th April 1941 he was reported missing over the Norwegian coast. |
| DU PLESSIS | ALFRED NORMAN | 975 | RN, then a Dentist and then a Dental surgeon RNR. 1964 a Dental Specialist, England. 1986 retired but an excellent water colour artist. Midshipman RN, Middle East then took up Dentistry practised in Farringdon, Overseas League Rugby player. Deceased February 2013. |
| DU PLESSIS | BARRON EDGE | 438 | In the thirties in the army, S.A. Permanent Force. WWII Lt seconded to UK Forces Pioneer Corps. 1944 Selected for British Army Commission. |
| DU PLESSIS | NEIL | 1762 | Went to sea with Bank Line eventually serving as third officer. After obtaining Second Officer’ Certificate joined Safmarine. Later did 2 year diploma course at the Bible Institue of South Africa in Kalk Bay, Cape Town, followed by a few months sailing with Thesen’s. 1968 started a career with the YMCA. Managed YMCA centres throughout the country before retiring after 13 years service. 1964 was Chief Officer of the “South African Pioneer”. |
| DU PREEZ | PIERRE ANTOINNE | 62 | 1963/64 – Studied Marine Radio Course at Cape Technical College and passed P.M.G. 1964/70 – joined Safmarine as Radio Officer and sailed on various ships including the S.A. Venture, Vanguard, Statesman, Shipper, Sugela, Letaba and Drakenstein. 1970/71 – came ashore and worked at Caltex refinery 1971/92 – joined Ozalid as a service engineer installing and maintaining drawing office equipment. Have been service manager for a number of years. 2009 retired. |
| DU PREEZ | ANDRE | 2437 | |
| DU SAUTOY | WILLIAM GRAY | 1821 | Bill Du Sautoy was a ‘Vaalie’ from Pretoria Boys’ High, with a natural aptitude for the sea. In fact, in his second year he won the Nettleton Trophy for boat management. He was the second of the year to get away to sea, joining Safmarine’s Morgenster on 16 December 1954, where he found Barry Downing already ensconced. The captain was Robin Thomson, later to become Safmarine’s fleet commodore. On the Morgenster’s return to Cape Town, Bill was landed to hospital with acute appendicitis and though he sailed in all of Safmarine’s ships after that, he never again sailed with the inimitable Barry Downing! Concluding his three years apprenticeship in 1958, Bill went on to study for his second mates in Warsash, meeting up with Gerry Stalling, Ronnie Wege and ‘Mozwate’ Briant. Returning to Safmarine, he sat for his mates examination in Durban, 1960, at the nautical college then situated within the Merchant Navy Officers’ Club. Bill was then transferred by Safmarine to their Cape Ocean Transport ships, sailing in the Cape Agulhas and the Cape of Good Hope on the Far East to Europe run. Owned and chartered by New York based States Marine, these ships were registered in Cape Town and manned by Safmarine. As second mate in April 1961 Bill left Safmarine and moved across to Durban Lines on the Mozambique run, being appointed to the Congella under the command of the legendary ex- Botha boy, George Foulis. This was followed, until 1963, by a spell in C G Smith’s Inkosi and Intaba on the Durban to Cape Town sugar run. During this period, Bill met Gloria Wiehahn in Cape Town and they were married in December 1961. Bill then packed up the sea and went farming in the Northern Transvaal! This lasted for six years at which point, in 1970, his farm was expropriated by the Department of Water Affairs. Bill then decided to go for his masters certificate in Granger Bay and then Durban Tech.Like so many other Botha boys, Bill then joined the Harbour Service, in Durban. During this period he was severely injured by a steel bar raised and thrown by his ship’s anchor cable. After a period of recovery, he joined Durban Lines once again, this time as master, taking command of all their ships during his time with them. In 1973 he came ashore again and joined Consolidated Stevedores as superintendent, This firm was later taken over by Rennies and Bill moved up to assistant manager. In 1981 he crossed to Packard Shipping as an assistant ships agent manager but at the end of 1982 the company downsized retrenching staff. Bill then went into business for himself, doing home repairs to houses; hard and demanding work. In 1984 he was offered a post as port captain/superintendent for SANKO Lines in South Africa. This kept him busy until 1986 when SANKO closed at which point Bill moved to P&I Associates as a marine surveyor. At the end of 1988 he was diagnosed as suffering from an acoustic neuroma (brain tumour), which affected his face and acoustic nerves, resulting in partial deafness and paralysis of the left side of his face. After surgery and a six-month period of recuperation, Bill was announced fit for light duty but advised that he would probably have to be boarded. Bill and Gloria then sold their Durban home and moved up the Natal North Coast to Ballito. Bill and Gloria have four children; three sons and a daughter. All are married. One son lives in Australia, two in Johannesburg and their daughter lives in Botswana. From this lot they have three grandchildren. They keep themselves busy in their retirement by travelling often between the three countries. |
| DU TOIT | RUDOLPH BURBON | 110 | |
| DU TOIT | JAN JOHANNES | 2713 | |
| DU TOIT | COLIN JOHN | 1647 | |
| DU TOIT | PIETER | 2881 | |
| DUDLEY | LEONARD DOUGLAS | 1032 | 1995 retired from S.A. Stevedores H.O. Durban. Deceased 08/10/2004 Served his time with Bank Line [Andrew Weirs] and was one of the few survivors from the Tinhow when torpedeod off Lourenco Marques [now Maputo]. Joined East African Stevedoring and Lighterage in Dar es Salaam before moving to Durban where he joined S.A. Stevedores. |
| DUFF | MICHAEL ALEXANDER | 26 | 1961 – 1985 Rhodesia Railways, Bulawayo, apprenticed fitter turner. 1966 – 1969 Blandford Shipping Company, Marine Engineer 1969 – 1994 Emigrated to Canada, Vancouver B.C. Career development has been in the design and manufacture of machinery with an emphasis on marine steering gear and hydraulics. 1995 self employed and president of Hydra-tech Manufacturing Ltd. Designers and manufacturers of industrial and marine fluid power systems. 1995 Completed the design and installation of the No. 5 Ferry Terminal at Tsawassen which is the main ferry port for Vancouver. |
| DUFFELL | DEREK FRASER | 1645 | Derek sailed with Union Castle Line from 1952 – 1960. He then ventured into various fields of business after leaving the sea and also became very closely involved with his local surf life saving club. He went into sales starting as a medical representative. He later joined the building industry and in 1974 he was sent to Sweden to the Dynapac Factory on a training course. However due to sanctions against South Africa Derek was retrencehed and opened his own business making security gates and burglar bars. In 1996 Derek joined his son and opened an agency for Dynapac in the Western Cape after the return of Swedish Business. Killed tragically in a car accident 28/08/97. |
| DUFFETT | KEITH VICTOR | 1463 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48 Has joined the ‘President Steyn’ as an Apprentice Officer. Reported deceased 2013. |
| DUGMORE | JOHN EGERTON | 2045 | 1959 Joined a small auditor and accounting firm as an articled clerk in Vereeniging. 1962 Joined International Computers and Tabulators in Johannesburg, which later became ICL, the large British computer company, where I was a programmer and systems analyst. I eventually, managed to engineer a transfer to CapeTown. 1967 Started my own computer programming company which I later sold to Leo Computer Bureau. 1970 Joined Honeywell Computer Systems sales team from start up South Africa. I was based in Johannesburg and stayed with them until they withdrew from South Africa in 1975. 1976 Re-joined ICL in the Cape sales team until 1980. 1980 Bought out a large motor garage in Grabouw which I sold to a Ford Motor Dealer in 1984. 1984 to 1886 took time out living in Hermanus. 1987 Joined Central Data Systems Cape sales team and stayed with them until their demise in 1989. 1989 Joined Crosscape Express to set up their new computer department as they had just bought an expensive computer through me and the now defunct Central Data Systems. Once everything was up and running, I moved on to run the Cape Division sales team. The company was sold to Trencor and I transferred to Johannesburg. 1994 Joined Dimension Data in Rivonia Johannesburg and eventually managed to get transferred back to Cape Town. 2000 to 2006 built several houses in Somerset West, which were sold through my wife’s Somerset West real estate company, Dugmore Properties. 2007 working with my wife in her real estate business. |
| DUGUID | GEORGE DUNCAN | 805 | Sailed with Safmarine as Chief Officer in the early 50’s and later master. 1958 Left Safmarine to take up management of the Beira, Mozambique, Stevedoring Company. Later returned to Durban and joined the claims department of Consolidated Stevedoring Company. Deceased 01/08/1993. |
| DUGUID | ROBERT ARTHUR | 1226 | 1944 – joined the Royal Navy as AB, Asdic Rating. I have lived through 50 years that cover policeman, prison officer, trooper in the British Army (S.A.S. Regimetn Malaya) Bulldozer operator and mechanic in Rhodesia, to name a few situations. Retired from the mechanical engineering branch of the Cape Town City Council. I was heavy weight sparring partner to Chief Cadet Captain John Garden and CCC K. Turner. Also Captain of the Bothie rugby team and bass drummer in the Bothie band in 1943. |
| DUIGAN | RONALD JAMES DANIEL | 2759 | After G.B. sailed with Safmarine until obtaining his Chief Officer’s Certificate end 1986. Started studying full time first with UNISA and later at the University of Cape Town on a Mobil Bursary graduating in 1990 with a BSc (Chemical Engineering) with honours. Then worked at the Engen (ex Mobil) Oil Refinery until 1994 when he joined Kinetics Technology International BV, a Dutch company, at their branch office in Johannesburg. Has completed several foreign assignments with them doing design work on chemical plants destined for Poland, India and South Africa. 2003 Divisional General Manager at EnviroServ, Johannesburg. 2007 relocated to UK as Manager of Technology Projects for Shaw Stone & Webster. 2013 left Shaw Group, joined Technip France based in Paris as Vice President Downstream Onshore Business Unit. 2018 Lives in the Netherlands in Bergen op Zoom working for Cargill. |
| DUIGAN | BASIL RONALD | 1761 | Died of lung cancer, July 1987. |
| DUKE | BARRY | 1099 | Reported deceased in a train accident some years ago. WWII OS SDF / Private Youths’ Training Battalion. |
| DUMBLETON | WALTER RAYMOND BURTON | 552 | 1932 Junior Cadet Captain. |
| DUNBAR | LEONARD STUART | 2046 | |
| DUNCAN | JOHN ALEXANDER | 8 | |
| DUNCAN | ANDREW ERIC | 2099 | DOB December 28th, 1942. 1960 – 68 Service with British & Commonwealth and Safmarine: obtained Masters FG. 1969 – 85 Various shore jobs – auditing, accounting, financial management etc. Including a number of years abroad as financial controller of Drew Ameroid International, a major supplier to the Marine Industry. (133 ports worldwide) 1974 – Associate Member – Chartered Institute of Secretaries and administrators. 1981 – Fellow of the above Institute. 1985 – 90 More shore jobs of a consultative nature. Mainly management systems, including computer systems. 1990 – Established Cape Bunkers (Pty) Ltd, a supplier of Marine Bunker Fuels and Lubricants. 2003 – 11 Senior Bunker trader with TRT Bunkers. Worked for over 50 years of which at least 40 were in the Maritime Industry. ” After retirement enjoying my hobbies – Philately & online share trading.” Deceased 18th September 2018. |
| DUNCAN | WALTER DURIE | 1168 | |
| DUNCAN | NEIL STUART | 1167 | |
| DUNHAM | ROY PARKINS | 1288 | Deceased Possibly same R. Dunham who sailed on the s.v. ‘Lawhill’ as apprentice in 1945. |
| DUNK | JOHN CHARLES | 171 | |
| DUNLOP | ANDREW CARLETON | 1464 | Deceased 25/09/2002, |
| DUNLOP | JOHN WILLIAM | 921 | 1964 on the managerial staff of African Associated Stevedoring, Durban. Reported deceased. |
| DUNLOP-STEWART | JANICE HEATHER | 2880 | First female cadet in the history of the S.A.T.S. General Botha. Sailed with Unicorn before coming ashore with Safmarine Marine Division in 1997. 1997 married to Patrick Doyle, G.B. Cadet #2879 1986. 2007 sailing own yacht around the world. |
| DUNN | PETER JOHN | 1633 | |
| DUNN | PICKERING | 89 | After G.B. went to sea as an apprentice with Bank Line. Ashore with Bank Line after obtaining 2/0’s certificate. At outbreak of WWII volunteered for the Royal Navy as a rating – higher pay than going on an officer’s course. While serving on a small ship in SCAPA Flow, he was persuaded to go on the Officer’s Course. Served on Russian convoys and then posted to the Far East, Burma, and at one time was an aide to General Montgomery as a Lieutenant-Commander. At the end of the war returned to South Africa with his family on the “Dominion Monarch” and spent 18 months assisting with de-mobilisation of South African servicemen. Then joined Mobil Oil (shore staff) and was with them until retirement at age 65. Finally joined S.A. Navy as a civilian stationed at Klaver Camp (Signal School) as Transport Officer. Retired from S.A. Navy after 8 years. Deceased 08/08/96. |
| DUNN | MC MURDO | 92 | After G.B. joined Bank Line and in the ealry thirties joined Lago Oil & Transport as second Officer. Sailed Gulf of Mexico to Aruba (West Inidies) and in the late thirties became Harbour Master of Aruba. Later returned to South Africa and became a Terminal Manager for the oil company, Stanvac. Retired in 1956 and died in 1963. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Lago Shipping Co. |
| DUNSCOMBE | NICHOLAS PRETOR | 1992 | |
| DURELL | GAVIN | 2438 | Sailed with Safmarine and later came ashore into their Bulk Division. 2000 the Bulk Division was sold to a Greek owner and assumed the name S.A. Marine Corporation. Later same year left and joined Island View Shipping. 2012 retired. |
| DURHAM | CORNEY FRANK | 1646 | Ex British India and P&O Marine Surveyor. 2018 He is now retired, but worked many years as a marine surveyor after coming ashore following employment with P&O. He wrote a book on marine surveying. |
| DUWE | SIEGFRIED | 2562 | Sailed with Safmarine until obtaining Class One and then entered into the ministry in 1988. 1990 took charge of his own church in Bloemfontein and since then has been in charge of a men’s hostel, assistant at a Rehabilitation Centre, book keeping at headquarters, another church in Durban and then moved to Port Elizabeth. Developed a home for abused women and their children consisting of a three storey block of eighteen flats that was converted to cater for various ministries. 2005 manager of the Port Elizabeth branch of Independent Surveyors. Later joined the Transnet National Port Authority, initially on harbour tugs and 2008 on the harbour pilot tarining program. |
| DWYER | PIERCE MICHAEL | 427 | |
| DWYER | COLIN LAVER | 1350 | 1946 – 1948 – Cadet with S.A.R. & H. Sailed on s.v. Lawhill, Plettenberg and the Agulhas. 1948 – 1949 – Ordinary Seman on the Dalia. 1949 – 1954 – Salied on the Foc’sle on numerous Australian owned ships. 1965 – 1972 – Third, second and Chief Officer with Broken Hill (Pty) Ltd Transport. 1972 – 1973 – Master with Malay States Shipping 1973 – 1974 – Marine Superintendent with SIMS Consolidated shipping in Sydney. 1974 – 1992 – Second and Chief Officer and Master with Broken Hill (Pty) LTd Transport. Sailed mainly on large bulk carriers in the coal and iron ore trades. Coastwise and Far East ports. Frebruary 1992 – retired to enjoy a quite lfie in Newcastle NSW. |
| DWYER | ERNEST HENRY | 190 | After Bothie apprenticed to Elder-Dempster Line. 1970 Ships Officer, BHP Co., Ltd, Newcastle, Australia. |
| DYER | BERNARD JAMES KABLE | 230 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andre Weir Line. |
| DYER | JOHN ALBAN HAMILTON | 215 | Did not complete training. |
| DYER | ERNEST HENRY JOHN | 428 | |
| DYKE | GLENDENNING BRUCE | 1548 | After G.B. did his apprenticeship with Bullard King. Later sailed with Andrew Weir (Bank Line) and African Coasters. Resigned from African Coasters in 1961 after seving as Master on the s.s. Border and the s.s Barrier. He then joined S.A.R.& H (Harbour Service) and retired from there in 1991 after serving as Assistant Port Captain. |
| EADINGTON | JOHN | 383 | Born Nowshera, India, 15 January 1912. Son of Wiliam Eadington and Elizabeth. Ed, Aliwal North High School. Cadet Draft 1928-9. John Eadington joined the Thesen Line as Apprentice in 1930, and gained his Second Mate’s Certificate in 1934. He remained with the Thesen Line during the war and was serving as Chief Officer of the SS Harrier when she left Durban for Dar-es-Salaam and Mombasa on Sunday 6 June 1943. After the departure from Durban no further news was heard of the vessel, which was presumed to have been totally lost with all hands, due to enemy action. |
| EAGLESTONE | NORMAN RUSSELL | 2389 |
Sailed as Deck Cadet and Radio Officer with Safmarine having earned a diploma from General Botha and a Telecommunications and Marine Telegraphy Certificate from the Cape College for Advanced Technical Education. Having the technology bug, bite me, I later joining the South African Broadcasting Corporation (SABC), in Johannesburg, where I was involved in building out the new national television station and studios headquartered in Johannesburg. During this time I was awarded a bursary by the SABC and attended the Witwatersrand College for Advanced Technical Education (WCATE),(now known as the University of Johannesburg, where I earned an Higher National Technical Diploma HND), in Light Current Engineering. While being shore bound in Johannesburg, I joined the SA Navy Reserve where I was assigned to the SA Navy Training Ship, SAS Rand teaching celestial and marine navigation. Through this work, I was sent to study Naval Systems (SONAR, TAS, ASDIC, SA Navy doctrine), at the SA Navy College in Simonstown and then promoted to Lieutenant and assigned as Officer Commanding (OC) of the SAS Nautilus, a Navy Seaward Defence Boat, based at the Naval command in Durban. The role of the SAS Nautilus was focused on coastal patrol chasing Russian Fishing boats off of the coast of South Africa, Namibia and eventually Angola. The roles in Angola were more focused on Cuban infiltration under Russian control and influence. For personal reasons, I later relocated to USA and worked for several organizations supporting US DOD and Intelligency Agencies as follows: 1. Sun Microsystems: Chief Technology Officer, at Sun Microsystems Federal, driving the strategic vision for developing Network Centric Warfare (NCW) vision for the US Navy. During this time I created a data distribution service (DDS) and led an international team of engineers and architects to enable that technology to be an international standard for military and commercial systems. This work was completed under the Object Management Group (OMG) and emerged as the OMG-DDS, an open international standard technology now employed by over 50 Navies, 250 ship classes, UAV systems and many commercial applications around the world. 5. Eaglestone Consulting LLC |
| EARDLEY | BRIAN LESLIE MASON | 1101 | |
| EAST | MICHAEL WALTER | 922 | Born 09/01/23 in Durban. After G.B. joined the family Motor Business in Eshowe, Zuzuland. At the outbreak of the 2nd world war he joined the Umvoti Mounted Rifles and saw service in East Africa and Libya. He was captured at Tobruk and spent 3 years as P.O.W. 1964 proprietor of a Natal garage called the East Service Station, Eshowe, Natal. Deceased 14/01/89 |
| EATON | JOHN DEAN | 620 | Apprenticed to Blue Funnel Line. During WWII was a Lieutenant in the South African Air Force Motor Boat Wing. Was awarded the King’s Commendation for his valuable war services. This was a South African award denoted by a Protea emblem worn on the ribbon of the Africa Service Medal. |
| EBELTHITE | ERIC | 397 | Reported in “Both watches” 1952; In command of the Dredger “Springbok.” Served 4 year apprenticeship with Andrew Weir on their Luxmi and after obtaining qualifications, two years on the Tinhow followed by two years sailing with William Cotts of London. On declaration of WWII joined Elder Dempster sailing on the Cochrane which survived the war convoy duties. Late 1942 spent six months with the S.A. Air Force and then joined the S.A. Harbour Service. Here served in all ranks in all ports and retired as Port Captain of Durban in 1976. Later continued with contract work as master of harbour dredgers until final retirement in 1982. Deceased 08/05/2009. |
| EBELTHITE | ROGER | 2563 | 2000 – Harbour pilot in the Port of Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates. 2017 harbour pilot in Sohar, Oman. |
| ECKARD | LESLIE STEVENSON | 165 | |
| EDGE | DAVID FRANK | 1648 | |
| EDGEWORTH | FRANCIS LOVELL | 145 | After Bothie apprenticed to Reardon-Smith Line. 1964 harbour pilot in Durban. |
| EDWARDS | RICHARD PERCY | 1513 | October 1996 – retired as Sales Director from Premier Stationery Manufacturing, Cape Town. |
| EDWARDS | HUBERT SCOBELL | 182 | |
| EDWARDS | STEWART HEATH | 1871 | After Bothie joined the Surveyor-General’s Office in Cape Town and later left to join the British South African Police in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) where he served for 20 years. Relocated to the UK and got a position with a Leisure Company as their security manager. Eight years later joined News International Newspapers as their security director. Again eight years later became security manager of Sky Television followed by a short period with News Digital Systems. In 1993 joined Ingram Micro, an American Company, as security manager and four years later retired. |
| EDWARDS | IAN WILLIAM | 1102 | March 1942 City of Dunkirk. Joined in Cape Town and sailed to Europe and wartime convoys. August 1944 promoted to 3/0 (uncertificated) 19 yrs 4 mths old. May 1945 wrote 2nd mates. July 1947, 1st mates. September 1951 Masters. Served most often on Ellermans Ships but also a Bank boat, and Safmarine ship. After Masters, returned to SA and applied to S.A.R.& H. Worked on coasters and as a Stevedore until vacancy found in Durban, 1952. Spent full harbour career in Durban except for 79-83 as Port Captain, East London. Retired from Durban May 1986 as Port Captain. Interesting letter describing harbour life and how it changed through the years. Also expands on war-time service and describes how Botha Boys were always well received by shipping companies. 39-45 Africa, Italy, Atlantic Stars. War Medal. Deceased 24/09/2010. |
| EDWARDS | SCOTT SIM | 167 | After Bothie apprenticed to Clan Line, promoted to Fourth Officer. The call of tankers lured him to the British Tanker Company Ltd where he stayed for just under two years. He then left seafaring for four years before taking up employment with Thesen Steamship Company. The war years and the years right up to his joining Safmarine were spent deep sea with the S.A.R. & H. And in their harbour service. Joined Safmarine as Chief Officer on the ss Constantia on 10th June 1955. Deceased whilst serving as Master of m.v. Sugela, 1967. |
| EGAN | BRIAN DOMINIC | 1937 | |
| EGAN | MICHAEL AIDAN | 1872 | |
| EKSTEEN | COENRAD CARL FREDERICK | 1993 | Did not complete his training on the Ship. |
| ELAND | BRIAN ALFRED | 976 | WWII Private 2 Transvaal Scottish |
| ELFFERS | PIETER LOGEN | 1404 | |
| ELLAM | KENNITH DUDLEY | 2863 | 1996 owned a Kitchen Cupboard manufacturing and installation company in Cape Town. 2003 Returned to sea with Swire Salvage, promoted to Master. 2008 shore appointment with Swire Salvage in Singapore. 2016 General Manager with Solis Marine Consultants in Singapore and appointed to the Lloyds panel of SCR’s [Special Casualty Representatives]. |
| ELLIOT | ERNEST DE BURGH FURGER | 977 | Born Piet Retief, 7th May 1922. son of Harold Reginald Elliot and Norah Enid Amelia, nee Riordan. Ed, Florida School. Cadet Draft 1938-9. After completing his scourse in General Botha, Ernest de Burgh Furzer Eilliot joined the RNR and served in HMS Dorsetshirea and later in the armed merchant cruiser Rauche, as Temporary Midshipman. He was reported missing on 22 May 1941, when HMS Gloucester, in which he was serving was sunk during opeartions off Crete. |
| ELLIOTT | PAUL DISMOND | 806 | |
| ELLIOTT | ERIC OSWOLD | 500 | 1931 Junior Cadet Captain. |
| ELLIOTT | EDWARD CHARLES | 1103 | January 1942 joined Moller, a Danish shipping company. |
| ELLIS | FRED JAMES | 1873 | |
| ELLIS | TERRENCE PATRICK | 27 | Did not complete first year and did not return the second year. |
| ELLIS | HOWARD VERNON | 28 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. During WWII was appointed to the Royal Navy. |
| ELLIS-CLARKE | RUSSELL SYDNEY | 2777 | |
| ELLMAN | SAMUEL ETHERWALD AGATOS | 843 | Commissioned into the Royal Navy during WWII. He was on a Merchantman ” Scientist” which was the first ship taken and sunk, by the German Raider “Atlantis”, eventually rescued from a POW Camp in Somalia by the 8th Army. Was later commissioned into the Royal Navy, where he became a Beachmaster and ended up doing the beach assaults in Sicily and Salerno. He ended up commanding HMSY Virginia, in Burma. After the war he went to Northern Rhodesia, to the copper mines. On retirement he settled in Port Alfred, where he had a wonderful life, painting and playing golf. Deceased about 1990. |
| ELS | CHRISTOPHER JAMES | 2390 | 2006 Manager of the Seven Seas Club, Simon’s Town. Deceased 17th August 2012. |
| ELS | JOHANNES CHRISTOFFEL MICHAEL | 621 | Did not complete second year. |
| ELSTON | HAROLD CRAIG | 2760 | |
| ELY | BERESFORD LEO | 1227 | |
| EMMETT | JOHN | 223 | After Bothie apprenticed to Elder-Dempster Line. |
| ENDENBURG | HENK GERALD | 2100 | |
| ENGBERS | GUNNAR MARKUS | 2864 | |
| ENGELBERTS | SHANE CHARLES | 2901 | |
| ENGLAND | JOHN ELLIS | 220 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. |
| ENSLIN | RONALD LEOPOLD | 622 | |
| ERIKSEN | KONRAD HANS | 2628 | 1995 – Manager of Richards Bay Steel Stevedores. 1996 – Transferred to Cape Town as Branch Manager of National Stevedores (previosuly Keeleys Stevedores), later became P&O Ports. 2008 established KV&B Consulting Services. |
| ERLANK | SOUTHEY LIESCHING | 807 | WWII Flight Sergeant SAAF. |
| ERSKINE | BERESFORD GEORGE | 1289 | Cadetship in Union Castle, sailed as a Junior Officer on mail ships. Thereafter joined British Tanker Company. Delivered two trawlers, Cape Infanta and Cape Columbine to I&J in Cape Town. Both built in Lubeck, Germany. Joined the S.A. Harbour Service in 1956. Retired in 1989 as Senior Pilot. Deceased 26/09/2013 |
| ESTMENT | NICHOLAS DENTON | 2829 | |
| ETHERINGTON | CLAUDE BRUCE | 1514 | Bruce was born in Premior Mine in 1932. He finished school at Selborne College in East london and then proceeded to General Botha in 1947. He was Senior Cadet Captain in 1948. He joined Safmarine in 1949 as cadet onboard the SS Morgenster and then sailed on various vessels in the fleet. He left Safmarine and joined the SAR & H in 1957 where he was ‘spare’ mate in Walvis Bay for 3 yrs. Transferred to Durban and was Mate, Master and Pilot. Off to Richards Bay as Harbour Master/Pilot when the port was in its infancy and was involved in the opening of the port in August 1976. Transferred to PE as Assistant Port Captain in 1984. and then returned to Richards Bay as Port Captain in 1988, retiring in April 1992. He remained in Richards Bay and worked for SAMSA for a short period, finally moving to Port Elizabeth in 2005. Deceased 02/03/2010. |
| ETHERINGTON | PETER NEVILLE | 1351 | Sailed with Doug Harris 1943/45, David Dashwood 1944/45, and Vivien Whitfield 1944/45. When Mike Goold was Master in 1948. Deceased. |
| EVA | SYDNEY DAVID | 423 | Did not complete second year. |
| EVANS | JOHN RICHARD | 2686 | 01/79 – 12/82 – Cadet and Third Officer with Unicorn Lines. 01/84 – 04/84 – Basic training with S.A. Navy at Saldanha. 07/84 – 07/86 – Ships Agent with African Coaling. 07/86 – 10/86 – Travelling in Europe. 02/87 – 06/90 – Marine Surveyor with M&L Inspection. 07/90 – 01/96 – Marine Surveyor with A.R. Brink & Associates. 01/96 – present (1996) Cargo Surveyor with Patterson & Associates in Zimbabwe. |
| EVANS | DUNCAN CAMPBELL | 181 | After Bothie apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall Line. |
| EVANS | DAVID GLYN | 2627 | |
| EVANS | CHARLES JAMES ARCHIBALD | 21 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. |
| EVANS | SYDNEY TRACEY | 430 | Apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. |
| EVANS | STUART GODFREY GYONG | 1763 | Reported deceased. |
| EVANS | PETER THOMAS SHILLUM | 2047 | Lived in Muscat, Oman, and visited S.A. regularly. Spent the last 22 years as an Air Traffic Controller, & more recently as a trainer of Air Traffic Controllers. 2011 retired. |
| EVANS | DUDLEY ALAN WARR | 1405 | |
| EVENDEN | BARRIE SANDERSON | 861 | Born South Gipsland, Victoria, Australia, 3rd May 1921. Son of Charles Alfred Evenden and Reenie Carleton nee Carlos. Ed, Durban Boys’ High School. Cadet Draft 1936-37. After leaving General Botha, Barrie Sanderson Evenden joined the Union Castle Company as a Cadet. During the war he served in the Merchant Navy and was Fourth Officer in the Clan Line’s Empire Song when she was struck by a mine in the Mediterranean on 9th May 1941, and he was reported missing, presumed lost as the result of enemy action. |
| EVENDEN | ALAN JOHN | 1705 | January 1953 joined the Kenilworth Castle |
| EVERITT | CECIL VOYLE | 345 | After Bothie apprenticed to Bullard King Line. |
| FAIRLIE | IAN DAVID | 2902 | After G.B. joined Safmarine as Cadet. Obtained class 3 and joined Saflink (a division of Safmarine) terminal operations office. 1993 transferred and promtoed as a stowage coordinator with ‘MSRSCC’, Safmarine. Later worked in their container logistics and reefer unit. 2000 transferred to the Maersk Central Reefer unit in Copenhagen. October 2002 transferred to Safmarine H.O. Antwerp as Global Reefer Development Manager. 2004 transferred to Cape Town in similar capacity. 2012 joined MSC Cape Town as Commercial Manager Western Cape. |
| FALCONER | JAMES LENNOX BARCLAY | 1874 | |
| FANE | DENNIS REGINALD | 1104 | Reported in Both Watches 1952: “Transferred from Port Elizabeth to Durban. He is in the Post Office.” Later joined Shell in Johannesburg. Deceased 23/02/2009. |
| FARGE | LESLIE RICHARD | 2687 | 2007 Moved to Queensland Australia where he has a T shirt shop selling to the tourist trade on the Sunshine Coast. |
| FARMER | JULIAN MARIUS | 2830 | |
| FARMER | BERNARD PETER | 2797 | After Bothie, I went to work at Caltex Refinery as a Process Operator. From there to Sasol to qualify as a Instrument Tech. Came back to Caltex, then Botswana for six years, after returning back to Cape Town. I then worked on the rigs off Angola for two years, before coming to the West Coast and working at Namakwa Sands. Retired July 2018. I still sail a lot, on my own yacht, a Charger 33, which is based at Royal Cape Yacht Club. Do a lot of racing there, as well as the offshore races such as Vasco. Plan to do Rio race in 2020, as well as Vasco again next year to defend our title. |
| FARR | DAVID JOHN HYLTON | 2669 | |
| FARRANT | WILLIAM REGINALD | 384 | Was Junior Cadet Captain and obtained an ordinary certificate in navigation, scholastic and seamanship. Did not go to sea, was employed by a firm of artists designers. Born 24th May 1914. Died at False Bay on 24th November 1933 as the result of a boating accident. |
| FARREN-HANDFORD | ROBERT CLIVE | 2330 | Sailed in Safmarine until 1979. Came ashore in Richards Bay to join Hean & Robinson as surveyor. Left Richards Bay in 1981 to go to Durban as Stevedore Superintendent. 1983 went to Trident Marine as Operations Manager. Retrenched and started own building business, contracting in Durban until 1992. Went to Richards Bay to join Captain Chettle & Associates as surveyor. Started own surveying company in 1994. Built Marrob Lodge, an eight bedroom guesthouse in Kwambonambi. |
| FAWTHROP | ARTHUR | 923 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1953, Lieutenant in S.A. Navy. 1964 Officer Commanding SAS Natal, rank of Lt Cdr. 1972 Captain in the S.A. Navy. 23rd May 1972 commissioned South Africa’s new survey ship SAS Protea. |
| FEATHERBY | GARETH MAYNARD PAUL | 2331 | |
| FEINGOLD | JAMES ROBERT WALTON | 2584 | |
| FELLOWES | REGINALD DE VILLIERS | 623 | Apprenticd to SAR Ships. |
| FENECH | ERIC JUDE PAUL | 2494 | Sailed with Safmarine until 1980 he joined the S.A. Harbour Service as First Deck Officer. 1982 to 1986 sailed with Unicorn Lines before returning to the Harbour Service. 1990 joined P&I Associates as a Marine Surveyor and in 1994 was seconded to Maputo (Mozambique) as Principal Surveyor and Manager of P&I Associates, Maputo. 1996 returned to Durban and appointed to Maritech as Marine Surveyor. 1998 went into partnership in Independent Surveyors doing Marine Surveying. 2003 with Smit Salvage. 2018 retired from AMSOL but does contracts for AMSOL. |
| FENN | GRAHAM ARTHUR EDWARD | 2279 | I joined Safmarine as a Cadet in 1967 working my way up to Chief Officer before leaving in 1976 and joining the then South African Railways, later to become Portnet (a Division of Transnet). 1994 held the rank of Tug Master with a license to Pilot in Table Bay. Later promoted to pilot and retired 2007. 2020 owns B&B in Hermanus. |
| FENNELL | PHILIP JOHN DODSON | 1706 | Nickname “Tipper”. Deceased 20th July 2015. |
| FENWICK | EDWARD SYDNEY | 43 | 1998 – with Portnet container terminal Cape Town. 2003 left S.A. Port Operations. “I retired from Portnet (Containers) as the MIS Manager (Management Information Services) on 31 March 2003 after 41 years service with Transnet. They actually sent me to the General Botha in 1960-61 to be trained as a Chief Engineer on the tugs.” Deceased 30/05/2013. |
| FERGUSON | ROGER | 2903 | |
| FERGUSON | JOHN ROBERT | 1465 | |
| FERREIRA | PIETER JOHN | 2831 | Left Safmarine in 1988 and started working as a captain on sailing yachts the following year. Then made the move to motor yachts in 2001. Completed his merchant training in the UK, and now holds an MCA Master Unlimited certificate. 2001 to present, Captain on various different motor yachts ranging in size from 50m to 90m. |
| FERREIRA | ARNOLD | 1593 | |
| FERRIS | JOHN CHARLES | 1290 | 1964 Staff Officer Navigation and Direction, rank of Lt Cdr. 1972 Captain in the S.A. Navy. Retired with the rank of Commodore. |
| FIELD | MICHAEL TREMAYNE | 1549 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Unable to go to sea because of eyesight failure. 1952 working in Cape Town as a Cashier with the Natal Building Society. Subsequently returned to Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe] and later back to South Africa where he worked for Permanent Building Society until retirement. Deceased January 2013. |
| FIFE | IAN HOYLE | 2143 | Deceased 27th October 2010. He was well known and respected journalist with the Financial Times and specialised in property. |
| FIFE | ALAN HOYLE | 266 | Member of First OBA Committee 1. R.N.R. Midshipman 2. Apprentice Officer, Ellerman & Bucknall 3. Second mates certificate 4. R.N.V.R. Lieutenant 5. S.A. Naval Forces, Lieutenant Commander. War Service 6. United Tobacco Co 7. Post Graduate studies, London University (pre war) 8. O.K. Bazaars Director, Personel. Botha: 1st Class P.O. (Cadet Captain) foretop division. Pass mark 91% & 4 prizes Nominated for Kings Gold Medal with 4 others. Deceased 22/06/97 |
| FIKKERT | HANS ALEXANDER | 2101 | |
| FILMER | CECIL HOWARD | 553 | Runner up for King’s Gold Medal. After G.B. appointed Midshipman RNR. Apprenticed to Houlder Brothers for 3 years. Then joined the Royal Navy as Sub Lieutenant. After promotion joined the Fleet Air Arm and obtained ‘wings’ in 1938. 1940 dive bombed the German Cruiser ‘Konigsburg’ and assisted in her sinking. First time in aviation history that a major warship was sunk by air attack. Shot down twice, second time captured and spent five years as a prisoner of war. Returned to flying after the war until 1958, retiring as Lt Commander. Joined the Merchant Navy and within a year was Master of small ships belonging to South Island Government of Tonga, for five years. Following 14 years commanded tankers supplying fuel to most of the South Pacific Islands. 1995 retired. Deceased August 2007. |
| FINCH | PETER ANTHONY | 2471 | 2012 reporting living in New Zealand. |
| FINCKEN | MICHAEL JAMES IAN | 2904 | After 10 years with Safmarine, obtaining Master’s, joined Greenpeace based in Canada. Travels extensively on behalf of Greenpeace. 2003 returned to South Africa and remained active with Greenpeace. 2006 promoted to Master with Greenpeace. 2011 still sailing with Greenpeace and after five years on the old Rainbow Warrior, took command of the next oldest in the fleet – the Arctic Sunrise, an icebreaker. 2015 Master on Greenpeace flagship, Rainbow Warrior III. |
| FINLAYSON | JOHN KIRKWOOD KAY | 1291 | He was awarded a Cape Town Municipal Bursary to attend General Botha and progressed the Junior Certificate course. He obtained a First Class pass in Navigation and Seamanship. He was placed with the Ellerman & Bucknall Steamship Company as a Officer Apprentice in City of Hereford from March 1945. In 1947 he was repatriated to South Africa by Ellerman & Bucknall due to ill-health. Deceased 16/07/2008. |
| FISH | HAROLD GEOFFREY | 282 | Deceased November 1995 |
| FISHER | EDWARD EVAN | 1875 | Ted Fisher, an East Londoner, went to Selborne College before joining the General Botha. Ted has been an honorary ‘53/54’ for a long time now, attending the 50 and 60 year reunions. Leaving the Botha he went off to sea with Union Castle Line, joining the Roxburgh Castle in January 1956. Ted served in eight of the company vessels, sailing round Africa, Europe and Scandinavia, dropping into the School of Navigation at Warsash along the way for his second mates and mates. Back to sea with Houlder Brothers, iron ore to Barry Docks in Wales. Then, Elders & Fyffes (bananas) as third and second mate. Failing his eyesight test became an issue prior to writing his masters and Ted was forced to leave the sea. He is adamant that his Botha training and time at sea served him very well for his subsequent business career ashore. Now retired, Ted and Barbara are living happily in Storrington, West Sussex. Ted has taken good care of the UK branch of the General Botha for many years and enjoys numerous other absorbing interests. |
| FISHER | ROBIN WATHERITT | 1352 | 1988 – Retired as a Port Phillip, Australia, Sea Pilot. Took up flower growing and specialised in Proteas. 1945 after two years on the General Botha I sailed to England with three others to join Blue Funnel (Alfred Holt) as a midshipman. After six years I sailed to Sydney and joined a company called Burns Philp which sailed between Australia and Papua New Guinea. My first job with them was 3rd Mate on their passenger cargo ship “Bulolo”. After four years I took the Masters exam in Sydney. Once established as a Sea Captain and four years later, I was eligible to apply to become a Port Phillip Sea Pilot and was successful in 1962. The Port Phillip Sea Pilots operate out of Melbourne and are a well known and well run private Pilot Service with about 40 Pilots. The entrance to Port Phillip Bay is notoriously difficult. I enjoyed my 26 years with the Service. On retirement my holiday house in the warmer climate of NSW seemed a very attractive proposition, and after buying some extra land my wife and I planted 1200 protea plants. 10 years later we decided enough was enough and we officially retired. We live in a beautiful area with many beaches, a beautiful lake and the Great Dividing range close by. Our family is scattered all over Australia and they all love joining us for holidays here in Forster/Tuncurry. |
| FISHER | JOHN SMITH | 808 | Founder Chairman of the Association’s Australian Branch. Went to sea as Cadet at age of 16 years with Houlder Bros 1937 to 1942. Joined Union Castle Line and was on the “Richmond Castle” when hit by a bomb in a Liverpool blitz. Involved in convoy work in the North Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Obtained masters certificate at age 24 years. Appointed Master of the “Rovuma”, a coaster on the Portuguese East African Coast at age 27 years. 1950 came ashore as Stevedore Manager for African Associated Stevedoring in Durban. 1962 immigrated to Australia and became manager of Smith Patrick’s Stevedoring Company in Adelaide, specialising in loading bulk grain. 1983 retired to become a hobby farmer, bee keeping. In 1987 went back to sea again as Master of the Scientific Expeditionary Ship ‘Sir Walter Raleigh’, sailing on her for five months. Deceased 03/02/2013. |
| FISHLEY | IAN STEWART | 2173 | Bothy at Gordon’s Bay 1960/61. (Cadet Captain 1961) Safmarine 1962-69, Second Mates in Liverpool 1964, Mates at Granger Bay 1966 (Harbour had a cofferdam and was flooded while we were there, cadets had arrived from Gordon’s Bay). Masters at Granger Bay 1969 and joined Marine Diamond. Commissioned as Lieutenant S.A. Navy June 1970 and during next four and a half years served on five warships and did Sub-Lts.qualifying, and later qualified as Combat Officer.Left the Navy towards end of 1974 and did a stint as Master on a coaster on the West Coast then Department of Transport in Durban for a year and also served in SAN Citizen Force for five years. Moved to Richards Bay and joined SGS as the first marine surveyor when the new port opened. I also worked for Hean and Robinson for a while and then went back to SGS Durban as Manager of the Marine Division. I eventually settled down and joined Chettle in Richard’s Bay in 1982 as surveyor/ Manager and became a partner and later sole proprietor. My partner Dave Gibbs (GB 1975) bought me out in 2014 after I had opened a Chettle office in Cape Town where I am – 2014 – still working as a part time Consultant and Flag State inspector and supporting Richards Bay when required. 2011 founding committee member of GBOBA Bursary Fund. |
| FITT | PETER JOHN KNIGHTON | 1938 | 1964 Second Officer in the m.v. Letaba. Previously sailed with Shell and Safmarine followed by a period in the S.A. Navy and then with Rennies. Owned the Maritime Institute which focused on Training, Development & Projects in International Trade, Logistics and Shipping. 2001 relocated to Canada. 2015 Returned to South Africa. |
| FIVAZ | JOHN WILLIAM | 451 | 1964 Manager of Barclays Bank, Margate, Natal. |
| FLACK | ROBERT | 1876 | Bobby Flack came to the General Botha, as cadet 1822, from Observatory Boys’ High School and, after a few months, suffered a leg injury which involved lengthy treatment. He therefore ‘stood down’ until the following year, when he rejoined. At the end of his time at the Botha, he went away to sea in Union Castle. Unsubstantiated rumour has it that he then left to serve in Thesens Coasters. However, what is known is that somewhere along the line he joined the Royal Air Force and made his career in its photographic section. On retirement he may (or may not) have worked in the photographic section of one of the large libraries in Cape Town, before returning to the UK. Robert is now living in retirement in London, from where he is maintaining a stony silence. |
| FLANAGAN | WALTER ROY | 2585 | 2016 – sailing the South Pacific on their yacht sv Pacific Spray. |
| FLAWN | BRIAN JOSEPH | 1939 | |
| FLEMING | ROBERT LIVINGSTONE | 63 | Did not return 1962. |
| FLEMING | MICHAEL PETER | 2670 | 1978 – 88: Safmarine, obtained Masters Certificate. 1988: Joined Pentow Marine, Durban, spent 4 years on the tugs servicing the SBM. 1992 – 2000: Loading Master and then Terminal Manager for Pentow Marine at Mossel Bay SPM. 2000 – 2001: Mooring Master at Durban SBM, EBT Field and Takoradi, Ghana. 2001 – 2005: Working for Smit in Novorossyisk, Black Sea, Russia as Mooring Master for two SPMs there. 2006: Smit Operations Manager based in Yuzhno-Sakhalinsk, Russian Far East. Client Shell 2007 – 2010: Operations Manager for Smit in De Kastri, Russian Far East for Client Exxon. 2011 – 2016: Smit Lamnalco Contract Manager, working in Rotterdam, Liberia, Sierra Leone, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon. 2016 – Present: Contract Manager for Smit Lamnalco on an Exxon LNG contact in Papua New Guinea. Stationed in Port Moresby. 2020 working n Douala, Cameroon for Smit Lamnalco. |
| FLETCHER | STANLEY JOHN | 501 | 1964 a garage engineer, Scottburgh, Natal. |
| FLINT | PETER JACQUES | 2551 | |
| FLINT | ANDREW RICHARD | 2719 | |
| FLOYD | GEORGE JAMES | 452 | |
| FORBES | ROY WILFRED | 624 | Roy served his apprenticeship with Andrew Weir & Company (Bank Line) and served with them until 29th January 1943 when he joined the S.A.R.& H. adminsitration as mate of a tug in Durban. As promotion came along he served in various ports, including Mossel Bay, Luderitz, Durban and Walvis Bay, where he attained the grade of Port Captain. The peak of his career was when he transferred to Johannesburg as Nautical Advisor to the government, a position he held until his retirement at the age of sixty three. Roy had the distinction of having a Portnet Pilot Vessel named after him – the ‘Roy Forbes’. On retiring to Durban, Roy was closely associated with the O.B.A. And the Society of Master Mariners. He was Master of the Society’s Durban Branch for 3 years. Deceased 17/08/1994. |
| FORBES | DONALD GRANT | 2048 | Was a Junior Cadet Captain on the Bothie. Little known about Donald, except that he became Mayor of Sandton. 1964 a traveller in the motor sales business. |
| FORD | ALAN | 2391 |
Joined Safmarine as Cadet and rose to Second Officer. Resigned after obtaining Chief Officer’s Certificate. Joined IBM as Trainee Field Engineer. Progressed through the field support ranks, country support group, Product Development Group, Engineering and Scientic Group, and after 23 and a half years was retrenched. Subsequently self employed for a few years with Unix application support for BMW. Thereafter involved in industrial design projects across a broad spectrum of products for customers as well as projects of my own. 2011 unofficially retired and keep occassionally busy with consulting on product design to a engineering company. Involved with Sea Scouts and currently look after Sea Scouting in Gauteng Province. |
| FORD | KEITH DUNCAN | 2202 | After failing the eye sight test joined the public service and worked for the Department of Customs & Excise. Then spent 30 years working for the Kimberly City Council where he was appointed Manager of Parks & Recreation in 1984 and retired January 2005. Deceased 18/08/2009. |
| FORD | ARTHUR DYMOND HEATHCOTE | 924 | Unable to secure a berth at sea he joined a firm of Land Surveyors in East London, shortly afterwards joined the Union Defence Force as a student pilot. After WWII he returned to South Africa and finally retired from Murray & Roberts after more than 20 years service with them. Deceased 7th January 1994. War Service History: SAAF Number 103076V Attested into SAAF 8-1-40 Pupil Pilot Course 8-1-40 to 30-10-41. Earned wings. Link Trainer Instructor course 30-10-41 to 15-11-41 Baragwanath Flight Training School 3-5-40 to 4-8-40 No1 Service Training Flying School Kimberly 4-8-40 to 20-10-41 62 Air school Bloemfontein 22-10-41 to 7-11-41 22 air school Vereeninging 10-11-41 to 24-10-42 Serious motorbike accident 8-1-42. Grounded due to extensive cranial and leg injuries 24 Air School Nigel 26-10-42 to 8-3-43 62 Air School Bloemfontein 8-3-43 to 9-7-43 26 Air School Pietersburg 9-7-43 to 13-9-44SAAF 31 Squadron, Celone Airfield, Foggia Italy. Flying B24 Liberator heavy bombers 19-12-1944 1st Liberator log entry 26-12-44 Last liberator log entry 29-6-45 (total 65 Sorties) Last day in 31 Squadron 7-7-45 Return to SAAF Airbase Swartkops 20-7-45 Transferred from Full Time Service to General Reserve 18-2-46 Discharged from General Reserve 14-12-65 Aircraft types certified to fly:- Medals |
| FORSTER | ARTHUR DENNIS | 1353 | Nickname on the Bothie “Goofy”. Joined Blue Funnel in 1946 as Cadet. Subsequently served with Strick Line of London and with Safmarine. Obtained Masters Certificate in 1955 and joined the South African Harbour Service in Durban as Chief Officer on a tug. Subsequently served in all grades and retired as Assistant Port Captain, East London in 1991. Deceased 12th June 2019. |
| FORSTER | MICHAEL DENNIS | 2642 | Served with Safmarine until obtaining Second Officer’s Certificate (Class 3) in 1981. Decided seafaring not desired career and joined the South African Air Force as pupil pilot. Subsequently flew helicopters in the border conflict and 1995 a major flying maritime aircraft. 1998 resigned from the S.A. Air Force and flying as First Officer with Safair. |
| FORSTER | MICHAEL PATRICK | 1994 | Cape Town Harbour Pilot (March 1994) May 2000 retired. Deceased 29th April 2014. |
| FORSYTHE | ROBERT JAMES HARRY | 809 | Born Johannesbug, 2nd Augsut 1920. So of George Harry Forsythe and Charlotte Maud, nee Collins. Ed, Park School, Turffontein, Johannesburg. Cadet Draft 1935-36. After training in General Botha, Robert James Harry Forsythe joined the RN as seaman and posted to HMS Bridgewater and later to HMS Impregnable. He served in HMS Bramble, in the North Atlantic in 1940 and 1941. The Bramble was sunk in action by a heavy German cruiser while gallantly defending a Russian convoy, with the loss of the whole ship’s company. At the time of his death Robert James Harry Forsythe held the rank of Signalman. |
| FORT | BRIAN ERIC | 1877 | |
| FOSTER | ROBERT JOHN | 2263 | 1966 – 69 Cadet with Safmarine. Then Third Officer with the Department of Sea Fisheries and 1971 Second Officer with Unicorn Lines. Left the sea and spent 12 months as Production Foreman for brick & clay products. 1972 returned to sea and sailed as Chief Officer on a Diamond prospecting vessel for Marine Diamond Corporation. 1977 to 1982 Chief Officer and Releif Master with department of Sea Fisheries. 1983 – 89 Nautical Instructor at the S.A.M.N.A. General Botha and then Deck Foreman on Mossgas “F.A. Gas Prodcution Platform.” 1992 joined the salvage and dive support vessel, “Deep Salvage 1” as Chief Officer. 1995 returned to the Department of Sea Fisheries as Chief Officer. 1996 on harbour tugs, Portnet Cape Town. 2002 left S.A. for Europe. 2003 Lecturer at Plymouth College of Further Education, Marine Section. Retired 2007. Lives on a narrow boat. |
| FOSTER | CYRIL WILLIAM | 284 | King’s Gold Medal winner 1927. After Bothie to August 1929 – Midshipman R.N.R. HMS Wallflower. Aug 1929 to Aug 1937 – Blue Funnel Line. Then joined a stevedoring firm in Cape Town. On outbreak of WWII appointed to HMS Cumberland, LT RNR. Until Nov 1941. Then in command of HMLST 386 until end of war. War service included three years in naval commandos. Then returned to stevedoring, joined G.B. At Gordons Bay as Chief Officer in 1951, and returned to stevedoring. Retired Jan 1976. Hobbies; Fishing & gardening. Deceased 31/10/99 |
| FOSTER | ALAN JAMES | 1707 | |
| FOSTER | DEAN GREGORY | 2688 | |
| FOTHERINGHAM | ANDREW JAMES | 2525 | Sailed as a schoolboy Cadet in Unicron in 1972 and 1975 joined Safmarine. 1982 joined Deutsche Afrika Lienen as Second/Cargo Officer until 1983 when joined Unicorn Lines. 1985 returned to Safmarine on their cruise vessel, Astor. On the sale of the vessel, transferred to salvage and anchor handling tugs, Pentow Marine. 1986 was sent to Kiel in Germany to oversee the evacuation and fire fighting aspect of Safmarine’s new building cruise vessel, Astor 2, and after maiden voyage returned to salvage tugs in 1988. Promoted Chief Officer in 1989 and Master in 1994. 1996 came ashore as a container vessel Stowage Coordinator with Safmarine. Promtoed manager in 1999. January 2004 left Safmarine and relocated to Australia. 2005 joined Austral Asia Line as Trade Manager based in Brisbane. Previously GBOBA Cape Town branch secretary. GBOBA Australia vice chairman. |
| FOUCHE | PAUL | 682 | 1964 With the Department of Labour, Durban, as an Inspector of Machinery. |
| FOUCHE | HENRI | 2332 | At sea until 1971. Joined South African Police Force, retiring in 1995 in the rank of Colonel. Lecturer at Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) until 2010. Awarded doctorate in Policing by TUT in 2006 for a thesis on the policing of maritime piracy. 2011-2015 Professor at UNISA. 2016 relocated to Langebaan. Senior Researcher at Stellenbosch University (Saldanha campus). C1 rated at National Research Foundation (NRF). Focus of research on governance and combating crime in the maritime domain. |
| FOULIS | MICHAEL JOHN ERIC | 1764 | 1954 – 56 – Standard Bank in Jhb and S.A. Naval Reserve at S.A.S. Rand as O.S. and leading Seaman. May 1956 – Nothern Rhodesia, mining underground. Obtained a diploma in metalliferous mining and a government blasting licence. Jan 1959 – joined the British South African Police, Souther Rhodesia, rose to Section Officer. 1964 – Ford Motor Company, S.A. Security, Safety, Fire Protection, Area Manager for an international safety equipment manufacturer. 1974 – Durban, Management positions with a major typre manufacturer and joined Putco. 1987 – Cape Town, partner in Stevedoring Company and later Warehouse Manager, Trisa, involved in the transport and international removal business. Deceased 21/09/2004. |
| FOULIS | GEORGE ANDREW EDWARD | 1594 | 1951 joined Safmarine and the Victory Ship s.s. Vergelegen. 1956 joined Smith’s Coasters where he was promoted Master at 23 years old and later sailed with African Coasters, Durban Lines and S.A.R. & H. From there he joined Marine Diamond Corporation as Master of the Emerson K, pioneering the diamonds from the sea industry and was later their Marine Manager in charge of the fleet. When de Beers bought the company he joined Terra Marine Mining and in 1967 joined the C.S.I.R. where he supervised the building of, and then commanded, the research vessel Meiring Naude until 1989. George did the Cape to Rio Race in 1976 and in retirement kept himself busy on yachts and relieving spells on various ships. Also took landing ships with food aid to Mozambique and ship-husbanded several Russian vessels arrested in Durban. Deceased 16th March 2015. |
| FOULIS | DONALD MALCOLM | 1878 | November 1961 joined Marine Dimond Corporation as Mate of the “Emmerson K” and later 2nd Mate of A.P.B. 45 and finally taking command of the “Schipa”. Previously with Marine Diamond Corporation and then on the Durban harbour bunker barges. |
| FOURIE | LOUIS ANDRIES | 56 | The first four Botha boys to go to sea as Cadets in Merchant Shipping did so with a South African Company, the Thesen Line. They were D.W. Rudd (Cadet Number 11), I.L. Green (Cadet Number 13), J.W. Andrew (Cadet Number 18) and L.A. Fourie (Cadet Number 56) who were all apprenticed in January 1924 |
| FOWLES | ROBERT CECIL | 554 | |
| FOX | SHIRLEY | 1105 | |
| FOXON | HERBERT DUNCAN | 1 | Was a Petty Officer on the Bothie. After G.B. appointed as Probationary Midshipman Royal Navy Reserve. Was in command as a Lieutenant of HMS Kos 22 during WWII. 1952 – Master of the Harbour Tug Sir William Hoy. 1964 a dredger Master in Durban Harbour. His original cadet file from the ship is missing. |
| FRAHM | HANS-JURGEN | 2299 | 1968 – 72 – Safmarine, Cadet and Third Officer. 1972 – 76 – Cape Continent Shipping Company, Third and Second Officer. 1976 – Obtained Masters Certificate 1977 – Lecturer, Training Centre for Seamen, Kasselsvlie. 1978 – 81 – S.A.R. & H Cape Town and Saldanha Bay, First Deck Officer, Harbour Tugs. 1982 – 93 – S.A.T.S. Port Elizabeth, Master Harbour Tugs. 1993 – Portnet Port Elizabeth, Harbour Pilot. 2008 retired from Transnet National Port Authority and remains involved in marine consultancy / survey projects. |
| FRANCIS | OLIVER ASHE | 978 | After G.B. joined HMS Cumberland in Simons’ Town as Midshipman. |
| FRANCIS | EDWIN WILLIAMS | 330 | |
| FRANCIS | ERNEST ROWLAND | 83 | After Bothie apprenticed to Hall Line. Served as First Lieutenant (Sub Lieutenant) on HMSAS Parktown and was the sole surviving officer when she was sunk by e-boats in the Mediterranean 21st June 1942. During the E-boat attack he manned one of the Oerlikon guns, and found that it had been damaged by enemy fire; so he abandoned it and made his way to the Vickers gun whose crew of four has been wounded. He then opened fire on the enemy until a shell exploded in the vicinity and blew him down a hatch opening. He was seriously injured in both legs. Despite great pain he again clambered aloft and fired the Vickers until it ran out of ammunition. Awarded the Distinguished Service Order. Many thought that his coolness and fortitude while seriously wounded qualified him for the supreme award of the Victoria Cross. As a result of the grievous injuries that he had suffered, one leg was amputated. In April 1944 he was promoted Full Lieutenant. |
| FRANCK | GEORGE FREDRICK | 1406 | Deceased 22/04/2005. |
| FRANCK | RONALD STIRLING | 1106 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. Is going to Australia where he has been offered a Commission in the Royal Australian Navy. Served as a Sub-Lieutenant with the Royal Navy during World War II. Was a colonel in the Royal Australian Army. Deceased 2002. |
| FRANKLIN | STANLEY SAGAR | 99 | Entered Elder Dempster as apprentice. Previous Port Captian of Table Bay Harbour. |
| FRANKLIN | PETER JOHN | 1170 | |
| FRASER | JAMES MILNE | 1033 | |
| FRASER | THOMAS WILLIAM | 2643 | Born in Cape Town, South Africa Primary School: Sea Point Boys Junior School High School: Worcester High School (Now the Worcester Gymnasium) Matriculated: 1975 MILITARY CAREER: 1976 to- 1993: 17 years of Service in the South African National Defence Force as a Citizen Force officer in the South African Medical Services. At the time of my retiring from active citizen force duty I held the substantive rank of Major (Lieutenant Commander – Navy equivalent). DECORATIONS: I was awarded 5 times during my military career; 3 medals and 2 commendations, noting that my military career ran in parallel to my corporate / business career. (1) Chief of the SADF Commendation Medal. Today this medal is known as the Military Merit Medal (MMM).(2) John Chard Service Medal (JCM)and (3)SADF General Service Medal. I was also awarded two commendations being; (1) Surgeon General Commendation Certificate and (2). Officer Commanding 3 Medical Battalion Group Commendation Certificate. I retired from my active citizen force military involvement in 1993 when I relocated to Johannesburg from Cape Town. GENERAL BOTHA OLD BOYS ASSOCIATION – COMMITTEE MEMBER: I served on the GBOBA Committee in Cape Town for several years in the 90’s, in the time of the late Admiral Glen Syndercombe and when Tony Nicholas was the scribe.I am currently again a committee member as was nominated and seconded at the 2019 AGM in Cape Town. During the period 1978 to 1983 I sailed with Safmarine and Unicorn Shipping Lines as a cadet and 3rd Officer. I attended General Botha in 1979. Between Safmarine and Unicorn I sailed on various ships to many interesting places including The United Kingdom, Europe, The Far East, Indian Ocean Islands, West and East Coasts of Africa and South America. Today some 40 years later I have remained friends with several of my previous ship mates and fellow cadets, officers and academic staff of the academy. CORPORATE BUSINESS CAREER: Upon leaving the sea I entered a long and most successful and rewarding career in business. In 1983 I started out as a trainee, then general manager with the OK Bazaars, which was in its heyday at the time. In 1985 I was head hunted by the PG Group (PG GLASS/PG Wood) (Listed on the JSE AS PGSI). I was appointed as Group Marketing Executive and was instrumental in leading the brand Identity change of PG Wood to the newPG Bison identity and the development of the fledgling Timbercity brand, which was based on a franchise model. I had completed anIMM Diploma in Marketing Management and by 1988, has completed the 2-yearUnisa Graduate School of Business – Advanced Executive Program (Compressed MBA), passing this with a Cum Laude on my Thesis titled “A Holistic Approach to Organisational Planning. During these years I was a part time guest lecturer at the University of South Africa and the WITS Graduate Schools of business, with a focus on leadership, strategy and marketing. During this time,I also served as a non-executive director of African Builders (Pty) Ltd for 6 years.1997– 1999. Also, during my PG Bison time, I hosted the GBOBA JHB branch in one of the PG Bison executive boardrooms in Johannesburg, which was a great pleasure.In 1999 I was headhuntedout of the United States by Wilsonart International, a Texas, USA based global company. After spending time in the USA, I was appointed as Executive – Africa International Operations, based in Johannesburg.Two years later in 1999 I was again headhunted by JSE Listed Murray & Roberts Holdings. I had to make a hard decision. I decided to join this great South African heritage brand and company in its role as Africa’s largest engineering/contracting group. I was initially appointed as Group Marketing and Export Director) in a subsidiary company; Harvey Roofing Products, In 2001 I was appointed as Group Executive Brand & Communications and relocate to the group’s global headquarters in Bedfordview, Johannesburg. I held this position until 2010. I had group executive oversight over all operating company strategy developments, brands and communications and the mother/corporate brand. This was across some 40 group companies round the world, employing some 30,000 full-time employees. After 11 yearsin 2010, I was once again head hunted out of London and appointed to an Italian based leading global engineering and contracting group;Multi-EURO Billion group Tenova, based in Milano, Italy. I was appointed Group Head/Executive, Brand & Communications, of their new global Mining & Minerals division. Part of my brief with the board and executive team was to set up a new globalMining & Minerals company via significant industry acquisitions across some 25 countries across all continents, trading with 5 industry leading mining and materials handling brands.In 2013 I unexpectantly had 4-artery open heart by-pass surgery and was told by doctors to slow down my pace completely. Notwithstanding this, we (Tenova) successfully completed setting up the new global Mining & Minerals company per plan. Once of the sub-brands, Tenova TAKRAF, based in Leipzig, Eastern Germany, manufactures and commissions the largest crawling machines you will find on earth and in the mining sector, we designed and installed high-technology port ship-loading systems for coal and iron-ore terminals. Some Tenova TAKRAF machines are so large that they are visible from the moon. In July 2014I was offered a permanent relocation to Europe (Italy), which I declined. At the age of 57 I felt that I had travelled the world enough, that I had lived in various countries, that after many international flights over the years and after many nights in hotel rooms, that I had had enough. I decided that my preference would be to stay and relax at home in beautiful South Africa. I decided to get out of the corporate world and to privately and professionally, consulting in the areas of Leadership, Strategy and Communications. GOING SOLO AS A PROFESSIONAL CONSULTANT: I left the corporate world in July 2014 and in September 2014, went live with my company, TWF Consulting Group. I love and enjoy what I do with clients worldwide. This was a dream of mine for many years and I am living it.SPORTS AND INTEREST:Ocean Yachting, Flying and Football. On the sporting front, I was a member of the Royal Cape Yacht Club for many years and in the period 1983 to 1993 was one of the appointed sailing instructors who taught wealthy people who purchased beautiful and very expensive yachts to sail. This ended when I moved to Johannesburg in 1993. In 1988 I trained and qualified as a Private Pilot in and eventually has seven different aircraft ratings on my license. I loved my flying and stopped in 2004 with just over 1,000 flying hours in my log book. I loved every moment of my flying. From 1997 onwards, I became deeply involved in football (Soccer) as a referee. I retired from SAFA as a national referee in 2000 at the FIFA mandatory age at that time of 43. I gave back to the beautiful game as a referee assessor for two years, before getting out completely in 2002. I had started playing football with a passion at the age 8 for the Green Point Football Club in Cape Town. When I decided to play again in 1987 (now much older), I found that I could not keep up with the younger players. Always fascinated by referees, I applied in those days to the Western Province Football Association to be a referee, which they welcomed from any ex player. I did well and went through various provisional and nation training programs. I had lot of fun and sometimes in crux matches, some highly stressed moments on the field. TWIGHLIGHT ERA: As I enter the twilight years of my life, all that is left for me to do is to enjoy life with my beautiful partner Pat, and to write a book or two, which I wanted to start about 2 years ago. One day it will happen. In the mean-time, I strive to live and fulfil my life mission;Whereever I am, to be useful, to be kind and to make a difference. 2019 GBOBA Cape Town Branch committee member. |
| FRASER | DONALD WILLIAM | 102 | |
| FRASER | ROBERT ROGER | 1708 | |
| FREDERICKS | BRENT WILLIAM | 2882 | |
| FREEGUARD | HENRY THOMAS | 1034 | 1964 an auctioneer with the Pietermaritzburg Municipality. |
| FREEMAN | DAVID THOMAS | 2102 | Bothie Nickname ‘Thug’. Went to sea as a Cadet on the s.s. President Steyn of the Southern Steamship Line for 2 years. Joined AM International in 1963 as a printing technician, being stationed in East London, Salisbury, Bloemfontein and Johannesburg, and retired as General Manager 30 years later. Has been an active member of Round Table 158 for 7 years. Also built a 28′ cruising boat and sailed her for 5 years. Later owned a Kwik Kopy franchise in Pretoria and thereafter joined Minolta Company in 1995, retired in 1998. Deceased 25/04/2008. |
| FREEMAN | PHILIP SHANKEY | 1940 | |
| FREGONA | VICTOR EMMANUEL | 337 | |
| FRENCH | MARTIN DOMINIC | 2761 | |
| FRENCH | SEAN DE FREYNE | 1709 | Reported deceased. |
| FRENCH | ALAN ROGER | 1879 | Cape Town Harbour Pilot March 1994. |
| FRISBY | ALBERT GARRETT | 1035 | Flew F-51 Mustangs with No. 2 Sqn. SAAF in Korea. Killed in action 22 Jun 1951 near Sibyoni, Korea. b. Pretoria, Transvaal, 25 November 1923, son of Natalie Mary Frisby; ed. Boys’ High School, Pretoria; SATS General Botha Cadet No 1035 [1939-1940 term]. Albert Garrett Frisby joined the Bank Line [Alfred Holt & Co.] in the ship Incomati on 14 December 1940. He later joined the South African Air Force [SAAF] and subsequently served with No 2 Squadron “The Flying Cheetahs” flying North American F-51 Mustang aircraft in Korea. Flying in North American F-51 Mustang #337, Lieutenant A.G. Frisby was leading a flight of four Mustangs on an armed reconnaissance just north of Hanpo-ri in North Korea. The flight had reached a position roughly four miles North-West of Sibyon-ni, when Lieutenant Frisby reported that his aircraft had been damaged by anti-aircraft fire and that he was abandoning his aircraft at an altitude of 1000 feet. His aircraft’s canopy was seen to fly off and an object, probably the pilot, was seen to fall from the crippled aircraft. However, no parachute was seen and it would appear that Lieutenant Frisby’s parachute failed to open. His pilotless aircraft, turning to the left, continued to lose height. It struck the ground near a river and was destroyed. An intensive search by two members of his flight failed to find Lieutenant Frisby and a search conducted by four aircraft later that day also failed to find any sign of him. Lieutenant Albert Frisby is commemorated on the United Nations Pusan Memorial. |
| FRISBY | ANTHONY HUGH | 1407 | |
| FRONEMAN | NEIL | 2223 | |
| FROST | ARTHUR ROYSTON | 1229 | Deceased 2015. |
| FRYER | GEORGE ALBAN | 1710 | |
| FRYLINCK | DESMOND | 44 | Qualified as Millwright with S.A.R. & H. Remained with them since, later in Portnet division, except for a year of living in Europe. Had a promotion to an examiner in artisan’s special duties. 2004 retired. Deceased 21st February 2017. |
| FULLER | QUENTIN | 2586 | Left the sea shortly after writing second mates exam and joined an aerial survey company as a Navigator flying photo and oil exploration contracts throughout Africa. During this time, learnt how to fly and obtained his commercial Pilots License. Later joined Comair as First Officer flying DC3 and friendships. 1992 promtoed to Captain and in 1996 flying Boeing 737’s on the Cape Town, Durban, Windhoek, Harare routes. 2009 moved to Melbourne Australia and appionted as the Deputy Training Manager for Ansett Aviation. Ansett has 12 Aircraft Simulators ranging from Boeing 767 to B737 as well as Airbus A320 to name a few. They do quiet a lot of training for the low cost and reigonal airlines in Australia. |
| FULLER | RICHARD WILLIAM | 1036 | |
| FULLER | KENNETH JAMES | 1354 | After a brief spell at sea and the RAF followed a career in Aviation. After gaining valuable experience with “Africairs” Dakota Mine Labour Airlift joined East African Airways for 15 years. Flew in command amongst other types the Majestic Comet and Super VC10. On leaving East Africa returned to S.A. where after a brief spell with Comair joined the Industrial Development Corporation as their Chief Pilot. Retired in November 1990 to Pennington Natal where he became involved in the property industry, the local N.S.R.I. Coastal Watch and the Rate Payers Association. Held an air line transport Pilots license, was a member of the Chartered Institute of transport, the Institute of Estate Agents and a Conchologist and author of published books and articles. Deceased 31st May 2014. |
| FULTON | ROBERT LENNOX | 2264 | Since retiring as an open licence pilot in 2007 from Cape Town I have had contracts training pilots at the Durban simulator facility. After that I then got short term piloting contracts as pilot in Jebel Ali in Dubai. My last contracts were in Walvis Bay and Maputo where I was engaged in assessing students and qualified officers in tug handling and piloting. |
| FULTON | ARTHUR JAMES NEWTON | 194 | |
| GALLOWAY | STEPHEN RONALD | 2265 | Joined Safmarine, 1st ship was SA Seafarer.(Happy ship) Did one trip to UK west coast Wales & Scotland.Ran aground on rocks off Moullie Point on return voyage. Joined SA Statesman shortly thereafter got taken off in Walvis and flown back to CT for the Seafarer hearing. I was due to rejoin on a RoRo in LM, but due ,mainly, to passport problems and the fact that I had lost everything (incuding my mini-bagpipes) I resigned. I joined Barclays Bank DCO in Pietersburg, and worked there till 1969. Passed all my courses and obtained an incomplete B.Comm through UNISA. Got a job at the University of the North as an Asst. Buyer, worked my way through the ranks and retired as a Director (Financial Systems) in 2002. |
| GALLOWAY | JAMES JOHN | 1292 | Senior Cadet Captain on the Bothie. Joined Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company and sailed on the m.v. Narica. 1946 landed in Adelaide due to illness. Became an accountant and thereafter remained in shore employment. Deceased 21/11/2003. |
| GAMBLE | PAUL DAVID | 862 | During the war he spent time in the S.A. Navy and later joined S.A. Breweries where he remained in employment all his life. He was a keen fisherman and a founder member of the Durban Ski Boat Club, Commodore from 1954 – 1956. In 1970 he was transferred to Ladysmith and his love of fishing and outdoors saw him achieve Natal colours for fresh water fishing. Was also a member of the N.C.A.A. Rock and Surf fishing club from middle 1950’s. Deceased 1995. |
| GAMBLE | DOUGLAS VALENTINE | 555 | |
| GARDEN | JOHN STUART | 1171 | Born Bethulie, OFS, 25th June 1926. Son of John Charles Garden and Rosalie, nee Cilliers. Ed, Ficksburg High School. Cadet Draft 1941-2. (Chief Cadet Captain) (KGM). In 1943 John Stuart Garden joined the Anglo-Saxon Pretroleum Company. He was serving in m.v. Doryssa as apprentice when she was torpedoed and reported missing on 25th April 1943. Reported to have been on the bridge and killed by shell fire. |
| GARDINER | ELLIOTT | 483 | Born Warrenton, Cape Province, 15th April 1913. Son of Arthus Elliott Gardinera dn Annie Margaret. Ed, Cape Town High School. Cadet Draft 1929-30. At the outbreak of war Elliott Gardiner joined the RNVR and was killed with a gun exploded in a machine-gun nest, on 14th May 1941, on his voyage to England to take up a commission. |
| GARDNER | ROBERT MAIR | 2798 | After G.B. sailed with Unicorn as Third Officer until November 1985. Left the sea due to eye sight not up to standard. Worked in various ships agencies until December 1989. From December 1989 was a founder partner in Voigt Shipping, which now has offices in all South African ports. 2006 relocated to Cape Town as Regional Manager. 2010 promoted within the Grindrod Group to General Manager for Africa. 2013 Transferred to Cape Town as GM Oil & Gas Sturrock Shipping. 2018 Transferred to Grindrod Freight Services as Executive Business Developement. GBOBA Bursary Fund board member. |
| GARDNER | RICHARD GERALD | 556 | 1933 Senior Cadet Captain. Joined Clan Line as Apprentice and later Fourth and Third Officer on Clan Line vessels. 1942 joined SANF as Sub Lieutenant and 1944 Lieutenant. Circa June 1944 navigating officer on the new Frigate HMSAS Good Hope when she came out from England in July 1948 to join SANF. 1952 Assistant to Nautical Examiner and Surveyor of Ships, Cape Town. 1964 Principal Officer Marine Division of Transport, Durban. Had issued the safety equipment certificate for the S.A. Seafarer before her grounding off Cape Town. |
| GARISH | RAYMOND EDWIN | 1230 | |
| GARLICK | ROBERT CALDER | 1293 | Chief Cadet Captain – Kings Gold Medalist. From a farming family in the Northern Transvaal. Was tragically shot and killed in a hunting accident in 1945. |
| GASKIN | FREDERICK | 502 | |
| GATES | DOUGLAS ALEXANDER | 77 | |
| GATES | MITCHELL | 2240 | Originally from Zambia, sailed with Safamrine and later with Maersk. 1997 – On the tug “Rupe” working for West Gate Transport out of New Plymouth, New Zealand. Retired. |
| GAUSS | ADOLPHE FELIX WILLETT | 1515 | |
| GAVIN | RODNEY MILES | 1107 | After G.B. joined the Armed Merchant Cruiser H.M.S. Corfu January 1942 as Midshipman. Sailed Indian Ocean, S.A. waters and returned to U.K. Transferred to the Destroyer H.M.S. Quadrant November 1942 to October 1945. Sailed H.M.S. Nizam as Acting Sub Lieutenant. Then joined the Colonial Police in the then Northern Rhodesia (now Zambia) and attained the rank of Assistant Superintendent. Later joined a fishing tackle shop ‘Gremlins’ in Margate, Natal. 1996 Owned the business with son. Deceased 02/10/2005. |
| GEARY | RICHARD EDMUND | 1711 | |
| GEDDES | ANDRE JULES | 1408 | 1947 – 50 Cadet with Elder Dempster of Canada. 1950 – 51 sailed as Third Officer with Cagurnay Terminals and Furness Withy. 1951 – 74 served in the Royal Canadian Navy/unified Canadian Forces 1974 -96 joined the Federal Department of Transport / Canadian Coast Guard. Served in various positions including Director of International Affairs. Retired 13/11/74 with rank of Lieutenant Commander. Held extensive academic, merchant and military qualifications. Deceased 18/03/2014. Born Andre Jourdan to Arthur and Isabella Jourdan in Pilgrim’s Rest, South Africa on November 13, 1929. Changed his surname to Geddes when his mother remarried. Graduated from South Africa Training Ship (SATS) General Botha in 1946. Served on various merchant service vessels as an officer cadet and third officer from 1947-51. Commissioned with the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN) in 1951 and retired in 1975 as a Lieutenant Commander. Joined the Canadian Coast Guard and retired in 1996 after extensive service as an advisor with the Canadian government delegation to the International Maritime Organization (IMO). |
| GEE | EDWARD | 1231 | |
| GEE | BASIL DERRICK | 1073 | WWII ‘Q’ Services Corps / Trooper SA Armoured Corps. |
| GEEL | FRANCIS GILBERT | 1466 | |
| GEERTS | MARCUS JEFFERSON | 748 | |
| GEMMELL | ALAN JOHN | 2714 | 2014 – I have been really busy moving rigs in the Gulf of Thailand. I am a rig mover having followed an amazing career in the offshore industry from Barge Master to Rig Mover , Marine superintendent and project team overseeing new builds mainly in Singapore. |
| GEMMELL | JOHN | 1516 | After G.B. joined Shell Tankers and served on m.v.’s Nuculana, Liparus, Caperata, Nuttallia, Tagelus, Donacilla, Goldmouth and Bursa. 1951 joined the S.A.R.& H Hangklip and later came ashore to spend 30 plus years in the insurance industry. 1997 active Caledonian Society Member and in 1994/5 was appointed Federation Chief for Southern Africa. |
| GEORGE | ARTHUR FIFIELD | 1232 | 1995 an eminent Nurseryman in England and was regularly seen on television chatting to the Queen at the Chelsea Flower Show. Deceased 1st April 2010. |
| GEORGE | EVAN TRAVERS | 396 | |
| GEORGESON | BRIAN MC CARTHY | 2049 | First ship the Clan Macintyre followed by Umtata. After that King Robert and then sent to Springbok Line on the Grysbok. Cadet with B & C, King, Bullard King, (on the old ‘King Robert’ tramping) Springbok thence Safmarine. After 2nd Mates various. S.A. Vessels including reefer and 2/O-3/O on the RSA to the ice. Obtained Mates then assorted vessels amongst which S. African (S.A. Huguenot building and maiden voyage from Japan). Portuguese (C/O on ‘Capitao Abreu’), Norwegian (including AB on tanker ’Widan’, 3/O with Karlanders in South Pacific Isles). Australian (with Colonial Sugar), Hong Kong (C/O on the ‘San Roberto’ tramping with Manners Navigation.) 1970 wrote Master’s Foreign Going hence a contract on the LM Gemsbok of Land and Marine as Mate. 1971 Sailed on first Cape to Rio yacht race on Howard Davis in company of several GB Old Boys, sailing on two subsequent South Atlantic yacht races thereafter. The following eight years with Leo Raphaely Group firstly as Master of the reefer ‘Judith R’ and subsequently as Marine Superintendent/Supercargo/Surveyor/Agent dealing with and sailing on owned and chartered vessels operating worldwide. The late 1970’s saw me sign the dotted line whilst on a hitch-hiking trip to Rhodesia during their bush war, regular army. Engineer’s Boat Squadron, Kariba and Zambezi including operations in the bush and externals returning after independence in 1980. Back to sea on the ‘Perla Frio’ then two years Master of the ‘Atlantic Isle (passenger/cargo South Atlantic isles, West Africa, C.T.) 1983-1989 Marine Superintendent and Master Kuttel Group including delivery ‘Brazilia’ to China and others. Next fifteen years contract work mostly as Master assorted vessels worldwide including general cargo/tugs/supply vessels/hydrographical survey/reefer including many deliveries, particularly fishing vessels. This included a period 1993-1994 with Spanfreight Mombasa as Master their Aventure and Acor running mostly WFP cargoes to Somalia coming under mortar attack in Mogadishu once, and an unusual treasure hunting trip to the Seychelles as Master of the tug ‘Argo Cape’ (Unsuccessful!) 2004-2006 two years with Smit Salvage and 2007 completed a contract as Master of the Svitzerwijsmuller tug ‘Battleaxe’ in Angola. Continued sea-going doing contract work when not mountain climbing. 2011 retired. Deceased 2nd October 2019. |
| GERMISHUYS | JOHANNIS CHRISTIAN MATHEE | 101 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1953: Lieutenant in S.A. Navy. After Bothie served as Leading Seaman on HMSAS Protea which was fitted out as hydrographic survey vessel and after the vessel was decommsioned and sold he remained in service to carry out hydrographic survey duties together with two other officers. Later achieved the rank of Commander. 1964 Officer Commanding SAS Somerset. |
| GERSOK | PAUL ERNEST | 2832 | 1995 – Ashore with Safmarine Bulk Division. 1999 relocated to Scotland and joined Acrmarit Ship Management, managing in excess of 130 vessels world wide. 2003 Operations Manager with Kanoo Agency in Dubai. |
| GETHING | DARRYL | 64 | 1962 Naval Chief-of-Staff’s Award for the best cadet of the year. Deceased 2005. Daryl had a furniture business in Knysna for many years. They then relocated to Cape Town also in the furniture business but returned to Knysna after a few years still in the furniture business. |
| GIBBINGS | FINNBARR | 1294 | |
| GIBBS | DAVID WILLIAM TERLE | 2516 | 2014 surveyor based in Richards Bay. |
| GIBBS-JONES | NEVILLE CHARLES | 2472 | Sailed with Unicorn Lines and promoted Master in 1984. In 1985 joined Portnet as Tug Mate and promoted Master in 1987, Marine Operations Manager, based in Johannesburg, in 1994 and 1997 returned to Durban as harbour pilot. 1998 joined Pentow as a leading Master and SMB pilot. Then joined Qatar Petroleum in 2000 and in 2003 is their Chief Marine Officer, Head of Marine Operations, Halul Oil Terminal. 2017 returned to the UK. |
| GIBSON | PETER RAWSTONE JOHNSTONE | 863 | Born Umtata, 20th August 1920. Son of William Johnsone Gibson and Olive Artherton, nee Rawtorne. Ed, Umtata High School. Cadet Draft 1936 – 7. In 1938 Peter Rawstorne Johnstone Gibson joined the RN and when serving in the submarine Regent as Lieutenant, he was reported missing, presumed killed, when she was lost on 1 May 1943. HMS Regent was mined in the Straits of Otranto in the Adriatic. |
| GIBSON | JAMES JOHN WILLIAM | 41 | Joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| GIBSON | MICHAEL JERRY | 2720 | 1989 working for Sealink, a marine supply services company running off port limit launches, a division of Pentow Marine. I did 4 years with Safmarine and came ashore to work in ship’ agency, marine surveying, offshore launch services and started a marine services company called BOSSS. We did offshore launch services, marine security, crew transport, lifeboat servicing and certification, liferafts and equipment in Durban, Cape Town and Richards Bay. We also started a branch in Ghana. At present [2010] I have sold my interest in the company and am working as a freelance maine consultant. |
| GIBSON | JOHN ALBERT | 1037 | Served in the R.N.R during WWII and afterwards was a partner and later sole owner of a well known builders supplies merchant Loopstra’s in Johannesburg. Deceased late 1994. |
| GIBSON | CLIVE DONALD | 2241 | After Bothie Clive joined Clan Line and studied at Kings College. Previously with Pentow Marine, Master of the Causeway Salvor and was involved with the Single Buoy Mooring in Durban and Mossel Bay. Deceased 1st August 2020. |
| GIDDEY | JOHN ALBERT SIMPKIN | 1233 | deceased 24/10/2006. |
| GIFFARD | CHARLES ANTHONY JOHN | 1823 | Charlie Giffard left the General Botha in his first term, after deciding that the Botha was not for him. He commenced a career in journalism before moving across to academia and receiving his Ph.D. from the University of Washington in 1968. He returned to South Africa and founded and directed the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication at Rhodes University, before joining the faculty of the School of Communications at the University of Washington. He has also been a visiting professor or scholar at the Universities of Wisconsin, Mainz and Rome. Charles has been a consultant for several UN agencies and International Non-Governmental Organisations. He has served on the editorial boards of various magazines and on the Board of Directors of Inter Press Service. He is also director of the University of Washington’s Communication Department’s Study Abroad Programme in Rome. He is now retired and a Professor Emeritus of the University of Washington, resident in Seattle. |
| GILDENHUYS | KEVIN PETER | 1995 | |
| GILLESPIE | ARCHIBALD | 33 | After Bothie placed in S.A. Navy as Ordinary Seaman. Served with the Port Elizabeth Fire Brigade. |
| GILLESPIE | HENRY MCKENZIE | 2050 | Cadet with British & Commonwealth, Bullard & King, Clan and Springbok Lines. Safmarine – 3/0, 2/0, C/0 & Master. Assistant Superintendent, Superintendent, Marine Manager, Ship Manager Executive. Also acted for Saftug as Salvage Master. Deceased 30/09/1993. Previosuly Committee Member of Old Boys’ Association Cape Town Branch. |
| GILLHAM | STANLEY WEEPNER | 1172 | 1943 – Joined S.A.N.F. as an Able Seaman. Was serving on the m.v. Doryssa when she was torpedoed and sank 25/03/1943. 1946 demobilised from S.A.N.F. as Leading Seaman and joined the printing industry as Apprentice Compositor. Retired from the printing industry in 1992. Stan passed away on 30 July 2019, aged 93 yrs. He was one of the survivors from the Tanker MV Doryssa which was torpedoed south south west of PE on 25 April 1943 by the Leonardo da Vinci. Only 11 survivors were found after 6 days at sea by the HMSAS Roodepoort and HMSAS Southern Barrier. He celebrated his 17th birthday in the lifeboat. On coming ashore he joined the printing industry and remained in the industry until retirement. Stan also loved bowls, which he started playing after retirement and went on to play until he was about 90. |
| GILLHAM | DENNIS ALFRED | 864 | Joined Reardon Smith Line as Apprentice. 1964 Mate in Smith’s oaster “Inkosi”. |
| GILMOUR | JAMES | 625 | Apprenticed to British Tankers. |
| GILSON | TERRENCE HAYWOOD | 1712 | |
| GIRLING | JOHN | 865 | |
| GLANVILLE | JOHN RANULPH | 1409 | |
| GLASS | BRIAN TREVOR | 1941 | Went to sea in 1957 with Ellerman & Bucknall but in 1958 failed the eyesight test. Thereafter worked for Ford Motor Compay from 1959 to 1978, primarily in the Parts and Accessories business of the company followed as Businses Manager, Vehicle Sales and Marketing Division. 1979 to 1983 worked for the Ich Group as General Manager of the Ford Tractor dealerships. 1983 joined Barlow Motor Investments and has moved aroundt the country in various senior positions, finally as Group Properties Manager responsible for the planning, construction and aministration of motor dealership properties. Retired June 2004. Thereafter involved in social and church work and embarked on a three year Theology course. |
| GLENDAY | MALCOLM CANMORE | 134 | After Bothie apprenticed to Bullard King Line. Deceased 21st February 1939. |
| GLIDDON | MICHAEL SIDNEY JOHN | 557 | Born 03/09/1915. Educated Rondebosch Boys High. After G.B. joined Union Castle Line. Served on Llandaff, Llangibby and Llandovery Castle and maybe others. During the war he served on tankers, two of which were the Empire Jet and Empire Path. One of these tankers was serving ships off the Seychelle Islands for over a year. Hospitalised in Naples with Dysentry in 1944. Discharged from service in 1945 at the end of the war. Did a temporary job in London docks for a few months. Returned home to Cape Town in March 1946 on the Mercy Ship Christopher and Errol as second in command to Captain Glover. Spent the next four years on Enyati Coal Mine in Northern Natal. Moved to Port Elizabeth in 1950 and joined an office equipment firm, Valmac Stationers, where he remained until retirement in 1985. Deceased 13/01/1989. |
| GLOVER | HERBERT ARTHUR CORDEROY | 925 | |
| GLUCK | DIETER HUGO | 1996 | 1958-1965 joined S.A.Marine. Sailed on S.A Vergelegen, S.A. Constantia, S.A. Trader, and S.A.Scientist. Failed eye test for Mates. 1965-1988 joined S.A. Stevedores where Jack Clark was manager, not only mentor but friend. Due to containerisation staff were reduced, I resigned. 1988-1998 joined Cape Dairy Co-op ( Bonita Dairies) Bellville as Area Manager in charge of 120 vehicles. Later reduced to 40 due to the rise of Supermarkets selling our products at reduced price. Resigned. 1998-2010 joined Elzet clothing ( Wynberg ) as Wharehouse and Despatch manager. 2010 Re-tired. Feb. 2013 moved to the U.K. |
| GLYNN-BAKER | HUGH COLLINS | 311 | Was a POW during WWII, rank Lance Corporal. |
| GLYNN-BAKER | WILFRED DUDLEY | 390 | Born Lindley, OFS 20th Otober 1913. Son of Arthur Charles Glynn-Baker and Margarita Hilda. Ed, Boy’s High School, Potchefstroom. Cadet Draft 1928-9. Wilfred Dudley Glynn-Baker served in the Rand Light Infantry during the war. He died as a result of wounds received in an air attack by Allied aircraft on a column of marching P.O.W.s near Gresse on 20th April 1945. |
| GOLDSMITH | WILLIAM FRANCIS | 1713 | 1953 Joined the Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company ( Shell Tankers ) as an apprentice cadet. 1955 Acting 3rd Mate (Shell obviously had a shortage of Deck Officers) 1956 Passed 2nd Mates exam [classes held at the Mission to Seafarers building and I am sure that Capt Phil Nankin was a lecturer at the time) then sailed as 2nd Mate on what was the oldest tanker in the Fleet. No Gyro/No Radar and Echo Sounder did not work as the bridge was of timber construction and leaked above the echo sounder. 1958 Passed 1st Mates exam, swallowed the anchor and got married !!!. Quite a come down for me from 2nd Mate to Foreman Grade “B” with Caltex Oil unloading tankers and load & dispatch all rail tank cars. This from the old quarry which is now part of V & A Waterfront in Cape Town. 1962 Transferred to Johannesburg to be the first Aircraft Refueling Manager for Caltex in South Africa. To begin with two flights a week to be refuelled. Sabena and Pan Am. 1967 Left Caltex and went into sales, mainly related to filtration and thermal insulation with a number of companies. 2008 Formed my own export business and also into partnership with others in the polyurethane business, blending chemicals and manufacturing thermal insulation products. 2013 Shut down export business due the inefficiency of South African labour resulting in being uncompetitive. 2018 retired but still involved in the polyurethanes business as a director and shareholder but not involved in the day to day business but as a consultant on and when required basis. Deceased May 2019. |
| GOLDSMITH | CHARLES CECIL | 403 | Sailed with Alfred Holt’s Blue Funnel Line for many years, obtained Master’s. Was sailing as Chief Officer when he left the sea at the end of WWII and was then headmaster of the Outward Bound School in Aberdovey for a while. Thereafter spent many years as superintendent stevedore with Alfred Holt’s in Birkenhead and retired to Devon in about 1970. Deceased 1991. |
| GOLDSMITH | KEITH CHRISTIE | 1880 | |
| GOLDSWAIN | VINCENT | 1595 | |
| GONNEAU | IAN FLEURAISON | 2799 | |
| GOODALL | RICHARD WALTER | 2526 | Received March 2017. Sailed with Safmarine until March 1981. For the first four years after leaving Safmarine I skippered patrol boats on the Namibian coast operating out of Walvis Bay. The basic task was to enforce the international laws of pelagic fishing under which all the major fishing nations operated. There were over a hundred Russian factory ships fishing 24/7 and all around the year – even dry-docking at sea on the move while decimating the hake stocks. Not to mention the E. Germans, Poles, and of course the Spanish bottom trawlers and Japanese crab and tunny boats. We also doubled as research vessels for marine biologists – catching, tagging and replacing deep water crab , rescue vessels for local fisherman and yachts and also hosting TV crews documenting the fishing industry. I ran a little school on the bridge every evening where I taught basic navigation and radio procedure etc in an endeavour to train a number of the fisherman crew to the point where they could get a fishing skipper’s ticket and so improve their lot. Apart from the chief engineer and myself there were no trained or qualified people on board. This led to very interesting situations. During a stint at university (UCT), I had my first real encounter with mentally handicapped people which led to me working at a Camphill farming community near Atlantis as a volunteer. The work involved building, Bio-dynamic agriculture, and caring for some very fragile people. This in turn led to me to Switzerland where I spent four years working with extremely challenged and fragile little children. This work was immensely intense – like an initiation of fire and a crash course in self-knowledge and the complexities of human life and human destiny. Faced with these children you either run away or you are forced to pursue very difficult questions about reality. I chose to question and I’m still at it. In the mid-nineties, I returned to SA and to Camphill Village at their request and for the next four years became immersed in bio-dynamic agriculture. All of this work was based on the ground-breaking insights and initiatives of the Austrian philosopher and scientist Rudolf Steiner. It led me to totally new and fathomable perspectives on almost every aspect of life and human endeavour. I have been studying ever since. After getting married in 1989 to Christina with whom I had worked in Switzerland, we returned to Europe to study further. I studied in Stuttgart (S. Germany) before becoming ordained as a priest in the Christian Community – a movement for religious renewal. I worked for one year in Germany before being asked to return to Cape Town where I have been for the last 23 years. |
| GOODLAD | DURWIN | 1355 | Deceased. |
| GOODWIN | ALAN RUSSEL | 1997 | |
| GOOLD | MICHAEL BERNARD | 683 | 1935-37 Apprenticed with Andrew Weir & Co. 1938 A/B with S.A.R. & H. 1939-40 Third Officer with S.A.R. & H. 1941 – 42 Second Officer with S.A.R. & H. 1942-43 Second and Chief Officer with Neptune Sea Navigation Co. Ltd of Budapest. 1943 Second Officer S.A.R.& H. 1943 – 47 Chief Officer with S.A.R. & H. 1947 – 1948 Master with S.A.R.& H. 1949-50 Chief Officer with Australian Commonwealth Lighthouse Service. 1952 Chief Officer with Newcastle Hunter ss Co. 1953-55 Second & Chief Officer and Master with McIIWraith McEacharn. In Mid 1955 joined Maritime Services Board (Ex Sydney Harbour Trust) as Pilot on Newcastle, Botany Bay, Sydney and Port Kembla Pilotages. From 1965 permantly at latter until retirement in December 1978. Decorations: 1939 – 45 Star Atlantic and Pacific Stars, Burma Clasp and 1939 – 45 War Medal. Deceased 25/03/94. |
| GOOSEN | PETER JOHN | 1596 | Did not complete his two years. His parents withdrew him due to defective eyesight on the 8th February 1949. |
| GORDON | HERBERT DOUGLAS | 467 | Joined the s.s. Calgary trading between the Far East and S.A. and later joined the S.A. Tug CF Kayser for her delivery from the Clyde to Cape Town in 1936. A voyage of 46 days, the Lutine Bell being rung twice at Lloyds. Joined the Royal Navy Reserve, HMS Malaya in the Mediterranean, commissioned as a RNR Officer 1st March 1940. Next HMS Chakla of the Inshore Squadron, sunk at Salum 29th April 1941, mentioned in disptaches and awarded the DSC. Being without a ship he fought ashore with the British Army until returning to the U.K. and later appointed gunnery officer on HMS Duke of York, which included 3 years on the Russian Convoys. December 1943 appointed to convoy control in Cardiff. 1945 returned to S.A. and went farming at Groblersdal but later returned to the S.A. Navy. 1964 Executive Officer SAS Wingfield, rank of Lt Cdr. Served at various bases, being promtoed to Commander before passing away in 1973. When questioned on the precise reason for his DSC award his reply was always: “For regular attendance at breakfast.” |
| GORDON | RONALD | 1174 | |
| GORDON | MICHAEL BARRY | 1173 | After Bothie signed on as an Ordinary Seamn in the “Langleebrook”, a Geordie Tramp out of South Shields. Thereafter I became a Cadet with Union Castle and after a voyage to B.A. for frozen meat in the “Rowallan Castle” I spent the rest of the war trooping in the “Arundel Castle”, obtaining second mates in Liverpool in 1945. A few years later, after time in freighters and tankers, and with a Chief Officers Certificate, I swallowed the anchor. I set off on a rather varied series of activities. These incldued the U.K. and the Malay Police, NAAFI Area Controller in Egypt and the Persian Gulf and Desert Locust Control Officer in Arabia, Ethiopia, Somaliland and the Sudan. A couple of years in Canada & USA, then a valedictory 12 months voyage as Second Mate. Then joined the Distillers Company, 30 years service. Deceased 24/03/2004 |
| GORT | HEINE JOHN ARTHUR | 2051 | |
| GORTON | GRANT PETER | 2865 | Grant has sailed as Bosun and Chief Officer on a motor yacht, had a partnership in a film development company and sailed as Chief Officer on a jack-up barge and a rig supply boat. 1997 – joined Bridge Marine Shipping Agency, Cape Town. Left Bridge Marine and joined Maersk Line where I stayed until 2000. I have been with Sturrock Shipping since June 2000 based in Cape Town. April 2021 joined Wilhelmsen, Cape Town, as Ships Agency Operations Manager Western Cape. |
| GOURLEY | PATRICK WILLIAM | 1597 | Deceased 2009. He went to sea after leaving SATS General Botha and then came ashore and went farming in the Hermanus district. Received from Sandy Myers: “Patrick Gourley was my cousin, sadly however, I am not able to tell you much about him as I was much younger. I know that he went travelling the world after leaving the General Botha but apart from that I do not knew very much. He lived in Canada for some years and came back to South Africa in the ’60’s. He had four children, two boys and two girls but I am afraid that is about all I can tell you other than he died on his farm which was somewhere just beyond Stanford.” |
| GOURLEY | DENIS | 1038 | Served in Egypt and Italy during WWII. Deceased 1981. |
| GOUS | JOHAN BALLOT | 2103 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Shipper”. Retired Safmarine Master. |
| GOVENDER | SUNDRAS | 2905 | 1997 – Chief Officer with Safmarine. 2017 Director & Marine Risk Manager of Admiralty Maritime Consultants. |
| GOVER | JOHN CLIFFORD | 475 | Started work in Luipaardsvlei in 1934 and in 1940 obtained his assay ticket. Then moved to Cape Town and joined the Royal Navy serving as Commander on HMS Sylvester in the Pacific Fleet during World War II. After the war he worked for the Goldfields Mines and had a notable career at Vogelstruisbult Mine when he arrived in Springs in 1951. He also served as an analytical chemist at Zincor from 1957 to 1979, from where he retired. Decesaed on bronchial pneumonia 31/08/1998. |
| GOWER | GOODWIN FLETON | 979 | Was awarded the Max Sonnenberg Scholarship which enabled him to join the Royal Navy. September 1940 appointed Midshipman on HMS Malaya and later transferred to Submarines, first appointment HMS Tactician. Deceased 1993. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48: was Navigating Officer (Lieutenant) on H.M.S. ‘Wessex’ (Later became SAS Jan van Riebeeck) when she was delivered to Simon’s Town for refitting. 1947 resigned from the Royal Navy and until 1956 he farmed in the Westminster and Ficksburg areas of the Orange Free State before returning to sea on being commissioned into the S.A. Navy. 1964 Naval Intelligence Officer, rank of Commander. In 1979 he retired as Chief of Naval Staff (Intelligence) with the Rank of Captian and holder of the Southern Cross Medal. Goodwin Felton “Joe” Gower (979) excellent final examination results in SATS General Botha earned him the Max Sonnenberg Scholarship and a cadetship in the Royal Navy in 1940. The outbreak of war resulted in the course being shortened and in September 1940 he was appointed a midshipman in the battleship HMS Malaya. He served in HMS Malaya when she bombarded Genoa and escorted convoys between Freetown and Gibraltar. When the battleship was damaged in a u-boat attack and had to undergo a refit in New York all the midshipmen joined the light cruiser HMS Diomede in Bermuda. Four months later they rejoined HMS Malaya in Force H escorting convoys to Malta. Promoted to Acting Sub-Lieutenant in 1941 he returned to England where he passed the Lieutenant’s qualifying course and was appointed to another battleship HMS Revenge. He then volunteered for service in submarines. After passing the four month qualifying course he was appointed Fourth Hand in HMS Tactician operating out of Gibraltar, Algiers and Malta. After the Italian surrender HMS Tactician sailed for Colombo and was employed examining junks and sinking them because they were transporting ammunition hidden beneath their cargoes. In 1944 he was appointed First Lieutenant of HMS Rover. This submarine had been badly damaged when HMS York was sunk in Crete and the repair work took a long time and was initially unsatisfactory. From 27 August until 6 September 1944 Lieutenant Gower was Commanding Officer of HMS Rover. He returned to England in HMS Tantivy. After the German capitulation he commanded a surrendered u-boat in a fifteen mile voyage up the River Foyle to Londonderry. The engine room was manned by members of her German crew while the deck crew were RN personnel and the Irish pilot was a civilian. Fortunately all went well despite language problems. Lieutenant Gower remained in the RN until 1948 and joined the SAN in 1956. He retired as a Captain and recipient of the Southern Cross Medal in 1979. |
| GRADWELL | ERIC HAMILTON | 158 | E. H. Gradwell did not follow a sea career. He joined the South African Railways and Harbours [SAR&H] at Bethlehem, Orange Free State as a storeman in the Locomotive Department. [Info obtained May 1931]. In 1943 he joined the Motor Boat Wing of the South African Air Force [SAAF] at Gordons Bay as an Air Mechanic. [Info from former Cadet Loxton] |
| GRAHAM | WILLIAM OWEN | 263 | |
| GRAHAM | HENRY RUDOLPH | 202 | Born 28th March 1910. After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line. Joined the RAF in 1931 and served as a bomber pilot during WWII being awarded the DSO and DFC – the latter for his part in the attacks on the German pocket battleships Scharnhorst and Gneisenau in December 1941. The Czech War Cross was announced January 23rd 1941. Air Vice Marshal RAF, CBE [Commander of the British Empire], KCB [Knight Commander of the Bath]. Promoted to Marshal.Air Vice Marshal Henry Rudolph Graham, CB, CBE, DSO, DFC (28 March 1910 – 14 February 1987) was a senior Royal Air Force officer. RAF career After the war he became Head of Flying Control, Headquarters RAF Transport Command in July 1945, Director of Operations in April 1952 and Air Officer Commanding, No. 23 Group in January 1956. His last appointment was as Air Officer Administration at RAF Flying Training Command in January 1958 before retiring in April 1962. A South African, he originally intended to make a career at sea having been educated on the Training Ship ”General Botha” followed by five years (1926 -31) with the Union Castle Line. He retired from the RAF and returned to his native South Africa to take up farming and from 1966 to 1969, was a member of the National Trust. Citation for the award of the Distinguished Flying Cross |
| GRAHAM | ANDREW JOHN GREER | 2800 | |
| GRAHAM | BRUCE STEVENSON | 2104 | After G.B. sailed with British & Commonwealth Shipping until 1963 when he joined Safmarine. 1969 – 72 he was seconded ashore to Safmarine New York as Cargo Superintendent and 1973 to 78 returned to sea with Safmarine and later ashore with a Cape Town stevedoring firm in various capacities followed by a year as Master of an ocean-going yacht for a Hout Bay businessman. In 1979 joined S.A. Container Depots, serving in various capacities up to personal assistant to the Managing Director. 1987 he was seconded into Rennies offshore services as Operations Manager and 1993 to 1997 transferred to Manica freight Services as Beira (Mozambique) Branch Manager. 1997 returned to S.A. and joined Maritech services and 1998 joined Independent Surveyors in Durban before transfer to East London as Branch Manager. Deceased 27th June 2014. |
| GRAHAM | NORMAN LORIMER | 684 | 10/03/1934 discharged as medically unfit (bronchitis), Returned 05/02/1935 to complete two years training. |
| GRAPOW | OKKERT ERNST | 1824 | Barry Cullen writes about Okke and his varied and highly adventurous career: As a cadet at the General Botha Okke soon demonstrated an independent nature along with abiding interests in navigation, seamanship and sailing ‒ that same serious demeanour is still present today hiding a perceptive wit brandished often as appropriate. Okke served his time in Greek, British and German vessels; obtaining his Extra Masters in London, September 1964. From salvage tugmaster to superintendent in the Marine Diamond Corp, to managing a whaling company in Angola, to marine management with South African Lines (SAL), Okke was active! In 1968/69 he represented the Master Mariners of South Africa on the Board of the SAMNA General Botha, the first ex-cadet to do so. Along the way, he became proficient in several languages. Arriving in Safmarine through their amalgamation with SAL, Okke developed the Special Ships Division, part of the team that designed and supervised the building of the Kuswag patrol vessels and the two biggest salvage tugs the world had then seen. Successful operations were to make the John Ross and Wolraad Woltemade internationally famous and household names in South Africa, numerous worldwide towage and salvage ‘firsts’ being achieved with these magnificent vessels. Simultaneously Okke and the Special Ships Division became highly involved in the marine side of developing the new harbour at Saldanha Bay. This intensive project developed as a direct consequence of the government having withdrawn any kind of assistance to Iscor, their para-statal, for the simple reason that the South African Railways and Harbours (SAR&H), who then controlled all major ports in South Africa, had initially scotched the idea of a port at Saldanha, maintaining that the new iron ore port should have been built at Port Elizabeth, irrespective of any long term adverse consequences to the Sishen scheme. Heady times; Okke was busy. He recalls how tremendous it had been working on the challenging marine side and to being part of the larger team with his Iscor project colleagues. Contracting, specifications, finance, writing of port regulations and conditions and last but not least (coupled with intensive training for their crews at Europort) supervising in France the construction of the two original Voith harbour tugs and pilot boat along with arrangements for their delivery and introduction at Saldanha. Critical deadlines; all needing to come together for the projected opening date. The first ships were mobilising, the mine needed to have stock, the crusher had to guarantee quality, the dump truck needed to be ready. The final ‘small jobs’ list was endless as it was fascinating: Channel markers, buoys, line haulers on the jetty, fenders, line boats & crews. Safmarine’s tug division had had a fifteen year contract from Iscor to run the port but suddenly and precariously, after a relatively short period ‒ but with the new port up and running smoothly, the SAR&H, (through the government), in a dramatic about-face, nationalised the port. Okke and his team, along with other subcontractors were summarily turfed out ‒ and others were quick to claim the credit for the new port. Intensive development plans and projects came to an abrupt halt; a far reaching economic debacle which Okke recalls today with the utmost anguish. Nevertheless, the solid relationship Okke had built up with Iscor paid benefits when he was appointed Director of the Safmarine/Iscor subsidiary Safore and for many years afterwards joined the annual iron ore price negotiating team to Japan and Korea. Back in Cape Town with the Special Ships Division found Okke continuing apace with numerous world-wide towage and salvage operations. He made the tug’s towage and salvage systems work ‒ then was actively involved in the formation of Pentow Marine, becoming Chairman in 1986 and remaining a director until his retirement. A well remembered interlude even involved the recovery of treasure from HMS Birkenhead. As Executive Director at Safmarine’s Marine Division from 1986, Okke supervised the construction and commissioning of their new passenger ship Astor I, along with numerous other shipbuilding and conversion contracts, including a new-building during the 1992 war in Yugoslavia. As recreational diversion he was involved with the operation of a hush-hush VLCC; and twice managed to salvage his ‘own’ ships, while modernising the marine organisation within Safmarine. Later, as Director of Safmarine’s Bulk Division, he was party to the development and completion of a substantial and unique ‘counter-trade’ deal between South Africa and Romania, the building of two Capesize ships against iron ore. From there he initiated the groundbreaking business of shipping iron-ore via the Black Sea and up the River Danube as far as Linz in Austria ‒ a first. Then, the development of Iscor’s successful iron ore stockpile in the new port of Qianwan in China, an imaginative operation. As light diversion he had a hand in drafting the RSA Salvage Act and the SAMSA Act, becoming a founding director in SAMSA (the South African Maritime Safety Authority). It was a huge accomplishment, an honour, for Okke to become President of the International Salvage Union in 1994, the first person from outside Europe ever to fill this post. Here, he actively participated in modernising the International Salvage Convention. Having been appointed to the newly-formed panel of special casualty representatives at Lloyds of London in 1998, he found himself in regular demand at local and international maritime salvage cases ‒ quite often necessitating helicopter trips out to stranded ships heaving and lurching in heavy seas or breakers! He was one of the South African pioneers in this field, leading the way for other mariners in this country who have recently come to prominence in this area. But what of the man? With all this energy devoted to shipping was there ever time for recreation or hobbies? Well, he learnt to fly in 1966 ‒ one adventure being in 1994 when he ‘took the stick’ of a huge Russian Mil8 chopper and flew 300 k’s from Constanta to Bucharest, much to the astonishment of the locals. In Namibia, Okke continues to experience the keen pleasure of travelling in those beautiful wide open spaces. Closer to home, he part owned and skippered a traditional wooden boat, the beautiful Elegance for ten years out of the surrounds of Cape Town. And he owns a number of impressive sailing ship models in his home in the City Bowl. In early 2002 Okke and his wife Gudrun hosted a General Botha ‘A’ Whaler Crew reunion at their home in Vriende street, Gardens. Gudrun was a delightful hostess preparing a fine meal. Later in the evening, the crew enjoyed a screening of the Bothie 1954 movie with, for this particular viewing, the sequence featuring a one mile training race between GB ‘A’ and ‘B’ crews. Present, with their wives, were ‘Sandy’ Sanderoff, chief officer at the Botha (later rear-admiral in the navy), Coxs’n Derek Smit, Frikkie Bester stroke, Barry Cullen midships oar, Okke 2nd bow oar and Bill Cope bow oar. Sadly, highly revered coxs’n and trainer, Instructor Jim Davis, RN, Rtrd (of “Up for a Dozen!! ‒ Heave!! And Heave!!” fame) had passed away, along with shipmate 2nd stroke oar, Clive Douglas. There is no ‘retirement’ for Okke when it comes to marine matters! At the time of writing, he’s been a senior specialist maritime projects to SAMSA for three years, setting up far reaching maritime training programmes for SA youngsters. In conjunction with these efforts, a highly satisfying project developed where, following a major refit and conversion to a training ship, the veteran SA Agulhas (acquiring this new lease of life) sailed on a remarkable voyage to London with 46 South African trainee cadets aboard. She called also at Tema and Abidjan en route to embark a further 16 local trainees. Ship and crew received a huge welcome on the Thames in London, passing under Tower Bridge to berth alongside HMS Belfast in early December 2012. Paying a visit, HRH the Prince of Wales gave special attention to the cadets, chatting amiably and shaking each by the hand. On her return to Cape Town, SA Agulhas (cadets still aboard) embarked a British Polar Exploration team and then headed south to familiar polar waters, delivering them and their equipment to a sheltered inlet in Antarctica. One guess as to who, age 77, was the moving spirit and organiser behind all this!? And these two voyages were just the beginning. A man of vision, Okke has further far reaching plans to enhance the South African maritime sphere. In recognition of his huge contribution to Maritime South Africa; at a glittering ceremony in the ‘Lookout’ at the V&A Waterfront, April 2014, SAMSA honoured Okke with their top award, ‘Maritime Maestro of the Year’. He got a standing ovation. I can tell you this: He was thrilled. Heartiest congratulations Okke. Concurrently with these dramatic events, Okke still found time to complete a major personal goal, that of writing a book focussing on the exploits of South Africa’s two super tugs, John Ross and Wolraad Woltemade! ‘A Tug at my Heart’ was an instant success. It makes compelling reading and was recently nominated for the Mountbatten Prize. Okke married Gudrun in 1961. They have a son, a daughter and three grandchildren. His son, Toralf, is a third generation master mariner and ship’s captain. A family distinction of which Okke is justly proud. |
| GRAPOW | TORALF | 2906 | 1997 – at sea with Pentow Marine. Have remained with the same company for 32 years through numerous name changes.Currently employed by AMSOL. Master since 2000, after taking a break from tugs to be Master on a research vessel for 8 years, back on tugs again since 2013. 2018 Master of AHTS “Lombok”, living in the Cape Winelands area. |
| GRATJIOS | ROBERT LOVE | 1998 | 1957 apprentice with Shell Tankers of London. Joined Safmarine when S.A. left the Commonwealth. Served on various Safmarine vessels, appointed to the cargo planning office in Safmarine H.O. Joined staff of General Botha at Granger Bay and served as Cadet Training Officer. Joinied Unicorn as a safety Superintendent and later seconded to Grindrod to establish the coastal container terminal operations. Returned to Safmarine, safety standards and emergency response planning. Established Marine Fire Fighting Centre at Epping. 1981 joined the Australian Maritime College in Tasmania as a specilist lecturer. 1984 Marine Superintendent of Associated Steamships, a Melbourne based ship management company. Promoted Genearl Manager and Operations Director, after a merger General Manager Tankers. 1995 formed a Consultancy for the Marine Petroleum industry. “My grandfather Robert McKie Thomson purchased a small farm outside Stellenbosh before he retired. A large family house was built that could also serve a guest house. The intention being that my father William Thomson would run the farm. All went well until February of 1941 when William was killed while serving with the SAA as an aircraft mechanic in Egypt. I was adopted by my fathers sister and her husband during 1945 and took their name Gratjios. Robin (Robert Thomson) Gratjios, GB cadet number 1998; 1956 and 1957.” |
| GRAVES | FRANK VALENTINE MACLEAR | 320 | After Bothie apprenticed to Bullard King Line. Later joined the Royal Navy retiring as a Lieutenant Commander in command of a Tribal class destroyer in the Far East in the 50s. Thereafter was a pilot in Grand Bahama before passing away there. |
| GRAVETT | GEORGE HENRY | 322 | Did not complete training. |
| GRAVETT | RICHARD ISAAC | 29 | After Bothie joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| GRAY | JAMES EDWARD | 388 | Joined the S.A. Naval Service 3rd January 1930 as a Stoker on the SANS Protea. |
| GREAVES | MARK PETER | 2689 | |
| GREEN | ROGER ARTHUR | 1410 | Joined Clan Line where he obtained his Master’s Foreign-going 1956 joined the S.A. Harbour Service in East London as Chief Officer on a Dredger. Later joiend the crash boat squadron at Langebaan where he served as Office in Command from 1959 to 1973 and then served as Executive Officer at SAS Wingfield. He also served on the SAS Tafelberg before being appointed Officer Commanding SAS Wingfield. His last years of service were spent in Simon’s Town as NOIC until he retired in 1984. Passed away from an aneurysm on 24/03/1990. |
| GREEN | DOUGLAS | 1108 | Joined the Royal Naval Reserve as Midshipman. Initially appointed to the depot ship Edinburgh Castle, 3rd February 1942 joined the armed merchant cruiser HMS Pretoria Castle. May 1943 brief service on the battleship HMS Ramilles before transfer to the armed merchant cruiser HMS Chitral. |
| GREEN | LESLIE COTTLE | 1765 | Les Green was one of our 52/53 seniors who stayed on for a third year. As a junior cadet he had won a prize for class proficiency and as a senior, prizes for navigation, mathematics and English. He had also been promoted to Junior Cadet Captain, in which rank he also served with the class of 53/54. Additionally, he was padre’s yeoman, (a harbinger of things to come?) served on the magazine committee and later became captain’s yeoman. On leaving the Botha Les became a draughtsman with the South African Railways and was posted to Oudtshoorn. Some years later he resigned to train for the Ministry at the Bible Institute in Kalk Bay, eventually becoming Pastor of the Russell Street Baptist Church in Durban. In 1974, while at Russell Street, Les lost his wife Mary to cancer and was left a widower with three young children. In 1975 he married Fey Simpson and subsequently, a further two children were born into the world from this second marriage. In 2002 Les, Fey and family moved to Amberglen in Howick where they are extremely active in the local Baptist Church and at nearby Underberg where, on a part-time basis, Les serves as one of the two pastors of the Baptist Church there. Their five children have grown up and moved out into the world and Les is now the proud paterfamilias of six grandchildren. While continuing as a Baptist minister and military chaplain, Les also worked as a radio journalist for the SABC in Durban, a career which he followed for 15 years. |
| GREEN | IVAN LORIMER | 13 | The first four Botha boys to go to sea as Cadets in Merchant Shipping did so with a South African Company, the Thesen Line. They were D.W. Rudd (Cadet Number 11), I.L. Green (Cadet Number 13), J.W. Andrew (Cadet Number 18) and L.A. Fourie (Cadet Number 56) who were all apprenticed in January 1924. |
| GREENACRE | JOHN HENRY | 198 | Born, Dublin, Ireland, 29 May 1909. Son of Alfred Henry Greenacre and Francis Emiliy, nee Sutton; ed Lakenham School, Norwich, Cadet Draft 1925-6. At the outbreak of war, John Henry Greenacre joined the Union Seaward Defense Force and lost his life in HMSAS Southern Floe on 11 February 1941, rank of Petty Officer. |
| GREENACRE | COLIN ERNEST | 1598 | Due to failing eyesight, unable to pursue a career at sea. He qualified as a shirwright/boatbuilder, went to sea as a Carpenter with Union Castle Line. Left Union Castle and joined the S.A. Navy as a Shipwright, sailed on the survey ship SAS Natal, while also qualifying as a Deep Sea Diver. On leaving the Navy he spent a few years as a diver in the fishing industry and on the S.A. West Coast Diamond Fields. Final stint as a diver was on harbour construction building the tanker basin and related projects in Table Bay Harbour. In 1964 joined the staff of the S.A.M.N.A. General Botha at Granger Bay as Shipwright/Instructor. Later went to the U.K. where he worked for Halmatic building boats. Returned to S.A. and was Manager of Table Bay Marine and later a buyer for Tristan Investments. Retired in 1993 and settled in Cornwall, England. “1947 Made Honourary Life Member of the Royal Cape Yacht Club Table Bay Harbour. At the time the RCYC committee wanted to honour all those members who lost their lives in the Second World War. It was decided to make members of any sons of the above who were keen on sailing. I was the only one. My father JH Greenacre (ex Cadet 198 Term 1925/26) was lost on the HMSAS Southern Floe in February 1941.” |
| GREENEN | MATTHEW GERALD | 2224 | 1964-1987 Served as Cadet and Fourth Officer with Blue Star Line, Third Officer with Bank Line, Second Officer with Denholm’s, Chief Officer with Safmarine before joining the S.A. Harbour Service in East London. 1987 Served as Chief Officer and Master in North Sea Supply/Stand-by rescue vessels. 1988 Senior Sea Survival Instructor and Senior Research Officer for RGIT Offshore Survival centre in Aberdeen. 1992 Awarded fellowship of the Nautical Institute in for his work in rigid inflatable boat operations. 1993 Joined the Staff of the Nautical College in Fraserburgh “Driving” the Radar Simulator, teaching Class 1 + 2 Deck Officer (Fishing) and Officer of the Watch and Chief Mate Candidates 1994 retained as visiting tutor to Brunel University and Imperial College, both of London, as Marine Design Consultant tutor to post-graduate industrial design students. 1998 Appointed as author for Lloyds of London Diploma in Marine Surveying. 2003 Curriculm Leader of Maritime Studies at Banff & Buchan College Fraserburgh Scotland 2005 Sector Manager Nautical Studies at Banff & Buchan College Fraserburgh Scotland. 2010 Retired (Semi)- 2012 retained as supply lecturer in Health & Safety course delivery (including NEBOSH and IOSH) 2013 appointed by Lloyd’s Maritime Academy as Course Director for their new Course – certificate in Marine Cargo Surveying. Retired August 2014. |
| GREENSMITH | RICHARD JAMES TRISTAN | 2439 | After various careers lived on a small holding in Wilderness Heights and was the only full time producer of fully carved Victorian rocking horses in S.A. 2000 sailed for England on his own built yacht, Spray, first leg of his round the world cruise. Since leaving Knysna in 1999 I have sailed over 50 000 miles in my boat including several single-handed Atlantic crossings. I also delivered a fair number of other yachts usually on the East West Atlantic crossing. The planned circumnavigation did not come about due to lack of funds. I have passed my boat on to a younger man and have moved ashore now living in a fairly remote village near the North Cornwall coast. Keeping in touch by volunteering at a nearby coast watch station and finally finishing the novel I’ve been writing. |
| GREENWOOD | BRIAN | 1766 | Master Mariner, managing member Stevedoring Specialists, Cape Town. Born Durban June 17th 1936. Educated S.A.M.N.A General Botha. IRDP (Stellenbosch). Midshipman to Third Officer Blue Funnel Line 1954 – 1960. Farmer 1961. Second Officer to Master and Assistant Superintendent Safmarine 1963 – 1970. Stevedore Superintendent to Director in charge at Durban for Rennies Stevedoring 1971 – 1981. Branch Manager at Durban for Rennies Grindrod Cotts Stevedoring 1981, and Branch Manager at Cape Town for S.A. Stevedores 1982. Established Stevedoring Specialists 1986. Deceased 08/06/2013 |
| GREENWOOD | PETER HUMPHREY | 1234 | DSc. FRS, FLS, An ichthyologist and Evolutionary Biologist. 1944 joined the S.A. Navy from which he was seconded to the Royal Navy. He served as an Able Seaman stationed in the Far East during the war. After the war he registered at Witwatersrand University to read Medicine but was captivated by intriguing questions in zoology. After graduating he became a Colonial Office Fisheries Research student intent upon completing a PhD. He was posted to the East African Fisheries Research Organisation at Jinja, Uganda, on the shores of Lake Victoria. 1963 awarded a DSc by the University of Witwatersrand after 8 years in Uganda studied in the Natural History Museum in London. 1987 retired from London, relocated Grahamstown to continue his research in the JLB Smith Institute of Ichthyology. Deceased 03/03/1995 |
| GREEST | KENNETH EDWARD | 1942 | On leaving G.B. Cadet with T&J Harrisons Liverpool. Third and Second Officer in Harrisons and Shell. Joined present company Souter Shipping, Newcastle Upon Tyne in 1967. Promoted to Master in June 1973, and now Senior Master in the above company. 4/78 – Invited to join the Corporation of Trinity House. 5/82 – made Freeman of the City Newcastle Upon Tyne and Freeman of England. 11/82 – The Guild of Mariners, Newcastle Upon Tyne. 1/83 – Promoted to Younger Brother Corporation of Trinity House 1/90 – Promoted to Elder Brother Corporation of Trinity House. Member of the General and Financial Board Corporation of Trinity House, Newcastle Upon Tyne. Member Honourable Company of Master Mariners. |
| GREGORY | WALTER WILLIAM THOMAS | 431 | |
| GREIG | ROBERT GARNET | 2564 | Previously a Marine Surveyor in Cape Town 1996 – returned to sea-going employment as Master with Swire Pacific Offshore. |
| GRENFELL | GRAHAM ROLAND | 1999 | 1964 formerly served with Petroleum International Ltd. Also Second Mate in African Coaster’s “Barrier”. |
| GREY | KLAUS GEORGE | 2778 | Since leaving Safmarine those many years back I got into sales, first job was a telesales one that lasted about 2 years until a great friend of mine that I had met in Safmarine, Peter Mckendry, came by and said I was wasting my time where I was working and I could make loads more cash surf dive when I wanted , I jumped at that and that was the start of my current career. I worked for the company on a commission basis and soon became one of their top reps. Then started my own business in industrial cleaning chemicals. So its been about 35 years or so now that I have been in this industry. |
| GREYLING | SCHALK WILLEM | 866 | |
| GREYLING | WILLEM | 685 | |
| GREYVENSTEIN | MATHYS PETRUS | 2495 | 1998 – serving Master with S.A. Marine Corporation. |
| GRIER | PATRICK LYNDON HARTWELL | 473 | |
| GRIFFITH | KENNETH FREDERICK | 76 | |
| GRIFFITH | FRITZ DORRINGTON | 254 | |
| GRINDLEY | BERNARD | 305 | After Bothie apprenticed to Clan Line. 20th August 1940 appointed second officer on the Bothie. 1946 Commanding Officer of HMSAS Bonaventure I. Ex – S.A. Navy. Deceased 28/08/1990. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. Was in charge (Lieutenant) of the occupation party of the H.M.S.A.S. ‘Transvaal’ on Marion Island. Reported in “Both watcehs” 1953: Lieutenant-Commander in S.A. Navy. Reported in “Both Watches” 1968: Commander in S.A. Navy. |
| GRINDLEY | MICHAEL JOHN | 2333 | 1995 – Director of Jesseguard Marine Surveyors, Port of Richards Bay. 2004 relocated to Qatar. |
| GROENEVELD | DAVID HENDRIK | 2052 | |
| GRONBECK | JOHN MICHAEL | 749 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. WWII Trooper SA Tank Corps / Gunner 11 Anti Tank Regiment SA Artillery. 1964 a carpenter in South African Railways, Pitermaritzberg, Natal. |
| GROUSTRA | PIET | 2225 | 1964 – 68 – At sea, Safmarine, 4 fantastic years. 1969 – Mate’s Certificate in Cape Town. 1969 – 72 – At U.C.T. studying Building Science (full time) – no degree. 1973 – 76 – Worked as a quantity surveyor for Groustra & Beele Construction Company in Cape Town. 1977 – 80 – Safmarine, B.O. Centre in SAECS, Container Ship Stowage Coordinating Centre. 1980 – Moved to New York and joined the National Cargo Bureau inc as a Marine Surveyor. 1981 – 83 – Marine Surveyor for “NCB” in Philadelphia, P.A. 1984 – 95 – Marine Surveyor for “NCB” in Los Angeles, Long Beach, California. 1995 – Zim Line Representative in Lond Beach California, U.S.A. |
| GRUTTER | ANTON WILHELM | 2587 | |
| GUEST | JOHN WILLIAM | 558 | |
| GUNN | BRIAN FERGUSON | 2000 | After G.B. joined Shell Tankers. Obtained Second Officer’s Certificate in May 1961. He was flying back home on leave from India when his aircraft, an Italian DC8, ran into violent monsoon weather over the Western Ghats Mountains and crashed. 69 people including Brian were killed on 7th July 1962. |
| GURNELL | FRANK CLINTON | 405 | |
| GUSH | WESLEY CHADWICK | 626 | After G.B. sailed with Union Castle as Deck Boy, Ordinary Seaman, Cook and EDH. January 1938 joined the tug Scherumbucker for delivery voyage to East London. Later served as Deck Hand on a Durban dredger and obtained Second Officer’s Certificate. Then joined the Saint Agnes as Third Officer carrying coal to Mombasa and then on the Bank Line vessel, Congella. 1944 joined the S.A. Harbour service eventually retiring as Assistant Port Captian, Port Elizabeth, in 1976. Deceased 19/08/01 |
| GUSTAFSSON | NILS LENNART | 2598 | |
| GUTHRIE | ALISTAIR FRANK | 1411 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1953 Sub-Lieutenant in S.A. Navy |
| HAAKESTAD | ALAN | 2801 | Previously sailed for Unicorn. 2005 – Master at sea with NYK. |
| HACK | HAROLD ROY | 926 | |
| HACKING | MICHAEL JOHN | 2588 | 1995 in London U.K. has his own transport business operating in UK and the Continent- Moversnotshakers! |
| HADCROFT | ROBIN BENTLEY | 1767 | Deceased 07/02/2009. |
| HAGAN | NICHOLAS ANTHONY | 2599 | 1998 – with de Beers Marine, Cape Town. 2003 – relocated to Namibia with DBM Namibia. 2018 retired. |
| HAGUE | ANTHONY VICTOR | 2105 | After G.B. joined British & Commonwealth Shipipng Company and later was transferred to Safmarine. 1962 returned to B & C as junior Fourth Officer. 1964 failed the eyesight test and then joined Marine Diamond Corporation, working on the West Coast. 1965 joined Irvine & Johnson retiring from this company in 1997, having served in numerous capacities from storeman to Company Secretary. 1958 he was commended for bravery in an attempt to save two boys from drowning. |
| HAGUE | HARRINGTON PETER | 1649 | |
| HAIKES | CONRAD | 326 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continetal (S.A.) Line. |
| HALE-HELPS | VIVIAN ROLDON | 929 | Deceased 31/10/2001. |
| HALL | PETER SPENSER | 1768 | Cadet with Ellerman & Bucknall Hall Line and then joined Rickett & Coleman in Durban for six years. Then joined Royal Swazi Sugar Company on a three year contract before relocating to Johannesburg as a contracts engineer for Babcock Engineering and Howden Engineering. Retired July 2001. |
| HALL | RUSSELL SCOTT | 2883 | 2005 with Sea Harvest, Saldanha Bay. |
| HALL | RODNEY EDWARD | 2203 | 1963 – 67 Cadet with Safmarine. 1967 – settled ashore in Port Shepstone and joined a Furniture and Applicance Retail Business. 1971 – moved to Durban, joined the Greatermans Group. 1978 – joined game Discount World as a Store Manager in Durban. 1994 – Group Planning and Development Executive and Alternate Director with Game Discount World. 1998 retired from Game and started own business as Proejct Management of the construction of Game stores through sub-Saharan Africa. Also a property portfolio manager. |
| HALL | JAMES HATTON | 1412 | 1964 Naval Armament Depot, S.A. Navy, Simon’s Town, rank of Lt. |
| HALL | DAVID ALFRED | 214 | After Bothie apprenticed to Clan Line. He had also worked on gold mines on the Witwatersrand. Reported in “Both Watches” 1958: Deceased. Commander in S.A. Navy. Was in command of the anti-submarine vessel ‘Southern Maid,’ in the Mediterranean Theatre of convoy operations (WWII). His unique distinction was that of being Captain of the Loch-Class frigate S.A.S. Natal, the only South African warship whose sinking of a German U-Boat was fully confirmed by the admiralty. Passed away in 19th September 1958 and buried at sea on the wreck of the S.A.T.S. General Botha. He had distinguished himself while in command of a/s (anti submarine) vessels in the Mediterranean, and his DSC had been awarded for gallantry as CO of HMSAS Southern Maid. In this tiny vessel, a converted whalecatcher, he had shielded merchantmen in convoy on the Alexandria-Tobruk run by drawing the fire of attacking enemy aircraft to his own ship.In command of HMSAS Natal: Handed over to South African Navy on 1 March 1945 and completed on 9 March 1945 as HMSAS Natal. Decommissioned on 1 September 1965. Her trials completed, HMSAS Natal – launched in 1944 as HMS Loch Cree – was granted a two-day postponement of her scheduled sailing-date. Her commanding officer, (Lt.Cdr. David Alfred Hall, DSC, SANF(V)) – had asked for this on grounds that his crew needed more time to familiarise themselves with this class of vessel. Most crew members – all volunteers – had not served in purpose-built warships before. They had come off tiny whalecatchers and trawlers, converted in South African ports to serve as a/s vessels or minesweepers. About 0900 on March 14, 1945, HMSAS Natal sailed from the Tyne, bound for Scapa Flow in the Orkneys and then for the anti-submarine training base at Tobermory, Isle of Mull. Four hours later, with the crew still shaking-down and finding their way around their new ship, a southbound vessel, Sheaf Crown, signaled urgently that a merchantman had just been torpedoed and sunk in her vicinity. This was off the east coast of Scotland, and the position given by Sheaf Crown showed that the sinking had occurred just five miles to the north of HMSAS Natal, off the fishing harbour of St Abbs near the Firth of Forth. The frigate arrived there to find survivors of the sunken vessel – later identified as the Danish cargo vessel Magne – bobbing about in a lifeboat and several life rafts. A veteran Royal Navy V & W destroyer, HMS Wivern, was on the scene, and while Lt-Cdr Hall was offering the assistance of his newly-commissioned vessel, the frigate made a positive submarine contact off the port beam, using her new-type `sword’ Asdic scanning equipment (Set 147B) which allowed for a vertical as well as a lateral fix to be made. Loch-class frigates had also been fitted with `Squid’ – a top secret ahead-firing weapon using depth-charge mortars – and this was now used with devastating effect, with the firing of two salvos of six mortars each. These brought up a quantity of light diesel oil and pieces of wreckage. HMSAS Natal suddenly lost Asdic contact after the second attack – in which more oil and a metal tank surfaced – and it was assumed the U-boat had gone straight to the bottom. This was later confirmed when a hunter-killer group, sent from the Tyne and led by HMS Ascension, depth-charge blasted the sea-bed at the exact position of the attack – 55.57N, 01.57W – and brought a considerable quantity of U-boat flotsam to the surface. This included a hand-carved shield depicting a diving U-boat – a memento that was sent to `Natal’ by C-in-C Rosyth who, with a Board of Admiralty headed by Admiral of the Fleet Sir Andrew Cunningham, sent signals to the frigate congratulating her on her early `kill’. HMS Wivern claimed a share in the kill, on the basis of a depth-charge `attack’ she made later that day on an oil-slick 10 miles south of Natal’s encounter with U-714. But this was discounted by naval authorities. It was later learned that the destroyer, with her outdated equipment, had at no stage been able to make Asdic contact with the submerged U-boat and that her depth-charge `attack’ on an oil-slick later in the day had produced no wreckage. All the recognised authorities have credited HMSAS Natal solely with this successful attack. HMSAS Natal’s feat so soon after commissioning was described at the time as “unique in the annals of the Royal Navy”. The ship received an RN battle honour (`North Sea 1945′), and a number of individual decorations were awarded, including a Bar to Lt-Cdr Hall’s DSC, won for gallantry in the Mediterranean. HMSAS Natal had an active role in the closing stages of the Battle of the Atlantic, as part of the RN’s 8th Escort Group, after which she was sent to the Far East where in mid-1945 she took part in Operation Zipper – the Allied reoccupation of Malaya, Singapore and the Dutch East Indies. After a long and distinguished career – the latter part of it as the SA Navy’s hydrographic survey vessel – the 27-year-old `Natal’ was finally towed south of Cape Point in 1972, and sunk as a gunnery target. |
| HALL | ROWLAND IRVINE | 2334 | Sailed with Safmarine and 1997 joined Cunard, U.K. Sailing on passenger cruise vessels. 2009 joined Svitzer harbour tugs in Milford Haven. 2013 with UKHO as Editor of Sailing Directions. |
| HALL | COLIN HENRY PHILIP | 1825 | Colin Hall was not at the General Botha for very long, having left after a few months. He was last heard of in the 1960s, living in Edenvale. |
| HALL | WREFORD JOHN SPENCER | 1295 | |
| HALL | JOHN RICHARD | 1550 | |
| HALLACK | ROBERT | 1109 | Joined the S.A.N.F. as an AB. Later volutneered for the Royal Navy. ’43 completed Officers Cours at Seaview and commissioned Sub Lieutenant. Transferred to special branch and stationed in the East. Returned to Cape Town and May ’46 joined the Northern Rhodesia Police. 1952 left the polic and spent a shrot time on the Nkana Mine before obtaining a 100 mile concession on the Zambesi, hunted crocodiles for a yaer before returning to S.A. where he joined African Theatres. 1959 joined the Hotel Trade and worked in S.A., U.K. and Southern Rhodesia. 1968 joined the Rhodesian forces, firstly in the air force reserve and later transferred into the army. 1978 made a member of the Legion of Merit (Military Division). 1981 recruited by the S.A.D.F. for 2 years. Returned to the hotel industy before joining the Point Yacht Club, Durban, in 1994. Deceased November 1997 |
| HAMBLIN | ALAN ROY PILTON | 2144 | |
| HAMILTON | PETER GEOFFREY | 1356 | Unable to secure a berth at sea after G.B. Joined Dunlop Rubber Company for 18 months before enrolling at Cedara College of Agriculture on a 2 year diploma course. Moved to Southern Rhodesia and started tobacco, maize and cattle farming as well as big game hunting. Farmed for 30 years before returning to S.A. in 1980. Joined the Port Sheptstone Municipality Engineers Department for the next 10 years, retiring in 1994. During the Rhodesia war joined the British South Africa Police Reserve anit-terrorist unit as a tracker and was awarded the silver baton decoration. Deceased 02/10/2006. |
| HAMILTON | JOHN STEWART | 2866 | |
| HAMLIN | IAN MAURICE | 627 | Did not complete training. 1945 was in command as Lieutenant of HMS Cumbrae, an Isles class trawler. |
| HAMLYN | JACK | 750 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. Photograph in album in air force uniform dated 19th November 1943. |
| HAMMAN | CILLIE | 503 | 1931 Chief Cadet Captain & winner of “Progress in Seamanship” prize. 1964 a Sergeant in the S.A. Railways & Harbours Water Police, Natal. |
| HAMMER | HAROLD AUGUSTUS | 2527 | 1974 – 80 – Safmarine, Cadet to Second Officer. 1981 – 84 – University of Cape Town, obtained B.Soc.Sc then B.S. (Hons) Clinical Psychology. 1985 – 87 – Travelled of which one year spent on a four masted Barrque ‘Sea Cloud’ in Mediterranean and Carribean. 1987 – 89 – at sea with Unicorn Coasters 1989 – joined Portnet. 1992 – promoted to Tug Master, Port of Cape Town. 1998 promoted to harbour Pilot in Cape Town. |
| HAMMERICH | DEAN BYRON | 2600 | 1977 joined Safmarine as Cadet and sailed in all types of Vessels. Left the Sea October 1980. 1981 – 82 – Medical Sales Representative with Fisons. 1982 – 86 – Property Sales, own business. 1986 – 91 – J.V.I. Sales Manager 1992 – present (1994) – National Sales Manager, Stocks Leisure Resorts. |
| HAMPSON | JAMES ROSCOE | 980 | 3rd November 1939 posted to the HMAMC Bulolo as Midshipman RNR. |
| HANCOCK | CHARLES GRAHAM | 1551 | |
| HANDLEY | HENRY PATRICK | 1039 | |
| HANNAFORD | NEIL JOHN | 2690 | |
| HANNAM | STANLEY GORDON | 628 | Did not complete training. |
| HANSEN | KNUT BERTRAND | 2367 | |
| HANSEN | FREDERICK CHRISTIAN | 1040 | 1940 failed eye colour test, unable to go to sea. Joined the Lighthouse Service. Forty one years service at all major lighthouses from Pelican Point, Walvis Bay, to Cape St Lucia on the Zululand Coast. Retired as Senior Lightkeeper in 1981. During WWII served on Robben Island with the Navy and Army. Served with the N.S.R.I. Station 15, December 1985 to March 1988, as Chief Controller as well as teaching crew members knots and splicing. Deceased November 1994. |
| HANSEN | GARTH RAYMOND | 2565 | 1994 – with Rennie Murray Surveyors, Durban. 1998 – Relocated to Cape Town as Marine Surveyor with Maritech. Joined Safmarine and obtained Chief Officer Foreign Going in 1984. Came ashore and worked in Walvis Bay for a year. Studeid comptuer programming and then worked for Nedlloyd Lines for 10 years. Moved to Durban for 3 years before returning to Cape Town. Moved to Langebaan 2002 and continues as a P&I surveyor. |
| HANSFORD | ALLAN MACRAE | 2368 | Joined Safmarine January 1970 as Cadet, obtained 2nd Mates 1972. Sailed 3rd Officer 73-74. Chief Officer’s certificate 1974. Sailed 2nd Officer 74-78. Masters FG 1978. Sailed as Training Officer then Chief Officer 79-80. Joined Harbour Service end of 1980 as First Deck Officer. Spent three years in Port Control, then on various tugs in Cape Town as First Deck Officer. Resigned from the Harbour Service March 1990 and rejoined Safmarine as Chief officer. Final voyage Maersk Constantia as Chief Officer 05-19th April 2004. Deceased 24/04/2004 following brief illness from 20th April 2004. |
| HARBER | ROY | 291 | Roy attended Selbourne College, East London before joining the Bothie. After Bothie apprenticed to Reardon-Smith Line. Early thirties young Roy experienced the worst aspect of the Depression, certificated officers having to sail as deck crew. During this period, met and married Alice in Cardiff, then had the daunting experience of running the blockade in “Potato Jones’” ships to Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War. Early in WW2 Roy joined Bullard & King and this ensured his sailing would take him to South Africa and he made steady progress to Master. Roy was a well-loved and respected captain. He was made a Liveryman of the Honourable Company Master Mariners in London and was long standing member of the GBOBA, which was dearest to his heart. In his memory his daughter Liz Hodes in Cape Town has carried on the tradition. In retirement with Alice, joined his son “Young Roy” and wife Jean in Rockingham, Western Australia. His home “The Anchorage” and the watering hole “Harber Inn” housed many of his artefacts collected from all parts of the globe and the yarn only Old Roy could tell! Sadly Roy died on the 1st. September 1993 in Perth Australia returning from South Africa. 1964 was Mater of “Clan Ferguson”. |
| HARDIE | ALEX | 199 | Sailed as an Electrical Artificer during WWII and later became an Electrical Contractor in Fish Hoek, Cape Town. Served on the HMS Cornwall during WWII when she was sunk by the Japanese on the 5th April 1942. Spent over 30 hours in the water before being rescued. Deceased mid 2002. |
| HARDING | GORDON HAMMERSLEY | 538 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. Chief Officer of the tug ‘John X. Merriman’, rescued a fireman of the ‘Fort Carillon’ from drowning when he attempted to swim ashore in boisterous weather and got into difficulties.After G.B. sailed with Baron Line before joining the S.A. Harbour service. Retired as Port Captain of Cape Town Harbour. Deceased 07/11/96 |
| HARDING | MICHAEL WILLIAM | 2053 | Reported that he fell from a horse and died during the late 60’s. |
| HARDING | BASIL EDWIN | 981 | 29 September 1939 appointed as Cadet RNR to the Armed Merchant Cruiser Carnarvon Castle. 1964 First Lieutenant Naval College, rank of Lt. 1972 Commander in the S.A. Navy. Deceased 3rd July 2010. |
| HARDING | CLIVE WALLIS | 2779 | 1997 – Marine Surveyor with A.R. Brink & Associates, Durban. 2001 – left A.R. Brink & Associates. |
| HARE | IAN CHRISTOPHER NEIL | 2300 | 1967 – 1970 Vereenigde Neederlandsche Scheepvaartmaatchappij Randfontein, Servaaskerk, Zonnekerk, Willemskerk, Randfontein 1970 – Unicorn Uncertified 3rd Officer Nahoon and others 1970 – November achieved 2 NO Foreign Going 1971 – 1975 University of Cape Town Bachelor of Building Science 1974 – 1990 Brice Bros (Pty) Ltd Contractors Surveyor, Estimator, Director 1990 – 1992 Will G Hare CC Managing Forest Hill in Mowbray 1991 – 2014 Hare & Liddell Construction (Pty) Ltd Estimator, Contracts Surveyor, Contracts Director 2014 – Present (June 2020) Swartz and Umvundla Construction (Pty) Ltd Director |
| HARE | HARLAND KNOLLES | 1235 | |
| HARGREAVES | ALAN SYDNEY | 629 | Joined lower deck in SAR Ships. |
| HARGROVES | ANTHONY BRIAN VINCENT | 1581 | Worked as an auto electrician and spent some time living in East London. |
| HARKER | GUY JAMES | 2528 | |
| HARKER | GRAHAM | 2001 | After G.B. apprentice with Ellerman & Bucknall. Thereafter sailed on the S.A. Coast, mainly with Marine Diamond Corporation. Joined the Oil Industy and presently in offshore Instalation Manager, Northsea. 2003 semi retired doing occasional rig moves. |
| HARMER | JOHN PETER LEOPOLD FRANS | 1552 | Deceased 23/08/2009. |
| HARMON | CHARLES HUCKELL | 1517 | Reported deceased. |
| HARMS | GRAEME JONATHAN | 2907 | 1985 – 1991 Safmarine Cadet – 2nd Mate 1991 – 1992 Sea Harvest – Safety office 1992 – 2008 De Beers Marine 2nd Mate – Master 2008 – Present Transocean – Present Master / OIM |
| HARPER | CRAIG DOUGLAS | 2833 | |
| HARRIS | LEONARD GILBERT | 559 | |
| HARRIS | NICHOLAS | 2055 | |
| HARRIS | ANDREW WALTER | 2054 | |
| HARRIS | CECIL JOHN | 686 | Grey High School. 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. At Bothie: JCC, 1st Class Extra for Seamanship good conduct binoculars. 1935 apprentice Clan Line, Clan Macdougall – Commodore Ship. 2nd Mates 1938. Served as 4th Mate. April 1939, Bullard King as 4/0, 3/0, & 2/0. Aug 1940 joined SDF as Sub Lt. Command of Minesweeper April 1941, promoted Lt Oct 1942. Special duty USA 42/43. 1946 transferred to SANF (PF). 2nd Officer of Royal Guard of honour when King George VI visited SA. Steamed HMSAS Bloemfontein from UK as 1st LT. May ’52 joined Lake Marine Service on Victoria Nyanza. Then Master EaCoast. 1955 returned deep sea, Far East run and then coasters to 1959. 1960-63 Standard Vacuum Far Eastern Fleet. 1963-1971 Marine Diamond Corporation. 1971-1975 Coasters and Fishery vessels. 1975 – 1982 Marine Diamond finishing as Marine Supterintendent. Wrote & Published “War at Sea” 1991. Shipping Journalist. Deceased 07/09/93. |
| HARRIS | SAMUEL FREDERICK | 225 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine as a seaman. |
| HARRIS | MARK WILLIAM | 2739 | January 1980 – joined Safmarine as Deck Cadet. June 1986 – transferred to Saftug, Wolrade Woltamade, 3/O & 2/O February 1988 – joined Sea Fisheries. 2/O on Africana. June 1989 – Chief Officer on Africana May 1994 – Appointed releiving Master on Africana and S.A. Agulhas. August 1995 – joined Safmarine container vessel planning Department (MARSCC). Later returned to sea as Master with Maersk. |
| HARRIS | DOUGLAS ALEXANDER | 1296 | Sailed on the S.A.R. & H. Agulhas with David Dashwood 1944/45, Vivien Whitfield 19944/45 and Peter Etherington 1944/45 when Mike Goold was Master in 1948. Died of heart failure 16/02/97 He served in S.A.R.& H. ships originally, moving to a Norwegian Company and eventually Safmarine. He also worked as a Rigger and in Stevedoring in Durban. He subsequently joined African Coasters and after gaining his Master’s Certificate joined the Harbour Service as Pilot until his retirement on 1st May 1988. |
| HARRIS | IVAN | 2517 | |
| HARRIS | WALTER RUSSELL | 1297 | Served as a Seaman in the S.A. Navy, was discharged medically unfit owning to an ear problem. Qualified as an Instrumentation Technician before moving to Canada in 1966. Lived in Montreal for a while and then moved to British Columbia. Was Maintenance Coordinator for Petro-Canada until retirement. Deceased 19th October 2016. |
| HARRISON | RONALD | 560 | 1932 Senior Cadet Captain. 1964 Manager of an insurance company, Krugersdorp, Transvaal. |
| HARRISON | FREDERICK ARTHUR | 453 | |
| HARRISON | OWEN TURNER | 1519 | |
| HARRISON | MICHAEL WILLIAM | 1518 | |
| HARROD | BRIAN CLIFFORD | 1650 | |
| HART | CLIFTON MARTEN | 1110 | |
| HART | RICHARD GABRIEL | 1467 | Left the sea and went to Bible College. Became a Missionary. |
| HARTER | JEAN GERALD | 1111 | Born Durban, 11th October 1924. Son of Raoul Raymond Harter and Helene Marguerite, nee Reid. Ed, Marist Brothers, Durban. Cadet Draft 1940-1. In 1942 Jean Gerard Harter joined Andrew Weir & Co. and after serving for just over a year, was lost in their Congella on 24th October 1943. |
| HARTLEY | ARTHUR EDWARD | 155 | |
| HARTLEY | FRANK CAWOOD | 1175 | |
| HARTMAN | CLIFFORD GODFREY | 982 | |
| HARTMAN | LINCOLN GRAHAM | 751 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. |
| HARTMAN | SELBY OLIVER | 867 | |
| HARTMANN | JOHN | 1714 | |
| HARTNACK | JUSTUS FREDERICK | 1881 | Winner of the Queen’s Gold Medal. After G.B. sailed as Cadet with British & Commonwealth and 1959 to 1964 as Third and Second Officer with Ellerman Assocaited Lines. 1964 – 65 First Officer and Master with Westminster dredging (Thames & Tilbury Dock). 1965 Captain, Royal Australian Army Engineers transportation and served as O.C. Landing Ship Medium. Served in the Vietnam war during 1967/8. 1969 became Harbour Pilot and Assistant Harbour Master in the Port of Launceston Authority, Tasmaia. In 1979 joined the Australian Maritime College as Lecturer and Master of their training ship Wyuna. 1982 – 84 served as First Officer with Atlas Offshore, Oil Platform supply and saturation diving support, North Australian Coast and Bass Strait. 1995 Master with North Western Shipping and Towage providing tug operations in Tasmanian Ports. Deceased 20/04/2010. |
| HARTNACK | JOHAN IVOR | 1769 | After Bothie joined Shell tankers and was promoted to Chief Officer by 1960. 1961 joined Safmarine until 1964 followed by five years with MacAndrews & Co, of London. After obtaining Masters Certificate was Cargo Handling Superintendent of Mersey Docks & Harbour Co, Liverpool, 1969 – 82 1982 – 87 worked in various ports in Saudi Arabia as a Cargo Superintendent and Training Consultant to the Port Management. 1987 returned to England and worked for St Martins Prop. Corp, London Bridge City, before returning to Liverpool with a Security Company, Littlewoods Pools. 1995 security, Sefton Council Liverpool . |
| HARTSUIKER | ADOLF | 1688 | Born 1933-07-24. Arrived in South Africa in 1946 after 3 years in a WWII Japanese run internment camp and 1 year in a refugee camp in Java, Dutch East Indies. He was 14 in 1946 when he arrived in SA. He hated the name Adolf for the obvious reasons of its association with Hitler and so he used the name Bob or, in business circles, Robert. After Bothie joined Shaw, Savill & Albion Co. Ltd – The Shaw Savill Line and achieved Chief Officer rank. 1963 was second officer on the Department of Sea Fisheries vessel Sardinops. Thereafter and up to 1967, Bob was working for an entrepreneur named Ernie Bisogno who owned Maritime Fisheries. Ernie bought the corvette HMS Rockrose (see http://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5547.html) It was reclassified as a merchant ship renamed Justin. Bob had the job of managing the conversion of the ship into a tuna fishing vessel equipped with refrigeration holds and apparatus to use longline fishing methods to catch the tuna. From early 1964 the Justin was successfully being used in Cape deep waters catching tuna. In 1965, he continued to work for Ernie Bisogno on land in Paarden Island, Cape Town where Bob set up a factory to process and dry freeze the tuna for local and export sales. In 1967, Bob became a sales representative selling wholesale top line imported toys such as Dinky, Scalextric, Fischer Technix, Marklin trains, etc. In 1970, Bob started his own business in a historic building on the corner of Adderley Street and Long Market Street, Cape Town selling Art Posters retail and imported art quality from prints from museums in Amsterdam and prints in Milan to art shops in the main cities in South Africa. The following year he started up an additional arm of the business in Buitengracht Street Cape Town. Deceased 18/11/1974. |
| HARTWELL | MALCOLM CHARLES | 2715 | I went to sea with Safmarine starting out on the SA Vergelegen. I remained at sea until 1988 when I resigned after obtaining my Masters. Amongst the highlights were serving as Training Officer on the S.A. Vergelegen along with lengthy repeat trips to the States’ east coast on the Sea Transporter and Venture. I was introduced by a family friend to Manley Kapelus who was then senior partner at Deneys Reitz, one of the big four law firms in South Africa with a large shipping department. I went to ask for his advice on what shoreside prospects there were other than becoming a stevedore foreman or surveyor. As Manley recounted years later, he thought I was an interesting young man and he told me that I needed to get a law degree and then come and see him. He never expected to hear from me again. I read for a BA with majors in English and law and then for an LLB at the University of Witwatersrand from 1989 to 1993. I contacted Manley again and asked him what I needed to do next and his reply was; “Well, I suppose you better join us in Durban.” I served my articles in the Durban shipping team and have been with the firm ever since. On admission, I was made partner, due to my advanced age and experience. Most of my practice revolves around casualty work. I have been involved in most of the casualties off the South African coast and the Indian Ocean over the last 25 odd years. We generally act for the insurers of the cargo or the Hull & Machinery insurers of the ship and the P&I Clubs that carry the ship’s liability. My practice has taken me to arbitrations in New York, London and Singapore and to litigation in many other jurisdictions. Deneys Reitz morphed into Norton Rose Fulbright which is a global firm consisting of about 4,000 lawyers in 51 different countries. I currently head up the transport team and shipping team of Norton Rose Fulbright South Africa Inc. During my time at what is now Norton Rose Fulbright, I was admitted as an attorney of the High Court of South Africa and as a solicitor of the Courts of England and Wales. I served as President of the Maritime Law Association and am currently on a number of its technical sub-committees. I am proud that our shipping team is consistently ranked in Legal500 and Chambers as a leading team and was pleasantly surprised last year to be listed by Legal500 as one of the leading shipping lawyers in South Africa. |
| HARVEY | ALAN JARDINE | 1357 | Joined the S.A. Navy as Able Seaman and was part of the crew that borught the SAS Bloemfontein from England to South Africa. He left the navy in 1947 and worked at various jobs in Walvis Bay and Luderitz before joining Consolidated Mines in Namaqualand. Retired in 1988. Deceased 26/12/2005. |
| HARVEY | MARTIN | 1882 | 1964 Second Officer with Smith’s Coasters “Inyala”. After G.B. decided to become an Accountant. 1976, achieved B.Compt. Financial Manager of Deneys Reitz Attornies, 2015 company change to NORTON ROSE FULBRIGHT. |
| HARVEY | GEORGE MURRAY | 505 | Reported previously with Barry’s Car Sales in Port Elizabeth. |
| HARVEY | MARK SEAFORD | 2106 | Spent several years at sea before coming ashore as a Marine Surveyor. In the 1980’s was offered a position with Polaris Shipping Company where he worked until his death due to illness on the 22nd April 2000. M.S. HARVEY 1958/59 #2106. Chris Miles’ [class of 1959/60] neighbour happens to be the widow of Mark Harvey. Realising that our historical records did not have any detail of Mark, Chris asked Sandy to write this for us. “After leaving the General Botha Mark spent several years at sea but had already met Christine Dabrowska whom he married and together had 4 children (Anne, Susan, David and Lisa). Due to the demands of family life Mark then came ashore and pursued a career as a Marine Surveyor working in the early days with Peter Stacy and later became an associate of Barry Borland. Sadly Christine became very ill with cancer and leaving Mark with a young family, died in the early 1980’s. In 1983 Mark reunited with a childhood friend, Sandra Mise (nee’ Nicholls) with whom he had grown up in Cape Town. A strong bond developed and they spent 17 loving years together ultimately getting married. During this period Mark was offered a position with Polaris Shipping Company, where he worked until his death. In 1977 Mark had a setback with his health when he was diagnosed with a malignant tumor of the jaw. After major surgery he made a remarkable recovery but 18 months later was once again plagued with further cancer. He tragically passed away at home at the age of 58 years on Easter Saturday. 22nd April 2000. Mark leaves behind his second wife Sandy, four children of his own, one stepdaughter, 7 grandchildren and brothers Peter and Michael and treasured friends.” R.E. YEO 1930/31 #504. |
| HARVEY | IAN BRAND | 1651 | 1952 – 1957 – Bank Line, rising to 2nd Mate 1958 – 1959 – Durban Lines, Chief Officer 1959 – 1992 – Harbour Service (Portnet), Tug Mate & Master, Pilot, Assistant Port Captain & Port Captain. Transferred to Johannesburg in 1988 as Manager, Marine Operations. Promoted to Senior Manager, Marine Services, in 1991. This is the top job in Portnet’s Marine hierarchy. Reported retired end 1996 from Portnet. “Details of my time at Portnet head office in JHB.I took over from Ted Pagè as Director and Marine Services in 1991,about and a year later Transnet was split into separate business units, we became Portnet,and I then became Executive Manager Marine Services. About a year later I took over the management of the lighthouse department which had been managed by our head office engineering office. When I retired in November 1996, I retired as Executive Manager Marine Services/Lighthouse Services.” |
| HARVEY | THOMAS HENRY | 2107 | Had own company “T. Harvey Technologies” (THT) in Gauteng. First joined Union Castle as cadet and later sailed on Mobil tankers. Finally swallowed the anchor in 1979 after 4 years as master on tramp ships out of Hong Kong, and after a spell as MD of various companies within Leo Raphaely and Sons, wandered off into the realms of various so-called entrepreneurial ventures, mainly in the project management field. 2015 retired in Bathurst and have an acupuncture/healing practice, and teach art. Deceased 1st June 2016. |
| HARVEY | JACK CAMPTON | 927 | WWII Air Mechanic SAAF. |
| HARWOOD | COLIN ARTHUR | 2108 | 1960 – 64 worked at the South African Institute of Medical Research in Johannesburg. 1965 – 70 studied medicine at University of Pretoria, joined the South African Defence Force in 1965. 1971 – 74 served in Military Hospitals as a doctor. 1975 – 77 studied for Master of Military Medicine Post Graduate degree. Spent 3 months as 2IC of a field hospital in Angola. 1978 – 79 commanded military medical personnel in Namibia. 1980 – 81 Staff Officer to the surgeon General in Pretoria, to OC Witwatersrand Medical Command. 1982 – 86 Officer Commanding Natal Medical Command. 1986 relocated to Ontario, Canada. Teaching medicine, drafting policies and serving on medical boards for the Government of Canada. In 1994 served with a field hospital in war torn Rwanda. Treated 22 000 patients in 3 months and 1996 in medical research. 1999 working for Health Canada. 2007 retired. Colin Harwood – ORDER and MEDALS in sequence: International and Canadian 1. Most Venerable Order of the Hospital of St John of Jerusalem, Commander Grade (worn around the neck). Awarded ± 1999, for 23 years of dedicated volunteer service to the St John Ambulance Brigade. 2. Special Service Medal with Humanitas Bar, for service with the Canadian Forces in Rwanda, 1994. 3. Queens 50th Jubilee Medal for volunteer service as National Medical Officer and National Commissioner, St John Ambulance, awarded 2003. South African 4. Southern Cross Medal for exceptionally meritorious service and particular devotion to duty in Angola (Oct 1976). 5. Pro Patria Medal with Cunene Bar for service in defence of the republic or the suppression of terrorism (Apr 1977). Cunene bar for Angola service against the communist forces. 6. SADF Good Service Medal (Silver) for 20 years good service in the SADF. 7. SADF Good Service Medal (Bronze) for 10 years good service in the SADF. 8. Chief of the SADF Medal for ‘service above and beyond ….’ during the 1980-1981 cholera epidemic in Zululand. 9. St John Ambulance Service Medal with 2 bars for 22 years of service in St John Ambulance Brigade (last bar 2009). |
| HASKIN | JOHN RONALD | 1582 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Serving in the South African Marine Corporation’s ship Constantia. |
| HATCH | VINCENT TERRANCE | 2440 | 1974-1984 Safmarine, obtained Master’s 1981. 1984 – 1990 Portnet Richards Bay on tugs and dredgers. 1991- Iscor/ArcelorMittal Port Operations & Logistics. 2015 retired. |
| HAVENGA | ADRIAN CYRIL | 2867 | January 1984 to October 1999. Sailed with Safmarine. Deck Cadet to Master. Bulk carriers, general cargo and container ships. Basically anything they had except for tugs. November 1999 to February 2016. Worked for Pentow Marine, Smit Pentow Marine, Smit and Smit Mozambique. I was Mooring Master / Marine Advisor / STS Superintendent / Marine Operations Manager with them. Worked in Cape Town, Mosselbay, Coega, Durban, Saldanha Bay, EBT Oil field, Sudan, Ghana and Beira. Interesting jobs ranging from the Alina 2 cargo salvage, Drillship bunkering, STS work and general SBM operations at various oil tanker terminals. Probably the most interesting was planning, refurbishing, installing and commissioning the old Durban SBM offshore Beira for coal operations. Interesting and challenging. April 2016. Working for Safe STS, a Diss, UK based company as Mooring Master / POAC / STS Superintendent. Was sent to Trondheim Norway for a simulator course to learn the finer points in STS operations and ship handling before being let loose on the real thing. This was after a period of training under an experienced Mooring Master. Also another very interesting job and very satisfying. In “land lubbers terms” parallel parking two vessels next to each other at sea and transferring cargo from one to the other. The cargo includes LPG, gasoil and crude oil. Hopefully this job will take me through to retirement. Whenever that might be. |
| HAVERFIELD | JOHN AMERY GARNAULT TUNSTALL | 752 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. |
| HAVERFIELD | FRANCIS PETER GARNAULT | 868 | |
| HAWKINS | BRIAN HARRY | 2301 | Joined Safmarine where stayed until 1974 when joined Durban Lines, which was later taken over by Unicorn Lines. Obtained Masters FGN certificate 1976 and sailed as master with Unicorn Lines for three years before coming ashore in 1980 as marine surveyor with SGS. Rejoined Unicorn Lines in 1981 and served in various senior operational and commercial management capacities until resigned in 1997 to establish Diamond Shipping Ships Agency Company in South Africa. Sold shareholding in Diamond Shipping in 2001 and bought into Spanfreight Shipping [ships agency]. Name subsequently changed to Mainport Africa Shipping. As shareholder/managing director developed the company into niche market specialising in predominantly break bulk, project , heavy lift and IMO cargoes. Mainport Africa Shipping represents a number of European heavy lift, project, break bulk carriers in Southern Africa. Similarly during this period also established Kestrel Maritime PTY LTD as commercial agents/cargo brokers , and 3pl project logistics providers dealing mainly with heavy lift , project, abnormal and break bulk cargoes. Also shareholder/managing director in this company based in Durban. 2014 formed Africahawk Maritime providing similar shipping services. |
| HAWKINS | ALAN FRANK BRAMPTON | 1176 | 1944 was Fourth Officer on the Troop Ship, Arundle Castle. 1964 an accountant in Natal. |
| HAWKINS | VINCENT JAMES | 2629 | 2001 – Pilot on the Manchester Ship Canal, England. |
| HAWKINS | BASIL GRENVILLE | 1358 | Deceased. Reportedly worked on the mines as a rigger and was also in the Australian Navy. |
| HAWKINS | PHILIP JAMES | 2780 | As a teenager Philip joined the East London N.S.R.I. station as a junior crew member. Joined Safmarine as a Cadet in 1981 but resigned in 1985 and worked for S.A. Stevedores for a few months. Then joined Mercedes Benz manufacturing plant in East London as their materials controller unit end of 1987. Moved on to Ronnies Motors in East London as parts internpreter, promoted to assistant parts manager in 1988 and by then was also the N.S.R.I. Deputy Station Commander and Training Officer. In 1995 left the coast to join Bloemdelta Dealership in Bloemfontein as their Parts Manager. 2001 to 2007 moved to sales manager. Late 2007 joined Peter James Motors [GM] in Harrismith as Dealer Principal. 2014 moved to Grahamstown as Dealer Principal of Market Square VW. |
| HAWKINS | MATTHEW FLINDERS | 2589 | |
| HAWTHORNE | JOHN | 1883 | |
| HAY | ALISTAIR JAMES | 928 | Born Johannesburg, 13th September 1921. Son of Frederick John Gordon Hay and Catherine, nee Metherell. Ed, Christian Brothers’ College, Pretoria. (Member of Boys Naval Brigade), Cadet Draft 1937-8. After leaving General Botha, Alistair James Hay joined the Union Castle Company, in which he remained until 1940, when he enlisted with the RAF and in 1942 became Pilot Officer and subsequently Flight-Lieutenant. He was awarded the DFC for distinguished service in Russia Convoys. He was a Cam Ship pilot; i.e. Hurricanes launched from the bow of a merchant vessel to attack enemy aircraft. These pilots had to ditch once fuel and/or ammunition was expended and hope to be rescued by an escourt vessel. (see page 150 of our book “A name among seafaring men.”) His death was presumed on 18th August 1944, when reported as missing after air operations. Award promulgated in the ‘London Gazette’ dated 23rd June 1942. Distinguished Flying Cross. |
| HAY | MICHAEL ANTHONY | 2109 | Deceased 4th July 2016. |
| HAY | STUART PETER | 2529 | 2000 Pilot on the Thames River (Port of London Authority), England. |
| HAY | JAMES DUNCAN FEATHERS | 1553 | Deceased 29/09/2008. |
| HAYES | EDGAR GORDON | 964 | WWII Bombardier 2 Heavy Battery SAA / Corporal Railway Construction Companies SAEC. |
| HAYES | ALFRED WATT | 687 | Joined lower deck in “Arundel Castle”. |
| HAYES | PETER JOHN | 1826 | Peter Hayes was a dyed-in-the-wool Eastern Cape man. He went to the General Botha from Port Elizabeth Technical College, just in time to be one of those confirmed by Bishop Lavis. On finishing at the Botha Peter returned to Port Elizabeth, where he went straight into the family painting and decorating business (Hayes Decorators). He eventually took over the business and ran it until his (semi)-retirement, leaving his son John to carry on the family tradition. Peter married Marion Fuller of Port Elizabeth in 1963 and in addition to John they have a daughter, also living in Port Elizabeth. Deceased 18th June 2021. |
| HAYHOW | DENNIS GEORGE | 1520 | Junior Cadet Captain and Drum Major on the Bothie. 1949 joined S.A.R. & H. Dahlia, transferred to Agulhas in 1950. 1952 took Apprenticeship with Brakpan Mines and in 1954 went to work on Northern Rhodesia Copper Mines, Chilbuluma and Nkana. Served 8 years with the N.R. Police Reserve, Rank of Senior Inspector. Also did hydroplane racing on the Copper belt, raced for Northern Rhodesia. 1964 returned to S.A. and started own business of steel erecting. 1968 joined Barens Shipbuilding. 1970 joined Toyota Manufacturing at Prespecton. 1993 upgraded to Plant Engineer (Services) until retirement in August 1995. Took up flying and received his wings in May 1975, on single engine aircraft. 1997 worked 2 days a week at Durban High School as a handyman. During leisure time did a bit of D.T.P on his computer for friends and family. Deceased July 2011. |
| HAYNE | MICHAEL WENTWORTH | 2145 | Reported previously with Teltron, Port Elizabeth. |
| HAYNES | THOMAS | 630 | 1933 Senior Cadet Captain. Apprenticed to Hall Line. 1964 Senior Harbour Pilot in Walvis Bay. Reported deceased. |
| HAYWARD | GORDON WAYNE | 2834 | 2003 promted to relieving Master on the sail training ship “Spirit of New Zealand.” 2005 Marine pilot at Nelson, New Zealand. 2007 Harbour pilot for Flinders Ports, Australia, based in Port Pirie. |
| HAYWARD | DAN BOTHA | 2174 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Trader”. Cape Town Harbour Pilot March 1994. Retired. |
| HEARD | BRIAN RICHARD LE GROS | 1943 | |
| HEARNE | STEPHEN GEORGE | 28 | Joined Barlows tractor and Machinery company in January 1961 as apprentice Diesel Fitter. Left Barlows in 1973 after being service manager at Pietersburg branch for three years. Started own earthmoving business and continued with it until 1978 whereafter he returned to the family farm at Keipersol, using the earthmoving equipment to develop the land. At present (1997) still farm on the now much expanded farm with his father, two brothers and son, Ralph. |
| HEARNS | CYRIL WINSTON | 631 | |
| HEATHFIELD-ELLIOTT | IVOR KEITH | 1236 | Keith passed away on 18th June 2019 in Napier. Leaving his wife Gloria and 4 children. He served in the North Sea during the war and was in London on VE day. On coming ashore he trained as a photo lithographer in the printing industry and remained in the industry until retirement. |
| HEGERSTROM | CHARLES OSLO ALBERT | 1112 | Deceased February 2015. |
| HEIDEN | DENYS VICTOR | 1944 | 1964 Chief Officer with Smith’s Coasters “Inkosi”. Sailed with Union Castle and Smith’s Coasters. Deceased 26/08/2001. |
| HEIM | JULIAN | 2908 | Previously sailed with Unicorn and Safmarine. |
| HEINE | ARTHUR HAROLD | 1298 | Born Johannesburg 23/10/1927. Deceased 13th May 2011. Attended Forest Hill High. After G.B. joined Holt Line and was in the Pacific during the WWII Japanese surrender. Returned to U.K. to write second mate’s but discovered that his colour vision could not pass the test. Returned to S.A. and joined the National Cash Register company, 26 years as accountant, retired end of February 1995 from Reef Engineering. |
| HELDZINGER | LESLIE JOHN | 16 | After Bothie joined Thesen Line as Ordinary Seaman. |
| HELLMAN | LESLIE BRUCE | 2302 | Attended the Bothie at Granger Bay in 1967. Joined my first ship as a cadet in Cape Town February 1968 during the age of chronometers and sextants, and signed off my last ship as master in Lome, Togo in January 2008 during the age of GPS and ARPA. Between May1979 and December 1983 I was with the SAR&H in Cape Town, and from January 1984 to June 1987 I was a land lord working for Charrington Breweries in the UK. I was appointed as Master in September 94 in my second spell at sea. |
| HELLYER | RICHARD BRIAN OWEN | 2002 | 1958-1963. Union Castle Line to cadet to 3NO. 1966 passed Private Pilot’s License, Youngsfield Cape Town. 1964 to 1967. SA Navy to Lieutenant, also CNO certificate and Master FG in South Africa and sailed with Rennies Coasters to Master. Then Swazi Ship as Marine Superintendent, Chrysler SA. Pretoria parts manager, Brian Porter Cape Town, parts manager, Atlantic Trawling fishing Hout Bay, Marine Superintendent, Rennies Stevedores Durban. Cargo superintendent, SAECS/Transatlantic Joint RoRo service on the SA coast, cargo superintendent, with Safmarine and finally Marine Manager, Safmarine London Office, until close down. Then established himself as Safmarine’s Big White passenger services manager, UK as well as Pentow UK agent. When Safmarine discontinued passenger services, retired. Since then has spent many hours volunteering with restoration of WW2 Royal Navy vessels. |
| HELLYER | CHARLES ROBERT | 9 | Royal Air Force in UK for 5 years in Airborne Radar and Wireless. Came back to SA as a ‘learner official mining’ – Venterspost. After a few other jobs, joined Burroughs Machines as a computer technician. Became Director Customer Service, first for Switzerland, and then for SA. Moved to Sales and was GM for Public Sector. Left after 28 years due to dis-investment and reinvestment trauma with Unisys (the old Burroughs). Various other jobs, till retired in February 2007. “I had finished normal schooling in Paarl Boys High with Junior Certificate. My family lived in Saldanha Bay and were friendly with most of the military officers up there, Cdr ‘Chips’ Biermann included. I was in the first Bothie intake of engineering cadets (E9) under Lt Guy. Bothie was a magnet for me as I wanted to follow in my brothers footsteps. When my father (BoB RAF pilot) asked me what I wanted to ‘do’, I had no idea. He thought I was suited to engineering. I had seen the Bothie discipline and the less attractive side of my brother’s experience at Bothie. But I was still determined to follow him. I was assigned to Foc’sle? and was ‘selected’ as batman (chum) to the now ‘Old Salt’ Hannes Smit (Smitty) who had been my brother’s batman, and who certainly assisted me to have a better time of it at Bothie. We were in the perhaps unfortunate change-over years from Captain Leggassick to Cdr. Biermann and the arrival of the first SANDF intake on the Gordons Bay campus. We had many great times pulling cutters and whalers and I seem to recall pulling against the SA Navy at Simon’s Town. I hated the cutters because I was always ‘bows’ with the shortest space to the gunwale and hence the heaviest oars! Climbing up the GB anchor to clean and paint it on the mountain side. And one of our number catching a fairly large shark while fishing from a whaler. Many good times at Bothie. Morning PT with PTI ‘slimey eye’ Smith, lots of press-ups and Bothie hops. As an Engineering Cadet my ship visits consisted of one visit to a coal fired coaster and it’s boiler room, as well as one visit to the Salt River Railway Works, both of which put me off the whole thought of going to sea. Despite our Bothie training, we would have had to do a five year apprenticeship with a remission of six months at some workshop concern like Salt River Railway Works. No chance. It would have been better to offer us a Midshipman apprenticeship at sea or further training at some sea-going establishment, even the SA Navy. But it wasn’t to be, probably because of being the first intake to a new discipline. My folks departed for the UK at about my time of leaving Bothie so I tagged along. My dad having been a Battle of Britain fighter pilot, I determined to join the RAF. Unfortunately, due to only obtaining Senior Certificate from Bothie, I did not qualify for a Commission in the RAF. So I joined in the Ranks as an ‘Erk’. However, having some aptitude I got a full choice of trades so went for the top trades of Airborne Radar and Radio. After the usual square-bashing camp, where I was told I marched like camel, (and I thought I was so smart at Bothie!!). Eventually I was sent off to technical training. Having signed up for 20 years, I spent almost five years in that trade in the RAF, always trying to get that illusive Commission, finishing up as a Junior Tech (one inverted chevron/lance corporal). Despite have written two GCE’s in that time in English and Maths there was still no chance of a Commission. I bought myself out. Marrying in the UK I gravitated back to South Africa as a learner official mining for Gold Fields in Ventersdorp. That was the time of the sink-holes, so decided against that idea and instead returned to my ‘trade’ of airborne radio and any other engineering job on aircraft at Youngsfield in Wynberg Cape Town. After a couple of years it soon became too repetitive with no higher prospects, so tried household radio repairs in Stellenbosch. However, I was soon kicked out by the Post Office who said I was not qualified for their type of radios! RAF/military certificates did not count in the SAPO Civvy street. I then found a job with Burroughs Machines (a US Corporate) in Cape Town fixing mechanical adding machines, but always with an eye to getting into electronic computers. My RAF electronics helped in this regard. Most of the balance of my career (over 25 years) was with that Company or as it was known by its other names, Unisys which changed to Unidata after disinvestment. I stayed with Unidata and went back to Unisys again, after they eventually reinvested when they found out that there was not going to be a ‘bloodbath’ here in SA. In the process our Company had absorbed Memorex and Sperry-Univac Corporations as we tried to rise above the other small IT Companies, with only IBM bigger than ourselves. I rose through the technical ranks to Technical Manager for SA on the computer side rather than mechanical accounting machines. At a point I was Engineering Branch Manager in Pretoria and bumped into my Old Salt and now friend, Hannes Smit (Smitty) who was one of my many customers. He was the then Chief Director and manager of the large government computer facility, Numerus. Small World. Thereafter, I did a few overseas postings, one managing Yugoslavia out of Vienna Austria managing a huge computer installation (64 systems) in that country, fortunately long before both country and computer installations disintegrated. From there I took charge of the Unisys whole of Eastern Europe (behind the Iron Curtain) including Russia. My other ‘overseas’ posting was to Switzerland as that Country Engineering Director, after which I returned to SA as GM Engineering and eventually Director of Customer Services for Unisys (old Burroughs) South Africa. In the process I had travelled the world and visited most Continents and many Countries all of which had been by air. So, I had managed to travel the World as much as I would have had I gone to sea. At that point I had been successful enough in engineering and wished to move on. I tried sales in Pretoria, but eventually left (after reinvestment by Unisys) and took a retrenchment package. Thereafter I had short spells in other IT Companies such a Olivetti, Infotech and National Data Systems (NDS/NCR). I did some management consulting and had a hand in the merger between Commercial Union Insurance and Protea Insurance reverse takeover in Cape Town. I finished my career in a start-up company installing IT networks in office blocks and parks called Building Intelligence as GM and Admin Manager in Westlake, Cape Town.” |
| HEMER | PETER WILLIAM | 2530 | 1996 with Saftainer, Johannesburg. 1998 Constultant in the Freight Container Transport Business. 2001 with Logical Solutions – Shipping Consultancy. |
| HENCHLEY | JOHN AUSTIN DOUGLAS | 335 | After Bothie apprenticed to British Oil Tankers, Ltd. 1930 Recipient of presentation by British Tanker Co., Ltd, for gallant behaviour on occasion of violent explosion in M.V. Britich Chemist, in which he was serving as apprentice. |
| HENDERSON | JOHN ROBERT | 1113 | Deceased 7th May 2017. John was born in 1926 in West Ham, London. Since his father was at sea with Ellerman & Bucknall (on the Durban to India and Burma voyages), his family were seeing very little of him. Consequently, they solved this problem by moving from England to Durban when John was 8yrs old! At the age of fourteen John attended the General Botha training ship, Simonstown, between 1940 and 1942 (at that time the usual period of attendance was 2 – 2 1/2yrs). Whilst on the ship he remembers seeing the QUEEN MARY and the old QUEEN ELIZABETH 1 bunkering in Simon’s Bay, en route from the UK to Suez, with thousands of troops on board bound for Egypt. Twenty years later he was piloting both of these ships in the Solent Waters! He went to sea as a cadet, his first ship being THE CITY OF LINCOLN (Apr 1943 -May 1944 ) an Ellerman & Bucknall’s new build, trading on the South African coast, then back to the UK. In May 1944 he joined FORT TADOUSAC as a cadet and remained on board until March 1945 (not much leave!) She traded between Liverpool, South Africa and the USA. Then a couple of months on the EMPIRE PENDENNIS, before studying for his Second Mate’s Certificate (no 54146 ). In Sept 1945 John joined the CITY OF LINCOLN again and served on her as fourth officer for 3 months. He was NOT on board when she ran aground at Quoin Point, C.P and was a total constructive loss! After a whole 10 days leave (!), he joined the DURBAN CASTLE in Dec 1945 at Southampton, as fourth officer, hoping he would get to see more of his parents in South Africa (who were by then managing the Rotunda Hotel in Camps Bay). However, when John arrived at Southampton, he was immediately sent to the upper deck to conduct sailing day boat drill, only to be confronted by over 800 war brides bound for Australia and New Zealand! His trip to see his parents back in S.A was scuppered! John recalls that sadly there were several women who were not met on arrival. They were given three options: to return with the ship back to England, to stay there permanently as a citizen of Australia (or New Zealand) or to be given 3 months stay (at Government expense) to search for the husbands who failed to turn up to meet them. In February 1946 John joined SAMTRENT at Bombay (mainly trading in the Far East) and remained on board until Jan 1947 when he disembarked at Avonmouth. After some (well earned!) leave he joined WARWICK CASTLE (a new build) at Belfast, signing on as fourth officer and after a round trip, signed off at Southampton. In July 1947 he joined SAMSTEEL, a lease lend ship (Liberty ship, built in the US) as third officer. Seven weeks later he left at Mobile, having returned her to the US Government. This meant a four day journey from south to north of the USA, from Mobile to Halifax, Canada by train, returning to the UK via a passage on passenger ship AQUITANIA as a DBS (Distressed British Seaman). Once back in the UK, John joined ATHLONE CASTLE at Southampton in Dec 1947 as fourth officer. He then studied for his First Mate’s Ticket (chief officer’s cert), qualifying in Aug 1948. In Nov 1948 John joined RUSTENBURG CASTLE at Glasgow serving as second officer thereafter, until Apr 1950. She was a fruit ship trading between South africa and the UK, and sometimes to the USA. June 1950 saw him join EDINBURGH CASTLE and then later that year,after a month’s leave, he joined CAPE TOWN CASTLE as fourth officer, disembarking in Feb 1951. After 11 days leave, second officer Henderson joined RIEBEECK CASTLE at Victoria Docks, London and, after 5 months,disembarked at Rotterdam in July 1951. Another short spell of leave and John joined the RUSTENBURG CASTLE at Hull as second officer, for coastal voyage experience whist studying and taking written and oral exams for his Master’s Certificate. His next trip was on ARUNDAL CASTLE, sailing from Southampton in Dec 1951. After one round trip to South Africa he left the vessel at Southamton in Jan 1952 and travelled to Belfast to join a brand new ship, KENYA CASTLE, as she came out of Harland and Wolff Shipyard on Feb 15th 1952 John recalls that there was a fair amount of work involved in getting the charts in order and checking instruments such as the gyro compass. Thereafter, he served as second officer for over a year,before leaving her in Mar 1953. After a whole 8 days leave, he then joined ROXBURGH CASTLE at Victoria Docks, London as chief officer (promotion!) and remained on board until Sept 1953. Within this period he was promoted to Master after the previous Captain crushed his hand and had to be hospitalised ashore in Trinidad.This led to John’s first command. In Nov 1953 he joined WINCHESTER CASTLE as second officer for one round trip. Between Jan 1954 and Apr 1955 he was second officer on several more of the Union Castle ships: STIRLING CASTLE, PRETORIA CASTLE, and ATHLONE CASTLE. In Nov 1955 John joined EDINBURGH CASTLE as first officer. This was a memorable voyage since it was here that he met his wife to be, Joan. Joan Lister was serving on board as Children’s Hostess, a new appointment for the company. They first set eyes on each other during the crew life boat drill, which John was conducting. He stopped in front of Joan and tugged firmly at her lifejacket, saying “Too loose – tighten that up!” Not the most subtle chat up line – and not very well received! However, they did become ‘an item’ during the voyage, and it wasn’t long before news of their romance reached the Captain. John was called to the bridge whereupon he was asked as to whether a “close friendship” had developed between himself and Miss Lister. Consequently, due to company policy, he found himself leaving Union Castle’s most prestigious ship (Commodore ship) and being given ‘promotion’ as chief officer on board KENILWORTH CASTLE, whilst Joan remained in the lap of luxury aboard EDINBURGH CASTLE! Both John and Joan signed off their respective ships in July 1956, were married at Lytham St Annes, Lancashire in Sept 1956, and have recently celebrated their 56th Wedding Anniversary. Whoever said that shipboard romances never last! Having been on the waiting list for a vacancy in the UK Pilot service, with perfect timing, he was offered a place with the Isle of Wight and Southampton Trinity House Pilotage Service. He and Joan moved to Bembridge on the Isle of Wight and John remained in pilotage until he retired in 1989. During this time 22 years were as a Choice pilot for Cunard, piloting all the ‘Queens,’ starting with the old QUEEN MARY. On one occasion having to be flown out by helicopter to the QE2 (en route to Southampton) during very bad weather conditions in the English Channel. The liner had met a south-westerly gale in the North Atlantic, almost all the way across from New York and was delayed by four hours. In order to reach Southampton in time to catch the tides, and minimise the delay, a short cut was taken through the Western Solent via The Needles(as opposed to round the Isle of Wight), a narrower, shallower channel and a route that the liner had only ever used once before. When she arrived off The Needles the wind and sea conditions were such that it would have been impossible for the pilot launch to put to sea, let alone for the pilot to make a sea transfer on to the ship. The Cunard company requested help from the search and rescue helicopter service at HMS DAEDALUS, Lee-onSolent, since, with a steep sea due to the ebbing tide and a south-westerly gale of 30 knots, any other means of boarding the ship would have been impossible. John was airlifted by the helicopter from the beach at Bembridge, Isle of Wight, flown out to the liner and winched down onto the after deck. An experience that he found very interesting! After retiring in 1989, John filled his well-earned leisure time with several pastimes: he pursued a PPL after taking up flying lessons in a Cessna and devoted more time toward his existing interest in collecting cigarette cards, stamps and postcards that featured merchant ships only and became a prominent breeder of the Australian Gouldian finch. John returned to South Africa with Joan in the late eighties for a holiday (and trip down memory lane!), visiting Durban and Cape Town. Whilst there they visited the shore-based General Botha College, which replaced the ship that was sadly taken out to sea and sunk after being used by the S.A Navy as target practise. He remembers several of the instructors from his time on GENERAL BOTHA: Mr.’Chick’ Chapman, P.T.I (given this nickname because of the two Bantams tatooed on his feet, having been Bantam weight champion boxer of the Royal Navy), Mr. Flack, Seamanship /Signals and Captain-Superintendent J. Pennington. John enjoyed his life at sea and his shore-based pilotage career, and felt that he was lucky enough to have the best of both worlds. |
| HENDRIKSE | WILLEM LOURENS JAMES | 2303 | 1968 – Sailing on the Kaapland, South African Lines. |
| HENDRY | DUNCAN ALEXANDER | 753 | WWII Air Mechanic 12 Motor Boat Wing SAAF / AB SANF. |
| HENLEY | JOHN HOWARD | 632 | Did not complete second year. |
| HENREY | BASIL MARTIN | 754 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. 1964 a director of a etsate agency, Johannesburg. Deceased 21/09/1971. |
| HENRY | ALISTAIR CLAUDE | 2304 | Joined Safmarine in 1968 as a Cadet Officer on the m.v. Tzaneen and progressed through the ranks serving aboard various vessels of the Safmarine Fleet. Later seconded to Safmarine New York as Cargo Superintendent and on completion of that tour of duty returned to Durban and worked ashore in the cargo department. From there was transferred to the Marine Division of Safmarine Head Office in Cape Town for a few years. In February 1992 returned to New York as Marine Manager responsible for all marine operations in North and South America for Safbank Line, promoted to Vice President marine operations USA prior to AP Moller takeover of Safmarine, made redundant shortly after the takeover. Joined International Shipholding Corporation (ISC) in New Orleans in February 2001 as Director of Chartered Vessels, transferred within the company for a short period to their Lash division then within the company to Waterman Steamship operations involved with the three Military Sealift Command ships. Shortly after “Katrina” in 2005 ISC relocated headquarters to Mobile Alabama, transferred within the company again as Director of Operations – CG Railway a company that runs a rail ferry service carrying approx. 115 rail cars between Mobile and Coatzacoalcos Mexico. (cgrailway.com) 2016 retired. |
| HENWOOD | DENNIS NORMAN ALEXANDER | 2416 | 1971 – 82 – At sea with Safmarine, General Cargo, Reefer & Container Vessels. 75 – 76 – 3rd Officer 77 – 79 – 2nd Officer, 79 – 82 – Commanding Officer 1982 – 86 – Cargo Superintendent with SAECS/Transatlantic RORO Service 1987 – Chief Officer on Safmarine Container Vessels 1988 – Cargo Superintendent with SAECS RORO Service 1988 – 99 – Bunker Purchasing Manager & Dry Bulk Operations. Safmarine. December 1999 to June 2001 – FFS Refiners, Cape Town Branch, Administration Manager and Operations Manager to April 2003. Thereafter Independent Marine Consultant, training, assessment and certification. Vice Chairman GBOBA Cape Town Branch and GBOBA Bursary Fund board member. |
| HENY | DOUGLAS EDWARD | 688 | After G.B. went to sea on the m.v. Matawin Trading to Canada followed by a period on the Johannesburg mines as a rigger before returning to sea. 1940 joined the army and served in North Africa where he was wounded in 1942 and repatriated. 1944 joined a sailing vessel trading between South America and France before returning to South Africa at the end of WWII. Again sailed on the S.A. coast followed by another period on the mines before buying a tearoom and a fishing boat in Port Alfred. Emigrated to Australia for two years before returning to South Africa buying two fishing boats in Port Alfred. Became the first Commodore of the newly established N.S.R.I. station in Port Alfred before retiring to East London. Deceased 11th September 2002. |
| HENY | MARK LATHAM | 2802 | Previously worked for Oddies Bodies in Port Elizabeth. Deceased after major surgery, June 1993. |
| HEPBURN | ARTHUR | 273 | After Bothie apprenticed to Reardon-Smith Line. |
| HERBERT | NOEL JOHN | 930 | |
| HERLIHY | PETER TIMOTHY | 2473 | |
| HERMAN | RONALD | 2280 | Junior Cadet Captain and Gold Medalist. Joined Safmarine. Was a member of the Lifeboat Crew from the S.A. Nederburg which in April 1970, rescued the crew of the tanker Silver Ocean. Awarded a Red Cross Medal for ‘conspicuous service.’ 1972 joined Durban Lines as Chief Officer. 1976 joined the Harbour Service and 1978 joined John T Rennie & Sons in Durban as Marine Superintendent. 1981 he was made Sales Manager and a year later he went to Johannesburg to manage an Agency Operation. Later returned to Durban as Warehouse Manager for Rennies Shipping. On the merger with Freight Services he was made Executive in overall charge of Warehousing in 1985 and 1988 General Manager, Warehousing, for Renfreight Forwarding Durban. 1995 Divisional General Manager with Rennies Cargo Terminals, S.A. 2002 with the purchase of Dart Line, transferred to U.K. as M.D. 2007 CEO of MPDC = Maputo Port Development Company , the port authority for Maputo. 2013 based in Maputo heading a company exporting Iron Ore out of Swaziland. 2013 Opened consulting company Port Consult Lda based in Maputo, focusing on Port and Maritime Logistics in Africa. Set up and then ran the Rail and Port operations for the export of Iron Ore from Swaziland for King Mswati, through Maputo and Richards Bay. 2016 Semi retired, moved to Eastbourne UK. 2021 Still doing occasional consulting work. |
| HERMAN | BRIAN DOUGLAS | 2003 | |
| HERMON | REGINALD SIDNEY | 1177 | 1964 in business on his own account, Natal. |
| HERN | TERRENCE WILLIAM STANLEY | 1599 | |
| HESQUA | JOHN AUBREY | 2803 | |
| HEWITT | JACK EDWIN CHERBOURG | 2175 | Reported 1964 – recently passed a Mid-Apprenticeship Course at Plymouth with first class results and was chosen as a Cadet Captain. He then joined the Shell Tanker’s “Hastellum”. After Bothie joined Shell tankers as Cadet. 1965 joined Safmarine as Third Officer on the South African Victory. Deceased 30th June 2020. “I joined a South African subsidiary, of Royal Interocean Line, the cargo ship Jupiter Sun, ex Straat Cook, on the S. Africa to S. America cargo run. We returned home where I joined the S.A.R & H. i.e. the harbour service, driving a 1936 built coal fired, twin screw triple expansion steam tug called the TS Ericksen. 1975-76 joined Rennies Stevedoring in Durban. Thereafter joined S.A. Container Depots as Operations Manager at their Johannesburg depot. At the end of the contract with SACD I was offered a job running a couple of Liquor stores in the city of East London, in the Eastern Cape. I did this for a couple of years, when I was approached by the South African Breweries, who enabled me to establish my own liquor business. To cut a long story short, I ended up owning an hotel, 4 liquor stores in various locations, and a restaurant, a take away and a plant nursery. 2001 emigrated to Australia and opened businesses there and eventually a compass adjuster after selling the businesses.” |
| HEY | IAN ANTHONY | 2242 | 1965 – Joined Clan Line, part of the British & Commonwealth Group. December 1968 joined Rennies Coasters/Green “R” Line as Second Officer. Was Second Officer on the m.v. Griqualand when she was sunk by gunfire from HMS Didp in 1970 after an explosion and fire in the cargo. My sextant is still in her chartroom. 1973 – Swallowed the anchor and joined the SABC. Finished up in their TV Outside Broadcast Departmetn as a lighting engineer and otuside production planner. 1993 – returned to sea with Marine Diamond. Sailed on the ‘Louis G. Murray.’ 2000 teaching computers in New Zealand. |
| HEYDENRYCH | PETER JOHN | 1770 | Served as Cadet with Safmarine before obtaining a degree in Civil Engineering at UCT in 1959. 1960-61 with Clifford Harris as Assistant Engineer on road construction and 1962-63 with Benoni Municipality as Assistant Engineer. In1964 joined S.A.R. & H as Assistant Engineer at the Port of Cape Town which included the design of the quay walls at Granger Bay, 1965-94 Hill, Kaplan & Scott as Civil Engineer and promoted to Associate, Executive Partner and then Director . 1995/2000 company taken over by Law Gibb Group, continue as Director and Regional Manager. Resigned as Regional Manager in 1996, continued as Senior Technical Director until retirement in September 2000. Projects included the design of waterside housing on Thesen Island in Knysna, the design and supervision of the first phase of the services for Victoria and Alfred Waterfront in Cape Town and the preparation of the feasibility study for the new port at Coega. On retirement he moved to Chichester in West Sussex where he is now (2021) living. |
| HEYNE | GLYNN FREDERICK | 2146 | |
| HEYS | BRIAN RAYBURN | 1583 | |
| HICKS | WILLIAM EDWARD | 478 | Did not complete second year. |
| HIGGINS | BYRON CHADWICK | 2531 | After leaving Safmarine and Unicorn, I was active in credit management, I began as a credit officer for Trust Bank, moving over to credit control and credit management for the Star in Johannesburg and then back as credit controller and moving up to and and finally as the National Credit Manager for Sterns Diamond Organization. My interest in the burgeoning computer age made me move into computers; forming my own company importing components, focusing on hardware and building computers for customers and contracting on upgrades and maintaining them. This worked until the late 90s when I I decided to move on to the greener pastures of Canada, doing the same thing, until the 2010 bubble burst, when because of an advert I read in a Scottish magazine for the NorthWest Company I applied. I moved through the ranks and now (2021) manage a store in Lac Brochet Northern Manitoba enjoying every moment. |
| HILDEBRAND | BERNARD ALEXANDER | 1237 | |
| HILDYARD | RODNEY | 1584 | Born 19/08/1932. Deceased 30/07/2015. Due to his colour blindness Rodney became a marine engineer. After completing his apprenticeship with James, Brown & Hamer he eventually became the youngest Chief Engineer with Safmarine. Later did two years marine surveying before joining S.A.R. & H. Harbour Service retiring in 1988 as Senior Marine Superintendent Engineer in Richards Bay harbour. |
| HILDYARD | GORDON | 2691 | 1979 – 88 – Safmarine Cadet 1988 – 91 – Portnet Durban Marine Deck Officer 1991 – Portnet Saldanha Tug Master 1994 – Portnet Durban, Tug Master 1996 promoted to harbour pilot. |
| HILL | ANDREW EDWARD | 1468 | After G.B. joined Reardon Smith’s in Cardiff. |
| HILL | SYDNEY | 931 | 3rd November 1939 posted to the HMAMC Bulolo as Midshipman RNR. Sailed on HMS Kent, Royal Navy, in 1942/43. Took over the family farm after WWII near Worcester, South Africa. |
| HILL | DEREK CHARLES | 1178 | |
| HILL | HUGH MIDDLETON | 869 | |
| HILLARY | CECIL FRANCIS OMAR | 536 | Did not complete second year, medically unfit. |
| HILLMAN | HERBERT STANLEY | 1469 | |
| HILLSTEAD | WILLIAM ROE SPENCE | 932 | Sailed with P&O for a short period in 1939 before joining the RNR as Midshipman. Served throughout WWII on various vessels including Armed Merchant Cruisers. 1964 Tug Master in Durban Harbour. Previously Port Captain of East London and Cape Town. Retired in 1982. Deceased 13/01/2004. |
| HIND | ROBERT ALLAN | 1884 | 1956 joined Clan Line Steamers. “A large chunk of my life in what became British & Commonwealth Line was in Trampships King Line.” 1962 joined Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. 1964 returned to S.A. and joined S.A.R. & H rising to Tug Master 1970 returned to N.Z. Port Employers Association as a Ports Safety Officer. Four years later promoted to Head Office in Wellington as Research Officer in Industrial Relations. 1976 returned to S.A. Joined Rennies Stevedoring as superintendent in Durban. Three and a half years later joined the S.A. Navy as a Lt CDR. Naval Pilot, Assistant Naval Harbour Master and OC of SAS Somerset. 1984 appointed Naval Harbour Master, Simon’s Town. Bronze Service & General Service Medals, C of DF commendation. 2002 retired from S.A. Navy and 2003 returned to New Zealand. Deceased 20th June 2015. His ashes scattered over the GB in False Bay. |
| HINDLE | EDGAR CLIFFORD | 157 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a Seaman. |
| HINE | WILLIAM GEORGE | 133 | After Bothie apprenticed to Bullard King Line. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Royal Fleet Auxiliary. |
| HINES | CYRIL ERNEST | 72 | Joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| HINES | GORDON FRANCIS HAIG | 689 | |
| HINTERLEITNER | ERNEST ROBERT | 1827 | Ernie ‘Fid’ Hinterleitner enjoyed the unique distinction of having resided at the same address in Camps Bay for most of his life. With the family home but one block above the beach it was understandable why no one wanted to leave! He attended Sea Point Boys’ High School and then joined the General Botha. With Ivor Little as his fellow cadet, Ernie commenced his sea career in Northern/Southern Steamships the President Brand, wrote his second mates in Cape Town and then joined Sarships as third mate in the Hangklip. When this ship was sold he joined Safmarine, serving as third mate in the South African Merchant and the South African Vanguard. On obtaining his mates certificate Ernie was promoted second mate and sailed in the South African Pioneer and SA Tzaneen. After passing his masters, he worked in the Safmarine head office as assistant to their cargo superintendent before returning to sea as mate in the South African Venture, followed in quick succession by the SA Hexrivier, SA Zebedelia, SA Trader and SA Alphen. Such dedicated service led to command of the SA Merchant, followed by the SA Letaba, SA Sugela, SA Nederburg and finally the SA Huguenot. After six years as master, Ernie called it a day in 1978 leaving Safmarine to join the Harbour Service where he was appointed to Cape Town as chief officer in the tugs, before spending two years as port liaison officer, finally being promoted tug master. He officially retired in 1997 but returned to work the following day as a casual tug master, before finally retiring in 2001. During all this time, Ernie ran aground only once and experienced one collision, both times while a cadet in the President Brand. A truly remarkable record, which he attributes to bearing in mind the old nautical saying that ‘A collision at sea can ruin your entire day!’ Deceased August 2015. |
| HIRST | ROY DESMOND | 2281 | After passing out from the Bothie in 1966 I joined Safmarine as a Navigating Cadet in 1967. My first ship was the S.A.Shipper under the command of Andy Borlase. I would serve on the S.A.Shipper many more times over the years both as Third mate and Second Mate. I also served on Bulk Carriers, General Cargo vessels, Reefer Ships and Tankers. I obtained my Second Mates Certificate in 1970, my Mates Certificate in 1973 and my Master’s Certificate in 1976. I then joined SAR&H in Durban as First Officer. I spent a year in Port Control working alongside a number of Assistant Port Captains’ on a shift basis. There was no space on the tugs at that time because there were quite a few First Officers floating around as spare mates until a vacancy came up. After the year in Port Control I was appointed to the F.C.Sturrock as First Officer under the command of Bob Beckett who taught me the ropes of handling a twin screw steam tug. I also spent time on the Jan Haywood with Bill Parfitt who taught me how to handle a Voith Schneider tug. In 1978 I was appointed Master of the John X Merriman another twin screw steam tug. I spent another year doing shift work on the tugs in Durban Harbour and in 1979 I was persuaded by Ron Herman to join him at John T Rennie and Sons as Assistant Marine Superintendent. I was later promoted to Manager of the Bulk Tramper Division. In 1983 Rennies and Freight Services were about to merge to form one huge conglomerate in the freight industry, so together with a colleague of mine from Rennies Shipping, Geoff Peatling, we decided to go off and form our own company, offering a specialized Clearing and Forwarding and Ships Agency service under one roof, to provide a very personalized service to our clients. This was the birth of Seacargo. We traded successfully under this name for 22 years out of offices in Durban and Richards Bay. In 2005 in order to expand the business we merged with Panafco Maritime to form a company called Panargo with offices at all the major ports around the SA coast. In 2009 at the age of 61 I decided to retire and sold my interest in the company to my partners. After 42 years in the shipping industry I have now been happily retired for four years. I live on a golf estate at Mount Edgecombe north of Durban with my wife Cheryll to whom I have been married to for 40 years this year. |
| HIRST | REGINALD ARNOLD ARCHER | 1828 | ‘Johnny’ Hirst was a product of St. Andrew’s College, Grahamstown, which might have set the tone for his subsequent career. At the General Botha he was the ‘main man’ when it came to organising his mates in a sing-song or some naughty escapade. As ‘Mozwate’ Briant said, “He was always pushing his luck, usually something dangerous or likely to get a whole lot of us into trouble.” It came as a surprise to all when he did not return for his second year. Bishop Christopher Gregorowski: Arnold gave the commercial world his best efforts; clearly not to his satisfaction for in 1958, surprising family and friends, he enrolled at St. Paul’s Theological College in Grahamstown and entered his new calling with enthusiasm and dedication! He was ordained deacon in Cape Town in 1960, priest in 1961. Arnold married Jill in 1960. Friends praise Jill’s great influence on the previously ‘wild’ Arnold! In due course they became proud parents to Catherine, Stephen and Judith-Anne. He was rector at St. Martins-in-the-Fields, Durban North, before transferring to St. Georges, Parktown, Johannesburg. Arnold found his niche in the Ministry; he possessed an extraordinary personal dynamism, always full of energy, larger than life, a debonair and dashing personality with unbounded reserves of compassion. Not surprisingly, in every parish in which he ministered, Arnold drew people in and his congregations always increased! It was through his efforts that Bryanston was declared a new parish, with Arnold being appointed rector of the beautiful St. Michael and All Angels in 1970. In 1989 Arnold and Jill emigrated to England where Arnold became rector of St. Nicholas Church, Wickham, in the Diocese of Portsmouth. On lighter note, a request came for Arnold to lead the memorial service for the late Sir Harry Oppenheimer, a devout parishioner of his in Parktown, Johannesburg. It was to be at St. Martin-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square. He readily agreed and asked Nicky Oppenheimer: “I would like Jill to be with me please ‒ as you know, she knew Sir Harry well.” But a last-minute delay arose in Wickham on the day they were due to catch the train up to London ‒ and the next train would not have got them there in time. Not a problem for Nicky Oppenheimer! A helicopter was dispatched and then, following the course of the Thames, Arnold and Jill were whisked up to London, landing on Anglo-American’s corporate tower block! Johnny Hirst was clearly considered to be just the right man to conduct the service. They were booked into the Savoy that evening and when he happened to mention that the following day was their wedding anniversary, the immediate reaction was to book them in for a second night! Arnold described this as his most exciting visit to London. Faithful colleague, exuberant raconteur, wonderful human being. Deceased 22nd May 2007. |
| HISCOCK | DAVID ALBERT | 755 | WWII AB SANF. |
| HOAL | SYDNEY VALENTINE | 454 | Obtained first class certificates in both scholastic and navigation and ordinary in seamanship at final examinations of S.A.T.S. General Botha. Prizes won: second prize in non-technical subjects and geogrpahy. Was apprenticed to Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company, m.v. Cardita. Born 13th February 1913. Died at Curacao, Dutch West Indies, on 6th January 1933. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: had the harrowing experience of falling overboard unseen and of being rescued an hour later, when he was found to be missing and the ship turned back in its tracks. To our regret this promising youth shortly afterwards succumbed to severe appendicitis after an operation in Curacao. |
| HOARE | RONALD HOUGHTON | 378 | |
| HOATSON | BRIAN DOUGLAS | 1179 | 1943 – joined S.A.N.F. (South African Naval Forces) Lower Deck 1944- 1948 – Bank Line (S.A. – India – Far East) 1948 – 1950 – Jardine Matheson & Co (China Coast) 1950 – 1951 – Bank Line (SA – Far East) 1952 – Obtained Masters Certificate in U.K. settled in Australia. 1953 – 1964 – Howard Smith Ltd (Australian Coast & 6 years as Wharf Superintendent) 1964 – 1987 – Training Division of Shipowners and Stevedoring Employers Association of Australia. Retired 1987. During Late 1960’s was instrumental in forming the Australian branch of G.B.O.B.A. & was Secretary until 1987. Deceased 17th September 2019. |
| HOBBS | NIGEL CHARLES ATTWOOD | 29 | After G.B. completed Millwright apprenticeship with the S.A.R. & H. Joined Safmarine and served on steam ships in various ranks to first engineer. Then joined Unicorn lines to obtain motor time, completed 2nd class steam and motor combined. Returned to the S.A.R.& H. on the Cape Town Harbour tugs. 1970 came ashore in various maintenance fitter jobs and did a stint on Tristan du Cunha as Factory Manager of the Island’s Lobster Fishery. 1979 immigrated to Australia and worked in various fitter jobs until requalified with an Australian certificate. Joined BHP Transport in 1988 and served on various ship types including a hot pitch carrier. 1998 serving as first engineer on an LNG Tanker. Australia did not recognise my SA certificates so started all over again. I finished with a Combined Ist Class Steam and Motor, endorsed for Chemical and LNG tankers. After ’98 I continued serving on the NWS LNG tankers until retirement 2001. I joined the Sydney Heritage Fleet 1991 as a volunteer and since I was still seafaring, my volunteering, was crewing on a restored steam tug and steam yacht that were hired out for functions. I wanted to qualify as a stoker, but as they were very short of certificated engineers so I spent more time at the controls than wielding a shovel and slice. Once retired, volunteering at SHF shipyard became my principle interest, I was shown the engine room of a 1913 steam harbour ferry (1000 passengers). (During 1958/9 the steam plant was removed and a 8cyl, two stroke, Crossely diesel was installed.) The restoration work is ongoing. When not volunteering other interests are surfing and motor cycling. |
| HOBEL-NIELSEN | ARNE | 2243 | Sailed with Swedish Atlantic Line as an Able Seaman. Passed away in Finland mid 1980s. |
| HOCKLY | BRYAN HAMPDEN | 118 | Entered Prince Line as apprentice. 1964 a mine surveyor, lived in Orange Free State. |
| HODD | MICHAEL ARTHUR WESTON | 1413 | |
| HODGSON | JOHN AUBREY | 1180 | 1964 with Frences Mine, Darwendale, Rhodesia. |
| HODGSON | KENNETH GEORGE | 65 | Did not return 1962. |
| HODGSON | JOHN WYNDHAM | 10 | |
| HOEKSTRA | ROBERT JAN | 2532 | Spent 7 years at sea, first with Unicorn and last few with Mobil. Then in 1981 joined Old Mutual in Cape Town as an acturial student. Moved to England in 1988 as a computer consultant/contractor, Systems Limited, doing Unix system administration and APL development. |
| HOFFMAN | ABRAHAM | 1554 | |
| HOFFMAN | MICHAEL ANTHONY | 1238 | Cadet SAR Ships, m.v. Selandia & s.s. Dalia and Able Seaman m.v. Aelo 1948. SA Lines Third Mate m.v. Aelo renamed “Kaapland” 1948 – 1950. 2nd Mate s.s. Damaraland, S.A. Lines, 1950 – 1951 2nd Mate m.v. Inchanga Bank Line 1952. Mate Thesens Coasters 1953 – 1954. February 1955 obtained masters F.G. at Cape Town. Promoted Master Thesens Coasters. November 1955 joined Harbour Service. Luderitz and Port Elizabeth, Tug Mate. 1963 – 1967 – East London, Master bucket dedger Sir Thomas Pricey, Tug F. Schermbrucker and Acting Pilot. 1967 – 1977 – Cape Town Harbour Pilot 1977 – 1987 – Assistant Port Captain. Then retired. Deceased end of 2015. |
| HOFFMAN | NEVILLE CHARLES | 1945 | Reported 1964 – was formerly Chief Officer in Thesen’s Coasters. Went to sea with Blue Star Line. Came ashore for second mate’s 1959. Whilst on study leave he had the misfortune to be the victim of a random act of violence, whilst driving along Buitensingle. He had the driver’s window of his car open when an unknown person lobbed a half-brick at his car. This entered through the open window and struck Neville on the head, injuring him for life and putting an end to his sea career. Thereafter employed for 10 years at the Training Centre for Seamen, Cape Town. Deceased 26th March 2015. |
| HOFMEYR | LAURANCE WILBERFORCE | 269 | After Bothie apprenticed to Cambrian Line of R.J. Thomas & Co. and later with Hall Line. During WWII as a Lieutenant in the Royal Navy he commanded the minesweeper T23 (a converted antartic whaler) based in Cape Town. Sailed it under jury rig around the Cape when the engines failed. Eventually became Managing Director of his own real estate agency in Cape Town, Steer and Company. Deceased 1989. Quote from the book “A name among seafaring men”, page 52: “I was in the Cambrian Line, the one which was out to break the Conference Lines. Of course, the depression broke them. I was in the Cambrian Princess when we went into mothballs at Antwerp. A job as quartermaster with Hall Line was as much as I could hope for, and finally we were steering ships from Liverpool to Grareloch for laying up. Then I was employed in shuttling their Lascar crews about. They had to be returned home every two years. If a ship was leaving for America with a crew due to go home, it had to be exchnaged for one that had still more time to serve. I got to know train schedules and station masters pretty well in those days. Later I became fourth mate on the City of Baroda, where we had five quartermasters, four of them with master’s tickets!” |
| HOGAN | PATRICK WILLIAM | 756 | WWII Private ‘Q’ Service Corps. |
| HOGG | WILLIAM DOUGLAS | 810 | 1936 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. April 1937, joined Ellerman & Bucknall Line as an apprentice. September 1939 called up for war service as midshipman R.N.R. August 1942 Mentioned in Despatches for his part in the rescue, in below freezing weather, of survivors of the torpedoed Royal Navy cruiser HMS Edinburgh, in the Barents Sea in May 1942. June 1946 released from war service with the rank of lieutenant. October 1946, joined S.A. Navy (P.F) with rank of lieutenant. October 1970 promoted commodore S.A.N. January 1980, retired. During service in the S.A.N. Held the following commands: S.A.S. Transvaal, March 1962 to August 1964. S.A.S. President Pretorius, December 1969 to October 1970. Senior Officer (afloat) Tenth Frigate Squadron, October 1970 to February 1972. Commander Maritime Defence, June 1977 to June 1978. Deceased 01/12/2005. |
| HOGG | RICHARD EVANS | 2004 | Served as Cadet with Safmarine before joining Turball, Scott & Co, as Third Officer, a year later joined Wm Corys. 1962 returned to South Africa and sailed with African Coasters and Durban Lines before coming ashore in 1963. Then entered stevedoring with Union Castle, Grindrod and finally South African Stevedores. 1984 joined Vista University in their finance department until retirement in 1996. Deceased 20/10/2013. |
| HOLDEN | HARLEY ALDRIDGE | 1715 | |
| HOLDERNESS | VICTOR FREDERICK | 1946 | 1957 – 1960 – Shell Tankers, left as 3rd Officer. 1960 – 1989 – S.A. Navy, retired as Rear Admiral (JG). R Adm(JG) Victor Frederick Holderness SM MMM joined the SA Navy 1960/08/01 and qualified as a Submariner 1970/07/24 badge #9. Deceased 3rd June 2021 at the age of 81. |
| HOLGATE | RICHARD BASIL | 507 | |
| HOLLAND | DENNIS | 690 | |
| HOLLAND | JOHN PHILIP | 870 | Spent eight years in the Merchant Navy and the S.A. Naval Forces. |
| HOLLAND | WILLIAM L’ESTRANGE | 1239 | Rhodesian who lived in Umtali. |
| HOLLANDS | FRANK | 871 | 1964 worked with Sheffield Electro-Plating Works, Cape Town. |
| HOLLIS | ALBERT | 691 | |
| HOLLOWAY | RODERICK JAMES | 2176 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Shipper”. Previously Assistant Port Captain, Durban. Deceased 28th September 2020. |
| HOLM | MICHAEL JOHN FERRIS | 1414 | Worked for SKF, Sweden, in various capacities. Retired since 1993. |
| HOLMAN | BETRAM TREDINEK | 872 | After G.B. served at sea thorughout WWII on oil tankers in the North Atlantic with Shell, obtaining his Master’s. After WWII he commanded a steamer on the East African Lakes until an eye injury ended his nautical career. He settled in Odzi, Zimbabwe, where he developed a reputation for high quality and high yields of tobacco, maize as well as cattle for beef purposes. Died of a stroke 20/12/96. |
| HOLMES | GEORGE FREDERICK | 433 | Cadet with Thesen Line. 1964 manages a liquor store, Umbilo Road, Durban. |
| HOLMES | MICHAEL EDWIN YEOMAN | 1470 | 1964 serving ashore on behalf of African Coasters. He was formerly a Master in their ships. |
| HOLMES | TREVOR JOHN | 2533 | 2007 – ran a company called Strategis. A marketing company with a strong GIS [Geographic Information System] and statistical modelling base. Known as Spatial Economists. 2015 – MD of Lightstone Explore – a research company in the retail and business fields with a focus on GIS |
| HOLMES | TREVOR JOHN | 1947 | After G.B. joined the mines as a learner Surveyor. Qualified as a surveyor in 1963 and decided to change to mining as a career. Eventually qualified as a Mine Manager and progressed to General Manager of a Gold Mine. Retired in 1992 and moved to Knysna. Enjoyed deep sea fishing and became involved with the Ratepayers Association. Also started to reactivate his hobby as a radio ham. Had a well equipped workshop and enjoyed woodwork. Deceased 12/03/2013. |
| HOLMES | ERNEST | 253 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. 1948 was Master on the Laeveld and 1950 was Master on the Bokkeveld, van Riebeeck Lines. Reported deceased. 1945 all the deck officers of ss Dalia were Bothie Boys: W.E. Jenkins (104) Master. E. Holmes (253) chief officer. V. Canning (740) second officer. F.J.V. Brand (674) third officer. J. Butler (1281) cadet. 1964 employed in the Marine Division of African Coasters, Durban. |
| HOLMES | ALFRED STEWART | 1555 | Died of heart failure 01/01/1996. |
| HOLMES | BARRY MICHAEL | 2441 | Was a harbour pilot in Durban, resigned about 2015. |
| HOLUB | JOSEPH THOMAS | 2534 | 2001 Consulting for a mobile phone company in Munich, Germany. |
| HOLZ | DANIEL MICHAEL | 2204 | I left the ship in 1962 and went to sea for 14 months with the Ellerman & Bucknell group. From 1964 to 1970 I was at the University of Cape Town where I completed by B. Sc, B. Sc (Hons) and M. Sc. in physics. From 1971 onwards I have mainly been working in the computer field as a programmer and systems analyst. I worked for Leo Computer Bureau for many years and subsequently for Hosken Insurance Brokers for many years (They are now called Indwe Risk services). For the past five years I have been on my own doing computer work for various companies. |
| HONEY | WILFRED HARRY ERNEST | 24 | After Bothie joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| HOOKINS | WILLIAM | 508 | 1931 Senior Cadet Captain. Did not go to sea as failed eyesight test. Ran his own business. Deceased 1982. |
| HOOKINS | JEREMY WILLIAM | 2177 | At sea with Safmarine, thereafter Unicorn and Rennies to Master until 1972. Then joined Mitchell Cotts Maritime until 1992 as General Manager. Left to join NYK Line, as Resident Representative, where remained until retired in Durban in June 2009. 2013 advisor for NYK-Hinode Line. 2014 retired. Deceased 29/09/2015. 2012 Board Member of GBOBA Bursary Fund. |
| HOOLE | ROBERT KENNETH | 2644 | Born 24th May 1959, Cape Town. Educated at SACS Boys High. Joined Safmarine in 1978 as Deck Cadet, obtained Second Naviating Officer’s Certificate in 1981. In January 1982 resigned to attend University full time obtaining a BA from Rhodes, an LLB and a Diploma in Maritime Law from Natal University. Rejoiend Safmarine January 1987 as Legal Consultant in the risk management division. October 1993 appointed Ship Management Executive, Safmarine. December 1996 appointed Chief Executive Officer of Safman Shipping Ltd, based on the Isle of Man. August 1998 joined Pentow Marine, Cape Town, as their Group Legal Consultant. May 2002 relocated to Smit Tak, Rotterdam. 2008 Sailing his yacht around Madagascar. 2009 – 2016 Marine Consultant December 2016 Set sail in his catamaran LALAMANZI across the Atlantic, hoping to sail on through the Pacific. |
| HOOLE | DESMOND ROBERT | 1299 | Swalled the anchor and went farming with my father until 1948. Joined a Canning Company, H Jones & Co. on their Pineapple Planation ‘Whitney Estate’ in the Alexandria District. After six months I was appointed their Field Officer and went to live New Trapps Valley for six and a half years. Then I was appointed General Manager to ‘Whitney Estate’ where I stayed for six and a half years. Then the opportunity arose for me to buy “Shortlands” in the Salem Area, where I farmed for 2 years. There I farmed pineapples and took part in all the local farming affairs. Since my younger son bought me out we live partly on the farm and partly at Newton-on-Sea where we have a house. I do some fishing and caravanning and oddments of building and carpentry, just for fun. Deceased 13/11/2003 |
| HOOPER-SHARPE | CECIL JOHN | 381 | |
| HOOYKAAS | ROB | 2178 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Victory”. |
| HOPE | ANTHONY HARLAND | 2305 | Deceased around 1995. |
| HOPE | PETER DAVID HARTLEY | 1771 | Previously served in the S.A. Navy. 2003 Manager of Crown Air, air conditioning, ventilation, skylights and heating company in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Subsequently retired. DOB 04-05-1936. Deceased 10-01-2018 |
| HOPKINS | REGINALD JOHN | 633 | Born Waku, Cape Prince, 28th July 1917. Son of Walter Henry Hopkins and Christina Maria Frederika. Ed, Cambridge High School. Cadet Draft 1932 – 33. (Junior Cadet Captian). Reginald John Hopkins joined the Thesen Line in 1934 as an apprentice. During the war he enlisted with the RAF and was killed in an aircraft accident at Morton-in-the-Narch, Gloucester, on 24th December 1941. Pilot Officer Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, Service number 111240 |
| HORLEY | RONALD CAMPBELL | 1829 | Ron Horley came all the way from the Prince of Wales School in Nairobi to join the General Botha. Apart from being confirmed by Bishop Lavis, he escaped undue attention and when he returned to Kenya it was with the intention of joining British India Line. Nothing further has been heard of him. |
| HORN | BERNARD JAN | 1600 | Deceased 28th August 2010. Bernard was “a true sailor at heart”, so his family members say. During his Old Salt Year in 1950, his father died in a motorcar accident shortly after they bought the Kloof Hotel in Joubertina. The family and friends who attended Bernard’s funeral 60 years after his Dad’s funeral, today still remember how stunningly handsome Bernard looked, dressed up in Bothie’s No.1’s. Bernard finished his Bothie course, but Honour & Duty called to help his Mother to run the new Hotel … which he faithfully did for the next 53 years. During his lifetime in the Langkloof, he was always 100% involved in the community, was Mayor of Joubertina; served in the SWD Rugby Union Management; was Chairman of the Round Table and Lions; owned an aeroplane; was very fond of steam trains and circuses (at one time he even wanted to become a Lion Tamer); had Tickey the Clown visiting him in Victoria Bay, his favourite home away from home; Bernard passed his love for the sea on to his children (sailing, fishing, diving); had a remarkable knowledge of nature and especially of the sea (fondly referred to Bothie as his General Knowledge College); was known to his intimate family as Capt Cook. No wonder that he wanted his ash to be strewn over the sea. He retired to George during 2003 and became a Parish Member of the St Mark’s Cathedral; he joined the Friends of the Cathedral, served as a Sides Person and was a Double Bass choir member (he took special singing lessons to find the exact pitch). As a person Bernard is remembered as a true gentleman with a cheeky smile, who never spoke an unkindly word about anybody in his whole life, with a lovely sense of humour, and an enjoyment of everything he did. He loved life; he loved his family and often spoke about them. |
| HORSLEY | HERBERT ROBERT | 417 | 1964 Chairman of the S.A.T.S. General Botha Old Boys Association, Durban. 1968 – with Mitchell Cotts Limited as an accountant. Deceased 1978. |
| HOSFORD | JOSEPH CHARLES KENNETH | 455 | During WWII S.A. Army ‘Q’ Service Corps, Staff Sergeant. Was a POW during WWII. |
| HOSKEN | STEPHEN LESLIE ERIC | 2205 | |
| HOSKING | DEREK BRYAN | 2835 | |
| HOSKING | MICHAEL | 1359 | |
| HOUGH | FREDERICK PETER | 419 | Joined S.A. Naval Service as Stoker on SAS Protea. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953 E.R.M. in S.A. Navy but possibly retired by 1964. |
| HOUGHAM | GEORGE HUGH | 262 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Union Government Steamers. Sailed as an AB on the meat run between Argentine and UK during the great depression, thereafter as 3rd and 2nd mate on the Dahlia running between Bunbury, Australia and South Africa. Joined harbour service in Durban about 1940, became captain on the tug T. Eriksen and dredger Blesbok, then promoted to pilot in Durban. Spent about two months in Sidon studying mooring of tankers and became pilot/harbour master Mossel Bay and brought the first tankers into that port, the first tanker being the British Hero. Died 24th December 1965. |
| HOVELMEIER | ROY NORMAN | 1556 | |
| HOWARD | DAVID ARCHIBALD LUNN | 1885 | Deceased 05/04/2014. Reported 1964 – served as Second Officer in the “R.S.A.”. Dave served his apprenticeship at sea with Ellerman’s Hall Line, did his certificates in Cape Town and served at various times with Safmarine and Durban Lines. On achieving his Master’s he came ashore and after a spell as a wattle farmer in George he took over the family estate agency of Howard and Currie in Johannesburg. He was a keen amateur yachtsman and enjoyed ocean sailing amongst the islands of the Indian Ocean. His ashes were scattered at sea and he is survived by a son in the USA. |
| HOWARD | EDWARD SPENCER | 249 | After Bothie apprentice in Hall Line. |
| HOWARD | ALFRED CHARLES | 432 | Seaman in S.A. Naval Service. |
| HOWARD | LESLIE THOMAS | 164 | After Bothie apprenticed to Hall Line and joined the R.N.R. as a Midshipman. |
| HOWELL | ALFRED NOBLE | 509 | Deceased. |
| HOWIE | PAUL ROBERT | 1601 | |
| HOWSE | DAVID VINCENT LESLIE | 1602 | |
| HOY | HENRY GEORGE | 1716 | Deceased 27/09/2010. Henry commenced his apprenticeship on the SAR&H ship Dalia. Before completion he joined Thesens as 2nd Mate on the Griqua Coast. He then went to Safmarine. He also sailed on the Fisheries Research vessel for several years. Then joined the Bothie at Granger Bay as a lecturer and later served with Andy Morris’s Seamanship School. During this time Henry was also, for a lengthy period, the Treasurer of the Society of Master Mariners. Henry eventually left the nautical world to go into business, he founded his own solar heating company. |
| HOY | DONALD DANIEL | 1949 | 1964 Sub Lt serving in SAS Good Hope. Reported deceased. |
| HUBBARD | EDGAR FRANK | 692 | 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. Deceased 10/11/99. 1964 Pilot in Durban Harbour. Retired as Durban Port Captain. |
| HUBER | JOSEPH ANDREW | 358 | Born Benoni, 4th September 1912. Son of Joseph Andrew Huber and Isabella. Ed, Brakkloof School, Rustenburg. Cadet Draft 1927-8, after leaving General Botha, James Andrew Huber was apprenticed to Reardon Smith & Co. He joined the SAAF as Lieutenant during the war and was engaged on coastal operations in 1940 and in 1941, served in the Middle East as a photographic survey pilot. During a tour of operations two Me. 109 fighters (long-range) shot down his plane soon after they had taken off on 8 May 1942. The crew were buried near Sidi Barrani, where the fell. |
| HUDSON | JOHN CREIG | 346 | |
| HUGGARD | GERALD | 389 | |
| HUGGINS | HENRY SETH MASEY | 61 | Obtained ordinary certificates in both scholastic and seamanship subjects at final examinations of S.A.T.S. General Botha. Served as probationary Midshipman R.N.R. and was later apprenticed to the Elder Dempster Line, s.s. New Mexico. Subsequently joined the staff of the United Tobacco Company, Cape Town, and finally entered the B.S.A. Police, Rhodesia. Born 19th December 1906. Died of typhoid fever at Lusaka, Nothern Rhodesia, on 2nd June 1935. |
| HUGHES | ROY LLEWELLYN | 1948 | 1998 – Master with Safmarine 1999 – Retired. Deceased 01/10/2013. |
| HULLEY | MORRIS EWELYN | 2442 | Previously at sea with Safmarine 1982 Joined S.A. Navy Strike Craft Flotilla. 1984 a Marine Surveyor for SGS based in Durban. 1989 transferred to Cape Town as SGS branch manager. 1993 returned to sea as Chief Officer on a Moss-Gas stand by vessel. 1994 – A stowage coordinator with Safmarine’s Cargo Department. 1998 – left Safmarine and moved to England and went to sea as Chief Officer with Ramsey Steam Ship. 2000 joined Borchard Line as ship planner. 2013 senior planner in London for Borchard Lines, a family owned shipping line operating 14 container vessels which run around the Med and UK/continent. |
| HUME | MICHAEL KENNETH | 1631 | 1999 – with Gremick Security, Cape Town. |
| HUME | WILLIAM JOHN | 331 | Was a buglar in the G.B. Band and blew the salute to the new S.A. Flag on the 31st May 1928 from the balcony of the City Hall, Cape Town. After G.B. joined S.A.R.&H. as a Telegraphist and joined R.N.V.R. in 1940 as a signalman. 1940 joined the Seaward Defence Force as a signalman based in the Port Captain’s Office in Port Elizabeth. Later attended an officer’s course and was appointed Sub Lieutenant at HMSAS Odberg, Durban, in 1941. Later same year transferred to HMSAS Zonneblon in Cape Town. Followed this up with an ASDIC course and joined HMSAS Tordann. November 1944 sent to the Mediterranean to join HMSAS Protea as First Lieutenant and in June 1945 took command of the vessel. December 1945, demobbed and returned to Durban. Rejoined S.A.R.&H. and retired in August 1971. Deceased 03/08/96. |
| HUME | DAVID EDWARD | 1557 | “After G.B. I spent some time at the Military College, Robert Heights, before seeking other employment. Much to my father’s disgust (he was a cricketer) I drove single seat and formula 1 cars from 1956 – 1968 – a far cry from navigation and seamanship.” Deceased 12/11/2008. Dave was born in Rustenburg in 1932, which made him 76 when he passed away. He went to school in Rustenburg, Pretoria and Vryburg before joining the General Botha in the 48/49 draft. On leaving the ship he took up motor racing, specifically Formula 1, before retiring in the 1960s and opening a radiator and engineering business in Rustenburg. He was still involved in this business with his son Doug at the time of his death. |
| HUMPHRIES | JOHN ALFRED | 151 | After Bothie apprenticed to Elder-Dempster Line. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Union Government Steamers. |
| HUMPHRIES | PETER ROBERT HURRELL | 1300 | Peter joined the S.A. Naval Forces after training on the Bothie, serving on a number of H.M. South African vessels. After WWII he joined the S.A. Naval Reserve serving at HMSAS Unitie where he was later employed in a fulltime civilian capacity. His service in the Royal Navy and Merchant Navy preceeded a long career in journalism and has co-authored a book on the history of passenger liners. Deceased 03/06/2000. |
| HUNT | IAN CHRISTOPHER | 45 | 1994, Portnet Tugs Cape Town. |
| HUNT | DAVID ANTHONY | 2868 | I was a cadet with Unicom Lines, and attended “Bothie” in 1985. I left Unicorn Lines in 1988, predicting the future was going to be container vessels, and deciding this was not going to be a good thing for life as a mariner. I joined MSC in Johannesburg, working in client services until 1993, when I decided I needed a change and moved to the UK, where I joined a freight and warehousing company called Icon Carriers, eventually becoming a partner and director, until April 2007. 2008 moved to Canada. |
| HUNTER | LAWRENCE JONES | 203 | After Bothie apprenticed to Elder-Dempster Line. |
| HUNTER | ALEXANDER GEORGE | 1558 | Previously an electrician with a lift company. 2008 reported deceased. |
| HUNTER | ANTHONY STUART | 1830 | Tony Hunter was another ‘Vaalie’, this time from Vereeniging High School. When he left the General Botha he joined African Coasters, serving in the Barrier and the Voorloper on the Durban to Cape Town run. In 1957 Tony decided to come ashore, joining John Brown Land Boilers, doing boiler installations at various sites until 1960. Having broken into the engineering business, he then moved to Babcock and Wilcox, where he was ‘thrown into the deep end’ with general machining, lathes and milling machines. In 1961 Tony decided it was time to branch out on his own, establishing A S Hunter Steel Construction, engaged in various projects including military and mining work but specialising in elevated water tanks. This kept him busy for twenty years until 1981. During this time Tony met Margot Allan of Fish Hoek, a primary school teacher specialising in remedial education. They were married in 1965 bringing three sons into the world, with one of them, Michael, dying very sadly at only one month old. In 1978, at the tragically young age of 34, Margot passed away from cancer. In 1980 Tony founded Hunter Transport and commenced a five-year legal battle to secure an Inter-City passenger transport permit to operate long distance buses between Johannesburg and Durban. He was ultimately successful and in 1985, Citi Line was established in partnership with Safmarine and Main Line Carriers. In 1987 Tony sold his interest in the bus line to Safmarine and purchased a share in Pennybridge Duck Farm, selling that in 1990 when, in a complete change of direction, he qualified as an estate agent and entered the fast track world of real estate. However, Tony could not break away completely from his interest in engineering. In 1990, he went into production line maintenance with a firm called Main Tin, a member of the Barlow Group. Then, his real estate interest gained the upper hand again! In 1993 he established a partnership known as Endeavour Estates and ran this until 1999. Then, back to engineering it was for Tony and until 2003 he was with Bakker and Griffioen, engaged in construction work on various sites, including SASOL. In August 2005, Tony registered Cresta Construction, doing repair and maintenance to residential properties. This was a success until the recession in 2009, whereupon he de-registered the company but continued in the same business but now as a ‘one-man show’. Tony did not remarry after Margot’s death, putting his two surviving sons, James and Gavin, through St Stithians College in Johannesburg. Tony lived in Linden and after rejoining Endeavour Estates, continued keeping himself busy as an estate agent! He had four grandsons, three in South Africa and one in UK – Gavin’s boy, going on 7, who started school there in 2013. Deceased 13th April 2018. |
| HUNTER | MICHAEL WILLIAM | 2110 | Reported 1964 – travels as a representative of Olivetti. |
| HUNTER | BEGBIE | 271 | |
| HUNTER | ERROL ARTHUR JOHAN | 30 | On leaving G.B. Apprentice fitter and turner Stewards and Lloyds Vereeniging. Passed trade test October 1963. Joined Safmarine early 1964 and obtained second and chief engineers steam certificates and subsequent motor endorsement. Joined American Bureau of Shipping 1973 after short spells with Durban lines, Union Whaling and Caltex. 1993 posted at Ulsan, Korea in worlds largest shipping – Hyundai Heavy Industries. Title: Senior Surveyor. Then chairman of Korea joint branch of Royal Institution of Naval Architects and Institute of Marine Engineers. 1995 transferred to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Kobe, Japan, ABS surveyor of 4950 Teu new building container vessels. 1997 transferred to ABS Pacific, based in Sydney, Australia. 1999 returned to Korea as senior surveyor. 2008 RETIRED. After retiring worked for US Shipping San Deigo for construction of a series of product carriers. Then Shell in Shanghai building tankers and then LNG’s. After retiring again joined OSG’s new construction team in Shanghai (tankers). Upon completion again retired. OSG then started building of two VLCC’c in Dalian, northern China where I went with the team at OSG’s request and finally retired in November 2011 and returned to my farm in Victoria, Australia. Later moved to Alice Springs in the centre of Australia where his younger daughter and her husband are converting their big shed into a grandpa flat. |
| HUNTINGTON | IAN | 1240 | |
| HUPTON | THOMAS SELBOURNE | 264 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. |
| HURNER | ERIC MARTIN | 2417 | Left South Africa in 2000 and has worked at the Goetheanum, a conference centre in Switzerland. 2004 working on a volunteer coordination programme that organises young people who wish to work for a while in a social project in a development country. “I left Safmarine at the end of 1973 and returned to university in Cape Town, at the same time starting a riding school, which I ran for two years. In 1976 I left South Africa for Switzerland, where I worked as stage hand and set painter at the Goetheanum in Switzerland, then did a two-year training in Waldorf Education in Witten, Germany, returned to my old job at the Goetheanum, went to the United States for six months and, after five years away, returned to South Africa to work as a teacher at the Michael Mount Waldorf School in Johannesburg. After nine years there, I joined an initiative to start a Waldorf training program for Black teachers at the new Waldorf schools in the Black communities, where I worked for a further eight years. Finally, after another two years helping found the high school at the Roseway Waldorf School in Hillcrest, Durban, I left for Europe, where I worked for ten years in the NGO already mentioned. For the last few years I have been writing and am busy researching my fourth book, this time on the history of the Waldorf schools and anthroposophical work in South Africa.” Received September 2016. |
| HURST | JAMES | 1886 | |
| HUSBAND | FRANCIS HAMILTON | 22 | After Bothie joined the Royal Navy’s HMS Impregnable as a “boy”. Deceased 25th September 1929 whilst serving in HMS Vivid (Devonport Barracks). |
| HUSSEY | JOHN LOUIS DAVID | 2032 | 1966 – presented with a ‘Royal Human Society Silver Medal’ by the Lord Mayor of Liverpool, and the ‘Silver Laurel Wreath and Certificate of the Queen’s Commendation for brave conduct’ from the British S.A. Ambassador. John Hussey saved the life of a teenage Cadet washed overboard from the s.s. Mobil Enterprise (31 456 tons) off Cape Finisterre. Eds Note: See newspaper reports in scrap book.1956-57 General Botha 1958 Joined Shell Oil Tankers trading from the Persian Gulf initially then for 3 years all over the world, carrying white oil, refined products, bitumen and crude oil. 2nd Mates Certificate in Durban. 1961 Joined Shell’s Eastern fleet based in Singapore, trading In Indonesia, Hong Kong, India and Singapore. Often met up with Robin Gratjios (1956/57) and Brian Gunn (1956/57). Sadly Brian lost his life in a plane crash while flying home on leave. Robin & I played water polo in Indonesia. 1962 1st Mates Foreign Going Certificate in Durban 1963 Joined Mobil – Mobil Mariner in Durban 1964-65 Sasebo in Japan as part of the deck crew overseeing the building of the Mobil Astral, 100,000 ton crude oil carrier. 1965-66 Mobil Enterprise. 1st January1966 – rescued Cadet Porter in the Bay of Biscay June 1966 Foreign Going Masters in Cape Town/Durban. July 1966 Mobil Transporter. Discharged 25th January 1967. 1967 Studying Commerce at Pietermarizburg University but a badly broken leg prevented him continuing. 1967 July – Joined the South African Harbour Service in Cape Town. He was working in the Harbour Master’s Office when the Safmarine ship, SA Seafarer, went aground outside Cape Town harbour. 1968 Moved to Durban working in the Harbour Service and worked up to being Master on tug boats. 1971 Emigrated to Australia to take up position as pilot for the Mobil Oil Refinery at Port Stanvac near Adelaide. The crude oil vessels, up to 150,000 tons dead weight berthed at a multi-buoy mooring. This was changed to a SBM taking up to 250,000 ton DW. The product berth could take ships up to 600 feet and distributed the refined products all around Australia. 1997 Retired from piloting and moved to Port Lincoln, South Australia. John’s interest in seafaring also encompassed assisting in building a timber yacht, Sebenza, which he sailed in Durban. He once took Michael Carrington 1976 and his brother Chris Carrington 1977, sailing in Sebenza around Durban Harbour. His father, Norman, was piloting in Durban at the time. In Australia he fitted out a 42 foot ferro-cement yacht which he raced but mainly cruised in the Gulf St Vincent and Spencer Gulf. He subsequently built a house on Thistle Island at the southern end of the Spencer Gulf where he was a keen fisherman and scuba dived for crayfish. 2004 John spent 3 -4 months in Cuxhaven, Germany overseeing getting Sarsen, a 70 metre ex Norwegian Fisheries research vessel, back in survey with all the latest navigation equipment. He was on board for initial sea trials through to the Mediterranean. Sarsen subsequently underwent a refit/conversion into a cruising /adventure vessel in Bangkok. John and his wife, Jinny, were fortunate enough in joining the owner on many cruises including dive trips to the Barrier Reef and Coral Sea, trips to New Caledonia, Lord Howe Island , Vanuatu and Noumea. John dived the wreck of the President Coolidge off Espirito Santo, Vanuatu to a depth of 150 foot where he kissed ‘The Lady’, a marble statue on the grand staircase! The final cruise was crossing the Pacific on Sarsen from Cairns via American Samoa, Cook Islands, French Polynesia, Pitcairn Island, and Easter Island. |
| HUTCHINGS | RONALD EDWARD | 2147 | After G.B. went to sea with Ellerman & Bucknall. After obtaining Second Officers Certificate, joined Safmarine. Obtained Masters Certificate in 1969 and left Safmarine in 1971 as Chief Officer. Then spent 5 years on Cross Channel (English Channel) ferries and hovercraft. Returned to South Africa and joined S.A. Harbour Service (now TNPA). Served in Durban and Richards Bay as Tugmaster and relieving Harbour Pilot and later Marine Operations Manager for Inchcape Testing services (Caleb Brett) based in Durban. 1995 joined Pentow Marine in Durban as SBM Pilot. Retired from Smit Pentow Marine (subsequently Smit Amandla Marine & currently AMSOL) in 2011 after 17 years as a Mooring Master/Pilot at the Durban (Sapref) SBM. Thence two further years as a self employed OCIMF accredited SIRE vetting inspector. Retired 2013. |
| HUTTON | RONALD DENNIS | 811 | 23rd April 1937 Joined Union Castle Line, appointed to Warwick Castle as a Deck Boy. During WWII was a Corporal SAAF Motor Boat Wing. |
| HUXHAM | PAUL WILLIAM | 1717 | |
| HUXHAM | BERTRAM THORNING | 376 | 1964 tug and dredger Master in Durban. |
| HYMAN | CLYDE STEPHEN | 2005 | Sailed with Safmarine until 1959 when he joined the General Post Office as a pupil technician and obtained his electronics diploma in 1964. Thereafter worked for Marine Diamond and Aircape as an electronics technician. In 1970 joined Plasser Railway Machinery as electronics supervisor and in 1993 Plessey Telumat until retirement in 1995. Deceased 6th June 2018. |
| HYWOOD | PETER WILLIAM | 1887 | 1955 – 64 – With British India Line obtaining Masters 1st April in London. 1964 – 65 – Working in Nyasaland/Malawi with Lake Service as Master. 1965 – 66 – African Coasters 1966 – 67 – Durban Lines 1967 – S.A.R. & H, S.A. Harbours and now Portnet. Have served in Durban, Luderitz and Richards Bay. 1995 Assistant Port Captain, Port of Richards Bay. 1999 Retired. Deceased 26/11/2010. |
| HYWOOD | RICHARD HENRY | 2056 | Deceased September 1992. Was Senior Cadet Captain while at Bothie. Joined British India Shipping Company. Eventually moved back to Rhodesia and had a life of achievements – becoming the Managing Director of Rhodesia Leaf, a large Anglo-American-owned tobacco manufacturing company in Harare. He was a Board Member of the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe, and a man of many civic achievements. Richard (‘Tikki’) also founded a Wildlife Trust, which is now run by their daughter, Lisa. |
| IHLENFELDT | OWEN WALTER | 1521 | After Bothie joined Barclays Bank in East London. Later studied accountancy and achieved Honours Diploma in 1955. Worked at several posts before returning the class room again. 1974 joined Castle Brass works in Krugersdorp as Marketing Manager. Later joined the S.A. Army in the rank of Captain and managed the S.A. Army fund until 1980 and studied Military Law at S.A. Army College. Promoted to Major and Officer Commanding [Law Division] Witwatersrand Command. Later resigned and opened three antique shops in Johannesburg. 1998 retired. Deceased January 2011. |
| IMMELMAN | PETER WARDLAW | 1603 | After G.B. having been turned down by the Royal Navy for medical reasons, joined Brimble and Briggs as a shopfitter for 13 years. Joined Amalgamated Packaging (now Nampak) as Engineer at the N’dabeni plant in Cape Town. Studied Industrial Engineering and became Group Industrial Engineer, moving to Durban for a while. 1969 left API to go to Ireland to set up a factory producing high density polyurethane film and bags, a process developed in S.A. Three years later returned to S.A. and joined Plasticwrap, a small company manufacturing flexible packaging (1972), later acquiring a share, and running the company successfully ever since. Deceased 18/03/2008. |
| INGHAM | ROBERT GORDON | 1718 | |
| INGLE | WILLIAM HERBERT | 115 | Entered the Royal Navy as Boy Seaman. |
| IRELAND | ANTHONY SIDNEY PAUL | 1241 | |
| IRVINE | RICHARD FRANCIS STEWART | 873 | |
| ISAACS | RODERICK NEIL | 2884 | 2016 Marine Insurance Cargo Claims for JLT. 2021 left JLT and joined a underwriting firm. |
| IVERSON | GILBERT LANCELOT | 366 | Became a plumber. Died in 1950 from heart problems following rheumatic fever which he contracted while a cadet on the ship. |
| IVES | PAUL ELDRIDGE JOHN | 983 | Born Bellicourt, Aisne, France, 19th December 1923. Son of John William Ives and Edith Marian Eldridge, nee Burnell. Ed, Yeoville Intermediate School, Johannesburg. Cadet Draft 1938-9. In 1940 Pual Eldridge John Ives joined the RNR as Temporary Midshipman and was serving in HMS Comorin when she was lost, but he was a survivor, and later went to the Naval College at Hove where he collapsed and died on 20th May 1941, as a result of weakness due to exposure during service at sea. |
| JACKSON | ALEXANDER FORSSMAN | 1652 | |
| JACKSON | NOEL OLIVER BEATTIE | 42 | Reportedly did not go to sea. |
| JACKSON | CECIL JAMES DUKE | 812 | 1936 passed Bothie but failed eyesight test. 1937 Rhodesia and joined the mines. 1939 joined the Rhodesian Army. 1940 re-attested into British Army, served in Palestine, Cypress and Libya. January 1941 to July 1943, SGT with the Long Range Desert Group in Libya. Awarded the M.M. And mentioned in Dispatches. August 1943, entered A.C.T.I. In Palestine. Nov 1943, Commissioned 2 L/T, returned to L.R.D.G. Feb 1944 to June 1945, led a 10 man patrol in Albania & Yugoslavia, Liaison with the Partisans. April 1945 awarded MBE. Jan 1945, Rhodesia, demobbed, returned to mining. Jan 1947, tyre retreading. July 1965 New Zealand, still in tyre business. 1975 Johannesburg with Mastertreads. Feb 1991, retired. Son is/was an officer in the SAAF. Nickname Jacko. Deceased October 2011. |
| JACKSON | DUDLEY | 561 | Born at Knightsbridge, UK, 14/10/1916 and came to Cape Town 3 years later. Educated at Rondebosch Boys School. After G.B. joined Union Castle Line to train as a Marine Engineer, joined the Air Force, and then returned to sea as a Marine Engineer after leaving the Air Force. Dudley sailed in 3 yacht races from Cape to Rio and the Uruguay Yacht Race. The sea was his love and he delivered 11 yachts for the owners overseas. Deceased 17/11/1992. |
| JACKSON | GERALD MICHAEL | 694 |
Born Gordon’s Bay, 15th November 1917. Son of Edgar Francis Jackson. Ed, Central School, Potchefstroom. Cadet Draft 1933 – 34. After completing his course in General Botha, Gerald Michael Jackson joined the British Tanker Company as an Apprentice and served there years with the Company as Third Officer, from 28 November 1938 until 29 December 1941, when he was promoted to Second Officer. He lost his life in MV British Dominion when she was sunk by enemy action on 10 January 1943, and his name was gazetted (London Gazette) for bravery and courage; a certificate to this effect, signed by the Rt. Hon. Winston S. Churchill, was sent to his mother. 10 Jan 1943: N/N Second Officer Gerald Michael Jackson (Kings Commendation for Brave Conduct), a South African National serving in the Merchant Navy, was Reported Missing when the British Motor Tanker M.V. British Dominion, on route from Curacao to Gibralter via Trinidad carrying 9000 tons of aviation fuel, was torpedoed and damaged by U-552 (Korvettenkapitän Erich Topp). The abandoned and blazing hulk was later sunk by U-620 (Kapitänleutnant Heinz Stein) West-North-West of the Canary Islands. Thirty three Officers and Ratings plus four DEMS Gunners were lost. The Master, ten Officers and Ratings and five DEMS Gunners were later picked up by the Royal Navy Corvette HMS Godetia (K226) and landed at Gibralter. He has no known grave and remains unaccounted for. His name is perpetuated on Panel 19 on the Tower Hill Memorial in the United Kingdom. He was 25. |
| JACKSON | ERIC MALCOLM | 693 | |
| JACKSON | MICHAEL | 1719 | Was sailing on the ‘Clan Keith’ with E.J. Pollecutt (1954/55) when this vessel was lost on 7th November 1961 off Tunisia. Presently (1994) Master with R. Lapthorn & Co Ltd based at Hoo, England. Sailing on coasters around the U.K. and across to the continent. |
| JACKSON | JOHN WILLIAM BRUCE | 142 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Lago Shipping Co. |
| JACKSON | MALLET DUKE | 510 | |
| JACKSON-MOSS | HOWARD | 1950 | 1957 – 1966 – Apprentice with Clan Line, joined H Hogarth & Sons and during this period salied with Glens of Glasgow, Donaldsons and Lyles. Promoted Master with H Hogaraths in 1966. 1966 – 1974 joined S.A. Harbours and Railways as Chief Officer and later Master on a dredger based in East London. Promoted to Harbour Pilot in 1971. 1975 went to Johannesburg and opened own business until joining Ellerman & Bucknall later that year as Sales Representative. 1976 Operations Supervisor and in 1978 Liner services Manager. 1981 joined Mitchell Cotts Maritime as their Commerical Manager and in 1982 National Sales and Marketing Manager. 1985 – 1988 moved to Durban as the Regional Director of Mitchell Cotts Freight. In 1988 set up Safert Keeley Shipping as General Manager and in 1995 promoted Executive Director. 1998 Chairman/CEO and retired in 2001. Thereafter joined Sturrock Shipping Durban as Regional Director. 2007 retired. GBOBA Durban branch secretary & treasurer. |
| JACOB | HILDEBRAND HAMILTON | 261 | Did not complete training, parents withdrew him. |
| JACOBS | JOACHIM JACOBUS | 1619 | |
| JACQUET | ANTHONY TREVOR | 1888 | Deceased 21st September 2019. |
| JAGGER | SHIRLEY ELLISTON | 511 | 1931 Senior Cadet Captain. 1931 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Served in the Royal Navy and later took command of the reserve fleet in Simon’s Town. 1941 was First Lieutenant on the destroyer HMS Jason. |
| JAGGER | ERNEST WILLIAM TURNER | 392 | |
| JAMES | CHRISTOPHER JULIAN | 2226 | After G.B. joined Safmarine as a Cadet. 1964 Cadet in the “South African Victory”. Was sailing as Third Officer on the S.A. Huguenot (or S.A. Stateman) when he died on the 16th February 1968 after a severe asthmatic attach in Japan. |
| JAMES | JOHN CHRISTOPHER | 2335 | |
| JAMES | JOHN MEREDITH | 2006 | 1958/60 cadet with Union Castle Line. 1961/63 salesmand and fireman wiith Hull Fire Brigade. 1964/67 Cape Town Fire Brigade and stevedore foreman. 1968/71 life insurance representative. 1972/74 stevedore foreman. 1974/1984 container terminal superintendent. 1984/2005 own business, house painting and maintenance. 2005 retired. |
| JAMES | HUGH SIGWERT | 2306 | Junior Cadet Captain, Gold Medallist as well as the Navigation Prize and the Medal “Neatness and Quickness off the Mark”. Sailed with Safmarine for 3 years, obtaining Second Officer’s Certificate. Then studied at the University of Cape Town qualifying as a teacher of science and mathematics. During his studies he sailed with Unicorn during vacations. First teaching post was at Settlers High School in Bellville and in 1984 transferred to Oude Molen Technical High School in Cape Town. Promoted to Principal of the school in 1988. Co-authored a series of science textbooks. Took early retirement at the end of 2005 and continued to work as a part-time teacher and textbook writer for several years. From 2006: GBOBA Cape Town Branch committee secretary. From 2007: Cape Town Sailors Home committee – chairman from 2012. 2011 to 2018: Assisted one day a week at Lawhill Maritime Centre with extra science for the Grade 12s as well as for the bursars of the GBOBA Bursary Fund from 2015 to 2018. 2017 to 2020: Facilitated the Applied Marine Science component of the Officer of the Watch course at TRU4 (previously Sea Safety Training Group). |
| JAMIESON | COLIN GARTH | 1653 | 1964 a Representative of a pharmaceutical firm in Durban. |
| JANSE VAN VUUREN | JACOBUS CONRADUS | 2645 | |
| JAPP | DAVID WILLIAM | 2535 | After G.B. joined Safmarine as Cadet, sailed on various vessels in various ranks up to Second Officer, including the salvage tugs, ‘John Ross’ and ‘Wolraad Woltemade’. 1983 – 89 studied at University of Cape Town and Rhodes University B Sc (Zoology) Distinction in Marine Ecology & Oceanography. BDc Honours Ichthyology and fisheries science. MSc Ichthyology & Fisheries Science. Chief Scientist on R.S. ‘Africana’ , conducted various surveys. 1992 appointed Senionr Oceanographer, Biological Research (offshores) 1993 promoted to Principle Oceanographer. 2000 – has own fisheries consultancy, CapFish & FOSS (Fisheries & Oceanic Support Services). Projects are mostly in Africa with some work globally. Also deploy Marine Observers throughout the world on specific environmental projects. |
| JEFFERY | TREVOR JOHN | 1114 | 1950 was anti-submarine control officer on HMSAS Transvaal and later became her First Lieutenant. Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Appointed Honorary Aide-de-Camp to H.E. The Governor-Genearl. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953 Lieutenant in S.A. Navy deceased 26/10/2005. |
| JEFFREY | ALAN ALEXANDER | 368 | Born Port Nolloth, 11 January 1911. Son of William Alexander Jeffrey and Mary Elizabeth Austen, nee Cook. Ed, Boy’s High School, Beaufort West; Cadet Draft 1927/8. In 1929 Alan Alexander Jeffrey joined the Prince Line as an Apprentice, gaining his Second Mate’s Certificate in 1932. During hostilities he joined the RNR as Lieutenant. He was returning to Durban with his wife, by the Ceramic, to take up a specialised appointment for the Admiralty, when she was torpedoed and sunk by enemy action on 7 December 1942. Shared accommodation in London with A.S. Pomeroy whilst studying for Second Mate’s Certificate. |
| JEFFRIES | CHARLES ERNEST | 73 | Placed in Clan Line as apprentice. |
| JENKINS | WILLIAM EDWARD | 104 | Entered Andrew Weir as apprentice. The first Botha Boy to command a seagoing merchant vessel when he became captain of the ex-German Hagen in September 1939, taken as a prize and renamed the Ixia. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947:48, Has resigned from the command of the Government Steamer ‘Dalia’ to take up an appointment ashore with the Delagoa Bay Company at Lourenco Marques (now Maputo). 1945 all the deck officers of ss Dalia were Bothie Boys: W.E. Jenkins (104) Master. E. Holmes (253) chief officer. V. Canning (740) second officer. F.J.V. Brand (674) third officer. J. Butler (1281) cadet. 1964 Branch Manager of Mitchell Cotts in East London. |
| JENNETT | HARRY DENNIS | 1115 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1953 Lieutenant in S.A. Navy |
| JENNINGS | LESLIE LINCOLN LIONEL | 209 | Was a Petty Officer in the Bothie. After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a seaman. |
| JENNINGS | BASIL GEORGE | 757 | WWII Private Kaffrarian Rifles / SA Corps of Military Police. Also a Prisoner of War (POW). |
| JEVON | REGINALD KENNETH | 984 | Deceased September 1993. Senior Cadet Jevon was placed with SAR Ships [SA Railway’s Ships] as a Cadet. He joined SAR Ship’s s.s. ERICA on 22 February 1940. He left SAR Ships for reasons unknown. Later he was reported to be a Rigger on the mines. |
| JOHANSEN | JOHN ANTHONY WESLEY | 11 | Deceased 15th August 2001. After a brief period at sea he worked in the Simon’s Town Navel Dockyard as a Millwright and later went into business in the engineering field before joining Caltex to take up a posting to Australia. After a couple of years there, he returned to S.A. and resumed his engineering business endeavours. |
| JOHNSEN | COLIN HOWARD | 2392 | Sailed with Unicorn from cadet to Master on general cargo, container, tanker and offshore vessels. 1985-1990 with Portnet on tugs in Durban. 1990-1991 a Marine Surveyor based in Durban. 1992-1996 Lecturer in Maritime Studies at Technikon Natal. 1996-2002 Fleet Training Manager with Unicorn Shipping. 2002-2003 Training Manager of IDESS Training Centre, Subic Bay, Philippines. In 2003 returned to Durban and started own business as a maritime training consultant. In 2004 lecturer at the Durban University of Technology. From 2007 Head of Department, Maritime Studies. July 2016 taking up a lecturing post at the Maritime College in Oman. 2018 returned to Durban and joined Durban University of Technology as a lecturer. |
| JOHNSON | ALVEY DERRICK | 562 | 1964 & 1968 – with Barclays Bank, Durban Reported deceased 12th December 2002. |
| JOHNSON | RICHARD | 2111 | Dick Johnson was the owner of Crosscape Express. 2007 Commutes between S.A. and cruising on his yacht. |
| JOHNSON | JAMES | 695 | 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. After Bothie joined P&O Line. Served in the Royal Navy during World War II and was awarded the DSC for gallantry. Transferred to the S.A. Navy in 1946 as a Lieutenant Commander. 1969 was promoted to flag rank and appointed Chief of Naval Staff. Appointed Chief of the S.A. Navy in 1972 and was the last chief to occupy Admiralty House before Naval Headquarters moved to Pretoria. Admiral Johnson, as a Captain, commanded the Frigate SAS President Pretorius when she was delivered from Britain in 1964. She was his last command at sea. After his retirement in 1977, Admiral Johnson entered the business world and was a Director of Marconi Marine and Management Placements. He was elected to the Cape Town City Council in 1982. He was President of St John Ambulance and Honorary Colonel of the Cape Town Highlanders. Nickname “Flam” (Vlambaard). 1990 Appointed Knight of the Order of St John by the Order of the Hospital of St John. Deceased 02/10/1990. |
| JOHNSON | BARRY MILROY | 46 | 1965 Fitter & Turner with the Port Elizabeth Municipality followed by two years as a draughtsman with Ford Motor Company and then two years with Safmarine. Relocated to Johannesburg, worked as sales engineer to the general sales manager in industry. 1983 to 2001 Established own business, sold out in 2001 and retired to Gansbaai. Returned to formal employment as branch manager [engineering sales] in Cape Town for a short time. 2010 running a small sea front restaurant. Deceased 18th February 2017. |
| JOHNSON | DAVID HUSON | 2885 | Sailed with Unicorn until Second Officer before joining Safmarine for a year. 1991 joined a Marine Surveying Company in Durban. After a further 2 years joined IMEX International, the International Commodity trading division of the Tiger Oats Group, as Operations Manager. Remained with Imed for 2 years before starting own company in Durban, Genearl & Marine Surveyors and Assessors. Cargo Surveyors acting for Shippers, Receivers and underwriters. 2005 moved to Cape Town as General Manager for Edgin. 2015 continues as General & Marine Surveyors and Assessors. |
| JOHNSON | ROBERT ARCHIBALD | 813 | 1936 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. He went on to serve in the Western Desert (Signaller SA Corps of Signals) and after the war returned to Cape Town, working for Wakefields which became Castrol for most of his life. He was transferred to Durban in late 1960 where he became the manager of the Castrol refinery at Island View on the Bluff and then in 1967 was transferred to Castrol head office at Isando on the East Rand. He passed away in 1989 after a short retirement. |
| JOHNSON | DERRICK | 47 | First employment in engineering and banking 1962 – 1964. Lochead 5 years, Grindrod/Unicorn 40 years as Container Depot Manager and Export Manager. Fritz/UPS 5 years as Foreign Export Manager. Previously Vice Chairman of the SA Sea Cadet Executive, the Chairman of the Royal Naval Association in Port Elizabeth and an ex-SAN Lt Cdr. Deceased 24/04/2010. |
| JOHNSTON | ERIC BAYNHAM | 394 | |
| JOHNSTON | NEVILLE LYNWOOD | 458 | |
| JOHNSTON | DESMOND JAMES | 985 | Intended to join the Executive Branch of the Royal Navy but failed the eyesight test. However, joined the R.N. 1st May 1941 as a Paymaster Cadet and retired as a Lieutenant Commander in 1960. During his time in the R.N. served in a number of ships from battleships and cruisers to a destroyer. Also served in shore establishments. His war service included a Russian convoy and a Malta convoy which was cut short by his ship, Arethusa, being torpedoed. Also served in the East Indies and Home Fleets. Returned to the Mediterranean in 1954/5 and was involved in operations against Greek rebels. Completed his war service in operations off the French and Italian coast. On leaving the R.N. remaiend in the U.K. and commenced a second career in the motor trade specializing in administration, personnel and training until retirement. 14/03/2007 deceased. |
| JOHNSTON | JAMES | 986 | 1964 a salesman for an electrical company in Durban. |
| JOHNSTON | DUNCAN CHARLES | 2369 | |
| JOHNSTON | ROY ERNEST | 1242 | January 1944 to September 1948 – Union Castle Line, Cadet to Forth Officer. 1948 – Learner Surveyor in Cape Town City Council. Attended UCT part time studying to be a Land Surveyor. 1952 – 1963 – to Salisbury, Rhodesia, Land Surveying throughout Rhodesia in private practice. 1963 – to Johannesburg, worked in N.C.R. Computers in the selling side. 1964 – 1992 – started own land survey practice in Johannesburg 1966 – Qualified as a Town Planner at Wits. 1992 – Left survey practice in Johannesburg to start in Simons Town as a Land Surveyor, semi retired. Finally retired in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Deceased 06/09/2013 |
| JOHNSTON | ROBERT OLIVER | 563 | |
| JOLLEY | CHARLES EDWARD | 360 | After Bothie apprenticed to T & J Harrison Lone. 1964 Harbour Pilot in Port Elizabeth. 1972 – Assistant Port Captain of Port Elizabeth 1996 – Reported Deceased. |
| JONES | ARTHUR HARLECH | 293 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. 1964 harbour pilot in Port Elizabeth but had to discontinue due to arthritis. Reverted to Tug Master. Reported deceased. |
| JONES | GORDON ALLAN | 1181 | 1943-1946 Served on SAR&H Ships Dalia, Erica and Selandia. 1964 employed by Thomas Cook and Sons, Durban. 1974 – Employed by Nedlloyd/Royal Interocean Lines Durban in the ships agency office. Previous Durban Branch chairman for 30 years. Deceased 26/06/1992. |
| JONES | FRANK HENRY HIBLING | 362 | After Bothie apprenticed to Reardon-Smith Line. |
| JONES | MICHAEL RAYMOND | 2474 | January 1973 joined Safmarine as a Cadet. Served all ranks from Cadet to Chief Officer. Sailed on all types of vessels including salvage tugs. 1984 – 86 – container stowage coordinator for SAECS in Safmarine Head Office. 1986 – 88 – Cargo Superintendent for SAECS/Transatlantic joint RORO Service (seconded from Safmarine based in Cape Town). 1988 – 1991 – appointed Port Coordinator in Durban for the A/M service (seconded form Safmarine). 1991 – appointed Cargo Manager for Safmarine, Durban office, and seconded to MACS Maritime Carrier Shipping whom he later joined. Attained the position of Operations Manager and later Operations Director. September 2019 retired. Competitive in Latin American dancing and also joined a Rock/Blues band for six years. |
| JONES | LEONARD ERLE TWENTYMAN | 1301 | |
| JONES | DENNIS EDGAR | 1831 | Dennis ‘Scranbag’ Jones was an East Londoner from Cambridge High school. A keen line fisherman, his dishevelled appearance on returning from frequent forays to the end of the breakwater to fish led to his nickname, ‘Scranbag’. He excelled in mathematics, for which he received a prize in his second year, after which we went off to sea with Blue Funnel Line. Blue Funnel’s home port was Liverpool. While on their UK/Australia run Dennis met and later married, in October 1959, Myra Kirby of Liverpool in St. Aidan’s Church, Walton. In January 1961, after obtaining his mates certificate, Dennis resigned from Blue Funnel for personal reasons, joining the Liverpool City Police in March 1961. He remained with the force until April 1991 when, receiving a spinal injury at work he was medically retired. Dennis had attained the rank of sergeant, serving in various departments and divisions and finally with the Dog Section, who specialised in handling drug detection dogs. Dennis and Myra have a son, four daughters and several grandchildren and are living happily in retirement in Widnes, Cheshire, England. |
| JONES | WAYNE MEREDITH PAUL | 2804 | 2004 with Seaboard Overseas LTD, Durban. 2008 with Grindrod. |
| JONES | SEAN ALLAN | 2762 | |
| JONES | JAMES BURTON | 1243 | Deceased 25th October 2015. |
| JONES | ANTHONY MICHAEL | 2518 | |
| JOOSTE | GRAHAM KEITH | 1772 | Senior Cadet Captain, Maintop. Prizes: second in Queens Gold Medal, Sportsmanship, John Lewis Memorial Shield, Signalling and Afrikaans. Joined Ellerman & Bucknall Steamship Company and served on the City of Pretoria and City of Kimberly. Came ashore after two years and became involved in the commercial side of things. Joined United Tobacco Co, and then opened own wholesale business in East London. Since selling the business has been involved in various enterprises. 1995 – published two books by Penguin namely, ‘South African Rugy Teams 1949 – 1995’ and ‘Rugby Trivia’. 1995 busy with three other publications. 2011 moved to the Eastern Cape. 2019 published the book “Sailor In The Sky”, the story of A.G. “Sailor” Malan GB cadet 168 Term 1924/25. |
| JOSEPH | SAMUEL EDWARD | 96 | Joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| JOSEPH | HENRY CORNELIUS | 108 | Enlisted S.A.R.&H. Ships as Seaman. |
| JOUBERT | CARL | 1116 | 1942 to 1945 Air Corporal South African Air Force, North Africa, Italy and Far East. 1946 to 1950 South African Naval Forces. 1950 to 1969 gold mines. 1969 to 1986 University of Natal. |
| JOUBERT | GARTH DENNIS | 2266 | |
| JOUBERT | ARTHUR BRUCE DOUGLAS | 2007 | Apprenticed with T&J Harrison Line and after obtaining second mates certificate after completion of apprenticeship joined Ellerman & Bucknall Line. 1963 obtained first mates certificate and immediately joined the RRS John Biscoe a research ship operating in the Antarctic supplying the research bases. 1967 obtained Masters Certificate and returned to S.A. joining the CSIR research vessel Meiring Naude. 1969 went to University of Natal to study for a BSc in Agricultural Engineering. After graduating in 1974 joined the Department of Agricultural Technical Service in Pretoria. In 1979 registered as a Professional Engineer and moved to the University of Fort Hare as a senior lecturer in Agricultural Engineering. In 1993 with funding from the Anglo American foundation started the “Animal Traction Centre” at the University of Fort Hare and was instrumental in forming the “South African Network of Animal Traction SANAT”. In 2005 retired as lecturer from the University of Fort Hare and was re-employed on contract by the University to manage the “Animal Traction Centre” and to act as Secretary/Treasurer of SANAT. In 2017 went on full time retirement. “In 1963 I was privileged to gain a position as 3rd Navigating officer on the Royal Research Ship “John Biscoe”. I spent four years aboard this ship which were some of the most exciting and worthwhile years of my life. The RRS John Biscoe was owned by her Majesty Queen Elizabeth 2, she was an ice strengthened ship operated by the British Antarctic Survey to carry out Research and Discovery in the British Antarctic Territories. She was registered in Port Stanley in the Falkland islands. In a nutshell she supplied the British Research and Discovery bases in the Graham Land Peninsular and Weddell Sea areas of Antarctica and conducted hydrographic surveys of those largely uncharted seas. The ship spent seven month during the Antarctic summer in the Antarctic doing research and discovery work. The first four months was spent supplying the eight Research bases , followed by three months of Hydrographic surveying of the uncharted seas. The discovery of what later became Known as Joubert Rock occurred on a day in February 1966 while the ship was carrying out hydrograph survey work in the uncharted Marguarite Bay, south of Adelaide Island off the Graham Land Peninsular in Antarctica. We had just completed the survey of one block of ocean and it was lunch time, the Captain set a course for the next block to be surveyed and asked me to take over command of the bridge while the rest of the team went for lunch. Heading on a course of about 345° True and with one man assisting me as helmsman we were travelling at full speed, while keeping a sharp look out to the depth on the echo sounder and for broken pieces of icebergs, ‘bergy bits’ & ‘growlers’. The sounder was indicating a depth of some 250 Fathoms below the ship. After about fifteen un-eventful minutes I noticed that the echo sounder began suddenly to indicate a decrease of the sea depth to 225 fathoms, this decrease in depth then continued to 200 fathoms, 175 fathoms at which I, used the engine room telegraph to stop the engines. The bottom continued to come up to 100 fathoms and then to 60 fathoms at which I signalled to the engine room to put the engines to slow astern. The bottom continued to come up to 50 fathoms followed by 35 fathoms at which I put the engines to half astern while anxiously peering ahead! The engine room telegraph can be heard all over the ship and this coupled with the reduction in speed and the change to astern thrust created considerable vibration. Needless to say the captain was soon on the bridge wanting to know ‘what the Hell was going on!’ All I could do was indicate to him a depth of 20 fathoms on the echo sounder and a pale green colour indicating shallow water ahead! All is well that ends well, we stopped in time and I am pleased to say that the Royal Navy hydrographer on board, Barry Dickson and our Captain Tom Woodfield decided that they would name the rock “Joubert Rock”. Thank the Good Lord, it could so easily have been “Joubert’s Folley”. We spend another month in and around this rock charting the ocean bed using the ship as well as the survey launch to record the least depths and extent of the rocky area. For interest sake the particulars of the rock are as follows: Position: Latitude 68° 12‘ 00’’ South Longitude 67° 41’ 00’’ West Least depth: 12,5 m 5 nautical miles SW of Pod Rocks and 9 nautical miles WSW of Millerand Island in Marguarite Bay. As far as I am able to determine the chart of Marguerite Bay was completed in 1972 when the rock was officially christened and recorded by the National Geospacial-Intelligence Agency which is a member of the Intelligence Community of the Antarctic. For further information go onto GOOGLE and type in: “Joubert Rock Antarctica”. Deceased 6th December 2020. |
| JOUBERT | JOHN DANIEL | 411 | |
| JOUBERT | DANIEL MACDONALD | 141 | After Bothie apprenticed to Prince Line. 1964 Senior Pilot in Table Bay Harbour. 1972 – Port Captain of Port Elizabeth. Was in command of H.M.S.A.S. Sprindrift During the War. |
| JOUBERT | OWEN JOHN | 2475 | 1973 – 1979 Safmarine as Cadet through to 2nd Mate 1979 – 1983 Various Companies, including Unicorn as Chief and 2nd Mate 1984 – 1990 Ellerman & Bucknall as Container Manager 1990 – 1992 Own transport business 1992 – 1997 Moved to Jhb, joined Marcol (Afris Line) as Operations Manager 1997 – Moved to England. 1997 – 2007 – Worked as an IT contractor 2007 – Present (2021) – Cyber Security Manager |
| JOUBERT | PIERRE | 2206 | Did not return 1962. |
| JOYCE | DAVID WALTER | 1654 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952, Sailing in the Roxburgh Castle. 1972 Lieutenant-Commander in the S.A. Navy. Achieved the rank of Captain S.A. Navy. Reported deceased. |
| JUDD | JOHN AUGUSTUS | 2057 | Started a very successful transportation company in Devon outside Johannesburg. Deceased 1973. |
| JUDGE | ANDREW PETER | 2244 | Worked for Land & Marine on the SBM project off Reunion south of Durban. The Buoy was commissioned in 1969. Prior to joining L&M he was employed by Unicorn, he served his time with Safmarine. Deceased 12th April 2016. He worked at the offshore oil terminal in Durban from 1970 for the company that is now Smit Marine. He was master on one of the service tugs, spent a while setting up the new bunker barge operation and was shore side as Marine Superintendent until he retired in 2000. He then did contract work for Smit on salvage jobs and the Single Buoy mooring change outs. Emigrated to New Zealand in 2006 . |
| JUKES | FREDERICK CHARLES | 456 | |
| JUPP | EDWARD WILLIAM | 1041 | Appointed Senior Cadet Captain on the Bothie. December 1940 joined Royal Naval Reserve directly from S.A.T.S. General Botha as Temporary Midshipman, served on the armed merchant cruiser HMS Asturias. De-seconded to SANF November 1945 and served at Naval Headquarters, Cape Town until accepted into permanent force May 1946. November 1955 to April 1962 served as Officer Commanding in various S.A.N. vessels. Then stood by the building of SAS President Steyn from April 1962 and served as Executive Officer until September 1964. Sept 1964 appointed C/O SAS Wingfield and Technical Training School. Aug 1968 appointed Senior Staff Officer Executive duties at Naval Headquarters. May 1971 Officer Commanding SAS President Steyn. March 1972 Director of Naval Planning, Naval Headquarters. Sept 1975 until retirement June 1978 Naval Officer-in-Command Simon’s Town. Numerous decorations and medals. See letter in archive. Previous committee member and treasurer of the association’s Cape Town branch. Deceased 17th February 2019. |
| JUPP | BASIL BARRY | 457 | Cadet with Elder Dempster Line. Joined the air force. |
| JUPP | DOUGLAS GEORGE | 1182 | Retired Chairman of the War Memorial Committee. 6/1/1943 – Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co, M.T. “Miralda”. Converted to Macship for N. Atlantic convoy duty. Thereafter M.T. “Goldmouth”, involved in “D Day” Normandy invasion. March 1945 – obtained 2nd Mates Certificate in London. Then two years as 3/0 and 2/0 of M.T. “Tancred” attached to British Pacific Fleet. Then ss “Umtali” & “Umgena”, Bullard King. 1948 – Mates Certificate, Cardiff. Returned to S.A. Joined Mitchell Cotts Ships Agency. Spent next 40 years in ships agency in Cape Town. Retired 1988 as Regional Manager Freightmarine/Rennies Ships Agency. Previous committee member Cape Town Branch and the War Memorial Fund. |
| JUSELIUS | JOHAN ERIK | 2476 | School Pretoria Matric 1972 1973-1976 Safmarine and General Botha 1976-1978 UCT 1979-1995 Construction Industry 1995-1998 Various interests 1998-Present Financial Services – CEO of Consolidated Debt Solutions |
| KADISH | ERIC LIONEL | 2307 | Sailed as a seaman briefly on a Jewish flag vessel, before coming ashore in the stevedore trade. He started his own company in Durban, ELK Marine, doing hatch cleans/painting of vessels in both Durban and Richards Bay. Reported deceased 27/11/2009. |
| KÄSNER | GLENN PATRICK | 2646 | Joined Safmarine and later the S.A. Navy Hydrographic Survey Department. Later joined Vadek Paints and obtained a Diploma in Business Management. Joined Sealink – started Cape Town’s first bunker barge operation. Transferred to Pentow Marine, later Smit Marine and 2017 became African Marine Solutions (AMSOL). 2021 Retired. |
| KAYNE | DOUGLAS ANDREW | 2566 | Joined Safmarine in 1976, obtaining Master’s Certificate in 1985. Resigned from Safmarine in 1994 after relocating to Australia in 1992. During 1995 & 1996 underwent extensive treatment for cancer. Took up survey work during subject period. 1997 Lecturing at the Fremantle Maritime Centre. Deceased 24/04/2000. |
| KAYNE | LEWIS JOHN | 367 | |
| KEBBLE | GUY FRANKLIN | 300 | Born Johannesburg 25 June 1911. Son of Herbert John Kebble and Eleanor; ed. Boksburg High School; Cadet Draft 1926-7. In 1928 Guy Franklin Kebble joined the Elder Dempster Line as an Apprentice and remained at sea until 1933, when he left to take up a position with the Mines in the Transvaal. At the beginning of World War II he enlisted in the Rand Light Infantry and was later transferred to the SAEC and promoted to Sergeant. In January 1941 he was seconded to the RNR and served as Sub-Lieutenant in an anti-submarine flotilla. Sub-Lieutenant Kebble was transferred to HMS Gloucester in April 1941 and on 23 May 1941 was reported missing when the ship was lost through enemy action. |
| KEEN | NEIL GRIFFITHS | 2805 | |
| KEET | STANLEY | 30 | After Bothie placed in S.A. Navy as Stoker. |
| KEIP | NICO | 1042 | |
| KEIRSGIETER | WILLEM LEONARDUS | 2112 | After Bothie joined Safmarine. Now mostly active in S.A. Hardware Tool industry. Currently active in export markets covering East and West Africa. |
| KEITH | NEIL ALEXANDER | 459 | |
| KELLER | VERNON ERROL | 2267 | Joined the ‘S.A Victory’ Safmarine in 1966 after her near loss off the States Coast. Sailed on various Safmarine steam ships, Victory & Global Class, the Tanker ‘Thorland’ and the fruit ships. Left Safmarine in 1970 and joined Durban Lines as Second Officer. Durban Lines amalgamated into Unicorn Lines. 1979 joined the Harbour Service, 1995 Tug Master in East London. Whilst stationed in Walvis Bay was Relief Master on the S.W.A. Patrol Vessels m.v. ‘Oryx’. Ex Naval Cadet from Wemmerpan in Johannesburg and established bases in Walvis Bay and Mossel Bay. Attached to the CF Naval Base ‘SAS Port Rex’ in East London, holding the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Deceased 9th June 2020. |
| KELLY | MICHAEL CHARLES | 2601 | |
| KELLY | DAVID IRELAND | 1833 | David Kelly made an instant mark as a “nice guy” but had to leave the General Botha after a few weeks into the course, because of medical problems. His subsequent movements are unknown. |
| KELLY | FRANK JAMES BOURKE | 512 | |
| KEMP | DERRICK IAN RICHARD | 2058 | 1958 Winner of the Nettleton Trophy for Management of Boats. 02/1959 Joined Ellerman & Hall as Cadet. 06/1962 Joined Safmarine, First Ship S.A. Vergelegen. Promoted Master 20/05/73. 1980 Joined the Container Fleet (Safmarine) until requested to join the passnger vessel ‘Aster’ under construction at Kiel, Germany. Sailed on the maiden voyage as Staff Captian, taking command in July 1986. When Aster was sold joined ‘Ocean Pearl’ of Ocean Cruise Lines. 07/1993 joined the Expedition vessel ‘Caledonain Star’ run by Nobel Coledonia travel, sailing the Indian Ocean, Indonesia, Vietnam, China and Russia. 1998 joined Renaissance Cruises Inc. of Fort Lauderdale, U.S.A. in command of the m.v. R One of 777 passegners. Retired May 2011. “On the 12 th November I received news that I had been presented with the Merchant Navy Medal for Meritorious Service 2020. A complete surprise, I feel greatly honoured and humbled to receive this award. I know I was at sea for 52 years but that is what I wanted, I enjoyed every day of my career. When I retired I joined various Merchant Navy organisations, the Honourable Company of Master Mariners and have been Chairman of the North West Outport for 6 years, I took Livery in 2018. The Merseyside master Mariners, Liverpool Anchorage Club, Chairman of the Liverpool Merchant Navy Day Committee., Chairman of the Friends of HMS Conway and became attached to two Sea cadets Units in Liverpool, TS Starling and TS Conway, I am also a volunteer at the Liverpool Seafarers Centre. You need something to do when retired. The award came out of the blue, most unexpected but a fantastic award for a Bothie Boy.” |
| KENDAL | JOSEPH MERVYN | 1117 | |
| KENSLEY | WARREN JAMES | 2909 | Reportedly committed suicide in 1987 |
| KERRUISH | HAROLD NORMAN | 1302 | Born Braddan Isle of Many, 24th March 1927. Son of Harold Kerruish and Margery, nee Craig. Ed, Forest High School, Johannesburg. Cadet Draft 1943-4. Harold Normal Kerruish joined the SAAF during the war and held the rank of Flight-Sergeant when he was killed in a flying accident at Shandar on 9th February 1945, when two Marauders collided in mid-air. |
| KEWLEY | GEOFFREY BRIAN | 1360 | 1946 joined Alfred Holt & Co. colloquially known as Blue Funnel Line. 1949 promoted 4th Officer un-certificated and achieved 2nd Officer’s Certificate in 1949. June 1951 left the sea and went farming and playing cricket in Scotland. 1961 returned to sea with Lyle Shipping Co. of Glasgow, sailed on their Cape Nelson as 3rd & 2nd Officer. 1966 joined Safmarine as Chief Officer on the S.A. Statesman. Early 1971 joined Unicorn as Chief Officer and in August promoted Master on the car carrier Swartkops, subsequently serving on various Unicorn vessels as Master. 1976 joined S.A.R.&H. Harbour service in Walvis Bay before retiring 1990 after serving in various ports. Then did ship deliveries, trawlers from Europe to South Africa and Australia. 1992 finally retired from the sea and went into compass adjusting. Deceased 24th December 2020. |
| KEYS | DERRICK COLLEY HINTON | 1415 | |
| KEYTEL | YVONNE WILLIAM | 1303 | Deceased June 2010. |
| KIBBLE-SARTORELLI | PETER MALCOLM | 1244 | After serving in the R.N.R. and SANF (V) during the war joined S.A. Airways and served a senior apprenticeship as a Ground Engineer. Moved to Canada in 1953. Worked in the aircraft field until April 1988 and retired as Quality Control Manager for Canadair Ltd. In Montreal. Deceased 2nd March 2020. |
| KIES | FRANS JACOBUS | 2282 | Went to sea with Safmarine and Unicorn Lines. He then went fishing out of Walvis Bay and Cape Town eventually owning two of his own. Having worked hard he decided to enjoy life and spent two years on the yachts Kraken and Zanj, carried cargo and serviced the Indian Ocean Islands from Durban. Bought a Korean long line fishing vessel of 257 gross tons which he converted to a cargo vessel, fitted with a derrick to handle containers for the islands. Deceased 25th May 2017. |
| KILBURN | TREVOR | 2008 | 1958 – 59 sailed with Clan Line Steamers. 1960 – 63 Boart and Hardmetal products as a costing Clerk and then joined 3M – South Africa as a salesman for coated abrasive products. In 1958 started own business, abrasive and industrail supplies, distrbuting abrasive prodcuts and tools for local and foreign manufactueres. 1973 majority sharheolding of A&I was purchased by August Ruggeberg of West Germany which changed name to Pferd – South Africa in 1978 and became joint managing director responsible for sales, marketing, finance and administration. 2000 appointed overall CEO until 2008 when he retired but continues as a director of the company. Honourary President of Motorsport – South Africa, the governing body for all automobile and motorcycle sport in South Africa. Deceased 16th April 2017. |
| KILBY | ROBIN KEITH CRONJE | 2536 | After joining Deutsche Afrika Linien/Cape Continent Shipping Co as a cadet in 1974 did SA 2nd NO FG in Durban in 1978. Served with Fyffes Lines (UK) on Reefers and E. Jacob Shipping (Germany) on Bulkers as 3rd/2nd Mate until 1982. Went to Bremen Polytechnic to do Nautical Studies. 1986 – 2nd Mate on gas tankers. Obtained German Master FG ticket. Went shoreside in 1987, joined BMW AG, Munich working in CKD division supplying BMW SA in Rosslyn, Gauteng with car part kits. 1990 – Senior purchasing manager for global sea transport at BMW. 1994 – Transfered to BMW aerospace division – 1999 transferred to Rolls-Royce Germany civil aerospace division working in Business Improvement as senior SAP consultant. |
| KILMARTIN | FREDERICK LYNN | 2009 | Previously self employed as a Marine Consultant and surveyor in Durban. Deceased. |
| KILOH | IAN FREDERICK | 1043 | |
| KILPATRICK | DAVID ALEXANDER | 2148 | |
| KINCAID-SMITH | JEFFREY PAUL | 1951 | |
| KING | JAMES MALCOLM | 564 | Apprenticed to Elder Dempster Line. |
| KING | PETER GERALD | 2059 | Born 18/05/1941. After Bothie applied to Bank Line but due to lack of berths joined Standard Bank followed by a brief period in the Personnel Department of the Durban Port Captain’s Office. Then joined Mitchell Cotts in Durban and was transferred to Port Elizabeth before joining Burroughs Machines (later named Unysis) as a Salesman and transferred to their Johannesburg Office, promoted to their General Manager of Business Forms Division. Later started his own companies, business forms design and eco therapy products. Deceased 18/05/2013. |
| KING | ALARIC MOORE | 229 | After G.B. became an artisan and worked as a Reduction Officer in the Gwanda district in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Later was in charge of the purification works at Wankie Collery Company. Also owned his own mine in the Gwanda area which he later sold. Worked on other mines in Rhodesia and after retirement drove an armoured car for Standard Bank. Passed away in 1983. |
| KINGHAN | DESMOND OLIVER GOLD | 565 | After G.B. joined British India Line. Sailed on various of their training vessels before joining the S.A. Harbour Service until retirement. 1964 Pilot in Table Bay Harbour. Decesased 08/03/2004. |
| KINGON | CHARLES ROBERT FOYLAN | 2692 | Rondebosch Boys High. 1979 joined Safmarine. First ship st Kulu (Supertanker arrested in Nigeria for SA Connections) 3rd Officer ’82 – ’84 – Maiden voyage of Sea Transporter. 2nd Officer ’85 – ’87 Chief Officer ’88 to ’91. Then spent 8 years ashore in Cape Town in HO in the Cargo Operations Department, initially as travelling Supercargo for SAECS stowing the multi-purpose vessels on the Southern Africa coast, then as Stowage Coordinator for the container vessels on the NW Europe, MED, Far East and USA trades. 1995 Operations Manager of Safmarine’s cargo ops department. 1999 returned to sea as Chief Officer. Found some big changes after 8 years away – SMS, GMDSS and GPS 2001 promoted Master with Safmarine 2008 maiden voyage on Safmarine Kariba 2020 presently B2B Master on Maersk Stockholm, 92000grt, 334m loa, 9000 TEU. Most interesting ship – Cable Restorer Most interesting voyage – on Constantia ’87 when we towed a disabled ship for 6 days in the Indian Ocean to a rendezvous with a salvage tug. Previously GBOBA Cape Town branch committee member. GBOBA Bursary Fund board member. |
| KINGS | GRAHAM ANDREW | 2647 | Joined Safmarine as Cadet in 1978. Attended G.B. 1979. Served mostly on salvage tugs, John Ross & Wolraad Woltemade. Resigned from Safmarine September 1985 and joined the training centre for seamen, ultimately becoming Senior Lecturer of Electronic Naviation Systems. Also obtained national higher diploma – post school education. May 1991, Principal of the Rossing Foundation Adult Education Centre in Luderitz. January 1993, non-maritime courses ceased and the centre became the dedicated “Maritime training centre for Namibia.” Most visid memory of Namibia, being introduced to Queen Elizabeth (1992 visit). August 2000 returned to Cape Town. 2002 posted with NOSA to Hong Kong. Returned a year later to NOSA Cape Town office where he became office manager. 2009 Quality Manager: Auditing for NOSA. |
| KINKEAD-WEEKES | DENNIS | 758 | 1936 to 1939 sailed with Ellerman & Bucknall ss Co. 1940 joined the S.A. Seaward Defence Force as a Sub-Lieutenant. Served during WWII in various S.A. vessels including mine sweepers in the Mediterranean theatre. In 1946 he accepted a commission in the newly reconstituted S.A. Navy and joined the Frigate HMSAS Good Hope as Navigator and appointed Fleet Gunnery Officer in 1957. He commanded the Frigates Good Hope, Presidents’ Kruger and Steyn between 1961 and 1968, also being Captain of the Training Base SAS Simonsberg from 1964 to 1966. His promotion to Commodore came in 1972 and his final naval appointment was as Commander Naval Operations, retiring in 1975. Awarded the Southern Cross Medal for “outstanding devotion to Duty”. Seved on the Simon’s Town Historical Committee for 30 years which incldued a period as Chairman. Deceased 10/08/97. |
| KIRBY | EDWARD PRESTON | 1361 | Deceased. |
| KIRKBRIDE | EWAN WESLEY | 2836 | Unicorn Lines 1983 to 1988 Cadet & 3/O. 1988-1989 Blue Star and Lion Shipping as 3/O. 1989-1991 Nedlloyd Agencies Durban as Port Operations Agent / Johannesburg Sales. Executive. 1991 Unicorn Containers Johannesburg as Transport Controller. 1991-1993 BP Shipping as 3/O and 2/O. 1996 Obtained Chief Mates at Fleetwood, UK. 1997 Swire Pacific as 3/O. 1997-1999 Souter Ship Management as 3/O and 2/O. 1999 Obtained Masters at Warsash, UK. 1999 UECC Grimsby as 2/0. 1999-2006 Bristol Port Company as Marine Officer. 2006-2010 Fleetwood Nautical Campus as Lecturer (Obtained Prof. Cert. Education). 2010-2020 Liverpool John Moores University as Senior Lecturer (Obtained MSC Maritime Operations). 2020 Formed Relative Track Limited (Self employed). |
| KIRKPATRICK | PAUL JOHN | 2113 | 1994 – Marine Insurance in South Africa, Hong Kong, Brussels and London. |
| KIRSTEN | RONALD GUSTOV | 172 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a Stoker. |
| KIRSTEN | EDMUND REINHARDT | 130 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a Seaman. |
| KITT | PETER GARETH | 2552 | Reported deceased. |
| KLEINSCHMIDT | JOHN THEODORE | 1416 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1953, Sub-Lieutenant in S.A. Navy. 1964 Staff Office c/c Naval Headquarters, rank of Commander (E). 1972 Captain in the S.A. Navy Engineering Branch. Retired as a Rear Admiral (JG) from the S.A. Navy. Deceased 22/09/2000 |
| KLERCK | ANTHONY GREER | 1471 | |
| KLETTE | PETER | 1245 | 1964 employed at the Mermaid Hotel, Walvis Bay. |
| KLEYWEG | WILLEM DE GOMBAULT | 1044 | 1945 was in command as a Sub-Lieutenant of HMS St Monance, a rescue tug attached to convoys. |
| KLOK | JACOBUS CORNELIUS | 2060 | Was Junior Cadet Captain while at Bothie. 1958 – Obtained National Senior Certificate (distinction). 1962 – Obtained National Diploma for Technicians in Telecommunications. Aug.1964 – he decided to study to obtain his Engineer’s diploma. 1968 – Appointed as Engineer, Department of Posts and Telecommunications. Nov.1971 – Registered as Professional Engineer with South African Engineering Council (Reg.no: 710883). Promoted since 1968 to Senior Engineer / Deputy Director (PABX) / Director – Investigations / Senior Manager with a staff complement of 680, and a budget of R80m / Senior Deputy Director / Senior Manager / Area Manager / acting Postmaster General / Senior Manager, Communications Policy / General Manager, Communications Policy and Regulating up to early retirement end 1996. After his retirement Koos provided consultation services for various organizations. 1998 – Chairman of Telecommunication Line Terminal Equipment Association. |
| KLONOWSKI | ELTON VIVIAN | 23 | After Bothie joined Thesen Line as Deck Hand. |
| KLOPPER | JOHNATHAN ALBERT | 2837 | 1985 – 87 – Safmarine, Cadet and Third Officer, 1988 – T1 & T2 Electronics at Cape Technikon. 1989 – 90 – Third and Second Officer on S.A. Agulhas. 1990 – 92 – worked for Electronic Workshops on Department of Sea Fisheries and obtained T3 and national diploma in electronics. 1992 – Third and Second Officer on R.S. Africana 1999 – Master on the Research Vessel, S.A. Agulhas. 2017 Crewing Manager at AMSOL (African Marine Solutions). |
| KNELL | NEVILLE ARTHUR | 1417 | |
| KNIGHT | PATRICK ANDREW FRASER | 2393 | Sailed with Safmarine through the ranks to Chief Officer including a few years on the Safmarine Passenger Vessel m.v. ‘Astor’ as Chief Officer and Staff Commander. After a spell ashore with Safmarine joined the Agency Green Africa and opened their branch office in Cape Town. Later decided to enter the world of Marine surveying until returning to sea as Chief Officer with Safmarine in 1997. 1999 promoted to Master with S.A. Marine Corporation. Continued seagoing with Safmarine, which became Maersk, until 2004. Stayed ashore for a while, setting up our house in Green Point as a B and B. ( The B and B continues, being run mostly by my wife, Karen). In 2005, the lure of matters maritime, as well as the need to earn actual money, I started working as an independant contractor for Noble Denton Marine Consultants in Aberdeen, Scotland which has continued to the present time (2011).(Noble Denton has recentlyy merged with Germanische Lloyd). During this time, have worked both in the ND office in Aberdeen, as well as offshore, involved with a variety of oil industry related projects including vessel surveys and audits, wind farm load outs, rig moves, pipelay operations and seismic surveys. A large amount of the work has been for BP, and am currently [2011] engaged for BP on a seismic OBC (Ocean Bottom Cable) survey in the North Sea. |
| KNIGHT | DAVID MICHAEL | 1304 | Deceased 2006. After GB joined Andrew Weir Shipping but later came ashore to work for Olson’s breweries. Thereafter returned to sea with Bank Line followed by another spell ashore with Wilson and Collins. Later sailed with Smith’s Coasters and finally as Master with Unicorn. After twenty years in command at sea joined the harbour service in Durban, served on dredgers and hoppers. Retired 1989. |
| KNOBEL | STEPHEN DAVID | 2721 | |
| KNOWLER | COLIN STANLEY | 1889 | Reported 1964 – on a farm in the Stellenbosch District. After G.B joined Bank Line but after an accident at sea spent 2 years in a hospital. He then studied Industrial and Production Engineering and also qualified in Management Services. Was engineering Manager at Toyota for 10 years, then went into Project Management and later management consultancy. Has been with Old Mutual since 1986 advising clients on investment and retirement. Deceased 21st February 2021. |
| KNOX-BAXTER | WILLIAM PAUL | 933 | WWII Private Cape Town Highlanders / Prince Alfred’s Guard / SDF and SA Tank Corps. |
| KOBROW | CARL VICTOR | 1604 | |
| KOEN | MARK GREGORY | 2648 | Previously at sea with Safmarine. 1988-1990 with SA Ports and Harbours on tugs and dredgers. Ran the training school in Richard’s Bay. 1990 – 1995 with P&I Associates Durban 1995-1999 with Island View Shipping Durban 1999-2001 with Smit Pentow Marine mainly in Sudan. 2001-2014 with Island View Shipping Durban. Heading up Global Operations from 2010 2014 with Grindrod Shipping Singapore as Director Global Operations Dry Bulk. |
| KOKER | DIRK HENDRIK | 1655 | Deceased 04/05/92 After G.B. Apprenticed with Elder Dempster Line. Later joined Safmarine and obtained Masters. 1964 Chief Officer in Safmarine’s m.v. “Safdan Helene”. Joined the S.A.M.N.A General Botha in 1966 as a lecturer and in 1977 joined the Department of Transport as a Nautical Surveyor. Past Secretary of the General Botha Old Boys’ Association, Chairman of the Wild Life Association, Committee Member of the Mountain Club. |
| KOLBER | ERAN YURI | 2602 | Safmarine Cadet, Acting 3/O, 3/O, 2/O, T/O until the beginning of 1984 During the time at sea, got several programming diplomas, and took on development contracts (mobile quotation systems) for Legal & General. 1984-87 UCT BSc Mathematical Statistics and Economics (with Computer Science and Information Systems as minors). Continued working for Legal & General as a programmer and systems analyst during breaks and on weekends/evenings Technical Manager – LCS (Legal Computer Systems) 1988-1989, managed the Development and Support departments. Managing Director, Benchmark Training (a division of LCS) 1990-1991. Product Manager, TSD Software (a division of Persetel/Comparex) 1992-1993. Vice President/Managing Director, ISU Education Group 1994-1998. Senior Consultant, John Bryce 1999. Platform Evangelist (Microsoft) 2000-2016 (Consultant on behalf of OnTarget Communications). Director Training & Professional Services, OnTarget Communications 2001-date (2017) (also working as a senior consultant for Holden International, on occasional secondment from OnTarget). |
| KONIGKRAMER | WILFRED ERNOLD | 814 | Born Westville, Natal, 13th April 1919, son of Wilhelm Felix Lourenz Konigkramer and Dorothy Evelyn, nee Pearce. Ed, Malvern Intermediate Government School, Natal. Cadet Draft 1935-36. After completing his course in General Botha, Wilfred Ernold Konigkramer joined Andrew Weir & Co, and in 1941 enlisted with the RAF and became Sergeant. On 20th July 1942 he was posted missing when en route from the United Kingdom to the Middle East. |
| KOP | FERDINAND ANTON | 2394 | After school in the Netherlands and my final 3 years in South Africa when we moved there in 1966, I joined Unicorn Shipping Lines in 1970 and passed my 2nd Mates exam in February 1973. I married Adrianne Patricia Botha in February 1973 with whom I have three sons. I left my sea life in October 1973 to take up a career in Corporate IT as a computer programmer with Sanlam in Bellville, a large Life Insurance company. In 1981 I moved into their banking group of companies, Santambank, Trust Bank and Bankorpdata. In 1986 after 13 years in the Sanlam group of companies, I was offered a post as IT manager at Standard Bank of SA using leading edge computer technologies. I was promoted to Senior Manager in charge of all computer infrastructures. In my personal capacity, I acted as Chairman of Randburg Scout Group, the Randburg Civil Protection Volunteer Corpse and later the national Guest House Association of SA. In 1996, my wife and I started our own small hotel business (10 bedrooms). We bought a property in Cape Town, South Africa and managed that until 2001 when we sold it. We continued running our Hotel business in the Cape Town area until May 2005 when due to declining tourism to Cape Town/SA, we decided to move to the UK. I qualified as a bookkeeper through the Institute of Certified Bookkeepers (ICB) in 2010. We lived in the UK for 12 years where we first worked as a live-in couple for wealthy families. From 2015 to January 2019, my wife Adrianne and I worked as agency care workers in various care homes. In February 2019 we settled back in my country of birth, The Netherlands, where we now (2021) live near our youngest son’s family. |
| KORTUM | CHRISTOFFEL WILHELM | 2207 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Seafarer”. 2008 retired as Master from Safmarine. |
| KOUDSTAAL | JAN | 2010 | 1958 – 59 worked with his father in his contracting business and in 1960 attended the University of Orange Free State studying architecture. 1967 moved from Bloemfontein to Pretoria and in 1970 became a partner in the architectural firm, Paulas Visser & De Villiers. Did a lot of work for the government in Pietermaritzburg. Retired from active practice in 1992. |
| KRAUSE | HERMANUS LUCAS | 195 | |
| KRAUSS | ELLARD MAXIMILLIAAN NICOLAAS | 1890 | |
| KRAUSS | JIMMY ROBERT ALLAN | 12 | No hisotical information available. Reported deceased. |
| KRIEDEMANN | CHRISTIAN OELOFF | 48 | Reported deceased. |
| KROES | HENDRIK | 1559 | |
| KRONHOLM | FINN | 2910 | Sailed with Safmarine on States, European & Far East run. 1994 promoted to Second Officer. 1999 studied for his Air Transport License in the U.K. 2000 – returned to S.A. And flew for National Airways Corporation. 2001 – Returned to U.K. And flew between Luton and Manchester. 2002 flew in the Democratic Republic of Congo (Goma based) for a humanitarian organization. 2003 to 2006 flew for the Greater Manchester Police, England. 2007 Ground and Simulator Instructor with Flight Safety Farnborough. 2008 TAG Aviation Flying the larger corporate jets. TAG Aviation is a management company with its head office in Geneva, but with offices in Farnborough and Madrid. We are the up market end of the corporate market. At least we try to be. Can’t really say who the clients are but they are normally wealthy individuals or corporations. Obtained American and European airline pilot’s license and now flying worldwide in corporate aviation. |
| KROON | PETER HENRY CALDWELL | 2370 | Completed G.B. in December 1969, joined Safmarine and my first ship in the same month. Served as Cadet, Fourth, Third and Second Officer with Safmarine until 1975. During this time I served on tankers, passenger vessels and cargo ships. I left in order to do a voyage down to the Antartic on the old R.S.A. Did one trip to the ice, then promoted to Chief Officer. Obtained Master’s Certificate in 1978 and remained as Chief Officer on the new ship S.A Agulhas until 1980, when I was offered a post as surveyor in Saldanha Bay in 1980. Served in Saldanha and West Coast for three years until 1983. Then promoted to East London as Principal Officer. Retired 2015. |
| KROON | CLAUDE ATHOL | 874 | April 1939 – Indentured to Ellerman Hall Line. August 1940 – RNR Midshipman. Served in various war theaters. During this period transferred to S.A.N.F. finaly demobbed as a major in S.A. Army. After sitting 2nd mates and mates examinations simultaneously joined Shell tankers. 1948 – joined British Rail Ships Southampton. Appointed Master in 1953. 1970 – appointed Marine Superintendent. 1972 – Appointed Shipping & Port Manager, Fishguard, and Area Manager British Rail. 1948 – Retired from British Rail and moved to Cornwall to develop a market garden. He was one of the cadets on the old General Botha, anchored in False bay. During the Second World War, he served with the Royal Navy, and was one of three survivors from a destroyer torpedoed on the Arctic run. He put his survival down to the fact that as a youngster, he swam at Fish Hoek every day. On being landed in the UK, he sent his mom a three word telegram. “Sunk, saved, Claude”. Deceased 07/07/2010 |
| KROON | WILLIAM PIETER | 875 | 1938 – 1939 – Reardon Smiths, Cardiff, Apprentice 1940 – 1941 – Union Castle, Deckboy, Ordinary Seaman and Able Seaman. Passed second mates certificate 2/12/41. 1942 – Continued with Union Castle. 1943 – embarked on a Singapore Straights Passenger Ship “Marudu”. Vessel diverted to Gibraltar, Alexander, Colombo & Sydney. 1945 – rejoined Stirling Castle in Sydney. 1950 – Third Officer S.A.N.C General Botha Sept 1950 – Stevedore for Union Castle. Sept 1951 – Joined S.A.R. & H. Served various ports rising to Deputy Port Captain, Cape Town. April 1983 – retired Deceased 28/09/2003 |
| KROS | RAYMOND BERTRAM FREDERICK | 1522 | Raymond was born in Cape Town 28th April 1931, went to school at Boys High and CBC in Kimberly. After Bothie joined the British East India Steam Navigation Company as a cadet and later as a 3rd officer. On his return to Kimberly he worked at De Beers Head Office and then as a mine surveyor and a shift boss. Owner of BE Safe Paramedical, a medical equipment supply company. Deceased 30th June 2012. His widow, Yvonne, writes: Raymond left the merchant navy after he met me his wife, Yvonne, in Kimberley in 1952. He went to work for De Beers in their Head Office. We got married on the 30th Jan. 1954. He applied for a job in Jagersfontein, which is 100 miles from Kimberley, as a surveyor underground. He also did shift bossing while in Jagersfontein. He ran the cricket club, played 1st team rugby and also started a baseball team. He was very much an organizer and was well liked by everyone. We went on a six month holiday in 1957 to what was then Rhodesia to visit his brother, and then went down to Cape Town, where he took a job as a salesman selling Venetian blinds and was very successful at it. We both loved Cape Town and decided he would hand in his notice and come and settle in Cape Town. Unfortunately the job that was offered to him, fell through as it had already been offered to someone else. Raymond tried selling insurance for a while in Kimberley, but he did not enjoy it, then he got a job as a salesman in Ok Bazaars in Bloemfontein, we lived there for two years, then moved down to Cape Town. He started a business selling furniture, which was going very well until Sharpeville happened. He then started making wrought iron furniture and someone who owed him money, paid him in oil paintings. He advertised for reps, he took about 4 in his van, loaded with paintings, door to door and it was becoming very successful. He stopped the wrought iron and persevered with the paintings. He had artists coming to him to sell their paintings. He started the first road side selling. He used to set up the paintings at Constantia Nek and also along the road between Bantry Bay and Hout Bay. The Cape Argus, Week-end Magazine did a full page story on Raymond: Here’s a man who brings art to the people – right into their homes! He opened a gallery in Claremont calling it De Brug Gallery. After a while, we closed down the gallery and Raymond went into building, which he did until the age of 60. With all the unrest in the country, he started buying and selling of gas products, stun guns, etc. which eventually ended up with selling of first aid kits and then medical products. This proved to be very successful and is a very large company today, called Be Safe Paramedical. He wrote three books during the period of 1991 – 2009. Space Station Earth, A Soul called Raymond, and The Navigator. He was a very spiritual person and believed the churches to be evil, and filling their own coffers instead of doing the work they should be doing of spreading Love, Harmony and Eternal Life. He passed away on 30th June, 2012. In hospital from renal failure, but had been ill for approx. 3 years with bladder cancer. He leaves behind his wife of 58 years, 3 daughters, 3 sons, 14 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren. |
| KRUGER | JIMMY | 2603 | Tiring of the Merchant Navy, joined the S.A. Navy in 1983. Served in various capacities including gunnery officer, navigating officer and executive officer on various ships. 1995 joined Portnet, Richard’s Bay, as Tug Master and 1998 Harbour Pilot. |
| KRUGER | JOHANNES | 566 | After Bothie served in the Special Services Battalion for two years. He attested for full-time WWII service November 1940. He arrived in North Africa 6th May 1943. |
| KRUIZE | ANDRE BEREND | 2693 | |
| KUHNERT | RALPH PHILLIP | 1952 | Formerly a member of the S.A. Police Criminal Investigation Department : General Criminal Investigation / Diamond Investigation. Employed by De Beers Consolidated Diamond Mines in S.W.A (Namibia) on Diamond Investigation. Transferred to De Beers Kimberley Head Office as Diamond Investigator, liaising with diamond mines in the R.S.A., Botswana, Lesotho, Namibia and the police investigation units in these countries. Assisted with training of diamond investigation units in Botswana and Lesotho. Seconded to Anglo American Head Office in Johannesburg as Group Investigator. Transferred to Anglo American Head Office, Johannesburg as a Senior Divisional Security Manager. Retired in 2000. |
| LA GRANGE | GEORGE KENNETH | 1246 | Previously sailed with Lloyd Tristino before coming ashore and joining Oceanic Stevedores. Deceased 01/08/2009. |
| LA GRANGE | KEITH HOBBS | 2011 | |
| LACEY | ANTHONY GORDON BROOKE | 1118 | |
| LACEY | ANTHONY GEORGE MICHAEL SUTTON | 987 | |
| LAGESSE | MARIE JOSEPH ERIC | 2722 | 1995 – Manager of S.A. Stevedores Coal Division, Port of Richards Bay, 2000 – with W.A. Mercantile Services, Australia, as a Marine Surveyor. 2021 Managing Director, ACME Marine Services International. |
| LAING | RALPH JOHN | 2418 | Previously sailed with Unicorn before coming ashore for a number of years. 1997 returned to sea with Safmarine. 2015: Since Safmarine, I’ve been doing a thousand and one jobs with Land & Marine which became Pentow Marine, which eventually became SMIT AMANDLA MARINE. I worked with Lamnalco for a while but now free-lancing doing piloting, STS ops, SPM work, in fact anything to do with ship-handling/mooring with the odd FPSO installation/de-commissioning thrown in. |
| LAITY | WILLIAM GEORGE | 314 | |
| LAKER | DAVID EDGAR ALAN | 447 | |
| LAMBERG | JON PEER | 2553 | 1997 – Owner of J.P. Lamberg & Associates, Richards Bay. 2009 relocated to Durban. |
| LAMBERT | ROBERT WILLIAM | 696 | After G.B. joined Reardon Smith’s of Cardiff, s.s. Imperial Valley. Tramping worldwide and 1938/39 18 months on the China Coast. October 1939 returned to S.A. and joined the mines. A little later joined the South African Air Force ‘Air Sea Rescue’ crash boats at Gordon’s Bay. Finished the war in Langebaan. Returned to the Mines after the war and qualified as an Engineer. 1995 with a mining house in Johannesburg. 1998 relocated to England. Deceased 31/04/2007. |
| LAMBERT | NEVILLE FREDERICK | 9 | After Bothie joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as an Ordinary Seaman. Killed in an air crash 6th February 1947. Warrant Officer Class II Neville Frederick LYTTLETON-LAMBERT (100527V) of the South African Air Force. Circumstances of Death: Lost in aircraft Fairchild ZS-BCN. Died when a passenger in a private aircraft, Fairchild ZS BCN hit a plyon on a hillside in fog and crashed near Petermartizburg. |
| LAMBERTON | TREVOR JOHN | 1183 | |
| LANCE | EVERITT MURRAY | 1305 | Initially served at sea with Clan Line. Trained as a Pilot in the South African Air Force and subsequently served with No. 2 Squadron SAAF (Flying Cheetahs) in the Korean conflict. Received the USA’s Distinguished Flying Cross. Unconfirmed reports have it that he was also awarded a further USA decoration, the Air Medal. After leaving the SAAF he joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and was serving with the Royal Australian Air Force flying helicopters, when he was shot down and killed during operations in Vietnam. ‘Lofty” features prominently in the book “South African Flying Cheetahs in Korea” by Dermott Moore and Peter Bagshaw, published by Ashanti Publishing. On 8th June 1971 Cape Times reported: “South African pilot Everitt “Lofty” Lance who left with the Royal Australian Air Force last November to fly helicopters against the Vietcong has been killed in Vietnam. Flight Lieutenant Lance, 43, who was born in Aliwal North and educated at the General Botha, had a distinguished combat flying career. At the time of his death he was serving with his fourth air force. At 18, after two years service with the Merchant Navy, he joined the South African Air Force in which he gained his pilot’s wings. After five years he joined the Royal Air Force in England, and later flew with the Royal Canadian Air Force. As a member of the Flying Cheetahs Squadron in Korea he took part in 75 sorties. He was awarded the American Distinguished Flying Cross for leading a succesful bombing attack in his Mustang fighter-bomber on a communist mortar position.” The exact date of his death was not given in the report. b. Aliwal North, Cape, 29 April 1928, son of Thomas Fuller Lance; ed. Aliwal North High School; SATS General Botha Cadet No. 1305 [1943-1944 term] [Red Hill]. Everitt Murray Lance joined the Clan Line in the ship Perthshire in 1945. He later joined the South African Air Force [SAAF] and subsequently served with No. 2 Squadron, “The Flying Cheetahs” in the Korean conflict. He was awarded the United States of America’s Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with Cluster for his actions in the Korean War. After leaving the South African Air Force “Lofty” Lance joined the Royal Canadian Air Force [RCAF] then the British Royal Air Force [RAF] and in 1968, the Royal Australian Air Force [RAAF]. He was serving with the Royal Australian Air Force’s No 9 Squadron as a Flight Lieutenant, flying Bell UH-1 [“Huey”] helicopters when he was shot down and crashed during a combat resupply operation for Australian troops in Vietnam on 07 June 1971. He died of injuries received in the crash. |
| LANDON | JOHN ROBERT | 13 | |
| LANE | JOHN ARTHUR | 370 | After Bothie apprenticed to Elder-Dempster Line and sailed on SS ‘Matterwin’. Later obtained his second Officers Certificate but because of the depression sailed for some time ‘before the mast’ as a midshipman. Thereafter joined Goodyear in England as a labourer and later moved to Dunlop. The war years saw him in the home guard as a Corporal. 1949 returned to Durban to start a Dunlop Factory. Retired from Dunlop as Factory Supervisor and then spent a short spell with Reuert and Lenz of Pinetown. Deceased September 1995. |
| LANE | DONALD ARCHIBALD THOMAS | 729 | 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. |
| LANGE-SMITH | DEREK CLIVE | 1523 | After G.B. joined “SARShips” and saield on the Dahlia and the Agulhas. 1951 resigned and immigrated to Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Worked as a farm manager on a tobacco farm and later moved to salisbury (now Harare) where he started work with fields industries. By 1993 Derek was a Director of three companies and retired that year. Deceased 03/12/97. |
| LANGRIDGE | JAMES RUSSELL | 1119 | War Service – Royal Navy Reserve Post War – Stewards & Lloyds of S.A. Ltd Engineering Division. 2014 awarded the Artic Star. 2015 The Russian Consulate in Cape Town awarded Jim the Medal of Ushakov for personal courage and bravery shown during the Second World War as a participant of the Arctic Convoys. Deceased 24th November 2015. |
| LANGSTON | PHILIP CLINTON | 2886 | 2014 Technical manager with Svitzer working out of Milford Haven. 2019 technical superintendent at Svitzer Angola. Deceased 26th July 2021. |
| LANHAM-PARKER | WILLIAM JONATHAN | 2336 | Entertainer and pub/nightclub owner. 2021 moved to London. |
| LARK | DEREK WILSON GRAHAM | 1418 | For a period of about 8 years after the Bothie worked on the Railways and Durban Fire Station. The next 24 years where spent as a traveller for Lever Bros., Pitco Tea & Coffee and Premier Millin. Then joined Goldfields (mining). 12.5 years in the mining industry in the stores and compound sections. 1992 retired from the mines. Deceased 08/08/97 |
| LARKAN | LAWRENCE PHILIP | 988 | |
| LARPENT | REGINALD ADRIAN | 353 | 1928 awarded a certificate on vellum by the Royal Humane Society for rescuing cadet 417 H.R. Horsley from drowing. |
| LAURE-SMITH | JOSEPH WILLIAM GEORGE | 2911 | 1996 at sea with Safmarine. Left Safmarine in 1999.Worked for Mid East Ship Management as DPA, mate and standing by new buildings. Left them in 2002/2003 worked for ER Schiffhardt – promoted to Master and left them in 2005 and 2012 working for Swire Pacific Offshore. |
| LAW | FREDERICK JOHN | 128 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. |
| LAWRENCE | BRIAN HELIER | 1362 | 1946 joined Blue Funnel shipping line. Sailed there for ten years obtaining Master’s FG and then joined the S.A. Harbour Service until 1960. He then joined Safmarine as Chief Officer and later Master until about 1988. Then cargo superintendent for Leo Raphaley & Sons based in the Far East. Deceased 27/07/2008. |
| LAWRENCE | EDWIN FREDERICK | 1363 | Deceased. |
| LAWRENCE | STEWART DOUGLAS | 1184 | After G.B. started an apprenticeship as a Motor Mechanic. A year later joined the Royal Durban Light Infantry, served in Egypt and Italy. After the war returned to Durban and completed apprenticeship. Married in 1948 and emigrated to Southern Rhodesia and was employed by a Motor firm as a spares Manager. Later transferred to Dola, Northern Rhodesia as Branch Manager. At the break up of the Federation left to join Mobil Oil compay as a Training Manager in Salisbury where he remained until starting own motor business in 1962 which he opearted until 1985. “During this time we had our Rhodesian ‘U.D.I’ and I then served with the BSA Police Reserev and subsequently the Zimbabwe Republic Police. In 1985 my wife and I emigrated to Perth, Western Australia, and retired to enjoy golf and gardening.” Deceased 28/01/2002 |
| LAWRENCE | JACK GRAHAM | 1524 | Kings Gold Medalist. 1948 – 1951 – at sea with Elder Dempster Lines, Canada 1952 – 1961 – Came ashore with Hunt Leuchars and Hepburn Ltd as block floor manager and sales representative. 1962 – joined W.F. Johnston Building Materials as a Sales rep 1971 – made a Director of W.F. Johnstone. 1974 Sales Director. 1984 – resigned as a Director and joined a small company in Jhb selling building materials. Honorary Ranger, Game Conservation, since 1967 Received a merit award from the National Parks Board at Golden Gate in November, 1992. 1995 a farmer in the White River area Deceased 17/03/2003 |
| LAWRENCE | ALFRED ROBERT | 1605 | Deceased. |
| LAWRENCE | BRYAN | 1834 | Bryan Lawrence was a SACS boy, which brought him into instant conflict with the large Rondebosch and Wynberg contingents at the General Botha. There were no hard feelings however and Bryan soon made himself immensely popular by his ability to play the piano-accordion. He was promoted to Senior Cadet Captain winning prizes for navigation, for efficiency and for chartwork as well as being runner-up in the Queen’s Gold Medal competition. He also served on the magazine committee. Bryan was interested in both astronomy and the Royal Navy. On completing his two years at the Botha he was faced with a quandary as the entrance age for the Royal Naval College, Dartmouth was 18 and Bryan was only 17. It was thus a toss-up between going to university, taking up astronomy or going to sea in the Merchant Navy. The romance of the sea won and Bryan went off to Ellerman and Bucknall as a deck cadet. He spent 15 months with them, serving in the City Of Exeter, City Of Kimberly (with Graham Jooste) and the City of Carlisle on the US/India run. By this time Bryan was bored with being a cadet and resigned. Acceptance of his resignation came through while he was in the City of Carlisle. As an interesting aside, Bryan had acquired a saxophone during his time with City Ships and, more surprising, had got the ‘go ahead’ from his shipmates to practice on it! He based his repertoire on the jazz he picked up from the ‘Voice of America’. On learning that Cadet Lawrence wished to resign, the captain of the City of Carlisle, a certain ‘Black Jack’ Jenkins, taking it as a personal insult, told Bryan to “Take your saxophone, get off my ship the moment she berths and play yourself back to Cape Town!” Luckily it didn’t come to that and Ellermans repatriated Bryan back to Pinelands in Cape Town, where he joined his father’s packaging business, Amalgamated Packaging Industries. After starting at the bottom Bryan, finding that he had a flair for art, transferred into API’s art department and after a while transferred to Durban. While there the old wanderlust kicked in and he resigned at the age of 21 to hike through Africa with a buddy. When they were all packed and ready to go, the Mau Mau problem in Kenya had escalated and Bryan’s partner reluctantly pulled out of the venture, leaving Bryan stranded in Cape Town where he was saying ‘good bye’ to his folks. As a stopgap, his father offered to pay him for supervising the construction of a house he was building and for the next three years Bryan found himself in the building trade. He had also hugely improved his saxophone playing and formed a Cape Town jazz group called ‘the Blue Notes’. One of his friends had an attractive Danish sister, Jeanne Stilborg. She and Bryan were married in 1966. This entailed a move back to the packaging industry. By this time API had been absorbed into Nampak and Bryan thus devoted his career to them, doing free-lance building on the side. He entered the design field, rising to development manager at Nampak, before being ‘head hunted’ by the Deciduous Fruit Board in 1974. The DFB were in the process of changing from breakbulk shipment of fruit to containerisation and palletisation. Bryan, with his packaging and maritime background, was the ideal man to oversee this change-over which lasted four years to 1978. He first did the design work for containerisation and then managed the project. In the process, Bryan’s designs were patented and two of them still have worldwide patents. In due course, in order to facilitate his designs, Bryan established his own packaging company to manufacture the design components. While at DFB Bryan noticed that they were importing large amounts of a chemical compound to combat grape fungus and this product was available only from the USA. Hiring a chemist, he took time off to develop a successful similar product in South Africa! For the next 20 years Bryan served as packaging and development manager for his firm, which he named Macplant. In 1998 Bryan sold the business and retired. After building or rebuilding four Lawrence homes to a state of high perfection, Bryan now lives in semi-retirement in Noordhoek, but longs to get back into ‘real business’. He and Jeanne have a daughter, Andrea, in Cape Town and grandchildren. Their son Timothy whom they had adopted when he was seven, died tragically of a heart attack in 2001. At the 60 year reunion, Bryan and Jeanne hosted Mike and Paddy Briant; these two having travelled all the way from British Columbia. Aside from the memorable events of the reunion, the foursome apparently enjoyed much excitement, repartee (of course) and downright fun! Bryan no longer plays the saxophone, but has taken up the piano. |
| LAWRENCE | CYRIL PERCY | 176 |
After Bothie apprenticed to Houlder Line. Later ordained in the Church. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48: |
| LAWRENSON | RICHARD SILCOCK | 989 | Richard with five others were the first Cadets from the Bothie to join the Royal Navy from the Ship in September 1939. During the war served on the Armed Merchant Cruiser Carnarvon Castle, destroyer H.M.S. Sikh (sunk off Toburk), Battleships H.M.S. ??, then H.M.S. Arrow and H.M.S. Bellwort. Promoted to Sub Lieutenant S.A.N.F., seconded to R.N. Returned to S.A. as First Lieutenant of H.M.S.A.S. Sprindrift. Then demobbed. After the war joined Tig Survey in Mowbray (Cape Town). In 1958 transferred to Provincial Administration ending his career as Control Survey Officer in 1983. Deceased 17th November 2018. |
| LAWSON | NEIL CARTER | 2179 | Previously Master with Safmarine. 2011 founding board member of GBOBA Bursary Fund including period as treasurer. |
| LAXTON | CHARLES FREDERICK | 815 | |
| LAYZELL | ROGER | 1773 | Served 3 year apprenticeship with Royal Fleet Auxillary followed by 7 years with various British shipipng companies as Third and Second Officer. After obtaining Master’s in 1963 joined the S.A. Habour service in Cape Town. Trasnferred to Durban as Tug Master 7 years later and was promoted to Harbour Pilot 3 years later. Retired 1995. |
| LAYZELL | GRAEME | 2838 | |
| LE BARROW | WILLIAM LEONARD | 461 | Apprenticed to Sun Line, ss “Cape S. Francis”. During WWII was Leading Writer SANF. |
| LE BLOND | PIERRE JEAN AUGUSTE | 2337 | Presently 1994, Portnet tugs Cape Town. |
| LE JUGE DE SEGRAIS | MARIE ROBERT YVES | 2740 | |
| LE RICH | EUGENE | 2671 | |
| LE ROUX | ANDRIES GERHARDUS URIA | 347 | After Bothie apprenticed to Clan Line. Also served with the Cape Town Fire Brigade. |
| LE ROUX | GRANT ARTHUR | 2887 | |
| LE ROUX | PIERRE RIENE | 2723 | 2017 with Seawork Fish Processors in Walvis Bay. |
| LE ROUX | PHILLIPUS KAREL | 1658 | |
| LE ROUX | LOURENCO MARTHINUS | 468 | Seaman on Fisheries vessel “Africana”. |
| LE ROUX | DANIEL | 1775 | Completed his engineering apprenticeship with Cape City Tramways and later worked for Leyland. Then went to sea with Springbok Shipipng Company which was later bought by Safmarine and then served a few years with Union Castle Line. Spent two years as a sales representative in the Orange River and Karoo regions before joining the S.A. Harbours & Railways as Chief Engineer. Served 24 years on various craft in various ports before his retirement in 1999. |
| LE SEUR | HEPBURN ROYE | 1659 | |
| LE SUEUR | PAUL | 2419 | Sailed on the passenger ship S.A. Vaal 1973. “I joined Safmarine in 1971 and stayed with them until they sold the Company in 2000. I went through the ranks and was promoted to Captain in 1991. Most of the time I spent on bulk carriers tramping around the world. I particularly enjoyed sailing on the “handy” sized bulk ships (30000T – 50000T) which were able to go anywhere as there were no draft restrictions and usually ended up in some strange or exotic port to load or discharge. I disliked container ships as I found them boring and tedious. In 2001 I worked for the company who had bought SafBulk and did two contracts with them before deciding that I had had enough of 6-month contracts and working with Filipinos and wanted a change of scene. I then did a few short term contracts on various types of v/ls including salvage tugs as mate before I was offered a chance to train as a mooring master/pilot with Pentow in 2002.The idea of piloting had always attracted me but not in RSA.I trained at the Durban SBM and Mossel Bay terminals. From then on I worked as a mooring master in Ghana, Nigeria (3 yrs) until the pirates/high jacking got out of hand, Sudan and Lybia until 2011. Then retired.” |
| LE SUEUR | JOHN ALEXANDER | 991 | 29th September 1939 joined Royal Navy as Midshipman. Served on HMAMC Carnovan Castle, Eperance Bay, HMS Liverpool, HMS Valient, HMS Duneden, HMS Cloudburst, HMS Gambia. 1945 transferred to South African Naval Forces but seconded to Royal Navy. Promtoed to Lieutenant. Shore establihsments: Grenwich College, Chatham, English Ports Trincomalee, Alexandra. Theatres in Med E.A. Fleet. Convoy duties W. Africa. Home Fleet Scapa Flow. N. Atlantic convoys. Indian Ocean. Released from service 1946. Joined S.A.P. 1958 Deceased 10/10/2000. |
| LEACH | ROBERT GEORGE | 1656 | |
| LEACH | GEORGE RICHARD | 990 | Born Victoria East, 13th October 1992, Son of Thoams Ruben Leach and Catherina Johanna, nee Rheeder. Ed, avenue Demonstration School, Johannesburg. Cadet Draft 1938-9. During the war, George Ricahrd Leach served in the Merchant Navy and was reported missing on 5th March 1943, when the Blair Atholl was lost. |
| LEACH | MILTON WELLINGTON | 464 | |
| LEADER | WILLIAM BRYAN | 1364 | Joined Anglo Saxon Petroleum Co and first ship in Durban in January 1946. Sailed as Cadet for two and a half years and un-certificated Third Officer for nine months. Wrote Second Mates in Durban in 1949 and First Mates in London 1951. Left the sea in 1951 with Chief Officers Certificate and went into a Business Machine Company working on Accounting Machines and later computers. Worked there for 41 years. Deceased July 2009. |
| LEALE | GRAHAM CAVENDISH | 1365 | “1945 was not a good year to get a posting to a ship and as a result I took a clerical job. In 1949 I joined Welfit Oddy Ltd (Oddy’s Bodies) the commercial body and trailer builders who in 1986 diversified into the manufacture of stainless steel tank containers for world wide operation. I later became accountant of the company and finally company secretary. I retired in 1991 after 42 years service. I am a member of the Probus Club and still active in tennis and gardening.” Deceased 9th July 2021. |
| LEARMONTH | WILLIAM WESTBROOKE BURTON | 14 | 1960-66 University of Cape Town, Civil Engineering and Quantity Surveying. 1966-68 with Babbs Labdon & Partners in Cape Town. 1968-78 Asphalt Roads and Roofing Contractors, senior management responsible for operations in the Westerna and South Eastern Cape. 1978-79 Murray & Stewart as Senior Contracts Surveyor on various multi million Rand projects and developments. 1987-1990 Vadek Paints, director responsible for Cape operations, manufacturing and sales. 1990-2008 Neil Muller Construction, director of Procurement and Property Development and shareholder. Sold shareholding in 2006 and retired 2008. Does ocean sailing and motor racing. |
| LEDINGHAM | ROBERT DONALD | 1657 | |
| LEDSOME | CHARLES VINCENT STAFFORD | 470 | Joined “Africana” as Cabin Boy. |
| LEDWARD | MICHAEL PATRICK | 759 | Reported in “Old Salts’ 1947/48 Chief Officer of the S.A. Marine Corporation’s First Ship ‘Constantia’. |
| LEDWARD | JOHN SUMMERS | 934 | 1941 or 1942 joined the Royal Navy. Born 12th March 1921, deceased 8th January 1989. |
| LEE | FRANK WILLIAM | 217 | Left the Bothie October 1925 as medically unfit. |
| LEE | ANDREW EDWARD | 2806 | 2000 – With Smit-Pentow, towing and salvage company. |
| LEE | NOEL HENRY | 1629 | |
| LEE | MICHAEL VAN REENEN | 120 | Winner of King’s Gold Medal. After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line and Midshipman Royal Navy Reserve. |
| LEE | LAURENCE BONLY RAMSAY | 1835 | Another ‘mad’ Rhodesian and also from Prince Edward School, Salisbury, Laurie Lee was a mischievous cadet and displayed a marked propensity for getting into trouble. He left the Botha at the end of his first year and surfaced in Cape Town a few years later living in Plumstead. He was last seen in 1958 preaching the Gospel on the Grand Parade in Cape Town. |
| LEERAAR | CHARLES ANNE-FELIX | 2477 | Sailed with Safmarine as Cadet and Second Officer before joining de Beers Marine as Chief Officer June 1980. But in September 1980 joined Unicorn Lines as Chief Officer to obtain sea time. Obtained Masters Certificate December 1982. January 1983 joined Portnet as tug mate in Port Elizabeth. Promoted to Master October 1989 and transferred to Walvis Bay. Also appointed as Transnamib Rrelief Harbour Master and Pilot for Luderitz. Later promoted to Assistant Manager, Marine Operations and Lighthosues, and transferred to Johannesburg. Resigned from Portnet March 1994, emigrated to the U.K. and appointed Operations Manager, West Coast Towing Company, in Swansea, South Wales. 1999 joined Marine Offshore Services, Thames Ditton as towage and salvage consultant and broker. 2014 Director of Marint Offshore Services. |
| LEE-ROBERTS | STUART WILLIAM | 2371 | Previously with Safmarine. Worked 13 years for Truworths as a buyer. He was then with Miladies as joint MD and a director. He retired in Franschhoek and lived there for 25 years. When he moved to Franschhoek he bought a small farm which had lemon and nut trees. Later sold and bought in the village. Had a company called Cape Computer Labels that was in Belville. Makes all sort of stuff like wine bottle labels, medical tags, price tags for clothes etc. Later built own factory in Wellington. Deceased 6th January 2020. |
| LEES | WALTER JAMES | 1891 | In 1956 I joined the ‘Perthshire’ in Durban only to find out that when I went for my medical I had Hepatitis and was unable to join them. The Shire Line was owned by Clan Line. Two months later I joined the ‘Lanarkshire’ a refrigerated ship, and spent most of my apprenticeship on this ship, sailing between South Africa, Europe and the UK. After that I joined the ‘Clan Alpine’ I did a trip to India and East Pakistan as 4th Officer. I sat for my 2nd Mates Certificate in Liverpool. I then joined the Springbok Line ‘The Rooibok’ which was part of the Clan Line, as 3rd Officer. I resigned in Durban but was asked to remain on board as 2nd Officer. I sailed up to Beira. I then sailed to Cape Town where I finally resigned. I joined a Stevedoring Company, African Associated. After that I joined Royal Interocean Lines in 1961 and ended up as Marine Superintendent. I worked at Royal Interocean Lines for 9 years and was approached by the Old Mutual to join them. I was with them for 9 years and after that started my own business, Induscor. I retired 3 years later at the age of 52. My hobbies are photography, golf, bowls and fishing. |
| LEFFLER | WILLIAM FEDERICK PATRICK | 1419 | |
| LEGG | MERVYN VINCENT | 1560 | Deceased 22/08/2007. Wife phone 082 824 9624 |
| LEIBBRANDT | IVAN ERROL | 2496 | Cadet with Safmarine. Resigned June 1977 and moved to U.S.A. Marine Surveyor in Baltimore – trained as an aircraft maintenance engineer – U.S. Airforce Reserves, learnt to fly. Bachelors degress – 2 years in a Theological Seminary, Dallas. Joined Broniff International Airline, Cayman Airways, United Parcel Service – maintenance, flight training, pilot, flying the jumbo B747 aircraft. |
| LEIGH | DAVID PIETER | 2807 | Left the sea in 1989 after sailing as Chief Officer and joined a stevedoring company in Richard’s Bay as operations manager. Then joined Island View Shipping in Durban in 1990. 1995 joined MUR Shipping as their Operations Manager. 2003 posted to Australia when MUR purchased Scottish Ship Owners and Managers in Sydney. 2008 Operations Manager MUR Shipping, Australia. Subsequently bought a farm in Australia and does Equine Podiotherapy. Bsc Equine Science, Dip. EPT., Cert IV VT & A. |
| LEITH | WILLIAM MACDONALD | 1774 | Went to sea with Shell Tankers for 9 years, obtained Master’s Certificate before joining the S.A. Harbour Service for 6 monhts. 1963 joined the Antartic survey vessel, m.v. RSA, as Chief Officer before joining the S.A. Navy late 1963 as a Lieutenant. Served at sea on a number of S.A. Navy vessels, including the Frigates, before becoming Officer in Charge of the Radar and Action Information Schoolf or 3 years and later promoted to captain and advanced to Senior Staff Officer Operations. 1977 transferred to the Department of Transport to join the new Antartic survey vessel, S.A. Agulhas, then building in Japan. Took command of the vessel 1979 to 1995. Retired 1993 followed by 2 years crayfish fishing off Tristan da Cunha. 1995 joined the SAN Hydrographic office retiring 2001. |
| LEMON | ALBERT GEORGE | 336 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. 1964 Harbour Pilot in Durban Harbour Service. |
| LEMPE | MAXWELL ENFIELD BLAIR | 1185 | |
| LENDRUM | HUGH CARSON | 1892 | After Bothie joined Africa Surveys, aerial photography, which involved a year in Zimbabwe. Returned to S.A. and joined Colgate became head of Loss and Gain Management. Later transferred to their Marketing Department as a Brand Manager. After 8 years was Group Product Manager and then left to open his own General Dealer store in Zululand. At that time also did commercial fishing and shark net maintenance. Thereafter became a partner in Fiberil Coatings followed by joining Plate Glass as a Mill Manager in Gauteng. A year later joined Parker Pen Company and later Concord Food and Drug as partner. During this period also became Executive Director of S.A. Society of Marketers. Initiated the Loerie Awards. 8 years later set up a new business in the USA marketing stainless steel products and other products from S.A. Returned to S.A. and acquired The Directors’ Collection LTD. 2007 active assisting clients with advice on business strategy leading financial applications of all types including property development and asset finance. Deceased 26/10/2012. |
| LEON | BASIL ABRAHAM | 760 | |
| LEPPAN | JOHN DUDLEY | 1120 | Deceased 1996. |
| LEPPAN | WARREN DUDLEY | 1045 | 1941 appointed Midshipman and joined H.M.S. Cornwall. Served on her until sunk by the Japanese on the 5th April 1942 south of Ceylon and then on HMS Valiant, both in the Eastern Fleet. Then HMS Kent in the Home Fleet, and finished the war out East on ML907. After the war went farming, first near Klerksdorp, then Aliwal North and since 1956 on the farm Mandalay in the George district (South Africa) where he grew lettuce and celery. Deceased 17/09/2008. |
| LERWICK | MICHAEL JOHN | 1561 | After G.B. served apprenticeship as a fitter and turner for 5 years. Then went to sea on the Victory Ship, “S.A. Morgenster” (Safmarine). 2 years later joined Smiths Coasters. Sent to Sweden to deliver the “Monita.” Stayed at sea for 2 more years before coming ashore. The “Monita’s” bridge (all teak) is a part of the Crayfish Inn at Ramsgate. Deceased 13/02/2011 |
| LESLIE | PHILIP RODNEY | 342 | 1929-1936 Junior shipping clerk with Mitchell Cotts 1936-1938 Removed to Government areas, state mines. 1938-1940 joined Vacuum Oil Co. Subsequently Mobil Oil. 1940 – attested for war service as A.B. 1941 – drafted to convoy anti submarine ships as First Lieutenant, promoted to Lieutenant July 1944. 1946- demobilised. Returned to Mobil Oil Cape Town as Senior Industrial salesman until March 1958 when transferred to Rhodesia as public relations and advertising manager for Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Malawi. Retired 1972. Deceased 10/09/99 Undated Curriculum Vitae: Born 11th June 1912, Florida, Transvaal. Schooled at Grey College, Port Elizabeth, from the age of eight years.Joined S.A.T.S. General Botha 1927. Obtained 1st Class Navigation and Seamanship Board of Trade Certificate. Parents refused permission to follow a seafaring career on account of two cousins and uncle buried at sea whilst serving in P&O. Joined staff at Wm Cotts, Durban 1929-1936 as junior shipping clerk. Removed to Government Areas (State Mines) Brakpan 1936. March 1937 married Joyce Schweizer in Cape Town. Two daughters born of the marriage. Joined Vacuum Oil Co., subsequently Mobil Oil, Johannesburg 4th July 1938. Attested for war service with S.A. Seaward Defence August 1940 as A.B. Went on officer’s Training Course, Cape Town Castle. Gunnery 92%, Signals 85%, Rifle Drill 10%, Squad Drill 40%. After commissioning sent to Walvis Bay as examination officer for nine months under Lt Commander N.P. Curtoys and Commander G.V. Thomas. Returned to Cape Town and, after three weeks, was on embarkation leave prior to departure for the Mediterranean September 1941. Drafted to escourt A/S ships, serving in Southern Sea, Southen Maid and Protea as 1st Lieutenant. Promoted to Lieutenant 1st July 1944. Returned to R.S.A. December 1944. In command of SAS Immortelle but unable to endure lazy patrols off Cape Town after three years in Mediterranean convoy escourt work, was transferred to Port Elizabeth under Captain James Dalgleish’s instructions to demobilise approximately 100 naval ratings. This after attending a two week “Demob” course in Pretoria. Recalled to Cape Town to take over the recruiting section for the permanent South African Navy – ratings thence officers. Demobilised 1976. Returned to Mobil Oil Cape Town as senior industrial salesman until March 1958 when transferred to Rhodesia as Public Relations and Advertising Manager for Southern and Northern Rhodesia and Malawi. Retired 1972. In 1978 returned to R.S.A. Retirement occupation essentially wood turning – furniture and fittings. Sadly lost elder daughter in 1987. Remaining daughter (was) sister-in-charge of Durban’s Blood Donor’s Clinic, having completed nursing training at Cape Town Groote Schuur and Queen Victoria Johannesburg. Wife was Senior Legal Secretary with Salisbury’s largest legal firm for eighteen and a half years. |
| LETHABY | ROBERT | 935 | WWII Air Mechanic SAAF. |
| LEWER | JAMES DAVID | 2888 | After serving as Third Officer on the Salvage Tug John Ross for a year left the sea in 1989 to enter the world of yachting. Joined Bellamy Masts as rigging manager. 1992 rejoined Safmarine shore staff as Conference Secretariat. Later moved in to Safmarine’s Liner Trade department and managed the Far East Trade’ westbound pricing desk for a couple of eyars until transferred to Safmarine’s NVO department, Saferoute, as manager of the China Desk. This included spending time in China. 2000 transferred to Safmarine’s head office in Antwerp as New Trades Manager with the Growth, Development and Projects Division. 2003 transferred to Safmarine Cape Town as Intra Africa Trade Manager. 2012 retired from Safmarine. |
| LEWIS | JOHN EDWARD JOSEPH | 348 | Born Wynberg, 28 November 1912, son of George Herbert Lewis and Rosa Alden. Ed Diocesan College, Rondebosch. Cadet Draft 1927-8. John Edward Joseph Lewis joined the Blue Funnel Line as Midshipman, obtaining his Master’s Certificate in 1936. During the war he served with the Seaward Defence Force and was lost in the sinking of the HMSAS Southern Floe on 11 February 1941. Was Commanding Officer of the HMSAS Southern Floe at the time. 1928 Winner of the King’s Gold Medal. Joined the General Botha staff as Third Officer in 1937 (the first Old Boy to be appointed to the ship’s staff) before joining the navy in 1939. 28th September 1949 the Archbishop of Cape Town consecrated a new altar in the S.A.N.C. General Botha (Gordon’s Bay) chapel, presented in memory of J.E.J. Lewis (348) by his mother. It had been designed by Captain-Superintendent Legassick and A.S. Pomeroy (373). |
| LEWIS | TIMOTHY LLEWELLYN STAKESBY | 1953 | |
| LEY | THOMAS BERNARDUS RICHARD | 252 | |
| LIEDTKE | HANS CHRISTOPHER | 2741 | Since Bothie has held various sea going positions in Pentow Marine and D.S.V. Ltd. 1997 Master on the Deep Salvage 1 providing Dive Support with Chevron in the Malongo Oil Field, Cabinda Enclage, Angola. 2015 living in Thailand for the past ten years working as a freelance rig mover / tow master. |
| LIEDTKE | PETER MARCUS | 2781 | 1997 -with S.A. Breweris in Kwa-Zulu Natal. |
| LIGHT | KENNETH LAWRENCE JEFFREY | 816 | |
| LIGHTON | RALPH | 434 | 20/04/1930 joined S.A. Naval Service as Stoker. |
| LILLEY | JOHN HERBERT FRANCIS | 817 | Previously the Town Treasurer of Simon’s Town. Deceased 1976. Sailed on the Southern Class Mine Sweepers and did service in the Mediterranean during WWII. On his return to S.A. was promoted to Sub Lieutenant and was Officer Commanding of ships laid up in Saldahna Bay. |
| LILLEY | HOWARD JAMES FRANCIS | 1720 | After Bothie started with the Provincial Administration. Then moved around in various jobs which included boat building and shiup chandling before going into electrical sales in 1965, from where he retired in 1990. Deceased 30/04/2002. |
| LILLIE | FREDERICK JOHANNES | 1186 | 15/01/1943 Cadet on ms Selandia. Deceased 10/02/98 of Cancer. |
| LINCK | MICHAEL ANDREW GEORGE | 1187 | 1943 – 47 sailed on Royal Navy Frigates and after the war, minesweeping off the U.K. Coast. 1948 went into insurance. 1951 joined Commercial Union Insuance in London, later transferred to Cape Town. 1954 opened a branch in Lusaka. 1960 – 70 moved to Salisbury (now Harare) and became manager for Central Afirca. Opened various branches including operations in Mozambique and Angola. During that time served with the Territorial Army Intelligence. 1971 after helping to set up Inedpendent Insurance Arrangemetns to cope with UDI sanctions, transferred to Canada and became Commercial Union’s General Manager. 1975 London, overseas General Manager. 1980 retired and returned to Cape Town. 1981 – 86 established Alliance Insurance Group in S.A. Becoming their Chairman. 1986 moved to Isle of Man, set up Offshore Insurance. Vice Chairman of the Government Regulatory Authority. |
| LINCOLN | HAROLD GRAHAM YOUNG | 31 | After leaving “General Botha” served an engineering apprenticeship with the South African Railways and Harbours, mainly on the tugs in Table Bay Harbour but also a stint in the mechanical shops at Salt River. Spent some time as engineer officer with SARShips and also coasting with Smith’s Coasters. From 1965 to 1970 with the Cape Town engineering merchants Malcolm Simpson (Pty) Ltd. During that period studied part time at University of Cape Town to gain some formal knowledge of accounting, commercial law, etc.. In 1970 moved to the UK, joined the London based engineering merchants and contractors George Meller Ltd, becoming Contracts Manager. In 1975 joined the British multi-national specialist engineering company Howden Group PLC. After a period as their General Sales Manager in Johannesburg, appointed Managing Director of one of the two South African sub-groups. Appointed Managing Director of European operations in 1983 based in Oldenzaal, The Netherlands. This appointment included responsibility for mergers and acquisitions, eventually the European Group had operations in The Netherlands, Germany, France, Denmark, Switzerland, Belgium, England, Scotland and Ireland. Appointed to the main Board of Howden Group PLC in 1990. 1993 moved to the USA as Chief Executive with responsibility for operations in the USA, Canada and Mexico. Took early retirement in 1997 when Howden Group was the subject of a hostile take over. Spent the next couple of years as a marketing consultant in South America, mainly Brasil, Chile and Argentina. 2009 fully retired. Became a Rotarian in 1996 and as such have been very involved in humanitarian relief work in Central America, particularly Belize, Honduras, El Salvador, Costa Rica. |
| LINDSAY | IAN MICHAEL | 2227 | After G.B. sailed with Safmarine for 3 years. Then sailed with various British Shipping Companies culminating with the Ben Line. All certificates, including Masters taken in Aberdeen. 1977 – 1993 – Offshore Oil Industry as Master in a variety of offshore vessels. Latter periods with Shell as O.I.S. and O.I.M. 1994 – back in Cape Town – Marine Surveyor with S.G.S. 1995 – set up own Marine Survey and Oilfield Consultancy – IML Marine Surveys cc. 2005 with Noble Denton in Aberdeen, Scotland. 2015 became an Independent Marine Consultant. |
| LINDSAY | KEITH WILLIAM | 2180 | 1961 Naval Chief-of-Staff’s Award for the best cadet of the year. 1962-66 Cadet and 3rd Officer with Ellerman & Bucknall. Studied for 1st Mate and Master FG certificates at SAMNA General Botha. Joined Unicorn Lines as Chief Officer for 3 years. Served a dogwatch with the S.A.R.& H. Before attending Cape Town University to read economics and psychology. 1975 – 78 joined the S.A.M.N.A. General Bothal as Nautical Lecturer and taught Meterology and Shipmaster’s business. Returned to Liverpool as Senior Lecturer in the Department of Maritime Studies. Taught shipping business and worked in the Marine Operations Research Unit with Alan Bole (1949/50). Awarded the Doctor of Philosophy Degree for a thesis entitled “Secondary Radar, Collision avoidance and ship-to-ship communication.” Transferred to the Liverpool Business School of John Moores University in 1989 as Principle Lecturer in Operations Management. 1997 Assistant Director for Undergraduate Programmes. Retired September 2005. |
| LINNOW | ROY GREGORY | 1893 | Initially joined Shell, obtained Masters F.G. Served with S.A. Navy 1969 to 1979 qualifying as a survey officer, serving in SAS Natal, SAS Haerlem and SAS Protea and subsequently retired from De Beers. Deceased 22nd April 2016. |
| LINNOW | JOHN MICHAEL | 2114 | Sailed as Cadet with S.A.R. & H. and Bank Line and promoted to Second Officer with African Coasters in 1963. Later sailed with Smiths Coasters and Unicorn Lines as Chief Officer before joining Land & Marine Salvage as Chief Officer on the Bellatrix where he gained valuable experience. Returned to Unicorn Lines in 1969 and was appointed Marine Superintendent in 1971. 1974 joined the Department of Transport as Ship Surveyor in Durban, 1975 Principal Officer in East London and in 1976 Principal Officer in Walvis Bay. 5 years later returned to Cape Town as ship surveyor. During his years in Cape Town was appointed to several posts including Casualty Officer, Deputy Principal Officer, chairman of the Maritime Committee and the S.A. Search & Rescue Organisation. Winner of the General Botha Sportsmanship Trophy in 1959. Deceased 27/09/97. |
| LIPOWSKI | MAREK | 2694 | Joined Safmarine in 1979. Resigned 1986 as Second Officer. Joined Department of Environmental Affairs and sailed on m.v. Agulhas and r.v. Africana as Chief Officer. Resigned in 1988 and joined De Beers Marine. Obtained Class 1 certificate in 1991 and promoted to Relief Master in 1992. Promoted to Master in 1994. 1996 sailing as master on m.v. Douglas Bay engaged in diamond prospecting off Sierra Leone, West Africa. 1994 till 2020 sailed as master on Debeers Marine South Africa and Debmarine Namibia vessels Douglas Bay, Grand Banks, Coral Sea and Debmar Pacific. 2021 retired. |
| LISIECKI | SIMON PURVES | 2395 | 1974: Resigned from Safmarine and joined Rennies Coasters. In 1997 joined Kuwait Oil Tankers (KOYC). 1979 obtained Master’s Certificate and promoted to Chief Officer with KOTC. In 1982 Promoted to Master and resigned from KOTC in 1986 to emigrate to the USA, where he became a Marine Surveyor/Consultant. In 1989 joined BP Oil Shipping as Superintendent in Los Angles then transferred to Valdez Alaska as Port Manager in 1990. In 1994 transferred to Anchorage as Manager Maritime Affairs, then from 1998 to 2000 transferred to London to work in Business Development. Returned to Alaska for the acquisition ARCO Marine and later promoted to President of BP Oil Shipping. Transferred to London in 2003 as Vice President of Government Affairs and Director of Europe, Africa & Middle East for BP Shipping. Retired at the end of 2008 and retuned home to Alaska. Currently attending the North West School of Wooden Boatbuilding, north of Seattle. |
| LISTER | MICHAEL VAUDREY | 2228 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Venture”. |
| LISTER | JAMES GORDON | 299 | After Bothie apprenticed to Prince Line. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: was unfortunate enough to be ship wrecked near Jaffa, when he took charge of the first lifeboat and got his party ashore safely. |
| LITTLE | RONALD HORACE | 1606 | |
| LITTLE | IVOR CHRISTOPHER | 1836 | Ivor Little was another of the large Rondebosch Boys’ High School contingent to pass through the General Botha. His sole moments of fame at the Bothie were winning the Navy League Essay Competition and being a silver bugler in the band. On leaving the Botha he joined Southern Steamships as a cadet in the President Brand, along with ErnieHinterleitner. After passing his second mates examination in Cape Town, Ivor joined Sarships as third mate on the Dalia, where the master was their old navigation lecturer, Morgan Williams and the senior cadet was Hans Schröder. When this ship was sold Ivor moved across to Safmarine, serving in various ships until he obtained his masters in 1961. At the time, he was the youngest officer to achieve this qualification in South Africa, a record broken a month later by Neil du Plessis. During this period, Ivor met Patricia Anne Cullen of Fort Lee, New Jersey, and they were married there in 1960. Ivor came ashore joining the harbour service in Port Elizabeth, where he served until 1966 in their tugs and dredgers, being particularly involved in the salvage of the Margin and Reef and doing relieving duties in Mossel Bay and East London. This was followed by a brief foray into the business world as sales service manager with Greatermans and then personal assistant to the managing director of the United American Ice Cream Company. Ivor then moved into his real forte, teaching, joining the staff of the General Botha in Granger Bay and remaining with them until 1970. During this time he did a sabbatical as master of the Unicorn Line ships Intombi and Frontier; served as an assessor in a number of marine enquiries; founded the Master Mariners ‘Bridge Watch’ magazine and wrote a number of columns for the Cape Times while their shipping correspondent, George Young, was on leave.In 1970 Ivor accepted an offer to transfer to the SA Navy with the rank of commander, and was appointed lecturer in nautical science in the Faculty of Military Science at Stellenbosch University, then based at the Military Academy in Saldanha. During this time he also qualified as a coxswain and watch-keeping officer at SAS Flamingo Air Sea Rescue Station at Langebaan. His duties also included spells at sea as midshipmen’s training officer in the minesweepers Johannesburg, Mossel Bay and Durban and as officer in tactical command of the training squadron. He was appointed Officer Commanding HDML 1204 and the fast patrol boat P1558, which were attached to the military academy and did a training patrol in the submarine SAS Emily Hobhouse. Together with Bill Leith, Ivor drew up and presented the first long navigation and direction course to be given in the South African Navy. In 1974, Ivor won the US Institute of Navigation Prize for the best article submitted to them and was invited to present a paper at its conference at the State University of New York. In 1975 he was awarded the Military Merit Medal and successfully passed his naval command and staff course, after which he was appointed to the SA Naval Staff College in Muizenberg to lecture in English and statistics. In 1978 he was appointed officer-in-charge of the college and was then transferred to SA Naval Headquarters in Pretoria as staff officer counter-insurgency. There Ivor was tasked with establishing the SA Marines. This done, he handed over the battalion to its first officer commanding and was then sent to Chile as an exchange officer with the Chilean Navy. Here, Ivor served in the Chilean Antarctic Squadron as assistant navigator in the attack transport Aquiles, completing three supply trips to the Antarctic. On his return to South Africa, Ivor was promoted to Captain and appointed senior staff officer, force development at Defence Headquarters in Pretoria, his job being to convert the Transkei Battalion into the Transkei Defence Force. When the TDF was up and running he was sent to the Defence College on its senior staff course and was subsequently appointed director of communications operations at SA Naval Headquarters. From there he was selected for overseas service and was posted to Buenos Aires, Argentina, to fill the post of Military, Air and Naval Attaché. Five months later he was transferred to Italy as Defence Force Representative at the South African Embassy in Rome. On returning to South Africa in 1989 Ivor was awarded the Southern Cross Medal and appointed senior staff officer, public relations, at SA Defence Headquarters. This necessitated studying for and passing the various grades of the Public Relations Institute of South Africa (PRISA), until he eventually found himself as Chairman of their Pretoria Branch. As a hobby and an ancillary part of one of his projects, Ivor also achieved the status of professional tour guide for the Natal Battlefields Association and SADF representative on the Military Art Council and Delville Wood Museum Boards. A transfer followed to senior staff officer, shows and exhibitions, which entailed the supervision of all SADF participation in arms exhibitions, shows, parades and air shows. This international exposure led to his appointment as Director, Foreign Relations, at the Ministry of Defence (Defence Secretariat). In this capacity, Ivor also served as a member of the military staff serving the Southern African Development Council (SADEC); the International Security and Defence Committee (ISDC) and the Parliamentary Security and Defence Committee. Ivor retired from the navy at the end of 1997, having also been awarded his naval bridge watchkeeping certificate; surface warfare badge; bronze and silver good service medals; the Unitas Medal and the South Africa Medal (for combating terrorism). He then returned to sea in the merchant navy (just to do it one more time!) and, after revalidating his masters certificate, served in the offshore mining industry enjoying a short spell as chief officer in a tug on the Agulhas Bank offshore oilrig area. He then served as master in various ships, including the Cape Town to Tristan da Cunha mailship and aboard a support tug in the Eastern Mediterranean. On retiring from the sea in 2001 Ivor entered into an active retirement and at various times served as National Chairman of the SA Military History Society; Acting Chairman of the South African Chapter of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission; President of the Professional and Businessman’s Club of Pretoria, Chairman of the Gauteng branch of the GBOBA and Warden of the Garrison Church of Christ the King in Voortrekkerhoogte. He was also awarded the City of Johannesburg Medal of Appreciation with Bar for services to veterans whilst serving as a member of the SA Legion. At the time of writing (2020) he is the doyen (“Godfather”) of the Pretoria Branch of the Naval Officers Association. He is living in Centurion with Anne, his wife of 60 years. Their three children and two grandchildren live close by and he keeps himself occupied by writing articles for various local and international publications. He is also the author of a published and well received autobiography titled “Above Board and Under Cover”. |
| LLOYD | OLIVER | 349 | 1942 was Sea Transport Officer (Royal Navy) in Freetown. Apart from the war years – he had served as a Navigator on an armed merchant cruiser, as a pilot at Freetown Sierra Leone, as a staff officer in Durban and as Commander of a Tank Landing Craft. |
| LLOYD | CLARENCE HENRY MICHAEL | 43 | Placed in S.A. Navy as Boy Seaman. |
| LLOYD | WILLIAM ABE SAMUEL | 1721 | Reported deceased. |
| LLOYD | NORMAN MOSTEYN | 208 | His nickname on GB was “Tusker”. His last school before S.A.T.S. General Botha was Pietermaritzburg College. He started a third year in the ship but was withdrawn 30th April 1927 to join the Royal Navy Reserve as a Probationary Midshipman . He became a Merchant Service Officer and joined Union-Castle Line in 1928. He was in the Royal Navy Reserve [RNR] during the Second World War. He later commanded a Union-Castle cargo ship, the first South African to get command in Union-Castle. After Safmarine was established he transferred across and became a Master in their ships. He eventually became Commodore of the Safmarine fleet. Deceased 18th April 1986. He held the Reserve Decoration [RD] for the RNR service. Refer: www.bandcstaffregister.com/page1398.html |
| LOFTUS | WILLIAM KENNETH BEATON | 298 | Winner of the Clough Medal. After Bothie apprenticed to Clan Line and joined the R.N.R. as a midshipman. Later became Genearl Manager of Premier Mines. Deceased. |
| LOGAN | GLEN ALAN | 697 | Born in East London 31/01/1817. After G.B. started work with ERPM (mining) as an assistant surveyor. On outbreak of the war joined Transvaal Scottish as Corporal. 1942 discharged from the army with polio and rejoined ERPM as acting Shift Boss. 1951 emigrated to Rhodesia to work on mines as Assistant Surveyor and was appointed manager of the Pickstone Mine in 1951 and manager Patchway Mine in 1961. Retired in May 1982. Developed Parkinsons disease and died of cancer 7th August 1991. |
| LOGAN | GEORGE FRANCIS | 1630 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Sailing in the m.v. Nairnbank. |
| LOGAN | NORMAN COLLIN | 1954 | Did not complete second year. ” I was pushed into an apprenticeship at age 16, 1956, motor mechanic completed January 1961 went through the ranks at different firms. Journeyman, Foreman, Service Manager. Started my own business 1985, semi retired and asked to help a local high school with their maintenance problems and after 9.5 years at the school I retired at age 75, retired for the third time at 77 having been employed at a Automotive engineering firm. Present (2021) employment, CEO of a residential setup. Duties consist of taking care of all financial requirements, all purchase requirements ( grocery shopping), all maintenance. |
| LOGAN | ALAN GEORGE | 2443 | 1995 – Tug Master, Port of Richards Bay. Deceased 12th June 2015. |
| LOKER | CHARLES TELFER | 1306 | Deceased. |
| LOMBARD | ANDREW PETER | 761 | |
| LONG | PHILIP CHARLES SHELDON | 992 | WWII Air Mechanic SAAF. |
| LONG | GERALD JAMES EVERARD | 460 | |
| LONG | ERNEST HORATIO DORRINGTON | 818 | Reported deceased during the mid nineties. |
| LONG | HENRY WILLIAM IRELAND | 386 | |
| LONSDALE | LESTER NORMAN FRANK | 19 | Joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| LORD | CUTHBERT EDWARD | 634 | 1933 Junior Cadet Captain and later Senior Cadet Captain. 1933 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Apprenticed to Prince Line, |
| LORD | JOHN | 1420 | Sailed with various British companies, as Master since 1960. Now retired. |
| LORD | ROBERT GUNNAR MORDAUNT | 2372 | After G.B. joined Safmarine as Cadet. Was later seconded to North America as a Cargo Superintendent. On his return was posted as Cargo Superintendent on the SAECS/Transatlantic joint roro service for a whiel before joining Safmarine shore staff. Served in various positions before being promtoed to Marketing Manager of Saflink (Agency Division of Safmarine), Western Cpae. June 1997 seconded to Zimbabwe as Saflink Representative responsible for Zimbabwe, Malawi and Mozambique. August 2000 – transferred to Port Elizabeth as Safmarine branch manager. 2004 in Safmarine H.O., Cape Town. 2011 retired. |
| LOUBSER | LEON | 1894 | |
| LOUBSER | DAVID IAN | 2742 | After leaving Bothie remained with Safmarine until 1984, leaving to attend the Universities of Witwatersrand where I studied Zoology and Microbiology, I later went on to the University of Cape Town to complete my postgraduate studies in Spatial Ecology. After working in various parts of SA for a few years, together with my family we immigrated to New Zealand in 2002. In NZ I worked on climate change related activities until 2010, gaining citizenship and ultimately starting my own small climate change focused consultancy. After a while, wanderlust took hold again and we left NZ to work and live around the world. I project managed the topographic and bathymetric mapping of a new port development on the Gulf of Bahrain in Saudi Arabia, I consulted for the Abu Dhabi Environment Agency on mangrove restoration and environmental information for a while and then moved back to Africa to work for a large environmental NGO based out of Nairobi. As the Director of Climate Change, I got to implement projects across the African continent and beyond into Southern Asia. In 2015 we moved back to the Pacific region where I took up a diplomatic role as Head of Mission in Vanuatu for the Regional Pacific Environmental Agency, while based in Port Vila Vanuatu, I got to travel and work across the region. In 2019, together with the family we moved back home to New Zealand. I now run an environmental consultant working on the Kapiti Coast of New Zealand, but with a focus on providing environmental consulting services into the broader Pacific region. |
| LOURENS | JOHN | 698 | Did not complete second year. Born Wolseley, Cape Province, 5th January 1918. Son of Jan Gerhardus Lourens and Maria Elizabeth, nee van Schalkwyk. Ed, Observatory Boys’ High School, Cape Town. Cadet Draft 1933-34. After leaving General Botha, John Lourens enlisted in the Grenadier Guards, from which he was later transferred to the RAF and in February 1944 was reported missing, believed killed, after a raid over Berlin. He was mentioned in dispatches at Dunkirk and gained the DFM. |
| LOUW | GUSTOV HEINRICH | 2743 | 2001 – with S.A. Maritime Safety Authority based in Cape Town. |
| LOUW | FELIX DE LA REY | 1046 | Born Voortrekkerhoogte, 15th March 1924. Son of Andrew de lay Rey Louw and Maria Magdalena, nee Middleton. Ed Wynberg Boys’ High School. Cadet Draft 1939-40 (Cadet Captian). Felix de la Rey Louw did not go to sea after completing his course in General Botha but served in the SAAF during the war, attaining the rank of Captian. He was killed in action on 13th October 1944, after being posted to the WD/DLR on 29th June 1944. Private Felix de la Rey Louw (1046) served in the Witwatersrand Rifles/Regiment de la Rey in the 6th SA Armoured Division in Italy. His unit recaptured Monte Stanco, the first of a string of strategically very important features which was strongly held by the German 16th SS Division. He was one of the 24 members of his unit who were killed in action. |
| LOUW | CLYDE ADRICK | 1660 | After Bothie joined Trigonometrical survey office to become a topographical and geodetic survey technician. After full training became involved in various mapping surveys and the Pongola-Mkuzi irrigation scheme in Northern Natal. He then spent 7 years in South West Africa before independence to survey the international borders with Botswana and Angola, also vaious mining surveys in Namib Desert and Skeleton Coast. Joined the Cape Town City Council in 1969 to become chief survey professional on all new road schemes and freeways in the Municipality as well as the early development of Mitchell’s Plain. Retired in 1995. |
| LOUW | REON LYLE | 2839 | |
| LOUW | PETER | 993 |
Peter Louw joined the R.N.V.R. at Simon’s Town as a Midshipman on 12.1.39; Sub-Lt. 31.10.42, to S.A.N.F. attached R.N. 1.5.43, Lieut. S.A.N.F. 30.4.45. He served on the Armed Merchant Cruiser Carnarvon Castle from 12.9.39 to 1.1.42; the destroyer ‘Boreas’ 2.7.42 to 20.9.43; the destroyer ‘Chesterfield’ 2.11.43 to 18.11.44; and the anti-submarine trawler ‘Coventry City’ 2.1.45 to 7.8.45. During his service he was variously a pay, stores, navigation, cypher and code officer. He was discharged from the S.A.N.F. on 12.9.46. He was aboard the Carnarvon Castle during her epic engagement with The German raider Thor 700 miles east of Montevideo on 5.12.40. The “Thor” fired 593 shells and 2 torpedoes and the Carnarvon Castle was hit 27 times with the loss of 4 killed and 28 wounded. She limped into Montevideo harbour and was repaired in part using plates from the Graf Spee. In 1941 she took part in Operation ‘Bellringer’ in which 5 Vichy ships were intercepted and escorted into South African ports He later served as a Sgt and Equipment Assistant in the S.A.A.F. Permanent Force from 14.5.48. Despite having served as an officer in the Navy during the war Peter’s recommendations and applications for a commission were unsuccessful. On 30.6.55 he requested his discharge by purchase from the S.A.A.F. To join the Rhodesian Air Force where he was commissioned and ultimately reached the rank of Squadron Leader. His military awards include the Rhodesian General Service Medal, Rhodesian Exemplary Service Medal, 1939-45 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa star with North Africa 1942-42 clasp, Italy Star, Defence Medal, War Medal and Africa Service Medal. |
| LOVELL | ROBERT HILLARY | 2497 | I began my sea-going career in 1974 as a navigating cadet with Safmarine, obtaining my Second Navigating Officer’s Certificate in 1977, my Chief Officer’s Certificate of Competency in 1978, and my Master Class 1 in 1984. During my career I sailed on General Cargo, Bulk, Refrigerated, Heavy Lift, Container and Passenger Vessels. After spending some time with Safocean (Nedlloyd/Safmarine) on the Australia/South Africa run, I immigrated to Australia in 1983. I accepted an appointment as a lecturer in Nautical Studies for the Western Australian Department of Education. I trained students and produced text books for courses offered. 1984 attended the Australian Maritime College and obtained his Master’s FG there. 1986 Chief Officer and later, Master, on the AMC’s training ship Wyuna. 1988/91 worked in Madang, PNG, and then went to Nauru as Harbour Master, Pilot, surveyor and Stevedore Foreman. 1991 went to Brisbane as Assistant Harbour Master but, bored with the desk jockey job, went to Hobart as pilot in Townsville, North Queensland and in 1999 returned to work in Brisbane Marine Pilots, a privatised pilotage company. Also studied for a degree in education and a graduate diploma in business. 2009 Marine Manager/Harbour Master in the port of Esperance on the South East Coast of Western Australia. Deceased 26th April 2020. |
| LOVELL | DONALD STANHOPE | 2724 | 2003 Managing Director of Speciality Metals in Australia, New Zealand and South Africa. Left Safmarine in July 1995 to join a clearing and forwarding company in Johannesburg. In 1986 joined a commodity trader company as Shipping Manager. In 1992 he formed his own company trading in metal powders, refractory metals, non-ferrous alloys and speciality alloys and in 1996 commenced production of a range of welding consumables. 2003 residing in Australia developing a branch network, Speciality Metals, in Australia and New Zealand. 2014 managing director of Speciality Metals, subsequently Hard Metal Industries. DonaldL@hmi.com.au – S.A. Office 011 452 4266 / 083 326 7575 |
| LOVELL | DENNIS MICHAEL | 2782 | |
| LOVEMORE | ROBERT ST CYPRIAN NUTCOMBE | 819 | Born Rugby, England, 8th February 1919. Son of Normal Baillie Lovemore and Constance Mary Nowell, nee Gould. Ed, Junior Grey School, Port Elizabeth. Cadet Draft 1935-36. (Junior Cadet Captain). After leaving General Botha, Robert St. Cyprian Nutcombe Lovemore took up farming as a career, but on the outbreak of war in 1939 joined the RAF and in 1940 was sent to Iraq to complete his training. He was stationed at Habbanya Aerodrome, near Baghdad, and was killed in an air carsh on 12th Septemebr 1940, having become eligible for his ‘wings’ two days before he was killed. 774054 Lovemore. R StC N.. Leading Aircraftsman. RAF. Pilot (U/T) under training, presume. Serving with 4 SFTS (service flying training school) Iraq. Killed as a result of collision between Audax K7523 and K7517 12 Sept 1940, aged 21. With him was Lt. William Penn, another SA man. Buried Habbaniya Cmetry, 4.C.7, Iraq. On the headstone.. “He answered the call, and he who gives himself, gives all”. Parents Norman and Mary Lovemore, Knysna. |
| LOW | DENNIS WOODGATE | 1776 | |
| LOW | ANDREW ST GEORGE | 435 | |
| LOWE | DAVID MARTIN | 2373 | Joined Safmarine. Received from Peter Kroon 1969 #2370: “I knew Dave very well, we bunked together in the starboard watch dorm. He lived with his folks in Pietermaritzberg at the time, they were ex Rhodesians. In December 1969, we both joined the ST Koberg as first trippers. We sailed together for 6 months, and then parted ways to go on leave. I seem to remember he joined a general cargo ship after his leave, but only did one trip, before resigning, and vanishing. I never heard from him since.” |
| LOWNDES | GILBERT GRIFFITHS | 1307 | Deceased. After G.B went to sea on the s.v. Lawhill sailing between South Africa and Australia. After WWII transferred to the s.s. Erica sailing to the Far East. Later came ashore, returned to Bloemfontein, and joined African Oxygen from where he was promoted to most major cities in South Africa. |
| LUNDGREN | RALPH EWAN LINCOLN | 2604 | Previously sailed with Safmarine. Deceased mid 1980’s. |
| LUNDY | MICHAEL ANTHONY | 2061 | 1959 joined Ellerman & Hall Line. 2½ years at sea. 1967 graduated from University of Cape Town with B.Sc. Degree majoring in zoology with botany & chemistry as sub majors. 2 years as research technician in the Oceanography Dept of UCT. Between 1969 & 1980 worked for two chemical companies in Technical Sales, becoming Sales Director of Paragon Chemicals in 1975. Opened own business Lundy & Associates (Pty)Ltd in Jan 1980 and 34 years later still at it trading in marine & non-marine insurance claims, purchasing damaged cargo from insurers & selling it on. Like changing your job every week for 34 years ! Has written 5 books on hiking guides in the Western Cape & co-authored another 3. (“Top Treks of the World” & “Hiking Atlas of the World” have sold internationally with Top Treks having been translated into 6 languages). Over a 20 year period (up to 2005) did weekly hiking reports on Good Hope Radio, KFM & Cape Talk. Also wrote a weekly column for the Cape Times 1994 – 1997 & Sunday Times 98/99. Married to 2nd wife Barbara & lived happily in Hout Bay with all 3 sons & 2 stepdaughters plus 7 grandchildren (not all in the same house!). 2005 joined The Owl Club. Deceased 27th May 2015. |
| LUPTON-SMITH | GEOFFREY PATRICK | 2590 | Owner of ‘Gepettes’ tree felling and garden services. |
| LUTTRELL-WEST | LEWIS LANGHAM | 535 | 1931 Senior Cadet Captain. Runner up for the King’s Gold Medal. 1931 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. |
| LUYT | PETER JOHN IRVINE | 1308 | Deceased 1997. |
| LUYT | LEONARD MICHAEL | 1895 | Deceased 12/01/2014. After leaving the General Botha, Len returned to his home in Johannesburg where he joined The Shell Company of South Africa as a Marketing Trainee under the auspices of his father, an Executive of that Company. His father’s early death brought to an end what Len believed would have been a lifelong career with Shell. He had enjoyed every minute of a four year long intensive training period, but, more as a dare than for any other reason, Len replied to an advertisement in the Sunday Times which called for applications for entry into the Northern Rhodesia Police Force. Six months after the dare, with forms and references from everyone but the Pope (including Captain Gus Legassick), Len found himself at the NRP training college in Lilayi, outside of Lusaka, Northern Rhodesia. After a thrilling six moths training period, Len was posted to Ndola, as an Assistant Inspector, at first carrying out general duties and then, as a patrol car driver. This was at the height of rising anarchy in the Belgium Congo, when the President Elect of the Republic of the Congo, Patrice Lumumba, was assassinated. Len was one of the police officers seconded to the Belgium paratroopers when troops from Belgium (to whom the Congo had belonged), were sent to quell the rioting and pillaging of the country. They were crazy days for a young South African, with excitement every day as Northern Rhodesia and Kenneth Kaunda were on the road to independence from Britain. Len was very much involved in the political meetings which in those days, were held by UNIP, over weekends, where Kaunda would address thousands of his countrymen, from the top of an anthill (some as high as five meters, and six to eight meters in diameter), in the townships, whilst the Riot Police and the army surrounded those meeting places, armed with rifles, sten guns and even bren guns. All to no avail of course, because on the 24th of October 1963 the flag of Zambia was raised for the first time, at midnight, in the Dag Hammerschold Stadium, Ndola. Len was there that night. Not long after, the Zambian government wanted Len to surrender his South African passport, being an officer in the Zambian Government services, and thus ended that chapter of Len’s career when he chose to resign and return to South Africa. Whilst in Bulawayo, Southern Rhodesia, on his way back to South Africa by car, Len responded to a newspaper advertisement for a representative with a very large firm of Manufacturers Representatives. and started work the next day, selling every imaginable product including liquor, confectionary, fancy goods, tobacco lines, groceries, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics, ethical lines and toys. Len covered every city and town from Beit Bridge to Chirundu and traveled constantly, week after week, and enjoying every minute in representing some of the most famous House Brands from throughout the world. Four years later Len was transferred to a now very independent Zambia, to the Ndola office of the same Company where he was back again in familiar territory, calling on the well known towns of Chingola, Bancroft, Mufalaru, Luyansha , Broken Hill and Lusaka. Back once again in South Africa, after enough of all the rumblings of independence now starting in Southern Rhodesia, Len was offered the opportunity to represent the Agents for Omega watches, throughout South Africa, and so, once again, for four years, Len travelled the roads of South Africa, South West, Botswana, until being transferred to Cape Town to open a Regional Office for Omega, and be responsible for the Western and Eastern Cape and the O.F.S. During those years Len received training in Switzerland, and other major cities of Europe and England, covering every aspect of the appointment of Omega stockists, (some prestigious jewelers waiting as long as twelve years before being appointed as Official Omega stockists !) Ever evolving progress in the Japanese watch industry caused the downfall of many Swiss watch manufacturers and this eventually caused Len to return to Johannesburg as the National Sales and Marketing Manager for a national chain of up market jewelers. Len’s passion for motor cars eventually caught up with him when he had the opportunity to join the motor industry, first in a management position with Toyota South Africa and then with Nissan South Africa, where, once again he was on the move, transferred back to Cape Town as General Manager responsible for the fleet needs of the entire Sanlam/Sankorp group of companies. It was here, in the automobile industry where Len met his future wife, the Purchasing Manager of a major Insurance Company. Len and his wife, who herself retired in June 2010, were both very keen motor enthusiasts, and very much involved with almost all motor manufactures and their dealers and were fortunate enough to attend the launch of almost every new vehicle model onto the South African market, throughout the country, and which keep the adrenaline flowing for both Len and his wife. Whilst cars were Len’s first passion, ships were his second, and he never stopped regretting that at the time of leaving the Bothie, Len did not have the opportunity to go to sea. By the way, that crazy, “laugh a minute”, lovable character who was at the Bothie as Len’s senior, and who spent many years at sea, was none other than Barry Downing, Len’s cousin. |
| LYLE | ARTHUR | 45 | Became apprentice with Blue Funnel Line in April 1924 and at one stage, waiting to take up an appointment as second mate in the ss Huntress in August 1929, he took a temporary job as messenger in the Senate. Obtained Master’s Certificate in Durban May 1932 and retired as Assistant Port Captain of Cape Town. 1968 – with the S.A.R. & H. Reported 1964 – Chairman of the Cape Town committee of the Old Boys Association and also of the War Memorial Fund. |
| LYNE | JOHN MELVILLE | 1472 | |
| LYNN | LEWIS ALAN | 635 | Deceased 18th March 2000. 1933 Junior Cadet Captain. Apprenticed to Prince Line. Went to sea after Bothie before joining the Royal Air Force, Bomber Command. Rank: Acting Wing Commander Service number: 40124 After WWII he was very successful in business. Alan was ex-General Botha boy who, like Sailor Malan, went to sea in the Merchant Navy as a cadet prior to the 2nd World War and then, like Sailor Malan, opted for a short service commission in the Royal Air Force. He was a pilot officer at the start of the war and was immediately at the spear point of hostilities. In Bomber Command he took part in 120 sorties over Europe, an astonishing feat. Astonishing in that a man could survive such dangers for so long. The comparison would be with a member of the U-boat service surviving several years on operations in the Atlantic Ocean. At War’s end Alan was a wing-commander loaded down with decorations- DSO (and bar), DFC (and bar), AFC (Dutch) and other awards. After the war a town in England sought leave from the Air Ministry to name the streets of a new suburb after leading RAF heroes and asked for a list of men deserving this form of remembrance. Alan’s name was on the list supplied and Lynn Street came into existence. The RAF had many heroes and Alan must have been high on their roll of honour. On one mission he was leading he was told that an American war correspondent was to travel with him in his aircraft. To Alan’s surprise the correspondent turned out to be Ernest Hemingway. An official publication has a photograph of Hemingway and Alan standing beside the aircraft kitted out for the journey. Hemingway is described as “an incongruous sight with his large frame squeezed into RAF battle dress, flying gear, and helmet. His steel-rimmed spectacles and shaggy beard did not detract from the overall impression of something a little out of the ordinary.” Murderous flak greeted them on the road but Alan and Hemingway returned safely to form a wonderful and lasting friendship. After the War he was successful in business and towards the end of his life he had an urge to return to South Africa albeit on an extended annual vacation basis. For this purpose he and his wife Graziella bought a holiday home in Plettenberg Bay in 1997 and here they enjoyed several long vacations together. It was at that home that he died on March 18th 2000. Few South African men could have had such a distinguished war time record and very few men anywhere could have been more modest than Alan in hiding his achievements. See: http://www.tracesofwar.com |
| LYONS | DAVID | 1837 | Dave Lyons was a real laid-back Capetonian from Pinelands Secondary School and a bugler in the band. On leaving the General Botha he became a traffic policeman in Hermanus and in the 1960s was manager of a cinema in Orange Grove, Johannesburg. Extensive enquiries with the Hermanus Municipality and the various cinema chains have failed to bring to light any further trace of him. |
| MAAS | DEREK KENNETH | 2062 | Winner of the “musican of the year” in 1958 on the Ship. Spent about 4 years at sea and since then has been involved in the record and music business as a producer both in the U.K. and the U.S.A. Retired. Deceased July 2003. Reported 1964 – working at the Stellenbosch Farmer’s Winery. |
| MAC MILLAN | MURDOCK EVAN | 2012 | Deceased August 1998. |
| MACCALLUM | DAVID DOUGLAS | 2063 | Was Senior Cadet Captain while at Bothie. I left Bothie and joined the SABC – 3 Yrs – (Electronics always facinated me) Worked at Burroughs Machines – 3 Yrs. – (Not sufficient Electronics) Joined K. Baker Assoc – supplying electronic equipment – 10 Yrs. (Electronics paradise – crazy environment – lots of fun) Worked at Datakor – supplying Computer Systems – 3 Yrs (Involved in developing – first PC to be supplied in SA – even more fun) Was with CICS Computer Bureau – 3 Yrs (Had to get to the bottom of how these Accounting Systems are designed) Started Focus Information Systems – in 1981 – Computer Software for Industry (the ultimate in fun – still boxing on for my sins). Deceased 19th May 2019. |
| MACKAY | JOHN HART | 197 | Did not complete training. |
| MACKAY | ALASTAIR MATHESON | 1366 | 1946 went to sea with Ellerman & Bucknall and in April joined the British Tanker Company. Served on tankers and on tugs in Persian Gulf ports, promoted Chief Officer in March 1953. 1954 returned to S.A. and sailed with Thesen Coast Lines. After achieving Master’s Certificate joined the General Botha as Third Officer at Gordon’s Bay teaching navigation and cargo work. Thereafter joined Landing & Shipping Compay of East Africa as cargo superintendent in Mombasa and Dar es Salaam. 1957 returned to S.A. and joined S.A. Harbours. Served in most ports and vessels and retired as Port Captain. Instrumental in founding the S.A. Marine Pilots’ Association. 1995 an independent marine surveyor and shipbroker in East London. 1999 retired. Deceased 17/07/2009. |
| MACKAY | NEIL ALISTER MACBETH | 1309 | Went to the Pacific in 1945 in a hospital ship as Cadet. Other Cadet was Denys Pitcher, Cadet 1316. Stayed on with Union Castle until early fifties. Joined Durban Fire Department as a Rookie, moved around a bit. Did 31 years as a Fire Fighters. Final 5 years as Chief Fire Officer, Pietermaritzburg. Retired in 1983 at age 55. Qualified and moved into the world of properties with Southern Life for 10 years. Died of cancer 8th March 1996. |
| MACKENZIE | ALISTAIR KENNETH | 513 | After Bothie Mac was sent to London to join a British Tanker and thereafter spent a number of years on various other ships. After he obtained his Master’s Certificate he joined the S.A.R. & H in East London, first serving on a bucket dredger for 7 years. Mac has the somewhat unique distinction of being the only Harbour Service Officer who was promoted through all the ranks of Mate, Master, Pilot, Assistant Port Captain and Port Captain in the same port without having to transfer to other ports. He served as Port Captain, East London, from 1974 to 1977. He was a Commissioner of the St John Ambulance and an active Freemason of various lodges for many years. Deceased 28/06/97. |
| MACKENZIE | CAMERON ROB | 2374 | February 1970 joined Kaapland, South African Lines, Cape Town. Fellow cadet on board Ian Bosman. 1973 Second Mate’s Certificate. South African Lines acquired by Safmarine, employment with Safmarine, returned to SAL/Globus Reederei managed ships as third officer. 1975 Mate’s Certificate. Transferred to Globus Reederei, Hamburg. Residence in Germany. Second officer on Globus managed ships. 1978 Master’s Certificate Cape Town. January 1979 joined S.A. Langeberg as Second Mate, promoted Mate. 1989 Promoted Master Sea Merchant. 1992 Master maiden voyage Oranje from Pula/Croatia. 1993 Closure/Sale of Globus Reederei, transferred to Safmarine, Cape Town. 2007 Master maiden voyage Safmarine Mulanje from Ulsan/Korea. 11/2013 Offsign Safmarine Nimba, final voyage as master. Retirement in Germany. |
| MACKENZIE | DUNCAN JANNE OLAVI | 2537 | |
| MACKIE | RICHARD JOHN | 2591 | “Joined Sarmarine in February 1977. Remained there till the end of 1989. During this time I spent 1 year as Container Ship Planner in Durban in 1985. On leaving Safmarine I joined Pentow Marine in Durban on the SMB Tugs where my appointment as Master was attained in November 1991. 2002 relocated to New Zealand. Since April 2005 been working on the NZ coast for cement company Golden Bay. |
| MACKINTOSH | DAVID WILLIAM | 820 | WWII PO SANF. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953: C.P.O. in S.A. Navy. |
| MACKINTOSH | IAN FRASER | 1367 | 1964 Master with Rennies Coasters. |
| MACKRIDGE | REGINALD TIMOTHY | 462 | |
| MACLACHLAN | OLIVE VERNON | 67 | Placed in S.A. Navy as Ordinary Seaman. |
| MACLACHLAN | IAN FLETCHER | 15 | |
| MACLACHLAN | JAMES IAN MALCOLM | 567 | Apprenticed to Hogarth Line. |
| MACLEAN | DONALD THOMAS ROSSITER | 937 | Born Bulawayo, 20th March 1922. Son of Hugh Alexander MacLean and Mary, nee Rossiter. Ed, St George’s College, Salisbury. Cadet Draft 1937-8. After completing his training in General Botha, Donald Thomas Rossiter MacLean joined the Blue Funnel Line as Midshipman in May 1939. In 1941 he was posted to Autolycus which was attacked in the Bay of Begal. The date of his death was 6th April 1942, sunk by Japanese cruiser in Bay of Bengal; loss of 18 lives. The Director of the Blue Funnel Line wrote to his mother, commending her son’s outstanding career. |
| MACLEAN | DONALD SEYMOUR | 1421 | |
| MACLENNAN | ANDREW HUGH | 2478 | 1973 to 1993 sailed with Safmarine. Then joined Safmarine Marine Division which culminated in Marine Personnel Manager responsible for crewing the Safmarine fleet of +/- 40 vessels. 1994 joined Smit Marine as Business Development Manager and later General Manager of Sealink, Cape Town, a division of Smit Marine. 1998 – Transferred to Pentow Marine Head Office, Crewing Executive. 2003 joined S.A. Maritime Training Academy (SAMTRA) Simon’s Town as General Manager. 2010 promoted to CEO. December 2016 retired and joined the GBOBA Bursary Fund Committee. |
| MACLEOD | DOUGLAS ROBERT | 153 | |
| MACLOED | CHRISTOPHER RODERICK | 1955 | |
| MACMILLAN | ROBERT HUGH | 636 | After G.B. Cadet with Bullard King and Union Castle. Obtained second ‘mates’ in London and signed on the dredger ‘Blesbok’ for delivery voyage from the Glasgow Builders to S.A.R. & H. in Durban. Obtained ‘mates’ in Hong Kong and Masters in Durban whilst sailing on the SAR Ship ‘Aloe’. At end of the war (WWII) moved to Australia and sailed on the Coastal Trade. Incidentally his first position was with the Adelaide Steamship Co on their vessel the ‘Moonta’, which traded to the Gulf Ports. Also carried out 120 passengers on its six day voyage. This ship was affectionately known as the ‘love boat.’ Retired as Master. Deceased 27/09/2008. |
| MACPHERSON | PETER BRUCE | 994 | Deceased 06/02/1992. Believed to have served with the Royal Naval Reserve as Midshipman on board the armed merchant cruiser HMS Comorin in 1941. |
| MACPHERSON | IAIN BRUCE TELFORD | 2808 | 1982 – 96 – Sailed with Safmarine, obtained Second Officers Certificate. 1986 – 90 Polaris Shipipng, Container Operator in Durban. Branch Manager, Polaris Container, Durban. Then transferred to Johannesburg. 1990 to 1992 – Edgars Store Controller (Financial Management). 1992 – 93 – Unicorn. Admin Manager then Operations Manager, Johannesburg container dept. 1993 – 94 Polaris Shipping, Container Manager Southern Africa and Indian Ocean Islands. July 1994 – Operations Manger, Unicorn Container Depot, Johannesburg. Later relocated to Liverpool to join a container leasing company as Operations Manager and late 2000 joined an IT company as Manager, Applications Development. 2003 with FWL Technologies as project manager. 2005 – Appointed Director of Global Services Centers, FWL Technologies and relocated to India. 2007 Project Director, BIDM Asia Pacific Systems, India. 2009: transferred to Kuala Lumpur – Project Director for Tradeship (of which BIDM was a subsidiary) 2012: joined IBM in Singapore as Senior Managing Consultant – currently in the role of Solution Architect for a customised SAP application implementation for NOL. |
| MACQUEEN | ROBIN LINDESAY CLIFF | 1049 | 1941 to 1943 – Apprenticed with Andrew Weir’s m.v. Isipingo. 1943 – failed eyesight test for 2nd mates. Joined, as able seaman, General Steam Naviagtions’ m.v. Heron which was then under the Blue Ensign as a Royal Navy Ammunition Ship. 1944 – Port Elizabeth, Stevedore Foreman and Rigger. 1946 – Started Cartage Busienss with father. 1950 – returned to Stevedroing. 1955 – Assistant Transport Manager for a P.E. Timber CO. 1959 – Took over family cartage business. 1970 – Sold the business and joined the buyer as Transport MGR. 1981 – Retired from business. Joined the S.A.D.F. Museum service. Served as a Sergeant at the Military Museum, Donkin Reserve. 1989 – Retired. Decorations 39/45 Star, Atlantic Star, Burma Star, 39/45 Medal. Deceased 6th August 2005. |
| MACQUILLAN | ANTHONY JOHN | 1662 | After leaving G.B. I served my time with Union Castle Line. After 2nd Mate’s ticket, P&O until 1957. Then Adelaide Steamship Co. as 4th and 3rd Mate until 1960. 1960 to 1974 worked my way up to Junior Partner in a stock broking firm in Sydney. 1975 – 1981 Assistant Secretary & Secretary of Ampol Petroleum Ltd, Sydney. 1981 – 1987 various small business ventures including a Marina purchased from George Bennett, Bothie Old Boy. 1987 cruising with wife Diana in own yatch on Australian Coast and in Pacific. New Zealand, Cooks, Samoa, Tonga, Fiji & New Caledonia. 1995 completed his yacht cruising. Since retiring in 1999 involved in writing and publishing local histories and biographies. |
| MACROBERT | GEORGE FINDLAY | 1188 | December 1942 to December 1945 on active service in th R.N.R, seconded to the Royal Navy. Then transferred to the S.A.N.F. but remained seconded to the Royal Navy. 1946 – 1950 University of Cape Town. Graduated April 1951 with BSc (Civil Engineering). 1951 to 1985 seved in various Government departments under successive governments in Southern Rhodesia and Zimbabwe, finally attaining the post of Deputy Secretary Engineering in the Ministry of Public Construction and National Planning. Retired from civil service in 1985. 1988 with Lamont Consulting Engineers in Harare. Deceased 27th June 2017 aged 92. |
| MADDOCKS | MACWORTH WILSON | 123 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a Seaman. |
| MADDOCKS | JOE | 6 | After Bothie joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as an Ordinary Seaman. |
| MAIDWELL | JACK ERNEST | 939 | May 1939 entered the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. |
| MAIN | DAVID JOHN | 2396 | Gold Medalist and G.B. Senior Cadet Captain. Joined Safmarine in 1970. Sailed on various vessels including mail ships and salvage tugs, up to Chief Officer rank. Joined Sea Harvest, Saldanha Bay, in a shore position. Later joined S.A. Stevedores in Saldanha Bay. After a few years relocated to Durban with S.A. Stevedores and managed a Citrus Fruit Terminal. Also spent some time based in Maputo establishing the Citrus Terminal there. 1992 appointed Regional Manager, S.A. Stevedores Western Cape, based in Cape Town. Appointment included a National Fruit Portfolio. April 1996 joined Pentow Marine as Fleet Manager. Later became head of Smit Salvage in South Africa. GBOBA Cape Town Branch committee member and GBOBA Bursary Fund board member. |
| MAKEPEACE | HARRY GEORGE NASH | 356 | Did not complete training. |
| MAKKINK | EDMUND FRASER | 1422 | Previously with S.A.R.&H. as master on the Durban harbour tug F.C. Sturrock. Reported deceased. |
| MAKKINK | DERRICK JOHN | 1051 | Deceased 8th July 2010. Born in Pietermaritzburg, 3 May, 1926, Derrick John Makkink was brought up in Upington and Walvis Bay. After starting his studies in Seamanship on the General Botha naval ship at Simonstown he got his Mates’, Master’s and Extra-master’s Tickets in Glasgow during WW2 where he met Eleanor, his wife. Serving on the notorious Murmansk Run, he survived numerous Arctic convoys supplying food and equipment to Russia as well as being stationed for a year on the Maine Hospital Ship docked in Malta. He and Eleanor married and returned to South Africa in 1952, raising their family in both the Cape and Natal. He worked for many years as a ship’s surveyor before returning to sea as a ship’s captain of commercial ships. Was 3rd Officer and Navigation and Instruments lecturer on the Bothie in 1953. 1956 lectured senior students in Durban. He will be remembered as a man of fearless principle, a devoted husband, an example to his children and a loving grandfather. Reported 1964 – Principal Officer of the Ministry of Transport, Port Elizabeth. |
| MALAN | JAMES JOHN | 876 | Due to poor eyesight joined a commercial firm in 1938. 1941 Joined SAAF, Half Wing AP (Air Photographer). NCO i/c photographic sections, SAAF & RAF. After war became a press photographer for five years. Then joined the survey branch of the Civil Service, specialised in photography applied to survey work. Did a great deal of original research and developing a modus operandi in the field of orthognal photography and consequent screening for Diazo Printing was done. Joint author with his Director on Orthophoto mapping read in 1972 at the Institute Geographique National in Paris. Member of various British and South African Photographic Societies and Institites. Attained LBIPP and MIRT Status. Retired 1980. 1939 Star, Africa Star, War Medal 1939-45 and Africa Service Medal. Sponsored a book annual prize for the third runner up for the Gold Medal. Deceased 26/06/97. |
| MALAN | ANDRE FRANCOIS FOSTER | 1663 | Deceased 28/01/2007. |
| MALAN | CARL VAN HEERDEN | 699 | |
| MALAN | ADOLPH GYSBERT | 168 | 1927 – joined Union Castle Line for eight years. Was then accepted for a short service commission with the Royal Air Force. After training posted to Number 74 Squadron, the famed “Tiger Squadron”, on 20th November 1936. In less than fifteen months, during World War II, “Sailor Malan” rose from a little known flight commander in a Spitfire Squadron to Britain’s Premier Fighter Pilot and Wing Leader. After the war he returned to South Africa, joined Anglo American becoming private and political secretary to Mr Harry Oppenheimer. In 1950 he was asked to become the National President of the war veterans Torch Commando. Died 17th September 1963 of Parkinson’s Disease. His portrait, painted by William During, was one of a collection of war pictures presented by the British Government to South Africa |
| MALHERBE | JOHAN JAKOBUS | 32 | Joined the Mashona Coast as 4th Engineer same day as leaving the Bothie. Promoted to 3rd Engineer with the 3rd Engineer went AWOL at Luderitz. Attended the University of Stellenbosch for 4 years qualifying as an Education Psychologist. Started teaching career in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) in 1965. Made a few hunting trips into Africa before becoming the psychologist at a boys reformatory in Cape Town. (Knew all their tricks and schemes after Bothie.) 1970 became a farmer and wine mater at Vredendal before establishing a nature reserve in the Bredasdrop area (Western Cape). Resettled game species in the area and acted as P.H. for foreign hunters. 1997 Living in Hermanus fishing and occasional shooting trips into Africa. |
| MALLINSON | GORDON DAVID | 1423 | |
| MALLORY | JOHN KENNAWAY | 514 | 1931 Junior Cadet Captain. 1931 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. 1931 won the King’s Gold Medal and the accolade “Excellent” for conduct. The first Professor of Oceanography at the University of Cape Town. Passed away June 1993. Served in the Merchant Navy and the S.A. Navy as Naval Hydrographer, where he achieved both the rank of Captain and his interst in oceanography. A series of research crusies which he organised, covering 12,000 nautical miles in the SAS Protea, led to a clearer understanding of the complex behaviour of the Agulhas Current. With this background he joined UCT as Professor of Oceanography, taking with him his Naval Oceanographic research unit. His subsequent research included a study of wave action, particularly the very large and destructive ‘killer’ waves sometimes encountered by ships along the south-east S.A. Coast, which became known as the Mallory Wave. Shortly before his retirement he collaborated with United States scientists in a study of the currents in the Northern Indian Ocean. |
| MANDY | MICHAEL PATRICK | 33 | |
| MANLEY | CHARLES | 436 | |
| MANN | JONATHAN DAVID | 2115 | Cadet with Blue Star Line. Unicorn and Smiths Coasters to Chief Officer. BHP – T (Australia) to Master. 7 years in command and various positions shore based with BHT-T. Great Barrier Reef Pilot since 1987. Retired from pilotage duties (GBR Pilot, licenced in all areas, and port pilot licences for Gove and Groote Eylandt) since April 2010. Though retired as such remained on the boards of Torres Industries, Reef Pilots and Reef Helicopters. |
| MANNING | HENRY ARTHUR | 332 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. |
| MANNING | IAN JOINER | 1956 | Previously GB Trust Trustee. |
| MAPLESDEN | WILFRED GEORGE WALTER | 995 | Born Cape Town, 8th May 1923. Son of Walter Sidney Maplesden and Margaret Louise, nee Bainbridge. Ed, Observatory Boy’s High School. Cadet Draft 1938-9 (Junior Cadet Captain). On leaving General Botha, Wilfred George Walter Maplesden was appointed Midshipman in the RNR and served in HMS Dorsetshire, HMS Moonstone, HMS Ranchi, and finally on HMS Barham, which was lost in the Mediterranean on 25th November 1941, and he was reported missing. At the time of his death he was only eighteen years of age. |
| MARAIS | DAVID FRANSCOIS | 2308 | 1968 joined Safmarine for a few years and then Unicorn Lines until 1976. A year later joined Grindrod Cotts in Cape Town, followed by an appointment in the newly opened container terminal before joining Unicorn Container Depot in Cape Town. After a few years launched his own Computer or IT Consultancy in Cape Town in 1987. Earned the nick name Cowboy after lassooing a bull in Table Bay which had escaped quarantine and swam out to sea. |
| MARAIS | STEPHEN | 364 | |
| MARAIS | WALTER DOUGLAS | 391 | |
| MARAIS | FREDERIC | 2208 | Joined Safmarine (SA Pioneer) in 1963 after leaving Bothy. Followed a regular sea-going career path in Safmarine (doing mainly Far East and USA runs with the occasional trip to UK and Continent) to Masters in 1970. Last Safmarine appointment was Second Mate in SA Vergelegen. Got married and joined the SA Navy in 1971. Followed a naval sea-going career culminating with a three year command of the SAS Drakensberg. After serving a further five years in Defence staff appointments, demilitarised in 1997 to take a civilian appointment as a director in the Defence Secretariat. Retired from the Department of Defence in 2007 but served on a contract basis with the Defence Secretariat for a further four years. Settled in Scarborough on the Cape Peninsula and enjoying retirement. |
| MARAIS | KEMPEN | 940 | WWII AB SANF. |
| MARAIS | STEPHANUS FRANCOIS | 821 | During WWII served in the Royal Navy Fleet Air Arm. |
| MARAIS | GERARD | 16 | |
| MARITZ | DANIEL JACOBUS | 2605 | |
| MARLOW | ALFRED MYLES | 700 | 1964 Harbour Pilot in Durban Harbour. |
| MARNITZ | MICHAEL | 1368 | Deceased late 2000. |
| MARRISON | JOHN BRIAN | 1664 | Sailed with Union Castle in the 1950’s. After leaving General Botha John held varied positions, mainly in the selling and promotions field. Very successful in his profession and he always rose to the top of whatever he was involved in. John became a sought after promotional speaker both in the public sector and the University of Stellenbosch. He was also involved with the beginning of the supermarket concept, and Raymond Ackerman of Pick ‘n Pay was one of his fellow visionaries. He owned the first supermarket in Sea Point, Health Food Store. John then took up a new challenge – ballroom dancing – and under the instruction of Bill and Bobby Irwin, renowned world champions, John and partner, Tiny Langeveld, became SA Ballroom Champions. The next challenge to take his fancy was learning to fly an aircraft, so he moved up to the Transvaal, and at Johannesburg Light Plane Club got his licence, and it was there in 1963 John met Sylvery Dawn. They were married in 1964, and raised four children, Gary, Kim, Shaun and Hayley. They are blessed with seven grandchildren. A very devoted family man who was delighted to celebrate his Golden Wedding Anniversary in February this year. Back in 1982/3 taking a break from running his own businesses, John accepted a position with the consortium of companies, both local and overseas, building the Koeberg Nuclear Power Station, his responsibility being the drawing up of the many and varied contracts and controlling all financial aspects. On the completion of Koeberg, John devoted his time to his own business – Puppy Love Clothing manufacturing dogs’ wear and later corporate sportswear run by his wife and two daughters in their home town of Stellenbosch. During this time, together with his two sons they developed the only manufacturing plant of screen printing inks in Africa. John’s passion was spreading the ‘good news’ of the gospel of Jesus Christ, who became his Saviour in 1973, the centre of his existence and interest. Worked in the mission field for many years and so became well known and beloved in Stellenbosch and surrounds, leading countless people to know and accept salvation. His health began failing with the onset of diabetes years ago and after a severe stroke in the beginning of April, this year, he was in and out of hospital until he passed away peacefully in his sleep on the 10th of June 2014. |
| MARSHALL | WALTER ZETLAND MONTEGOMERY | 35 | After Bothie joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| MARSHALL | JAMES GORDON | 71 | |
| MARSLAND | HARRY | 2538 | |
| MARTENS | CRAIG DOUGLAS | 2763 | |
| MARTIN | ERIC JOHN | 568 | |
| MARTIN | PHILIP | 941 | Was a POW during WWII. 1964 Freight Manager, Union Castle Line, Port Elizabeth. |
| MARTIN | ANDREW MC BRYDE | 637 | Deceased 10/01/2004. After Bothie he became indentured to the Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company in 1934 as an apprentice and in 1937 as second officer. He joined the S.A. Navy in 1940 and resigned from there in 1948. Saw wartime service in the Mediterranean on convoy patrol having sailed on the Seksurn, Southern Maid, Wartberg, Immortelle, Teriot, Natal and Unitie. In 1948 he was the staff officer to Commodore Dean attached to the staff of the Deputy Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant Genearl Everard Poole. After the war became a Dale Carnegie instructor followed by 20 years as Managing Director of Tack Training. Retired in 1984. |
| MARTIN | JOHN LEONARD | 638 | 1933 Junior Cadet Captain “A”. 1933 Senior Cadet Captain “B”. 1934 Chief Cadet Captain. Retured to GB for further training January 1934. Sailed as an apprentice with Clan Line until 1938. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953 Lieutenant in S.A. Navy. Appointed to the Staff of the General Botha as Second Officer in 1944 after serving as Second Officer on the Queen Elizabeth, the Cunard liner then serving as a troopship. Years later, after retiring from stevedoring and moving to Cape Town, he joined the General Botha at Granger Bay as Quartermaster. Deceased 03/05/90 |
| MARTIN | BRETT GRANT MITCHELL | 2869 | 2017 Director of Westgate Walding Auctioneers. |
| MARTIN | PATRICK MALCOLM | 2229 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Seafarer”. 1995 owned a Motel in Australia, sold 1997. Also owns and flies two light aircraft. One is used for crop spraying and the other he uses for aerobatics. He also flies a sea plane which is used for conveying tourists out to the Great Barrier Reef. 2007 retired. |
| MARTIN | CRAIG GERT | 2744 | |
| MARTIN | FREDERICK THOMAS | 1896 | Died of Cancer 26/07/96. |
| MARTIN | THORWALD | 1608 | After Bothie saleid as Cadet with S.A. Lines on the Kaapland. Prior to obtaining his Second Officer’s Certificate he came ashore and joined his father in the family firm, Martin Agencies, who are wholesalers. Deceased of angina 24/03/95. |
| MARTIN | ROY TERENCE | 2420 | After G.B. sailed with Safmarine as 4th Officer on the S.A. Oranje (ex Pretoria Castle Mail Ship), Cadet Training Officer on the S.A. Vergelegen 1978, Chief Officer on S.A. Huguenot 1979 and owners representative during new buildings in Shimizu 1983. Joined a Durban based shipping company and obtained First Command 1984. 1986 diploma Maritime Law (Natal University), 1987 accepted to read for Masters Degree in Maritime Law (LLM) at Natal University, 1988/89 Director of Companies and in 1989 formed Admiralty Shipsales, Martin Marine and Marine Mediation & Arbitration Services in collaboration with promient shipping attorneys in Durban. 1997 specialising in the Judicial Sale of Ships and Cargoes and as an arbitrator or Consultant on maritime claims. |
| MARWICK | MICHAEL CONNAIRE | 1957 | After finishing at the Bothie, went to sea for a number of years, but then enrolled at Durban University, where he was in the late 1960s rather notorious (and much-loved too) for his outrageous behaviour! He graduated with a BSc, and then spent a number of years in the 1970s doing various things. He went back to sea from about 1978-84 (Unicorn and Safmarine), and then had a stint with SA Stevedores in Durban. Over the last few years, he has been working as a marine surveyor-come-deep sea pilot and as a safety officer in the UAE and the Azores. |
| MASON | WILLIAM RUSSEL | 169 | |
| MASON | PETER WATSON | 1958 | |
| MASTERS | STANLEY JOHN | 1369 | Reported deceased. |
| MASTERS | DOUGLAS LAMOND | 1310 | |
| MASTERTON-SMITH | ARTHUR HOLWELL | 569 | Apprenticed to Union Castle Line. |
| MATRAVERS | KENNETH CLIVE | 1959 | |
| MATSON | AUBREY CHARLES | 64 | After G.B. appointed as Probationary Midshipman Royal Navy Reserve. July 1924 became an apprentice on the P&O Line. Joined the HMSAS Protea on 16th February 1928 as sub-lieutenant, the first ex-cadet to be commissioned on the S.A. Naval Service. Discharged when the ship was laid up in 1933. He joined the harbour service and then, in 1940, the Seaward Defence Force with the rank of lieutenant, serving in the Mediterranean as commanding officer of HMSAS Southern Isles, an anti-submarine patrol vessel in the first flotilla of South African ships to serve outside territorial waters. In 1942 he was promoted to Lt-Commander, becoming the senior officer of the South African mine-sweeping flotilla. After the war, he rejoined the harbour service, and, as Captain Matson retired from the position of Port Captain, Cape Town. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48: has had his appointment as Harbour Pilot in the Table Bay Harbour service confirmed. Reported in “Both Watches” 1952: A Harbour Pilot in Port Elizabeth. Chairman of the Port Elizabeth branch of the Old Boys’ Association. |
| MATSON | BEVERLEY CHARLES | 1666 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Son of Captain A.C. Matson, 1992/23. Cadet in the “City of Litchfield”, at present (1952) in the United Kingdom. |
| MATTHEW | JAMES GORDON | 1777 | After G.B. joined Bank Lines as Apprentice. Form 1954 – 77 sailed in various companies world wide in various ranks. 1977 -78, Marine Superintendent with Kerr Steamships, Vancouver. 1978 – 79, Steamship Inspector with Canadian Deparatment of Transport. 1980 – 81 Chief Officer on a Great Lakes self unloader 1981 – 90, Misener Shipipng. Master of a maximum Great Lakes/Deep Sea Bulk Carrier. In command of ‘Selkirk Settler’ and survived a mid-atlantic Hurricane. 1990 – 91 transportation safety board of Canada, Vancouver. Investigator – Marine casualties. 1991 – 92, Royal Carribean Cruise Lines, Miami. Staff Captain on the s.s. ‘Azure Seas’ with a 3 month tour of relief duty on the ‘Viking Serenade’. 1992 – 93 relieving master as requried by various shipping companies. 1995 to 1997 continued to sail as Master with various lines. Deceased 9th February 2016. |
| MATTHEWS | MICHAEL CHARLES | 2283 | 1994 – Rennies Ships Agency, Saldanha Bay 1995 – Rennies Ships Agency, Cape Town |
| MATTHEWS | KENNETH ROBERT | 2512 | 1973 – 81 – at sea with Unicorn Linesa nd 1981 – 84 with Safmarine. 1984 – 90 with Portnet Durban, 1990 – 92 with Rennies Ships Agency. 1992 – 93 with Nantai Shipping, and 1993 – 94 with Green Africa Shipping. IN July 1994 left Green Africa Shipipng, Durban, where he was Branch Manager to take up an operations position with Zodiac Maritime Agencies in London. |
| MAUNDER | OWEN VICTOR | 1189 | |
| MAVOR | HERBERT WILLIAM DONALD | 474 | |
| MAXWELL | GORDON JAMES THOMPSON | 49 | |
| MAXWELL | GORDON LEONARD | 1121 | 1942 – 46 Midshipman, Sub Lieutenant R.N.R. Sub Lieutenant S.A.N.F. (V) 1947-49 Rhodesia, Imtali, Sabi valley. Town Engineer’s Clerk, Surveyor. 1950-57 Sub Lieutenant & Lieutenant RANVR. 1957-59 Papua New Guinea Marine Branch, Assistant Hydrographic Surveoyr. 1960-61 NSW (Australia) Lands Department & Sydney Water Board, Assistant Surveyor. 1962-67 Lieutenant & Lieutenant Commander RANR. 1968-70 Australian National Line, 3rd, 2nd, & Chief Officer, then Assistant Terminal Superintendent. 1971 – 89 sailed as Master with the Austrailian Maritime Safety Authority, Hydrographic Surveying. 1989 Retired Reserve Decoration, Justice of the Peace. He was Captain of a Mine sweeper at the Normandy Landings, WWII D-Day, after joining RNR from General Botha. |
| MAY | GEOFFREY RONALD WILLIAM | 1473 | |
| MAY | REGINALD JEFFERSON | 279 | After Bothie apprenticed to Cambrian Line of R.J. Thomas & Co. and later with Hall Line. |
| MAYNE | REGINALD SERLE | 639 | Apprenticed to British Tankers. |
| MAYO | DEREK RAYMOND | 2554 | 2004 Container Manager with SACD, Durban. 2015 retired. |
| MAYSON | CLIFF | 1665 | |
| MC CARTHY | GREVILLE ANTHONY | 2842 | 1999 sailing with Maersk on their gas tankers. |
| MC CLELLAND | ROBERT GEORGE | 701 | After G.B. joined the Mines on the West Rand as a rigger. During WWII he joiend the S.A. Navy and was based in Durban. From rigging he branched out into the scrap metal business which became one of the largest scrap metal yards in the country. In 1968 he farmed and ran a trading store in the Ongoye-Mtunzini District. He returned to Durban in 1976 and joined Standard Bank where he remained until he retired at the age of 61. Deceased 21/02/97. |
| MC CLUGHAN | ROBERT CECIL THOMAS | 445 | Born Bellair, Natal, 17th September 1914, son of Hugh McClughan and Elizabeth, nee Boardman. Ed, Epsom Road School, Durban. Cadet Draft 1929-30. After leaving General Botha, Robert Cecil Thomas McClughan became an apprentice in the Merchant Navy and was serving on SS Cerinthius when she was torpedoed in mid-Atlantic on 9th November 1942, in which Robert lost his life. |
| MC COMB | HARRY GORDON | 640 | |
| MC CORMICK | VINCENT PATRICK | 822 | |
| MC CULLAGH | PATRICK NEILL | 34 | |
| MC CULLAGH | PATRICK JOHN | 62 | |
| MC CULLOGH | BRIAN DUNCAN | 1311 | Deceased. |
| MC CULLOUGH | JOHN WILLIAM LORRIMER | 184 | Joined the S.A. Police. During WWII served in S.A. Military Police. Was a POW during WWII. |
| MC CURRIE | ARTHUR | 113 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a Seaman. |
| MC CUTCHEON | HUGH DUDLEY | 17 | |
| MC DIARMID | THOMAS FREDERICK LACLAN | 26 | |
| MC DONALD | RONALD SIMON FRASER | 1607 | |
| MC DOUGALL | ROBERT NOEL | 2116 | |
| MC KERRELL | BRUCE GORDON | 1370 | Reported deceased. |
| MC MILLAN | PETER | 938 | Deceased 24/04/1991. RNR Midshipman, spent a year on Malta during WWII. Arrived at Malta in the Merchant Navy, volunteered for the Royal Navy and was transferred there to an anti-submarine craft. Sub-Lieutenant P. Mc Millan (938) served in the submarine HMS Tradewind in 1945. At the end of WWII he was a Lieutenant RNR. |
| MC NALLY | RICHARD JOHN | 1632 | |
| MC NAUGHTON | JAMES ARTHUR DAVID | 1047 | 1964 Executive Officer SAS President Steyn. Deceased. |
| MC PHAIL | DESMOND JAMES | 1077 | Born in 07/11/1923. Deceased 19th September 2011. After the General Botha, served in the army in the mechanical division (Private Kaffrarian Rifles / Air Mechanic SAAF) went into Africa and ended up in Italy before the war ended. He the then went straight to Southern Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe] where he met his future wife. He was engaged for two years then married Angie in 1948. At that time he started work at Shell. He rose through the ranks and retired for the first time after 30 years service. He got bored so started at the GST department in Rhodesia, worked for about seven years and retired for the “2nd time”. Left the then Rhodesia to come to Cape Town when the problems started in Rhodesia. He started a pensioner job at the then Perm Building Society for two years, but left because he was offered a better job at a company called Mercedes Office Equipment also for about two years. Once again someone heard about him and offered him a job at Sales Tax Dept Cape Town where he worked for another ten years and retired for the 3rd and final time. This was at approximately age 76. And then joined the vintage club touring Africa and getting into mischief in his caravan and his 1967 Chevrolet Impala. He was a true gentleman, husband and friend. He is very sadly missed by many people. |
| MCCALLUM | MERVYN HUGH | 350 | |
| MCCARDLE | ANGUS JAMES | 1474 | 1964 stevedore in Christchurch, New Zealand. |
| McCLELLAND | ROSS KENNEDY | 2479 | 2008 branch manager for HRP Distribution Services based in Port Elizabeth. 2011 joined another company managing the Port Elizabeth branch of a company called Liquor Runners doing liqour distribution on behalf of a multitude of principles in the liquor industry. Deceased August 2019. |
| MCCLINTOCK | RONALD VICTOR | 1247 | 1944 – 1946 sailed with Blue Funnel. Came ashore and entered the electrical engineering field, involved in a number of projects in the then Transvaal (now Gauteng) and Kwa-Zulu Natal before settling in Southern Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe). Was employed by various governement departmetns before returning to S.A. Worked for B.G.E., E.A.C. and Spencer Melksham on various contracts before retirement in 1986. Later returned to Spencer Melksham on contract as their electrical consultant. At the same time worked on contract for Mannesman Demag, eventually worked for them full time. Retired 1998. |
| MCCLURE | TIMOTHY JOHN THEO | 2444 | Joined the S.A. Army before Bothie, Parabats. Chief Cadet Captain at Bothie and winner of the Gold Medal. Served on whaling vessels in the Antartic. Sailed with Deutsche Africa Linie, Globus and Trans Ocean Liners during which he became Master at the age of 27 before coming ashore into business. Chief Executive of Island View Shipping based in Durban during which time the company received the Marine Money International Listed Shipping Company of the Year Award for two consecutive years. Tim received the International Shipping Personality of the Year award in Amsterdam, from the International Bulk Journal Awards, in 2010. Following his retirement in July 2010 from IVS he, together with associates, formed the company 20 South Maritime, specialising in security at sea, particularly counter-piracy. Deceased 3rd July 2014. |
| MCCOMB | CLIFFORD RENNIE | 138 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a Seaman. |
| MCCORMICK | MICHAEL VINCENT | 2284 | Reported practising in Pietermaritzburg as a specialist paediatrician. |
| MCDONALD | MARSHALL ROLAND | 2268 | After G.B. spent 5 years with Safmarine becoming third mate, before studying at the University of Natal (1970 – 73) obtaining a BSc. Then spent 1 year with Tanker Services as a Freight Sales Representative. Emigrated to New Zealand and spent 5 years as a Sales and Marketing Constulant. Returned to S.A. and worked in various capacities including: * Personnel Consultant for 8 years * Personnel Manager for 2 years * Senior Warden of the University of Natal Residence for 9 years. * Occupational Health and Safety Manager at the University of Natal (UKZN) for 10 years. * Then retired and formed own consultancy working in the Occupational Health and Safety field for 5 years. * 2016 fully retired near Margate on KZN South Coast. Fishing and crayfishing. |
| MCEWAN | THOMAS WILLIAM | 1424 | # 1424 Thomas William MacEwan 1945/46. Passed away on 29 July 2006 after a long battle with cancer. After leaving the “Botha” Thomas made his way to Salisbury as an accountant in the then Rhodesia. There he married, had two children and, after joining a company of auditors, moved to Bulawayo. In 1960 he joined Duly and Coy, the Ford agents, and worked for them for 22 years. In 1978 he married Ada and acquired three step daughters and with this family emigrated to South Africa in 1982, where he obtained employment at a Jewish Old Age Home. Tom was diagnosed with cancer in 1991 and, after the discovery of a second major tumor in 1999, had major surgery which forced him to retire to Johannesburg. His health continued to deteriorate until he finally lost the battle. Throughout this period he maintained his sense of humour and a positive attitude. He was a great lover of the outdoors and an all round sportsman, a dedicated family man and made many children happy with the supply of wooden toys he made for them as part of his hobby of carpentry. He was very proud of having been a “Bothie Boy”, a strong supporter of the OBA and, until almost the end, he never missed a Gauteng get together where he is already missed. |
| MCEWAN | JOHN AUSTIN | 1122 | 1941 Senior Cadet Captain on the Bothie and then joined the Armed Merchatn Cruiser H.M.S. Corfu. After a year transferred to HMS Racehorse. Served in all theaters of the war including the East. Demobilised and settled in Rhodesia in July 1946. 16 years in the motor trade mainly in stores until appointed a Director of Lawson Pigott Motors in Umtali. Left them to join the manufactueres Life Insurance Company and transferred by them from Rhodesia to South Africa in 1964. Gave up insurance and joined various companies. Duroplastics, then Control Instrments and finally Cape Branch Manager of Wika Instrmetns whose concern is pressure and temperature control and measurement. Retired 1992. For forty years was connected with the boys scouts mainly as District Commissioner both in Rhodesia and South Africa. Deceased 23/11/2000 |
| MCFADYEN | DONALD ROCHER | 2375 | After G.B. joined Safmarine and left in 1980 after obtaining Masters Certificate. Joined the Department of Transport in Durban until 1986 when he then spent 2 years as a self-employed Marine Surveyor followed by 2 years lecturing at the Natal Technikon. 1989 took up a position as Agency Manager with Pakard Shipipng in Durban until 1992, joining seacargo in Durban. 1997 still with Seacargo although paid by Marine Commodity Lines of Johannesburg for whom he acts as their exclusive Cargo Superintendent. 1999 joined De Beers Marine as Master. 2002 Marine Surveyor and relief deck officer based in the U.K 2004 sailing with Dart Line, U.K. 2005 self employed as a marine surveyor. |
| MCFARLANE | COLIN | 148 | |
| MCFARLANE | CHARLES JOHN | 343 | |
| MCGHEE | DONALD | 2445 | 1994 – Tug Master with Portnet Durban. Studying for MBA. |
| MCGILLEWIE | CYPRIAN PAUL | 1190 | Served in the South African Air Force during WWII. |
| MCGILLEWIE | BRIAN | 877 | |
| MCGILLIVRAY | ALISTAIR JUSTIN | 2309 | |
| MCGOWAN | JOHN | 297 | After Bothie apprenticed to Clan Line. |
| MCGREGOR | ANDREW MURRAY | 146 | 1927-1931 University of Cape Town, B.A. and B.Ed, 1932 – 1937 staff of the Hottentots Holland High School, Somerset West. 1938 – 1940 joined the Missionaries of the Hearldtown Mission Institution. Became a teacher and later principal in its high schools. 1939 joined the National Volunteer Reserve as a Sergeant. 1943 joined the S.A. Naval Force as a Sub-Lieutenant. 1970 elected President of the S.A. Teachers’ Association, 1966 elected Divisional Commissioner of Boy Schots in Transkei. 1952 founder member of the S.A. Branch of the world ship society and established the S.A. National Maritime Museum in Cape Town. 1935 – 1938 founder member and Chairman of the General Botha Old Boys’ Association. Returned to mission work after the war. 1974 appointed as Curator of the Missionary Museum in King William’s Town. Retired 1980. Deceased 2002. |
| MCGREGOR | ANDREW CHRISTOPHER RADFORD | 1778 |
Johannesburg now hosts a Walk of Fame, which is a tribute to past jazz icons,and prominent amongst them is our own Old Boy Chris Mc Gregor. The son of Old Boy Andrew Murray Mc Gregor 1924/25 #146, Chris was born in Somerset West and raised in the Transkei at Blythswood where his father was headmaster of a mission institution.This was the the beginning of his musical appreciation, hearing and being exposed to the complicated Xhosa music environment. Money, money, money became a problem for the sextet, and they toured S.A. playing anywhere they were accepted, remembering the deep dark days when mixed groups, and mixed audiences were taboo.They toured mainly to raise money to go to Europe where they believed they would be accepted. Also they had to wait for exit permits for the five black members of the band. Known as a South African jazz pioneer he continued until 26 May 1990 when he passed away. |
| MCINTYRE | NORMAN | 318 | Born Woodstock, Cape Town, 20 March 1910, son of Duncan and Emma McIntyre; ed. Boys’ High School, Wynberg. Cadet Draft 1926-7. In 1928 Norman McIntyre joined the Thesen Line and during hostilities enlisted in the SAEC. He was killed in action in Egypt on 27 July 1942. |
| MCKEAG | JOHN LESLIE MURDOCK | 1779 | After Bothie went into the newspaper industry and specialised in sport. 1975 he went into the auctioneering busienss and by 1984 was a partner in the business. Later returned to a News Agency (SAPA) and remained with them until 1995. Moved to Mafeking as Publishing Director for a new Communication Service in the Information Area of Local Government, becoming CEO in 1997 and retired from there in 1998. Returned to Johannesburg as a Public Relations Officer for a year before joining the Citizen newpaper as full time writer of sports in 1999. |
| MCKEE | DONALD ROBERT | 1191 | |
| MCKENDRY | PETER LAWRENCE FITZGERALD | 2764 | 2010 Doctor of Chinese Medicine and Acupunture. |
| MCKENDRY | DENIS CHARLES JAMES | 936 | Born Johannesburg, 27th April 1921. Son of John Harrison, McKendry and Agnes Ninnie Maria, nee Groth. Ed, Parktown Boys’ High School, Johannesburg. Cadet Draft 1937-8. In 1940 Denis James McKendry joined the RAF and was eventually posted to the position of navigator in a Lancaster bomber, 83 Squadron, as Flying Officer. On the night of 2nd Janaury 1944, they set out in a ninety-mile-an-hour gale on a special mission over Berlin, and, having achieved their objective, were on the way home when the wireless operator sent out a message stating that they were taking ice at 8000 ft and could not make base. The last news heard of the crew was that they were ready to bale out. Death was presumed on 3rd January 1944. |
| MCKENNA | MARTIN JOSEPH | 2649 | 2017 Has own marine cargo surveying company based in Durban. |
| MCKENZIE | LIAM MUNRO | 2695 | At sea with Unicorn. Manager, Grindrod Container terminal Cape Town. February 1994 – relocted to Durban and promoted to Coastal Line Manager, Unicorn. 1999 – a Director with Status Shipping Lines based in Cape Town and later joined King & Sons, Maputo. 2000 Managing Moz Line in Maputo. 2007 National Operations Manager for South African Independent Liner Services [SAILS]. 2008 own company, Fairseas International doing chartering/broking/logistics. |
| MCKENZIE | JOHN EDDIE | 39 | After Bothie joined the Royal Navy as Boy Seaman and sent to H.M.S. Impregnable. |
| MCKENZIE | HOWARD ALAN ALFRED | 1897 | 1955 – 56 – Cadet with Safmarine. 1956 – 57 – Clerk with Southern Life. 1957 – 58 – Returned to Safmarine as Cadet 1958 – 59 – Clerk with United Building Society. 1959 – 64 – Clerk with Southern Life 1964 – 71 – Woolworths, in charge of Computer operations 1971 – 72 – Garlicks, comptuer operations manager 1972 – 79 – Stellenbosch University, Head of Operations 1979 – 93 – Rhodes University, Head of Oeprations July 1993 retired Served on the Cape Town GBOBA Committee as well as the Executive Committee 1960 – 1976 Deceased July 2001. |
| MCLACHLAN | LESLIE JOHN | 515 | Was a POW during WWII, rank Lance Corporal. |
| MCLAREN | JOHN BRUCE | 878 | Born Durban 1st April 1922. Son of John McLaren and Gladys Ella, nee Gill. Ed. Durban Preparatory High School. Cadet Draft 1936-38. John Bruce McLaren was apprenticed to the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co, in 1939 and served in the tanker Donax. In November 1940 he enlisted with RNR and for four months, attended HMS King Alfred at Hove. He was then posted as Temporary Midshipman HMS Hood which was lost three weeks after he had signed on for service. Midshipman John Bruce McLaren was reported ‘missing’ on 24th May 1941. |
| McLEOD | HUGH TRAVERS | 402 | 1929 winner of the Welter Weight boxing medal. Detail submitted from his son: “My grandfather, came from Berriedale in the Highlands of Scotland in the late 1800’s and settled in Alice in the East Cape. He started a General Dealer store selling everything from groceries, food supplies to haberdashery and men’s and ladies clothes. Blankets and yarn and fabric. My father Hugh finished school at a young age and was sent to General Botha to train. After my father finished at General Botha he was sent to a department store in Port Elizabeth, Croft Magill and Watson, to learn the trade. He spent two years there and returned to work for his father. After my grandfathers passing my father, Hugh, bought out his siblings and took ownership and running the business. After my father passed on, (16 Nov 1975), my mother sold the business and building to the then Ciskei Government.” |
| MCLOED | MICHAEL WILLIAM THORNTON | 1661 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Sailing in the “City of Chester”. Previously sailed in the “City of Litchfield.” |
| MCLOUGHLIN | JAMES BEVAN | 641 | Served with Ellermans Hall Line as apprentice. When apprenticeship completed, joined the mines. 1940 back at sea with Seaward Defence Force, then S.A.N.F. Left mid 1946 after getting married. Rejoined mines as arranged when joining up. Queens Coronation contingent as Lieutenant 1953. Retired April 1979. Previously Deputy Station Commander N.S.R.I. Station 9. Deceased 23/10/2005 |
| MCLOUGHLIN | STEPHEN PATRICK | 762 | Sailed with Anglo Saxon up to Master before joining Safmarine. 1964 retired. After retirement farmed fruit in the Eastern Cape and also spent time sailing his yacht in the Mediterranean.Deceased November 2001. |
| MCLOUGHLIN | JOSEPH SIMON | 2498 | Sailed with Safmarine on all types of vessels includnig passenger vessels. In 1990 he lectured at the Natal Technikon and the following year joined P&I Associates as a Marine Surveyor. 1993 entered into a partnership in a survey company and in 1994 formed Independent Surveyors c.c. based in Durban. 24/09/2007 killed in an accident in Durban harbour. |
| MCMANUS | DEREK | 2013 | Previously owner of Heritage Brands, Durban. GBOBA Durban branch chairman. |
| MCNISH | KENNETH THOMAS | 1048 | 1941 indentured apprentice to Union Castle Line, 4/0 on the Arundel Castle for Sicily and Italian Troop Landings. 1944 sailed with Royal Dutch Shell carrying Hi Octane. 1946 to 1951 remained at sea with Union Castle. 1951 Cargo Superintendent with Union Castle in Port Elizabeth. 1952, 3/0 & 2/0 with Safmarine, obtained Masters Certificate in 1954. 1955 joined S.A. Navy as Lieutenant, Navigation Officer on SAS Transvaal. 1957 Master of R.S. Africana II. 1961 transferred to Department of Transport and commissioned the new vessel R.S.A. 1962 to 1973 numerous voyages to the Antarctic and awarded the South African Antarctic Gold Medal. 1974 appointed Marine Surveyor in Cape Town, transferred to East London in 1975 where appointed principal officer. 1990 estate agent board exam in Cape Town. Deceased 19/08/2008. |
| M’CRYSTAL | GEOFFREY RONALD | 1722 | January 1953 joined the Kenilworth Castle. |
| MCTAVISH | JOHN ALLISTER STANLEY | 1723 | After leaving S.A.N.C General Botha joined the Bank Line as Cadet. Served as Cadet, 3rd and 2nd Officer, 1953 – 1958. Safmarine 1958 as Second Officer. Genearl Steam Navigation Company 1959 as second Officer. Shell Tankers UK Ltd 1959 to 1965 as third & second officer. B.P. Australia Ltd 1965 to 1971 as Third, Second, Chief Officer & Master. Joined Maritime Services Board of NSW as Pilot in the Port of Newcastle in May 1971. Promoted to the position of Senior Pilot in 1985. Promtoed to Navigation Services manager in December 1990. Twice piloted the Royal Yacht “Britannia.” Deceased 5th October 2015. |
| MEAKER | ROY | 35 | |
| MEDCALF | PAUL VICTOR ANTONIO | 1562 | 1950 – attended Britizus Tutorial College, apprenticed to Bank Line. 1952 promoted to Third Officer 1953 came ashore, failed 2nd Mates F.G. joined Smith’s Coasters as acting 2nd Mate. 1954 – 63 went to Zambia, worked at Rhokana Mine in smelter as Operator rising to Reverbatory Foreman. 1963 – returned to Republic 1964 – joined m.v. Nolloth as 2/O, after 1 months promoted to C/O. Then ashore to write Masters, failed. Joined Ellams as a rep. Then joined Impala Plastics (later to become Mega Plastics) and worked for them for 22 years rising to Proejct Engineering, Sales Manager. 1990 – early retirement, started own compay, Deteq Systems. Deceased April 2001. |
| MEDLICOTT | JAMES MEAD | 1248 | |
| MEIERHANS | ROY | 1667 | Cadet on m.v. Kaapland February 1952 till sold in 1954. Joined Thesens Steamship Company as 2nd Mate December 1955 till coming ashore in 1969 (8 years in command). Joined Grindrod Cotts Stevedores as Superintendent. Promoted to Assistant Branch Manager. Transferred to Grindrods Shipipng to open their container terminal as terminal manager in 1997. Then transferred to Town office as Operations Manager till retirement May 1989. Thereafter farming in the Greyton area. Deceased 30/04/2013. Berthed the “Zulu Coast” in the tiny Murray Bay harbour, Robben Island, a number of times to replenish the island’s fresh water supply. |
| MEIKLE | IAN STUART | 1898 | Went to sea with Ellerman Lines and later Second Officer with African Coasters. Served one voyage with Safmarine before returning to Ellerman Lines followed by London Ship Management. Worked on the British coast with London and Rochester Trading Company on ships of 400 tons. 1964 left the sea and joined the Lancashire Constabulary and later the Greater Manchester Police. Retired in 1992 as a Police Inspector. |
| MEIKLEJOHN | KEITH | 1899 | Sailed with Bank Line as Cadet and Third Officer until 1960 when joined the gold mining industry with Goldfields S.A. 1964 joined the Natal Parks Board as a Ranger and was stationed at Giants Castle Game Reserve, becoming officer in charge. 1974 transferred to Hluhluwe Game Reserve where his main interest was the capture and care of wildlife. In 1981 promoted to a new post as head of game capture and moved to NPB head office. Retired from the NPB in 1995 becoming a wildlife consultant specialising in the movement of wildlife overseas. |
| MEIRING | JOHN WILLIAM | 570 | Born De Doorns, Cape Province, 14 October 1915. Son of Jan Willem Meiring and Cornelia Hendrina, nee Hugo. Ed Worcester High School. Cadet Draft 1931-2. John William Meiring joined the Hall Line as apprentice in 1933, but later became interested in aviation and was for some time connected with the De Havilland Aircraft Co. In 1939 he obtained his “B” Pilot Licence and Flying Instructor’s Certificate. He joined the SAAF on 18th August 1940. He was killed in a flying operation by anti-aircraft shells near Aquila in Italy on 8th February 1944, and buried in the British Military Cemetery at Ancona. |
| MELLOWS | JOHN CEDRIC GRENVILLE | 1960 | Bothie nickname was Stroppy. John went to sea with Bank Line before coming ashore to join Mac Steel and later Manager of Gold Star Line. He then became Line and Chartering Manager of Raphaels in Johannesburg before taking over Directorship of Arenkiel Shipping. 1998 General Manager, Marketing of Polaris Shipping. 2004 joined Foreshore Shipipng based in Cape Town. Finally retired 2016. Reported 1964 – was employed as Chief Officer in the African Coaster “Voorlooper”. He received a gold watch in September from the Principals of his company in recognition of his bravery in jumping into the sea off East London to rescue a seaman. Two men from the m.v. “Silverstone” were overboard and the second unfortunately drowned. When the “Voorlooper” was informed by the Signal Station, Mellows was in position and effected the rescue of the other seaman, Holzschuh. He also received a letter from the Secretary of Transport congratulating him on his brave act. |
| MELLY | MICHAEL PETER | 2606 | Sailed with Unicorn until 1988. Joined Caleb Brett (Independent Oil Inspectors) and then P&I Associates in 1990. Appointed Managing Director of Calcon, a subsidary of P&I Associates and Pentow Marine, and bought out the company in 1992. Calcon is an Independent Marine Surveying & Consulting, Oil Inspection and Analytical Firm, which also handles logistics operations for overseas clients. Also a Director of Gazelle Testing Services. |
| MELVILLE | JOHN | 1123 | |
| MELVIN | DAVID GEORGE | 2446 | |
| MENGEL | CHARLES ROBERT | 189 | |
| MENZIES | ROY | 1668 | |
| MERRIMAN | IAN PHILIP DELVILLE | 2447 | Remained at sea in the employ of Safmarine until 1982. Joined S.A.R.& H for a period 1982 to 1984. Returned to Safmarine/Saftug in May 1984 and finally promoted to Master of the Deep Sea Salvage tug “Wolraad Woltemade”. (One of the two most powerful salvage tugs built) in June 1989. January 2017 handled his 100th towage contract involving the big tugs during an exceptional career. Retired 2018. |
| MERRINGTON | DERMOT | 702 | |
| MERRITT | CHARLES WILLIAM | 942 | |
| MERRY | CHARLES ROBERT CONGDON | 879 | 1946 First Lieutenant on the boom defence vessel HMSAS Barbrake. 1964 Mate in the African Coaster “Verge”. |
| MERRYWEATHER | ARNOLD GEOFFREY | 703 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1953. E.R.A. 3 in S.A. Navy. 1964 Warrant Officer/Engine Room Artificer SAS Natal. |
| MERTSCH | RICHARD FREDERICK | 2117 | |
| METCALF | DAVID | 1249 | |
| METCALFE | HUGH | 2809 | |
| METH | FRANZ CARSTEN DIEDRICH | 880 | Born Flagstaff, 31st May 1922. Son of Charles Meth and Kate Grace, nee Montgomery. Ed, Lusikisiki, Pondoland. Cadet Draft 1936-7. After leaving General Botha Franz Carsten Diedrich Meth joined the Bank Line and soon after the outbreak of war enlisted with the SAAF and while training was killed in an air crash at Benoni on 23rd December 1941. |
| MEYER | DANNY JOHN | 50 | 1963 to 1966 apprenticeship on the Gold Mine Virginia G.M. Co, Virginia in the Orange Free State becoming a fitter and turner. 1966 joined Safmarine as a junior engineer and promoted to chief engineer in 1974. December 1974 joined the S.A. Navy as a Lieutenant. Volunteered for Submarine service and stayed with the submarine flotilla for the greater part of naval career. Promoted to Commander and was flotilla logistics officer before resigning in 1989. Then went into own business and bought an engineering company in Brackenfell, Cape Town. Sold this business in 1994 and opening a business installing satellite television systems. In 1996 returned to sea and served with various foreign-going lines. 2002 chief engineer officer with Tide Water, Angola, serving on offshore vessels. GBOBA Bursary Fund founding board member and Life Governor. |
| MEYER | DANIEL | 1609 | |
| MEYER | GERHARDUS PETRUS | 2209 | Joined a bank after Bothie. 2009 own firm importing / exporting brewery equipment from Germany to Southern African countries. 2016 self employed land surveyor. |
| MEYER | CUTHBERT JAMES SWINFORD | 1425 | Sailed on the s.v. Lawhill. |
| MEYER | KEITH | 1780 | Captain Keith Meyer SM MMM SA Navy (Ret). GB Cadet No. 1780. 1952/1953. Apprentice in SAR&H Ships 1954/1956. As Mate in Thesens Coasters 57/61. In Command SA Air Force Crash Boat Squadron 62/68 .SA Navy 69/90. Retired with rank Captain (SAN) 1990. Married Anna Groenewald 1959. Three Daughters. Linda, Karin, Shirley. Each had a boy and a girl. Shaun, Amy : Robin, Lee-Ann: Jessica, Michael. Past chairman of the S.A.T.S. General Botha Old Boys Association, Mission to Seafarers and the Cape Town Sailors Home. Deceased 25th April 2019. |
| MEYER | MICHAEL ALAN | 2870 | 2001 Harbour Pilot in Saldanha Bay. 2006 left the National Port Authority and joined Platinum Yacht Managements Dubai as General Manager. 2016 returned to S.A. Captain/Junior Shareholder, Petalan Shipping Pty Ltd, Durban, South Africa 1990 – 1996. Senior Marine Pilot, National Ports Authority, Saldanha Bay, South Africa 1996 – 2006. Divisional Manager, Platinum Yacht Management LLC, Dubai 2006 – 2012. Marine Operations Manager, Smit Serviços Maritimos de Moçambique 2012 – 2016. STS Superintendent/Mooring Master/POAC; SafeSTS 2017 – present. |
| MICHELL | ERROL WILLIAM | 539 | |
| MICKLEBURGH | SEAN DAVID VINCENT | 2745 | 2021 Ships Agent at Tauranga. |
| MIDDELKOOP | CORNELIUS NICOLAAS | 2376 | |
| MIDDLEMOST | SIDNEY HAROLD ARTHUR | 2064 | After Bothie sailed with British Shell Tankers. Obtained second mate’s in 1962 and joined the Antarctic supply vessel “RSA”. End of 1963 left the sea to study ministry in Grahamstown thereafter served four years at St John’s Parish in Wynberg. 1971 joined the S.A. Navy as a Chaplin and end of 1979 joined the S.A. Army, initially with the S.A. Cape Corps and later six years with Spes-Ops, 32 Batallion. 1991-93 was Chaplin at the Recce HQ and at the Military Police School in Vorrtrekkerhoogte. March 1993 retired from the S.A. Army and continued in the ministry in Cape Town. 2014 immigrated to Australia. |
| MIDDLETON | LEONARD BRIAN | 1781 | Len Middleton was a 1952/53 Old Salt, during which time he won the Eric Curran Consolation Prize. He stayed on for a third year as a Badge Cadet, with the intention of joining the Fleet Air Arm. For some reason this ambition was not realised. He died of illness in Cape Town in 1997. |
| MIDDLETON | JACK CLIFFORD | 359 | After Bothie apprenticed to H. Hogarth and Sons. |
| MILES | THOMAS | 1525 | Died of cancer 24/11/96. Served in the Merchant Navy and the S.A. Navy for 18 years. Also worked on the mines for many years followed by a lot of survey work in the townships. |
| MILES | PETER NELSON | 1050 | 1940 to 1942 served as an apprentice with Bank Line and sailed as third officer for 6 months on the s.s. Erica in 1943. Then joined the South African Air Force and piloted heavy bombers and transports until 1946 when he decided to study mechanical engineering. 1951 Peter joined the National Education Department as a lecturer and apart for three breaks was with them until 1986 including serving as a Principal for a period of 7 years. In 1987 he joined a Carmelitz Monastry as an External Assistant. |
| MILES | CHRISTOPHER PETER | 2149 | Left General Botha and joined Safmarine. Left Safmarine as Master in 1976 and have held various positions in the shore based shipping industy. Surveying, Stevedoring and Ships Agency. 1964 Third Officer in Safmarine’s m.v. “Drakenstein”. 1993 – General Manager of SGS South Africa Pty Ltd 1995 – Manager of Bureau Veritas, Port of Richards Bay. 2002 – Standards Specialist with S.A. Maritime Safety Authority. Deceased 13/05/2006 |
| MILES | MICHAEL THOMAS | 823 | 1964 Second Officer in Smith’s Coaster “Induna”. |
| MILLAR | GARRY JAMES | 2810 | Previously sailed with Unicorn Lines. 1997 – Running his own business, “The Cheese Farm” Durban. 1998 moved to the U.K. |
| MILLAR | SCOTT GOULD | 2765 | After G.B. went to sea and achieved Chief Officer’ s Certificate in 1986. A car accident shortly afterwards resulted in leaving the sea. Worked for a ship agency in Durban for 5 years and achieved various qualifications. i.e. Chartered Shipbroker through the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers in London, bookkeeping diploma, business management and presently (1995) doing a bachelor of commerce through UNISA. March 1982 joined Devonia Shipping in Randburg, ship operating, ship broking and cargo broking. September 1994 joined ISCOR as Senior Shipping/Chartering Officer. Responsible for time chartering/voyage chartering, operating and the financial aspects of vessels for the shipment of ISCOR Steel cargoes and outside cargoes to the USA as well as Cargo claims. 1996 Line Manager with Gearbulk shipping of London. 2001 Returned to Durban and started own cargo broking business Millar Maritime. |
| MILLAR | HARVEY BRUCE | 36 | SAR & H: Millwright apprenticeship with fellow Bothie Boys H. Lincoln, B. Akkerman, N. Hobbs, old salts Maruis Smith, W. Steyn and J. Kraus. Safmarine: Marine engineer SA Trader and SA Drakenstein to about 1967. 1967: Moved to Canada, worked as a Millwright in British Columbia, Ontario and Alberta. 1992: Took over BTS Services, Calgary [vibration analysis, dynamic balancing, precision alignment, maintenance on rotating equipment.] 2010: Retired. |
| MILLARD | MARTIN RONALD | 437 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1957: Deceased 1957. Had an expert knowledge of radio and electrical work, which he turned to good account when joining the Antartic Whaling Expedition of 1939. From 1949 to 1947, he rendered valuable service with the S.A. Naval Forces, as radio and electrical maintenance officer at Cape Town and Durban. In 1947 he transferred to the S.A. Navy permanent force, being promoted to Lieutenant-Commander on 1st December 1955. Buried at sea close to the S.A.T.S. General Botha from the S.A.S. Vrystaat on the 8th April 1957. |
| MILLER | AUSTIN LESLIE | 824 | Born 29 July 1920 in Graff Reinet, South Africa. Joined the SATS General Botha in Simon’s Town in 1935. Graduated in 1936. Joined Clan Lines as a cadet officer and operated mainly on the India/UK route. During the war his convoy was attacked in the biggest U-boat attack of the war, and his ship, the Doluis, was torpedoed. He was picked up by a Canadian corvette and taken to Newfoundland before being transported back to Britain where he joined another merchant ship of the Blue Funnel line. Married Madge Osborn in England in 1942. In 1945 he was sent to Australia for three years on the Freemantle to Singapore route. Returned to England due to ill health and sat for his Master certificate in London in 1947. He then returned to South Africa. He joined African Coasters (Grindrods) and served as master on the Cecile Mapleson and the Frontier, both coasters on the eastern seaboard route. In 1950 he joined the SAR & H in Durban. Posted to PE in 1952, serving on a dredger. Returned to Durban 1954 as Tug Master until 1960 when he was posted to Cape Town, later on becoming a pilot. Piloted the US aircraft carrier USS Rooseveldt, and the British aircraft carrier HMS Eagle in to CT, as well as various high profile ships such as the SS France and Queen Mary 2. He was also responsible in 1969 for bringing in the biggest ship ever to enter Table Bay harbour, the 214,000 ton tanker Aardtaraig. Was promoted to Deputy Port Captain in Durban in 1973, and to Port Captain, Port Elizabeth in 1978, where he remained until his retirement in 1980, when he moved to Cape Town. He served on various voluntary committees, including secretary of the Society of Master Mariners and the General Botha’s Old Boys Association. Deceased 6/12/1985. |
| MILLER | JOHN HARTLEY | 1669 | |
| MILLETT | NICHOLAS WILLIAM HENRY | 88 |
After Bothie apprenticed to Aberdeen White Star Line. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953: Lieutenant in S.A. Navy. |
| MILLIN | PHILIP ANTHONY BARNET | 2118 | December 1959 joined the “South Afriacn Trader” (Safmarine) in Lourenco Marques (Now Maputo). Left safmarine after two years at sea and held several positions including Marketing Representative (Rotex Agencies), Buyer (Finnandersen Boat Builders), Sales Accountant (Lever Brothers), Branch Manager (Stewart James Electronics). 1965 joined Felt & Textiles in Durban as a Junior Computer Programmer. Later joined Delca Data Processing as a Systems Consultant and later became data processing manager at Bata Shoe Corporation in Pinetown, Natal. 1970 joined IBM in Johannesburg Marketing IBM products and attained position of General Manager, East Coast Sector. 1993 joined large scale systems (later Amdahl S.A ) in Cape Town as Regional Manager. 1996 joined MGX Holdings. 2004 Owner of Bay Tree House, a boutique guest house in the Wilderness, Western Cape. |
| MILLSON | BRIAN HAROLD | 1838 | Brian Millson was fiercely proud of Boksburg and came to the General Botha from Christian Brothers College in that city. At the conclusion of his time at the Botha Brian spent a brief period with Safmarine, before returning to Boksburg where he passed away in 1977. After Bothy Brian joined Safmarine and sailed on the U.S.A.- South Africa route. Left sea and worked for John Brown Land Boilers in Cape Town and Bloemfontein. Joined Schindler Lift Co in Durban, in 1971 .He was working on the lifts at the Maharani Hotel, still under construction, at the 2nd floor level when a steel bar weighing 3kg fell from the 23rd floor level, hitting Brian on the head and knocking him down the lift shaft. He died 7 hours later at Addington Hospital, leaving behind his wife, Denise and 3 young daughters. This accident occurred on the 15th November 1977. His ashes were scattered at sea off Durban. |
| MILNE | HUGH RAMSAY AIRTH | 996 | 1941 to 1949 at sea with British India Steam Navigation Company. Served on troop ships during WWII and passenger ships after the war. 1949 joined ‘Eastern Province Herald’, Port Elizabeth as a journalist. 1950, Johannesburg with the S.A. Press Association. 2 years later joined ‘The Natal Mercury’ in Durban. 1952, reported on ‘Daily News’. 1956 to 1960 ‘The Argus,’ Cape Town as Deputy News Editor. 1960, Chief Assistant Editor of the ‘Mercury’ in Durban. Youngest to hold such a post on a major daily. Was the first recipient of the ‘Pringle Award’ for editorial writing in 1961. 1966 to 1969, Canada, Editorial Writer on the ‘Vancouver Province.’ 1969 to 1978, returned to Johannesburg as Argus Company’s Foreign Editor. 1979 to 1994, Argus Bureau Chief in New York. 1994, retired. Deceased 29/04/2008. |
| MILTON | MICHAEL ALLAN | 2014 | After Bothie joined the Rhodesian (now Zimbabwe) Railways in their Building Construction Department and in 1963 transferred to their Electrical Department. 1969 went to the U.K. for two years and gained experience in factory managemetn and prodcution. 1971 settled in Durban and worked for Toyota and then Dunlops in production management. 1976 joined the Natal Parks Board as a Ranger and served as a District Conservation Officer on the coast. 1985 returned to Durban as a warden and specialised in community conservation management in urban and industrial areas, forming the first Urban and Industrial Conservancies in Africa n 1991. Retired in 1998 and was preparing to write a book on coastal conservation history. Was named the “Keep Durban Beautiful Association’s” Super Citizen for 1991. deceased |
| MILTON | SHAUN NICHOLAS | 2499 | |
| MINNAAR | JAN KRIGE | 385 | After Bothie was a Deck Hand with S.A.R. & H. WWII South African Tank Corps. Was a S.A. POW during WWII. 10th June 1944 seconded to Royal Navy, ex S.A.N.F. Served with the Cape Town Fire Brigade. 1964 Berthing Master in Walvis Bay. |
| MINNIE | ROBERT GARTH | 2210 | Deceased. |
| MINNITT | RONALD GASCOYNE | 2285 | Joiend Safmarine as Cadet, later with Unicorn. Promoted to Master at age 26 years. 1975 – 79 S.A. Navy. Served on Frigates, Submarines, Torpedo recover and diving vessel and minesweepers. Decorated for Service in the Angolan conflict. Thereafter joined Society Genearl de Surveillance, Marine Surveying. 1979 to 84 own business of Marine Surveying, commercial diving and product sampling. Entered into partnership with McLachlan & Lazar (Pty) Ltd. Shipping slump dyring 1983 caused closure. Then joined Portnet. Served in command of Harbour Craft, Harbour Master and Pilot in Luderitz and later as Harbour Pilot in Richards Bay. 1995 – Portnet Training Officer, Richards Bay. 1997 Harbour Pilot in the Persian Gulf Port, Dubai. 2000 – Returned to S.A. as harbour pilot in Saldanha Bay. Deceased 22/07/2002. |
| MITCHELL | GORDON HAIG | 763 | After G.B. sailed as Cadet and Navigating Officer with various British and South African companies until 1940 when he joined the Royal Air Force. Spent most of his RAF career as pilot of flying boats until demobilising in 1946 with the rank of Flight Lieutenant. Then spent a year at the South African Demobilisation Centre as employment officer with the rank of Captain. Then spent the next 8 years as an Industrial Insepctor with the Department of Labour in Durban, including 2 years as a Pilot with the City of Durban Squadron SAAF – Auxiliary. Following 26 years he was Personnel Manager and Industrial Relations Consultant with various companies in Natal and Swaziland. From 1980 he farmed at Port Edward until Retirement in 1986. Passed away 15/08/97. Photograph in album. |
| MITCHELL | BRYAN CHARLES | 2672 | |
| MITCHELL | JAMES ALLAN | 1124 | |
| MITCHELL | VINCENT HAIG | 1839 | Haig Mitchell was one of two Free Staters in our year having attended Voortrekker High School in his hometown of Bethlehem. He was a keen sportsman and won the Silver Medal for Sportsman of the Year in his second year. On finishing at the Botha, he returned to Bethlehem where he commenced an apprenticeship as a motor mechanic with the South African Railways. On completing, he took up a sales career selling farm implements and equipment for G North and Sons. In 1960 Haig married Ria Van den Heefer in Bethlehem. They have two children, a daughter in Bethlehem, a son in Germany and five grandchildren. In 1970 Haig joined the Permanent Building Society as a financial advisor. Gaining promotion to branch manager, he was transferred to Brits, where he opened a new branch. Further promotion came when he was transferred to corporate headquarters as manager of the Nedcor Administrative Branch in Pretoria. In 1997 Haig was offered and accepted a ‘package’, taking early retirement in Pretoria. Haig and Ria now live happily on ‘extended retirement’ in Bethlehem. |
| MITCHLEY | GEORGE FRANCIS | 333 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. |
| MOFFAT | JOHN CHARLES EDWARD | 2421 | For the past 22 years worked in various parts of the world. Finally settled in Western Australia. |
| MOFFAT | WILLIAM PARK | 316 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union-Castle Line. |
| MOIR | JOHN STANLEY RUTHEFORD | 482 | Did not complete second year. |
| MOIR | ERIC THOMAS | 1840 | Yet another Wynberg Boys’ High School pupil, Eric Moir was a very serious young man with interests in music and chess in which he did very well. In his senior year he also won the prize for English. Because of an eyesight defect, Eric was unable to go to sea and on leaving the Botha took up a post in Paarl with the engineering firm of J MacKenzie and Company, a firm of electrical contractors specialising in heating equipment. Here Eric learnt his trade of tool and die maker, before moving to the Metal Box Company in Cape Town. A better job offer with Ashworth Products, specialising in hospital equipment, entailed a move to Durban. While with them Eric moved into the field of instrumentation, eventually taking a job with Murray and Roberts as an instrumentation draughtsman. In this field Eric started dabbling in computers and eventually became so adept that he was given the post of computer training manager for Murray and Roberts. This firm eventually closed down upon which, nothing daunted, Eric set up his own computer training practice in Gauteng. A few years later, he decided to give up teaching and bought his own retail toyshop in Edenvale. There he was happy to apply his many skills as a toy maker but is now believed retired in Onrust, close to Hermanus. Eric married Dianna Peterson of Cape Town in 1968 and they have a daughter, Vanita, and two grandchildren. Reported deceased. |
| MOL | JOHANNES HENDRIKUS MARINUS | 2555 | |
| MONEY | PETER | 1782 | Reported deceased. |
| MONKTON | RICHARD GRENVILLE | 1125 | |
| MONTAGU-FRYER | BARRY | 1961 | |
| MOOLMAN | MICHAEL JOHN PETER | 2592 | Attended S.A.M.N.A. General Botha Merchant Navy Academy from June 1977 to December 1977, while in the employ of SAFMARINE training as a navigation cadet. Since leaving Safmarine in July 1978 I was conscripted to serve two years in the South African Defence Force, doing bulk of my service in Pretoria – Military Intelligence. Worked on the then South African Railways as an Apprentice Telecommunication Technician. Qualified as a Telecommunications Technician, passing my trade test at Oliefantsfontein in 1985. Worked in the SAR telecommunication department in Richards Bay KZN. 1995 to 1999 Employed as a Representative for Forest Sales selling structural timber, based in Durban. 1999 to 2015 Employed with the then Hans Merensky timber company. Accounts manager in KZN/Lesotho. 2016 Employed with Hillermann Brothers. Sales representative; KZN, Eastern Cape, Lesotho. |
| MOON | PETER ALEXANDER | 2448 | Joined the Royal Cape Yacht Club when 15 years old and worked as a cabin boy on the yacht “Lothair.” After G.B. sailed with various shipping companies before joining De Beers Marine in 1990 as Master. Retired due to ill health shortly afterwards. Served on the yacht club’s executive committee for many years until his passing away on 19/08/96. |
| MOON | LESLIE DELVILLE | 704 | 1963 was Master of the Department of Sea Fisheries vessel, Sardinops. |
| MOORE | JOHN LEWIS | 516 | 28/10/1931 joined S.A. Naval Service. In an army line regiment in the thirties. |
| MORAN | BRANDAN JOHN | 2840 | |
| MORAN | KEVIN ANTHONY | 2449 | 1997 – at sea with Pacific Ship Management 2002 – Master with Dart Line. 2012 with SAMSA as a surveyor in Saldanha Bay. |
| MORE | FREDERICK WILLIAM | 1312 | 1945 – 1956 served as Cadet, 4th, 3rd, 2nd and Chief Officer with Ellerman Associated Lines of U.K. 1956/57 served as 3rd and 2nd Officer with Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. 1957 – 1960 Chief Officer with Northern Steamship Company. 1960 – 1969 Master with S. Berg & Company of Sydney / Port Vila / Hong Kong. This firm bought out by Dilmun Naviation of London. Continued as Master with Dilmun until 1972. Then Master and relieving Shore Manager with Eastern Sea Services of Singapore. 1972 to 1987 Junior Officer and rising to Master with Howard Smith Industries of Syndey. 1987 to 1994 Marine Consultant and relieving Master to tanker operations in Pacific Islands before retirement. Deceased 17th July 2015. |
| MOREBY | DAVID HENRY | 1475 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. “Has joined the tanker ‘Acavus’ as an Apprentice Officer” – 1946 – 59 Cadet and Ships Officer with Shell Tankers. 1959 – 73 Lecturer to Principal Lecturer, Plymouth College of Technology. 1973 – 86 Dean, Faculty of Maritime studies, Plymouth Polytechnic. 1986 – 87 made Professor of Shipping. 1987 – 90 Head of Deaprtment of Shipping & Transport, polytechnic South West. 1990 – 94 visiting Professor, Australian Maritime College 1994 – Emeritus Professor of Shipping, University of Plymouth 1984 – 89 Director Jayship Ltd. In partnership owned and operated handy sized bulk carriers; Jay Baba, Jay Bola, Jay Jagneesh, Gur Master, Gur Maiden, Gur Mariner. 1978 Managing Director, Marine Intelligence Ltd. A consulting company. Master Mariner (FG) – extra Master Mariner – Doctor of Philosophy (Phd). Deceased April 2010. |
| MORGAN | DAVID BASIL LEWIS | 1250 | Joined British India Line as Cadet. |
| MORGAN | WILLIAM GLYNDWR | 2245 | Born in Boksburg in the old Transvaal on 9th July 1945. * Went to school in Newcastle, Natal. * Attended the General Botha Nautical Academy at Gordon’s Bay in 1964. Picked up Second Prize for Seamanship and the Character Prize, a bit of a surprise that one! * Went to sea with Safmarine for some years on various cargo ships, reefers and an oil tanker. My first ship was the SA Statesman. Saw a lot of ports in Europe, the USA, the Far East and some other places. * Decided to change the world and do Town and Regional Planning at Wits University. Left after two years with lots of friends, experience in mountain climbing, dinghy sailing. The world did not change. * Joined Barlows and sold Caterpillar Tractors in the Northern Transvaal and Swaziland. * Did some time sailing as Second Mate on the Voorloper, a Unicorn coaster, between Durban and Cape Town. * Worked in a yacht shop in Cape Town called Wilbur, Ellis Co. Did a lot of sailing. Met my wife, Christine, got married. * Rejoined Safmarine and was promoted to Master in 1995. *I was with them until their big break-up some years ago. * Safmarine’s bulk carriers were sold to a Greek company and I went with them. I was in command of Cape sized and Panamax bulkers and a couple of geared container ships. Crews were mainly Ukrainian, some Polish. * Retired in February 2013. |
| MORGAN | PAUL COPELAND | 2181 | Reported deceased. After GB joined ms Governor of T&J Harrison Line. |
| MORGAN | RICHARD | 2338 | After leaving Bothie joined Ellerman Lines. 1970 came ashore and joined Dulux paint company and in 1989 joined Plascon paint company. Since retired. |
| MORLEY | DOUGLAS THOMAS | 1371 | Deceased. |
| MORLEY | JOHN GEORGE SILKE | 1313 | Joined Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company on their ocean going tankers until 1950 when he settled in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) and went tobacco farming. 1964 retired from farming and joined Ford Motor Co. in quality control and later Capri Corporation. 1970 he joined the Standards Association of Central Africa as Chief Technical Officer. 1981 joined Samcor in Pretoria as Quality Assurance Engineer and then Motorubber until retirement in 1994. Deceased 05/02/2000. |
| MORRALL | IAN ARTHUR | 1900 | After Bothie joined the Surveyor-General’s Office in Cape Town. After obtaining his National Diploma in Land Surveying joined Transnet and retired from there in 1994. Also joined the naval reserve SAS Unitie in Cape Town in 1957. Later became OC of SAS Oosterland and OC Naval Base PE and SAS Donkin. Since 1994 working part-time as a Captain at the Defence HQ in Pretoria writing policy for the Reserve Force. |
| MORRIS | PETER | 1610 | Sailed with Union Castle as a cadet and later joined Standard Bank in Cape Town. Transferred to Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe] in 1954 and worked in the various sectors of the finance industry before being transferred back to Cape Town by the Colonial Mutual Assurance Company. Next joined S.A. Breweries and following time in the Eastern Cape as their manager bought the Grand Hotel in East London. Thereafter spent another five years in Zimbabwe returned to Cape Town where he started a motivational business and then invented and patented worldwide a system to improve service on the forecourts of service stations. Shell S.A. bought the rights and he worked for Shell as a consultant on the project for 10 years. Then spent 9 years as GM of Peers Retirement Village in Fish Hoek, Cape Town. Retired. |
| MORRIS | BLAISE WILLIAM | 2889 | I have been mostly at sea since 1985 except for a 2 year spell where I did furniture making. I’m presently with Maersk Suppy Service as Chief Officer, previous to that master with Tidewater in Angola. I have also been tug master in Cape Town Harbour as well as years on the S.A. Agulhas on the south Atlantic and Antarctic runs. Also did time in diamond mining |
| MORRIS | EDWARD JAMES | 603 | After G.B. apprentice with Blue Funnel Line and after obtaining second officer’s certificate did one voyage as Fourth Officer and one voyage as Third Officer. Then joined the Royal Air Force on a short service commission and served 31 years, getting a permanent commission after WWII. Served as a fighter pilot and retired in 1968 with the Rank of Air Commodore and settled in South Africa. Then joined the Illovo Sugar Group as Personnel Manager. End of 1977 was personnel Manager on a project team under Tate and Lyle setting up a third Swaziland Sugar Estate. Retired from commercial life in 1980 and bought a farm in the Underberg District of the Southern Drakensberg and established a trout farm. Finally retired 1979. Deceased January 1999.Edward James Morris CB CBE DSO DFC (6 April 1915[1] – 18 Jan 1999) was a World War II flying ace. Born in the Transvaal, he want to school at Michaelhouse. He joined the Royal Air Force on short term commission in June 1937. After completing training in May 1938 he was posted to the Parachute Test Flight, where he stayed until January 1939. He then joined 79 Squadron at Biggin Hill. He was wounded in action in August 1940 and after recuperating was sent to the Middle East in May 1941 to join 238 Squadron. In September 1941 he took command of 250 Squadron flying the Curtiss Tomahawk. His next posting was to Desert Air Force Headquarters in March 1942. Later that year he was appointed Chief Instructor at No. 71 Operational Training Unit RAF before becoming Wing Leader of No. 251 Wing RAF of the Desert Air Force in late 1943. At the end of 1944 he was posted to Mediterranean Allied Air Forces Headquarters. He obtained a permanent commission in May 1945 and was sent to the RAF Staff College. He was promoted to Wing Commander in 1947. In 1950 he took command of RAF Old Sarum before attending the College of Air Warfare in 1953. After the course he went on an exchange with the United States Air Force at Eglin Air Force Base. He returned to the UK in 1956 and was promoted Group Captain and posted to 12 Group. In 1958 he took command of RAF Wattisham before being posted as Air Commodore Operations at Fighter Command HQ. He was promoted to Air Commodore in 1962 and posted as Director of Air Defence and Overseas Operations at the Air Ministry. He was Chief of Staff at Middle East Command from 1964 to 1966. His final posting was AOC Air Cadets until he retired in August 1968. Retirement He returned to South Africa and moved to Natal as the Personnel Manager of sugar estates. He then went to Swaziland to construct a sugar estate before returning to start his own farm in Natal. |
| MORRIS | ANDREW SHAW | 1962 | 1956 – JCC, SCC, CCC, QGM, 157-60: Inverbank, Ettrickbank, Far East + India run 1961 : 2nd Mates, studying in Old Missions to Seamen. Then to Thesens ss Co. Mashona Coast, Griqua Coast, Namaqua Coast, finishing as Chief Officer. 1961-2 Bank Line as 3rd and 2nd Mates 1963 Mashona Coast again. Passed CNO Cert. Studying in tin huts at presnet Granger Bay. Pondo Coast, Zulul Coast 1964 passed Masters Home Trade. Pondo Coast, Swazi Coast Mainden voyage from U.K. 1964-66 Master of Xhosa & Griqua Coasts. Passed Masters FG. 1967 – Stevedore Foreman, Frank Robb & Goodwon 1968 – Marine Surveyor, Fox & Eastman 1968-9 – Harbour Services in CPT 1970 – Principal, Training Centre for Seamen 1980 – Master RSA (training ship, shorebased) 1980 – Lt, SAN, CF, SAS Unitie. Now in reserve. December 2016 abruptly resigned from the Old Boys Association. |
| MORRIS | WILLIAM ORMSBY | 825 | After G.B. joined his brother’s construction firm in Johannesburg. 1938 enlisted in the Rand Light Infantry and qualified as a member of the Bisley Team. On the 8th June 1940 the Regiment was mobilised and on the 10th June 1941 sailed with the regiment on the ‘Ile de France’ to Egypt. On the 21st June 1942 was taken prisoner of war. After the war continued as a building contractor in Johannesburg before moving to Durban. On 1st August 1966 joined the Borough of Amanzimtoti as Building Inspector and was later promoted to Chief Building Inspector in July 1972. Retired 1st December 1987. Deceased November 2009. |
| MORRIS | CONSTANTINE STICKLAND | 571 | After G.B. joined Shell Tankers as a Cadet after working his pasage to the UK as a deck boy. On obtaining his second officer’s certificate he returned to sea as third officer on the Cable Ship Retriever. During WWII his vessel worked in all parts of the world. At the end of the war he returned to Cape Town with his family and joined Shell in a shore capacity. He was soon appointed to Beira in Mocambique as Chief Clerk where he spent six years. Then transfererd to Rhodesia before retirement in Durban. Deceased 1999. |
| MORRISON | RODNEY HAROLD | 375 | Winner of King’s Gold Medal. |
| MORRISON | NEVILLE JOHN CHRISTOPHER | 294 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. Deceased 1992. |
| MORRISON | GUY JAMES | 2650 | Previously at sea with Safmarine 1978 to 1984, then S.A. Navy 1985 to 1990. Obtained Chief Navigating Officer CoC 1983. 1985 attended SAN Officer’s Course at S.A. Naval College, Gordon’s Bay, and Combat Officer’s Qualifying Course 1986 at the Maritime Warfare School. SAS Simonsberg, Simon’s Town. 1989 SAN Strike Craft Weapons Officer’s Course, Strike Craft Training Centre Durban. 1990 to 2016 Managing Director and major share holder of Morrison Signs c.c. based in Durban. 2018 started a small sign company, SignGuy, based in Cape Town. |
| MORTY | OLIVER EDWARD | 93 | Joined S.A. Naval Service as Signalman. |
| MOSELEY | WILLIAM JOSEPH | 235 | |
| MOTSON | PAUL KEITH | 2696 | I left Safmarine in 1982 and joined the [then] SAR & H to do an apprenticeship in Radio Communications. I ended up working in the Durban harbour radio department maintaining 2 way radios, radars, D.Fs etc on the tugs and harbour craft as well as the port captains office and port control. I was offered a job with a company called Laboratory & Scientific Equipment Co. I was with LASEC for about 2 years when I realised that I had reached the peak of my career there. I left to start my own company [LABFIX] servicing the same market. Initially I was alone servicing and repairing industrial laboratory instrumentation. LABFIX now has 10 employees and we operate nationally accredited laboratories in Temperature, Viscosity and Dimensions with Mass and Pressure planned for early 2008. We work as far a field as Mozambique and service all industries including the automotive, petrochemical and the BHP Billiton operations nationwide. I moved to Australia in January 2007. My wife and I have started a digital and wide format printing company Extreme Signs, Brisbane Australia. |
| MOULT | NICHOLAS | 2673 | |
| MOUNTJOY | MICHAEL CHARLES | 2397 | Died of a brain haemorrhage whilst waiting Chief Officer’s Examinations. |
| MOUTON | NEIL DOUGLAS | 2725 | After G.B. sailed with Unicorn. Obtained Masters Certificate in 1993. Sailed as Chief Officer with Ship Management crewing companies, including Safmarine and Mobil. 2003 joined Bluewater Energy Services on the FPSO Glas Dower in Sable Field 52 NM off Still Baai and served as Marine Superintendent onboard until early 2011 during modifications in Singapore. 2011 joined S.A. Maritime Safety Authority [SAMSA] Cape Town. GBOBA Cape Town branch committee member. |
| MOYLE | BARRY NORMAN | 1963 | 1997 – Chief Officer on Deep Salvage 1 providing dive support with Chevron in the Malongo Oil Field, Cabinda Enclave, Angola. Deceased 02/03/2005. Spent his early years at sea with Safmarine and the coasting companies. Mid 1980’s he moved into road transport, initially from the Reef and later from Cape Town with Trans-coast Express in 1989. In 1992 he returned to sea first with Comargo and then Spanfreight out of Mombasa. Thereafter contracts with OSA Pentow Marine and delivery work including in command. Laterly he had been in semi retirement running a small business at the Labia Theatre. Deceased 02/03/2005. |
| MOZLEY | CHARLES GRAHAM EDWARD | 1724 | |
| MUGGLESTONE | FRANCIS CARR | 372 | After Bothie apprenticed to White Star Line. Deceased 2000 aged 90. |
| MUHLENBERG | KARL HERMAN OTTO | 1563 | |
| MULDAL | SIGMUND | 1611 | 1951 Northern Steamships as Cadet on the President Steyn. 1952 – 55 sailed with Union Castle as OS and AB 1955 – 56 S.A.R. Ships Dahlia and Hangklip as AB 1957 – 62 sailed on various British Ships as AB 1962 – 63 Thesen’s Coasters Mashona, Herero and Zulu Coast as 2/O. 1963 – 64 African Coasters on Margin, Voortrekker, Barrier & Voorloper as 2/O. 1964 Antartic voyage as 3/O on the R.S.A. 1967 – 70 sailed with Marine Diamond on various vessels. 1970 – 71 Land & Marine salvage during the construction and first year of operation of the single buoy mooring off Durban. 1971 – 73 Rennies Coasters as C/O on the Swartland, Boland & Jolanda. 1974 – 75 C/O on land & marine’s Gemsbok until her founering 2/9/75. 1976 – 87 Unicorn Lines as C/O and Master. 1988 – 1996 Safmarine as Master on the Kuswag Anti Pollution Fleet, now Pentow Marine. Deceased Jun 2001. |
| MULDER | HENDRIK HEFER | 1783 | Reported deceased. |
| MULDER | JOHAN HENDRIK | 2651 | |
| MULLER | ANDREW HAROLD | 57 | Placed in S.A. Navy as Ordinary Seaman. 1964 Berthing Master in Durban Harbour. |
| MULLER | DENNIS ANTHONY | 1426 | |
| MULLER | ANTON HELGARD | 2811 | |
| MULLER | JOHN ANDERSON | 2286 | 2000 with Tallships, Durban 2003 responsible for the operational and commercial aspects of two bulk terminals of African Portland Industrial Holdings. The terminals are Motala Coal Terminal in Mozambique and the Walvis Bay Bulk Terminal. Based in Johannesburg. 2010 Retired. |
| MUNCHIN | ROY KEVIN DE LISLE | 1526 | |
| MUNDELL | TONY IVAN | 2812 | |
| MUNDY | DAVID CHARLES | 1841 | Dave Mundy was the other Free Stater of our year (with Haig Mitchell) who went to the General Botha from Odendaalsrus High School. On completion of his time at the Botha he returned to Odendaalsrus, where he completed an engineering apprenticeship. He then joined the SAR&H as a junior engineer on the tugs in Richard Bay. He was killed tragically, in a motor car accident in the l960s. |
| MUNRO | RICHARD MICHAEL | 2841 | 2015 Luanda operation manager for Sonatide / Tidewater in Luanda. 2017 joined Eagle Bulk in Singapore. 1982 – 1991 Cadet / 3rd Officer Unicorn Lines 1988 – 3rd Officer Seconded to Sea Fisheries 1990 -1991 2nd Officer De Beers Marine 1991 – 1993 Chief Officer Unicorn Offshore 1994 – 1995 Chief Officer OSA / Ocean Inscape Limited (OIL) 1996 – 2000 Master Portnet Durban 2001 – 2003 Chief Mate Tidewater 2004 – 2007 Master Tidewater 2007 – 2007 Port Captain / Safety Officer 2007 – 2017 Operation Manager Tidewater 2017 – Fleet Manager Eagle Bulk Shipping |
| MURCH | CHRISTOPHER | 2480 | 2012 owner of a Pick and Pay supermarket in Durban. |
| MURPHY | MICHAEL JAMES | 705 | 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. Deceased 1994. |
| MURPHY | COLIN MARTIN | 1842 | Colin Murphy was not at the General Botha for very long. He was embroiled in an alleged incident of theft in the opening months of the course and left, never to be heard from again. |
| MURRAY | PETER DAVID | 1784 | Sailed five years with Blue Funnel Line which included attending the Outward Bound School in Aberdovy. In 1958 he joined Safmarine as Third Officer and 5 years later joined the S.A. Habour Service. Served in various ports around the country on dredgers and tugs as well as harbour pilot. 1988 became Assistant Port Captain of Richard’s Bay until retirement in 1993. Since 1967 has been involved with the Mission to Seamen Institute in each port that he served. On retirement he was appointed manager of the Mission to Seafarers in Port Elizabeth and served with pride giving back to seafarers until it was forced to close in 2010. Passed away suddenly and unexpectedly on 27 October 2020. Sadly missed by his four sons, the eldest being David Murray (No.2726) also a proud ex-Botha boy like his Dad. |
| MURRAY | IAN WILLIAM | 2339 | |
| MURRAY | RONALD BERNARD | 2697 | 1979 – 86 – Joined Unicorn as Cadet and progressed to Second Officer. 1986 – 89 – joined Department of Environment affairs as Chief Officer on the S.A. Agulhas and the R.S. Africana. 1989 – joined Portnet. Presently Tug Master and Pilot in Saldanha Bay. 1998 – relocated to Messaid, Persian Gulf, as a Harbour Pilot. 2018 returned to Saldanha. |
| MURRAY | DAVID GEORGE | 1427 | |
| MURRAY | KENNETH DAVID | 2556 | 1995 Assistant Harbour Master in Melbourne, Australia. 2014 retired. |
| MURRAY | PETER DAVID | 2726 | Born in Rawsonville in 1961. Raised in various port cities in South and South West Africa (now Namibia) including Durban, Walvis Bay and Port Elizabeth following my father around as he was transferred between various port cities having joined the SAR&H. Matriculated from Alexander Road High School in Port Elizabeth in 1979 and went straight to sea on the Safmarine cadet ship SA Vergelegen, determined to follow in my father’s footsteps. Over the next ten years served on general cargo vessels, container vessels and bulkers with Safmarine, until ending my seagoing career as Chief Mate on the salvage tugs John Ross and Wolraad Woltemade. Studied for Masters at SAMNA General Botha in Granger Bay in 1991 and subsequently came ashore with Safmarine in the cargo planning department. Was poached by Pentow in 1992 in view having tug experience and filled various roles from Marketing to Towage and Salvage Co-ordinator. When Smit of Holland bought out Pentow in 1999, was promoted to Business Unit Manager; Transport and Heavy Lift reporting to the Divisional Director in Holland. Involved in all the major salvage operations on the South African coast in the early 2000’s including the Treasure, Ikan Tanda, Jolly Rubino, Sealand Express, etc. Served with Pentow in its various guises of Pentow Marine, Smit Pentow Marine, Smit Marine South Africa, Smit Amandla and is now Business Unit Manager Offshore Marine Services with AMSOL having been part of the leveraged management buyout in 2018, and is now also a shareholder in AMSOL. In 2020 celebrated 40 years’ service in the various Safmarine / Pentow Marine guises. Presently accountable for offshore marines services offered by AMSOL managing contracts in South Africa, Mozambique and Namibia, which includes the management of the Government contracted coastal protection tug SA Amandla ex John Ross. Sits as a Trustee on The Lawhill Maritime Education Trust and on the GBOBA Committee. |
| MUSGRAVE | JOHN BUTLER | 706 | Born 04/06/1917. Died in Kenya 20/12/1953 1939 – 1945 British Army, Royal Engineers, Lance Corporal Number 1883420. After the war farmed in Eastern Trasnvaal, Cheshire U.K. and finally Kenya. |
| MUSHET | DONALD WELLWOOD | 572 | Joined lower deck in SAR Ships. |
| MUSTART | ROBERT ARCHIBALD SYLVESTER | 200 |
After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a seaman. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953. Warrant Officer in S.A. Navy. Retired as a Sub-Lieutenant from the S.A. Navy and passed away on the 13/08/67. |
| MUTTON | STANLEY JAMES | 94 | |
| MYBURGH | ROBERT BRUCE | 2377 | 2004 teaching mathematics at a college in the U.K. |
| MYLCHREEST | MAGNUS JOHANNES | 997 | WWII Private Transvaal Scottish / AB SANF. |
| MYRDAL | BRUCE COLIN | 2310 | Deceased 12th November 2018. Submitted by GB cadet 2320 Robert Wells: The last time I saw Bruce was at our 1967 Reunion. As Far as I know he left Safmarine as a cadet and worked for Lamson Paragon for several years. He became ill in 2011 and beat all the treatment so he was in remission at the time of our reunion. He was an amazing rock star renowned for his band Route 66, circa 2000s, playing all over the Western Cape. I did not have contact with him since then until I saw his obituary on Facebook. He was a very good sportsman and tops at self defence when we had lessons from the Butcher Brothers. Many off duty weekends were spent with him, a Bergvliet boy, when we stayed at Ken Shirleys house in Fish Hoek. I believe he lived on a farm between Philadelphia and Atlantis (Western Cape). He was a gentle good humoured guy with a tremendous sense of humour. He and Frans Oosthuizen, Doc Hellman, Ken Shirley and I had some good times. He will be sorely missed by all 29 of us and well remembered for Honour and Integrity . |
| MYTON | EDWARD ALFRED | 47 | After Bothie joined the South Africa Naval Service as a seaman. |
| NANKIN | ABRAHAM PHILIP | 1192 | After G.B. went to sea on a trawler as a deck hand. 1943 – 46 sailed on the s.v. Lawhill as Deckboy, Cadet and Third Officer. After obtaining certificates sailed on the s.v. Passat and s.v. Cariad before rejoining the s.v. Lawhill as Second Officer and later Chief Officer in 1948. 1949 – 53 sailed on S.A.R. vessels and Thesens Coasters. 1954 sailed on the s.s. Vergelegen (Safmarine), returning to S.A.N.C. General Botha at Gordon’s Bay to study and teach part time. 1955 – 56 sailed as Master on various vessels with Cape Recife Coasting. Ferburary 1956 appointed Lecturer in charge at GB Gordon’s Bay and promoted Principal Decemebr 1956. August 1963 appointed Captain – Superintendent of S.A.M.N.A. General Both at Granger Bay until retirement in March 1985. 1971 skippered the GB training Ketch ‘Howard Davis’ on the first Cape to Rio Race. Deceased 25/07/99. |
| NARBURGH | DAVID | 2567 | |
| NASH | CHRISTOPHER GEORGE ANTHONY | 66 | Christopher Nash. 1961 / 62 (E66). UCT 1964 / 66. British Army 1967, Royal Engineer, Retired as Colonel OBE 1994. Worked in a number of major international service companies across the globe. Currently part time international business development adviser. Live in UK. |
| NAUDE | DAVID BESTER | 764 | |
| NEAL | BASIL OWEN ST GEORGE | 1372 | |
| NEALE | BASIL ALEXANDER | 943 | |
| NEAVES | DONALD PETER | 2398 | Sailed with Safmarine until 1977 when joined Arya National Shipping Lines of Iran. After obtaining Master’s saield for United Arab Shipipng. Later rejoined Safmarine and stood by a few new buildings in Poland and Korea. 1999 sailing with S.A. Marine Corporation on their bulk carriers. 2002 Chief Officer with Wightlink Ferries. 2020 Senior Master with Wightlink Ferries. |
| NEEDHAM | SAMUEL CHARLES | 730 | Did not complete second year. He passed away in 1961. After the war spent in Egypt and Italy with the Natal Mounted Rifles, his working life was spent ashore, with no maritime involvement. |
| NEEDHAM | GODFREY ALFRED | 2607 | Born 11th January 1959, Cape Town. Educated Norman Henshilwood High School. 1977 joined Safmarine as Deck Cadet. 1988 joined S.A. Transport Services (Harbour Service) as First Deck Officer. 1990 joined Pentow Marine, firstly in marketing and later operations. 1993 – promoted towage and salvage manager, Pentow Marine. 1998 – left Pentow Marine to start own business, Offshore Maritime Services. Towage and Salvage Broking; Launch Services; Marine Surveying. Branches in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth and Durban. |
| NEETHLING | RODERICK LIONEL | 2287 | 1967 to 1975 Roderick sailed with Safmarine & Unicorn Lines, cadet, 3rd officer, 2nd officer and chief officer. Master foreign going 1975. Joined the harbour service,various ranks up till Assistant Port Captian, port control. 2010 retired, 2 years back on contract. 2013 fully retired. |
| NEETHLING | SCHALK WILLEM | 2150 | |
| NEILL | MICHAEL PATRICK | 2119 | After obtaining second mate’s in 1964 went to Canada and sailed as navigator on a seismic vessel on the Grand Banks of Newfoundland. Later moved to British Columbia and worked on a car/passenger ferry between Vancouver and Vancouver Island. 1969 moved to Australia and sailed as Master on an oilrig supply vessel until 1975 before moving to Brazil to work in the offshore oilfields. 1995 returned to Australia and pilots a high speed ferry on the Brisbane River. 2006 retired. 2007 bought a yacht and relocated to Brazil in preparation for a cruise. Daughter: neillshannon@hotmail.com 2008 returned to Australia and accessing newsletters off our website. |
| NEILSON | EDWARD VINCER | 2500 | Left the sea in 1984 and qualified as Master in 1985 while serving as an agent with Grindrods. Moved to Unicorn as Operations Manager in 1987 and ended as Chartering Manager in 1996. Then opened Ensign Shipipng which operates as ship and cargo brokers in Durban. |
| NEL | GERT DIRK PETRUS | 49 | WWII was a Lt in the SA Naval Forces. He changed his name to Gerard Albert Nel on 25/10/1938 . |
| NEL | LOUIS HENRY | 1843 | Louis Nel went to the General Botha from Parow High School. In his senior year he was promoted Junior Cadet Captain and won the senior certificate prize for Afrikaans. He elected to go to sea with Ellerman & Bucknall his first ship being the City of Philadelphia with Bill Cope as his fellow cadet. Writing his second mates in Cape Town, Louis returned to Ellermans and remained with them until after he had obtained both his mates and masters in Warsash, near Southampton. In l961, Louis married Mary Woodford of Warsash and, becoming the proud father of a daughter, he and Mary moved out to South Africa where in l963, he took up the post of Harbour Master at Port Nolloth. Their second daughter was born there. In 1964, Louis took a management position with Ovenstones Fishing and remained with them until 1969 when he joined the staff of the General Botha. In 1970 he became marine manager of Dowson and Dobson, in charge of their electronics division, and stayed with them until 1973 when he took the position of regional manager for the Western Cape, of Redifusion South Africa. In 1976 his marriage was at an end and he moved to Johannesburg as production manager for mobile radios with Plessey, staying with them until 1979. In Johannesburg in 1978 Louis married Gabriella Valter of Cape Town and in 1979 moved from Plessey to Control Instruments as regional manager for the Southern Transvaal, before setting up his own business in Johannesburg, Neptune Electronics. In 1983 Louis sold his business and he and Gabriella moved back to Cape Town. He then moved into marine insurance where he remained, except for a brief spell with the Department of Transport. He retired to Higgovale running his business until his death 31st August, 2007. |
| NELL | NORMAN PERCIVAL | 707 | 1934 promoted to Senior Cadet Captain. In 1943 represented G.B. at a dinner held in the Manion House London at which HRH Prince of Wales was the host. After G.B. joined Ellerman & Bucknall. Was serving as Second Officer in the City of Perth when she was lost in the Mediterranean in 1943. Late 1943 returned to S.A. to join the S.A.R.& H. In Durban in January 1944. Passed through the various ranks and was assistant Port Captain in Durban when he passed away on 26/02/1972. |
| NELLMAPIUS | ERNEST PETER | 2378 | After G.B. completed a BA Education at Natal University and then taught Geography at Greytown and Scotburgh for a few years. From teaching joined the OK Bazaars as Administration Manager. 2 years later joined Unilever in their training department. Thereafter joined the Natal Technikon involved in Human Resource Development training courses. Has also completed a Masters Diploma in Adult Education and in 1997 published a book – Human Resource Development Handbook. March 2008 retired. Previous GBOBA Durban Branch secretary. |
| NELSON | WILLIAM DUGUID | 1785 | Went to sea for 6 months before joining Rustenburg Engineering as an apprentice. 5 years later returned to sea as a Junior Engineer. Worked for Dury Wickman in the engineering field and then relocated to USA where he worked for Kodak Eastman until his retirement. |
| NELSON | GEORGE PERCIVAL | 281 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. |
| NELSON | ALVIN JAMES BEILLIE | 1476 | 1964 a clerk in the Rhodesian Railways, Fort Victoria. |
| NELSON | MICHAEL GILL | 2246 | Sailed with Safmarine. 1993 – Knysna Hydraulics 1999 – Outeniqua Timbers, Knysna, Deceased 28th February 2019. |
| NELSON | BARRY GRAHAM | 2871 | 2004 With Gearbulk, Durban. 2012 working for Gearbulk in Australia as Commercial Manager. |
| NESBITT | MICHAEL | 2630 | |
| NESBITT | JOHN WARREN | 31 | 1964 assistant to the Port Captain, Durban Harbour. 1968 – Master with the S.A.R. & H. Went to sea with Ellerman & Bucknall and later became a pilot in Durban Harbour. Deceased. |
| NETTERBERG | JOHN | 2065 | 1959 – 66 Ellerman & Bucknall Steamship Co. 1964 a junior officer in m.v. “City of Exeter”. 1970 passed B.Sc (Maritime) at Plymouth Polytechnic, U.K. First Bothie Boy to achieve this. 1968 skippered 40 foot yacht “Cyclops” from Portsmouth to Cape Town. * Further career in the USA.* 1972 passed MBA (Finance and Accounting) Columbia Univeristy. 1972 – 74 systems Engineer, Electronic Data Systems Inc, New York and other centres. 1974 – 76 Systems Analyst, Rogers Foods, California. 1976 – 78 Manager Comptuers Services and Director of Corporate Development, Rogers Foods, Idaho. 1979 – 82 self employed owner of FBDG Inc a Computer Service Bureau, Idaho. 1983 – 84 Director of computer services, Rafco Inc, MacAllen, Texas 1984 – 85 President, MUF Inc, Paskager of Freeze Dried Food. 1986 – 94 President Shelf Stable Foods Inc, Evansville, Indiana. 1994 – Director of Food Processing, Cinpac Inc, Cincinatte, Ohio. Deceased 30/09/96 of cancer. |
| NETTLETON | JOHN DERING | 573 | 1932 Junior Cadet Captain and 1933 Chief Cadet Captain. Born Nongama, Zululand, 28th June 1917. Son of John Hennah and Ethel Maud Nettleton. Ed. Western Province Preparatory School, where he played first team cricket and rugby in 1930. Cadet Draft 1931-2, Chief Cadet Captain. John Dering Nettleton served as Cadet in the Elder Dempster Line for one year, after which he joined the Cape Divisional Council. In 1938 he enlisted with the RAF where he rose to the rank of Squadron-Leader during the war. He was awarded the VC for gallantry in action, and a year later, on 13th July 1943, was reported missing after a raid over Germany. Held the rank of Wing Commander at the time of his death. He led the famous raid on Augsburg in April 1942 and of his formation of six aircraft the other five were shot down, his bullet-riddled plane being the only one of the formation to get back. ===================== John Dering Nettleton VC (28 June 1917 – 13 July 1943) was a South African officer in the Royal Air Force (RAF) during the Second World War. He is famous for leading the so-called Augsburg Raid, a daylight attack against the Maschinenfabrik Augsburg-Nürnberg AG [MAN] U-boat Diesel engine factory in Augsburg, Bavaria on 17 April 1942. For his role in this mission he was awarded the Victoria Cross [VC], the highest award for gallantry in the face of the enemy that can be awarded to British and Commonwealth forces. Born on 28 June 1917 in Nongoma in Natal, South Africa, John Nettleton was the grandson of Admiral A. T. D. Nettleton. He was educated at Western Province Preparatory School in Cape Town from 1928 to 1930. John Nettleton then served as a Cadet in SATS General Botha the South African training ship in Simon’s Town. He was in the in the 1931 -1932 Term. After matriculating there he then spent 18 months in the South African Merchant Service as an Apprentice Navigating Officer. He later took up civil engineering, working in various parts of South Africa. His interest in the sea did not wane and on 03 September 1935 he was appointed as a Midshipman in the Cape Town Division of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve [South Africa]. He was later commissioned in the RNVR but after two years he left South Africa to take a short-service commission in the Royal Air Force [RAF]. Commissioned in the Royal Air Force (RAF) in December 1938, [some reports say 03 September 1938] Nettleton then served with Nos. 207, 98 and 185 Squadrons before joining No. 44 Squadron, flying Handley Page Hampden Bombers. He took part in a daylight attack on Brest on 24 July 1941 and in a series of other bombing raids and was mentioned twice in dispatches, once in September 1940. Nettleton was promoted to Flying Officer in July 1940, Flight Lieutenant in February 1941 and was a Squadron Leader by July 1941. No. 44 Squadron was based at RAF Waddington, Lincolnshire at this time and had taken delivery of Lancaster Bombers in late 1941. In 1942 a daylight bombing mission was planned by RAF Bomber Command against the MAN U-boat Diesel engine factory in Augsburg, Bavaria, responsible for producing half of Germany’s U boat engines. It was the first major mission flown using the new Avro Lancaster, a four engine Bomber with tremendous lift, great range, and a heavy defensive armament. It would be the longest low level penetration raid made during the Second World War. Nettleton was nearing the end of his first tour and was placed in command of the mission. The operation would require the force to fly at low level to avoid detection by German radar. To prepare for the raid the two squadrons committed were pulled out of the bombing campaign against Germany to practice low level formation flying. The Augsburg raid commenced on the afternoon of 17 April 1942, when Nettleton led six Lancaster bombers from RAF Waddington South in two flights of three. A few miles away at RAF Woodhall Spa, six more Lancasters from No. 97 Squadron took to the air and headed South as well. The two groups did not link up as it was not required as part of their mission. Both groups reached Selsey Bill on the English South Coast independently, flew out over the channel and turned toward the French coast. The No. 97 Squadron group caught sight of the No. 44 Squadron aircraft as they approached the continent, but the No. 44 Squadron aircraft were running a course slightly to the north of what was planned and the No. 97 Squadron commander chose not to close. Shortly after Nettleton’s group crossed the French coast near Dieppe, German fighters, returning after intercepting a planned diversionary raid which had been organized to assist the bombers, attacked the No. 44 Squadron aircraft a short way inland. Four of the Lancaster Bombers were shot down. Nettleton, nevertheless, continued towards the target and his two remaining aircraft attacked the factory, bombing it amid heavy anti-aircraft fire. Both aircraft dropped their bombs but were hit as they flew away from the target. Nettleton’s aircraft limped back on three engines. His companion’s Lancaster caught fire and crashed. At the end of his return flight Nettleton’s aircraft overflew the United Kingdom and was out over the Irish Sea before turning back and finally landing near Blackpool. John Nettleton was awarded the Victoria Cross. The award was gazetted on 24 April 1942 and the citation read: “Squadron Leader Nettleton was the leader of one of two formations of six Lancaster heavy Bombers detailed to deliver a low-level attack in daylight on the diesel engine factory at Augsburg in Southern Germany on April 17th, 1942. The enterprise was daring, the target of high military importance. To reach it and get back, some 1,000 miles had to be flown over hostile territory. Soon after crossing into enemy territory his formation was engaged by 25 to 30 fighters. A running fight ensued. His rear guns went out’ of action. One by one the aircraft of his formation were shot down until in the end only his own and one other remained. The fighters were shaken off but the target was still far distant. There was formidable resistance to be faced. With great spirit and almost defenceless, he held his two remaining aircraft on their perilous course and after a long and arduous flight, mostly at only 50 feet above the ground, he brought them to Augsburg. Here anti-aircraft fire of great intensity and accuracy was encountered. The two aircraft came low over the roof tops. Though fired at from point blank range, they stayed the course to drop their bombs true on the target. The second aircraft, hit by flak, burst into flames and crash-landed. The leading aircraft, though riddled with holes, flew safely back to base, the only one of the six to return. Squadron Leader Nettleton, who has successfully undertaken many other hazardous operations, displayed unflinching determination as well as leadership and valour of the highest order.” On the night of 12/13 July 1942, Bomber Command put in a raid of 295 Lancaster Bombers against Turin in northern Italy. The object of the raid was to encourage the fascist government of Italy to withdraw from the war. Turin was a distant target and being summer the nights were short. With limited darkness, the return to England could not be flown direct, and had to be routed over the Bay of Biscay to avoid German day fighters. Flying Lancaster KM-Z (ED331), Nettleton took off from Dunholme Lodge at 10:23 pm. Another Lancaster on the mission was that of Leonard Bradfield. As dawn rose, several Lancaster Bombers caught sight of each other and grouped together for protection. Also returning from the mission, Bradfield and his crew spotted a group of Lancaster Bombers off their starboard side, on a track some 30 degrees to their west. Bradfield was confident he was on the correct course. He had a good visual, and his position had been confirmed with a strong signal from Gee. The Lancaster Bombers to their West were too near the coast. Bradfield’s aircraft signalled, but they received no response. At about 6:30 am the group of Lancaster Bombers with Nettleton were intercepted by Nazi day fighters that had been scrambled from their base South of Brest. Among the Lancaster Bomber losses from the mission, three aircraft were known to have been shot down over the Bay of Biscay, while six more were lost without a trace. Nettleton and his crew were among the losses. Their bodies were never recovered. All are commemorated on the Runnymede Memorial. |
| NEWALL | ANDREW ROBIN | 2340 | |
| NEWBY | LEONARD ALLAN MELLOR | 1314 | Deceased 25/02/04 |
| NEWHOUSE | DENNIS | 1193 | Born Durban, 6th July 1925. Son of Alfred Henry Newhouse and Norine Francis, nee Dixpeek. Ed, Isipingo Government School. Cadet Draft 1941-2. Dennis Newhouse enlisted with the NMR in 1944 and while on service contracted an illness from which he did not recover. He died in Genoa on 18th December 1945. |
| NEWHOUSE | SIDNEY PHILIP ALLAN | 1052 | |
| NEWPORT | THOMAS VICTOR JAMES | 1251 | |
| NEWTON | CYRIL EDWARD | 642 | |
| NEZAR | JOHN ST CLAIR | 2182 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Vanguard”. About 1968 John Nezar worked as an Engineer Representative for Murray and Roberts in Cape Town Docks. Early 1980s known to be in Albany, West Australia. |
| NICHOLAS | ANTHONY DAVID | 2399 | First intake to be directly employed before going to Bothie. Sailed with Safmarine on all vessel types up to Chief Officer. 06/1981 – 02/1985 – Stowage Coordinator with Southern Africa European Container Service (SAECS) and Cargo Superintendent with SAECS/Transatlantic Joint RORO Service. 02/1985 returned to sea with Safmarine. 03/1987 – Master of the Steam Tug S.J. Harrison. 03/1988 – 10/1992 – Cargo Superintendent and then Operations Manager with SAECS RORO Service. 11/1992 – Transferred to Saflink (Agency Division of Safmarine) Cape Town as Operations Manager. February 2000 promoted to Area Executive, Safmarine Western Cape, responsible for agency. 2001 appointed Trade Operations Executive. 2002 appointed Trade Reefer Manager. 2004 joined Foreshore Shipping, Cape Town, which later became Pacific International Line S.A. as their Regional Manager, Western Cape. Retired February 2015. Chairman of the S.A.T.S. General Botha Old Boys Association since 1993. Chairman – S.A.T.S. General Botha Old Boys’ Association Executive Committee – S.A.T.S. General Botha Old Boys’ Association Bursary Fund. Executive Committee – Society of Master Mariners of South Africa. Vice Chairman – Cape Town Sailors Home. |
| NICHOLS | ARTHUR RICHARD CHESNEY | 237 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a seaman. |
| NOEL | BYRON WILLIAM | 944 | After G.B. attended Muir College, Uitenhage. At the outbreak of war in 1939 he enlisted in the S.S.B. but transferred shortly afterwards to the S.A.A.F. where he trained as a mechanic reaching the rank of Sergeant. He saw two tours of duty overseas, first with the Flying Cheetahs (No 2 fighters) and later with 30 bomber squadron at Foggia in Italy. After the war he went farming. 1947 he and his new wife took over the management of a remote farm in the Willowmore district. Two years later returned to the home farm in Graaf-Reinet where over a period of 33 years distinguished himself as a dedicated and thorough farmer. Deceased 1984. |
| NOONE | AUBREY EDWARD | 1252 | Served apprenticeship with “Alfred Holt & Co”. Sailed on a few convoys to USA & Canada, back to Liverpool – rest of time in Far East. Wrote 2nd Mates ticket in London, March 1947. Applied and joined Safmarine 1948. 3rd Mate on Vergelegen – Old Victory Ship. Very happy but had disagreemet with a marine superintendent in Cape Town. Joined “National Cash Register” nor NCR Corp. Took early retirement after 35 years. Keeping busy working Autoship in Stellenbosch. 1939-45 Star, Victory Medal, Pacific Star. Born 17/05/1926. Deceased 22/12/2011 |
| NORRIS | DAVID ALEC | 1428 | |
| NORRIS | ALISTAIR ARCHIBALD JOHNSTONE | 2341 | Previosuly sailed with Safmarine and later based ashore in their Bulk Division. Subject division sold in 1999, retained name of S.A. Marine Corporation. 2001 resigned from S.A. Marine Corporation. |
| NORRIS | SEAN | 2652 | |
| NORTH | PETER ALLAN | 517 | 1931 Junior Cadet Captain. During WWII commanded the Magnetic Minesweeper ‘Bever’. She was the last ship out of Tobruk when it fell, having stood by to the bitter end to take off demolition parties. Lieutenant North ordered all hands below decks for shelter, took the wheel himself, and ran the gauntlet of enemy shore batteries and aircraft. Had previously served in Shell Tankers. |
| NORTH | PETER ERIC | 2653 | Previously owner of Pace Transport & Logistics, Australia. Deceased 12th February 2020. |
| NORTH | JOHN EDWARD | 1373 | Deceased 17/12/2012 |
| NORTON | LYLE OGILVIE | 765 | After leaving the Bothie went to sea in the Ellerman Hall Line. After two years returned home to Barkley East, farming. At outbreak of the war joined the D.M.R. Regiment. Soon after returned to farming, retiring from farming in 1980. Then joined an Estate Agency in Gonubie for 9 years. BOTHIE NICKNAME ‘STOMPIE’. Deceased 09/09/2006. |
| NOURSE | HUGH BOTHA | 122 | |
| NOWELL | DENIS JAMES | 945 | Note in ship’s ledger – Died on 21st March 1953 after an operation for trouble arising originally from war wounds during service with the 2nd Kaffrarian Rifles, 2nd S.A. Division – invalided out in 1943. |
| NUNES | FRANCISCO PEREIRA | 2450 | 1972 joined Safmarine, obtained Master’s Certificate 1981 and promtoed Chief Officer. 1984 joined S.A. Harbour Service in Durban.1990 joined De Beers Marine as Second Officer, promoted Chief Officer 1991, relief Master 1993 and 1997 promoted Master with De Beers Marine of Cape Town. 1999 joined Tidewater Marine as tugmaster working off Angola. 2004 with Smit Marine. |
| NUNN | GAVIN MICHAEL | 2674 | Gavin was at GB in 1979 and sailed with Unicorn before coming ashore and working at I & J. He left I & J in 1996 and formed his own company called Octopus Electronics which was involved in fibre optic cameras to inspect underground pipes etc. He was diagnosed with a brain tumour in the middle of 2016, sold his company and passed away on the 15th November, 2016 shortly after his 60th birthday. |
| NYZINK | ARMAND | 2015 | Reported in “Both Watches” of 1960, died in a motor accident at Fish Hoek on 26/11/60. At the time was on leave from the m.v. Grysbok (ex Lanarkshire) of the Springbok Shipipng Company. Buried in Simonstown Cemetery Plot V20 reference 4281. |
| OAKES | PETER RODNEY TUFNELL | 2654 | |
| OAKES | KENNETH BARRY TUFNELL | 2501 | 2008 returned to sea after 27 years ashore. Spent 21 years with the Spar group as I.T Manager and 6 years running his own hardware business. Joined Smit Amandla Marine in November 2008. |
| OBERHOLZER | JOHANNES FRANCOIS | 708 | On leaving GB became an Apprentice Rigger on the City Deep Mine. No doubt his thorough seamanship training made it a natural path to follow. He qualified as a Rigger and had one employer City Deep & Crown Mines part of the Corner House/ Rand Mines group. He continued working as a Rigger at City Deep until his Mayoral Year 1963/4. Rand Mines gave him a year’s leave to fulfil the function of Mayor of Johannesburg. He was the first mining man to become Mayor of Johannesburg. A monument was to be erected by the Mining Companies at the northern end of Rissik Street below the new Civic Centre, to acknowledge the contribution that miners and mining companies had to the establishment of Johannesburg as the Mining Capital of South Africa. The condition was that it had to be unveiled by Francois Oberholzer the first Mining Man to become Mayor of Johannesburg. That was his last duty as Mayor of Johannesburg. After the Mayoral year Rand Mines transferred him to the Personnel & Training Department at City Deep.1963 to 1964, Mayor of Johannesburg. Freeman of the City of Johannesburg. Chairman of the Management Committee (EXCO) of Johannesburg City Council for 16 years. 1989 received a Honorary Doctorate at the Rand Afrikaans University. Received the State Presidents Order of Merit (OMSS). The “Francois Oberholzer Motorway” (M2), a park in Johannesburg and a resort gate at Heidelbergkloof is named after him. Founder of the Suikerbosrand Nature Reserve at Heidelberg in the Transvaal. Member of the Provincial Council. During his 37 years as a member of the City of Johannesburg he served as Chairman of major bodies and served on 93 committees associated with local government, provincial and central government. Chairman of the Regional Developmetn Advisory Committee, PWV. Deceased 01/02/2003. |
| OBERMEYER | KEVIN GASTON DONALD | 2675 | 4 years with Portnet in Richards Bay, first on tugs and then as Quality Performance Manager. Followed by 3 years in Prince Rupert, Canada, as Assistant Harbour Master and then 4.5 years as Harbour Master in Nanaimo, Canada. 1999 President and CEO of Marine Operations for the Pacific Pilotage Authority overseeing the pilotage for the entire British Columbia (Canada) Coast. |
| O’BRIEN | THOMAS ANTHONY SMITH | 1901 | 1967 Master with Unicorn. Travelled to France to take delivery of the Ovambo. 1947 East London, Boarder at De La Salle College & when the school established a Sea Cadet unit. Relocated to Pretoria, Joined the ‘Pretoria Boys Naval Brigade’. 1954 -1955 ‘General Botha’ on Shell Tankers Bursary- Badge Cadet, Band, Good Fellowship award. 1956 Five of us leaving on a Shell Tanker from Cape Town – Roy Linnow, Jock De Beer, ‘Punchy’ Bob Brindle, Ian Toddun. Mates and Masters exams in London and Second Mates in Durban. After completing my contract with Shell Tankers, returned to SA on holiday. Was called by African Coasters to assist as they were shorthanded. Stayed with them. Most time as Master on the SS ‘Ridge’ ten passengers, cargo on the Mauritius, Reunion run and subsequently on the ‘Sezela’ a new build in Durban on which was Master at the time of her launch by Mrs. Alan Chettle in March 1970. Sezela also replaced the ‘Ridge’ on the Mauritius run and extended the service to Lobito, Luanda, Tamatave, Boma, Matadi & Abidjan. Also largest vessel to enter St. Helena bay without tugs or pilot in force 4 wind & hampered by fishing vessels. Delivered some second hand vessels from European ports to Durban when the fleet was being upgraded. From there to a period at Dorbyl Shipyard as fitting out superintendent and on to marine surveying with the Company ‘Capt. G.A.Chettle’. First to conduct surveys at the Bluff after dark and also one of the first to attend to surveys in Richards Bay when the port was opened. Eventually Ian Fishley (GB 1960/61) took over. Was an independent surveyor for a while before taking over ‘The Tyneside’ UK Hydrographic Agency in Durban and subsequently in Cape Town as, ‘ The Tyneside Nautical Charts & Publications’ in Durban and ‘ Charts International in CapeTown’. End of an abbreviated account of my career up to September 2018. Following are some additional memories After ‘Bothy’ first trip was to ‘Haifa’ in Israel then on to Singapore, where we were split up. Subsequently met up with Jock De Beer in London and some years later again in Durban. He was then a journalist for a well-known magazine, sadly killed in a Motor Car accident on 13th Feb. 1962 on the Durban/Pietermaritzburg road. I felt terribly sorry for his parents they were all very close. I sailed with Bothy Boy Chief Officer John Shone (GB 1943/44). John was brilliant an ‘Extra Master’ when I was an apprentice and subsequently when fourth officer on the new build Shell Tanker ‘Opalia’ then brand new. Subsequently visited him in and his family in 1964 at their home just outside London. I was saddened to learn some years later that he was killed in a car accident whilst on holiday in South Africa. His achievements are listed in the Bothy records 1964 Bob Brindle wife Thelma spoke to her on the phone, Bob worked in a Bank, was off to Saudi Arabia to join a Mobil Tanker. Corresponded with him a few times by email in 2018. Very annoyed about reaching retirement age said it is a pity as he will have to spend more time in the pub. He was our best boxer at the GB. Met up with ‘Goldsmith’ of our year in London about when up for my Masters and spent an afternoon with his family in their home outside London. I remember Goldsmith for the pranks he played. On one occasion filling the Afrikaans Lecturer’s glass with salt water from the harbour another when he had ‘Granny’ assuring the lad trapped in an underground drain that help was on its way and urging him to hang on – only to look up and spot Goldsmith talking from the second floor in an open drain pipe. It ended in smiles. Subsequently left Unicorn. Spent some time as fitting out superintendent at Dorbyl Shipyard and conducted the trials on the vessels up to delivery. Subsequently joined Capt. Chettle Marine Surveyors with Colin Bolt (GBOB).This consisted of 24 hours on call. I was the first surveyor in Durban to conduct surveys at the Bluff after dark. Travelling to Richards Bay to conduct surveys on the large bulk carriers from the time the port was opened until an additional surveyor, Ian Fishley joined us and was placed at Richards Bay. Offshore survey being delivered and retrieved by helicopter. Old family friends Mr. & Mrs Wilkes owned ‘The Tyneside’ drawing office and were also Agents for the UK Hydrographic Office. When Mr. Wilkes passed away the firm was left to me and continuation of the UKHO Agency influenced by my Master Mariners Certificate. From that time on, together with my wife and staff, have managed and operated ‘ The Tyneside Nautical Charts & Publications cc. In Durban and Charts International in Cape Town. Have since attended a number of UKHO Conferences in Taunton and London. With recent developments meetings can be reduced due to the ability to communicate on the internet. The staff also are trained and updated by UKHO online programs. It is a requirement to have the latest version ISO accreditation. Website http.www.tynside.co.za Ivan Bole, Shell Tankers somewhere along the line Bothy #1693. DOT – Captain Caseley Bothy 1157 DOT Durban Some random notes -The North Sea particularly in winter time. Searching for fishing vessels in distress in heavy weather off Norway. Children going home from school skating past the ship on ice formed only a short time after berthing. Careful navigation in busy traffic zones, fog and bad weather. Elsewhere, Singapore and a period on a small tanker serving the Island’s and river ports and depots in Borneo and Sumatra. Padju, anchoring in the river at night due to lack of any navigation lights. Keeping a lookout for unwelcome visitors who drifted down stream in their small boats amongst the ‘flotsam’, branches and weed, and creep aboard to steal anything they could lay their hands on including mooring ropes etc. Blackout on board and watch for the driftwood that ‘stopped’ alongside, then action with high pressure hoses. A walk to a monument on the Equator in Borneo with ships dog ‘Jambie’, named after one of the rivers. – Vietnam during the unrest years, Thailand and Japan. Darwin, Sydney and Melborne. The Barrier Reef Pilot was interested in offering me a job. Apparently he had a second occupation which was a service to the Barrier Reef Islands by small Sailing Vessels. Very tempting. To the other side for a period operating out of Curacao in the West Indies. New York and other east coast ports down to Houston. After discharge in New York, went upriver past Sing Sing to load fresh water from the river for Curacao where the refinery was located. Lake Maracaibo Venezuela to load crude from offshore moorings. Anchored in the lake awaiting berth a long way off the land. Playing polo in the water alongside the ship until an Alligator/Cayman decided to join us resulting in a fast exit. As second officer I had to collect the lifejackets we had in the water to rest on. Travelling by air from the UK to Singapore, stopover at Karachi. After landing the intercom came on and my name and seat number was mentioned. I was requested to remain in my seat. Other passengers would be taken to a local hotel. I was ‘arrested’ as I was a South African citizen. An army vehicle arrived and I was taken to a military base in the airport and given a neatly furnished ‘Hut’. I was given supper and had a comfortable night. In the morning I was taken back to the aircraft and comfortably seated before the others arrived. They were not so cheerful after their experience. London; Funny but true – London, 4.7.1964, (exam) Doctor asked me two questions, 1) What is a simple fracture and 2) and do you have five bob please!. Escape; Alexandria Harbour, Egypt, at the time when Egypt and England went to war over the Suez Canal. Late on the afternoon before hostilities were due to start. Advised by the authorities that we would be arrested at 0600 the following morning and taken off the vessel. The Master made a plan to make a run for it at first light. The plan was have everything ready and the remaining moorings would be cut. We were lucky, at first light we saw two American Navy vessels close to the entrance to the Port. They were there to ensure the safe departure of two American merchant vessels which were moored in the inner part of the harbour. As they came up to where we were berthed, the remaining moorings were cut and we went off the berth up close alongside the American vessels and there was nothing much that the Egyptians could do. After leaving the harbour we went at full speed to clear the Egyptian territorial waters and that night were able to stop and drift in blackout condition awaiting orders from head office. It was already dark when we heard a loud whistling sound coming down on us which we thought was a bomb but turned out to be a very bright flare which burst just above the vessel – obviously someone’s (friendly) air force identifying us. Abnormal Wave experience; Sailing from Durban to Cape Town on the ‘Sezela’ our course set close to the 100 fathom line whilst Henry Walker (GBOB), a good friend on the ‘Pongola’, on a similar course but was about a mile behind & further out to sea. About 2300 hrs, I was asleep and suddenly awakened by the vessel being in a climbing attitude of about 20 to 30 degrees. There was some centrifugal force as I could hardly move. Besides trying to think what was happening my fear was what was going to happen next. We got to the top levelled and then went into a downhill attitude. After dipping the forward end of the vessel into the sea she rose and settled down as if nothing had happened. I went on to the bridge and the shocked second office explained that everything was in order and he was looking forward when he saw what appeared to be a ‘black wall’. He could not figure it out as everything was in order and our position confirmed. Then we hit the ‘Abnormal Wave’. The only damage to the vessel was the loss of our jack staff located at the stem and some crockery. We called the Pongola to warn them but they did not experience anything abnormal. I subsequently found that the ‘Abnormal Wave’ had been studied by J. K. Mallory and in 1993 the Department of Transport (DOT) with Captain Shillington and E.H.Schoeman producing a technical article on the subject. Institute of Oceanography, University of Cape Town.) This entry also reminds me that I had a short spell at the Durban Marine Division of the DOT whilst Capt. Tony Shillington was the Principal Officer. Flotsam/Jetsam; Capulus Haifa, Singapore via Suez , & the Gulf, Hygromia, Abadan, Bahrein, Aden, Lourenco Marques, Mena al Ahmadi, Berre. Rotterdam, Red Ensign Club, London, Thalamus T2 Tanker-one trip wartime build, Gravesend, South Shields. Whitley Bay Fair. Montreal. Quebec. Curacao. King Edward V11 College, London 1958/9. Saw Jock de Beer he left next day for Aberdeen. Providence. Punta Cardon. New York. Kingston Jamaica. Bonny/Nigeria. ‘Opalia’. King Edward Vll College London. Rabaul, 1960 Bremerhavn and Denmark, Fredericia very nice place. Snowed up at the time. Lourenco Marques, Mena al Ahmadi, Berre. Rotterdam, Red Ensign Club, London, ‘Haminella’ Dry Dock Hong Kong, Hadra – Hamburg – Elbe frozen, Distress divert, no survivors. Suez Canal, Panama Canal, New Guinea, Madang, Rabaul,- on Passenger v/l Tegelberg (Durban to-Singapore) Hygromia, 1962 passing Port Elizabeth & East London. Abadan and Port Sudan. London – the Queen (passing by 1963), Gomphina 3rd. Officer- 10 Europeans and 32 Chinese. 2/1960, Sumatra, Borneo Singapore. Hygromia, Bremerhavn and Denmark, Fredericia very nice place. Snowed up at the time. Rotterdam then up to Norway again. Up narrow fjord to Helden up here you can see Denmark, Norway and Sweden Temperature -16C degrees. Also walk from one to the other over the ice. Locals fishing through holes in the ice. Skiing and skating on ice with deep snow in places. Eastham, Malta for drydock. Haminella Singapore. 1961- Singapore – Penang – Malay Peninsula to Bangkok, Georgetown, Palebang, Christmas Island. Obor Shell Sourabaya Indonesia, Yokkaichi, Yokohama, Las Palmas, Abadan, Banda al Mashur, Harvella, Capulus, Red Ensign club, Dockstreet, London. 1962 Oct. – N.Sea – Thameshaven, Gronton, Rouen, Teneriffe,Hamburg, Invergordon, Fog, King Edward V11 College, Singapore (Connell House) Martin Catto – London – 1962 Hygromiapassing Port Elizabeth. On to Abadan and Port Sudan – Hadra1963, Stanlow, Curacao, Hyala 17.3.1964, Perth Amboy,/New York, Stockholm. Panama Canal 17.2.1964 My Birthday – From Curacao to Cardon to complete loading then to Darwin,Brisbane, Sydney & Melbourne. Etc. (order suspect!) E&OE |
| O’BRIEN | GEORGE WILLIAM EDWARD | 826 | |
| O’CONNOR | CECIL BROMFIELD | 1126 | |
| OCTOBER | EUGENE ANDRE | 2727 | |
| ODDY | ANDREW | 2912 | After sailing in the South African fleet, spent some time sailing for an Arabain company. 2002 Master with a British company. |
| O’DEA | MICHAEL JOSEPH | 1127 | |
| ODIAM | ALAN RICHARD | 1964 | |
| OEHLEY | CHARLES EDWARD | 469 | Born Somerset East, 10th March 1913. Son of Oliver Charles and Maybelle Oehley. Ed, Gill Gollege, Somerset East. Cadet Draft 1929-30 (Junior Cadet Captain). On leaving General Botha, Chalres Edward Oehley became an apprentice in the Bullard King Line and in 1926 was awarded the Royal Human Society Honorary Testimonial for saving life in a shark-infested sea off Mauritius. At the beginning of the war he joined the RNR and was mentioned in dispatches in 1941. When serving as Lieutenant in HMS Fiona he lost his life when she was dive bombed on 18th April 1941. |
| OGG | COLIN GEORGE PATERSON | 1725 | After G.B. joined Ellerman & Bucknall and completed his 3 year apprenticeship. Thereafter served with African Coasters, Bank Line and China Navigation. Spent some time sailing a Chinese Junk with Mike Briant (1953/54) before obtainng Master’s Certificate and spending a couple of years as Master of various coastal vessels. After a spell at Liverpool Polytechnic, returned to Durban and joined Unicorn. Spent 23 years as Line Manager of various Unicorn Services before retiring in 1993. 1997 Proprietor of a Bed and Breakfast establishment outside Durban. 1964 Master of Smith’s Coaster “Intombi”. |
| OGILVIE | DUNCAN FITZWILLIAMS | 100 | Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Asiatics Steam Navigation Co. |
| OGILVIE | DUNCAN FITZWILLIAMS | 2698 | |
| O’HARE | PETER COLINS | 2247 | 1965 – 70 – Joined Blue Star Line, London as Cadet. 1970 – 73 – Ford Motor Company in Port Elizabeth. 1974 – Immigrated to Australian. 1974 – 84 – with Ford Australia in Melbourne, Sydney Including SE Asia & NZ training assignments. Sales and Marketing. 1984 – started Ford dealership in Sydney with Brad Garlick from Johannesburg. Bothie Nickname: “Bosvark” from Port Elizabeth. 2001 – retired from Brad Garlick and 2002 shareholder in MG Rover Australia. Previous secretary of GBOBA Australia. |
| OLDRIDGE | KEITH ALEXANDER | 1965 | Previously a harbour pilot in Cape Town. 1964 Second Officer in “South African Pioneer”. |
| OLIVER | DONALD STUART | 1844 | Don Oliver went to the General Botha from Wynberg Boys’ High making his mark at the Botha with his piano playing skills, being conscripted into duty as the church pianist and ‘sing along’ accompanist. On leaving the Botha he went into the marine insurance industry for a three-year learning spell, before joining E A Hiles and Company, Marine Surveyors and Average Adjustors. After eight years with them Don launched out into business for himself, opening his own marine survey practice, D S Oliver and Company, in Cape Town in l964. In 1966 he opened a branch in Durban which grew to become the firm’s head office entailing a move to Durban for Don. His company’s business is far from just looking at damaged cargo. Over the last 48 years the firm has built itself a worldwide reputation for carrying out thorough investigations and Don has visited well over a hundred countries to date, being without doubt the most widely travelled of the 53/54 year. His work entailed investigating maritime fraud as well as interesting problems concerning cargo, ranging from live animals to gold bullion. Don returned to Cape Town in 2000, leaving Gwilym Rees, a 1966 Botha Boy, in charge at Durban where the firm had branched out to the supervision of abnormal cargo lifts all over the world. In the midst of all this, Don found time to marry and father two children, Cameron and Linda. (Cameron Oliver was well-known in rugby circles as a Transvaal fly-half, with every chance of making the 1995 Springbok World Cup team had he not been tragically killed in a car accident in 1993.) Don has no intention of retiring and he and his wife Di have just moved from Kalk Bay to Marina da Gama near Muizenberg. At the end of 2011, Di was the recipient of the first University of Cape Town Chancellor’s Medal. She received it from Graca Machel (the Chancellor) ‘In recognition of your many and significant contributions over many years in advancing the cause of peace and justice in our country. Your record of having profoundly impacted the lives of many and no doubt continuing to do so, is remarkable’. Di was rightly thrilled to receive the medal personally from Graca Machel, whom she admires very much. |
| OLIVER | JOHN VICTOR | 2066 | |
| OLIVIER | OCKERT JONATHAN | 192 | |
| OLSEN | CARL CHRISTIAN BURTON | 962 | |
| OLWAGE | BARNARD | 211 | Whilst awaiting a ship he applied to join the mines in the Transvaal. Shortly afterwards he was advised that a ship in Cape Town would take him on as a cadet. He was reluctant to resign from the mines after so short a period and turned the offer down. Barney spent his entire career with the mines. Deceased 28/08/1995. |
| O’MALLEY | RORY MICHAEL | 2608 | |
| OOSTENBRINK | JOHANNES | 2067 | After leaving Bothie in 1958, Hans joined the Civil Service and studied part-time to make matric. B.A. (Tuks) and B.Proc. (Unisa). Eventually did his articles to become an attorney, but soon became involved in business full-time. Since 1980 he has been the Managing Director and major shareholder of CBD properties and director of various other companies, mainly related to property developments. 1999 – Moved to Hermanus to retire, but undertook 5 property developments in this time, among others his 4th retirement village under the Golden Harvest-name and a church building. At present they manage their own retirement village that includes a 42-bed frail care clinic. |
| OOSTHUIZEN | RIAAN | 2766 | |
| OOSTHUIZEN | FRANCOIS | 2311 | In 1968 I joined Safmarine and did my first trip on the S.A. Statesman. Sailed on various Safmarine fruit and cargo ships and bulk carriers till 1978 and then moved to Sydney working for Blue Star Line. After three years we decided to move back into the shadow of Table Mountain. Joined SAR&H and spent the next nine years driving tugs in Table Bay. In 1990 I decided to go back deep sea and joined Safmarine’s salvage tugs Wolraad Woltemade and John Ross. Next I did some time with De Beers’s diamond dredgers, Unicorn, Ocean Diamond Mining and finally joined Tidewater in 1999. 1999 with Tidewater Marine on tugs off Angola. |
| OPHORST | DICK | 2183 | 1964 studied for his Second Officer’s certificate in the United Kingdom. |
| ORAM | ERNEST REGINALD ST JOHN | 643 | At the outbreak of WWII Ernie joined the 2nd anti-tank regiment. Later moved to Van Reenen where he ran the Cairngorm Hotel and bought an adjacent farm, Dawn Winds. Sold the farm, moved back to Durban and worked for Mitchell Cotts and Company and Dougherty & Stead before joining Agricommerce. For the remainder of his career he was the Durban shipping agent for the Premier Group and Maize Board. Born 03/12/1916. Deceased 30/01/99. |
| ORFFER | HAROLD | 518 | |
| O’RILEY | LOUIS BENJAMIN | 2890 | |
| O’ROURKE | RORY LIONEL | 2891 | |
| ORROCK | JOHN SCOTT | 1902 | April 1956 – Oct 61 – Apprenticed with Bank Line. Obtained 2nd & 1st Mates Certificates. Dec 1961 – April 62 – Ist Mate DoT research vessel m.v. RSA. Delivery and maiden voyage to Antartica. Sep 62 – joined S.A. Navy as Sub Lieutenant. Sailed on various S.A. Naval Vessels as well as spcialist gunnery courses in the UK. 1964 SAS Simon van der Stel, rank of Sub Lt. Jan 79 – promoted Captain. Staff duties S.A. Naval Headquarters Pretoria. Dec 86 – Promoted Commodore. Medals & Decorations: 10, 20, & 30 year good service medal, Southern Cross medal (1979), Chief of the SADF’s commendation (1990), Southern Cross Decoration (1990), SADF General Service Medal (1991) |
| ORSMOND | ROBERT BLACK THOMSON | 998 | 3rd November 1939 posted to the HMAMC Bulolo as Midshipman RNR. Deceased 11th May 1992. |
| OSBORNE | FREDERICK WILLIAM | 340 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine as a seaman. |
| OTTO | TERENCE JOHN CHRISTOPHER | 1903 | Deceased June 1998 of a heart attack. |
| OVENS | RAYMOND JAMES JARED | 827 | |
| OVERED | MARTIN | 1128 | Born Johannesburg, 7th August 1924. Son of James Overed and Doris, nee Brett Young. Ed, St Mark’s School, Mbabane, Swaziland. Cadet Draft 1940-1. On leaving General Botha, Martin Overed joined the SAAF, was seconded to No 14 Squadron, RAF (Coastal Command), and rose to the rank of Captain. On 19th April 1945 he was posted missing while on anti-submarine patrol in the Mediterranean and Atlantic. His brother, Christopher (881), wrote: “I regret to say that I carved my name on the back of a pew in the Anglican church. Remarkably it was not discovered by the authorities until three years later, when my brother Martin (1128) was a cadet. His protestions of innocence was disregarded, and alas, he felt the weight of Chick Chapman’s cane.” |
| OVERED | CHRISTOPHER | 881 | January 1939 joined Furness-Withey Prince Line and completed his indentures in January 1941. Wrote second officers certificate and joined the Royal Naval Reserve as Sub Lieutenant. Served in the British Fleet Air Arm as Navigator. After the war he made his way to Australia arriving in 1948. Later moved to Canada and worked at a Paper Mill in Port Alice on Vancouver Isalnd. 1957 moved to Ontario and became a classic music radio announcer. 1962 immigrated to the United States and worked in title insurance until his retirement. Died of cancer 12/03/1996. “I regret to say that I carved my name on the back of a pew in the Anglican church. Remarkably it was not discovered by the authorities until three years later, when my brother Martin (1128) was a cadet. His protestions of innocence was disregarded, and alas, he felt the weight of Chick Chapman’s cane.” |
| OWENS | DONALD ROSLYN EVAN | 17 | Nick-named ‘Boy”, was the Ship’s first Chief Petty Officer. He excelled at sport, won first prizes for ‘executive duties’ and ‘Seamanship’ and joined the Royal Naval Reserve as probationary Midshipman on 11th December 1923. On 23rd August 1924 he became an apprentice, also on the ‘Sandgate Castle’ with Union Castle. He gave up the sea, and in 1947 held the rank of Major as Deputy Commissioner of the Police in the Bechuanaland Protectorate. He became Colonel, and retired from the Basutoland Mounted Police as Commissioner in 1957. His Midshipman’s dirk was on display in the Maritime Museum in Cape Town, subsequently stolen. |
| OXENHAM | WYNDHAM STANLEY LLEWELLYN | 766 | Worked for Randfontein Estates as miner. Joined the army, S.A. Irish, and saw service in North Africa and Italy during WWII, eventually promoted to captain in the S.A. Army. Later became a sales representative for Dunlop and Sedwicks. Reported deceased in 1976. |
| OXENHAM | ALFRED CLINTON | 2016 | Deceased 03/12/2004. |
| OXLEY | HARRY | 204 | |
| PAGE | BRIAN WILLIAM BROMLEY | 1374 | Tested to be colour blind when joining the Ship. Thus enrolment was cancelled. Deceased 2014. |
| PAGE | EDWARD STEWART | 1375 | Kings Gold Medallist – Captain of the cricket team. 1946 – joined Ellerman Lines. 1956 – joined the Harbour Service at Durban. Received special merit for helping to save three people from drowning during a gale when their small boat capsized in the bay. 1963 – Harbour master at Luderitz. 1966 – Pilot at Walvis Bay. 1969 – Pilot at Port Elizabeth. 1976 – Assistant Port Captain, Port Elizabeth. 1982 – Port Captain Port Elizabeth 1987 – Port Captain Durban 1989 – Director Marine Services, Johannesburg Retired 1991. Deceased 05/06/2013. |
| PAINE | PETER RAYMOND | 1670 | |
| PARKER | WILLIAM JAMES | 574 | 1932 Chief Cadet Captain. Had the unusual experience of being a guest of the Germans on an island in the Pacific for over a year. His father told the story to the Cape Argus – without much circumstantial detail – where it was published on 7th March 1942: He was in the RNR and at Dunkirk, doing six trips across the Channel with his ship to bring British soldiers away. He was in two of London’s biggest blitzes. He was in the Battle of Matapan in the Mediterranean. Then he went on convoy duty in the South Pacific. The ship he was in was attacked by a German raider and he and others were taken aboard and cast upon a small island in the Pacific which was being used by the Japanese (before they entered the war) to refuel the German ship. They were told that they could either stay there or get taken to Germany – one day. They chose to stay. On the island were a few women and children and about 200 soldiers – German marines. |
| PARKER | VERNON ROY | 1726 | After G.B. joined the Royal Air Force, retired as Flight Sergeant. Deceased January 2015. |
| PARKER | MICHAEL AUBONE ST JOHN LANHAM | 1053 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952: Was awarded the American Air Medal for courage displayed during his recent service with No.2 Squadron, S.A.A.F. Korea. On completion of his training in the ship he was appointed Cadet, R.N.R. but he joiend the U.D.F. (army) and transferred to the South African Air Force. He became an air pilot in Septemebr 1941, at the age of 16 years 7 months, the youngest ever to receive his “wings” in South Africa. Reported deceased. |
| PARKER | HENRY WALTER | 520 | |
| PARKINSON | ALLAN NOTHERSALL | 2269 | Previously sailed with Safmarine before joining Technikon Natal. 1994 to 2004 head of Maritine Studies at Durban Technikon. Later joined the City of Glasgow College in Scotland. |
| PARKS | HEDLEY PERCY | 521 | Joined SANS in HMSAS Protea 3rd November 1932 but discharged on 30th April 1933 during the depression. Subsequently joined the British army as a private. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953. “In 1941 I was a staff Sergeant in the Burma Army stationed in Rangoon, my regiment had been the First Glosters, known as the famous Black Badge Regiment, an honour bestowed upon them at the Battle of Alexandria in 1801.”Evacuated Rangoon 6th March 1942 and led a party of twelve civilians to safety through country, “infested with snakes and scorpions, desperately short of food and water. After many months of enduring great privations, we reached the splendid Marguerite Camp near Imphal in Assam. The date was 3rd September.” Full story in “Both Watches” edition 1953 as well as page 157 of the book A Name Among Seafaring Men. |
| PARKS | ERIC BERTRAM | 575 | |
| PARNABY | STEPHEN GREGORY JASON | 2728 | Left Unicorn in 1987 and completed a BSc (Hons) degree in Maritime Studies at Liverpool Polytechnic, and since 1990 worked as a freelance hydrographic surveyor on various projects all over the world, based in Spain. 2004 migrated to Perth and worked as a freelance hydrographic surveyor in the offshore oil and gas industry. 2018 moved to England. |
| PARSONS | DAVID | 576 | Apprenticed to Reardon Smith Line. |
| PARSONS | EDWARD LAWRENCE | 2151 | Deceased 24/01/2014. After Bothie decided on fishing as a career, joined I&J [Irvin & Johnson] on their fishing fleet and eventually promoted to Skipper. Later went into a partnership on his own fishing vessel Donna Maria. |
| PARSONS | CHARLES ARMSTRONG | 1079 | “1939 I reported to the Seaward Defence Headquarters at Port Elizabeth and went to sea in the Minesweepers. Continued to go to sea with S.A. Naval ships till long after the war.” 1942 to 1946 apprentice with Port Elizabeth Municipality Electrical Dept. Then worked for Hubert Davies & Co. Nov 1946 to Dec 1955 employed by S.A. Railways & Harbours on Harbour maintenance, electrical, cranes, winches, capstans, pre-cooling plant, lighthouses and harbour craft. Dec 1955 to Dec 1959 sailed with Ellerman Lines as Electrical Engineer Officer. Then a short spell with RN Thomson as Technical Representative. June 1959 to Sept 1976 self employed operarting an electrical wholesale business. 1977 moved to Papua New Guinea and worked for TDE Electrical. Later moved to Australia working for Cockatoo Dockyard, Electrician, Engraver & Purchasing. Deceased 11th September 2012. |
| PARSONS | SCOTT | 644 | The Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC) is the third-level military decoration awarded to officers, and since 1993 to other ranks, of the United Kingdom’s Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for “an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying”. Rank of Captain during WWII. |
| PARSONS | KENNETH DEVENISH | 304 | Owner-skipper of the fishing boat TEGWANI lost his life when his boat struck the blinder reef Yankee John off Hondeklip Bay. Mr. Parsons had been a Merchant Officer. During the Second World War he was a Lieutenant in the South African Naval Forces [SANF] and served in the Mediterranean. Name: Kenneth Devenish PARSONS Date of Birth: 13 July 1911 Place of Birth: de Aar, Cape Province. [Son of Reginald Scott Victor Parsons] School: Dale College, King William’s Town, Cape [before SATS GENERAL BOTHA] Employment: Joined the shipping company Houlder Bros & Co. as an apprentice officer on 01 November 1928. Subsequently served in the ship AMERICAN TRANSPORT. Passed for his Second Officer’s Certificate of Competency on 19 December 1933. Was reported to have been seriously ill in London in 1933 returned to South Africa in 1933 and joined ISCOR. Returned to sea in 1938 as Third Officer in the South African Railways and Harbours [SARShips] ship ERICA. Served in the South African Naval Forces [SANF] as a Lieutenant in the Second World War. Purchased [or purchased a share in] TEGWANI a fishing boat died when TEGWANI struck the reef Yankee John off Hondeklip Bay on 24 June 1947 and was lost with all hands. |
| PARTRIDGE | PETER | 1786 | Was unable to go to sea due to failing eyesight. Served an apprenticeship in Photo Lighography in Cape Town and remained with the company after qualifying but eventually moving into different fields i.e. production, human resources and training. Moved to Johannesburg in 1982 to head office becoming Group Training Administration Manager for the company which employed 15 000 people in South Africa. Retired in Kwa-Zulu Natal in 1994. |
| PASCOE | FRANK ROBERT | 37 | After G.B. joined Goldfields SA as a learner official mining until August 1962 and then a sales representative for an office machine company. July 1963 joined western areas gold mining company, one of the JCI controlled mining operations as a sampler in the survey department. Progressed through the ranks in various line management appointments and obtained his government certificate of competency for the mine overseer and mine managers certificate. Throughout his career was transferred to various JCI controlled mines including copper in South West Africa (now Namibia), antimony in the Gravelot area, Platinum in the Rustenberg area and Gold mainly on the Witwatersrand. Currently (1997) appointed as the JCI group safety consultant responsible for the introduction and implementation of the new mine health and safety act. |
| PATERSON | COLIN IAN | 2481 | |
| PATERSON | RODERICK JOHN | 2422 | 2002 works for a company that operates the helicopter harbour pilot shuttles in Richard’s Bay and Durban on their marketing team. 2003 relocated to Canada. 2004 Manager of a furniture store in Cranbrook, Canada. 2007 established The Biltong & Boerewors Company in Cranbrook, Canada. 2012 closed the biltong business down and settling in Virginia USA, joining an old friend in a development project. |
| PATON | GREGORY KEITH | 2482 | After Bothie worked in road construction followed by 24 years in S.A. Navy. Thereafter 14 years with a tea & coffee company. 2014 retired. |
| PATTERSON | ROY DUNCAN | 2699 | |
| PAUTZ | PHILIP NEVILLE | 1253 | Deceased 20/01/99. Went to sea with the Royal Navy and served in the Middle East on R class destoyer. Then joined the British South Africa Police (BSAP) in Southern Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe]. Resigned from BSAP to work on Havelock Asbestos Mine in Swaziland before returning to Rhodesia in 1970 to work on an asbestos mine at Mashaba. During his time in Mashaba he built two racing yachts and a 21 ft cabin cruiser. On retirement, moved to Margate. In 1999 Philip underwent an operation to replace the valves in his gullet but unfortunately his lungs had suffered from working in the asbestos mines and he passed away after the operation. |
| PAWLEY | ROGER PHILIP | 2400 | 1970 & 1970 – Cadet Safmarine. 1971 & 1971 – Cadet General Botha – Granger Bay. 1972 & 1973 – Cadet Safmarine (Union Castle) – SA Vaal. 1973 & 1974 – {2nd Mate FG} & 2/O Unicorn Lines & 3/O Safmarine. 1974 & 1975 – 3/O Safmarine & 3/O Safmarine (Union Castle) – SA Vaal. 1975 & 1975 – {Chief Mate FG} & 2/O Safmarine. 1976 to 1978 – 2/O Safmarine. 1979 & 1979 – {Master FG} & C/O Safmarine. 1980 to 1982 – Mate/Master Portnet – Port Elizabeth. 1983 to 2017 – Lecturer – General Botha, Cape Technikon, Cape Peninsular University of Technology (Maritime Studies). 2017 retired. 2018 contracted at Sea Safety Training Group (SSTG) as lecturer. |
| PAYN | JOHN BERTELSEN | 463 | Sailed with Shell and later joined the S.A. Harbour service in Durban. 1964 Harbour Pilot in Table Bay Harbour. Deceased early 1992. |
| PAYNE | IVAN SHANNON | 1477 | After two years with Clan Line came ashore and worked in an industrial laboratory. Became Works Chemist with Consol Glass and then joined S&CI, a Unileaver chemical company, eventually becoming Marketing Director. Transferred to IOP, a subsidiary of Chemical Services, as Marketing Director. Retired end of 1990. |
| PEACOCK | JOHN HINDLE CHARLES | 186 | Served in the R.S.S. Discovery as a Seaman. Took up dredging work at Durban, was a rigger on the Rand Mines, joined s.s. Zambesia, then dredging work again and was tug hand at Port Elizabeth when the fatal accident happened. Born 12th May 1908. Killed 5th February 1936 by falling between tug and quay at Port Elizabeth. |
| PEARCE | GREGOR STEWART | 2655 | Joined Safmarine as Cadet in December 1977 remaining at sea until 1989, obtained a 2 Certificate. Sea time included 6 years with Pentow (up to Chief Officers rank). December 1989 joined Safmarine bulk division as operations coordiantor. Promtoed to Assistant Chartering Manager a year later. 2011Director/Chartering Broker of Safbulk. 2020 retired. |
| PEARCE | IVAN CLINTON | 577 | 1932 Senior Cadet Captain. |
| PEARCE | HARRY CECIL | 828 | After G.B. turned down by the navy on account of poor eyesight. Joined the army, S.A. Corps of Signals (Bert Costick’s Training). Taken prisoner of war at the Battle of Chuisi, rank Corporal. Retired from the Daily News Newspaper after 43 years. Deceased 27/02/2010. |
| PEARE | HUMPHREY ERNEST | 243 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a seaman “As the first Cadet to volunteer and to join the Royal Navy, I was sent to Devonport in May 1926 for a further nine months of training in the H.M.S. Impregnable naval training establishment it consisted of five old battleship derelicts moored in the river opposite the naval dockyard. The dockyard, named H.M.S. Vivid, was our base. From there I was drafted to various R.N. Vessels in various theatres. A requested draft to the West African Patrol Sloop H.M.S. Daffodil was made, and finally the light cruiser, H.M.S. Lowestoft, both based at Simonstown.” (Details from the 1971 edition of “Both Watches”) |
| PEARSON | ERIC LESLIE | 646 | |
| PEARSON | RALPH MICHAEL ALLAN | 1671 | |
| PEARSON | ANTHONY FABIAN AUSTIN | 1315 | Joined the Royal Navy, served in the Far East. Demobbed in 1947 with Rank of Lieutenant. Joined Safmarine and served from 4th Officer to Master and Marine Superintendent in the U.K. During this period (9/54 – 3/56) served on the S.A.R. & H. tugs. 1979 was operations manager for Industrial & Marine Surveyors in Durban before returning to the S.A.R.& H Tug J.R> Moore. 1982 opeartions manager and Master of the cruise ship Royal Zulu before entering the ship chandling industry in 1984 in Durban. Later becoming Chairman of the S.A. Ship Supplies Association. Also had his own marine survey busienss from 1981 and was correspondent for the S.A. Shipping news as well as Fairplay. In 1995 published the book, ‘African Keyport’ – A story of the Port of Durban. Was President of the Society of Master Mariners S.A. from 1992 to 1997. Deceased 22/12/1999 |
| PEARSON | SIMON JOHN | 2312 | Cadet, Third, Second & Chief Officer with Safmarine Cape Town. Training Officer at sea with Safmarine. Navigating Officer at sea with Union Castle Passenger Service. Joined the S.A.M.N.A. General Botha (later the Cape Technikon) lecturing staff in April 1978. Obtained a post graduate diploma in adult education from the University of Cape Town, 1980. Studied further to obtain part A of the Master Special Grade Qualification. Has sat on various government committees and advisory boards, also served as the outside Vice President of the Society of Master Mariners of South Africa. In 1989 headed up the research and development team leading up to the establishment of the very first (in Africa) Survival Centre at Granger Bay. Continued to manage the centre and the short courses from 1990 through to retirement from CPUT in 2004. The Survival Centre was accredited with ISO 9000 status by Lloyds. June 2004 retired from the Cape Peninsular University of Technology. Established own company, Seatrain, facilitating the training of foreign seafarers in South Africa. Sold Seatrain in 2016 to SAMTRA. Continued with providing short courses for the industry on demand. Joined the teaching staff at SSTG in 2015 and to date still lecturing in Marine Law and Cargo Operations. Also provide oral exam prep for all ranks from Fishing Grades to Master’s Unlimited. Am a current member of the Society of Master Mariners (SA) and the local regional branch of the Nautical Institute. A Trustee of Lawhill Maritime Centre. Chairman of the GBOBA Bursary Fund. Live in a closed retirement village in Rondebosch. Married with two daughters and 4 grandchildren. |
| PEARSON | BRIAN | 51 | Did not return second year. |
| PEARSON | JAMES LOGAN | 1966 | On going to General Botha I planned to join Shell Tankers. That unfortunately never happened due to my father passing away while I was at the Botha, and I really enjoyed sport. This resulted in me being employed by Shell on shore in Cape Town in 1957. I did many different jobs over the next 37 years at Shell. I married a Camps Bay lady called Norah Paarman in 1964. We lived in Camps Bay for most of our married life apart from a 5 years working for Shell in Mossel Bay. In Mossel Bay we became good friends with Captain Keith Burchell & his family who also grew up in Camps Bay & attended the Botha. We have 4 children & 8 grandchildren all living in Cape Town which give us great pleasure. I played soccer for the Cape Town City Team, the first professional team in Cape Town. At the age of 40 I started playing lawn bowls & represented Western Province seniors for 5 years. After retiring from Shell in 1994 we moved from Camps Bay to Hout Bay & then to Kommetjie. All our houses have had sea views, the sea must have been in my blood. Deceased 4th February 2020. |
| PEARSON | ARTHUR THOMAS LIONEL | 645 | |
| PEDDLE | IAIN ELDRED | 2184 | Grew up in Simon’s Town before going to Berlin, Germany during the Blockade 1947-52, Simon’s Town again and then to Oudtshoorn before going to Gordon’s Bay. Joined Shell Tankers as they had very nice brochure about the Far East which caught my fancy, and the fact that most South Africans in Shell all ended up there. Instead, for my sins, I ended up in the North Atlantic and Baltic for most of my time there. After finishing my time with Shell, did a bit of boating for six months on Lake Tanganyika before getting my 2nd Mates in Cape Town. Joined Safmarine and after a spell in the Head Office (which I did not like), did an enjoyable year on the UK / Europe run. The ship (SA Shipper) was then nominated to do the second Safmarine cargo ship run out to the Far East. It was a very interesting trip indeed. Thereafter I left them and joined Unicorn. Joined Unicorn’s Cape Town office as Second Mate on the Intombi. For the next few years trundled up and down the West Coast and South Coast in a variety of other ships. At one time on the Pondo Coast (the oldest ship in Unicorn, built 1923), we were sent off to Durban at 6 knots. On the way there one night, one of Safmarine’s newest came tearing past and cheekily asked if we would like a tow. While on leave at one stage I got my Private Pilots License in Walvis Bay, and had many pleasant hours of flying at the various ports around the country. Once, while in Port Elizabeth, I had to deliver a parcel to a Pilot in East London. I checked with the Weather Office, (which every long lived Pilot does), they promised wonderful weather for the day. After flying there in the morning, the weather turned ugly, and I was stuck there for three days. Luckily the Captain, Morgan Williams, was very understanding, and stood in for me till I managed to get a lift back. Got to know all the funny little West Coast ports quite well, and then eventually was offered command of the Swazi. After being there for a while, went to Grainger Bay to get my Masters FG and went back there again. Meantime I had married Diane and she was agitating for me to settle down, so I eventually joined the Harbour Service. I was given a choice of Port Nolloth or East London. I naturally chose East London. Went there as First Deck Officer on the tugs, during which time besides normal tugging, we went out on a couple of towing jobs, of which the most interesting was to the aptly named Dodo 1 which drifting from port to port and then having to be towed into each one. Also acted as Assistant Master and Acting Master on various dredgers and as Master on the various Pilot Boats. During the time there I had most unfortunately to give up flying, as I couldn’t keep a wife, two children, two cars and a house on a FDO’s salary. Then after 4½ years in the small town pretending to be a city, was transferred on promotion as Master to Walvis Bay were I happily spent the next four and a bit years. We travelled around quite a bit there and really enjoyed out stay there. In between travelling around, did some compass adjusting, tows to and from Cape Town and got a Pilots License. After a year or so, someone from the hospital discovered that Diane was a qualified Radiographer and roped her in to work there, as, for the previous number of years there had been no qualified Radiographer there. All X-rays being done by the Dark Room Assistant As I was starting to get a bit bored, I applied for, and got the job of Nautical Assistant to the Nautical Advisor in Johannesburg. Talk about a ‘Culture Shock’, my two sons had never been on an escalator before, and were absolutely entranced with these ‘moving stairs’. Had a most interesting time there and Dave Powell the NA, encouraged me to do all sorts of things which I had never had the chance to do or thought of doing before. Managed to do a lot of hiking well. In 1988 transferred down to Cape Town as Pilot. Became Pilot Manager for a couple of years, till I resigned form that post after a serious argument with a couple of our new ‘Know it alls’ from HQ in Johannesburg. Stayed on piloting until I retired in 2006 as Senior Pilot. Spent a couple of years thereafter mentoring Trainee Pilots. After my contract with the ‘School of Ports’ ran out, I sculled around for a while. Am now making a lot of models, doing a bit of teaching at the Lawhill Academy in Simon’s Town, and taking long, off-road birding holidays around the country. Di is still working to keep me in the style I’m accustomed to. And the boys, the eldest is a qualified Actuary and New Developments Manager at Discovery Health with two boys, while the other is a successful self employed Graphic Designer / Photographer |
| PEDLAR | ROY CLYDE | 882 | |
| PEDLEY | RONALD JOHN | 522 | 1945 was Lieutenant and navigator on HMSAS Natal. The Loch-Class frigate HMSAS Natal was the only South African warship whose sinking of a German U-Boat was fully confirmed by the admiralty. On 14 March 1945 six hours after leaving the builder’s yard while on passage to Tobermory for her work up HMSAS Natal assisted in a submarine search, located and sank U-714. Her Commanding Officer Lieutenant-Commander Hall (214) was awarded a bar to his DSC and Lieutenant Pedley was mentioned in dispatches. |
| PEDLEY | ALFRED SPENCER | 228 | After Bothie joined the R.S.S. Discovery as a seaman. |
| PEEL | DOUGLAS JOHN | 2401 | Sailed with Unicorn and Mobil. Then joined Renfreight Warehousing and in 1997 joined SAPPI. 1999 relocated to U.S.A. as a Marine Surveyor. 2006 Cargo Superintendent for Gulf Africa Line based in New Orleans. 2021 retired. |
| PEETOOM | OTTO JAN | 2248 | I left the sea at the end of 1978 as a Deep Sea Captain/Mooring Master. I finished my years at sea in the Offshore Oil Industry. I worked in S.E. Asia, Persian Gulf, West Indies and West Africa. In 1979 I started my own business, turning my hobby into a living. I am a professional philatelist. Bothie nickname: “Mule”. Deceased 11th July 2020. |
| PEISER | PETER JOHN | 2211 | 1964 at sea with Mobile. |
| PELIZZARI | PAUL DOUGLAS | 2451 | 2004 with Ensign Shipping & Logistics. Retired 2013. |
| PEMBROKE | ALLEN JOHN | 2379 | After GB sailed with Safmarine and later with Unicorn Shipping Lines and then for or a short period shoreside I was employed by Royal Inter Ocean Lines as an Assistant Liner Manager. Thereafter I served in both the SA Navy Regular and Reserve in different types of vessels and from 1990 to 1996 I was the Commanding Officer of the Naval Reserve Unit in Durban SAS INKONKONI. I also lectured at the Maritime Warfare Training Centre in Simon’s Town. In 2006 was the SA Navy Chief de Mission of the Navy Sailing Team to the World Military Laser Sailing Championships in Mumbai India. My Last appointment prior to retiring from the SA Navy Reserve in 2015 was as Senior Staff Officer: Policy (Navy Reserves). From 2014 to 2019 I was appointed as the Chairman of the Reserve Force Council : Kwa Zulu Natal Region representing the (Army, Navy, Air Force and Health Services Reservists) which Council reported directly to the Secretary for Defence in Pretoria about Reserve matters. In tandem with my Navy Reserve Career, I was employed full time from 1980 for Local Government in the Durban Metropolitan Municipality as the City’s Director: Recreation (Head of the Recreation Department) for 14 years and then resulting from a re-organization of the entire Municipality in 2005 I was appointed to a position of Project Executive for the Health, Safety & Security Services Cluster of the Ethekwini Metropolitan Municipality for the remaining 8 years before having to compulsory retire at age 63 at the end of February 2013 in accordance with the Municipality Conditions of Service and in 2019 I and my wife relocated to the United Kingdom GBOBA Durban Branch committee member from 1983 to 2019 i.e. 36 years. |
| PENTZ | GRAHAM JOHAN FREDERICK | 1727 | Deceased 31/08/2015 |
| PEREIRA | DOUGLAS WALLACE | 1194 | After G.B. appointed as a Midshipman Royal Navy Reserve and appointed to HMS Revenge. Spent six months patrolling the West African Coast before escourting a convoy to the U.K. then appointed to HMS Rodney on North Atlantic duties and the D-Day landings. Subsequently transferred to destroyers in the Eastern Theatre and Fleet Sweepers in the English Channel until VE day. On return to South Africa became a Factory Representative until his retirement in 1992. Deceased 13/10/2006 |
| PERKINS | ALBERT EDWARD | 578 | |
| PERKINS | CLIFFORD ANDREW | 537 | |
| PESTERRE | WILLIAM ROBERT CARR | 258 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. |
| PETERS | CHARLES BINNIE | 999 | WWII Air Mechanic SAAF / OS RNVR (SA) / SANF. |
| PETERSEN | OLAF | 222 | Left the Bothie after an accident. |
| PETRIE | GRAHAM DUNCAN | 1000 | 1945 SANF, in command of HDML 1086. Deceased 2014. |
| PETT | STUART LAVROCK | 2813 | Previously worked in photoligothy for a publishing house. Deceased 29th June 2002. |
| PETTERS | ALFRED TROWNSON | 1254 | Joined Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company as apprentice in 1944, obtained 2nd Officer’s CoC 1947. 1948 returned to Shell South Africa as an accounts clerk. 1966 passed Chartered Institute of Secretaries, first outside of the UK and overall top of the class in South Africa. 1969 joined a leading firm of attorneys and 1974 joined Cabana Beach, then part of Anglo American Properties, as financial controller. Three years later purchased a bookkeeping and secretarial practise three years thereafter joined the Durban Board of Executors as Company Secretary, retiring in 1992. Then opened own bookkeeping and taxation practise for 16 years until final retirement in 2008. Medals: 1939 – 1945 Star, France, Germany, General service. Deceased 24th October 2017. |
| PETTERSEN | OVE | 1129 | Obtained Chief Officer’s Certificate and joined the s.s. Nils Moller in Durban in 1947. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48: Is leaving S.A. to become a Missionary in China. |
| PETTIT | REGINALD ROBINSON | 270 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. |
| PEVERELLI | SYLVESTER LEWIS | 174 | Joined the South African Naval Service as a Seaman on H.M.S.A.S. Protea. Born 27th March 1908. Died at Cape Town Docks on 31st May 1932 as a result of a motocycle accident. |
| PHELAN | JOHN ALBERT | 829 | 1936 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. |
| PHELPS | AUBREY LIONEL | 579 | 1933 Junior Cadet Captain. After G.B. joined Clan Line for 3 year apprenticeship before returning to S.A. and joining Port Elizabeth Stevedores. This company was owned by T.B. Davis who donated the Ship S.A.T.S. General Botha to S.A. 1940 joined the 2nd Field Engineer Company and served in Egypt with the 8th Army followed by 3 years as a POW, rank Sapper. After WWII rejoined Port Elizabeth Stevedores in 1946 which was later bought by S.A. Stevedores. Retired as branch manager in 1976. Aubrey painted the Ship’s badge on the dry dock wall in Simon’s Town which is still there. Deceased 28/10/2004. |
| PHILIPP | DIETER | 2568 | Sailed with Deutsche Afrika-Linien (DAL) obtaining Master’s Certificate in 1984. Studied for his commercial Pilot’s license and flew with Executive Aerospace, Royal Swazi Cargo and as First Officer with Flitestar. Was promtoed to Captain on their Airbus Aircraft. Later joined Gulr Air in Bahrain as Captain. 1998 employed by Singapore Airlines. |
| PHILIPPS | PATRICK ROBIN | 2609 | |
| PHILLIPS | JAMES CHARLES | 883 | |
| PHILLIPS | KENNETH MELVILLE | 884 | |
| PHILLIPS | CERWYN LESLIE | 2610 | “I joined Safmarine January 1977 as Cadet on the m.v. Morgenster and remained with the company, progressing through the ranks until completing my Masters Certificate in 1987. Soon thereafter I joined the Harbour Service in Durban as Tug Mate until 1990 when I left to join Iscor in Durban as a Cargo Superintendent for the next 2 years. I returned to Portnet as a First Deck Officer in 1992 and was promoted to Tug Master in 1993. I completed by B.Comm through UNISA in 1994.” Completed his MBA in 1998 and relocated to England from Durban where he was a Harbour Pilot with Portnet. 2000 – Pilot on the River Thames with the Port of London Authority. |
| PHILP | DAVID ROBERT KIRK | 2783 | 1994 – Administration Manager of Sea Harvest, Saldanha Bay. |
| PHIPPS | WILLIAM BRIAN | 2120 | 1960 – 1961 – Cadet with S.A.R. & H. Sailed on Colliers ‘Dalia’ & ‘Hanglip’. 1961 to 1065 – Cadet, Fourth and Third Officer with Safmarine. Served on S.A. Pioneer, Seafarer, Shipper & Tzaneen. 1966 – Third Officer on the “R.S.A” (D.O.T). 1966 – 1967 Second and Chief Officer with African Coasters. 1967 to 1968 – Second Officer on the “Johan Hugo” (S.A.R.& H). 1969 joined the Harbour Service in East London as Tug Mate. 1973 promoted to Assistant Port Captain. Walvis Bay. 1989 Transferred to Port Elizabeth as Assistant Port Captain. 2004 retired from the National Port Authority. |
| PHIPPS | KENNETH DESMOND | 2212 | 1995 Head of Itnernal Audit, Royal Bank of Scotland, Edinburgh, Scotland. Deceased 12/03/2009. Kenneth joined the Bothie in 1961. However during his first year he received an injury which damaged his pancreas. This resulted in him becoming a diabetic. Been a diabetic put an abrupt end to his aspirations of going to sea. He was forced to leave the Bothie and enrolled at the U.C.T. and eventually obtained a C.A. He did his articles with Deloitte’s in Cape Town and stayed with them for a few years. In 1970 he decided to accompany his parents and sister and emigrate to the U.K. settling in Newcastle-Upon-Tyne. There he married Pam and had a son Alistair. Kenneth was offered and accepted a position with the Royal Bank of Scotland. He moved to and settled in Edinburgh. He left the Royal Bank of Scotland after a number of years, and helped set up several internet banks, including Direct Line, Standard Life and IF a subsidiary of Halifax. HBOS Banks. He was on the board as Finance Director with Standard Life and became Risk management Director with IF. He retired at the age of 58. |
| PICKERSGILL | MICHAEL HOWARD | 2483 | 1973 Joined Unicorn Lines as a Cadet, obtaining Chief Officer’s Certificate FG in 1982. 1986 left Unicorn and active sea life and joined Medina Maritime Ships Agency. 1987 made redundant and joined John T Rennies the same year as Operations Superintendent. 1990 transferred to Freightbulk Ships Agency as Bulk Services Manager. 1995 transferred to Rennies Ships Agency in Richards Bay as Branch Manager. 1999 Manager of Beaufort Shipping Agency (P&O) Dampier, Western Australia, mainly involved with iron ore exports and a lot of offshore tanker business. 2005 moved to Brisbane to take up work for Torres Pilots and spent 6 months as pilot base manager on Thursday Island in the Torres Straits. 2006 moved to Sydney to take up position of national operations manager with Oceanway Shipping (LBH Australia). March 2010 moved to Banbury UK in semi-retirement renovating houses. January 2015 purchased Masons Arms, a pub in Gilcrux, Cumbria. |
| PIERCE-JONES | WILFRID | 1967 | 1964 a representative for Keatings Pharmeucital Products, Durban. Reported deceased. |
| PIETERSE | NEILL ALAN | 2611 | |
| PIGGOTT | LESLIE THOMAS | 647 | Born Leith, Scotland, 22nd November 1917. Son of Thomas Piggott and Chatherine Binnie, nee Milner. Ed, Mash Memorial Homes School, Rondebosch. Cadet Draft 1932-33. At the outbreak of War, Leslie Thomas Piggott joined the SAAF in which he became leading Air-Mechanic. He was fatally injured in a flying accident in Libya on 31 December 1942. |
| PIGGOTT | JOHN DAVID | 2539 | Sailed with Safmarine and later Gateway Shipping before joining P&O Ferries in 1998. 1989 moved to Shoreham as duty Officer/ Trainee Pilot and in 1991 to the Port of London Authority as a trainee Thames Pilot. Transferred to the Medway Port Authority mid 1995 as a Pilot on the River Medway. |
| PIKE | DAVID STANLEY | 1429 | Served on the s.v. Lawhill in 1947. Colonial service in Nyasaland, Kenya, Tanganyika and Uganda 1951 to 1970. Thereafter was General Manager of Hoffman’s Hotel Group based in Johannesburg. Retired from the hotel business in 1997 and took up the position of General Manager of the Vic Falls Steam Safari Express in Victoria Falls and Frontier Tours in Livingston [Zimbabwe]. Left in 2004 after the collapse of the tourism industry in Zimbabwe following the farm invasions in 2003. Retired. Deceased 6th May 2016. |
| PIKE | JOHN GEORGE | 1255 | 1/1/44 appointed Temporary Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Served on HMS Newcastle and HMNZA Gambia. 1945 received Commander in Chief’s commendation for valuable service. 1946 transferred SANF (V). Released March 1946. University of Witwatersrand and Imperial College London. Qualified Civil Engineer. 1952 – 1964 – joined British Colonial Service. Served in Nyasaland. 1965 – 1986 joined United Nations. Served in London, Botswana, Saudi Arabia, Persian Gulf, Iran, Thailand and elsewhere. 1985 retired and then practiced as a Consulting Engineer based in the U.K. Deceased 26/09/1994 – his ashes were put to sea off Simon’s Town. |
| PILSKOG | ARNE OLAV | 2843 | |
| PINION | THOMAS | 2700 | I stayed with Unicorn till 1983 with my last position being 2nd Navigation Officer on the tanker the Buffalo. I got married in Oct 1983 and moved to Kuruman were we ran our own business (Take Away) till Nov 1986. Moved back to Durban opened up a fish and chip shop in kloof. In 1989 Joined Fedics food services working in Natal, Free State and Swaziland eventually leaving them in 2002 to go sailing (started as Catering Manager and finished as Operations Manager). Left Durban for Cape Town and joined the Compass Group (meant to be 3 months to help out stayed 4 years). Once again working as an Operations Director. Left SA in April 2006 and sailed to Trinidad where I spent 3 years projects managing the building of a custom made 55ft catamaran. Left Trinidad in 2009 and sailed to Saint Martin. Presently [2014] have my own business fixing, building, refurbishing yachts. |
| PINN | HAROLD ERNEST | 709 | After his training, worked his passage to England and joined the British Tanker Company. Continued to serve on tankers during WWII and was torpedoed twice. Was awarded 1939/45 medal for Full War Service, the Burma Star and the Atlantic Medal. After the war returned to S.A. and served on the S.A.T.S. General Botha as navigation officer 1945-46. 1953 moved to Johannesburg and employed by Lamson Engineering whom he served for 35 years. Deceased 2001. |
| PINN | CYRIL PETER | 1001 | |
| PIPER | ALBERT HARRY | 179 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union-Castle Line. |
| PISTOR | DIETRICH ALBERT PAUL | 2249 | 1964 Junior Cadet Captain. Previously a cargo surveyor in Durban. In June 2008 joined Beluga, situated in Bremen, as senior ships planner. When Beluga went into liquidation joined the newly formed company Hansa Heavy Lift as Senior Ships Planner, also based in Bremen. The company subsequently moved to Hamburg. Contract with Hansa Heavy Lift ended in May 2015. Then relocated to London, continued working as a freelance cargo Superintendent, 2021 undertaking the Administration & book keeping for a merchandising supply company, situated in London. |
| PISTORIUS | PAUL | 2784 | 2016 Managing Director of Livestock Express, Belgium. |
| PITCHER | DENYS EDMUND | 1316 | Joined Union Castle Line in January 1945 and served as cadet on the hospital ship Gerusalemme, the Rustenburg Castle and the Dunnottar Castle. Obtained 2nd Mates Certificate in August 1946 and joined Safmarine. Served as 4th Officer on the Constantia and the Morgenster until May 1948. Sailed as 2nd Mate with Smith’s Coasters until August 1948. Was with the Pietermaritzburg Corporation as a draughtsman from September 1948 until December1949. Joined the Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company in January 1950 serving as 3rd Officer on the Northia the Pellicula and the Acavus until December 1951.Obtained Chief Mates Certificate in March 1952. Appointed 2nd Mate on the Crista the Hemidonax and the Neocardia until March 1955. Obtained Master’s Foreign Going Certificate in September 1955 and joined SANC General Botha. Served as 3rd Officer from November 1955 until December 1957. Joined the SAR and H Service in January 1958 and served as Mate until July 1958. Appointed Lecturer-in-Charge, Nautical Academy, Durban, by the Natal Technical College in August 1958. Co-opted to serve on the Nautical Training Advisory Board and attended several meetings in Cape Town during 1959 and 1960. These meetings culminated in a recommendation to the Government that nautical training be centralized in Cape Town. This recommendation was accepted by the Government However, Dr Aston Williams Principal of the Natal Technical College disputed this decision, maintaining that his College was an autonomous institution and could offer courses considered desirable. In these uncertain times he elected to transfer to the Nautical Academy Cape Town. In fulfilling its decision to centralize nautical training in Cape Town the Government authorized the building of an establishment at Granger Bay, called the South African Merchant Navy Academy General Botha which offered a one year cadet course, courses for students preparing for their certificates of competence and courses for the various fishing grades. Staff from the Nautical Academy, Cape Town were given Academy posts. From January 1966 until July 1990 he was Training Officer, Chief Officer, Acting Captain Superintendent (on three occasions) and Captain Superintendent (from 1985).COMMITEES and SOCIETIES Was active in the affairs of the GB OBA and was Chairman of the OBA Executive Committee and Chairman of the SATS General Botha War Memorial Fund. Played an active role in the Society of Master Mariners (SA) serving in the capacities of Hon Gen Treasurer and Hon Gen Secretary and was President in 1975 MISCELLANEOUS Obtained a National Higher Diploma in Post School Education in 1985. Was invited to address the OBA Qua Vadis meeting in September 1988 to explain the background and reasons for the integration of the Academy into the Cape Technikon. During a meeting of the Board of Control (SAMNA GB) in August 1989 he asked Capt de Wet (member of the Board of Control) how the GB memorabilia can be preserved. He suggested the establishment of a trust similar to the Unitie Trust which had been drafted by Jonathan Mort of Fairbridges. Mr Mort was requested to make a similar draft for a General Botha trust. This he did Details of these negotiations were discussed and accepted at a meeting of the Executive Committee of the Board of Control in October 1989. A display of memorabilia was arranged in the Maritime Museum Cape Town. When this museum closed the display was transferred to the Naval Museum Simon’s Town where, with contributions from OB’s and the dedication of Ian Manning [1955/56] a magnificent display is now on view. Appointed a Trustee of the General Botha Trust in May 1990. Resigned due to ill health in January 2013. |
| PITT | GEORGE VICTOR | 648 | Joined lower deck on SAR Ships. |
| PLUMSTEAD | HARRY CAMPBELL | 649 | Sergeant in the army during WWII. |
| POERNER | RENE JOHN CONRAD | 1564 | 1949 Chief Cadet Captain and awarded the King’s Gold Medal. After General Botha, Rene’ sailed with Safmarine, then came ashore and went into business for himself. In true Bothy tradition, he built a successful business, Torque Tools that today and decades later, is well-established and continues to sail onwards with his son at the helm. Deceased 8th June 2021. |
| POLE | IAN WALTER | 1376 | Deceased 12/06/91 After G.B. joined Bank Line. His first ship was the s.s. Cabarita on which he was joined by his G.B. ship mate, Gavin Dickie, and traded between S.A. and the Orient. Later transferred to the partly passenger ship s.s. Inchanga. After 7 years at sea, joined Standard Bank in Durban. Later transferred to the then Northern Rhodesia, moved about the Cooper Belt, finishing up in Lusaka where he rose to the position of Chief Teller on the Treasury Department. His last appointment was Assistant Staff Manager for Zambia. Transferred to Glasgow. After retiring from Glasglow, returned to South Africa. |
| POLLECUTT | EDWARD JAMES | 1904 | Lost his life in the loss of the ‘Clan Keith’ on 7th November 1961 off Tunisia whilst serving as Fourth Engineer. |
| POLS | BRIAN DOUGLAS | 2676 | |
| POMEROY | ARTHUR SHUBROOK | 373 | After Bothie apprenticed to P&O Line and joined the R.N.R as a midshipman. Served with distinction in the Royal Navy throughout WWII and the Korean War. After WWII he was placed in command of the reserve fleet in Simon’s Town and later served as a staff officer in Tokyo during the Korean War. 1950 handed over command of HMS Wessex to his Bothie shipmate, R.P.D. Dymond (380), under whom she became HMSAS Jan van Riebeeck in the South African Navy. Last three years in the Royal Navy as a lecturer before retiring in South Africa in 1956. Then joined the S.A. Merchant Navy serving on the South African Merchant (Safmarine) and three years on the University of Cape Town’s research vessel, John D. Gilchrist. After retirement from the merchant navy served on the committee of the G.B. Old Boys’ Association in Cape Town. Deceased 03/05/1990. 28th September 1949 the Archbishop of Cape Town consecrated a new altar in the S.A.N.C. General Botha (Gordon’s Bay) chapel, presented in memory of J.E.J. Lewis (348) by his mother. It had been designed by Captain-Superintendent Legassick and A.S. Pomeroy (373). See: http://vandwdestroyerassociation.org.uk/HMS_Walpole/1941-3.html#Pomeroy |
| POMFRET | THOMAS MICHAEL | 1728 | 1954 – 1956 – Royal Air Force Pilot 1958 – 1965 – Moved to Rhodesia, then to Trinidad til 19790 in his own business development 1971 – 1988 – Relocated to Sydney, involved in horse equestrian management, acting in films etc. 1989 – Director of a Radio Station, Radio D.J., Sydney. |
| PORTER | NEILL LEONARD OSWALD | 2152 | Cadet and Third Officer with Shell Tankers. Studeid for Chief Officer’s in Cape Town in 1966. He then had a spell ashore in which he decided not to be a university student. He joined Safmarine until attaining Master’s in 1972. Came ashore and worked for Scripture Union Cape Town before studying at Rosebank Bible College for a Diploma. Joined Operation Mobilisation in 1977 as Chief Officer on the Mission Ship ‘Logos”. Appointed Master in 1978. Left the sea in 1979 and served in a variety of shore appointments with Operation Mobilisation in Bromley (U.K), until 1989. 1997 with Union Transport, Bromley, where he works in their chartering department. Active as a lay-preacher and churchworker. Retired 2012. |
| POTGIETER | PIERRE ANDRE LOUIS | 1430 | Served Cadetship with Safmarine before being appointed as 4th Officer on the S.A. Constantia in 1950, the first Botha Boy to complete his apprenticeship under the Safmarine flag. 1964 Master ofAfrican Coaster’s “Range”. Retired Master, sailed with Unicorn Lines. For many years was in command of their Voortrekker (1) and then her later consort Voorspeler (1). 1995 – PAL Security Services, Durban. 1999 Retired and relocated to Cape Town. Deceased 12th December 2012. |
| POTGIETER | PETER ANDRE | 2452 | 1972 – Deck Cadet with Unicorn Lines. 1981 – Obtained Master’s Certificate and promtoed Master of a container vessel. 1983 – Sepcialist training in the offshore industry field and when completed took command of the Company’s offshore cessel/Anchor Handler Voortrekker, October 1984. 1989 appointed to Shore position as Fleet Superintendent. 1993 accepted voluntary retrenchement and joined a small firm with full management participation specialising in marine offshore services and related services to the industry. |
| POULTNEY | GEOFFREY JOHN HENRY SEPHTON | 307 | |
| POULTNEY | BRIAN POPHAM | 1317 | |
| POULTON | DERRICK GEORGE | 767 | Joined Elder Dempster Lines as Cadet in August 1936. Served in various ED Ships until 1947 in various ranks up to 1st Mate. Passed for Masters, London, January 1945. Married in Montreal February 1945. 1945-47 sailed in E. Dempster Canadian Ships. Joined S.A. Harbour Service as tug mate in Port Elizabeth April 1948. Served as mate, tug master & dredger master in Port Elizabeth to 1964. Promoted Pilot, Cape Town 1964. Then Assistant Port Captain, Cape Town. Promoted to Port Captain East London 1977 until July 1979. Then retired. Chariman Plumstead TOC H Branch. On committee Seaman’s Institute. Deceased 30/09/2004 |
| POUND | ALFRED | 885 | |
| POWELL | DAVID PETER | 1318 | 01/1945 Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. 1947 promoted to Sub Lieutenant. 03/1948 demobilised. Spent a few months with African Coasters and Southern Steamships. 09/1949 joined Safmarine, served as 4th, 3rd , 2nd and Chief Officer. 01/1954 joined S.A.R. & H. as Chief Officer. Served in all ports and on all types of vessels, promoted Pilot, April 1966. 1973 went overseas to investigate various tug propulsion systems and transferred to Johannesburg Head Office to coordinate the Harbour Tug Replacement Program. 12/1979 appointed S.A.R.& H Nautical Advisor and Head of the Harbours Marine Service. 12/1987 appointed as Director Marine Services. 1966 a newly commissioned Harbour Pilot Boat was named “D.P. Powell”. 12/1988 retired. 1993 Kipper of yacht “Ukelele Lady” on the Cape to Rio race. 1956 – 1992 S.A. Navy Citizen Force, retired with rank of Captain. Chief Examiner, S.A. Cruising Association, 1990 – 1992 Maritime Industry Training Board. Deceased 09/05/2012. Previous GB Trust Trustee. |
| POWELL | JOHN HUBERT ATHOL | 768 | Initially joined Clan Line. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. First Officer of the ‘Gamtoos’ employed taking stores to Marion Islands. Lost his wife in the sinking of the British liner Ceramic 7th December 1942. 1964 Harbour Pilot in Durban Harbour. |
| POWELL | BRYAN OLIVER | 1054 | December 1940 was appointed to the Armed Merchant Cruiser HMS Asturias as Midshipman R.N.R. and in 1942 joined Royal Navy Destroyers. Promoted to Sub Lieutenant and seconded to the Royal Navy. Participated in the D-Day landings and in 1945 was repatriated to S.A. after promotion to Lieutenant. 1946 joined the S.A. Navy and was Captain of the Southern Barrier before being appointed as Gunnery Officer on the SAS Natal the same year. Various shore and afloat appointments followed before commissioning the SAS Simon van der Stel as First Lieutenant in 1952. Resigned from the navy in 1963, taking up commercial appointments. 1972 Navigational Instructor at SAS Rand and in 1973 rejoined the S.A. Navy based at Silvermine. Retired 1984 but spent another year as a civilian with Naval Intelligence. Chairman of the GBOBA for 10 years. Deceased January 1988. |
| POWER | JEFFREY WILLIAM | 1055 | Born Waterval Bovem, Transvaal, 12th September 1923. Son of Walter Herny Power and Annie Elizabeth, nee Parkins. Ed, Glenwood High School, Durban. Cadet Draft 1939-40 (Senior Cadet Captain). Jeffrey William Power joined the RNR as Midshipman and was transferred to the Fleet Air Arm. He was killed in an aircraft accident on 27th May 1943, and cremated at Weymouth. Served on HMS Austerious, AMC HMS Pretoria Castle and HMS Heron. He was a sub lieutenant and could not become a Full Lieutenant in the Royal Navy until he turned 21. |
| PREISS | RICHARD BRIAN | 2250 | Sailed with Safmarine in 1965/66 before leaving the sea and joining Ford Motor Company in Port Elizabeth. Eventually based in Johannesburg responsible for exports into Ford Europe. 2009 retired. |
| PRELLER | FERDINAND ALBRECHT | 946 | WWII Staff Sergeant SA Armoured Corps. |
| PREST | PHILIP CHARLES PETER | 1968 | His father B. B. Prest, who is buried in the Glencairn Cemetery, was Chief Officer from 1940 in the ship, at Red Hill and at Gordons Bay, until his death on 07 June 1951. Resides in a remote part of North Yorkshire moors, has a small 37 flock of Herdwick sheep.Enjoys retirement after 40 years at sea. |
| PRESTON | JAMES | 132 | After Bothie apprenticed to Clan Line. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48: Has been re-elected to the Simonstown Council, eventually Mayor of Simon’s Town. Deceased 25th May 1960. Naval burial from at sea, from SAS Somerset, in position 34′ 13,6″S 018′ 37,5″E same position as the S.A.T.S. General Botha lies. Later his wife’s ashes scattered in same position. |
| PRESTON | JAMES MICHAEL | 1612 | Sailed with Safmarine as an engineer. Came ashore and worked for BELLS Asbestos. Deceased 12th October 2021. |
| PRETORIUS | GEORGE HENRY PAXTON | 416 | Failed eyesight test on joining. Went to a wireless college in Cardiff. |
| PRETORIUS | HYLTON LIONEL | 1787 | Deceased 1989. Previously a company director. Hylton became band leader at the college and the band won several band competitions. He was awarded the silver bugle award in this regard. After being at General Botha College he joined the South African Navy and became a sub-lieutenant. He specialised in navigation and ASDEC`s and did some of his training in this regard at Wemmer Pan. |
| PRETORIUS | JACOB LAURENCE | 90 | Entered S.A. Navy as Stoker 16th June 1924. |
| PRICE | PHILIP | 1130 | |
| PRICE | GEORGE HENRY | 80 |
Born March 17th, 1908. After Bothie apprenticed to Prince Line. Lost in M.V. Asiatic Prince, which sank in a hurricane in the Pacific on her way to Tokohama in March, 1928, with all hands, 48 in all, on her maiden voyage. George Price was the first Bothie boy to be lost at sea. Obtained B.O.T. certificate first class in Seamanship and was apprenticed to the Prince Line, firstly in s.s. Indian Prince and later m.v. Asiatic Prince. |
| PRICE | PATRICK MC CANOE | 519 | Deceased. |
| PRICE | DENNIS BERESFORD | 710 | 1934 promoted to Senior Cadet Captain. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. Has been promoted to Senior Inspector of the Government Guano Islands Department. Sailed on the ‘Gatmoos’ when she delivered stores to Marion Island. |
| PRICE | JOHN EVANS | 1131 | Born Burgersdorp, Cape Province, 7th March 1924. Son of Charles Frederick and Marjory Price. Ed, Grey College School. Cadet Draft 1940-1. On leaving General Botah John Evans Price joined the SAAF as Air-Mechanic, and while on relief duty, awaiting discharge, was killed in a military lorry crash at N’Changa, Northern Rhodesia, on 25th December 1945. |
| PRICE | MARK SHAYNE | 2844 | |
| PRINSLOO | FREDERICK WILLIAM | 357 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a seaman. Also served with the Cape Town Fire Brigade. |
| PRINSLOO | ANTHONY WILLIAM | 2767 | 1995 – Marine Surveyor with Chettles, Port of Richards Bay. |
| PRIOR | CHARLES KITCHENER | 650 | |
| PROCTER | STEWART COLLACOTT | 2453 | Left Merchant Navy 1981, worked for Rennies Shipping and then Caleb Brett. Joined Total [SA] in December 1983 and stayed with them until March 2007. Worked in various capacities in various towns and cities until retirement in 2007. At the time at Bend Plant Durban. Came out of retirement and joined Saint Giles Association for the handicapped in August 2008. January 2017 retired. |
| PROUDFOOT | ANTHONY THOMAS EDWARD | 2213 | 2009 with Gremrick Security. Deceased 11th September 2021. |
| PRYOR | STEPHEN RICHARD | 1074 | 1940 won the Howard Prize of the Royal Meteorological Society. 19th February 1941 was appointed to the staff of the Bothie as cadet-instructor, until he left in July to take up the Sonnenberg bursary and the Royal Navy cadetship he had been awarded. He continued to serve through the War on a number of ships including the HMS Norfolk, Arctic patrols and Russian convoys. After the war he remained in the Royal Navy until 1952, following which he returned to South Africa and became a surveyor. Deceased 11th August 2018. |
| PRYOR | GEOFFREY ARMIGEL | 278 | |
| PURCHASE | LANCELOT RICHARD | 2746 | 1980-1983 cadet with S.A. Marine Corporation. 1984-1985 foreman with S.A. Stevedores Cape Town. 1988-1992 ships agency representative with TRT Shipping Services, Cape Town. 1992-1993 ships planner with Grindrod Shipping based in Cape Town. 1993-1999 various managerial positions with Status Maritime [formerly Kien Hung Shipping S.A.] based in Johannesburg and Cape Town. 1999-2000 shipping consultant based in Cape Town. 2000-2004 operations manager with TRT, Cape Town 2004 moved to U.K. 2005-2007 Shipping manager for Columbus Stainless based in Middelburg. 2007-2009 Branch Manager MOL Johannesburg. 2009-2013 Owner’s representative Mitsui OSK Lines based in Maputo. 2013 Following four years in Maputo returned to Cape Town, Area Manager Third Party Agencies, MOL South Africa. 2014 joined Pacific International Lines as their Owner’s Representative in Mozambique. 2017 left Pacific International Lines and returned to Cape Town. |
| PURDON | TERENCE JAMES | 2402 | 1967 – Matriculated from Westville Boys High School. 1968 – 9 months National Service in the S.A. Army. 1969 – Natal University (BSc Geology) – 1 year completed. 1970 – joined Safmarine (S.A. Shipper). 1971 – attended General Botha as Cadet, thereafter as 3/0 & 2/0. 1979 – obtained Master’s F.G. Certificate. 1979 – 82 – Safmarine Tug Division, promoted to C/O. 1983 – 90 – Lecturer at S.A.M.N.A. General Botha – obtained NHD in post school education. 1990 – 93 – Started own business as a PC Constulant and software developer specialising in programs for the Marine Industry. Also a freelance shipplanner with Safmarine. 1993 – Rejoined Safmarine as full time stowage co-ordinator. 1995 – Promoted to Systems Manager with ‘MARSCC’ Safmarine. 2010 retired. |
| PURSE | CHARLES ARTHUR | 439 | In the thirties enrolled in the police. |
| PURVES | PETER HARVEY | 1729 | |
| PUTTICK | EDWARD LEONARD ALAN | 1014 | |
| QUARMBY | DENNIS GORDON | 1002 | |
| QUARMBY | KEITH MURDOCK | 1056 | Joined the Seaward Defence Force as an Ordinary Seaman in 1941. 1942 commissioned as Midshipman and promoted to sub Lieutenant in 1944. 1946-49 studied Chiropractics in Chicago before returning to S.A. in 1950, practised in East London. 1951-67 worked with pharmaceutical companies and was sales manager of Parke David Laboratories. Following a serious accident in 1961 he worked in the sales departments of motor companies, retiring in 1965. Deceased 18/10/2000. |
| QUAYLE | WILLIAM KEITH | 1845 | Keith Quayle was a ‘Vaalie’ from Mayfair High School in Johannesburg and a popular shipmate in the General Botha. On completing his two years he joined Safmarine together with ‘Barney’ Barnardo, their first ship being the South African Merchant. Keith came ashore after 18 months and started an apprenticeship (with the intention of returning to sea) with Otis Elevators, qualifying in 1961. He then joined Gilbarco Pumps ‘on the tools’ and was with them for 19 years, working in most departments and finishing in the position of materials and computer systems manager. In 1984, he left to join a partner in a small sign company. This partner returned to England in 1988 and in 1991 the business was sold with Keith continuing as general manager. In 1999, the business was again sold, this time to PSM, a manufacturing sign company with Keith continuing, of course, as their general manager until his retirement in 2011. Keith married Margaret Horn in January 1962 and they have two daughters, both happily married. Keith and Margaret both attended the three days and nights of the 2004 Gordon’s Bay reunion. Sadly however, after a short illness, Margaret passed away in September 2010. Keith stoically came down to Cape Town for the 60th reunion anyway and was excellent company but it was clear to all that he was keenly missing the love of his life, Margaret. He died 15th January 2015. |
| QUIGLEY | KEVIN MICHAEL | 1846 | Kevin came from seafaring stock and arrived at the General Botha via Sea Point Boys’ High School. He was famous for his ability to smuggle in cigarettes without detection. On leaving the Botha, Kevin followed his stepfather into the whaling business and took part in the 1955 whaling expedition from Cape Town to the Antarctic, serving in the Willem Barendz. His subsequent career is not known and in July 2002 he passed away from illness at his home in Thornton, Cape Town. |
| QUIN | EUGENE FRANCIS | 580 | 1932 Junior Cadet Captain. Apprenticed to Reardon Smith Line. After Bothie Eugene went to sea as Cadet on tramp vessels and in 1936 he joined Clan Line as Third Officer. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: sailed on s.s. Bradburn Was torpedoed in 1939 in the Atlantic. During WWII he joined the Royal Navy as a Navigation Officer and was later promoted to Lieutenant on the Anti-Submarine ships. 1945-46 Eugene attended Natal University and from 1947 to 1971 he was branch manager and a director of Bowater Paper Company. He then joined S.A. Neon which was subseuqently taken over by Claude Neon TLD where he was the Marketing Executive for 26 years. Retired 1997. Deceased 24/02/2004. |
| QUINE | ALLAN RICHARD | 2288 | 2000 – Freelance IT system test analyst based in England. |
| RABONE | CHRISTOFER | 2017 | Chief Cadet Captain for his year. Ex Union Castle purser – deceased 07/09/91. Donated his Queen’s Gold Medal to the General Botha Trust. On display in the S.A. Naval Museum, Simon’s Town. |
| RACKSTRAW | GORDON JAMES | 830 | 1937 joined the British shipping company Ewing McDonalds in a shore position until the outbreak of WWII in 1939. He went up north with the S.A. Army. After WWII Gordon rejoined Ewing McDonalds and was appointed Import & Export Manager based in Rhodesia [now Zimbabwe], serving Congo, Malawi, Mozambique and Rhodesia. After retirement from shipping he joined the South African Institute of International Affairs where he served for twelve years. Deceased August 2005. |
| RADFORD | BRYAN IAN | 2502 | 1997 – joined Pentow Marine, Durban. 1998 – relocated to Saldanha Bay with Pentow Marine. |
| RAINIER | REGINALD | 886 | Joined “Tacoma City”, Smiths of Cardiff 1938. Mined 1941. British Continental a few voyages to Spain. Two years on “Nailsea Moor”, E&R Steamship Co. on N.Y. – Persian Gulf run. Joined T&J Harrison for a few voyages and then Elder Dempsters. Ended up mate on “Calabar”. Cape – West Africa run. Joined S.A.R. & H. in 1953. Durban, Port Elizabeth and ended up pilot in East London. Retired 1980. Deceased 23/02/96 |
| RAMADGE | BRIAN HENRY FRANCIS GODWIN | 1431 | 1947 – 51 – Ellermans, Cadet to 3/O 1951 – 70 – Union Steamship Company of New Zealand. Appionted Master in 1963 serving on break bulk ships, bulk carriers, chemcial tankers and Roro Container ships. Trading Australia – Tasmania, New Zealand, FIJI, Samoa and Tongan Isalnds. 1970 Pilot with Maritime Services Board of NSW 1974 – Assistant Harbour Master Newcastle 1979 – Deputy Harbour Master Sydney and Botany Bay 1980 – Harbour Master Newcastle 1983 – Chief Executive, Port of Newcastle 1989 – Retired age 60 Involved with Toastmasters and Rotary youth exchange. Deceased 11/08/96 |
| RAMASAMY | DARON CLEMENT | 2913 | Previously at sea with Unicorn Lines but left Unicorn 1996. Changed his surname to “Burgess”. |
| RAMKE | DAVID NOEL | 1478 | Holds a BSc Engineering and presently with Cable & Ropeway Engineering in Johannesburg. |
| RAMSDEN | ALFRED ASTON | 1256 | |
| RANKIN | DAVID JOHN | 2845 | After G.B. sailed with Safmarine until 1990 when he joined the Real Estate Business. 1998 – Principal of his own business and taken a franchise with ReMax International. |
| RAPSON | GLEN TREVOR | 2454 | 1995 – Harbour Pilot, Port of Richards Bay. 2017 retired. I was with Unicorn Shipping Lines from January 1972 until July 1985. The last 5 years as CNO. Joined TNPA in August 1985. Stationed in Walvis Bay, transferred to Richards Bay at the end of 1989. |
| RASMUSSEN | KENNETH BASIL | 651 | Apprenticed to Prince Line. Was a POW during WWII. Was a Fireman in the Maritzburg Fire Brigade. Deceased 16th May 1990. |
| RASMUSSEN | WILLIAM AMUND | 711 | 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. |
| RASMUSSEN | EINAR KARMOI | 887 | |
| RASMUSSEN | WILLIAM ALBERT | 581 | 1932 Senior Cadet Captain. |
| RATHBONE | ALAN CHARLES | 2423 | 2021 somewhere in Australia, AWOL. |
| RATHBONE | RICHARD DENNIS | 1017 | Went direct to sea when war broke out in September 1939 and joined the Australian vessel HMAMC ‘Bulolo’. Dennis sailed in many of the Russian convoys and received the Commemorative Medal and Certificate issued by the Soviet Authorities. Was a Lieutenant on HMS Durban during D-Day landings and was in Burma when the war ended. Dennis joined the Department of Manpower after the war as a Factory Inspector. He later spent a few years at Bakers and Paper Sacks as a Personnel Officer, then returned to the Department of Manpower where he ended his career at the age of 65. Deceased 21/07/1995. |
| RAU | EDWARD NOEL | 947 | WWII Rifleman Witwatersrand Rifles / De La Rey. |
| RAU | VIVIAN GEORGE | 831 | |
| RAUBENHEIMER | JAMES STANDISH | 1527 | 1948 student at Witwatersrand Technical College, Johannesburg. 1949 started 5 year apprenticeship as an electrical fitter. 1953 transferred apprenticeship to The English Electric Company of S.A for the final year. 1954 resigned and travelled to UK and re-joined EE at Stafford Works as a Special Trainee. During the year joined Steel Industries Division and was sent to various steelworks in the UK, and eventually to Norway and Sweden. 1955 employed by Swedish State steelworks, Luleå, as Maintenance Engineer on loan from EE, to install a system of planned preventative maintenance to improve production performance and output. This system was eventually extended to cover mechanical and harbour iron-oreloading maintenance, and is still in operation today. 1958 resigned and returned to SA to visit mother and re-joined EE SA as Installation and Commissioning engineer (Mines), and completed eleven winder hoists situated between Johannesburg and Kimberley in the year on various gold, coal and diamond mines. 1959 married and was appointed by EE SA Resident Site Engineer, Iscor Works, Vanderbijlpark supervising the installation and commissioning of numerous steelworks plant in Iscor’s expansion. 1962 resigned from EE SA and was appointed Works Engineer McWillaw Iron and Steel, Isipingo, Natal. This company also had a ship-breaking yard in Durban Bay, and the steel scrap from these vessels was converted to new steel products. 1963 resigned from McWillaw to take up a Sales Engineering position by invitation from EE SA, at their head office in Johannesburg. 1964 Invited by EE SA to transfer to their Benoni Works as Project Engineer (Traction) to extend the factory and equipment, man and commence production of electric locomotive and passenger train equipment. 1968 appointed General Manager Benoni Works, as well as manager Traction and Large Electric Motors. 1969 resigned due to takeover of EE by GEC, and joined Tube Investments as MD of Flexible Tubing Africa manufacturing all types of hoses and fittings for mining and general industry. 1971 transferred by TI to head office Johannesburg as MD TI Engineering. 1972 appointed Group Corporate Planner TI while still controlling Engineering division. 1973 resigned and joined Marthinusen Industries as MD electrical products. 1974 reassigned to take control of Bonnycan Electric, owned byAnglo-American, on the sudden death of Bonnycan’s MD in a car accident. Bonnycan was subsequently purchased by Marthinusen. 1976 resigned and took a partnership and control of Republic Electric in Boksburg handling electrical equipment repairs and maintenance for mining and general industries. 1977 assumed full ownership of Republic Electric. 1981 Republic Electric bought by GEC SA and appointed MD LH Marthinusen, with six branches in SA, and chairman of LHM in Harare, Zimbabwe. Repair contracts were obtained from power, rail and dockyard companies in Taiwan and Hong Kong. 1983 resigned from LHM due to pending sale of the company to Delta Electric, and entered the textile industry through a franchise operation and opened four retail outlets, one in Johannesburg and three in Pretoria. 1984 took over the franchise for SA on approval of the Australian owners and built the franchise to 27 retail stores in SA, sourcing fabric and other items from SA manufacturers and from other parts of the world. A very successful company until bad management in Australia forced the liquidation of the company world-wide in 1994. 1994 to 2009 took a certificated course in nutrition and health, and sold health products and imported domestic water distillers nation-wide. 2009 more or less retired with odd jobs in the advertising industry. Currently [2016] chair of the wine and camera clubs at our retirement village. |
| RAVEN | FREDERICK ANDREW | 2814 | 1998 – with IMAC International Marine Construction based in Durban. 2001 relocated to New Zeland and working for AIMECS, a ship repair company based in Auckland and Tautanga. |
| RAYNER | FRANCIS HERBERT TUSSAUD | 1257 | Deceased 25th May 2018. |
| RAYNER | JOHN ASLEY | 1479 | Deceased 15/10/2013. |
| READ | VICTOR SCOTT | 1576 | After G.B. apprenticed to Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company (Shell). Obtained second officers certificate in 1953 and joined the meteorological office in Salisbury, Rhodesia (now Harare in Zimbabwe), as a trainee. Worked his way up to the qualified aviation weather forecaster at Salisbury airport. January 1967 joined Rhodesian Cables as a work study officer and later part of the management team. Caleld up during the Rhodesian war in the police reserve, posted to various places guarding farms and key installations. In 1978 moved to Pretoria and joined Siemens Cables (now Rosalyn Cables) as Production Planning Manager. Since then has held several positions and in 1995 was in charge of Cable Design and costing. 1996 retired. Deceased 28th September 2004 |
| READING | MALCOLM GEORGE | 2342 | 1968 General Botha 1969 Unicorn Shipping = Cadet 1970 – 1971 Willem Barendz – 4th / 3rd Officer, uncertified. 1972 – 1979 Ashore, started as a sales representative for Reed Stationery, resigned as area manager and main board director for Cape Province, OFS, SWA/Namibia. 1979 – 1992 Shareholder and MD of the following small companies: Minus 40 and Safreeze specialized refrigeration products. Cape Lumber and Poles & Planks timber fencing and garden products direct to home owners Cape Fabrix Carpet Manufacture In 1993 decided to emigrate, moved to Vancouver Canada in 1994. On arrival in Canada opened Black Rock Trading Inc,. To act as the North American distributor of Boulder Buster rock breaking equipment for Rhinemetall Denel.. They discontinued the product range at the end of 2016. As Boulder Buster was the major part of the business, decided to wind up and retire. |
| REAY | WILLIAM ARTHUR | 288 | Deceased: 12 March 1985. Attended Malmsbury High School before SATS General Botha and then spent most of his life in Kimberley where he owned an undertaking business. |
| REDDING | RODERICK WARREN | 1969 | 1957 to 1960 apprentice/cadet with Ellerman & Bucknall [City Line]. 1960 to 1986 Price Forbes Insurance Brokers [South Africa]. 1987 to 1992 Sedgewick Insurance Brokers [London]. 1993 formed own insurance services companies [United Kingdom]. |
| REDGMENT | FRANK | 1057 | 1941 appointed Midshipman R.N.R. and joined HMS Cornwall. Served on her until she was sunk by the Japenese on the 5th of April 1942. Then served in HMS Anthony, HMS Whimbrel which incldued the invasion of Sicily and the Normandy invasion, and HMS Test. 1945 demobilised and after a few years in various jobs joined Messers Josiah Parkes and Sons, manufacturers of Union Locks, and due course became Sales Director and then Managing Director until retirement. Deceased 24/12/2013. Here is a list of his medals. 1 the 1939 to 1945 Star 2 the Atlantic Star 3. The Africa Star 4. The Burma Star 5 . The Italy Star 6. Africa service medal 7 the commemoration medal 60 th rosary of victory in the great patriotic war 1941. To. 1945 (Jubilee Medal “60 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945”) 8. Ushakov medal from the Russians ( awarded for Bravery and courage) 9. Arctic Star. |
| REDMAN | CHRISTOPHER PETER | 2892 | Deceased 29th September 2016. |
| REECE-EDWARDS | LEONARD CHARLES EDEASOR | 1058 | After serving at sea went into banking in 1948. Deceased 1989. |
| REES | IVOR GWILYM | 2289 | 1968 – Sailing on the S.A. Shipper, Safmarine. 2011 Managing Member of surveying company D S Oliver. |
| REES | DAVID STEWART | 2846 | |
| REID | CLIVE ANTHONY | 2018 | Deceased 02/09/2002. |
| REID | DUDLEY MACFARLANE DE WAAL | 582 | 1932 Junior Cadet Captain. |
| REID | CHARLES ARTHUR | 2729 | After G.B. joined Safmarine as a Cadet, Third and Second Officer. Joined Safmarine shore staff as a RORO Cargo Superintendent, later transferred to the container logistics department. Member of the war memorial fund managing committee. 1997 – transferred to Saferoute (division of Safmarine) as Operations Manager. 2000 – entered partnership in New Company, Cargo Systems. |
| REID | BRUCE | 2121 | Initially sailed with Shell. 1964 worked for Rand Mines, Johannesburg. Deceased 1967. |
| REID | JOHN | 2068 | 1964 with a Swiss insurance firm in the Cape. Was employed by Old Mutual ± 1977 Deceased circa 1997? |
| REID | ROBERT MACKIE | 2313 | 1967 Winner of the Nettleton Trophy for Management of Boats. After G.B. went to sea with Safmarine. Soon after obtaining Masters Certificate came ashore into Safmarine’s Container Operations Department. Later became hazardous cargo specialist with Safmarine. 1994, Operations Manager, Europe trade, Safmarine. 1999 – retired from Safmarine 2000 moved to New Zealand. 2003 operating a ferry between Gulf Harbour and Auckland as well as a vending business. 2004 sold the vending business and Master on Fullers Ferries. |
| REID | DAVID WILLIAM | 2290 | Jan 1967 to May 1975 Cadet to 1st Officer Safmarine. July 1971 Married secretary from GB (Dalene Martin). Nov 1974 Received Masters (Courtesy Capt Kenny). Jun 1975 to Jan 1977 Cape Town SAR&H as Mate. Feb 1977 to June 2000 Joined SA Navy as a lecturer at the Military Academy in Saldanha. July 2000 to Dec 2001 Long line fishing for swordfish and tuna Feb 2002 to July 2003 various survey jobs for De Beers and Mobile Oil. July 2003 to Dec 2008 Master on diamond dredger Namibia. Dec 2008 to April 2014 Master on various siesmic survey vessels for Mermaid Marine. 2015 still during delivery jobs for various companies. Part owner of the Sea Safety Training Centre Group with branches in St Helena Bay, Cape Town and Mandela Bay. Lecturing on a full time basis. |
| REID | ROBERT WILLIAM | 1003 | |
| REINBACH | DENIS WALTER | 1195 | |
| REINDERS | GRAHAM | 18 | 1964 with the Provincial Traffic Department, Cape Town. 1968 – Commercial pilot for AVEX Air, then was a pilot for S.A. Airways until 1973. Spent a year in Argentina before immigrating to Canada in 1977 where he was a pilot and flying instructor. 2000 sailed from Vancouver in a yacht that he had built to French Polynesia, Fiji and Philippines. |
| REITZ | ALBERT | 256 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H.) as a seaman. |
| RENNIE | DAVID ANTHONY | 2677 | Deceased 12th September 2014. Captain Dave Rennie, Master Mariner, Director of Grindrod Limited, and Chief Executive Officer of Grindrod Freight Services. Captain Rennie had been in ill health for a short while when he suddenly died, and his passing has come a shock to the Durban and South African maritime industry where he was well- known and highly respected. He was a Grindrod man throughout his career and is one of only two people to have moved through the ranks in the company from cadet at sea to director of the company. He spent time at sea as a cadet before studying at the South African Merchant Navy Academy General Botha. Within 11 years he had risen to ships master when he was given his first ship, the Durban-built container vessel Berg. He was seconded to the South African Navy for a special task, that of going to Galveston, Texas to bring back the Ukrainian ice-strengthened ship Juvent, which was to become SAS Outeniqua on delivery in Simon’s Town. He remained attached to the navy for six months while training navy personnel in the intricacies of operating a ro-ro type vessel. In 1993 he transferred to Durban to be in charge of Unicorn’s crewing department and later as operations manager of the coastal trade, from where he stepped up to be in charge of Grindrod’s container shipping division, Ocean Africa Container Lines. By this time he had become a director of the company. In more recent years he has been chief executive of Grindrod Freight Services and has played a pivotal role in leading the Maputo port back to becoming an important and successful gateway for southern African trade. He was also the man running the emergence of Grindrod as an important participant in the operating of railways on the sub-continent. In addition to these duties, Captain Rennie was a Member of the Chartered Institute of Shipbrokers, and played a significant role in the formation of the South African Association of Ship Operators and Agents (SAASOA). He acted as Chairman of the Container Liners Operators Forum, was an advisor to the Minister of Transport and a director of the TT Club in London, an international transport and logistics insurance management service. Captain Dave Rennie leaves his wife Jane, a son Lloyd and daughter Amy. |
| RENS | RONALD ARTHUR | 1565 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Has sailed on one of the Hector Whaling Company’s Tankers for South America. |
| RETERINK | ANTONIUS | 1788 | |
| RETIEF | PATRICK FRANK | 1613 | |
| REUVERS | ROBERT PATRIC | 2343 | Served at sea with Safmarine and Unicorn before joining the harbour service in Durban on tugs. Later promoted to harbour pilot in Port Elizabeth with relief duties in Mossel Bay. 2001 relocated to Qatar as a pilot/port supervisor. 2012 retired. |
| REYNOLDS | RUPERT ROY | 1480 | |
| REYNOLDS | JOHN WILLIAM | 15 | Afrer Bothie placed in Blue Funnel Line as apprentice. First cadet to obtain his second mate’s certificate in South Africa and in August 1931 he also became the first Botha Boy to obtain his Master’s Certificate. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48 Has been appointed a Harbour Pilot in the Table Bay Harbour Service. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: J.W. Reynolds and M.A. Dickson went through an arduous time when, as officers of the Union Government s.s. Aloe, they had to fight for days a strong fire which broke out in that ship near Mauritius. It was successfully quelled. |
| RHODES | CECIL VERNON | 1004 | |
| RHODES | JACK GEORGE HURNDALL | 583 | |
| RIBBINK | LOUIS BOTHA | 712 | 1934 promoted to Senior Cadet Captain. Served as Sub Lieutenant on HMSAS Southern Isles under the command of Lt A.C. Matson (64) in the Mediterranean During WWII. The ship was exposed to a blistering attack by five JU88’s, one of which was shot down, to be followed by a force estimated to number 50 aircraft, which grouped themselves to pay individual attention to each ship in the convoy. Matson subsequently reported: The sky appeared to rain bombs, most of which fell within 100 feet of the ship. Towards the end of this action a particularly aggressive JU88, coming in for a low-level run over the ship, was covered by the four-inch gun, already loaded with a time-fused shell, set for 900 feet and manned by Sub-Lieutenant Ribbink and one rating. The single shot, perfectly timed, obtained a burst almost on the tail of the plane, which caught fire, jettisoned its bombs and crashed. Ribbink was awarded the DSC for devotion to duty in September 1941. Previously of the Royal Navy and a retired Journalist/Publisher. Deceased 11/01/2002. |
| RICE | JOHN MALCOLM | 2251 | 1970 – MEC at Univeristy of Cape Town 1971 – 81 – worked as a Lecturer. Presently Joint Managing Director of research surveys – South Africa’s largest consumer research company. |
| RICEMAN | RONALD HOWARD | 1905 | Deceased May 2006. |
| RICH | RONALD GLENTHORN | 1196 | Sailed with Thesen’s as Cadet and then Andrew Weir’s as 3rd Officer. Failed eyesight test, remained on the vessel as Purser and DEMS gunnery officer. 1946 joined Ellerman & Bucknall as Purser. 1949 settled in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) as a manufacturere’s agent. 1963 purchased Impala Arms Hotel and The White Hourse Inn in the Vumba Eastern District. Was an active B.S.A.P. member in field operations during the Rhodesian war which ended 1981. Then returned to S.A. as Chief Buyer for Ncora Irrigation Scheme in the Transkei. 2000 owned Gonubie Furnishers in East London. Deceased 15/05/2006. |
| RICHARDS | PETER JOHN | 2153 | |
| RICHARDS | LAURENCE GORDON TEMPLE | 652 | |
| RICHARDS | RODNEY GEORGE SNEYD | 1432 | |
| RICHARDS | TREVOR JOHN | 2484 | 2006 President, Spring Cove Marina, Solomons, MD, USA. After Bothie in ’74, my last trip with Safmarine was in 1982, as I recall. Headed off around the world in “Wandering Star”, my Knysna built Endurance 37, from ’82 – ’86 and in Australia I met my future wife, Liz, who is from the States. That, of course, put an end to my singlehanding days. Sailed back to the States in ’87 and in ’88 got the manager’s job at Spring Cove Marina in Solomons MD. It is a full service “resort” style marina with 250 slips and boatyard which has kept us busy and out of trouble. After 10 years, became the managing partner, and after another 16 years, here we are! Our son and daughter are both working at the marina, (as well as Liz and my brother Alan – a real family affair), “Wandering Star” is nearing the end of a facelift – (adding all the mod-cons like chartplotter and radar!) and we plan on some East Coast/Bermuda cruising in the next few years as our kids (or more accurately, “we”) become more comfortable (with them) running the marina. We enjoy skiing in the winter and I still race my Laser in the warmer months, although now I am called a “Grand Master” and seem to be getting slower and slower! |
| RICHARDSON | LESLIE KEITH | 1528 | |
| RICHARDSON | NEVILLE ALAN | 2503 | |
| RICHARDSON | WILLIAM ALEXANDER | 713 | |
| RICHTER | PETER CLYDE | 1433 | |
| RICKETTS | GEORGE THORNE ST VINCENT | 714 | |
| RIDDELL | MICHAEL ANDREW | 2716 | Previously with Safmarine and Smit Salvage, 2005 joined Svitzer Wijsmuller as Salvage Master. 2015 following a merger salvage master with Subtech. 2019 with LOC Singapore. |
| RIDER | BRADFORD ANTHONY | 2069 | 1964 Third Officer in m.v. “Safdan Yvonne”. Reported deceased. |
| RIDGE | EDWARD TREVOR | 1377 | 1946 – 55 – Cadet to 2nd Mate with Ellerman Assoc Lines 1955 – 66 – Assistant to Marine Superintendent, Thesens Steamship Co Ltd Cape Town. 1964 Personnel Officer of Thesen’s Steamship Company, Cape Town. 1967 – Paymaster, Cape Town Unicorn Lines 1968 – Marine Assistant Unicorn Lines, Cape Town 1969 – 76 – Marine Superintendent, Unicorn Lines Durban 1977 – 84 – Marine Manager, Unicorn Lines, Cape Town 1985 – 89 – Manager Cape Diving & Salvage, Cape Town May 1989 – Retired Deceased 21/04/2006 |
| RIDGWAY | LAWRENCE JOHN | 19 | After Bothie joined an insurance company as a junior clerk and after many years in the industry, has ended up as a main board Director for Lloyds Broker in London. Also continued with his musical career including two years at Kneller Hall, Royal Marines School of Music on a part time basis. Conducted the junior band of the Royal Green Jackets and continued to conduct choirs, orchestras and bands. Has a Commission in the Royal Green Jackets (Light Infantry). 2009 retired in France. 2016 moved to Israel. |
| RIDLER | ROBERT JAMES | 52 | Band Drum Major 1961. After Bothie completed his engineering training and entered the aircraft industry specialising in cabin equipment. Worked at Boeing and Airbus Industries, later joining an Italian company near Rome, manufacturing aircraft equipment. The company later set up a factory in Cape Town producing components for SAA and was tasked with setting up the factory and staff training. Spent 15 years with the company reaching the post of Group Engineering Director working on military and related contracts. Left the company in 1984 to form his own engineering company manufacturing naval radar antennas for export to German Shipyards. 2010 Retired. Deceased 22nd April 2017. |
| RIGNEY | CORNELIS JOHANNES MULLER | 112 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a Seaman. |
| RIJKERS | FRANK | 2344 | |
| RILEY | JOHN | 135 | Worked at City Deep Mines before WWII. |
| RILEY | ROBIN EDWARDS | 2019 | Rob joined Safmarine in January 1958 as a Cadet Officer. 1964 Second Officer m.v. “Safdan Helene”. After passing all certificates in rapid time he was appointed Master of the m.v. Tzaneen, a Safmarine reefer vessel. Shortly after promotion to Master he was appointed Assistant Marine Superintendent in New York and thereafter Marine Superintendent (Atlantic) based in Baltimore. Nine years later it was back to New York as Senior Marine Superintendent and in 1968 he was appointed Vice President Marine. In 1991 he was appointed to President of Safmarine (U.S.A) and owners representative, Safbank Line Ltd. Retired December 1999 to his farm in Virginia, U.S.A. Deceased 29/08/2009 |
| RIPPON | JOHN RAYMOND | 1059 | Born 15 September 1923 in Durban; Parents Sidney and Nelie Rippon had four children – Merle, Desmond Ray and Alison; Started life in Durban and moved to Johannesburg where he attended King Edward High School before going to the General Botha where he matriculated. General Botha (GB) Cadet No.1059, 1939-40. Midshipman Royal Navy Reserve (RNR) 1940 – 45. HMS Pretoria Castle 11 Dec 1940 to 30 Nov 1941 (Armed Merchant Cruiser) HMS Gambia 15 Feb 1942 to 13 May 1943 (Crown Colony-class Light Cruiser) HMS Frobisher 21 June 1943 to 9 March 1944 (Hawkins-class Heavy Cruiser) HMS Full Moon 24 March 1944 to 7 March 1945 HMS Mayina 10 March 1945 to 21 July 1945 During his time as Midshipman Ray kept a meticulous journal of his experiences and travels as précised below. Career after the War – Ray married Amy and they bought a bungalow on 4th Beach, Clifton in Cape Town where they began their life together. Subsequently they moved with their four children to Rondebosch. They were happily married for over 50 years. Ray spent most of his working career as a manufacturer’s representative (middleman/wholesaler) selling clothing, textiles and groceries in the western and southern Cape. He and his brother-in-law, Piet Maas (ex-RAF Pilot) ran a very successful agency business for over 35 years. They had more than a dozen representatives on the road at one stage. They were based at the old Robbs Motors Building near the Rondebosch bridge. Ray passed away on 31 January 2005. |
| RISCHBITER | NORMAN VALENTINE | 948 | WWII was a Gunner S.A. Artillery and a Prisoner of War. |
| RITCHIE | ALLAN | 1575 | |
| RITSON | GILBERT HENRY | 832 | |
| ROBERTS | WILLIAM FRANK | 1615 | “Wine negotiate consultan’s CC.” After 29 years at the Robertson Wine Cellar as a Cellar Master, January 1995 working as a Consultant Cellar Master/Wine Maker at Klawer Co-operative, Klawer, in the Oliphantsriver Wine Region, Western Cape. Deceased 22/03/2004 |
| ROBERTS | RICHARD JOHN STEPHEN | 2485 | |
| ROBERTS | JOHN CARDEN | 2656 | |
| ROBERTSON | JOHN GRIFFITHS | 888 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1953. Lieutenant in S.A. Navy Retired Department of Transport Surveyor and Pollution Officer, Cape Town. Previously Secretary of the Old Boys’ Association Cape Town Branch. Deceased 16/09/92. |
| ROBERTSON | WILLIAM LEWIS THORNTON | 889 | Born Pilgrim’s Rest, Transvaal, 13th May 1920. Son of William Robetson and Annie, nee Thornton. Ed, Benoni High School. Cadet Draft 1936 – 7. After leaving General Botha, William Lewis Thornton Robetson was apprenticed to the Ellerman & Bucknall Lines, where he remained until 4th March 1943, when the ship in which he was serving City of Pretoria, as Second Officer, was lost with all hands as the result of enemy action. |
| ROBERTSON | SHAUN PATRICK THOMAS | 2678 | |
| ROBINSON | JAMES DENIS | 1060 | Deceased 01/08/2008 After leaving Old Bothie James was seconded to the Royal Navy and served as a navigator during the 2nd World War. After the war he joined the South African Railways & Harbours in Cape Town and transferred to Johannesburg in 1966 from where he retired. |
| ROBINSON | ROYCE NEALE | 769 | WWII Air Mechanic SAAF. |
| ROBINSON | VICTOR CHARLES HENRY | 833 | The Distinguished Flying Medal (DFM) was a military decoration awarded to personnel of the Royal Air Force and other British Armed Forces, and formerly to personnel of other Commonwealth countries, below commissioned rank, for “exceptional valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against the enemy”. |
| ROBINSON | ALFRED WILLIAM | 53 | 1998 – Drydock Master with Portnet, Cape Town |
| ROBINSON | CHRISTOPHER | 226 | |
| ROBINSON | CECIL JAMES HOLWELL | 339 | Deceased 2009. He did not go to sea but probably joined the Railways and or Harbour Service. Known to the family as ‘Barney’. Date of birth 11th June 1913. Place of birth: Harding, Natal. |
| ROE | PAUL ANTHONY | 2154 | |
| ROELOFSE | MARTHINUS BERNADUS | 54 | |
| ROELOFSE | IAN | 2785 | |
| ROGERS | ROBERT | 95 | Entered Hall Line as apprentice. |
| ROGERS | PATRICK ROBERT COBBOLD | 1566 | |
| ROGERS | PETER DONOVAN NEVILLE | 2020 | Joined SA Navy 1958, retired 1992. Since then kept myself busy as a Maritime Defence Consultant. |
| ROMMELSPACHER | PETER | 2631 | |
| ROOS | SIDNEY ARTHUR EDWIN | 653 | DOB 04/04/1916. Joined Reardon Smith & Company’s Tacoma City as an apprentice on 17 June 1934 in London. |
| ROOS | JOHANNES JACOBUS | 40 | DOB 04/01/1907. Joined SAR&H Ship’s Huntress as a Seaman from April 1924. Records state that he deserted from Huntress in Western Australia on 30 December 1926. Apparently he jumped ship in Bunbury, Australia, married in 1929 and never came back to South Africa. Died in 1982. |
| RORKE | FRANCIS NILAND HOPE | 584 | |
| RORKE | JOHN REGINALD | 53 | Placed in Anchor Line as apprentice. |
| ROSE | MALCOLM | 834 | Born in East Griqualand 1919. G.B. Prizes; leather bound telescope for knowledge and use of instruments and a pair of binoculars for science. Joined T.J. Harrison Line in Liverpool after G.B. served in the war in the cargo vessels. After obtaining his master’s certificate he returned to S.A. and joined the harbour service, whereafter he retired from Durban Port Captaincy in 1983. Deceased 20/04/95. |
| ROSE | ANTHONY ROBERT | 1061 | Born Pietermaritzburg, 30th May 1924. Son of Robert Henry Edwin Stegall Rose and Beatrice Churchill, nee Strapp. Ed, Durban High School (Preparatory). Cadet Draft 1939-40. On leaving General Botha, Anthony Robert Rose joined the Andrew Weir Company as Apprentice, qualifying for his Second Mate’s Certificate in 1943. He was killed in action as the result of gunfire from an enemy (Japanese) submarine on 24th October 1943, when serving as Third Officer in the Congella. |
| ROSE | JOHN BARRETT | 1672 | After graduating from the General Botha I joined a British Shipping Company as an apprentice; subsequently obtaining a Second Mate’s ticket in London. In 1955. I helped deliver a ship to New Zealand and remained ten years on the NZ Coast where I learned some mighty useful practical seamanship in somewhat primitive conditions, and earning a Foreign Going Mate’s certificate with a Home Trade Master’s endorsement. (Foreign going time was very hard to come by in NZ.) I went out to the China Coast in 1965 to get enough sea time in to sit for a Master’s Certificate, had some adventurous times in tramp ships where the seamanship learned in NZ proved a blessing. After gaining my FG Master’s ticket I remained ashore in Hong Kong for ten years, working at first for local shipping firms, then for the Marine Department during the Emergency, later spending five years as a Marine Surveyor. Much of the remainder of my time was less exciting. I was ashore in Bushire handling cargo for the nuclear power plant site when the Iranian revolution broke out in late ’78. |
| ROSEVEARE | GARY DAVID | 2569 | Sailed with Safmarine until 1981 when joined Tristan Investments running up the African West Coast as far as Gabon, across to St Helena and down to Tristan da Cunha. 1983 left the sea and initially went into sales and in 1984 joined Allied Building Society. Served in various posts including appointment in 1990 as their Regional Network Manager in Durban. 2001 became a WAN specialist with ABSA. Deceased 18/11/2008. |
| ROSLEE | DANIEL PETRUS | 2270 | Bothie Nickname: “Mossie” After G.B. joined Safmarine, sailing on all classes of vessels and after obtaining Masters sailed as Chief Officer on the S.A. Constantia. Joined the S.A.R. & H. In 1974 in Cape Town and spent his first year in Port Nolloth followed by a short while on the steam tugs in Port Elizabeth. When Port Elizabeth opened their container terminal he transferred to the Port Container Planning Office until 1979. He then immigrated to Canada and joined Lloyds Agents in Toronto. In 1984 he obtained a Canadian Masters Certificate and joined the Ship Safety Branch in Ottatwa until transferred to the Field (Prince Rupert) in 1990. There he was involved in all ships safety (for Marine Directorate) activities ranging from pollution to examinations. 2017 retired. |
| ROSS | CHARLES LEIGH KENNEDY | 2570 | After obtaining his Chief Navigation Officer’s Certificate sailed with Unicorn Lines until 1985 and then a short period in the Caribbean on the Fantome. After that sailed his yacht with his wife to the Caribbean. Then spent two years as Captain of the Alexandria, a 40 meter 3 masted Schooner based in Washington, DC. Then learned to fly and in 1991 started a flight school which he ran until 1996 when he was hired by Continental Express Air Lines. 1998 a Captain of an EMB Jet Airliner. 2000 Hired at Continental Airlines, later merged with United Airlines. Now First Officer on 777 on long haul flights. |
| ROSS | ALAN RICHARD LINDSAY | 2486 | |
| ROSSOUW | WILLEM CHRISTOFFEL MOSTEYN | 2612 | |
| ROSSOUW | ARNOLD | 1481 | 1947 Chief Cadet Captain. 1955 Instructor Outward Bound School of Malaya. |
| ROSSOUW | FRANK | 1132 | 1941 was Chief Cadet Captain on the Bothie. 1964 Tug Master and Acting Pilot, Port Elizabeth. Early seventies served as Port Captain in Port Elizabeth. Reported deceased. |
| ROTHON | DENIS MACLAGAN | 770 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. Was a Senior Cadet Captain and awarded first prize for sportsmanship. Joined the Merchant Navy and was torpedoed during WWII which he survived. After WWII joined the family property business and later was Mayor of Stanger for five years. Deceased 1978. |
| ROULSTON | ROBERT WILLIAM | 162 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a Seaman |
| ROUSE | GREGORY DAVID | 2748 | |
| ROUX | PIERRE ROWAN | 586 | Apprenticed to Thesen Line. |
| ROUX | BENJAMIN JACOBUS | 585 | Joined SAR Ships lower deck. |
| ROUX | RIJH WOUTER | 479 | Joined SAR Ship “Aloe” as Deck Boy. |
| ROUX | STEPHEN | 2571 | 1976 – 78 – Cadet with D.O.A.K. 1978 – 79 – Third Officer with Unicorn. 1979 – 91 – Second and Chief Officer with Land & Marine. Highlights: Towing the passenger ship “Linblad Explorer” from the Antartic to Chile, return trip around Cape Horn. 1981 – 87 – Mate and Master with Windjammer cruises, e.g. 197 foot 2 masted Schooner, 4 masted Portuguese Fishing Schooner carrying 128 passengers. After leaving Windjammer I did one tanker delivery to Italy from Miami and maintained and skippered a luxury fishing yacht in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Later I taught sailing on the Hudson River whilst putting myself through University studying Mechanical Engineering. 1999 a design engineer with a company making lithography tools. |
| ROUX | DANIEL JACOBUS | 175 | After Bothie joined the mercantile marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a seaman. Later enrolled in the police. |
| ROWAN | ARTHUR ELLIS | 480 | |
| ROWAN | WILLIAM ROBERT | 1970 | Reported deceased. |
| ROWE | MICHAEL ANDREW | 2572 | Sailed with Unicorn Lines up to Chief Officer until 1983. Then joined his family business in Natal before immigrating to New Zealand in June 1993. Returned to sea in March 1996 with a New Zealand Coastal shipping company called Pacific Shipping, running between the North & South Islands. 1998 sailing as Chief Officer. 2003 moved to Australia, joined ASP Ship Management on bulk ore carriers in the Great Barrier Reef area. 2004 Harbourmaster and Pilot in Port Kembla, Australia. 2012 transferred to Port Hedland, Australia. 2017 harbour pilot in Esperance, Western Australia. |
| ROWE | DONALD DAVID | 2021 | after G.B. joined Clan Line Steamers by way of the ‘Clan Malcolm’ on the 6th January 1958. Remained with Clan Line (British & Commonwealth) until February 1966. Second Officer’s Chief Officer’s and Master’s Certificates were completed in Cape Town. After completing Master’s in May 1966 transferred ashore and joined African Associated Agencies and Stevedoring as a Stevedore Superintendent, remaining with them until April 1983. African Associated Agencies with name changes and mergers became part of South African Stevedores. 25 years unbroken service. In May 1983 started wtih Natal Lashing Services which is a licensed Stevedoring Company operating in Durban and Richards Bay. |
| ROWE | BERNARD MARK | 2657 | Left Unicorn Lines in 1985 and then went farming in Kwa-Zulu Natal, and then a farm machine repair business in Dargle, Kwa-Zulu Natal. Went on to textile manufacturing in the Western Cape and emigrated to Australia in 1990. Worked on a cotton farm in New South Wales until 1992 and then started a textile business in nearby Dubbo. |
| ROWE | CHARLES BRUCE | 2658 | 2017 marine surveyor, doing mainly iron ore ships. |
| ROWE | WILLIAM ARTHUR | 588 | Apprentice and 3rd Mate British Tanker Co. Later to be called B.P. Then 3rd Mate in Bullard King & CO. Then to Harbour Service, Tug Mate & Dredger Master at Port Elizabeth. Then Tug Master and Pilot at Cape Town till retirement. Deceased 17/06/2010. |
| ROWE | REGINALD JAMES | 587 | Served apprenticeship with British Tanker Co, and obtained second officer’s certificate after attending the Sir John Cass Nautical School, London, in 1937. Then sailed on the Sulton Star to South America before signing on the steam tug Schermbrucker in Glasgow for her delivery voyage to South Africa. Later returned to Boksburg and worked as an operator at the Satmar Refinery. From there worked as a rigger on a paper mill and the mines for 10 years before farming for 28 years, producing beef cattle, hay and grass seed. Retired. Deceased 24/08/2008. |
| ROWE | WILLIAM KEITH | 589 | |
| ROWE | RICHARD JOHN ROBIN | 1921 | I attended the General Botha from 1954-1955 and went to sea with Clan Line for the purpose of obtaining my Masters Certificate of Competency, and joined the Harbour Service in 1964. Progressed through the ranks and in 1988 was promoted from Assistant Port Captain, Richards Bay to Fleet Manager of the newly formed Dredging Services which operated as an independent unit within Portnet. I retired at the end of September 2001. |
| RUCKBIE | ANDREW ALBERT | 715 | Ex S.A. Transprot Services. 1964 Harbour Pilot in Port Elizabeth. Deceased 24/06/1990. Served in the Merchant Navy during WWII as thrid officer. Was awarded the 1939 Star and the African Star medals. Demobbed 27th August 1949. |
| RUDD | DUDLEY WALTOR | 11 | The first four Botha boys to go to sea as Cadet in Merchant Shipping, did so with a South African Company, the Thesen Line. They were D.W. Rudd (Cadet Number 11), I.L. Green (Cadet Number 13), J.W. Andrew (Cadet Number 18) and L.A. Fourie (Cadet Number 56) who were all apprenticed in January 1924. |
| RUDKIN | LESLIE ASHLEY SYDNEY | 654 | Joined lower deck of Union Castle Line. |
| RUMNEY | RONALD DOUGLAS | 1673 | Went to sea with Blue Funnel. Was midshipman on the Menelaus in 1952, |
| RUNDLE | ROBERT JOHN | 1789 | Reported deceased. |
| RUSHBY | WILLIAM SYDNEY | 1790 | Sailed with Bank Line and later joined the S.A. Navy which included many years in their Hydrographic Department. Gained command of the naval survey vessel, SAS Protea. On retiring from the navy returned to sea in command of offshore supply vessels off the West African coast. Deceased 13/10/2012 |
| RUSHTON | JAMES CHARLES CYRIL GEORGE | 1319 | Deceased December 1994. Previously with South African Railways workshops in Port Elizabeth. |
| RUSSEL | BARCLAY | 140 | |
| RUSSELL | JAMES CHARLES | 334 | after Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. |
| RUSSELL | ROBERT EDWARD | 771 | |
| RUSSELL | MALCOLM DOUGLAS | 2749 | 2006 – serving on a Swires icebreaker based at Sakhalin Island, Russia. |
| RUSSELL | DEREK KEITH | 2185 | 2011 founding board member and secretary of GBOBA Bursary Fund. Joined Union Castle and served on various Castle, Clan Line and King Line ships until I was transferred to Mail Ships where I served on them all but for the Windsor Castle and SA. Vaal. Swallowed the anchor in 1968 and settled in Cape Town. After a short spell in sales, which was not for me, I moved on to Retail, joining the Foschini Group, and finally the Moregrow Group. I retired in June 1999 and became a nomad spending three months or so each year travelling by road in Africa. The rest of the time I am a handy man and general factotum. I married Meryl in 1971 and we have a son Brent (Engineer and now a Vicar ) and a daughter Tandi (IT boff). They have made us proud Grandparents of three boys and a girl. My sports are cycling (13 Argus Tours) and sailing, both of which I do less of the older I get. |
| RYAN | ROGER PATRICK | 2540 | 1995 – Port Natal Stevedores, Durban. 2013 Cargo Superintendent with Marine Care & Solutions. Joined Unicorn Shipping lines in 1975. Unicorn 1975 -1982 (sailed as chief officer). Joined Trident Marine 1982 (Marine superintendent), Trident Marine 1982-1983. Joined Natal Lashing Services 1983 (Manager), Natal Lashing services 1983-1999. Natal Lashing Services bought out by P&O Ports Services 1999, P&O Port Services 1999-2006 (Operations Manager). P&O Ports bought out by DPW, DPW 2006-2008(Operations Manager). 2008 Started my own company MCS (Marine Care & Solutions), 2008- present [2013], MCS doing Super Cargo/Port Captains work mainly for Scan-Trans Shipping Aps /Intermarine World Wide. (Nearly all my work out of South Africa). |
| RYCROFT | CHARLES FREDERICK | 2455 | After leaving Bothie I did six months as cadet on the SA Krugerland with Ferdie Santana (early 1974). I resigned to join my folks and siblings in Auckland and joined Maritime Carriers, a New Zealand company as uncertified 3/O after 3 months working at a winery! I had to do another year sea time before attaining 2MFG in 1978. I was promoted to 2/O and remained with MC for another year, then took an 18 months OE in UK. I had one year working as 3/O for UASC general cargo and container while in UK. We returned to New Zealand in December 1980. MC was sold to Union Steam Ship Co in March 1983. I was made redundant but started working for New Zealand Shipping Co as DPO from May 1983 on DSV Stena Constructor – my introduction to the offshore oil and gas industry. New Zealand Shipping Corporation kept me employed in the offshore (DSV and supply) and Pacific Islands / Australia / New Zealand container runs until the company was sold in 1989. Swire Pacific Offshore employed me as DPO for one year on their dsv’s working in SE Asian/ Borneo waters. Later moved back to New Zealand for local short term offshore work in NZ on seismic / platform supply / container vessels as Chief Officer until Oct 1995. It was time to start work ashore, so resigned from South Pacific Shipping to work at Napier Port Ltd as tug master / trainee pilot. Pilotage was not for me so I took on the role as Napier Harbour Master until 2010. My employers decided to restructure my role which did not suit me thus took redundancy / semi retirement – and promptly found short term work locally in the offshore as master on ROV and supply vessels. I also had to retrain and obtain my full DP certificate which has kept me employed with various Australian and NZ companies on a casual basis to date. |
| SACREE | WILLIAM RONALD | 1258 | |
| SADIE | COENRAAD FRANS CECIL | 523 | Born, Saldanha Bay, 8th September 1914. Son of Coenraad Hendrik Sadie and Beatrice Henrietta, nee van der Westerhuizen. Ed. Forest High School, Johannesburg. Cadet Draft 1930 – 1. After leaving Genearl Botha, Coenraad Frans Cecil Sadie joined the Union Castle Steamship Co. And after five years at sea took up a position on land. During the war he was with the UDF (Field Park Co.) and fatally injured in an accident while travelling in a car engaged on military duty near Potchefstroom on 7th September 1940. |
| SADLER | THOMAS WILLIAM | 772 | WWII Lance Corporal Royal Natal Carbineers / ‘Q’ Services Corps. |
| SALMON | CHRISTOPHER ROY | 2380 | After Bothie joined Safmarine until resigning October 1980. Then joined Johannesburg Consolidated Investment Company in their head office in Johannesburg.1998 joined Consolidated African Mines and later became the Group Secretarial services for various listed companies and subsidiaries within the group. 2002 name changed to JCI LTD and 2008 still with the same firm. 2011 retired after 31 years with JCI. |
| SALMON | RICHARD ALDRED | 2022 | 2004 Owner of a small luxury Bed & Breakfast in the Free State. 2015 relocated back to USA. Firstly on leaving Bothie I sailed with Smith Coasters till I was called to SAFMARINE. There I joined the S.A. Vergelegen, an old Victory ship and later transfered to the new SA Trader under the command of Robin Thompson, an old Bothie Boy. I did couple trips with her till we blew boilers and remained in Durban when I decided to go ashore. I then joined Holland Africa Line claims and worked with Syd Benjamin, another Old Boy. From there I went to Wm. Cotts and joined Herby Horsley, still another OB. Meantime I had started the Martial Arts and eventually became one of the first instructors to go full time instructing. Richard is a GRAND MASTER 9th Dan Black Belt in Japanese Budo-Ryu Karate and the first inducted member of the South African Karate & Martial Sciences Hall of Fame, he also holds Black Belt ranks in Judo and Aikido. He was the first Westerner ever accepted as a member of the World Karate Union Teaching Department of Hyogo/Himeji, Japan. He is also the Founder and Doshu Head of the World Wide Martial Arts organization, BUDO-RYU INTERNATIONAL, with administrative offices in the Netherlands. With the huge support I had with youngsters around the country, Dot and I being concerned with the way youngsters were going we decided to start the SA Mountain Leadership School in the mountains of the Golden Gate area of the Free State. This became well respected and our program became part of many school systems for certain grade levels and gained respect from around the world. The end came in 1977 when we had a run in with the Government of the day because of a program we wanted to start bringing in youngsters from around the world to learn about the real SA, as most adults had made up their minds what they thought. This went wrong [a seprate story on its own] but the short of it was I got pulled in by BOSS and was threatened with house arrest and having my passport taken away, so we took our boys out of school and flew to Switzerland and then onto the USA, eventually becoming citizens there. Besides the many Wildlife, Conservation and Cottage Industry projects they have been involved with around the world, Richard & Dot were the first to develop the concept of “Educational Safaris” over 40 years ago, taking people out into the bush to experience and learn about the real Africa, its peoples, cultures and wildlife. Richard has, over the years, participated in many conservation, environmental and tribal support projects around the Globe and, in recognition of his vast experience, he was invited to join the International Environmental Education & Training Commission of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources [IUCN], headquartered in Gland, Switzerland, on which he represented the USA for 12 years. |
| SALMON | GEORGE WILLIAM | 1906 | |
| SALMOND | GUY EDWARD | 1259 | |
| SAMPSON | JOHN FREDERICK | 1674 | 1952 Joined Shell Tankers Lotorium in Cape Town with Bill ‘Flossie’ Codrington. 1961 Master’s in Liverpool then studying for Extra’s. 1964 Immigrated to Australia joining Australian National Line as 3rd Mate (a union requirement). Completed Extra Master in Melbourne 1965 Seconded to Sydney School of Navigation to run ANL’s first apprentice pre-sea program. 1967 Marine Surveyor in Port Adelaide. 1969 Joined EZ Industries, a major mining corporation, as Transport Manager. Built Zincmaster a 18,000 tonne dwt roro/concentrate/ sulphuric acid/container carrier. President for 11 years The Metals & Minerals Shippers Association of Australia. 1979 Promoted to Marketing Manager. Chairman Australian Lead and Zinc Market Development Association. Adviser to the Australian IMO delegate. 1989 International Marketing Manager Pasminco Metals. Set up the metals hedging desk. 1991 Retired. Living in outer Melbourne. |
| SAMWELL | JOHN WILLIAM | 1730 | |
| SANDISON | ROBERT | 238 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (SA) Line which went into liquidation before completing his apprenticeship. After working his way back to S.A. as an Able Seaman he obtained employment in commerce where he remained throughout his civilian life. During WWII he joined the S.A. Air Force as a wireless operator and served in East Africa. During his time there he climbed Mount Kilimanjaro with a party of servicemen and he also participated in the Comrades Marathon in 1933 gaining a silver medal. Deceased 20/06/97. |
| SANGSTER | MARK OWEN | 2632 | 2002 – with Mobile Phone Company, Vodacom, in Bloemfontein. |
| SANTANA | FERDINAND ALBERTO PACHECO | 2456 | |
| SARGEANT | LINDSAY GRAHAM | 2070 | After Bothie Lindsay joined the printing industry (same as Olaf Wallander 2084) with whom he still has contact). Retired when reaching age 60. |
| SAUNDERS | RAYMOND HENRY | 1482 | |
| SAXBY | BRYAN YVON | 1005 | WWII Third Officer Bank Line. |
| SAYER | GEORGE CHARLES | 55 | |
| SCALLAN | ROY MARTIN | 2815 | 1994, sailing as Chief Officer with Safmarine. 2007 with Island View Shipping, Durban. |
| SCARPA | NORMAN ARTHUR | 716 | 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. |
| SCHAAP | JAN WILLEM | 2252 | 1994 – Property Dealer somewhere in Cape Town. 2013 Comprop designs, Architectural Consultants & Planners. |
| SCHABORT | JACOBUS HERCULES | 2155 | |
| SCHEEPERS | EUGENE GRANT | 2847 | |
| SCHEFFER | HUGH WILLIAM | 2403 | Sailed with Safmarine until 1973 and then joined the Unicorn Lines being promoted to Master in 1979. Came ashore with Unicorn in 1984 as Trade Manager, Bulk Trades and had responsibility for the Container department, Coastal Operations until his appointment as Commercial Manager, Unicorn Shipping. 2001 Transferred to Unicorn Shipping International, London. 2011 Transferred to Singapore with Grindrod Shipping. 2020 Retired and returned to South Africa. |
| SCHMIDT | THOMAS BRIAN | 1434 | 1947 – 54 with Union Castle up the 3rd Officer. Then did odd jobs ashore in the U.K. before emigrating to New Zealand in 1959. 1960 – 65 sailed on the research vessel “Tui” as 1st Officer. 1966 – joined Air New Zealand as Flight Navigator until 1971 when retrained as Flight Engineer. Operated on DC8, DC10 and B747 until retiring in 1983. Went back to sea as Master and half owner of a small trading vessel operating a cargo passenger service to Great Barrier Reef Island 50 miles from Auckland. 1988 sold out and returned to Aviation until 1993. 1999 cruised the South Pacific and Queensland Coast in his 40′ steel ketch, Jananna. 2002 returned to New Zealand. Deceased 30th March 2018. GB Cadet 1434 Term 1945/46 THOMAS BRIAN SCHMIDT (Twiggy). BORN: 27July1929. DIED: 30 March 2018 In 1945 Twiggy joined the General Botha training ship and completed his training there in1946. He then joined the Union Castle Line as a Cadet in 1947 and worked at a wage of eight pounds per month. Later as a third officer he earned forty-five pounds and five shillings per month He did some thirty-seven trips with the Union Castle Line. The Castle ships he sailed on were: Riebeeck, Rochester, Rowallan, Carnarvon, lllangibby, Roslin, Dunnottar, Kenya, Rustenberg, Drakensberg and Warwick. He married Jill in1954 in the U.K and left the Union Castle Line in January 1955. He worked at various jobs while in the United Kingdom and even dabbled in car racing with permission to race at Silverstone (17.09.1955) and Brands Hatch (09.10.1955). In1959 Twiggy, his wife Jill and two year old child, immigrated to New Zealand on the Ten Pound scheme on the Rangitoto. His first job as an unskilled worker for the Heretaunga Dairy Company in the Hastings area was organised prior to his arrival in New Zealand. Laterthe family moved from Hastings to Auckland and was completed with a fourth child. In April 1961, Twiggy joined the New Zealand Navy research ship Tui and travelled extensively around the Pacific. He was just about to take his First Mate’s Exam when he saw an advertisement from Air New Zealand recruiting Flight Navigators. He finished work as second mate on the Tui on 6th July 1966 to commence a flight navigator’s course with Air New Zealand on the 11th of July 1966. He enjoyed flying and when Flight Navigators became redundant in 1972 he retrained as a Flight Engineer still with Air New Zealand. During this time he made the most of his opportunities with travel to many places. He completed the Honolulu Marathon in 1979 and the Manitoba Marathon in 1980. He was divorced in 1984. After retiring from Air New Zealand he purchased TeAroha, an 86ft long kauri schooner with a beam of 24 ft and twin masts. It could sail in the right winds. She was built in Totara North in 1909. He ran this with partners from 1984 – 1986 as a cargo transporter from Auckland to Great Barrier Island in the Hauraki Gulf. It carried cars, tractors, animals, food supplies, kauri trees, building- materials and some very lucky intrepid passengers. He loved the sea faring, the company and the variety that came with it. He then worked as a Flight Engineer in 1989 with Air Malaysia and was with them until 1992. I met Twiggy in 1995 and in 1998 we left for Fiji on his 40 foot steel ketch, Jananna. He celebrated his 70th birthday off the Australian coast above Airlie Beach, up in the air on a flight in a Tiger Moth. After four years of sailing in the Pacific, Indian, Atlantic and the Caribbean, we returned to New Zealand and settled in Whangarei. There we had great enjoyment back on land, landscaping a large garden, socialising and catching up with family. Twiggy was diagnosed with Parkinson’s a few years ago so we moved nearer to town and a smaller, more manageable property with a lovely view of the Whangarei harbour. His two daughters and I were with him at the end. Happy sailing Twig. Margie |
| SCHOCH | FERDINAND EMANUEL | 124 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. |
| SCHOEMAN | GORDON HUGH | 2504 | Retired from African Marine Solutions (AMSOL). |
| SCHONAU | FREDERICK CHRISTIAAN PAUL | 2573 | |
| SCHONFELDT | PIETER BENJAMIN | 590 | 1932 Senior Cadet Captain. Apprenticed to Bullard King Line. 1932 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Deceased 22/02/90. Won the Kings Gold Medal in 1932 which now with the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London. |
| SCHONKEN | HARTVIG REIJK | 1847 | Hartvig Schonken did only a few months at the General Botha before deciding that it was not for him. Nothing is known of his subsequent career. |
| SCHOOLING | RAYMOND STUART | 1378 | 1945 – 55 – Clan Line Steamers Ltd London 1955 – Brocks Stevedoring Co Durban as Stevedore Foreman and John T. Renie & Sons Durban as Cargo Supervisor. 1955 – 91 – South African Railways & Harbours. From Tug Mate to Port Captain and Senior Port Captain S.A. Harbour Service. Sent overseas during this period for various training courses. 1964 – Lieutenant S.A. Navy (C.F.) 1969 – Lieutenant Commander S.A. Navy (C.F.) 1962 – 1972 – G.B.O.B.A. Hon Secretary 1972 – 76 – Vice Chairman and Chairman G.B.O.B.A. 1989 – 92 – President, Society of Master Mariners S.A. 1990 – 93 – Director, National Sea Rescue Institute. John Chard Decoration, John Chard Medal & S.A. Medal for War Services. Deceased 07/08/2003 |
| SCHRÖDER | HANS PETER | 1924 | 1964 passed his Master (FG) Certificate in Cape Town and Second Officer in m.v. “Safdan Yvonne”. Owns a wine estate, Starke-Condé Wines, Stellenbosch. Studied at the International Christian University in Tokyo, married and lived in Japan for 25 years. Received an award from the Japanese government: Order of the Rising Sun, Silver Ray. |
| SCHULTZ | HANS-JOACHIM | 2487 | |
| SCHULTZ | GERALD AUSTIN | 1062 | January 1941 joined the Minesweeper HMSAS Larsen operating off Durban and later joined HMSAS Gribb in Beirut. February 1943 joined the Southern Isles of the 22nd Anti-submarine group which was commanded by ex Cadet D. Kinkead-Weekes (1934/5). Saw service in the Aegean and Western Mediterranean meeting convoys from Halifax Nova Scotia in the North Atlantic and Escorting them through the Eastern Levant and Western Mediterranean. Demobilized March 1946 in Durban as Leading Seaman Gunner. Managed a sugar estate north of Durban for 14 years. Studied Social Science through UNISA and in 1960 joined Natal University qualifying in Industrial Physiology. Joined Smith & Nephew as Personnel Manager in Pinetown. 1971 joined Berg River Textiles on the Board as Personnel Director. Retired 1984. Deceased 27/10/2007. |
| SCHURR | EDMUND OWEN PROCTER | 1731 | 2012 Anglican priest in Mossel Bay. |
| SCHWULST | PETER FRANCIS | 2123 | |
| SCORER | IAN WILLIAM | 2122 | |
| SCORGIE | OSWALD ALEXANDER | 1197 | Served in the Royal Navy during WWII. Deceased May 2009. He attended The Mansfield Road Government Intermediate School before joining SATS General Botha for the 1941-1942 term. He later joined the South African Naval Forces [SANF] and was an Able Seaman. His service number was 562671. He was in HMSAS Natal among other ships but like all the other members of the HMSAS Natal’s ship’s company did not qualify for either the Atlantic Star or the Pacific Star because the ship was not in either war theatre for long enough. The war was actually over when HMSAS Natal reached the Far East. |
| SCOTT | TERENCE JOHN | 1616 | T. J. Scott was educated at Rondebosch Boys’ High School before joining SATS General Botha. Very early in his second year refused to return to Red Hill. He was discharged on 23 Jan 1950. He later became editor of the large-circulation and much respected magazine Motoring Mirror here in Cape Town. It vied with Car Magazine for circulation. T. J. Scott died sometime about 1975. |
| SCOTT | MICHAEL | 1732 | |
| SCOTT | WILLIAM WINSTON LEMAN | 1320 | After Bothie worked as a Deck Hand on the tug Schermbrucker and in 1945 joined Elder Dempster Lines. Sailed as Cadet in the New Brooklyn, Calgary and Accra and as Third Officer in the New Texas and Biafra. Joined Safmarine 1948 and sailed in the Constantia from 4th Officer to Chief Officer. Obtained Master’s Certificate in 1953 and joined the Morgenster as Chief Officer. Left Safmarine in 1956 and then worked in the screen printing industry for Paramount Art Studios in Port Elizabeth and Clarion Display and National Screenprint in Cape Town. In 1960 formed own company, Cape Screen Process and subsequently Durograph and Containermark. These companies manufactured heat transfers, membrane switches and industrial decal markings. Retired in 1998 and in 1999 formed Nova Design doing web design, consulting and email marketing. Deceased 15th June 2018. |
| SCOTT | ANDREW WILLIAM | 2156 | |
| SCOTT | CHARLES JOHN | 2157 | An accountant living and working in Durban since 1961. |
| SCOTT-WILSON | MICHAEL | 1733 | |
| SEABROOK | EDWIN ERNEST | 70 | |
| SEAMAN | DUANE GARY | 2786 | |
| SEARLE | TERENCE JAMES D’ARCY | 524 | Did not complete training. |
| SEAWARD | STEPHEN | 2541 | |
| SEAWARD | SAMUEL HENRY | 890 | Served in WWII when the ship on which he was serving was torpedoed and he was wounded. After the war joined S.A. Harbour Service and was acting Master of the Tug T. Erikson in Durban about 1960. Trasnferred to East London where he died of cancer. 1964 Harbour Pilot, East London. |
| SEED | RICHARD | 399 | Born Pietermaritzburg, Natal, 19th July 1913. Son of Richard William Thomas Ignatius and Mary Ellen Seed. Ed, Boys’ Model School, Pietermaritzburg. Cadet Draft 1928-9. Richard Seed did not go to sea after leaving General Botha, but was two years in business. He later joined the Permanent Defence Force as a gunner and served in the Third Field Regiment, SAA, during the war. He was reported missing, presumed killed, at Sidi Rezegh, on 23 November 1941. It was unofficially reported that he had lost his life when returning to ‘spike the guns’. He discs were found on the battlefield. |
| SEELIGER | DAVID ERNEST | 2071 | In 1958 he was Chief Cadet Captain. As far as we know he joined the Bank Line as an apprentice and sailed from Cape Town to Durban and also went to India and to New York. He got his Second Mate qualification and was at sea for five years before going to train as a teacher at Graaff Reinet Teacher Training College, working in East London, Port Elizabeth and Cape Town. He became a headmaster before going back to university to get a degree. He then left to work in England. Deceased 7th January 2020. |
| SELLAR | CHARLES BURNETT | 1321 | |
| SELLON | WALTER EDWAN | 91 | Entered Prince Line as apprentice. |
| SEMARK | PAUL MARTIN | 55 | 1962 to 1967 Apprentice fitter and turner in power stations in Port Elizabeth. 1968 to 1971 Studied for B.Sc in mechanical engineering at the University of Cape Town. Worked at Salt River Power Station during vacations. 1972 to 1993 with Eskom in many roles including two years in France studying nuclear engineering. BA Degree in economics and sociology, studied management at Harvard University and chairman of various companies. Retired early as an executive director on the Eskom board. 1994 to 1999 Full time senior lecturer at the University of the Witwatersrand Business School. Master’s degree in Management. 2000 Part time and visiting lecturer for the Wits Business School and private consultant. 2011 founding Vice Chairman of GBOBA Bursary Fund and Life Governor. |
| SETZER | JOHN PHILLIP IVOR | 2072 | Entered the auditing profession in 1959 and a year later went into marketing. Spent many years with Everite Asebstos Works and subsequenlty joined Koo Canning. Then joined a jewellery marketing company and eventually started his own marketing business in clothing and later started an equipment brokerage business. Deceased 25/12/1995. |
| SETZER | FRED LESLIE | 2124 | 1960 joined Accounting and Auditing firm – Douglas McKelvie Galbraith & Co and took up articles of Clerkship. 1964 qualified with C.T.A. and 1965 qualified as C.A. (S.A), both from U.C.T. 1968 left auditing profession and joined family business, Electrical Industries Ltd – Commercial Refrigeration Engineers. 1985 took over family business. Was very active with the Lions Club, Past President and Zone Chairman, and President of the Belville Hockey Club. Deceased 13th April 2018. |
| SHARP | ROBERT JAMES | 525 | |
| SHARP | GORDON GLENHAM | 2291 | 2017 Senior Facilitator, S.A. Maritime School & Transport College, Durban. 2020 transferred to their Cape Town campus as Senior Facilitator. |
| SHARP | ALEXANDER HENRY | 2214 | 1998 – with Forwarding & Clearing Agent, Rohlig, based in Johannesburg. 2003 relocated to Shanghai, China with Weiss-Rohlig. 2006 joined Younger Niche Logistics, China. 2013 retired. |
| SHARPE | PETER ALLAN | 1675 | |
| SHARROCK | ANTHONY PAUL | 2633 | 2013 living and working in Melbourne for the last 18 years and currently self employed as a Marine Surveyor. |
| SHARROCK | DAVID JOHN | 2488 | 1996 a self employed professional mine surveyor operating from Johannesburg. |
| SHATZKY | ROBERT DAVID | 1483 | |
| SHAW | MICHAEL ROBIN | 1848 | Mike Shaw was yet another Rhodesian, this time from Umtali High school. On leaving the General Botha he joined Shell Tankers, his first ship being the Tectarius with Chris Copeland and Dick Whipp. He and Whipp were then transferred to the Paludina on the Curacao-Maracaibo run and Mike afterwards served (again with Dick Whipp) in the Hydatina and Helisoma. After that he seems to have disappeared and nothing further is known about him. |
| SHAW | KEVIN LINWOOD | 1484 | |
| SHAW | RICHARD CHARLES | 1907 | Sailed with Shell Tankers for 10 years and in 1966 joined King & Sons Dunn & Co. shipping agency in Durban. Two years later joined Rennies Coasters and served as Master on their “Jolanda” and “Induna”. 1970 joined Mitchell Cotts and became their branch manager in Cape Town before imigrating to New Zealand in 1978. There he joined Seatrans New Zealand shipping agency and became their General Manager which included responsibilities in some Australian ports. 1988 moved to Australia and started own company manufacturing mirrors and in 1995 went into Financial Planning. |
| SHAW | DOUGLAS | 773 | Born Woodstock, Cape Town, 2nd November 1918. Son of Anthony Wilson Shaw and Amy, nee Smith. Ed, Ceres High School. Cadet Draft 1934-35. On leaving General Botha Douglas Shaw joined the Royal Navy as Able Seaman and served in HMS Royal Sovereign, HMS Royal Oak, and finally HMS Neptune, when she was lost at sea. Douglas Shaw ws reported missing, presumed drowned, on 19th December 1941. Douglas Shaw (773) joined the Royal Navy in 1936 and served in the battleships Royal Sovereign and Royal Oak before being drafted to the Leander class cruiser HMS Neptune in which thirty four other South Africans, half RN and half RNVR (SA), were serving when she was sunk. At 0100 on 19 December 1941 the Neptune was leading Force K consisting of three cruisers and four destroyers searching for an enemy convoy about twenty miles east of Tripoli when she struck two mines one of which wrecked the propellers and steering gear. A valiant attempt to tow the disabled cruiser out of the minefield by HMS Kandahar was unsuccessful and at about 0400 the Neptune which had been badly damaged by a third mine struck another, capsized and sank. Able Seaman Shaw and 765 other members of the ship’s company were lost. There was only one survivor. |
| SHAW | WALTER GERALD ERNEST | 1379 | Deceased Reported previously Assistant Port Captain in a South African Port. 1964 tug master in Table Bay Harbour. |
| SHAW | PETER BUNTING | 1322 | |
| SHEARAR | ROGER BRUCE | 2186 | I was of the ‘60/’61 intake at Bothie and went from there as an apprentice with Hall line Ltd., part of the Ellermans group, doing 2nd Mates in London in ’64, 3rd Mate with Ellermans until going for my Mates ticket in Cape Town in ’67. Then 2 1/2yrs as Mate on the MV Zeehaan running Rhodesian beef to the Congo. Married Norma in 1968, Masters in Cape Town in 1970, 4 months with Willem Barentz as 2nd Mate out of Las Palmas then Mate and Master in Marine Diamonds joining the Harbour Service in Cape Town in April 1975 and staying there until retiring as Pilot in 2009. I must confess to loving working on the tugs and more so as pilot! Awarded a sextant prize, the inscription reads: “Presented to Senior Cadet R. Shearar for 1st Prize Navigation 1961”. |
| SHEARD | CLIVE HARVEY | 2557 | Sailed with Safmarine from 1976 to 84 when joined the S.A. Navy as a Lieutenant until 1988. Then worked for Portnet as a Tug Master and a Pilot Port Control Officer until 1995. Relocated to Port Rashid, United Arab Emirates as Assistant Harbour Master, Dubai Drydocks. 2007 still working in Dubai (UAE) and past 4 years with a marine surveying company, Matthews Daniel. August 2012 – I was transferred to Perth (for GL Noble Denton) after 17 years in Dubai. During that time I had 8 years in Dubai Drydocks, 8 years with Matthews Daniel (Marine Surveying job) then 1 year with GLND. In May 2012 joined GLND in Perth. |
| SHENFIELD | THOMAS FLETCHER | 655 | Initally apprenticed to Hogarth Line and later to Anglo Saxon Tankers. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953, Lieutenant in S.A. Navy. 1964 Officer Commanding SAS Simon van der Stel. 1972 Captain in S.A. Navy. |
| SHEPHERD | GEORGE | 476 | |
| SHEPPERSON | OSWALD REYNOLDS | 774 | Born Johannesburg, 3rd January 1919. Son of Oswald Mathew Shepperson and Rose Helen, nee Trump. Ed, Middelburg School, Transvaal. Cadet Draft 1934-35. Oswald Reynolds Shepperson joined the RAF in Rhodesia during the war and when trained as a bomber pilot he was drafted to England. After several raids over Germany his eyesight became affected, but he refused to allow this to interfere with his desire to serve his country and was able to continue as air-gunner and wireless operator, having attained the rank of Sergeant. He was chsoen for a special raid over Hamburg on 9 November 1942, but never returned. Photograph in our album. |
| SHERWIN | JOHN HUGHES | 2346 | 1969 to 1976 at sea, then joined the harbour service in 1977 on tugs and eventually pilot. 1996 Port Captain of a Red Sea Port, Saudi Arabia. Resident in Saldanha Bay, South Africa. 2017 has been piloting SBM and CBM’s for the last 20 years; 10 in Angola and 10 in Ghana, with no intention of quitting as long as the body holds out! |
| SHEWELL | JOHN EDWARD | 1849 | John Shewell was a Port Elizabethan from Grey High School who, in his senior year, won the prize for Sportsmanship. On leaving the Botha he joined Union Castle Line and was appointed to their Tantallon Castle. After obtaining his second mates he joined Common Brothers but soon after that, John left the sea and took up photography and photo journalism. Later, he ran his own public relations company in Aberdeen, Scotland which he sold in 2002, returning to his photography. John is chairman of the Aberdeen fundraising division of the RNLI and is also involved in the restoration and preservation of old steam engines. |
| SHEWELL | GEORGE WILLIAM | 1746 | 1953 – 59 – Shell Tankers Ltd 1960 – 61 – Teaching G.B. – Mission to Seaman 1961 – 68 – Walvis Bay S.A.R. & H. Tug Master 1969 – 85 – Durban – Pilot and Assistant Port Captain 1985 – 90 – Walvis Bay Port Director 1991 – 93 – Cape Town Port Captain 1993 – Retired from Portnet and presently Harbour Master of the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront, Cape Town. 2006 retired and established a marine consultancy business. |
| SHIELS | NOEL HAMILTON | 1971 | Deceased 25/01/1991. |
| SHILLINGTON | THOMAS ANTHONY | 891 | 1945 was Second Officer on the Radfield, Mos Hutchinson Line of Liverpool. 1964 with the Department of Transport, Walvis Bay. Reported deceased. |
| SHIMMIN | TERENCE DAVID | 2314 | 1968 – sailing on the Nahoon, Unicorn Lines. Terry joined a coasting company, but only for a few months. After that he went into the commercial world and was a sales rep. |
| SHIPLEY | CHARLES HOWARD | 286 | |
| SHIPP | ROYSTON JAMES | 1617 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952. Sailing in the SAR Ship Dahlia 1951 – 54 – Cadet with SARShips. Passed 2nd Mates F.G. London December 1954 1955 – 3rd Officer with SAR Ships. 1955-56 – 2nd Officer with Durban Coasters and Chief Officer weith Thesen’s Coasters. 1957 – 3rd Officer with Safmarine. December 1957 passed Mates F.G. Southampton 1958 – 60 2nd Officer with the China Navigation Co Ltd, Hong Kong. August 1960, passed Masters F.G. Hong Kong. 1958 – 60 – Chief Officer, China Navigation 1965 – 1989 – Master with China Navigation November 1989 Retired from China Navigation 1990 – 1992 – Master Hong Kong & Macau Hydrofoil Co, Ltd July 1992 – swallowed the anchor, residing in Hong Kong. 1996 Consultant to a Cargo Surveying Company. |
| SHIRLEY | KENNETH JOHN | 2315 | 1968 to 1979 Safmarine – Cadet to Chief Officer. 1979 – Trident Marine – Operations Manager 1980 – 1981 SAR&H First Deck Officer. 1983 – Master Tugs & Dredgers 1988 – Nautical Assistant Portnet Head Office 1991 – Harbour Master/Pilot Mossel Bay 1993 – Port Manager Mossel Bay 1995 – Deputy Port Captain Durban 1998 – Marine Manager Durban 2000 – Operations Director Maputo Port 2010 – Port Authority Director Maputo Port 2013 -2016 Marine Consultant BMC1996 – Deputy Port Capital Durban. 1998 – Marine Manager, Port of Durban. Previously based in Mossel Bay for 4 years as Harbour Master, Pilot and Port Manager. 2000 – joined Port of Maputo as Director of Marine Operations. 2008 appointed Port Authority Director, Port of Maputo. 2013 retired to Cape Town, working for BMC Africa on port pojects. 2016 Port Captain in Port d’Ehoala Fort Dauphin Madagascar. 2016 – 2019 Port Operations Advisor Port d’Ehoala. Retired. |
| SHONE | JOHN HAMILTON | 1323 | 1945 – 1954 At sea as apprentice and Junior Officer. 1954 – 1955 Studied at School of Navigation, Southampton. Obtained extra Master’s Certificate 1956 – 1957 at sea as Chief Officer. 1957 – 1960 Assistant Marine Superintendent Shell Tankers U.K. 1961 – 1963 at sea as Master 1964 joined the Department of Trade as Surveyor and promoted to Chief Nautical surveyor in 1982. 1982 – 1987 Deputy Surveyor General with the Department of Transport 1988 – Retired. Was a prominent rugby player at Tabard in the fifties, sixties and seventies before moving to Chichester where he took up refereeing. Retired from sport in 2001. Deceased 29/01/2007. |
| SHUTTLEWORTH | ERNEST WILLIAM DARTNELL | 440 | Reported deceased February 1997. |
| SIDER | NICHOLAS | 949 | WWII Corporal Technical Service Corps. |
| SIEBERT | GERHARD HERMAN | 1006 | |
| SIEMSSEN | CHRISTIAAN | 591 | 1932 Junior Cadet Captain. Born Ermelo, Transvaal, 3rd January 1916. Son of Frederick Henry Siemssen and Ethel Elizabeth, nee Duckitt. Ed, government School, Ermelo. Cadet Draft 1931-2. Christiaan Siemssen was apprenticed to the Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Co, and gained his Master’s Certificate in 1941. After a distinguished career at sea he lost his life when serving as Chief Officer on the tanker mv Doryssa, which was torpedoed in South African waters on 25 April, 1943. He was awarded the MBE (CIVIL) posthumously. |
| SILBERBAUER | DICKINSON FREDERICK | 1324 | Joined Royal Navy September 1945 Transferred to S.A. Navy May 1952 in rank of Lieutenant. 1964 Staff Officer Training Officers, S.A. Navy. Retired end January 1984 in rank of Commodore, later changed to Rear Admiral JG. DOB 30th May 1928. Deceased 10th September 2020.After matriculating from Rondebosch Boys’ High in 1942, Dickinson Silberbauer joined the SATS General Botha, then located on Redhill, in 1943 with the intention of joining the Royal Navy and then becoming an aviator. On completion of the two year course in late 1944 he attended an interview with the Royal Navy and was accepted for training in the UK as a cadet. He took passage to the UK in the liner Mauritania and in September 1945, after a few months exploring London, commenced initial cadet training at Eaton College in Cheshire. Three months later he joined the training cruiser HMS Frobisher with other RN cadets for a cruise in the Caribbean and then to the Scottish Islands, Norway, Sweden and Denmark. In June 1946 he was appointed a Midshipman and appointed to the aircraft carrier HMS Ocean in the Mediterranean Fleet which was stationed in Greece. He was aboard Ocean with a force of cruisers and destroyers operating in the vicinity of the Corfu Channel during the international incident when the destroyers HMS Suamarez and HMS Voltage struck mines laid by the Albanians and were seriously damaged. Times became very tense but the rest of his time there was more relaxed with visits to Istanbul and Haifa. In December 1947, having passed his Midshipman exams and promoted to A/SLt he returned to the UK for a six-month course at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich. He then joined the River class frigate HMS Helmsdale for a short while before commencing his ‘long courses’. The first course was flying but he soon realised he was not cut out for a career in the skies. After completing all his courses in November 1949 and now a SLt, his first appointment was to the LST HMS Messina in the Mediterranean. During this period she operated in the Eastern Med and the Persian Gulf before returning to the UK and transferring to the LST HMS Striker. At the end of 1951, with four months leave due to him, he flew back to South Africa. On returning to the UK he made the decision to join the South African Navy, most likely due to his having met Sally Calverley, his future wife whilst on leave. In May 1952 he joined HMSAS Jan van Riebeeck in Durban as Gunnery officer. When JVR paid off he was part of the commissioning team for the newly acquired SAS Simon van der Stel being prepared in Simon’s Town. Simon van der Stel commissioned in in 1953 and joined the rest of the small fleet in Durban. On 26 September he married Sally, the wedding being held in Knysna and made special by the presence of SAS Pietermaritzburg which had been arranged especially for him. She was the last ship to officially visit the Port of Knysna as it ceased to be a commercial port on her departure. In 1954 he was given a break from sea duty with an appointment to SAS Unitie as training officer – probably due to his writing a scathing report on the standards of Citizen Force and balloted members. From there he was next sent to the UK to collect the SDB SAS Nautilus which sailed home with SAS Kaapstad and SAS Pretoria. It was not long before he moved again, as Navigating Officer of SAS Good Hope, a very happy time for him. It was during this time that the Navy moved to Simon’s Town and him to SAS Vrystaat. In January 1958, with Sally, two sons and a daughter on the way, he returned to the UK as Naval Liaison Officer at South Africa House. It was a busy time with ships being commissioned and men under training, but in 1961 politics changed it all when South Africa became a Republic and the family returned to South Africa where he returned to Vrystaat as Executive Officer in January 1962. From 1963 to 1965 he served as Staff Officer Training Officers at SAS Saldanha and an appointment to SAS President Pretorius as XO followed. In 1967 he returned ashore to COMARDEF where he coordinated the search by SAS Simon van der Stel for two missing weathermen on Gough Island. Providently he then assumed command of Simon van der Stel, his final seagoing command. In 1972 he was appointed to the Directorate Training and Manning, which he considered a trying time but of great interest. The SAN had new submarines and ships that required all sorts of support from a training and manning point of view. In 1974 it was back to the UK again, this time as the Naval Attaché. Although it was a quiet time due to politics, he worked hard at restoring relations with various foreign attaches, ignoring politics and concentrating on professional naval matters. His success was borne out at his farewell function where the Ambassador was surprised by the attendance with even the Russians and Pakistanis attending. Back in South Africa he attended the Joint Staff Course after which he was appointed to the Directorate of Foreign Relations in Pretoria and thereafter an appointment as Director Civic Action. In 1981 he finally returned to the Cape and was appointed to Naval Operations Command, his final appointment in the Navy before retiring in December 1983. Cdre Silberbauer was an accomplished squash player and enthusiastic albeit amateur cameraman. His dry sense of humour and calm reserved nature were well known to all and his book ‘If you can hold up your hand, hear me! or If you can’t hear me, wave!’, (Dedicated “To all jokers and sportsmen”) gives a unique insight into the early social history of the South African Navy. A true gentleman – he will long be remembered by all who had the privilege of serving with him or just knowing him. |
| SILLENCE | JAMES ALAN WIBERG | 2914 | Joined Unicorn as a Cadet 1986. Chief Officer on the a.h.t.s. “Voortrekker” when lost at sea on 10th September 1993. The “Voortrekker” capsized in heavy weather off the South African Coast. See: http://allatsea.co.za/musings/remembering-the-osv-voortrekker/ |
| SILLITOE | PETER ANTHONY | 1618 | |
| SIMKIN | RONALD PHILIP | 775 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. 1936 – 1939 – Apprenticed Hall Line Ltd, various ships. 1939 – 1942 – Ellerman Lines (Transatlantic Commutor!!) 1942 – 1946 – S.A. Naval Forces, South Atlantic 1947 – 1949 – SAN Reserve 1946 – 1978 – S.A.R & H. Harbour Service. 1964 Tug Master in East London Harbour. 1978 – Retired Deceased. Previous Secretary of S.A.T.S. General Botha Old Boys Association, East London. |
| SIMMONDS | STUART WALKER | 2073 | |
| SIMMONS | DENIS GEORGE | 717 | 1964 Second Officer in Smith’s Coasters “Indoda”. |
| SIMONS | PAUL MORRIS | 1850 | Paul Simons kept a low profile as a junior cadet and didn’t return for his second year. What happened to him in his later career is unknown. |
| SIMPSON | LEONARD ARTHUR | 1260 | Served in the Royal Navy and later became a Vet. Reported deceased. |
| SIMSON | JACK STUART | 592 | Did not complete training at parents request. Entered the Royal Air Force as a pupil pilot in 1939. He was awarded the DFC for his attack, on 27th August 1940, on the German battleship Gneisenau. She was at Kiel and Simson came in at a height of 800 feet in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and searchlights to drop a stick of bombs on target. Service number: 42681 Rank: Acting Squadron Leader |
| SINCLAIR | RONALD ROBERT | 2345 | Killed in the mt Thorland explosion 09/06/1970. |
| SINCLAIR | MATTHEW | 718 | After leaving the Botha in 1934 entered an apprenticeship in refrigeration in Durban. On completion joined the army and saw service in East Africa, Egypt, Libya etc. Discharged medically unfit and joined the public works dept. in Durban. Retired in 1981 after 40 years service. |
| SISSON | JOHN MERRICK | 1734 | |
| SKEAD | THOMAS NIGEL FREDERICK | 1676 | From Machsdodorp in the Transvaal entered Dartmouth as cadet in January 1953 and passed out third in his class. His ship, HMS Devonshire took part in the Coronation review at Spithead, and on the autumn cruise of the training ship HMS Triumph, Skead won the Queen’s Dirk for the best all round cadet. Joined the Royal Navy in 1952 and resigned in 1965 with rank of Lieutenant Commander. Joined British Overseas Airways Corporation in 1966. Retired from British Airways with rank of Captain in 1989. |
| SKINNER | KENNETH DOUGLAS | 285 | Served as cadet in the Thesen Steamship Line, on ss Ingerid. Left the sea in 1930 and was employed by an Insurance Company in Rhodesia. Born 11th July 1910. Died near Bulawayo on 22nd April 1931 as result of a motor accident. |
| SLABBER | JACOBUS HENDRIK | 187 | After Bothie joined the R.S.S. Discovery as a Seaman. |
| SLABBERT | JOHN RAYMOND | 48 | Placed in S.A. Navy as Ordinary Seaman. |
| SLATTER | WILLIAM ROBERT | 1735 | Bob Slatter & Associates, Insurance Brokers. |
| SLEED | ALAN HAIG | 845 | |
| SLEIGH | CASPER WALLACE | 776 | Awarded a G.B. Bronze Light Weight Boxing medal in 1935. 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. Was a Corporal in D Company 1st SA Infantry Brigade during WWII. Deceased 17/08/1981. Corporal C.W. Sleigh (776) was Mentioned in Dispatches for gallantry during the second battle of El Alamein. The historian of the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles records that Corporal Sleigh “led his detachment to within 1,100 meters of the enemy and coolly directed fire to silence at least one enemy machine gun post and kept up a continuous fire for some 3½ hours hurling 400 mortar bombs into the enemy lines and inspiring his men to a great performance.” |
| SLEIGH | JAMES WALLACE | 593 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. ‘Brought the Destroyer (Lieutenant-Commander) H.M.S. ‘Wessex’ to Simon’s Town for refit. After G.B. went to England and joined Shell Tankers. Did 3 years apprenticeship travelling the world. After a holiday in S.A. (1935/36) returned to London for 2nd Mates Certificate. Returned to Shell Tankers as Third and Second Officer to West Indies. On return to U.K. some time later transferred to the Royal Navy as Sub Lieutenant. Joined Fleet Air Arm, obtained his ‘wings’ in 1938. Extensive war service flying from carriers and awarded decorations DSO, DSC & Mention. Saw service in Korea, though of an unspecified nature, with rank of Commander, during the fifties. Awarded and OBE for his services. On return to S.A. In May 1958 bought a wine farm near Somerset West which he sold after five years. Joined the S.A. Navy and spent the next 20 years in the Hydrographic office as Oceanographer. Retired from S.A. Navy in 1982. Deceased 07/03/2005 |
| SLOANE | NICHOLAS JOHN ANDREW | 2750 | Previously sailed with Safmarine before transferring to SAFTUG, later became Pentow Marine before SMIT International. 2002 appointed Salvage Master with Smit International, based in Cape Town. 2005 Established Svitzer Wijsmuller Southern Africa, Senior Salvage Master and General Manager. 2011 launched own consulting company, Sloane Marine. 2013 successfully salvaged the Costa Concordia off Italy, the largest such salvage operation in history. In 2015 Sloane won the German Sea Prize and awarded the ‘Deutscher Meerespreis’ and 2018 the Society of Master Mariners of South Africa Gold Medal for this salvage action.2020 Appointed Vice President of International Salvage Union. |
| SMAL | ALEXANDER DAVID | 2404 | Previously sailed with Safmarine. 1994 owner of Rafdur International Warehousing based in Durban. Also reportedly a builder of catamarans in Durban. 2018 Seamless Technologies. |
| SMART | OLIVER STAFFORD | 313 | After Bothie apprenticed to P&O Line. In the thirties was on the staff of an aeroplane works at Gravesend. |
| SMEDA | VICTOR ANTHONY | 2505 | Sailed with Safmarine until joining Portnet in 1979. Transferred to Portnet’s Computer Division in 1988 and after obtaining National Diploma: Information Technology, joined NBS in 1996. 2001 relocated to USA as an IT Consultant in the Insurance and Financial industry. |
| SMIT | PIETER ALBERTUS | 835 | |
| SMIT | GERT JOHANNES | 2074 | Joined the Public Service December 1958 as a clerk in the Department of Justice. Transferred to the Department of Agriculture February 1959 and served in the Finance and Work Study divisions. Was requested to start up and run an IT function for the Department of Agriculture in 1962 and later a computer centre for central government. Joined the National Treasury in 1983 and the House of Assembly in 1989. Became Director-General for the Department of State Expenditure [now National Treasury] in 1993 and retired December 1997. Joined De Loittes as a consultant on government finances and finally retired in 2006. |
| SMIT | CORNELIUS ALWYN | 1435 | |
| SMIT | DEREK | 1851 | Derek Smit was another St. George’s Grammar School boy from Cape Town. He was also a boxer, a bugler in the band, the captain of the under-19A rugby team and well remembered as coxswain of the ‘A’ whaler crew. In his senior year he engaged in a widely known romance with Denise Brown, whom he married shortly after leaving the Botha. They lived in Sea Point until 2002, when they suddenly and mysteriously dropped contact with the GBOBA and disappeared. Nothing further is known about Derek. |
| SMITH | RALPH HARVEY | 1133 | |
| SMITH | DOUGLAS ALEXANDER | 2187 | Completed time with Shell UK and relocated to Australia in 1966. Became a Master on coastal tankers before becoming a Contract Pilot in the Timor Sea for FPSO’s. Also runs a small commercial fishing boat. |
| SMITH | BEVERLEY ROLAND | 1436 | Deceased 1991. |
| SMITH | SYDNEY ALWORTH | 1437 | |
| SMITH | BARRY JESSE | 2489 | Life on the ocean wave started as a cadet with Safmarine in 1973. Highlight was working on what was then known as passenger ships, the S.A. Oranje as fourth officer and S.A. Vaal as third officer. In 1979 decided to work closer to home so joined Unicorn. Change of career to the finance industry in 1983 found me doing my articles with the accounting firm Deloittes. This was followed with a session working as an audit supervisor for the conglomerate, Anglovaal. In 1993 we moved to Canada. I returned to sea and worked with Maersk as a second officer until 2004 when I converted my S.A. Ticket to Canadian. Did a short stint with B.C. Ferries as a captain on an island hopper ferry. At this point we decided life was more important than the stress of endless work so I went into semi retirement. Got a job with Alberta Forestry looking out for wild fires. Easy life; working five to six months a year; no boss, no office politics; no dress code. Just trees, the occasional fire to call in, and bears! With the available free time I turned to things artistic and began dabbling with visual effects for film. Did some work for a few films and won several awards on the international film festival circuit. Decided to direct and produce my own film, a short scifi venture called Pirette. This was released beginning of 2021 and has so far won 14 awards on the film festival circuit. Should be available on Amazon’s Prime VOD in 2022. At the time of writing, I am a few days from permanent retirement (August 2021). What’s next? I am already working on the preproduction stage of my next scifi film, The Dark Away, for release in 2023. Maybe retired, but still working! |
| SMITH | KENTON TYRONE | 2634 | 1997 joined Unicorn Lines as Cadet and promoted to Master in 1998. 2002 working as a Cargo Superintendent in Mozambique. Joined SMIT (now SMIT Amandla Marine) in May 2003. Sailed on the Africana, the old SA Agulhas, the Algoa and was Master on the offshore patrol vessel the Sarah Baartman for three years before that contract ended in March 2012. Was also an extra watch keeper on the ill fated CS Chamarel when she caught fire in August 2012. Since then relieving Master between the Algoa and the SAMSA training ship SA Agulhas. |
| SMITH | BRIAN | 1909 | After G.B. worked for Otis Elevators in both Cape Town and Johannesburg for 30 odd years before joining Anglo American. Retired 1994 and did some consulting, deep sea fishing and playing golf. Deceased 27/01/2013. |
| SMITH | PETER WILLIAM | 594 | |
| SMITH | JAMES ROBERT | 2457 | A Glaswegian by birth James emigrated to South Africa when he was about 3 years old with his parents. His Dad flew out there initially on his own in order to find work and indeed somewhere to live. His Mother and sister followed a few months later, sailing out on the Union Castle mail ship Stirling Castle. This he believes was the foundation for his life-long interest in the sea and ships. Following matriculation, he joined Safmarine as a Cadet spending his entire Cadetship with them serving aboard fruit ships, general cargo and tanker vessels. He heard of a world- class Nautical Training Academy General Botha which he attended initially for a 6-week pre-sea period before joining his first ship, spending the remainder of the year aboard her before returning to the Bothie, as it was affectionally known, the following year for a full year. At that time South Africa had left the Commonwealth and unfortunately South African qualifications were not recognised world-wide and as a Brit he decided he needed to study for UK-qualifications and thus returned to the UK to accomplish this. He discovered he had to re-do all of his South African gained qualifications apart from his lifeboat ticket as the then named Dept of Trade and Industry refused to accept them. He applied to the Royal Fleet Auxiliary Service for employment, had an interview aboard one of their freighting tankers when it called in at Cape Town. This had a successful outcome and he was offered the job of 3rd Officer then had to await the arrival in Cape Town of the next available ship. This was the RFA Tidesurge returning home from serving on the Beira Patrol in the Mozambique Channel attempting to stop the flow of oil into Rhodesia, now Zimbabwe. Needless to say, this did not achieve it’s main objective at all.RFA Tidesurge had been launched in the mid-50’s now well out of date in many respects. Having been used to somewhat luxurious accommodation on the Safmarine vessels, the accommodation on Tidesurge was abysmal to say the least. 12 Officers living on the same deck with just two working showers and 3 toilet cubicles. None the less he stuck it out and his first trip turned out to be really exciting. Until then the rule was “stay well clear of other vessels at sea” but three weeks after joining he experienced one of his first replenishment at sea operation where they refuelled a ship at sea one hundred feet off their side whilst steaming along together. He spent eight months aboard taking part in many similar exercises. He finally returned to Portsmouth for the ship to layup whilst awaiting disposal. His first leave period was taken in the UK as he had a large family there. He remained with the RFA for the rest of his career at sea before it was truncated by a degenerative spinal condition. He enjoyed fantastic times going to some really unusual places which, according to a publicity brochure at the time, were off the beaten track. He served aboard tankers, troop-carrying vessels, store ships (including the ill- fated RFA Sir Galahad which was tragically bombed and set on fire during the Falklands War with a heavy loss of life).During the next thirty years he progressed through the ranks serving as temporary Chief Officer on a number of occasions. Having passed his Foreign Going Masters Certificatehe participated in hundreds of RAS operations involving Royal Navy vessels together with ships from many other foreign nationalities, American, Dutch, German, Italian, Greek, Spanish and French Navies. On one occasion he flew across to SAS Drakensburg via her own helicopter to join as an observer on her Bridge during a RAS operation with his own ship. The Bridge Team kept on switching to Afrikaans at times not aware he spoke the language fluently—some embarrassment caused when James asked for the correct time in Afrikaans!! His career with the RFA had good and bad times in peace and war. Just prior to the start of the Falklands War he was serving aboard RFA Grey Rover where they were berthed in Gibraltar as part of a large contingents of twenty eight British Warships in preparation for a major exercise in the Mediterranean when the Argentinian scrap dealers landed on South Georgia and they all hurriedly sailed for the Falklands. They re-fuelled a lot of the British Warships to the Falklands and also back to the UK. They became the only operational tanker left on the UK home coast as all the others had been earmarked for duties in the South Atlantic. They were heavily involved in conducting RAS trials at sea with normal merchant ships with RFA personal embarked to show them the ropes! They conducted trials with ships ranging from Fishing Trawlers which had been requisitioned for other duties up to and including the QE2. It was a really busy 3 month period with a long time at sea, one lasting six weeks before they got back into port to top up their own cargo tanks. History has shown what a successful outcome was achieved. He was also involved in the conflict in the former Yugoslavia when he acted as RNLO Split (Royal Navy Liaison Officer) for a 14month tour of duty where he worked closely with the Croatian Navy. Another time whilst aboard RFA Fort Victoria they were caught up in the Iraqi Conflict and were sent through the Suez Canal with five large Sea King helicopters embarked to assist in operations in the Persian Gulf area. He was the Chief Officer aboard RFA Sea Crusader during the second Gulf War when they carried Chieftain Tanks, various trucks and Land Rovers which were discharged close to Kuwait City amid a scud missile attack. All very exciting, but very enjoyable times. |
| SMITH | ALAN HILTON | 56 | 1964 gained his practical workshop experience with Brown and Harmer, Durban. Spent 32 years in pipe construction business around the world. Has subsequently set up a consultancy to assist pipeliners to handle QA/QC work that needs to be done on their contracts. |
| SMITH | MAURICE EDWIN | 321 | |
| SMITH | FRANCOIS CHARLES ROBERTZ | 2768 | |
| SMITH | NEWTON WILLIAM | 296 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine as a seaman. |
| SMITH | CHRISTOPHER HAROLD JESSE | 2347 | 1969 – 77 – At sea with Safmarine. 1977 – 88 – Grindrod Group / Grindrod Ship Agencies. Director, non liner services. 1988 – 95 – Self Employed – Marine Consultant, Superintendent, Surveyor, 1995 – Chief Officer with Safmarine. 1998 – Promoted to Master with Safmarine. June 2016 retired. Surveys as required for A.R. Brink and Associates. |
| SMITH | CLIVE CLARK | 2424 | Presently, 1994 with Portnet Cape Town. |
| SMITH | CLYDE WILLIAM HOUNSELL | 719 | Was serving with the Field Ambulance of the UDF when he was captured at Sidi Rezegh on 23rd November 1941. |
| SMITH | ROBERT GODFREY | 441 | Was appointed to Union Fisheries Survey Research Ship “Africana”, lower deck. Born 28th August 1913. Died at Cape Town on 5th August 1933 as the result of a motor collision. |
| SMITH | ASHLEY ERION | 1325 | 1946 cadet on the ss Dalia. Previously sailed in SAR Ships and Safmarine before coming ashore into a commercial post with Safmarine. Was Safmarine’s Branch Manager in Port Elizabeth and Durban before retirement. Deceased 24/02/2003 |
| SMITH | JAY PALMER | 2125 | |
| SMITH | BARTIN FREDERICK | 950 | Note in the ship’s ledger – 1942 serving in Transvaal Regiment in Syria and Egypt. |
| SMITH | MICHAEL HOWARD | 2506 | Joined Safmarine as a Cadet rising to Chief Officer. Spent a few years ashore as Cargo Superintendent working SAECS container and RORO vessels. 1993 Seconded from Safmarine to CMB-T stationed in Dar Es Salaam Tanzania. Died of yellow jaundice 21/03/97. |
| SMITH | PATRICK LYNN | 2730 | 2001 – with Seaman’s Training Centre, Cape Town. |
| SMITH | ALDEN WILLARD | 1908 | After GB returned to USA and joined the United States Merchant Marine Academy, Kings Point, New York. Spent some time at sea with American companies and lectured at New York University. Deceased 2003. Here are some excerpts from his “final voyage” notice from his daughter. “My Father and mother, Janice Florence Danielson, were married on April 6, 1963 at the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy at Kings Point, New York. They would call their first home Long Island, NY, only to move to Delaware 5 years later. During their time in New York, my Father would graduate from NYU with a Masters of Business, with distinction, work as a Merchant Marine Officer as well as working in a grain company when during a brief departure from the Merchant Marine. During this time my Mom would attain her Masters Degree at Queens College and as his equal partner for life, she began her 30-year career as a Speech Pathologist. Once moved to Delaware, my partners continued to enjoy their time together taking in New York Jets Games (the year of Namath and Super Bowl #3) as season ticket holders. They would take in the Opera and Broadway, go water skiing on their motor boat, watch ALL sports, dance, play bridge to the early morning hours with their best friends even though their friends baby was sleeping in the same room. During the 27 years in Crofton, MD my Father was a Professor of Economics during the school year, and for the first 15 years continued as a 2nd or 3rd mate officer for the Merchant Marine. He worked 12 months a year, while Mom was a Speech Pathologist in Prince George’s County, MD for 30 years. As a professor, my Father would realize his greatest gift. Teaching. They have been truly happy and blessed to call Rodanthe, North Carolina their last home.” |
| SMITH | LOUIS VIVIAN | 81 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a seaman. |
| SMITH | COLIN GOWER | 2023 | Deceased June 2004. After GB he went back to Rhodesia and joined the BSAP. After serving for some time in the Police special branch he left finishing his working career in various sales positions. |
| SMITH | DAVID CHARLES PAISH | 1261 | Senior Cadet Captain at Bothie. 01/1944 to 09/1946 – Midshipman & Sub Lieutenant, RNR 1947 – University of Cape Town, Architecture (dropped out). 1948 – Cadet Pilot RAF 1949 – SAAF pupil pilot course No 1. Wings about 1050 1059 – No. 1 City of Pretoria ACF Squadron. 01/1949 – 10/1950 – various jobs, Crownmines, Jhb Stock Exchange, Wisheco Johannesburg, Pilot course part time. 10/1950 – 11/1051 – joined Comair, Rand Airport 12/1951 – 06/1957 – joined SAA as copliot 07/1957 – joined Swissair, Zurich as captian (pilot in command) 12/1983 – retired |
| SMITH | ROBIN EDWARD | 2075 | Previously with Mitchell Cotts in Durban. Deceased 09/07/2002. |
| SMUTS | MICHAEL | 1485 | |
| SMUTS | WILLEM FRANCOIS | 183 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line. 1964 Harbour Pilot, Durban Harbour. |
| SMYTH | AUBREY STANFORD | 1198 | Born 30/03/1925 deceased 30/08/1989. WWII Private ‘Q’ Services Corps / SA Armoured Corps. |
| SNELL | ARTHUR HAROLD SALVATOR | 1677 | After a stint in the Southern Rhodesian Army, trained as an Electrician. Joined the Council for scientific research about 1960 and then up to defence research as a Principle Technician on Telometry. Transferred to the University of Pretoria about 1976 as a Senior Design Technician on hybrid electronics. 1991 joined Integrators of System Technology as Senior Systems Technician. |
| SNELL | JOHN MICHAEL | 1567 | |
| SNOW | KENNETH ARTHUR | 1678 | Attended the Royal Naval College at Dartmouth. Served 35 years in the Royal Navy and then 12 years at Westminster Abbey in London as the Receiver General. Ken Snow was the twenty-ninth Receiver General since the re-foundation of Westminster Abbey as a Collegiate Church in 1560. 2002 Retired as a Rear Admiral. Deceased 05/12/2011. |
| SNOWDOWNE | DAVID CECIL | 2126 | Has been in the Forestry and Sawmilling industry since leaving the Ship. 2003 Operations Manager of Koppers Arch Wood Protection. 2009 Retired. |
| SNYDERS | ALISTAIR IAN | 2425 | Left Safmarine after sailing as Third Officer on the S.A. Constantia and obtaining Chief Officer’s Certificate in 1976. Spent about 18 months ashore in Electronics working for Burroughts Computers in Johannesburh. Returned to sea in 1978 with Unicorn Lines and after one year as Chief Officer joined the S.A. Agulhas in 1979. Obtained Master’s Certificate in 1980. 1983 joined Portnet in Port Elizabeth and spent about 5 years on the tugs whilst studying for a B.Com Degre.e Then transferred to the Administration side of the port as Management Accountant. 1997 working for Spoornet in Durban as Budget Manager for the Natal Region. Recently qualified as a Chartered Management Accountant through CIMA, London. 2002 with PWC Constulting, financial services company, based in Durban. 2007 relocated to Australia working as a consultant implementing computer systems for a company in Brisbane called Fusion5, they have a head office in New Zealand and offices in the major centers in Australia. |
| SNYMAN | MARTHINUS PHILLIPUS JOUBERT | 1620 | |
| SNYMAN | PETRUS LEVRAS | 2507 | |
| SNYMAN | QUINTUS PETER | 1486 | |
| SOANE | PETER JOHN | 2215 | 1964 Cadet in “South African Pioneer”. |
| SOLOMON | RICHARD NICHOLSON | 892 | |
| SOLOMON | ANTHONY VINER | 1134 | Joined HMS Corfu on 4th January 1942 as Temporary Probation Midshipman. Deceased |
| SPARGO | NORMAN ALLEN | 1852 | Norman Spargo did his first year at the General Botha and then left. His subsequent movements are unknown. |
| SPARGO | ALBERT COLIN | 1135 | After Bothie joined the Royal Navy as Midshipman. |
| SPEAR | WILLIAM OSWOLD | 178 | |
| SPEARMAN | ALBERT RICHARD | 280 | After Bothie apprenticed to Houlder Line. |
| SPEE | JOHN GEORGE | 2127 | |
| SPENCE | HENRY JAMES | 1853 | Henry Spence was a true blue mining boy from Witbank High School. He was an outstanding athlete becoming Victor Ludorum in his second year. He also won the Silver Bugle for leading musician as a result of his undoubted talent as a side drummer! On leaving the General Botha he returned to Witbank to go mining and no trace can be found of how he fared in his chosen career. Henry died in the 1970s. |
| SPENCE | PATRICK MICHAEL BERKAM | 20 | |
| SPENCER | RICHARD JOHN | 1910 | He was a keen whaler and dinghy sailer and won the Nettleton Trophy for Management of Boats in 1955. Failed eyesight test after leaving the training ship. Did an engineering apprenticeship with Globe Engineering. Subsequently went to sea with Ellerman & Bucknall as an engineer. Sailed with Safmarine in 1964. 1965-69 with Reckitt & Coleman in Research & Development. 1970-95 with Caltex Oil at their Milnerton refinery in field and supervisory positions in Reliability Services before retirement in 1995. Deceased 2nd March 2020. |
| SPENCER | WILFRED | 526 | Deceased 13/08/2004. After Bothie joined Shell Tankers with shipmate Peter North. After four years swallowed the anchor and chased the high wages on the Transvaal mines. Later immigrated to Australia and had a service station in Sydney for many years. |
| SPENCER | TOM | 1136 | |
| SPENGLER | TERENCE HENRY | 1568 | 1964 Tug Mate in Table Bay Harbour. Assistant Port Captain, Portnet, Cape Town 1993 – retired Deceased 21/11/2012 |
| SPINOY | MARK ANDRE | 2701 | |
| SPIRES | GRAHAM CARL | 2508 | After G.B. sailed with Safmarine and 1985 joined Portnet. 1986 returned to sea with Unicorn Lines and returned to Portnet 1989. 1993 appointed as Harbour Pilot in Richards Bay. March 1997 joined Pentow Marine (now Smit) as a single buoy mooring pilot. Subsequently been appointed to various posts overseas as pilot including Ghana, Sudan and Russia. 2002 Mooring Master with Smit Octo Luktrans, Novorossiysk, Russia, followed by other appointments in Russia. 2012 Returned to Cape Town, joined AMEC International, seconded to ZADCO, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, Harbour Master on a man-made sea island, ramping up for drilling. |
| SPRAGG | BERKARD ANTHONY | 1689 | |
| SPROAT | JAMES WILLIAM CALDER SHILLUIGE | 400 | |
| STAATS | GORDON LLEWELLYN | 1530 | On completion of Bothie went into engineering. Working as a Draughtsman, he studed and obtained a diploma in Mechanical Engineering at the ATC II level. Later promoted to proejct engineer, he was involved in all aspects of the profession. He handled the design and tender preparation of the then SAR&H of the first cyclindrical tower type harbour carnes in South Africa, as well ast he box girder type, block setting crane at the entrance to Durban Harbour. In 1972 opened the Travel Agency, ‘Travelrite” in Benoni. Was a member of “Lions” and served as president of the Van Ryn Benoni Branch from 1978 to 1979. Deceased 18/04/1992. |
| STACEY | PETER GARFIELD | 2253 | 1964 Senior Cadet Captain. 1965 -1970 Safmarine – cadet, 3/o, acting 2/o – Reefer, gen cargo, tankers 1970 -1973 Durban Lines – c/o, master 1973-1974 Harbour service Durban – tug mate 1975-1977 DOT Ship surveyor Durban 1978-1981 Mark Harvey & Ass – marine surveyor, partner 1982-1984 Bulkcharters (Pty) Ltd – bulkship management – operations Director 1985-2009 Island View Shipping – bulkship management – ops manager, pool ops manager 2009- Retired |
| STALLING | GERARD | 1854 | Gerry Stalling was yet another cadet from Jo’burg, in his case from Highlands North High School. He was continually skirmishing with authority and yet was an excellent student. He won a geography prize and the prize for class proficiency and in his senior year, was coxswain of the Quarterdeck cutter crew when it won the Inter-Top Cutter Race. On leaving the Botha Gerry joined Northern/Southern Steamships being appointed to their President Kruger along with Okke Grapow. After a few trans-Atlantic voyages, followed by a run to the Far East, Gerry was transferred to the President Steyn, an ex SAR&H ship. There he found Ronnie Wege as his fellow cadet. Ronnie, having gone to sea first, was the senior and eventually, when he left, Gerry stepped up to uncertificated third mate in his place. In the latter stages of his apprenticeship, when the ship was laid up at Borrowstounness (Bo’ness) in Scotland, Gerry met Sheena Rangley. They were married in 1960 while he was studying for his second mates. Two children, a boy and a girl, were born from this marriage. Gerry then signed up with Ben Line on the Far East run, then moved across to Mobil and finally to Stephenson Clarke, before obtaining his masters. By then his marriage had ended in divorce so Gerry joined Imperial Oil of Canada and spent four years alternating between their two deep-sea ships on the Aruba to New York and Canada run and the Persian Gulf to Europe run. A fellow officer tipped him off about a ferry job where he could be home every night and, following Mark Twain’s advice to ‘head west, young man’, Gerry joined British Columbia Ferries as a civil servant. He spent 26 years with them, ending up as Senior Master in the huge Vancouver to Nanaimo ferries. During this time he met Lana Brovold of Vancouver and they were married in 1984. He and Lana are enjoying their retirement in Nanaimo, Canada, from where Gerry is doing an excellent job as chairman of the North American Branch of the GBOBA. |
| STANFORD | HENRY WELKOM | 595 | Joined lower deck in SAR Ships. |
| STANFORD | PAUL STUART | 836 | Served during WWII in the South African Air Force. |
| STANGHON | ROGER DAVID | 2158 | |
| STANLEY | DONALD | 1262 |
1. With Alfred Holt & Company (Blue Funnel Line) from 1944 to 1950. Obtained second and Chief Officer’s Certificates. 2. Went to Johannesburg in 1950 and started his commercial life with E.J. Dancer & Sons until 1985 when he retired for health reasons Deceased 22/01/94. |
| STANNARD | RODNEY NELSON | 1911 | |
| STAPLES | AUBREY | 893 | Born Plumstead, Cape Town 6th February 1921. Son of George and Edith Lousie Staples. Ed, Worcester Boys’ High School. Cadet Draft 1936-7. Aubrey Staples became a member of the staff of Ingersoll Rand (SA) Ltd on leaving General Botha. In 1940 he joined the SANF as a rating and later entered the officers’ training colleges, Alfred I and Alfred II, in England. Lieut Aubrey Staples met his death in the placid waters of a Scottish loch on 6th March 1945, in a collision with a surface vessel, when rising to the surface of the lake after submerging. Was in command of the midget submarine XE11 at the age of 24. |
| STAPLES | PAUL | 1137 | 1942-43 sailed on ‘Otavi’ as apprentice, Thesen Steamship Co. 1943-45 sailed on Four Masted Barque ‘Lawhill’ as Ordinary Seaman, rounding Cape Horn twice and broke his arm rounding the horn the second time whilst attending to some lashings with Bill Damerall (1941/42) of a liferaft on the Foredeck. 1945-6 Able Seaman on Four Masted Schooner “Commodore II” 1947 left for U.K. on ‘Empire Ortotan’ as Able Seaman. Full member of the International Association of Cape Horners. 1947 joined the British Merchant Service as 3rd Officer, promoted to Chief Officer with P.S.N.C. in 1958. Delivered the Harbour Tug F.C. Sturrock from Scotland to Durban in 1959. Sailed with African Coasters until 1960 and then joined S.A.R.& H as Tug mate. Retired as Saldanha Bay Harbour Master and Pilot 31/03/1985. Deceased 7th June 2014 aged 90. |
| STARKE | JAMES RAYMOND | 951 | 12 September 1939 appointed as Cadet RNR to the Armed Merchant Cruiser Carnarvon Castle. |
| STARKEY | JAMES ROLAND | 1007 | 12 September 1939 appointed as Cadet RNR to the Armed Merchant Cruiser Carnarvon Castle. Served in the Royal and South African Navy during WWII. Reported deceased 2006. |
| STEAR | WILLIAM HENRY | 351 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. 1928 awarded a certificate on vellum by the Royal Humane Society for rescuing cadet 417 H.R. Horsley from drowing. |
| STEELE | JOHN FREDERICK ALAN | 1063 | |
| STEELE | KENNETH RANDALL | 952 | |
| STEFFEN | JACK OSCAR | 894 | Was a POW during WWII. |
| STEGGEL | THOMAS THEODORE | 412 | Was Chief Cadet Petty Officer and obtained first class extra certificate in navigation, first class in scholastic and first class in seamanship, at final examination of S.A.T.S. General Botha. Prizes won: Floating Trohpy, “Howard Medal” and 25 pounds for navigation and seamanship, first in wire splicing, first in knowledge of instruments and the efficiency medal. Was apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall Line and served in s.s. City of Valencia, Bloemfontein and City of Kimberly. Born 8th November 1913. Died at Beira on 11th May 1932 as result of a drowning accident. |
| STEIN | KARL FRANCISCUS | 2216 | Deceased. Previously with Lennon Laboratory in Port Elizabeth. |
| STEMMET | KYLE GILBERT | 2574 | Started with Grindrod (Unicorn Lines) in 1976 spent the next 10 years at sea then in 1987 joined Grindrod Shipping as a cargo superintendent in Durban for 5 years then moved to Port Elizabeth for a year as a Branch manager which followed by a transfer to the Cape Town agencies of Mitchell Cotts ,Grindrod Shipping and King and sons. For the best part of that time covered the liner and non-liner offices finally spending most of my time with Macs Shipping as Business Unit Manager for King and Sons. Retired 31st of March 2016. |
| STEPHAN | GRAEME PETER | 2613 | Sailed with Safmarine on all types of vessels including salvage tugs, 6 years as Chief Officer before coming ashore in Durban as a Cargo Superintendent. Later transferred to Safmarine Cape Town as Multi-Purpose Ship Manager. November 2000 transferred to group company Maersk Seland in Copenhagen as General Manager Projects and Asset Management. Primarily responsible for new tonnage, acquisitions and mergers. December 2003 transferred to Safmarine’s H.O. in Antwerp as Business Development Manager. 2012 retired from Safmarine and launched own business, Antwerp Ship Partners. Primary focus working with partners on new efficient vessel design, management and chartering. 2019 with Livestock Express, a Vroon Group company. |
| STEPHEN | OSWALD RICHARD DUDLEY | 442 | Runner up for the King’s Gold Medal. Apprenticed to Hall Line, ss “City of Glasgow”. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Union Government Steamers. Was Thesen’s marine superintendent and later Unicorn’s deputy marine manager. Joined Ellermans as a cadet and once he had obtained his second mate’s certificate he moved to Smith’s Coasters as mate and was later master on Mead and Nahoon (1). During the Second World War he commanded HMSAS Southern Seas in the Mediterranean and was later seconded to the Royal Navy to command a ship that took part in the invasion of Burma. 1944-45 in command of HMS Monkshood. In 1946 he was a founder of the Union Steamship Company, which was later taken over by Thesens, who had the foresight to retain his services. |
| STEPHENS | HUGH MALCOLM | 1199 | After G.B joined the S.A. Navy. Was a boxer in the navy and was laid out by Joe Louis whilst acting as his sparring partner. 1964 Master of Safmarine’s “South African Pioneer”. Reported Deceased. |
| STERLEY | BASIL DESMOND | 1138 | Deceased 24/08/96 |
| STEVEN-JENNINGS | MICHAEL | 2188 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Vanguard”. 1994 – Cape Town Harbour Pilot 1999 – Cape Town Harbour Marine Services, Floating Crane Manager. Deceased 30/03/2008. |
| STEVENS | HOWARD JOHN RUSSELL | 2076 | 1999 – Chairman of the Three Cities Group. Deceased mid 2020. “2011 – I am not retired at seventy one being active in a few businesses but also enjoying a bit of farming wine and horses near Plettenberg Bay. After leaving The Bothie I worked at odd things in Johannesburg to fill in until I left for the UK to study and then work. On returning to SA I worked for Barlows in various marketing positions and left after a final assignment as PA to Punch Barlow the son of the founder. I then started my own company which led on to other things and I have enjoyed being my own master most of my life although as a Corporate Chairman and director of a few public companies I was shackled a bit, I am retired from most now, I work for myself in a few areas and will do so while I feel up to it. And then just stick to farming.” |
| STEVENS | JOHN LESLIE | 1064 | After G.B. joined R.N.R as Midshipman. Later went into submarines for a few years of active service. After the war became a doctor in Aldeburough on the North East Coast of England. Following a stroke that left him paralysed down his right side and without speech, he set off on a circumnaviation in 1980, but was never seen again after passing through Panama Canal. Also crewed on the Replica of the ‘Mayflower’ on her voyage to America. |
| STEVENS | ANDREW WILLIAM | 2872 | Joined the airforce and qualified in electronics after two years. Left airforce and continued studies in Electronic Engineering at Technikon Natal. Presently specialising in IT. |
| STEVENS | GRENVILLE ROY | 2189 | 1964 Cadet in the “South African Venture”. Settled in Australia in 1982. First worked for Nedlloyd and then with Freight Forwarders, Rohlig and Bax Global. November 1986 appointed General Manager of Martinair Holland, a Dutch Airline operating at the time DC10 freighters Amsterdam to Sydney and later twice weekly 747 freighters. 2008 Martinair ceased Australian operations. March 2009 started as New South Wales and Queensland General Manager for ACP Worldwide. Still in aviation but now selling cargo space on behalf of the airline as General Sales Agent (with Martinair we were the airline). ACP represents SAA, Martinair, Air Mauritius, United Airlines, Asiana (Korean) and British Airways. March 2010 ACP Worldwide were appointed as General Sale Agents for Etihad Crystal Cargo and I took on the role as Sales Manager NSW to get the Cargo Sales ball rolling. September 2010 I was appointed (under the ACP Worldwide umbrella) as Sales Executive for NSW and Queensland for British Airways World Cargo. March 2013 time had arrived to throw in the towel and head off to the retirement pasture. February 2014 we sold up in Sydney opted for a sea change and headed north to Corlette , a suburb in the picturesque Port Stephens area ( 2 ½ hour’s drive from Sydney and one hour’s drive from the port of Newcastle) A number of GB old boys are scattered throughout this North Coast area. |
| STEVENS | IAN ROBERT | 1736 | |
| STEVENSON | PETER DOUGLAS MAUNSELL | 1326 | 2000 – Owned a restaurant, Bistro 7 in Darling, Western Cape. Deceased November 2004 |
| STEWART | JAMES LEONARD | 2659 | |
| STEWART | RONALD MACDONALD | 527 | |
| STEWART | GEORGE | 465 | Apprenticed to Sun Line, ss “Cape S. Francis”. |
| STEWART | PETER ALAN | 67 | Reported deceased. Peter did his apprenticeship with what was then Metal Box in Maitland. He stayed with Metal Box with most of his working life |
| STEWART | JACOBUS CASPARUS | 720 | 1934 promoted to Senior Cadet Captain (band). |
| STEWART | DESMOND ARTHUR | 1531 | |
| STEWART-COLLINS | KEITH ROGER | 2077 | 1964 Second Officer in “South African Vanguard”. Sailed with Safmarine as a cadet and later with SAR & H on the coal run, and Thesens coasters. Joined the lecturing staff at S.A.M.N.A. General Botha in 1969 until retirement in 1990. Lived in the USA for 5 years. Now settled in UK |
| STEYN | WILLIAM URGUHART | 21 | Deceased 5th February 2016. |
| STEYN | HERMANUS EGBERTUS | 1569 | Completed his two years and joined an engineering firm after leaving SANC General Botha. |
| STIBBE | GEORGE RICHARD | 2190 | Cadet on S.A. Victory (Safmarine) and then Second and First Officer with Thesens Coasters. One year as ships agent for Coryman George before joining Marine Diamond. 1970’s moved to U.K. for 7 years and ran youth clubs for YMCA near London. 1974 returned to S.A. and ran a ship and a fishing boat at Kalk Bay. 1978/79 studied at Westlake and Simon’s Town dockyard qualifying as a Diesel Mechanic. 1980’s returned to sea with Unicorn Lines, obtained Master’s Certificate in 1986 and served as Master on the Atlantic Isle. Then returned to fishing at Kalk Bay (Cape Town) and built own fishing boat in 1990 and another in 1994. 1996 fishing from Kalk Bay and writing articles for an Eco-Tourism Magazine. 2001 relocated to the U.K. Since 2006 cruising waterways in France |
| STIGANT | SYDNEY GEORGE | 2078 | 1964 First Navigating Officer in m.v. “Pondo Coast”. Lost at sea presumed dead Circa 1967. Was Skipper of Fishing Trawler on way to Tristan or Vema Seamount. Disappeared without trace. Submitted by Brian Georgeson: “After GB joined Cayzer Irvine as cadet. First vessel unknown, probably a Clan Line ship. Mid 1959 SA cadets taken off various vessels and sent to Bullard King’s Umtata which was a cadet ship. Syd was there. After a trip or two UK/Round Africa Springbok Line was formed and sent to various vessels of Springbok being ex Clan or Bullard King vessels. Springbok absorbed into Safmarine. Other than Umtata I do not recall which vessels Syd on.Think he had a 2nd Mates. Think he with Thesens a bit. Think he was Skipper of the Panorama lost at sea without trace late 1960’s en route to Amsterdam Island for crayfish although ostensibly en route to Vema where no permits required.” |
| STIGLING | PIETER HENDRIK | 1200 | OS SANF 1/43 Air Mechanic SAAF Motor Boat Wing 2/43. |
| STILES | SEAN EDGECOMBE | 1974 | |
| STIVEN | GORDON ALLEN | 837 | WWII Sergeant SA Intelligence Corps (Cypher Section) and UDF Repatriation Unit (Released POWs). |
| STOCKLEY | GORDON JOHN | 1621 | Gordon became a Master at the age of 29, sailing with Safmarine and Union Castle before coming ashore in 1966 to work for SASSCO. He worked his way up the ranks and through mergers and was appointed Managing Director of South African Stevedores in 1987. 1994 retired from S.A. Stevedores and continued to work part time for the Rennies Group on various projects for the Terminals Division. Set up his own company, Seastock, stevedoring and shipping consultants. Subsequently retired. |
| STODEL | WARWICK DAVID | 1487 | Initially crewd on privately owned recreational tuna fishing craft out of Cape Town before joining the Israeli Army in 1956. Appointed to their Torpedo Boats Unit at Haifa Harbour. Prior to going to Israel had 7 years with African Consolidated Theatres as a Theatre Manager, and later on his return from Israel perused many different forms of employment covering advertising, sales and finally manufacturing before retiring a few years ago. |
| STODEL | JACK CYRIL | 44 | Reportedly did not go to sea. Was involved in many diversified business interests. In his early days in advertising he designed the K logo for Solly Kramer bottle stores. He founded Denver Soap Works in the Transvaal (now Gauteng), was later a founder/director of McCullum and Stevens in Cape Town, a company which manufactured number plates, signs and metal badges. Later, with Sam Collins, was responsible for bringing into commission the first diamond mining barge off the West Coast. In his later life he managed, as co-owner/director, the block of flats Chartleigh House on Beach Road, Three Anchor Bay. Deceased 1976. |
| STOKES | WAYNE DAVID | 2893 | |
| STOKES | MICHAEL SINGER | 2024 | |
| STOKES | MARTIN | 131 | Joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| STOLS | ERIC THEODORE | 1679 | |
| STONE | NICHOLAS JOHN | 2217 | 1964 Cadet in “South African Transporter”. 1968 – Sailing with Safmarine 1997 – with Portnet Cape Town 2009 retired as harbour pilot Cape Town. |
| STONE | GEORGE THOMAS | 87 | Apprentice in Blue Funnel Line. |
| STORM | WILLIAM JULIUS | 1263 | 1964 Master of “South African Victory”. Bill was one of the few on S.A. shores who had a Certificate of Competency in sail, having served on the s.v. ‘Lawhill’ as apprentice in 1945. Sailed many years on the S.A. coast before completing his seagoing career as Master with Safmarine. Was Master of the ‘S.A. Van der Stel’ on her maiden delivery voyage. Considered to be the finest seaman Safmarine had ever employed. After leaving the sea, Bill headed and lectured the Seamans’ School in Cape Town and later lectured seamanship on the S.A.M.N.A ‘General Botha.’ Rose through the ranks from Cadet to Master in 12 years. |
| STOTT | CHARLES STEWART | 1912 | Previously employed with JCI Ltd Mining Group in South Africa. Reported deceased. |
| STOWE | PETER DAVID | 2348 | 1969 at sea with Safmarine, 1977 obtained Master’s and then appointed as Chief Officer and later Master on Safmarine’s salvage tugs “John Ross” & “Wolraad Woltemade”. 1984 joined Portnet [harbour service]. Worked through various appointments and ranks until appointed Deputy Harbour Master in Cape Town. 2004 appointed Harbour Master in Saldanha Bay. 2011 June – retired. |
| STRACHAN | ALEXANDER MORRISON | 7 | After Bothie joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as an Ordinary Seaman. |
| STREETER | MICHAEL GERARD | 1973 | |
| STRETTON | MICHAEL ROY | 2731 | Joined Safmarine 1980 as first year cadet. Left Safmarine in 1986 with my Mates ticket to join Department of Environment Affairs as 2nd Officer on RS Africana also a trip or two on SA Agulhas. I was mate on the Africana during the tragic loss of the SA Helderberg off Mauritius in 1987 where we, together with the Wolraad and John Ross, spent weeks searching for the black box. Left the sea in 1990 to join the family printing business in March 1990. Also has other business interests including SA CoolShades. |
| STRICKLAND | BRIAN LAURIE JARVIS | 1264 | At a young age Brian took part in the invasion of Rangoon, receiving the Burma Star campagin medal. In 1947 he returned to Civvy Street and after a short spell in Johannesburg, made his way back to Durban where he made a career in the insurance industry. Retired in 1986 leaving the post of manager of the Pinetown branch of the Commercial Union. Served on the committee of the O.B.A. for a number of years holding the post of Secretary. Deceased 19/03/1994 |
| STRINGFIELD | RICHARD HENRY MILES | 1265 | 1947 – 1992 – Cattle Industry in Rhodesia Diploma in animal husbandry, Veterinary Medicine Retired in December 1992 as managing director of Lenco Zimbabwe Ltd. Deceased 23/12/2007. |
| STROEBEL | HILTON LOUIS | 2732 | 1983 – Unicorn Lines Third Officer 1984 – Unicorn Lines Second Officer 1986 – Unicorn Lines Chief Officer 1992 – Unicorn Lines Master Certificate Number 236. 1999 – Unicorn Lines Superindendent, special duties. 2001 – Joined Smit Pentow, Cape Town. 2003 – On secondment in Yuzhnov Sakhalinska, Sakhalin Island (Russia) as Project Manager on a Smit joint venture. Managing a diving company, two ice breakers and persuing new business in the oil and petroleum exploration field. 2007 with Southern Tankers, the BEE arm of the Grindrod group, running the Commercial side of the South African companies, from Durban. 2009 appointed Commercial Manager at Unicorn Tankers International. 2011 Office relocated to Singapore. 2012 “I have relinquished my post here as Operation Manager at Unicorn Shipping, and taken over as Marine Manager at Grindrod Shipping. This sees the IVS dry fleet and the Unicorn wet fleets brought in under a single management entity. I remain based in the Singapore office.” |
| STRUTHERS | ALISTAIR EDGER CROSS | 2191 | 1962 – 1967 – Ellerman Lines, Apprentice & 3rd Mate. 1967 – 1970 – London & Overseas Freighters, 3rd & 2nd Mate 1970 – 1972 – Safmarine, 2nd Mate. 1972 – Unicorn, 2nd Mate & Chief Officer 1973 – 1974 – Extra Masters Certificate of Competency. Highest Marks for the examination of 1974. 1974 – 1977 – Unicorn, Chief Officer & Master. 1977 – 2006 United Kingdom Department of Transport / Marine Safety Agency / Maritime & Coastguard Agency [MCA] – Nautical Surveyor, Examiner of Masters and Mates, Principal Nautical Surveyor. Retired as Regional Operations Manager – Surveys & Inspections for Scotland & Northern Ireland. Deceased 2nd July 2017. A strong supporter of the OBA and a founder member of our bursary fund, Alistair passed away 2nd July 2017, a sad loss to the association family and ship mates. Alistair joined his first ship as a cadet on the City of Ottawa in 1962, Ellerman Lines and 1967 sailed with London & Overseas Freighters. He served at sea with Safmarine and Unicorn from 1970 to 1972. After completing his Extra Master’s Certificate in 1974 in Durban, he spent two years in command with Unicorn Shipping of Durban. He then joined the UK Maritime and Coastguard Agency (MCA) as a Grade 1 Surveyor, progressing to Principal Surveyor Scotland. He was also a very active member of the Scotland branch of the Nautical Institute including chairman for eight years. In his retirement Alistair was an active astronomer, a keen hill walker and a cyclist. He also studied for a Master’s Degree in Geology and a course in German. |
| STRYDER | JOHANNES NICHOLAAS | 1855 | Johnnie Stryder was the real ‘Bolandse Seuntjie’, hailing from Franschhoek High School. He was a quiet and retiring lad with an unfortunate penchant for landing in trouble with the authorities. On leaving the General Botha he drifted into the financial world, in due course establishing his own finance business. Johnnie also started building, renovating and selling houses. After a spell in Gansbaai, he eventually retired to Seaview in Port Elizabeth. |
| STRYDOM | DAVID | 2915 | |
| STUBBS | DARRIEN IVAN | 895 | After G.B. joined s.s Griqua, Thesens Steamship Company as Cadet in February 1938. Left the Griqua as Acting Second Officer in November 1941. Wrote and passed second Officers Certificate in December 1941 in Durban. Joined the Seaward Defence Force in February 1942. From October 1942 had command of whalers and trawlers converted to minesweepers. Left the S.A.N.F February 1946 and went farming in Swartberg East Griqualand. In 1988 semi retired from farming and moved to a small holding in Boston, Natal. 1994 sold farming equipment 1996 went into a retirement village in Howick, Natal. Deceased June 2008. |
| STUCKEY | CLIVE | 1065 | After Bothie joined the Royal Navy Reserve as Midshipman, later transferred to the South African Naval Forces. Served on MLs in the East during WWII, Sub-Lieutenant, later promoted to Full Lieutenant. After leaving navy (demobbed) joined the public service from where he retierd. Decorations: 1939 – 45 Star, Atlantic Star, Burma Star & Other war medals Deceased 09/01/95 |
| STURGESS | CHRISTOPHER FRANK | 2702 | Joined Safmarine in 1979 as Cadet. Left the sea in 1982 and studied Civil Engineering at Natal Technikon. 2003 the Deputy Provincial Programme Manager for the Build, Operate and Transfer contract in Kwa-Zulu Natal. Implementing water reticulation and sanitation projects in rural areas as part of the government’s National Rural Development programme. January 2006 to July 2009 Resident Engineer Cotswold Downs Golf Course Estate, Hillcrest. August 2009 to June 2012 Contracts Manager for Icon Construction, Durban. Moved to the United Kingdom July 2012 and working as a Contracts Manager in the South of England for a family run construction business, Nicholls Construction Ltd Building & Civil Engineering. |
| STURGESS | DAVID | 1972 | In his earlier career he served on tugs in the Middle East as Captain, mostly doing pipeline laying with barges for a French Company. 1989 was in command of a supply vessel operating from Durban for approximately three years. He died in 1992 and his ashes are scattered over Kenilworth Race Course. |
| SULLIVAN | PATRICK GERALD | 404 | |
| SUMMERS | EDWIN JOHN | 953 | Born Zeerust, 14th July 1922. Son of Charles William Summers and Constance, nee Higgins. Ed, Zeerust Primary School. Cadet Draft 1937-9. On leaving Genearl Botha, Edwin John Summers joined the RNR as Midshipman and was posted to HMS Norfolk and later transferred to HMS Punjab, in which he lost his life when this ship was involved in a collision with HMS King George V during May 1942. |
| SUMPTION | PETER LYNN | 1913 | 2002 had own business running rock and surf angling trips from his home, Hamburg, Eastern Cape. Deceased 22/01/2008. “Peter was born in Cape Town 1938/04/08 and spend all his life in East London from the age of 2. He attended Cambridge High School before going to the Bothie in 1954/1955 he then joined the Clan Line on the Clan McTaggart and had to leave the Navy on account of his eye sight. His land career started at the Post Office and then on to Baker King and in 1958 joined South African Railways and Harbours and worked himself up to the Chief Buyer of the Eastern Cape before he retired in 1992 and spent 16 years in Hamburg South Africa fishing and being a National Tour Guide. His angling was his whole life and his ambition was to become a Springbok Angler but made it up to the top six (Light Tackle Boat) in South Africa and just missed his Green and Gold. He married Leona Rissling in 1961 and had two sons Stephen and Andrew and was three years short of his golden wedding when he passed away on the 22 January 2009 after a brave and courageous battle against the odds of Cans never complaining. His son Stephen was in the South African Navy and spent most of his 5 years on the Strike Craft following in fathers footsteps his other son followed his career and has just been promoted to Head of the Buying section of a big Hardware chain. I must add at this point that Peter was the first son of an ex Bothie Boy 1924/1925 Eric Stephen Sumption (GB cadet 193) also his uncle Cyril Sumption 1923/24 GB cadet 126.” |
| SUMPTION | CYRIL JAMES | 126 | Joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Seaman. Was a POW during WWII. Rank Gunner. |
| SUMPTION | ERIC STEPHEN | 193 | After Bothie joined the Mercantile Marine (S.A.R.&H. Ships) as a seaman. After a few years he came home and joined Cymots and was transferred from Cape Town to East London at the beginning of WWII. He remained with them until he retired. In the early 1940’s he formed the GB Old Boys’ Association in East London and died the Hon. Life President in 1993. |
| SUSSENS | VICTOR EDWIN | 1008 | 1942 Pupil Pilot SAAF, later a Lieutenant SAAF during WWII. |
| SUTHERLAND | DAVID DYASON | 2316 | |
| SUTHERLAND | BRIAN RUSSELL | 2509 | |
| SUTTON | GEORGE ANTHONY MICHAEL | 1009 | Born Pretoria, 4th December 1923. Son of Frederick William and Lilan Mary Sutton. Ed, Port Alfred Secondary School. Cadet 1938-9. After leaving General Botha, George Anthony Michael Sutton was apprenticed to Andrew Weir & Co but was transerred to the S.A.R.& H in 1942 (Merchant Navy) as a Seaman Gunner. From there he joined the SANF and was serving in HMSAS Treern when blown up through strking a mine, and he was reported missing, presumed lost at sea, on 12th January 1945. |
| SUTTON | FREDERICK LOVELL | 1622 | |
| SUTTON | LOVALL STUART | 1570 | |
| SUTTON | EDGAR STEPHEN | 232 | After Bothie apprenticed to Bullard King Line. 1964 Tug Master in East London Harbour. |
| SUTTON | CHRISTOPHER PETER | 2816 | 1982 – 1988 : Safmarine ( General Botha class of 1983 ). 1988 – 1994 : Polaris Shipping – various positions, last being Branch Manager, Richards Bay Agency office. 1994 – 1999 : Operations Manager for Christensen Canadian African Lines (CCAL) based in Durban. 2000 – 2005 : Operations Manager – Seaboard Overseas Ltd. 2005 Grindrod Shipping – first as Operations Manager for Commodity Trading Division, Atlas Trading & Shipping. 2017 General Manager, Operations, Durban for Island View Shipping, a division of Grindrod. 2021 relocated to the United Kingdom, still with Grindrod Shipping (Island View Shipping a Division of Grindrod) opening office in London. |
| SWART | PETRUS GERHARDUS | 2254 | Started off with Safmarine in 1965. Joined Unicorn in 1970 and eventually ended up as Master of Rennies Coaster ‘Jolanda’. Joined S.A.R. & H in Cape Town in 1974. 1989 appionted as a Harbour Pilot in Port Elizabeth. 2003 sailing with De Beers Marine. Retired 2015. GBOBA Bursary Fund board member. |
| SWEMMER | BERNARD GERALD | 2230 | 1964 Cadet in “South African Vanguard”. 1964 – 72 – Cadet, Third Mate & Second Mate with Safmarine. August 1972 – joined Harbour Services as Mate in Durban. July 1976 – Promoted to Tug Master to Walvis Bay. January 1980 – Promoted Pilot to Saldanha Bay. October 1984 – moved to Mossel Bay as Harbour Master. November 1991 – Promoted to Assistant Port Captain in East London. 1974 – 1976 – Served as Secretary of the Durban branch of the Association under Gordon Jones. 2002 retired. Deceased 06/05/2008. |
| SWINGLER | GOWER | 289 | After Bothie apprenticed to Bristol Channel steamers. |
| SYMES | MICHAEL JOHN | 2614 | Sailed with Safmarine before joining the harbour service on their tugs. Thereafter joined ISCOR and then became a director of Bidfreight Port Operations. Deceased 23/02/2010. |
| SYMONS | MAURICE METHLEY | 477 | Born Howick, Natal 14th September 1913. Son of Philip Methley and Myrtle Matilda Symons. Ed, Dundee Intermediate School. Cadet Draft 1929-30. Maurice Methley Symons joiend SARSHIPS as AB in 1931, but in 1933 left the sea to take up farming. At the outbreak of war he joined the SANF and was serving in HMS Gloucester when she was sunk off Crete, and he was reported lost at sea on 22nd May 1941. |
| SYNDERCOMBE | PETER ANTHONY | 2128 | |
| SYNDERCOMBE | GLEN | 1571 | To sea as Cadet with Anglo Saxon Petroleum 1950. Obtained Master’s foreign going certificate 1959 in Cape Town. Joined S.A. Navy as Lieutenant in 1960. 1960 – 1963 Navigation Officer SAS Walvis Bay & SAS Good Hope. 1963 to 1964 long ND course, HMS Dryad. 1964 to 1966 squadron Navigation Officer off 10 FS in SAS President Steyn. 1966 to 1969 Officer in Charge SAN Radar school in Durban. 1969 to 1972 Project Officer. Promoted to Commander. 1972 to 1974 OC SAS Jan van Riebeeck. 1975 – 1977 Project Officer, Strike Craft. 1977 – 1980 strike craft Flotilla Commander. Promoted to Captain. 1980 to 1985 Naval Staff. Director Operations & Chief of Staff. Promoted to Commodore and later to Rear Admiral. 1985 – 1989 promoted to Vice Admiral and appointed Chief of the S.A. Navy. Retired 1989. Deceased 18th July 2005. |
| SYVRET | PHILIP HELLIER | 103 | Entered Andrew Weir Company as apprentice. |
| TABERER | GODFREY ERNEST FRANCIS | 290 | After Bothie apprenticed to P&O Line. Lieutenant G.E.F. Taberer (290) was seconded to the 12th Lancers in Italy and was awarded the Military Cross for gallantry on 21 June, 1945. |
| TABERNER | DENNIS | 1438 | 1948 – 52 – Pupil Draughtsman, Cape Divisional Council 1953 – 64 – Senior Draughtsman, British Colonial Service. Nayasaland Government (now Malawi). 1964 – 66 – Technical Representative, fixing & fastening methods (Pty) Ltd 1967 – 72 – Entered into a partnership and started a new company, Powerbolt (Pty) Ltd 1972 – 80 – Branch Manager of Turner Morris (Pty) Ltd 1980 – Appointed Branch Manager, Liquid meters when the meter division was to run independently. 1990 – Amalgamated with Dupleix valves and made Regional Manager Dupleix/Liquid Meters. 1990 – Appointed (alt) Director to Fluid Holdings Board. Deceased 31/07/2007 |
| TAILBY | GEORGE ALFRED PIERCE | 32 | After Bothie placed in Hall Line as apprentice. |
| TAINTON | CHRISTOPHER ROBIN | 1439 | |
| TALBOT | NORMAN GEORGE | 2458 | 2013 working in Dubai, Jebel Ali. |
| TARR | MILTON GLENMORE | 308 | |
| TATE | KEVIN ALAN | 2542 | Matriculated at Wynberg Boys High School in 1973. After 6 illuminating months at UCT’s Michaelis School of Art, joined Safmarine as a Cadet in late 1974. Served on various ship types until transferring to SAFTUG (Safmarine’s Special Ships Division) in 1980. Served aboard JOHN ROSS and WOLRAAD WOLTEMADE until subsidiary company Pentow Marine formed in 1986. Then served aboard various Pentow vessels involved in the offshore oil industry. Obtained Master’s Certificate in 1988 and promoted to Master in 1989. Master aboard various offshore support vessels and salvage tugs JOHN ROSS and WOLRAAD WOLTEMADE. Skippered a 65’ schooner GOOD NEWS in 1986 Cape To Rio Race and co-skippered a 54’ ketch NEW CRUSADER in 2000 Cape to Rio Race. Stayed with company as Pentow Marine became SMIT Pentow Marine, then SMIT Marine South Africa. Seconded to S.A. AGULHAS as Master from 2001 to 2003 after two understudy trips in 2000. Freelanced as Ice Pilot aboard New Zealand’s NIWA research vessel TANGAROA in Ross Sea in 2004. Master aboard SMIT AMAMDLA (ex JOHN ROSS) from 2003 to 2008 in role of ETV for S.A. Government on S.A. coast. Swallowed the anchor in 2008 after 34 years at sea and joined SMIT Salvage as a Salvage Master. January 2018 retired. Last salvage job for SMIT was as OSC (On Scene Commander) in 2018 for the MAERSK HONAM salvage job. After reaching mandatory retirement age in January 2019 departed from SMIT Marine South Africa following 44 years “continuous” service since joining Safmarine in 1974. Joined GSC (Global Salvage Consultancy) in February 2019 as an Associate Salvage Consultant. First major salvage job with GSC was attending capsizing of car carrier GOLDEN RAY in Brunswick, Georgia, USA late 2019. Appointed to Lloyd’s SCR Panel from 1st January 2020. First job as SCR, a cargo barge grounding in Latvia, also in January 2020. 2003 awarded the Russian Federation’s highest peacetime medal for bravery. The award was made for Kevin’s pivotal role, as Master of the S.A. Agulhas, in rescuing a Russian Antarctic expedition team from the deck of the German research ship, Magdalena Oldendorff, after the ship was trapped in pack ice in June 2002. |
| TAYLOR | SYDNEY HAROLD JAMES | 352 | |
| TAYLOR | JOHN ADRIAAN | 1380 | Served Cadetship on various British India Steam Navigation Company vessels. After obtaining Second Mates Certificate did one voyage on the S.A.R. & H. vessel ‘Erica’ and then rejoined B.I. after Chief Officers Certificate joined the Mining Industry, shaft sinking. 1958, emigrated to the Federation of Rhodesia and Nyasaland. Sand shafts on the Copperbelt and worked on the tunnels at Kariba. Worked on the Copperbelt until 1974, emigrated to Rhodesia. 1978, returned to South Africa. Joined Aberdare Cables (Pty) Ltd as Commercial Manager. Deceased 18th October 2013. |
| TAYLOR | FRANK PETER | 1737 | Sailed with S.A. Lines and later became a Traffic Policeman in Cape Town. Previously with Iscor Steel in Saldanha Bay. Retired. Deceased 29/07/2007. |
| TAYLOR | CHARLES RUPERT | 324 | After G.B. Rupert joined the R.N.R. as a midshipman in H.M.S. Lowestoft before joining Ellerman & Bucknall and during this time he also served in mine sweepers. In 1933 he joined the R.A.F., soon obtained his wings. He moved rapidly through the ranks and was posted to various stations in Africa during WWII, serving mainly on flying boats. Rupert was cut out to command and was well supported and respected by his men, being twice mentioned in dispatches and awarded the OBE in 1944. He commanded the R.A.F. Station Leuchards near to St. Andrews before retiring in 1946 with the rank of Group Captain. Returned to S.A. And there followed 25 years in industry culminating in 16 years with Feltex. He was Chairman and later President of the Royal Air Force Association and 12 years representing the R.A.F. Benevolent Fund. Deceased 12/06/97. |
| TAYLOR | DUDLEY JOHN | 2679 | |
| TAYLOR | DAVID GLYNN | 2615 | Sailed with Unicorn Lines. Died in a car accdient in Durban 29/10/96. |
| TAYLOR | CHRISTOPHER | 2817 | |
| TAYLOR | BASIL WILLIAM MEESER | 248 | Was a Sergeant Major during WWII in M.E.B. Mines engineering Brigade T.E.C. |
| TAYLOR | JOHN RANDALL | 1585 | |
| TEAGUE | DAVID BRUCE | 2510 | 1974 – 82 sailed with Safmarine through the ranks to Second Officer. Then sailed with Unicorn Lines 1982-1983, obtaining Master’s C.O.C. in December 1983. April 1984 joined Portnet in Richards Bay as First Officer, resigned in April 1987 to manage a branch of an analytical/surveying/sampling company for 5 years. 1992 returned to Portnet as tug master and 1997 appointed Harbour Pilot in Richards Bay. Was actively involved in the Naval Cadet Corps. 1999 resigned from Portnet and relocated to Doha, Persian Gulf. Spent 5 years at Halul Island oil terminal working with Neville Gibbs-Jones on the SBMs then transferred to Ras Laffan for 4 years and worked with GB Old Boys Peter Tissink, Peter Blackett, Rob de Koning, Mike Grindley and Rob Reuvers as a harbour pilot. 2008 returned to SA, no permanent work available so headed off to Nigeria and spent 2 years as pilot/load master at Bonny SBMs and one year on a FPSO as marine superintendent. Sept 2012, relocated to Esperance Australia to work with GB Old Boys Rob Lovell and Steve Dickason as a harbour pilot. Returned to South Africa mid 2016. Surveying in Richards Bay. |
| TENNANT | JOSEPH | 1010 | 1939 presented himself for enlistment in the Royal Navy, failed eyesight test. Joined the Seaward Defence Force as an A.B. and spent five war years in the Mediterranean on converted whale catchers with 22nd Anti Submarine Flotilla & 166th Minesweeper Group (Magnetic & Acoustic Sweepers). On gradutation from University of Cape Town in 1948 appointed to the S.A. Diplomatic Service. After postings to S.A. Embassies in Washington D.C. and Rome, Legation in Athens and Consulate in the Belgian Congo, these interspersed with head office stints in Pretoria, resigned from ‘The Diplomatic’ to join the Commonwealth Government service in Australia. Eventually retired as Director of the Coastal Transport branch of the Department of Transport. Since retirement has had several novels published in the U.K. |
| TERHORST | RICHARD HUGO | 2317 | Came to SA in 1963 from Holland via Hong Kong and was singularly unimpressed with the schooling system which I thought was infantile in their treatment of 16 to 18 year olds. My academic interest promptly declined which did not do my marks any good. However after joining the Bothie in 1967 and the treatment became more adult, life took a new meaning and instilled some discipline which was needed. Joined Safmarine as a cadet with the last 6 months as uncertified 3rd officer. The first I was made to understand and much to the disgust of the then Master. However I managed to satisfy his strict competence requirements giving an interesting time. Including the many 8 hour watches I had to walk due to a certain 2nd officer’s inability to wake after a few beers! Whilst a 1st year cadet applied to a Dutch college and was accepted but a lack of family support meant remaining with Safmarine until Master’s was obtained. In 1972 married a Fish Hoek girl and my stay in SA now became permanent. At that time of gaining Masters Safmarine had a preference for British officers, paying them 40% more than SA based staff, and that combined with a wish for being closer with family decided for a shore job with Grindrod at the then new container terminals. In 1980 was fortunate to be accepted by UCT for an MBA. Initially feeling an impostor until roundly told by the then Dean that their assessment of the Masters ticket was the equivalent of an Honours degree. Subsequent confirmed by the SETA rankings. Gaining of the MBA combined with the turmoil in shipping employment caused by the change over to containers saw the future as other than shipping. After a short spell in De Beers Marine to get some funds together and using the MBA and some other minor qualifications opened a business consulting practice in 1986. A CFA(SA) was obtained shortly afterwards and the business was expanded into accountancy and tax. Now in 2005 the business has been sold and a move to the UK is in progress. Partly to be near the daughters who reside in the UK and partly to secure the future especially with the uncertainty now hanging over SA. Initially unemployed (If UK representation needed or jobs are known do call or E-mail) it is hoped to set up an independent business with hopefully links to SA to justify frequent business paid for trips! |
| TERNENT | ROY GAVIN WHITE | 2848 | Did the Cape to Uruguay on the Howard Davis in January 1985 and was with Safmarine as deck officer. 2003 had an Advertising Agency in Gauteng. 2020 owner and Managing Director of Logix, a Freight Forwarding business based in Johannesburg. |
| TERRILL | WILLIAM | 246 | After Bothie apprenticed to Prince Line. |
| TERRY | DRUMMOND DAVID | 1680 | |
| TERRY | ROBERT GRAHAM | 2426 | After G.B. joined Safmarine as Cadet, obtained Masters Certificate and rank of Chief Officer. Seconded ashore to Safmarine’s Container Vessel stowage office (MARSCC) and later as Cargo Superintendent with the SAECS/Transatlantic joint RORO Service. Promoted to Manager of the RORO Office and another promotion saw him as the Safari (Far East Trade Conference) Management Office Operations Manager. September 1995 – Transferred to the Safbank Office (USA Trade) as Operations Manager, later promoted to Trade Operations General Manager followed in 2001 to Trade Executive. October 2002 appointed Regional Executive for Unifeeder renamed United Africa Container Lines in 2004 and following further mergers to Ocean Africa Container Line. Retired 2011. |
| TEUBES | ALAN VICTOR | 1327 | 1964 Tug Master un East London. Previously with the S.A.R.& H. as Harbour Pilot and Assistant Port Captain of East London. Reported deceased. |
| THEUNISSEN | SYDNEY PHILIP | 2460 | phtheunissen@gmail.com Sailed on the passenger vessel S.A. Vaal before joining Safmarine H.O. in their marketing department. Between 1978 and 1982 worked for various chartering firms based in Johannesburg before moving to Canada with Gearbulk. 1983/4 posted to Gearbulk’s H.O. in Norway and on returning to Canada joined Map 6 Shipping in 1985 followed in 1987 as Vice President Business Development with Worldwide Shipping and Chartering involved in ship brokering activities with major charterers and owners world wide. Office address: World Wide Shipping & Chartering Ltd., 1066 West Hastings, Street, Suite 2000, Vancouver, B.C., Canada, V6E 3X2. 2012 joined CTL Westrans Shipbrokers. 2014 estblished his own company, Bluesea Chartering Inc and also appointed Nobel Chartering Representative in Vacouver. |
| THEUNISSEN | ANTOINE | 2349 | |
| THOM | GEORGE | 309 | |
| THOM | GEORGE BRYSON | 1488 | Awarded the King Gold Medal, Nettleton Prize, the Silver Efficiency Prize and the Captain’s Sextant. Apprentice with P&O and later 4th Officer on the Himalay’s maiden voyage. Served briefly as 4th Officer with Union Castle before returning to P&O. Spent 4 years as Assistant Dock Superintendent in the Royal Group of Docks based in London. During subject period became a Royal Navy Reservist and eventually retired from the RNR as a Commander RD RNR. Joined Safmarine in November 1971 and served them for 20 years. Commanded 14 Safmarine vessels until retirement in 1991. Thereafter did some relief voyages until late 1992. Deceased 23/06/2010. |
| THOMAS | PETER | 2129 | 1960 indentured to Ellerman & Bucknall. 1963 joined a furniture manufacturing business as Dispatch Clerk and Pantechnicon Driver Code 11. Early 1964 joined an Engineering Supply Company Reunert & Lenz as Storeman and later internal Salesman. May 1968 joined a local electrical wholesaler R.J.D. Old Electrical as rep/internal salesman/chief buyer. Company was taken over by Voltex Group April 1990 and continued as Branch Manager until retirement in April 1996. 1968 was a founder member of N.S.R.I. Station 7 (East London) and left the N.S.R.I. as Station Commander in 1981. 1969 joined the S.A. Navy Citizen Force and 1996 was still attached to S.A.S. Port Rex with rank of Lieutenant Commander. Deceased 22nd February 2013. |
| THOMAS | BRUCE | 2159 | Bruce sailed with B&C (Union Castle) then worked ashore for many years doing all sorts of jobs, went back to sea with Unicorn and at some stage joined SA Harbours. Got his masters ticket in 1983 and worked as a tug master in Durban. Around 1998 he joined Pentow Marine working on the Ndongeni out at the SBM. Worked in the Persian Gulf around 2002. Reported deceased. |
| THOMAS | AUBREY CLAUDE | 1066 | Served in WWII after leaving the Training Ship. At various stages of his career he was in Ellerman & Bucknall’s City of Perth and City of Lincoln. He later sailed as Master in Safmarine before coming ashore in the marine surveying business. Decesaed early 2004. |
| THOMAS | ERNEST WALTER | 277 | |
| THOMAS | RICHARD GARFIELD | 218 | |
| THOMAS | JOHN PHILIP | 954 | |
| THOMAS | DESMOND DUDLEY | 1201 | Sailed with Andrew Weir (Bank Line) and later worked for the Shipping Federation based in the U.K. 1966 returned to South Africa and joined Safmarine in their marine personnel department. Retired 1986. Deceased 02/04/2005 |
| THOMAS | CYRIL STANLEY | 1016 | 12 September 1939 appointed as Cadet RNR to the Armed Merchant Cruiser Carnarvon Castle. Lt RNR/SANF HMS Carnarvon Castle 12/9/39 |
| THOMAS | ELLIS DAVID | 1440 | |
| THOMAS | HAYDEN WILLIAM | 2079 | |
| THOMPSON | GEORGE JOHN | 955 | |
| THOMPSON | FRANCIS LEICESTER | 1381 | Deceased. |
| THOMPSON | ROBERT CHARLES | 1975 | Deceasd 09/05/94 after a long illness. Was an active member of the Transvaal branch of the association. Rob worked in the motor industry in Pretoria for 25 years until his retirement in 1988, when he became a Financial Consultant to some of the largest maufacturers in the country. |
| THOMPSON | GORDON MEIRING | 779 | |
| THOMPSON | ALBERT ROBERT VICTOR | 1266 | |
| THOMPSON | THOMAS EDWARD STANLEY | 956 | |
| THOMPSON | NORMAN JOHN | 777 | Apprenticed to Houlder Bros Shipping Company engaged mainly in the trade between the UK and South America. After completing his apprenticeship, served in various ships during WWII. During this time he had the unenviable experience of sailing in a convoy to Murmansk. Was torpedoed in the ‘Mary Slessor’ off North Africa and survived several hours of paddling around in fuel oil before being rescued. He joined the S.A. Harbour Service in Durban in 1948 after obtaining his Master’s Certificate and served in Durban, Port Nolloth and Walvis Bay before retiring in 1980 as Senior Pilot in Durban Harbour. Awarded two Russian medals for service on the Murmansk convoys. Deceased 09/12/2003. |
| THOMPSON | FRANCIS WESLEY | 2192 | |
| THOMSON | ROBERT WILLIAM MC ARTHUR | 1067 | Sailed on Blue Funnel liner Anchises which was sunk in the Irish Sea in 1941. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. “Was Second Officer on the ‘Vergelegen’ (Safmarine) on her first voyage under the S.A. Flag.” Extract from “Mailships of the Union Castle Line. “A few Safmarine Officers were transferred to the mail ships, one of whom was Captain Robin McA. Thomson. Having learnt his seamanship on the training ship General Botha, and after a spell in the Blue Funnel Line, he had joined Safmarine as a Third Officer in 1947, gaining command in the early fifties. His experience and his polished demeanour made him an obvious commander on the S.A. Vaal, before being appointed to command on the S.A. Oranje. When Commodore Norman Lloyd on the S.A. Vaal retired, Captain Thomson succeeded him as Commodore.” 05/02/1976 the first Safmarine Officer to be appointed Commodore. Retired July 1983 but was appointed to Safmarine’s new cruise liner Astor December 1983. Finally retired June 1984. Deceased 11/01/2011. Robert (Robin) Thomson GB cadet 1067; 1939 and 1940. Robin joined Blue Funnel during 1941. His first ship Anchises, was sunk off the north west coast of Ireland. Dick (GB 896) and TY (897) were on the quay side to meet him when the survivors came ashore in Liverpool. Robin completed his second mates with Blue Funnel and returned to South Africa as fourth mate on the Sarpedon, an old Blue Funnel passenger ship. He served with Maersk Line on one of their tankers and with SAR Ships before joining Safmarine’s Morgenster in New York during 1947. His first appointment as master with Safmarine was five years later. When Safmarine ventured into stevedoring he was appointed manager of SA Stevedors in Durban. He returned to the fleet serving on the bulk carriers, the big whites (container ships) and finally on the passenger ships before he retired. His lovely wife Helene joined him on most of the ships he served on as master. |
| THOMSON | JAMES | 1532 | 1968 – with H.M.G. Construction equipment. |
| THOMSON | RICHARD SCOTT MCKIE | 896 | Brothers Richard (Dick) GB cadet number 896 and Tom (TY) GB cadet number 897 served on the ship 1936 and 1937. Dick was the chief cadet captain during 1937 and he joined Blue Funnel as a midshipman. TY served his cadet-ship with Silver Line. They both met in Liverpool during 1941 to write their second mates. On gaining their second mates they both served on the UK coast before joining the Diomed as supernumeraries and returned to South Africa where Dick joined the SA Coastal defence service and TY joined SAR ships. |
| THOMSON | THOMAS YATES | 897 | After GB joined Silver Line to serve his apprenticeship which included WWII service. 1942 returned to S.A. on the ss Diomed and joined SAR Ships operating from S.A. A year after WWII promoted to Master at the age of 25 on the S.A. Agulhas carrying supplies from South Africa to North Africa and Borneo. 1950/51 appointed tug master in Walvis Bay with SAR&H and later transferred to East London. 1965 transferred to Cape Town where he retired after many years as a harbour pilot. Deceased 7th July 2014. |
| THOMSON | IAN FORBES | 596 | Did not complete training, medically unfit. |
| THOMSON | DOUGLAS JOHN | 1441 | Moved to England and went to sea. Later returned to S.A. And joined the mining industry. Deceased approximately 1991. |
| THOMSON | ARCHIBALD ROBERTSON | 268 | After Bothie apprenticed to Elder-Dempster Line. Deceased about 2002. |
| THOMSON | ANDREW MAGNESS | 778 | |
| THOMSON | CHRISTIAN JOHN KNOX | 1202 | Chris Thomson, GB cadet number 1202; 1941 and 1942. On leaving the Botha Chris joined the Royal Navy as a midshipman. He served on board HMS Ceylon and was on board when the Japanese surrendered Singapore to the allied forces. Following WWII, Chris came ashore and worked in personnel management. |
| THOMSON | WILLIAM SHAW | 283 | After G.B. went to sea in Union Castle “Black Ships”. 1931 caught in the depression swallowed the anchor and entered the Life Insurance Industry. 1940 joined the S.D.F. and served in the examination service, mine sweepers and anti-submarine vessels until appointed X.D.O. (Extended Defence Officer) in Durban. Promoted to Lieutenant Commander and posted to SRI Lanka (Ceylon) as South African Naval Liason Officer, serving in S.E.A.C. (South East Asia Command) in Lord Mountbatten’s Head Quarters. Demobilised December 1945 and returned to the life insurance industy. Became Assistant General Manager for Southern Africa and retired in 1971. Decesaed 17/06/2000 |
| THOMSON | DOUGLAS JAMES | 1489 | |
| THOMSON | MICHAEL COLLINS | 1738 | |
| THOMSON | GEORGE JAMES DOUGLAS | 306 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line. Later joined the air force. |
| THORNTON | RICHARD JAMES | 2818 | |
| THORPE | EDWARD JOHN | 1791 | Joined Union Castle Line as Cadet and eventually promoted to Chief Officer. 1965 moved to Australia and in Sydney joined the Australian Stevedoring Industry Authority as a Port Inspector. 1978 joined P&O as a Supercargo and later transferred to OCL as a Ship Planner. Later retired from there. |
| THORPE | JEREMY WILLIAM | 2490 | 1973 sailed with Safmarine on the tanker Marland and on the SA Van der Stel. 1975 to 1980 journalist, Pretoria News and Citizen 1980 to 1997 news-writer SABC TV News, eventually rising to Chief Executive Producer, TV News. Also freelanced as 5FM news presenter 1997 to 2002 news anchor Radio 702 2003 to set up newsroom for Classic FM 2004 to present, set up and running community radio station in Pretoria. Presently TUT Top Stereo, soon to be Tshwane FM. Gauteng’s fastest-growing radio station. |
| THORSEN | JOHN TRAVERS | 159 | After Bothie apprenticed to Clan Line. Also was an actor in England during the thirties until he fell ill and returned to the sea for a while. |
| THORSEN | DOUGLAS MARTIN | 528 | 1931 Junior Cadet Captain. |
| TIDDY | ALASTAIR JAMES | 2405 | After leaving school, served my national service with the Royal Rhodesia Regiment and the Rhodesian Corps of Signals. Re-mustered to the Royal Rhodesian Air Force after being accepted for flying training as a pilot on 6 Squadron, based at RRAF Thornhill near Gwelo. Left the RRAF after being injured in a motor vehicle accident that left me in hospital for six weeks, by which time my fellow pilots had moved ahead in their training. Found myself in Durban with no money and no job, but found an advertisement in the local newspaper that Safmarine were looking for deck cadets. So I thought “What the heck, I’ll give it a go and see something of the world.” So I found myself a cadet for the 2nd time in my life. Served on the S.A Hexriver for all of 1970 before going the Bothie in 1971, sailed on the Far East run on the S.A. Morgenster and then was transferred to Union Castle for a year on the S.A. Oranje. Met some great shipmates with whom I am still in regular contact. Sea life does that to one. Went ashore to sit 2nd Officers Certificate and then went back to the Far East run on the S.A. Constantia with Captain Brian Evans – great ship. Transferred back again to Union Castle as 3rd Officer on the S.A. Oranje, sailing with Robin Thompson as Captain. Finished off sea time for Chief Officers Certificate in the S.A. Sugela with Ernie Hinterlietner as the Captain, a very happy ship. Completed Chief Officers Certificate in 1975 and then did a short stint as Chief Officer on the Zwartkops with Unicorn to fill in some spare time and earn some extra cash before getting married. Swallowed the anchor in 1976 when Annette and I were married, and transferred ashore to Safmarine Computer Services as programmer and eventually Project Manager. Spent five years working with the Anglican Church in Cape Town before returning to IT as a Project Manager and consultant. Started law studies in 1984, which were halted when I immigrated to Australia in 1989 and we settled in Sydney. In 1990, I went back to University to complete the MBA, graduating in 1993. After a variety of roles in strategy and planning, I finally completed my law studies (Bcom, (Law) and LLB) that I started in South Africa, and was admitted as a Lawyer of the Supreme Court of New South Wales. I spent time with the national telecommunications carrier (Telstra) in corporate practice, specialising in litigation mainly in the areas of Competition and Consumer Law. Left Telstra in 2008 and went out on my own doing corporate advisory work in corporate governance, compliance and mergers and acquisitions. Went back to University of Sydney Law for further studies, graduating in 2013 with a Masters of Laws. In 2013, I went out into the private sector and now run my own law practice practicing in Corporate, Civil disputes Property, Employment and Criminal. I am content to have my colleague lead the Family Law practice, which I reckon is legalised blood-sport – I am quite happy to muck in defending the (alleged) criminals and jail-birds any time. |
| TIEDT | LANCE HILBERT | 2916 | 1986 – joined Safmarine as a Cadet. 1989 – obtained Class 3 Certificate. 1992 – obtained Class 2 Certificate. 1996 – Chief Officer with Safmarine. 2002 – Master with Tidewater. 2004 – Smit Terminals Europe based in Poti, Georgia. 2007 – Marine Advisor with Smit in Saldanha Bay. |
| TIFFIN | BARRY JAMES | 2080 | 1968 – Section Officer with the British South Africa Police. Deceased 15/09/96. |
| TIGLER-WYNBRANDI | RODERICK ADRIAAN | 2660 | 2021 works in the film industry. |
| TILBURY | LOUIS ARTHUR | 1382 | Deceased. |
| TIMM | LESLIE OWEN | 1139 | Deceased 03/01/1991. After the General Botha he joined up for the Naval Services. Simonstown, Robben Island and Saldanha Bay were places he often spoke about. His work during the war was to lay under water cables and the “Spindrift” was the boat that they worked on. The name has been carried down the line and their house in Port Alfred, his son’s fishing boat and his daughter’s B + B in Kleinemonde have all been named the “Spindrift”.Married in 1947 then he joined his father to farm in the Trappe’s Valley area near Port Alfred. A few years later he bought a coastal farm in the Peddie district, (Eastern Cape). In 1979 his farm was bought off him to form part of the Ciskei and he very sadly was forced into early semi-retirement and moved to Port Alfred until his death. |
| TINKLER | JOHN MICHAEL | 1792 | Deceased Novemebr 1958 whilst serving as second officer on the coaster m.v. Congella. |
| TIPPER | WILLIAM LOTON | 1383 | Reported deceased. After Bothie joined Arden Hall Line October 1946. Unfortunately failed the eyestight test in 1948 and thereafter applied to join the Post Office in Port Elizabeth. |
| TISSINK | JOHANNES CORNELIS | 2459 | Previously sailed with Safmarine and Unicorn. 1981 joined the harbour service in Port Elizabeth. Did tours of duty in various ports before promoted pilot in Cape Town. Deceased 03/02/2008. |
| TISSINK | PETER MARINUS | 2575 |
Left Safmarine in 1987 as C/O on Nederburg and joined Portnet Durban as mate on the tugs with Rob Reuvers and Peter Blackett. Moved back to Cape Town in 1990 as mate / master on Portnet tugs and then pilot. Got first pilots license in Cape Town in 1995 and left Portnet in 2001 for Ras Laffan, Qatar and I am still here as pilot with Rob De Koning playing with LNG carriers, tankers up to VLCC’s and now dry docks as well. Worked in Cape Town with my brother Hans, first as tug master and then later joined him in the pilots office. This was a fantastic experience and as naturally happens between brothers a lot of chirping went on when we were on the water at the same time !!! |
| TODD | JAMES | 1533 | After G.B. joined Anglo Saxon Petroleum Company [Shell Tankers]. After obtaining First Mate FG sailed with two north east coastal companies. In 1957 joined the River Tyne Police in the U.K. and served on the force until 1977 when returned to sea as Master with Effluent Services on various ships until 1991. Retired. Deceased 18/01/2010. |
| TODDUN | WALTER JOHN | 79 | After Bothie apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall Line. Later a sub-station officer at Cape Town Fire Brigade. |
| TODDUN | IAN WALTER | 1914 | After Bothie joined Shell Tankers. |
| TOFTE | JOHNNIE LAWRENCE | 2193 | |
| TOMLINSON | LESLIE KENNETH | 1623 | Owner of the restaurant “Pitchers Café Bar”, Hout Bay, Cape Town. |
| TOMS | MARTIN WINSTON | 22 | |
| TOOMS | DONALD | 1574 | Joined Clan Line as a cadet in 1950 and after obtaining Master’s joined Safmarine in 1961 as Chief Officer, promoted to Master in 1962. 1964 Master of “South African Vanguard”. In 1967 he was transferred to the U.S.A. as Marine Superintendent until 1988 when he retired from Safmarine. He then joined Gulf & Atlantic Marintime Services Inc. In Houston as Trade Manager for the Safbank Account. Retired from G&A in 1996 and spent the following two years as self employed Marine Consultant. Retired from the Marine Industry in 1998. |
| TOWNS | DONALD PERRIER | 957 | WWII Lt SAAF. |
| TRAILL | ADAM | 529 | 1931 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. At Bothie he won the Royal Naval Scholarship to train as an Officer in the Royal Navy at Portsmouth, England. After training promoted to Sub-Lieutenant, R.N.R. Then joined Holder Bros Shipping Company for three years. Was then appointed as an Officer to the British India Line. In 1941 was called up by the Royal Navy and commanded patrol boats in the Middle and Far East. 1946 returned to Cape Town and demobbed with the rank of Lieutenant-Commander R.N.R. Then joined the harbour service in Port Elizabeth, where he served as Tug Master. Ordained as an Elder of the Presbyterian Church, Port Elizabeth, as well as a choir member. Deceased 02/07/1991. |
| TRAYLEN | LOUIS HERBERT | 530 | |
| TREACHER | NIGEL WEBB | 68 | 1964 worked at the Central Engineering Works and had passed his A.T.C.I. |
| TROLLOPE | BRUCE LESLIE WATTS | 2381 | |
| TROMP | ALBERTUS JOHANNES | 1068 | |
| TROUTMAN | STANLEY CLIFFORD | 38 | |
| TRUEBODY | STEPHEN HARRISON | 2616 | I attended both A and B semesters at Bothie afterwards doing contract work in various fields. 2017 serving as a Dredging Master in Durban with Transnet National Port Authority. |
| TRUNDELL | WALTER HARRY | 531 | |
| TULLY | JAMES FOSTER | 1534 | Deceased 23/12/2016. Jim arrived in S. A. about 1940 with his parents and still had an English accent, hence his nickname of Limey. Jim was unfortunately colour blind so didn`t go to sea. Some years later, he left for the UK and lived for a while on a canal barge on the Thames, upper reaches, presumably with his wife/companion. His dad was a land surveyor and we believe he followed that for a while, but eventually worked for a Civil Engineer on bridge design and construction. After retirement time he worked for quite a while on a part time basis. |
| TURKSTRA | HEDYER | 2733 | Previously with Transnet National Port Authority on their harbour tugs. Deceased 30th April 2009. |
| TURNER | EDWIN GORDON | 1856 | Eddie Turner was born in Claremont and came to the General Botha via Wynberg Boys’ High School. On leaving the Botha he joined Clan Line and served in the Clan Brodie, King Arthur and Umtata. Eddie left the sea in 1959 and, after marrying Natalie Watt of Bloomfield, New Jersey, emigrated to the USA and joined the US Army. He saw service in New Jersey, Ludwigsburg in Germany and finally Georgia, USA. In 1964 he attended the National Aviation Academy in St. Petersburg, Florida. Graduating with various flying qualifications, he commenced a career as a general aviation instructor with various flying schools in Florida and California, adding in due course to his commercial/instrument pilot’s licence by obtaining a Cessna 500 rating, becoming an instructor in that rating as well. Throughout his two years at the Botha and during his time at sea, he was always known as ‘Eddie’ but with another ‘Eddie’ in one of the flying schools his name had been summarily changed to ‘Ted’! It stuck; he was known to all and sundry as Ted and that’s how we’ll refer to him for the remainder of this entry. In 1968 he joined Western Airlines as a pilot instructor, teaching systems on Boeing 727-200s, Boeing 737-300s and McDonnell Douglas DC 10s. In 1978 Western Airlines merged with Delta and Ted was transferred to Atlanta, Georgia, where he continued training pilots on the Boeings. He then worked on the McDonnell Douglas MD-11 in Long Beach, California, developing a new computer based training programme for Delta. Appointed Senior Instructor by Delta, he taught and trained other instructors to teach on this aircraft. He also oversaw the design and development of a flight training device in Montreal; this was incorporated into Delta programmes, shortening pilot’s training time and later extended to cover training on Boeing 737-800s. In 2006 Ted and Natalie retired and moved to Englewood, Florida, where he formed a company known as Pixel Maniac, involved in photography and website development. Ted is also actively engaged in spurring economic growth and assisting local businesses in downtown Englewood in the updating of their facilities. Active in his 70s! Ted and Natalie have two sons, Robert and Matthew and two grand-children ‒ all resident in the USA. Their daughter Megan was tragically lost in a motoring accident in 2000. Deceased 8th January 2019. |
| TURNER | KENNETH THOMSON | 1267 | |
| TURNER | RAYMOND CAMPTON | 310 | |
| TURNER | ATHLONE REGINALD | 1328 | 1944/45 Cadet on the s.v. Lawhill. 1946/48 Cadet with SAR Ships. 1949/50 Fourth Officer with Thos. Brocklebank. 1950/52 Second Officer with F.T. Everard. 1953/56 Fourth, Third and Second Officer with Alfred Holt (Blue Funnel). 1955, Commissioned as a Sub Lieutenant in the R.N.R. 1957/62, Witwatersrand Native Labour Assistant. 1963/69 buyer with Safmarine. 1969/74 Barlow/Oshkosh, Spares Manager. 1974/86 University of S.A. Assistant Director Finance. 1986/90 own business, Consultant on materails management. 1990/93 own Thatching company in Pretoria. Served as Commanding Officer of S.A. Naval Cadets. After qualifying in various commercial subjects, lecturer at Pretoria Technikom 1980/84, and Damelin Management School 1985/92. Deceased 13/05/2006. |
| TURNER | LAURENCE HERBERT | 532 | After G.B. joined Hall Line, City of Hankow. Served with the Hall Line from September 1932 to September 1935. Obtained Second Officer’s Certificate at Sir John Cass Nautical College in England. Due to the depression he left the sea and in 1937 joined the British South Africa Police in Rhodesia. Was commissioned in 1957 and retired after 32 years in 1969 as a Senior Assistant Commissioner. Deceased 05/09/95 |
| TURNER-DAUNCEY | MAURICE JOHN DALHOUISE | 1268 | Deceased October 2011. Below received from his son. After the war Dad left the sea and moved to Kenya to join his father who was involved in the game hunting industry. After a few years he was employed by the government to conduct locust control and moved throughout East Africa conducting this task. It was during the early 50’s that he met my mother, who was on holiday from Germany, at her uncles ranch. They were married in 1954 and had a happy few years in Tanzania where Dad had won a job as a game park ranger. This was a time of unrest in East Africa and the Mau Mau crisis was the catalyst for the young couple to move to the UK to start their family. They had 3 children and after 8 years in the UK decided that the climate was just too cold for their liking.They imigrated to Australia as 10 pound poms in 1964. They were always happy with their choice to start fresh in this country. At age 50 Dad got itchy feet again and decided to return to the sea. He and Mum gave up their comfortable existence in the suburbs and purchased a small yacht. Dad quickly fell into the life at sea and he and Mum went on many wonderful adventures around the South Pacific. Often stopping to work and build up the kitty along the way. After about 15 years of this wandering they decided it was time to move back ashore. I think the cruising lifestyle was one of the happiest periods of his life. After selling their boat they decided to become mountain people and moved to a little cottage on top of Mt Mee on Queenslands Sunshine Coast. Dad also enjoyed this quiet country existence and he became quite an expert curry maker entertaining friends, his adult children and grandchildren. |
| TURPIN | ERIC WILLIAM | 344 | Believd to have served as Lieutenant in the Royal Navy cruiser HMS Phoebe during WWII. |
| TUYTENS | JOHAN GEORGE | 1915 | Left Cape Town in 1956 on the Norwegian Tanker “Benoil” for the Persian Gulf, Borneo, Australia, etc, and eventually back to Holland and Belgium. The next six years were spent at sea on Dutch and Belgium ships before entering the hotel business and later became a photographer. Deceased 12/12/2007. |
| TWEEDDALE | ROBERT GERALD | 1329 | |
| TWEEDIE | DOUGLAS EDWARD | 338 | After Bothie apprenticed to Hall Line. |
| TWILLEY | JOHN BASIL SHAW | 244 | John was born in Yorkshire, England and went to Southern Rhodesia at the age of 3 months. When he left the General Botha, he joined the Southern Rhodesia Posts and Telegraphs Department where he served for 50 years. He reached the position of engineer which he held for many years. Deceased May 1978. |
| TWOMEY | MICHAEL | 1793 | |
| TYLER | RALPH ROBERT | 1739 | On leaving the Bothie I returned to the mine in Broken Hill – Norhtern Rhodesia (Now Kabwe-Zambia) as an Apprentice Electrician and later Electrician where I remained until 1961 when I decided to travel overseas. While overseas I joined the Union Castle Line as an Electrical Engineer Officer and sailed on the Windsor Castle for about a year. I then returned to Northern Rhodesia in 1962 and worked at Mchanga Consolidated Copper Mines. I returned to South Africa in 1963 to further my studies in Engineering and am at present (1995) a Consulting Enginner with Keeve Steyn Inc, where I have been employed since 1968. Deceasd 23/10/96 of cancer. |
| TYLER | DENIS ROWLAND | 2160 | 1995 – Departmental Manager at Casteo in Everett, Washington State. Casteo is the North American equivalent of Marko in S.A. |
| UFFINDELL | FREDERICK BYRON | 838 | After Bothie joined Elder Dempsters where he served throughout WWII obtaining the rank of Chief Officer. He then joined the S.A. Harbour Service in 1947 serving in all ports until retiring as Port Captain of Walvis Bay in 1978. 1964 Pilot in Table Bay Harbour. Deceased after a long illness 25/12/97. |
| ULLYETT | GEORGE EDWARD | 8 | Reportedly did not go to sea. |
| UNDERWOOD | ROBERT WORTHINGTON | 1624 | Bob served the latter part of his sea time on the S.A.R.& H Ship “Hangklip” as 2nd Officer. ± 1962. After obtaining his Master’s Certificate he joined the Harbour Service in Durban as Chief Officer on harbour tugs and dredgers. He later transferred to East London as Tug Master. He was Master of the Tug “F Schermbrucker” for many years before promotion to Harbour Pilot. He passed away unexpectedly at the age of 47 suffering from a brain tumor 25/08/78. |
| UNDERWOOD | DANFORD HENRY | 656 | Apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line (Bank Line). After G.B. joined the mv Kathiawar and later transferred to the mv Luxmi. Was offered a berth on the Tacoma City shortly before her disapperance at sea. After WWII joined the South African Harbour Service and served in most ports until retirement as assistant Port Captain of Walvis Bay in 1968, returning to his birthplace, Queenstown. Reported deceased early 1970’s. |
| UNDERWOOD | HUBERT KERN | 1203 | Served as Midshipman and Sub Lieutenant, Royal Navy Reserve, Third and Second Officer with Bullard King & Co., becoming a Shipping Clerk with King & Sons, Durban. This followed by becoming a Specialist Broker with Hogg, Robinson & Capel-Cure, London, Sales Adminsitration Manager with Ernest Scragg & Sons, Macclesfield and Sales Director with Wooltextile Manufactueres, Standerton. Then returned to sea as Chief Officer with Salen U.K. Ship Management and Marine Management Services and Ship Manager with Wallem Specialised Ship Management of London. After retirement was an Inspector on new buildings in Ngasaki for Marine Management Services. Deceased July 2007. |
| UNGER | ANDREAS PAUL | 2917 | |
| UPWARD | MICHAEL NORMAN JOHN | 1625 | |
| URBAN | VICTOR FRANCIS | 1442 | |
| UREN | PETER JOHN | 2787 | 1997 – Tug Master, Durban Harbour. 1998 – Promoted Harbour Pilot, Durban. |
| URRY | ROBERT HUGH | 1740 | Followed Ken Snow and Tom Skead from the year before mine to Dartmouth (Worked my passage over as a Jnr. Ord. Seaman in the Arundel Castle – arranged by Gus Legassick). Thereafter career followed usual RN pattern – involved in Malayan emergency 1954/1955, Cyprus troubles 1956/1957, ‘Cod War’ off Iceland 1959. Specialized in Gunnery in 1963 at Whale Island (came across Paul Wijnberg and Peter Bitzker who did the same specialization). Served as the Gunnery Officer in a frigate in the Far East in the Confrontation with Indonesia – fired my guns in anger a couple of times in 1964/1965. Sent on loan service (’66-’68) in the Malaysian Navy – initially as a staff officer in their Min. Of Defense in Kuala Lumpur then in command and as Senior Officer of their squadron of six coastal minesweepers (In this job was involved in hostilities between the Philippines and Malaysia). My final appointment at sea was to the frigate HMS DIDO (’69 – ’71) back to the Far East yet again. On passage to Singapore via Beira Patrol, while passing Durban stood by the SA coaster GRIQUALAND on fire – neither we nor tugs from Durban managed to douse the fire. Finally the Durban Harbour Master asked us to sink the blazing wreck as it was a danger to shipping. This we did by gunfire a couple of miles off Isipingo Beach. This proved an object lesson in just how hard it is to sink a ship by gunfire – we expended many 4.5″ rounds eventually, almost ranging up alongside, we fired in depression with inert shell down through her decks and out through her bottom. Things that tear holes in ships bottoms are much better at sinking them than shell fire! All this was a rather doubtful distinction for an OB – sinking an SA ship in peacetime! During this commission I resigned from the RN – usual clash between family and seagoing. In 1972 returned to South Africa with my family. After a short spell apple farming in Elgin went back to college and qualified as a Chartered Secretary. I joined Irvin and Johnson to establish a modern Human Resources & Training function. Spent some time at sea in their factory/freezer trawlers helping to plan manning and training to support expansion to exploit the extension of territorial waters to 12 miles. In 1979, fearful of the future of my wife and 2 daughters in the SA of those days, we returned to the UK. Here I joined Ernst & Whinney as their Personnel Director for their Middle East Practice, based in London but spending most of my time in their 15 offices spread among 11 ME countries. For my final job before retiring I joined a Human Resources Consultancy in Colchester in Essex. On retiring my wife and I sailed our 40ft. Ketch ALMA, together with various friends, in stages back to Cape Town via Rio. After having to re-engine at the RCYC we sailed on to Knysna (Where I was born and grew up). We left the boat there for 3 years, using her as a holiday home – commuting like swallows for N. And S summers. In 2004 we again, in stages, sailed the boat back to England getting back in 2006. Sadly in 2008 my wife died of a massive heart attack and I had to sell the boat. Since then I have been properly retired and fitted with various new hips back supports etc. Hope all this is not too long for you. I enjoy your newsletters. Keep up the good work. |
| VAN ALPHEN | HIERONYMUS DE LA BAT | 958 | Served in the Royal Navy submarine HMS Ademont in 1945. Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. Was Lieutenant on the Destroyer HMS ‘Kempenfelt.’After G.B. Went to the Royal Navy Training College “Dartmouth” in the U.K. Same period as the Association’s Patron, H.R.H. Prince Philip. Deceased 1990 or 1991. |
| VAN ALPHEN | WILLEM DANIEL DE LA BAT | 657 | 1933 Promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. 1933 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. 1933 Won the King’s Gold Medal on the Botha. Apprenticed to Ellermans Line. 1941 Was in command of one of the whalers converted to minesweepers, HMSAS Nigel. Subsequently he saw service in the Mediterranean in command of the LL minesweeper Treern. Deceased 6th February 2003. |
| VAN ALPHEN | WENTZEL VERCUSIL DE LA BAT | 1069 | Served in the Royal Navy Reserve as an officer during WWII, D Day HMS Glasgow. After war was a Cargo Surveyor in the United States of America before returning to South Africa. Deceased 20/01/99. His ashes were scattered over the ship in False Bay. |
| VAN ASPEREN | FRITS PIETER COETSEE | 2131 | Bothie nickname “Aspro”. |
| VAN BART | EDWARD FRANCOIS | 180 | |
| VAN BILJON | ABRAHAM MATTHYS | 898 | Did not go to sea initially, employed by Shell Company, accounts department. WWII Private Physical Training Battalion / OS SANF. |
| VAN BREDA | JOHANNES GERT HENDRIK | 1204 | Reported that he joined a United States registered vessel after G.B. then joined the United States Army and later returned to South Africa. News paper interview on his return to South Africa (newspaper cutting in album): In 1943 Johannes van Breda of Worcester, a 16 year old ex Botha Boy left Cape Town as a seaman in the American ship Westdurfee. He returned today (date unknown, circa 1953) as a passenger in the cargo liner Constantia, wearing the uniform of the United States Army, with the rank of staff-sergeant, and with his chest well covered with medals. Behind him are nearly ten years of adventure. Chatting in his cabin today he said: ‘It’s sure good to be back. Sorry, I’m trying hard to lose Americanisms in my conversation. Before the end of the war (WWII) I had been sunk twice, in the Mediterranean and off Norway. Gee, but it was cold when that torpedo got us on the Murmansk convoy. In 1948 I joined the American Army in the 25th Division. Aliens are often drafted into the United States forces.’ TO JAPAN ‘I was sent to Japan and served with the army of occupation until the outbreak of the Korean War. Our crowd arrived in Korea on June 30, and for 13 months we in the ding-dong battle up and down the peninsula. We were in the retreat almost on the sea when the General ordered: “Stand and fight. No more retreat.” That was a terrific show with hand-to-hand fighting. At times our ammunition gave out. We lived for weeks on iron rations. After three weeks of fighting I was wounded by a grenade in the left leg. Later I got concussion from a grenade. COMMANDED TUG Eventually I was taken off fron-line work and, because of my sea training, I was given command of a 65 foot tug. I managed to rescue an Australian pilot shot down in a Mustang. Last year I was flown back to the States. Over New Mexico the aircraft developed engine trouble and crashed. Five passengers were killed, and I was in hospital for four months. Now I’ve come back to live in South Africa. I have been offered a good job in Port Elizabeth. As a staff-sergeant I was earning about £60 a month. On getting my honourable discharge from the American Army I was paid a gratuity of about £130.’ |
| VAN BREDA | DANIEL MICHAEL | 1916 | |
| VAN COLLAS | STEVEN CHRISTOPHER | 2752 | |
| VAN DEN BERG | ROBERT MARCUS | 2194 | |
| VAN DEN BERG | WYNDHAM RUPERT | 369 | After Bothie apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall Line. Cpl in S.A. Army during WWII & PoW. |
| VAN DER BERG | EDGAR J. | 1140 | Reported deceased. In March 1942 his father secured him a place in the Seaward Defence Force, which later became the South African Naval Forces [SANF]. Still later, in 1953, the SANF became the South African Navy. During the Second World War Edgar van der Berg was possibly seconded to the British Navy. He qualified for the Atlantic Star. Became a Warrant Officer in the SA Navy. |
| VAN DER KROL | RIJK CHRISTIAAN | 1976 | “My sea going career spanned the years 1957 to 1965. I commenced as a cadet with the Clan Line and ended in 1965 as a Second Mate in Safmarine. In 1965 Upon obtaining my Master’s I joined the good old SAR&H as a mate on tugs in East London. I proceeded to serve through all the ranks at various ports and upon reaching retirement age in 2002 I went on pension from Transnet/Portnet in the post of Executive Manager (Marine Services) in Johannesburg. This position was perhaps better known as Nautical Adviser. Started own consultancy Nautad Consulting c.c. Which closed 2010.” Deceased 7th November 2021. |
| VAN DER LAAN | REYNDERT JOHANNES | 2130 | |
| VAN DER MAREL | PAUL JOSEF | 1626 | |
| VAN DER MARK | CORNELIS GIJSBERTHUS | 2081 | Born in Overschie, The Netherlands on 03 December 1940. His family moved to South Africa in 1954. Cor (as he was known in Bothie) was at school with Koos Klok (2060) since std.7. Was Junior Cadet Captain while at Bothie. After completing his training he worked in Pretoria for TPA, CSIR, moved to England to work for EEC, came back to SA in the service of the Dept.of Statictics, worked for ICL in Johannesburg, IBM, Saambou Building Society, Bophuthatswana Transport, Bosch Electric in Brits and finally for ASTAS. “I married Marlene Malherbe on 03 December 1971. We have two daughters, Tanya and Sam. In 1993 I resigned from ASTAS and remigrated to the Netherlands. I retired from IT in 2005 and now live in Arnhem (a bridge too far).” |
| VAN DER MEER | ANTHONY JOHN | 2255 | At some stage worked as a fisherman out of St Helena and later sailed on South African coasters. Later operated a stone quarry in Swaziland. Deceased. |
| VAN DER MEER | MICHAEL JOSEPH | 2161 | After Bothie sailed with Union Castle, Clan Line, Safmarine and Unicorn. Then two years experience fishing for crayfish in the Southern Ocearn and from St Helena Island. Joined Portnet and served as Mate and Master on Harbour Tugs in Durban, Mossel Bay and Port Elizabeth and Harbour Pilot in Durban and Walvis Bay. Appointed Port Captain of Walvis Bay, Namibia, in 1994. |
| VAN DER MERWE | CONROY JOHN | 1681 | Sailed with Thesen’s Coasters as a cadet officer for two years and then decided to go farming. Deceased 27th June 2015. |
| VAN DER MERWE | JAMES EDMUND | 2617 | |
| VAN DER MERWE | RENE | 1490 | Deceased 18th March 2007. After a period at sea came ashore and worked in the motor industry in Port Elizabeth. |
| VAN DER MERWE | LEON MICHAEL | 2350 | |
| VAN DER MERWE | DERRICK ALEXANDER | 959 | Served his time with Ellerman City Line and on his first voyage to sea in the City of Exeter, encountered the famous German Raider, Atlantis, on it’s way from Europe to the Cape, disguised as the Japanese ship Kassi Maru. They wre not attacked as the raider did not wish to reveal her presence before laying mines off Cape Agulhas. Later joined the Blue Star Line where he rose to the rank of Master. Deceased 28th February 2004. |
| VAN DER MERWE | WALTER | 899 | |
| VAN DER MEULEN | BRUCE ROELOF | 2703 | Sailed with Safmarine. Left the sea in 1983 and read BA (Social Science) at the University of Cape Town, majoring in Political Studiesa nd Anthropologyu. Returned to sea with Safmarine briefly in 1988 and then began marketing Orange River trips for Felix Unite to the corporate market. In 1989 started a compny importing African artifacts from Zimbabwe and marketing them to local itnerior designer ships and other outlets. Sold the busienss in 1990 and started a business importing leather apparel from Turkey which grew to include the importation of goods from USA and Pakisatn. Dissolved that partnership in 1992 and began marketing time and attendence equipment but in 1993 was approached to assist in opening the first South African Cash Converters store. 1997 he opened his own franchised Cash Converters in Cape Town. Treasurer of GBOBA Cape Town branch. brucevdmeulen@gmail.com |
| VAN DER POLL | TERTUIS IYAK | 1269 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48 Third Officer of the ‘Gamtoos’ employed taking stores to Marion Island. Promoted to Second Officer. Deceased 29/11/2016 |
| VAN DER POST | PIETER | 1794 | Initially joined Union Castle Line and later Safmarine. Lost his life in a motoring accident at Durban on the 18th February 1961. He was at the time serving as First Officer of the Congella. |
| VAN DER SPOEL | RICHARD STEPHEN | 2769 | 1997 – sailing as Master with S.A. Marine Corporation. 2000 – relocated to Australia. “After departing with South African Marine Corp (Enterprise) in 2000, I worked for Seaspan Container lines until 2004. In 2004 I came ashore and worked in the Marine Surveying with C.R. Cox and Associates until 2011. I moved across to a Marine Warrantee Surveying in 2011 at Braemar Technical Services (Offshore).” July 2019 Braemar Technical Services sold to Aqualis Offshore and became AqualisBraemar. |
| VAN DER STRUYS | PHILIP HENRY | 97 | |
| VAN DER VELDE | ANDRIAN | 1270 | |
| VAN DER VYVER | DAVID | 185 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a Seaman. |
| VAN DER WALT | PETER RIJK | 2635 | |
| VAN DER WALT | KENNETH LOUIS | 1795 | 1953 – General Botha Chief Cadet Captain and winner of the Queen’s Gold Medal. 1954 – Cadet Officer, s.s. Constantia, Safmarine. 1954 – 74 Nestle, S.A. (Pty) Ltd, various positions 1974 – 78 – Nestle (Rhodesia) PVT, Managing Director 1979 – 81 – Nestle (S.A.) (Pty) Ltd, Marketing Manager. 1982 – 93 – Business owner of Bookstat, Randburg Stationers, Sandton Printers, Randburg Printers. Ken was Chief Cadet Captain in 1953 and for some strange reason was nick-named “Joe”. He won the Thesen’s Sextant Navigational Prize, the Safmarine binoculars for a good all-round record and the Queen’s Gold Medal. After a brief spell at sea with Safmarine he came ashore and took a job with Nestle. In 1974 he was promoted to Managing Director of Nestle Rhodesia, returning to South Africa as Marketing Manager of Nestle South Africa. He took early retirement in 1981 and started Bookstat, Randburg Stationers, Sandton Printers and Randburg Printers before retiring permanently because of his illness. He was a keen golfer and was for a few years Chairman of the GBOBA Johannesburg Branch. Deceased 18th May 2020. |
| VAN DER WESTHUIZEN | JOHANNES FREDERICK | 721 | Date and place of birth: 19th August 1917, Germiston. 23/04/1935 joined Union Castle Arundel Castle as Deck Boy. Served seven years in R.A.F., including 1939-1946 war period. On demobilisation (about July 1946) joned Bradford (Yorks) Fire Brigade as Fireman. |
| VAN DIJL | JAN | 1271 | After G.B. Dutchie worked on S.A.R. & H. Tugs in East London as deck hand whilst waiting to be allocated a berth at sea. Joined the s.v. Lawhil as Cadet in 1944 trading to Australia. Transferred to the s.s. Dalia in 1946. 1948 joined m.v. Kaapland as A.B. Until 1949. 1949/50 held various jobs including plant operator of an oil refinery and farming. 1951 joined Cape Town Fire & Rescue services as Fireman and retired as Assistant Divisional Officer in 1985. Deceased 17th April 2015. |
| VAN DRUTEN | ROBERT JOHN | 2382 | |
| VAN DYK | CORRADO | 2383 | Several years at sea and then ashore into ships agency, chartering, brokering inclusive of eighteen years of his own ships agency business, Meridian Agencies cc, Maritime Agents based in Durban, specialising in attendance to foreign fishing vessels. 2018 working for LBH Southern Africa, Port Operations Department, based in Durban. Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Ship Brokers (FICS). Diploma Maritime Law University of Kwa-Zulu Natal. |
| VAN DYKHORST | JOHANNES EDUARD | 2231 | 1964 Cadet in “South African Statesman”. |
| VAN ES | WILLEM BARNARD | 2351 | 1995 – Harbour Pilot, Port of Richards Bay. 2002 – relocated to England, piloting on the Humber River. |
| VAN EYSSEN | HUGH FERDINAND | 722 | 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. Served on Minesweepers during WWII. Was decorated for wartime services at sea around Port Elizabeth with the M.B.E. His efforts incldued the salvaging of the remains of the Liberty Ship Anne Hutchinson and the picking up of survivors from several torpedoed vessels. He was also engaged on the demolition of enemy mines off Cape Agulhas. Later he served in the Mediterranean and brought a minesweeper from Alexandria, Egypt, back to the Union in most gruelling circumstances taking three months to complete the voyage. After the war he started tobacco farming at Groblersdal, in the Transvaal. He devised a scheme to market pumpkins fourteen days before time. He followed a system or rotention farming, planting seasonally in succession, wheat, peanuts, wheat once more and then tobacco. Deceased 29/05/1993 |
| VAN GYSEN | PETER | 2558 | Sailed with Unicorn up to Chief Officer and later joined P&I Cape Town as a surveyor. Returned to sea with Smit Pentow and in 2001 joined S.A. Marine Safety Authority in Cape Town. 2008 left SAMSA and relocated to Dubai and Qatar with LONDON OFFSHORE CONSULTANTS. 2011 returned to Cape Town. 2014 left South Africa once again and relocated to the Middle East, specifically Abu Dhabi, to carry on working for London Offshore Consultants doing mainly offshore oil and gas work with some P&I “thingies” as well. Retired and living in Philippines. |
| VAN HEERDEN | CHARLES HEINRICH | 2661 | 2020 working for Namport, Walvis Bay. |
| VAN HEERDEN | WILLIAM | 1491 | |
| VAN HEERDEN | JACOBUS STEFANUS | 59 | First Botha Boy to join the South African Naval Service, signed up as a seaman on 19th September 1923, served for three years and later joined the South African Police Force. |
| VAN HEKKEN | DIRK JAN | 2559 | |
| VAN LEERSUM | WILLEM ALEXANDER | 839 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48 Second Officer of the ‘Gamtoos’ Employed taking stores to Marion Isalnd. Then became Insepctor in Charge of the Southern Islands, Government Guano Isalnds Department. |
| VAN LEEUWEN | JACOBUS PIETER HERMANUS | 1796 | Went to sea with UCM SS Co, for two years before joining a shipping agency. Later joined Fisons Fertilisers as a Shipping Clerk but was transferred to accounts. Obtained Chartered Institute Secretary before transferring to Sasolburg. Then joined International Rotterdam, a Dutch Trading Group as accountant and part time sales manager where he obtained a MBA (Dip). Became Chief Accountant with Grindrod for four years before joining Malbak Group, Eagle Shipping, as Financial Director in Durban. A further three years with Africa Shipping as Financial Executive before retiring. Deceased 15th May 2017. |
| VAN LITSENBORGH | ROY ANTHONY | 2132 | Joined E.P. Building Society in 1972, Cape Town. Appointed Branch Manager in 1974. Promoted to Regional Manager North in 1982 and General Manager in 1985. Transferred to property development company in 1987. 1989 promoted to Managing Director, and also Managing Director of Fidelity Property Brokers, wholly owned subsidiary of Fidelity Bank. Sole member of Close Corporation Investamark Real Estate. Qualifications: Association Member of Chartered Institute Secretaries, Associate Member of S.A. Council of valuers, Member of the Institute of Estate Agents. |
| VAN LOO | EMILE LEON NICOLAS | 213 | |
| VAN NAN | RONALD | 1205 | |
| VAN NIEKERK | GAVIN JOHN | 2576 | |
| VAN NIEKERK | PETER | 840 | |
| VAN NIEKERK | BENJAMIN FRANCOIS DUMINY | 1070 | |
| VAN NIEKERK | BREDA | 1741 | Deceased. |
| VAN ONSELEN | DEON CLIVE | 2849 | 1986 – passed second mates. Sailed as Third Officer with Safmarine. Reached dizzy height of Second Officer. 1989 – Joined Safmarine shore staff. Employed in “MARSCC” as a Stowage Coordinator and Computer Systems Administrator. September 1995 – transferredt o Safbank Trade (Safmarine) as Logistics Manager. 1997 – Transferred to Safmarine/CMBT Lines, Antwerp, as Central Logistics Fleet Co-ordinator. 2000 – transferredt o Copenhagen to manage the Container Fleets of both Safmarine and Maersk for the African region. 2002 transferred back to Cape Town responsible for equipment and terminals Africa region. 2005 transferred to Singapore. |
| VAN OORDT | BRYAN SEAN | 2751 | 1999 with Tidewater Marine on Tugs off Angola. 2004 with Smit Terminals Europe based in Poti, Georgia. |
| VAN OS | PAUL KARL | 2618 | Previously with London Offshore Consultants in UAE and Qatar, then subsequently with Noble Denton in Qatar before going independant doing hands on rig moving and offshore representative work. 1999 – with Rob Marine P&I Services, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania. 2004 Left Robmarine and established as an independent surveyor and consultant based in Dar es Salaam. |
| VAN RENSBURG | PAULUS KOTZE | 2427 | 2009 at sea with Smit Amandla Marine. Deceased 14/01/2014. Paul joined Safmarine as a cadet 1971 and worked his way through the ranks to Master. He had been with the company, latterly with Smit Amandla Marine, for 43 years and a Master for 20+ years. |
| VAN RENSBURG | ERROL | 2318 | Joined S.A. Lines and a year later joined Thesen Coasters. 1976 joined Nature Conservation as a Resort Officer and worked in the Etosha National Park, Namibia, until 1990 achieving the position of Head of Tourism in the park. 1990 moved to Mossel Bay managing the De Bakke Santos Resort. |
| VAN RIJSWYK | PAUL | 1682 | |
| VAN ROOYEN | PETER DENNIS | 2918 | |
| VAN ROUENDAL | LAURENTIUS | 2082 | Born Cape Town 26 Nov 1940. Educated Gill Kollege, Somerset East. Proud and nostalgic about Bothie Training. Failed eyesight test, then enrolled at UP 1959 for B.Arch degree. Practiced as architect in Lichtenburg 1966 to 1999 and in Little Brak River from 2000 onwards. Married Rita van der Walt (born 16 May 1944) on 14 Dec 1963. Four children following careers as architect, quantity surveyor, quantity surveyor, dental technician; the three sons practice in Lichtenburg, the only daughter (QS) moved to Brisbane, Australia. Seven grandchildren aged 4 months to 18 years (end 2011). Interests: architecture, art, theology, genealogy, astronomy, sailing, restoring Cape furniture, bird watching, classical baroque music. Collects sea shells from over the world. Deceased 13/04/2016. |
| VAN RYSWYCK | WILLEM | 1917 | Deceased 28th July 2021. Brian Ingpen writes: “After his time at General Botha (1954/55) where he was Senior Cadet Captain, Bill van Ryswyck went into business and later, set up a very successful IT operation in Johannesburg. He was a very astute man, with a brilliant mind and a gift for mathematics. He readily imparted his mathematical knowledge to Lawhill students. He and his very dear wife Sue enjoyed hiking, mountaineering and generally being in the outdoors. Bill was a wonderful, sincere man, enthusiastic in everything he did, and a man of his word. We will miss his cheerful personality, his generous spirit and his great interest in Lawhill Maritime Centre. A great man is no longer with us.” |
| VAN STADEN | PIETER SCHALK | 900 | |
| VAN VELZEN | MICHIEL | 2770 | 1995 – Chief Officer with Safmarine 1997 – Master with Safmarine |
| VAN VREEDEN | PIETER ROLAND | 1492 | After G.B. served his Apprenticeship as a Cadet with Southern Steamships aboard the T2 tanker ‘President Brand’ (1). He was an excellent Cadet and Seaman and was often used as an example by his Officers to later generations of Southern Steamships Cadets. After obtaining his 2nd Officers Certificate he joined the Royal fleet auxillary and later served on the South African Coast in among other ships, the ‘Roodewal’ of Van Riebeeck Lines and ‘s.s Monita’ of Smith’s Coasters, before leaving the sea to become a traffic policeman with the Cape Town Municipality. In 1961 he pased his foreign going masters certificate but died shortly thereafter. |
| VAN VUUREN | JACOBUS LEON | 1918 | |
| VAN WIJNGAARDEN | ALEXANDER | 2384 | 2000 – Regional Harbour Master, Marlborough District Council, New Zealand, covering about 5000 square kilometers of water in harbour limits. Principal port is Picton which handles 10 000 vessel movements annually. |
| VAN WILLINGH | NEVILLE CHARLES | 1535 | 1949 delivery crew on a seine net fishing vessel, FV North Cape, from California to Cape Town. End of 1949 joined Clan Line sailing with that company until returning to South Africa in 1958. Then joined the S.A. Harbour Service. First appointed to Walvis Bay, later to Cape Town and in 1965 to Durban. There he worked through the ranks until appointed Deputy Port Captain. Retired September 1990. Deceased 25/06/2007. |
| VAN WYK | WYNAND WILLEM | 597 | 1932 Junior Cadet Captain. Reported in “Both Watches” 1953: C.P.O. in S.A. Navy. Born at Zastron in the Orange Free State and widely known as “Lofty”. Joined the Royal Navy in 1935 and served with distinction in a number of Royal Navy ships before and during WWII, including battleships Nelson and Ramillies, the cruisers Curacoa, Amphion and Penelope. Finished his career as a WO1 in the S.A. Navy. Died in 1987 and was buried in the Naval Cemetery, Simon’s Town. |
| VAN WYK | PHILLIPUS PETRUS | 37 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48 Has been appointed Transport Officer, Bulawayo (Rhodesia). |
| VAN ZUYLEN | FRANCOIS PIETER JACOB | 598 | 1932 Junior Cadet Captain. Joined lower deck, Union Castle Line. During WWII Frans served in the Mediterranean on minesweepers. |
| VAN ZUYLEN | DIEDERICH HERMAN | 341 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line and joined R.N.R. as a midshipman. After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line and joined R.N.R. as a midshipman. During WWII Herman served as a Lieutenant on Robben Island looking after defence of access to Cape Town. He was also involved in installation of cables near Cape Point to detect submarine access to False Bay. After the war he was a pilot in Cape Town and Durban and then Port Captain in East London |
| VAN ZYL | MATHINUS PHILLIPUS | 658 | Apprenticed to Thesens Line. |
| VAN ZYL | JOHN WILLIAM | 2461 | Joined Safmarine 1972 and later moved to Unicorn liens. 1981 joined Easigas as Branch Manager in East London and later transferred to Durban with same company. Deceased 27/06/94 of cancer. |
| VAN ZYL | JACOBUS JOHANNES | 723 | Did not complete second year. |
| VEGLIA | PATRICK PETER | 1384 | Deceased. |
| VEITCH | COLIN WALDEK | 1443 | 1950 – sailing on a tanker of Anglo-Saxon Petroleum Company. 1964 Tug Mate in Table Bay Harbour. 1980 Assistant Port Captain, Cape Town. Deceased 31st March 2011. |
| VELIDA | JAC | 1977 | Reported deceased. |
| VELIDA | PHILLIPES JOHANNES PEDRO | 1919 | 1956 – 60 – Cadet with Safmarine. 1961 – obtained Second Officers certificate and 1963 obtained Chief Officers Certificate, both in London. 1960 – 63 – sailed with Bibby Line of Liverpool as Third Officer. 1964 – returned to S.A. joined ‘Ocean Science and Engineering’ on “Rockeaster” as Chief Officer. 1965 – 67 – Sailed with African Coasters as Chief Officer. 1966 – obtained Masters Certificate in Cape Town. 1968 – joined Harbour Service in Port Elizabeth. 1994 – Tug Master with Portnet, Port Elizabeth 1999 – retired. |
| VELTHUISEN | JOHANN PETER | 2133 | Reported 1964 – understood to be employed by Old Mutual Assurance Company office, Cape Town. |
| VENABLES | ROLAND | 1922 | |
| VENTER | DOUW GERBRAND | 1742 | |
| VENTER | CASPER JAN HENDRIK | 2850 | |
| VERHEIJ | FRANK MARTIN | 2577 | 1976 – 82 sailed with Safmarine, Cadet to Second Officer. 1983 – Master with Caroline Fishing Company. 1983 – 87 – Sailed with Department of Environment Affairs (Sea Fisheries) achieving the rank of Master in July 1987. November 1987, joined Portnet. Has served as Dredge Master on a trail dredger and 1995 Tug Master in the port of East London. Obtained Harbour Pilot’s License in 1993. 1996 – transferred to Durban on promotion to Harbour Pilot. 2000 – moved to Jebel Ali, United Arab Emirates, as a Harbour Pilot. 2012 harbour pilot in Sohar, Oman. 2017 returned to South Africa. Terminal Pilot / Mooring Master with Fendercare Marine, UK. |
| VERMAAK | ALLAN LUCIAN | 2819 | 1995 – Manager of Voigt Shipping, Port of Richards Bay. Voight bought by Inchcape Shipping. 1999 – relocated to Cape Town as Regional Manager Joined Inchcape Shipping in London January 2007 as General Manager, Global Bulk Services. Subsequently returned to Cape Town in same position. 2013 owner of Fairship, a ships agency company. |
| VERMEULEN | CAMERON | 2578 | Joined Unicorn as a Cadet 1976. Master of the a.h.t.s. “Voortrekker” when lost at sea on 10 September 1993. “Voortrekker” capsized in heavy weather off the South African Coast. See: http://allatsea.co.za/musings/remembering-the-osv-voortrekker/ |
| VERSFELD | ARTHUR | 150 | |
| VERSTER | RYNO PIETER | 1330 | 1964 A Checker in the Rhodesian Railways at Headlands. |
| VERSTER | GERRIT PIETER | 354 | |
| VILJOEN | MICHAEL DAVID WYNAND | 2662 | 2011 with S.A. Maritime Safety Authority [SAMSA] Cape Town as Deputy Principal Officer. Later joined De Beers Marine as Master on their mining vessel Debmar Atlantic. 18 months later joined SAMSA in Saldanha Bay. |
| VILJOEN | STEPHANUS CHRISTIAN | 2319 | 1968 – 80 sailed for Safmarine in various ranks. 1980 – 84 Assistant Marine Superintendent for Safmarine in New York, U.S.A. 1984 – 85 Cargo Superintendent for SAECS/Transatlantic RoRo Service on the Southern African Coast. 1985 – 88 Port Co-ordinator for SAECS/Transatlantic Ro Ro Service, Durban, 1988 – 89 Marine Superintendent for Bridge Marine on the Southern African and Australian Coasts. 1989 transferred to Brazil as Marine superintendent for Bridge Ocean Lines, later renamed Barbican Linew then purchased by Von Rantzau Group in Hamburg. 1993 promoted to Owners Representative for Barbican Line, Brazil. 1999 owners representative for Global Lines in Houston, U.S.A. and running a company called Armadillo Marine Consultants. 2009 semi-retired, doing the occasional jobs for Oldendorff Carriers and Saga Forest Carriers. Subsequently returned to live in South Africa. Deceased 6th August 2016. |
| VILJOEN | ALBERTUS JOHANNES | 2256 | 10/1993 – Chief Officer on the Tanker ‘Lumiere’. 06/1994 – Master with De Beers Marine. August 2005 retired. |
| VILJOEN | HERBERT JAMES | 1627 | |
| VILJOEN | MARIO EUGENE | 2406 | |
| VILJOEN | DESMOND LESLIE | 1493 | |
| VISSER | JOHN DONALD BANCROFT | 659 | |
| VOIGT | NATHAN | 1019 | |
| VOLLER | DARRYL LEON | 2919 | |
| VOLSTEEDT | MICHAEL COLLIN | 2619 | |
| VON ABO | PETER VIVIAN | 2195 | |
| VORSTER | HENDRIK BERNADUS | 2083 | |
| VORSTER | PETRUS BENJAMIN THEODORUS | 57 | |
| VOS | FREDERICK WILJELM | 2663 | |
| VOWLES | ALEXANDER ERNEST | 39 | Apprentice S.A.R. & H. Millwright, Married 1962. 3 months at sea with Safmarine, S.A. Letaba. No money, 2 years as assistant engineer at Vaal Reefs, Orkney. Joined family business in 1964 to 1984. structural steel, “Steelways (Pty) Ltd” 1972 started “Antalex Jersey Stud.” Second biggest in R.S.A. Sold in 1990, retired. Now play with Antalex Dairy and Milk Distribution Co. In Benoni. Son runs business. Sport: off road racing, Toyota Hilux 4×4 |
| WADE | PHILIP JOHN | 2196 | After leaving GB joined Safmarine and then later Unicorn Shipping. After seven years in the Merchant Navy moved ashore into ships agency in Durban. Three years later joined a yacht sailing to Rio de Janeiro. Thereafter did a number of sailing races including the Whitbread Round the World Race on “Drum” in 1984 and later went commercial fishing off Alaska. 2010 running a 45 meter sailing super yacht for an American family and have taken them to many exotic destinations. Has been with same employer for 18 years and has been instrumental in building three yachts for them. Retired 2018. Founder member of the S.A.T.S. General Botha Old Boys Association Bursary Fund as well as Marine Inspirations. |
| WADE | BRUCE ALLAN | 2851 | Bruce left Unicorn Lines in 1986 to get into the computer world. After graduating from the Van Zyl and Pritchard Computer Academy he got a job at AECI as a programmer. Just 4 years later Bruce was married and living back in Cape Town working at various fashion retailers in IT Finance & Logistics. He then moved to the international stage with IBM and later JDA as an Implementations Manager. In 1989 he started his own business and has since developed a vast skill in entrepreneurial and business skills. Bruce is currently the director of two companies and a member of the Professional Speakers Association of Southern Africa. Bruce is an Innovation Adventurer and Story Engineer and gets to talk on stages around the globe on strategy and innovation promoting his books and business models. |
| WAGENFELD | CORNELIS JAN HENDRIK | 1687 | Between 1952 and 1963 served with S.A. Marine Corporation, first as Cadet and eventually as Master in 1963, obtaining his Extra Master’s Certificate the same year. Joined the S.A. Navy in July 1964 as a Lieutenant, specialising in Hydrographic Surveying. He served in SAS Natal and SAS Haerlem and, while on exchange with the Royal Navy, on HMS Fawn and HMS Mecate. IN 1977 was appointed Officer Commanding SAS Protea, the S.A. Navy hydrographic vessel. He conducted several significant surveys during this period, including the first visit by any South African vessel to the South Georgia Isalnds. 1978 appointed S.A. Naval Hydrographer and served in this appointment until 1989. Was also the S.A. Representative at the International Hydrographic Organization. Retired in 1990 followed by three years as principle ship surveyor with the DoT. Deceased 14th June 2001. |
| WAGNER | GARY FRED | 2664 | |
| WAHL | SIDNEY JOHN | 1011 | |
| WAIT | WALTER JOSEPH | 660 | |
| WALDEN | WARWICK FRANK STEPHEN | 780 | |
| WALES | DOUGLAS ALEXANDER | 1857 | Doug ‘Sharkey’ Wales was a genuine Banana Boy, having been schooled at the Government Secondary School in Warner beach. On finishing at the General Botha he was appointed to Shell Tankers. However, his parents had insisted that before going away to sea, he should complete his matric, so Doug ended up in Damelin College for a year. During this period the idea of going to sea palled and he took up a position with MAN. Working for them for five years he ended up as workshop manager. Doug then returned to Swaziland to join his father running the family farm in Kabuta. In 1966 Douglas married Hester Claasen and a son, a daughter and ‘laat lammetjie’ identical twin girls were born from the marriage. Doug’s son, continuing the family tradition, took over the farm from Dad. Doug’s eldest daughter is in Deiniliquin, Australia and the twins are in Cape Town. One is a policewoman and the other a teacher. A few years ago Doug took a break from farming and sailed two fishing boats out of Mossel Bay. He still had the sea in his blood. His first marriage having ended in divorce, Doug subsequently married Marion Habberton. They were a jovial couple at the 50 year reunion ‒ and sorely missed at the 60 year do! He and Marion lived in retirement on the family farm in Swaziland. Deceased 7th August 2018. |
| WALKER | HENRY | 1683 | 1964 Master with African Coasters. Sailed as Master with Unicorn Lines. Deceased 22nd February 2015. |
| WALKER | WILLIAM ALEXANDER | 2232 | 2001 – A pastor at the Toronto Airport Church, Canada 2010 Will and his wife Madeleine work for a church in Ontario. They have three married children and travel quite a lot with their work which involved counseling sick people. A great couple who are doing marvelous work with people in distress. |
| WALKER | DENNIS | 251 | Born, Durban 22 December 1909, son of Henry Douglas and Julia Kate Walker; ed. Penzance Road School, Durban; Cadet Draft 1925-6. On leaving General Botha John Dennis Walker joined the Union Castle Steamship Co. And obtained his Master’s Certificate in 1940. He was lost at sea on 15 July 1942, when serving as Chief Officer in their Gloucester Castle, which was attacked and sunk by gunfire from an enemy raider, the Michel, 1300 miles south-east of Freetown. |
| WALKER | RONALD DAVID | 2163 | |
| WALKER | RAYMOND DOUGLAS | 2162 | Son of E.J.R. Walker, 1932/33 Number 661. After G.B. went to sea with Safmarine and later joined Thesens Coasters. Then did trawler deliveries to Mozambique. Ended up doing crayfish and Perlemoen diving off Gansbaai, Cape South Coast. 1996 settled in Durban and did some Ski Boat fishing. 2010 Moved to Sunwich Port where he purchased the Marlon Holiday Resort. Deceased 14th August 2017. |
| WALKER | EDWARD JOHN RAYMOND | 661 | Father of Cadet R.D. Walker, 1959/60. Number 2162. After completing Bothie his father thought him too young to go to sea and sent him to HMS Conway. 1936 joined Union Castle as Cadet, later obtaining his second officer’s certificate. 1940 joined the S.A. Seaward Defence Force as Sub-Lieutenant and posted to examination services in East London until early 1941 when transferred to Durban to join the anti-submarine section. Later in 1941 transferred to the Mediterranean theatre and joined the minesweeper ‘Southern Maid.’ During this time he was gunnery officer when they sank the Italtian submarine “Ondina.” Late 1942 returned to S.A. and commanded SAS Pretoria. Served with the S.A. Navy until end of WWII. He joined S.A. Philips until retirement in 1982 having served as their regional manager in all regions. Deceased 10/02/1999. Was awarded the D.S.C. During the second world war for the part he played in the sinking of the Italian submarine Ondina in the Mediterranean. |
| WALKER | GEOFFREY MICHAEL | 2292 | Reportedly sailed as Master on a Windjammer in the Carribbean. 2015 living on a private game reserve adjoining Mkuze game reserve called Kube Yini to the east of the N3 between Hluhluwe and Mkuze. |
| WALKER | ROBERT ROSS | 781 | Was born in Bedford, Eastern Cape. His father was a doctor who served in South West Africa 1916 and wrote a book about it. They moved from Bedford to the Kat River Valley to establish a citrus farm. Robert was on the General Botha for two years aged 15 & 16. He the trained at the Grootfontein Agricultural College and farmed as a cadet for his Uncle Keith Ross at “Cavers”. In 1939 he joined The First City Regiment in Port Elizabeth and was sent to Koffiefontein to guard Italian Prisoners of War. A task he found so boring he did a ‘runner’ and joined the Navy. But not for long for he was given compassionate leave for a year to run the farm. Back in the army with the 23rd Division, he spent a year in the North African Desert then in Italy. After the war he farmed in the Katberg. He married in 1949 to Noel McEwen. The family immigrated to New Zealand in 1952 farming first on the South Island for eight years before moving to Hawkes Bay in the North Island. |
| WALKER | JOHN | 68 | Placed in Andrew Weir as apprentice. |
| WALLACE | MARTIN ROWLAND | 2852 | Initially at sea with Safmarine and later joined Pentow Marine, Durban. 2014 Senior Mooring Master, SMIT Amandla Marine which became Afircan Marine Solutions (AMSOL) in 2018. |
| WALLACE | DOUGLAS GAUDER | 1684 | After G.B. returned to the U.K. and worked for Manchester Ship Canal Co, mainly on tugs. Then a long spell with British Railways and later sailed on the Trasnvaal Castle, Union Castle Line, as a rating. 1969 ventured into yachting and has built 3 yachts and sailed them a total of 124 000 nautical miles. 1974 sailed as Second Officer for Rennies Coasters, Jolander and Ifafa, and then a short spell as Second Officer with Marine Diamond Co. of Cape Town. Also ran an ex Durban Motor Fishing vessel between Walvis Bay and St Helena Island. 1996 a Director of St Helena Canning Company on St. Helena Island. 2010 relocated to UK. |
| WALLACE | BARRY | 1494 | Previously served with Southern Steamships company on the T2 tanker President Brand. Then came ashore. |
| WALLACE-BRADLEY | BERNARD | 1696 | February 1953: I joined my first ship Kenilworth Castle and served in her for 18 months on the round-Africa trade. I then made voyages in Tantallon Castle and several fruit ships on the “Cape Run”. I became known as “Brad” from then on. 1956: I studied for and obtained my Second Mate’s Certificate in Durban then spent 14 months in the mail ships Carnarvon Castle, Athlone Castle and Durban Castle.I was then appointed as Third Officer in Riebeeck Castle. Aside: Company rules stipulated that I had to take all my leaves in the United Kingdom. During my leaves I took two rock-climbing courses in North Wales and the Lake District and then enjoyed the first of six skiing holidays in Austria. On summer leaves I sailed with a good friend on his engineless ketch around the North Sea and along the English East Coast. January 1959: I obtained my First Mate’s Certificate in Southampton. I then joined Fumess, Withy & Co. Ltd., initially as Third then later as Second Officer on the North Atlantic iron ore trade. I then went to the Mediterranean in the Prince Line [part of Fumess Withy & Co. Ltd.] and then around the world in general cargo ships to the Pacific Islands, Australia and New Zealand [out by way of Panama and home by way of Suez – or the reverse] on five-month voyages in Medic, Mystic and Bardic. February 1961: It was five years since my last leave at home in South Africa so I took unpaid leave from “Furness” to do a delivery voyage to Cape Town as First Mate in the new trawler Linaria built in Hull, March 1963: I Passed for Master [Foreign Going] in London. Now a decision! The law required that the Master of a British registered ship be a British subject. South Africa, now a Republic, had left the Commonwealth. If I wanted to stay in British companies and progress through the ranks to Master, I would have to exercise my right to adopt British nationality because of my having had more than ten years service in British ships – inheritance aside! Unwilling to relinquish South African citizenship and finally start paying British income tax, [reclaiming British tax had paid for my skiing holidays] an opportunity presented to finally fulfill a long-time ambition to do an ocean crossing under sail. In late 1963, I joined the American-owned, Bahamian-flagged 56-foot ketch Skywave, newly built in Germany, as crew/navigator. We sailed from Southampton, England to the Mediterranean then to the Canaries,West Indies and the Bahamas. I was then given command to charter her around the Bahamas. My sister Jennifer joined me as cook/stewardess for some months before taking up a nursing contract in Canada. Then I went up to the Cape Cod and Maine area to charter. In late 1964 I left Skywave to go on a 99-day $99 Greyhound bus tour right round the United States of America. March 1965: I came home to South Africa bringing my cabin trunks, suitcases, skis etc., on another delivery voyage as First Mate in the trawler Lupin from Aberdeen to Cape Town. After that I sailed as Chief Officer in the “up and down” steamcoaster Reef belonging to African Coasters. 1966: My next sailing voyage was as navigator/crew aboard the American-flagged, 36-foot yawl Aldebaran from Durban to Cape Town and then on to St. Helena, Ascension and Natal in Brazil, so sailing from Natal to Natal. We called at several small ports on the Brazilian North-West coast. I left Aldebaranin in Surinam. March 1966 to December 1966: I sailed as First Mate in Rennie’s Induna. December 1966 to December 1967: I was Master of Jolanda, of Rennie’s Angola Line out of Durban to all ports to Pointe Noire. 1968: I took a one year sabbatical, touring South Africa’s five old ports: Shepstone, St. John’s, Alfred, Beaufort andKnysna; then “berging” in the Drakensberg [My longest walk was 13 days along the top from the Royal Natal National Park to Giant’s Castle (Bushman’s Pass)]. I also surfed but not at all well and had the first of many skiing weekends on Matroosberg. December 1968: I was appointed Second Officer in Safmarine’s Marland for six months. I then took flying lessons at Virginia Airport, Durban. October 1969 to June 1970: I was Second Officer in SA Weltevreden then took my next sailing voyage. January 1971: I sailed as skipper/navigator on Eshowe in the first Cape to Rio Race. We came in on handicap and were commended by the South African Meteorological Service for the quality of our weather reports. April 1971 to April 1973: I was Second Officer in Vergelegen, Letaba, and Morgenster, then for 17 months I was Second Officer of RSA the South African Antarctic research ship.I made two voyages to the South African SANAE Base in Antarctica and several voyages to Marion, Gough and Tristan da Cunha Islands. Late 1975: I embarked on my fourth sailing voyage as skipper/navigator of Phayet fromNew York to Cape Town with stops at Bermuda and Recife. In all it was 60 days sailing. We used the engine [needlessly] for only 21/2 hours in the Doldrums. February 1976 to March 1978: I was Master in several of the Kuswag pollution patrol ships then went back to deep-sea as Chief Officer in the fruitship Hexrivier.I made passages from Seattle on the West coast of the United States to South America, the Red Sea and the Persian Gulf. July 1979: For one month I was appointed as relieving Chief Officer of the cable ship SS Cable Restorer, managed by Safmarine. This was my second “up and down”steamship. I was Chief Officer in Safmarine fruit ships, general cargo, bulk carriers and container ships. I finally became “established” with Safmarine after entering into an employment contract with them. 1980 29 February. Vera and Brad married She had two grown-up daughters with children of their own so he became an instant grandfather [with none of the hassles of bringing up children]. After that she did several voyages with me to Europe, the Mississippi, Japan, the West coast of the United States of America and places in between. 1988 to 1993: I sailed as Master with Safmarine, commanding bulk carriers and general cargo ships October 1991: I was appointed Relieving Master for a month of SS Cable Restorer – she was at buoys and still in commission. October 1993: Retired on pension [16/40] from Safmarine. Post 1993 Up-dating the Mostert’s Mill saga: from 1968 when the poll-end rotted through, dropping the mill’s sails to the ground, I became seriously involved with the revitalization of Mostert’s Mill. It is the only working windmill in South Africa and possibly in the whole of Africa. [There are thousands of wind-pumps, in South Africa.] In1996 two other volunteers and I [one, another “Bothie Boy”] were trained by Dutch milling experts to run the renovated Mostert’s Mill and have since gone from strength to strength. In the meantime I became a Life Member of the False Bay Yacht Club and served on their “Safety and Training Committee” for six years. 2014 Elected as Chairman of the Friends of Mostert’s Mill Committee but I no longer take part in active milling. Now (2019) as an eighty year old, I have become interested in the 9-inch Rifled Muzzle Loader [RML] at Middle North Battery on Red Hill, Simon’s Town. Among other tasks, I sweep out the gun emplacement preparatory to each firing. These take place probably ten times a year. I often say the gun gives a very satisfying ROAR! I am also involved in keeping the Glencairn wetlands clean and undertake tasks concerned with the development and beautification of the Wetlands. I have had a life-long interest in cetaceans [whales and dolphins] and having been a supporter of the Dolphin Action and Protection Group [DAPG] for many years, I was recently elected chairman of the DAPG Committee for all the fact that as Chief Officer of Waterberg, I found a hump-back whale wrapped around the stem on berthing in Cape Town. Deceased 29th December 2020. |
| WALLANDER | OLAF DENSTINE | 2084 | Deceased 15th March 2012. Completed one year on the Bothie, left to assist on family farm. Emmigrated to Canada in the early 1960s and had an automobile repair business there. |
| WALLIS | BARRY JOHN | 2820 | 1997 – Branch Manager of Quadrant Ships Agency, Cape Town. 1998 – Joined TRT Shipping, Cape Town. 2000 – relocated to New Zealand. 2001 – working for a Real Estate company. Deceased 5th June 2002. |
| WALSH | GARY | 2853 | July 1982 – joined Unicorn Lines as Cadet. 1984 – attended General Botha. October 1990 to June 1991 – joined De Beers Marine (Undersea Diamond Recovery), then returned to Unicorn as Chief Officer. Later promoted Master. 1998 joined the S.A. Maritime Safety Authority in Cape Town and in 2001 joined Safmarine as Marine Manager. 2010 independent marine surveyor and marine training. |
| WALSH | PETER ANDREW | 1385 | |
| WALTER | IVAN | 1495 | |
| WALTERS | JOHAN CHARL | 782 | 1937 to 1941 Ellerman Hall Line, apprentice & 3rd Officer, City of Yokohama, City of Newcastle, City of Rangoon. 1941 to 1941 – Sub Lt. HMSAS Oostewal 1941 – 1942 HMSAS Natalia 1943 HMSAS Bluff 1944 Lt HMSAS Soetvlei 1944 to 1945 HMS Salvestor 1946 HMS Chaster, HMS Indefatigable, HMS Barcross, HMS Barbrake 1947 HMS Rockrose 1947 to 1954 Lt Cdr HMSAS Pretoria 1955 HMS Scott, HMS Shackleton 1956 HMSAS Protea 1957 to 1963 CDR HMSAS Natal 1964 to 1974 Navy Hydrographer (S.A.) 1975 – 1976 Rear Admiral Chief of Naval Staff Logistics (S.A.) 1977 – 1980 Vice Admiral Chief of Navy (S.A.) Decorations, SM, SD Deceased in February 1992. |
| WALTERS | REGINALD | 2085 | 2000 – retired from ABSA. |
| WALTHER | BERND-JOACHIM ERNST | 2821 | After resigning from Safmarine in 1987 I joined the SA Navy and served on variuos Strike Crafts till 1990. With the independence of Namibia in 1990 I went back to Namibia and sailed as 1st Mate on the Sea Fisheries petrol vessel “ORYX”. In 1996 I joined an Off Shore Supply and Commercial Diving company as General Manager operating out of the port of Walvis Bay. In 2002 I resigned and took up a job in Kuwait as a General Manager Port Oprations for “Jassim Transport & Stevedoring Co.” in the port of Shuwaikh. 2020 Managing Director at IBTT Port Myanmar. |
| WALTON | DOUGLAS HALE NORTON | 901 | |
| WALTON | DUDLEY NORMAN | 783 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. Born Grahamstown, 6th August 1918. Son of George Whitaker Walton and Lilian Jemina, nee Fisher. Ed, Kingswood College, Grahamstown. Cadet Draft 1934 – 35. Dudley Norman Walton was a member of the SATS General Botha rowing team which went to England in 1935 to compete with crews from HMS Conway and HMS Worcester. After leaving General Botha he was apprenticed to the Thesen Line, and in 1940 joined the Seward Defence Force. He was serving as Sub-Lieutenant on the minesweeper, HMSAS Southern Flow, and lost his life with most of the ship’s company when she was sunk (mined) while sweeping in the vicinity of Alexandria, North Africa, on 11th February 1941. |
| WALTON | STEVEN JOHN | 1920 | |
| WALTON | FRANK ERNEST LAWRENCE | 1797 | Joined Ellerman & Bucknall and sailed with them until before their sale to P&O. Then joined Central Electricity Geneating Board in London as a Management Accountant looking after the capital expenditure of the company. When the industy denationalised then joined the National Grid Company. Spent 2 years travelling around England overseeing the erection of a Fibre Optic communication system. Retired 1995. |
| WALTON | GEOFFREY FREDERICK CLARENCE | 842 | |
| WANLISS | LAURENCE GLENTON DAVID | 1978 |
Laurence, known as Glenn was a Term-mate of Ian Manning, they were the two Junior Cadet side-drummers in the band in 1955 and Senior Cadet drummers in 1956 when Glen was lead drummer. Ian confirms Glen came from Jeppe High School Johannesburg where he was in their pipe band. He was a very friendly and well liked chap. He went to sea with Shell and served on STS ‘Dolabella’, then STS ‘Hydatina’ then to STS ‘Helix’. |
| WANNELL | WILFRED GWILYM LEWIS | 533 | |
| WARD | HARVEY GRENVILLE | 1272 | Entered career journalism. Argus Group Newspapers, Argus Africa News Service from Rhodesia. Foreign correspondent for Daily Mail (London)< Newsweek (USA), Toronot Telegram (Canada). Head news services of radio & TV in Rhodesia. Became Director General of Rhodesia Broadcasting Corp & Rhodesia TV in 1974. Director of Publishing Co Ossian in Scotland. Author of 3 books. President of Scottish South Africa Society. Executive member of Monday Club in London and member of Foreign Affairs Committee. Vice President of Western Goals, London, offshoot of Western Goals, U.S.A. Former Vice President of Century Network Television, U.S.A. Books Published, “Sanctions Busters”, “Operation Esther” & “the Falklands Factors” Three more in pipeline. Decoration : Received ICD in Rhodesia. Deceased 12/04/95 |
| WARD | RONALD DAVIS | 446 | Apprenticed to Bullard King Line. |
| WARD | DOUGLAS ARTHUR | 1743 | Sailed with Safmarine before joining the S.A. Harbour Service. Spent some time on the dredgers in Durban before transferring to a harbour pilot in Cape Town. 1996 retired. Deceased 17/08/2008. |
| WARING | NICHOLAS | 2704 | Reported deceased. |
| WARNEKE | RAYMOND HARTLEY | 1206 | |
| WARREN | ROLAND HARVEY | 841 | |
| WARREN | PATRICK MILES | 422 | |
| WARREN | JONATHAN NELSON | 2705 | 1979 – 86 at sea with Safmarine, cadet to Second Officer, and following 2 years with De Beers Marine as Second and Chief Officer. Sailed with various coastal companies during 1990 including as Master, before joining Pentow Marine, 1991 to 1995. 1996 to 2000 with Sea Fisheries as Chief Officer, Master and Senior Marine Superintendent follweod by a period with Unicorn Tankers. Thereafter joined Midocean Maritime (Isle of Man) as Crew Operator and in 2001, Irish Government as Harbourmaster, Dunmore East Fishery Harbour Centre, Co Waterford. 2003 lecturer, Maritime Studies at Fleetwood Nautical Campus, Blackpool, U.K. Left Fleetwood Nautical Campus in December 2011, started teaching nautical subjects at Liverpool John Moores University in Jan 2012 until 15th February 2021. 2013 completed MSc. 2020 Captain Jonathan Warren, an L3 Assessor and senior tutor maritime at the Liverpool John Moores University School of Maritime and Mechanical Engineering was recognised for his services to maritime education. Awarded the Merchant Navy Medal. 15th February 2021 I have accepted voluntary redundancy and will officially retire. I have set up a company called “Maritime Training Limited” which teaches STCW topics to OOW and Ch Mates students preparing for their SQA exams. In addition, I work very closely with the UK Harbour Masters’ Assn, managing their HM Cert course. |
| WATCHAM | JOHN ANTHONY | 2257 | On leaving Bothie he started his own estate agency in Johannesburg which he ran until his passing away on 22/10/2001. |
| WATERMAN | DEREK MERVEN | 1141 | |
| WATERMEYER | NORMAN MAITLAND | 443 | Born Salisbury, Southern Rhodesia, 20th December 1914. Son of Vipan Maitland Watermeyer and Bertha Lilian, nee Liefeldt. Ed. Reitz Public School, Orange Free State. Cadet Draft 1929-30. Norman Maitland Watermeyer joined the Clan Line on leaving General Botha, but later left the sea to take up land surveying. In 1941 he enlisted with the SAAF and was reported missing, presumed killed in action, on 3 February 1944. |
| WATERS | EDWARD PENROSE | 242 | Did not complete training. |
| WATERS | HUBERT KENNETH | 2352 | After Bothie went to sea with Unicorn Lines and two years later came ashore to join Aeromarine Servedores in Durban. Deceased 20/02/71. |
| WATERSON | CHARLES FREDERICK | 1444 | |
| WATKINS | RODERICK DERMOT | 2560 | Passed CNO 1980. Stayed with Safmarine for futher 18 months. Served as 2nd Mate on the S.A. Hugenot & S.A. Vergelegen. Passed commercial pilots license in 1982. Flew as Charter Pilot in Johannesburg. Passed Airline Transport Pilots License 1984. Joined Dorbyl Ltd as Line Captain on Corporate Jets (Citation & Lear). Joined SAA in 1987 as First Officer serving on B747 & B737’s. Senior First Officer on Boeing 747’s serving all international destinations until gaining command in 1997. 2018 retired. |
| WATKINS | PHILIP ERNEST ABERY | 1798 | Retired senior deeds officer of Zimbabwe but continued to consult in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. Deceased 1st July 2015. |
| WATKINSON | IAN HALLEY | 303 | Born 1910, the year Haley’s Comet was first seen. After Bothie apprenticed to Prince Line, three years on ss Portuguese Prince. Ship sold as scrap due to the depression and was unemployed for ten months. Joined the tanker British Isles as A.B. Seaman, after six months transferred to the tanker British Princess. Returned to South Africa on the Arundel Castle and then worked for thirty seven and a half years as Rigger Ropeman. Retired 1971. Deceased 16th November 2000. |
| WATSON | GIDEON HENDRIK | 2620 | Lasertec, Cape Town. |
| WATSON | ALFRED WILLIAM KNOX | 444 | Born Amatikulu, Zululand, 17th April 1915. Son of Alexander Charles Watson and Alice Catherine, nee Knox. Ed, Eshowe Government School. Cadet Draft 1929-30. Alfred William Knox Watson joined the British India Line as Cadet on leaving Genearl Botha, and passed his Second Mate’s examination. In 1935 he joined the RAF and after gaining his wings was posted to the Coastal Command (Flying Boat) Service, where he served for some time in Malta, until the beginning of the war, when he was transferred to Gilbraltar and promoted to Lieutenant. Not having returned from coastal patrol on 5 June 1941, he was posted missing. |
| WATT | BRIAN RODNEY | 2025 | 1958 – 1964: Union Castle Line/British & Commonwealth Shipping; Cadet and Third Officer. 1964 – 1969: C G Smith’s Coasters/Unicorn Shipping Lines; Second Officer ,Chief Officer and Master 1969 – 1979: Department of Transport – Surveyor in Durban and Firs Principal Officer in Mossel Bay. 1979 – 1983: Rennie Murray & Co – Marine Survyor. 1983 – 1998: Department of Transport – Durban and Pretoria – Surveyor o Chief Director Shipping. Obtained Masters Certificate in 1966 and Master Special Grade in 1985. Also obtained Post Graduate Diploma in Maritime Law at University of Natal and Graduate Diploma in Company Direction at Graduate Institute of Management and Technology. 1998 – 2002: Took part in the establishment of SAMSA [South African Maritime Safety Authority] as the first CEO. 2002 – 2011: Independent Maritime Consultant working extensivelyin Africa for the International Maritime Organization however also undertook assignments in China, Philippines, North Korea, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Unitedab Emirates. 2011 Decided to finally retire and am now [2012] living in a Retirement Estate in the East of Pretoria. Married in 1963 and have two children and four grandchildren. My son and family live near Perth in Scotland and my daughter and family in Eldo Glen in Pretoria. |
| WATTON | ERNEST GODFREY | 2271 | Went to sea as a cadet with Safmarine where he completed his sea time for 2nd mates. He grew up in Johannesburg/Pretoria region and had a head start on the rest of us as he was a sea cadet as a schoolboy . He left the sea without writing second mates and joined Reunert & Lenz, an engineering supply co, as a sales rep. In the early Nineties returned to sea. Was employed informally by various ex-Bothy Boys, Brian Greenwood, Godfrey Needham and Frans Kies. He managed to aquire enough seatime to write a deck officers certificate and was then able to get employment with Pentow on their smaller tugs. To conclude,he was a good seaman and should have stayed in the trade. I remember him as a kind and easy going shipmate. Passed away suddenly on the 1st February 2009. |
| WAY | RICHARD PHILLIPS | 1386 | |
| WEBB | ARTHUR DUDLEY | 1207 | |
| WEBB | GORDON OWEN | 1273 | Previously owner of Summit Steel in Cape Town. After Bothie did an engineering apprenticeship with Globe Engineering in Cape Town. Served as an engineer with Union Castle for seven years and obtained his Chief Engineer’s Certificate of Competency. 1958 joined Safmarine and in 1961 swallowed the anchor and studied for his Government Certificate of Competency. Spent twelve years as a ship surveyor with SAMSA and latterly a lecturer at the Northlink Maritime Training College. Member of the Royal Cape Yacht Club and involved for many years in the organisation of South African International Keelboat racing events. Was Chairman of the Cruising Association of South Africa for 12 years and chairman of the S.A. Ocean Racing Trust. Also Vice-Chairman of CASA and President of The Port Owen Yacht Club. Deceased 06/01/2006. |
| WEBB | BASIL RONALD | 1628 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Sailing in the Riebeeck Castle. |
| WEBB | ERNEST WILLIAM LEAB | 534 | |
| WEBBER | EDWARD ROBERT | 1572 | Reported in “Both Watches” 1952 Sailing in the m.v. Nairnbank. |
| WEBSTER | JOHN | 1071 | |
| WEBSTER | WILLIAM ARTHUR JOHN | 662 | Apprenticed to British India Line. 1964 Chief Navigating Officer in African Coaster’s “Voortrekker”. |
| WEBSTER | BRYAN DOUGLAS | 2593 | 2002 – with S.A. Stevedores as their National Operations Manager. 2005 joined the CTS Group based in Ghana. Retired in December 2020 and contracting in ports’ development and management, amongst other port related activities.2021 on a contract in the Seychelles. |
| WEBSTER | JACK RONNIE | 724 | |
| WEDGWOOD | BRIAN MICHAEL | 40 | |
| WEEKES | BRIAN BERESFORD | 725 | |
| WEEKS | JAMES HERBERT | 34 | After Bothie placed in Thesen Line as apprentice. |
| WEEKS | JOHANNES FRANCOIS | 224 | Winner of King’s Gold Medal. After Bothie apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall Line and joined the R.N.R. as a midshipman. |
| WEGE | RONALD PHILIP WALTER PETER | 1832 | Ronnie ‘Wedge’ Wege was also a Wynberg Boys’ High scholar. Notwithstanding the fact that he broke his leg and spent most of his junior year at the General Botha stomping around in plaster, he came in third in the senior mile open sea swimming race during the Gordon’s Bay regatta and also joined the band as a bugler. On leaving the Botha he joined Northern/Southern Steamships as a cadet in the President Steyn, where Gerry Stalling later joined him. He also sailed in the President Brand. Thereafter, Ronnie served as third mate in Safmarine and as second mate with Sammy Collins in the pioneering West Coast diamond mining tugs and barges. It was during this period that, while working in the breakers, a wire snapped, wrapped itself around one of his legs, fracturing it in several places, effectively ending his seafaring career. Undaunted, Ronnie wrote his second mates with Gerry Stalling and Bill Du Sautoy at Warsash then, determined to give it his best shot, returned to sea as third mate in the President Brand. However, his leg injury soon obliged Ronnie to take shore employment in a series of maritime-related jobs, including stevedoring but finally, he was forced to seek a desk job in the employ of the Western Cape Regional Services, where he remained for the rest of his working career. Ronnie loved children and animals and was a keen and loyal member of the Bothie Old Boys, becoming well known as Father Christmas at the Cape Town branch’s annual Children’s Christmas party, volunteering for the job year after year until his health deteriorated. After suffering a stroke and continual problems with asthma, Ronnie and his wife Cynthia decided on a move to the Karoo, settling in Calitzdorp where he rapidly began playing a large role in the community! Ronnie passed away after an asthma attack 28th April 2002, Cynthia joining him a few years later. |
| WEILBACH | PIETER JACOBUS | 287 | |
| WEILBACH | MARTIN | 2407 | Joined Safmarine 1970. 1971 Left sea and went into banking. 2 Years SANDF + yearly 3 month camps until 1985. Various jobs. SANAE base Antarctica for 14 months (nearly dead). Made enough money to study law. Legal adviser Alberton and Sandton municipalities. Started own practice. Left practice 4 years later and started teaching law. Did MBA and started teaching law and business subjects in the Middle East. Did CELTA course and started teaching in South East Asia , Middle East and North Africa. 2021 Senior Mediator, HW Mediators. |
| WEIR | JOHN DOUGLAS MC LOED | 1015 | |
| WEIR | PATRICK ALASTAIR ROSS | 902 | |
| WEISS | REGINALD GEORGE | 1445 | 30/09/94 – Retired. Deceased 26/04/2013. Reg Weiss completed more than 63 years in active journalism, some 54 mainly with agricultural publications. From 1996-2005, he was Vice-President (Africa) of the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists and at the time of his death he was an Honorary Life President of the SA Agricultural Writers. Trained on the General Botha, Simonstown (1945-46), for a career as a deck officer, he was the first cadet-officer to sign on with Safmarine’s first ship, STS Constantia, sailing between South Africa, the West Indies and the United States. In 1948, he took up a post with The Friend Newspapers in Bloemfontein. He cut his teeth in 1958-59 with Farmer’s Weekly, where he was trained as a reporter before joining The Friend, South Africa’s first daily newspaper north of the Orange River. He was “Editor: Western Cape” successively of three publications – the Farmers’ Weekly, Landbouweekblad and The Dairy Mail. He also worked for the SA Press Association and the Cape Argus, at the same time seeing service in the Parliamentary Press Gallery (with breaks) from 1957 to 1995. He represented SAPA and Reuters at the independence celebrations of Ghana, the first colony in Africa to achieve this distinction. In the 1950s, among others, he covered the treason trial in Johannesburg and the historic congresses of the ANC before it was banned. Memorable assignments included interviews with General Smuts, Dr Malan, Dr Moroka, Chief Albert Luthuli, Walter Sisulu, J. G. Strydom, Hendrik Verwoerd and P. W. Botha and he also remembered being introduced to a youthful Nelson Mandela, then described by Sisulu as a “young Turk” no longer satisfied with passive resistance. Frustrated by negative politics, he returned to agricultural journalism, which he saw as a positive force for good in the world. Visits to the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Portugal, France, Germany, Norway, Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Australia, Israel, Ghana and the West Indies only reinforced his belief that peace was best served by “putting good wholesome milk into babies” (Churchill). He represented South African journalists at successive world congresses of the IFAJ and fought hard to secure the 10th World Congress for South Africa in 2004. It was the first in Africa and hosted some 100 delegates from 26 countries. He was a past chairman of the Paarl Ratepayers’ Association, the Simon van der Stel Foundation and the Paarl SPCA, was secretary of the Drakenstein Heemkring and ratepayer representative on the Drakenstein aesthetics advisory committee. He served for two successive five-year terms on the Cape Diocesan Council and was for some 40 years a lay minister at Holy Trinity Anglican Church in Paarl, also representing the parish at various synods and the elective assemblies of five Archbishops, including that of Emeritus Archbishop Tutu. He was Public Relations Manager of the old Deciduous Fruit Board in the 1970s and served on the board of the National Museum, Bloemfontein, in the 1950s. Up until his death, he was still a regular columnist for the Paarl Post and The Dairy Mail, edited newsletters for organised agriculture in the Western Cape for many years and was also a correspondent for Die Boer and several commodity journals. |
| WELLS | JOHN NORMAN | 1331 | 1945 – S.A.N.F 1950 – BSc Phys Ed, University of Stellenbsoch 1952 – Helsiniki Olympic Games, Gymnastics 1956 – Melbourne Olympic Games, Gymnastics 1954/1958 – World Gym Championships, Rome/Moscow 1960 – BSc Hons, University of Potchefstroom 1972 – Senior Lecturer, Johannesburg College of Education 1988 – Retired |
| WELLS | KENNETH JAMES | 2272 | After matriculating at Forest High in Johannesburg Ken attended Bothie at Gordon’s Bay, one of 13 cadets. He then joined Safmarine in 1965 and served them from cadet to Chief Officer where he left to join the Harbour Service. He was well known as a dredger Master on the coast based in East London and Durban, and ended up working in the dredging office in Durban. 2006 he retired and did spells of dredging, and also taught in the Transnet Academy. His last job was for Subtech in Durban. Ken passed on peacefully after a long illness on 6th April 2017. |
| WELLS | ROBERT WILLIAM | 2320 | I joined Bothie in 1967 after matriculating from Forest High in 1966. I served in Safmarine from 1968 to 1979 and left them as Chief Officer in 1979, serving on general cargo vessels, tankers, reefer and bulk carriers. I joined the Harbour Service in 1979 as Chief Officer in Richards Bay and East London before transferring to Durban as tug Master. I carried on serving Durban Harbour and retired as Senior Pilot in 2012. I am now (2017) happily retired and we now live out at Durbanville . |
| WELSFORD | CHARLES DENIS | 1332 | |
| WELTE | HAROLD FRANCIS | 472 | Did not complete G.B. training and returned to high school and later worked on the Gold Mines. 1939 went to England and accepted a short service commission in the general duties branch of the Royal Air Force. Became a gunnery feeder with the rank of Pilot Officer. Did over 40 bombing missions as “Tail End Charlie”. June 1945 left the air force with the rank of Squadron Leader, returned to S.A. and to the mining industry. After a few years joined Castrol Oil Company and stayed with them for 20 years. 1973 crewed on a yacht in the Cape to Rio Race and became a member of the cruising association of S.A. After retirement moved to Australia in 1976. Deceased 13th November 2002 |
| WEMYSS | MICHAEL DAVID | 2164 | 1964 Third Officer in m.v. “Letaba”. 1995 – Reported a Harbour Pilot with Portnet. April 1996 with Pentow Marine based in Mossel Bay. Spent a few years as a harbour pilot in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. 2004 retired. |
| WENTWORTH | HERBERT DONNEFORD CECIL | 240 | After Bothie apprenticed to Hall Line and joined the R.N.R. as a midshipman. |
| WENTWORTH | ANTHONY COLIN | 2771 | 2017 Commodore of False Bay Yacht Club. “I went to sea with Safmarine as Third Mate after Bothie, sailing on the new SA Vaal and ‘big whites’ before joining the Wolraad Woltemade and John Ross for a 2 year stint. After resigning towards the end of 1986 I joined Pennypinchers in a complete career change, was able to purchase a partnership in my Tokai, Cape Town business in 1996, and sold 2020. |
| WERTH | VIGGO | 2665 | Submitted June 2018. Safmarine – cadet class starting 1978, Weltevreden, Vergelegen, Hexriver, Mistral Universal, Huguenot, Sederburg, Waterberg. SA Agulhas – joined the ice team in 1981 with a shiny new ticket, was with them for 3 years. Pentow Marine – Salvage, Anchor-handling & DSV. Wolraad, Ross, Salvor, Skua, Service, Jade Fish. OSA – Anchor-handling. Werdertor, Herdentor, Schepelsturm, Holstentor, Imkenturm. OIL – Anchor-handling, Oil Tempest, Oil Provider. Pentow Marine – Anchor-handling, SBM & pipe-laying. Skua as Master for years. Reading & Bates Falcon – Anchor-handling on Champion (Smit 110 class). Then moved from years as Master to a lowly Assistant DPO on the drillships, quite a change starting from scratch. Moved up quickly to DPO, Sr.DPO, Chief Mate & Master. RBF became Transocean Sedco-Forex then Transocean – all DP drilling rigs worldwide (same coverall – different logo). Peregrine III, Sedco 709, Deepwater Frontier, all as Master/OIM. Then I got selected to run the construction & mobilization project of 2 newbuild DP3 drillships. Lived on Geoje Island in Korea for a few great years at the shipyard. Vantage Drilling – Was poached from Korea by ex-Transocean team @ Vantage to start up the company from scratch in Singapore. Quite a challenge with nothing in place, no policies, manuals, procedures. Since then we’ve built 3 new DP3 drillships & 4 high-spec jackups in Singapore & Korea. Also built 7 other DP rigs for other companies in Korea, Singapore & China For the last 8+ years I’ve been managing Marine Ops, DP Ops, Regulatory Compliance, DPA, CSO. Transferred to Houston 6 years ago when we set up the Head-Office here & quite settled by now in the centre of the drilling universe. I’m also Rig Manager for the Titanium Explorer DP3 drillship which is presently hot-stacked alongside in Ngqura. |
| WEST | DONALD | 1799 | Went to sea with British India and Thesens Coasters before joining Safmarine as a Marketing Representative in 1959. After 26 years was Executive Manager, Northbound sales. 1984 joined Sanko to open their South African office and later formed Sates Africa Lines. Thereafter formed Vacsim, introducing a new method of coal handling in S.A. and Mozambique. After selling this company joined Mediterranean Shipipng Company for a year as Marketing Director before entering farming in Zimbabwe. Started a Hand Knitting project in Zimbabwe which became the largest employer of rural women in the country. Elected business man of the year in 1994 & 1995. 2001 busines and farms taken over by the Zimbabwean government, returned to S.A. and started another Hand Knitting project in the Free State. |
| WEST | NICHOLAS WILLIAM GEORGE | 2026 | Did not complete his training on the Ship. |
| WEST | NEVILLE ARTHUR | 2408 | Previously sailed with Unicorn. 1993 – Promoted to General Manager of King and Sons (Pty) Ltd in Durban. Later became Managing Director of Barwil South Africa based in Durban. 2005 retired from Barwil. 2011 freelance cargo superintendent on S.A. coast. |
| WEST | JAMES ARTHUR | 663 | Apprenticed to Reardon Smith Line. |
| WEST | MAX RUPERT | 784 | Served with the Nigerian Regiment in the Abbaysinian Campaign during WWII. After the war joined Shell. Deceased. |
| WESTER | HENK | 2772 | First sailed with Unicorn. 1999 – at sea with Aquamarit of Saudi Arabia. 2012 Maputo Harbour Master, Mozambique. Deceased November 2013. |
| WESTMACOTT | GERALD GORDON | 903 | WWII Stoker 1 SDF. |
| WESTON | LEONARD ERNEST | 2353 | Did not go to sea after Bothie. Deceased 26th March 2018. Laughter- loud, joyous, contagious laughter- that is what most people comment on when they remember Pastor Leonard Weston. As children, when in a large crowd & we didn’t know where our parents were, we would just stand for a moment & wait for the laugh, making Dad easy to find. Leonard Ernest Weston, born 3rd November 1949, in Chingola Zambia, was the youngest of four children. Len attended boarding school in Lusaka, Zambia & then completed schooling at Gifford Tech, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. During his high school years, while on a family vacation in Cape Town, he met Dagmar- which resulted in him moving to Cape Town & spending a year at General Botha Naval Academy in 1968. Len was quite the wild child, by the age of 21, he had been in 21 car accidents (he was only driver in four of them), the last accident being when he put his MGBGT sports car under a train, whilst dicing a friend, in the Cape Town harbor. After the Academy, Len worked his way up the ranks in business until he was factory manager for a leather luggage company. Leonard & Dagmar married in 1972. Their home was the notorious party spot & they were the neighbours nobody wanted to have! One afternoon, in the midst of reveling with friends, Len had the sudden urge to attend an evening church service & told his friends to lock up when they’d finished their drinks. Two weeks later, the same urge hit him & that night, after hearing a message of the stoning of Stephen, Leonard responded to the altar call & his life changed drastically. From then on, Len became very involved in the local church & in 1980 felt called into fulltime ministry. At this stage, Len & Dagmar had two young children, Robert & Simone, & sold up everything and moved to Louisville, Kentucky, USA for Len to study at the Southern Baptist Seminary for eight years. Whilst there, their youngest, Natasha, was born. During those years, Leonard was a co-pastor at a vibrant, fast-growing charismatic church with his brother, Dr Owen Weston. Upon completion of his theology studies, the family returned to South Africa whereupon they received a call to the then Piet Retief Christian Church, in January 1989. At that time, the church had undergone a split. One of Leonard’s conditions of accepting the post was to restore the two factions, which, with the help of the Lord, was accomplished within the first year. Prior to the 1994 elections, Leonard was the Chairman of the Peace Committee & was also key in networking with pastors in Swaziland & surrounding towns. This networking resulted in lifelong friendships & in him being made chairman of the Lighthouse Board, Mbabane- which now oversees Bulembu, Teen Challenge & Potters Wheel church. The PRCC grew, adjacent properties were bought, Maranatha School was started & the original building became too small. It was apparent that a larger building was necessary. To this day, many people still joke about “Len’s gym” where the church folk would help with building the new church on Saturdays! The new building was opened in 1997, with not a cent owed: debt-free, such a testimony! In the years that followed, different ministries sprung up from PRCC, namely: Kebar Bookshop, Assegaai Revival Centre (Commondale), River of Life Church Plants & Uzwelo Home. At this time the leadership decided that a name change was in order, to encompass the various ministries- thus Wellspring Ministries. In 1999, Pastor Len completed his Masters degree in Ministry. Pastor Len was an integral part of Piet Retief’s pastors fraternal & a great encourager & motivator for many ministries. He was also a part of the Fellowship of Elders- a meeting of Senior Pastors from all over South Africa. Since 1998, Pastor Len mentored Sheldon Hallis & frequently referred to him as his “Timothy”. On Sunday, 18th March 2018, Len officially handed over the mantel of Senior Pastor of Wellspring Ministries to Sheldon, unknowing that this would be his last time at the pulpit. Pastor Len began having heart problems in 2013, resulting in a pacemaker. Sadly, on Monday 26th March, Leonard went home to be with the Lord. He leaves behind his beloved wife Dagmar, three children, their spouses & seven grandchildren. The Weston family has been overwhelmed by the outpouring of love & support from Wellspring & from the entire Piet Retief community, for which we extend our gratitude. Pastor Len often challenged young pastors & mission students, “If God had to take your church out of the community, would anyone notice?” With this we would like to challenge you to make a difference in your community & to continue Pastor Len’s legacy. |
| WESTON | JOSEPH PETRUS CHARLES | 726 | 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. |
| WESTPHAL | MARKUS | 2920 | Presently, 1994 sailing as Chief Officer with Safmarine. |
| WESTWORTH | IAN | 1979 | 2003 running three bunker barges on the Mersey River, Henty Oil LTD. |
| WHALEY | CRAWFORD ALEXANDER PATON | 86 | Joined Prince Line as apprentice. Deceased. Reported in S.A.T.S. Magazine No.3 1937: with Harbour Service in Port Elizabeth. 1964 Port Captain, East London. |
| WHEAL | ANDRE CHARLES | 599 | Born Oudtshoorn, 3rd January 1915. Son of John Thomas and Ada Jane, nee Fordham. Ed Boys’ High School, Outdshoorn. Cadet Draft 1931-32. On leaving the General Both, Andre Charles Wheal joined the Union Castle Mail Steamship Co. From the outbreak of war until 17th August 1942, Andre Charles Wheal served in the Merchant Navy, when he was admitted to hospital suffering from tuberculosis. The Prince Baudouin, in which he ws serving, was then at Port Said. He was later transferred as a ‘Distressed British Seaman’ to South Africa and sent to the Durban Hospital, where he subsequently died on 15th May 1943. |
| WHEELDON | FRANK HARVEY | 1208 | DOB 23/01/1926. Deceased 03/12/2017. After Bothie joined the m.v. Seelandia and later the ss Dalia until the end of WWII. Joined Burroughs Machines in Johannesburg and from there Goldfields Mining House. In 1963 set up own business manufacturing laboratory apparatus called Rutland Industries. Retired end of 2000. |
| WHEELER | PAUL RICHARD | 2462 | |
| WHEELER | DOUGLAS RONALD | 664 | 1933 promoted to Senior Cadet Captain “A” and Chief Cadet Captain “B”. 1933 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve Apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line (Bank Line). Was a survivor when HMS Royal Oak was sunk by a German submarine October 1939. He was serving as a Sub-lieutenant on board. Of the complement of 1,200 there were only 414 survivors. |
| WHEELER | WILLIAM PERCIVAL | 292 | After Bothie apprenticed to Andrew Weir Line. Reported deceased. |
| WHEELOCK | HARRY | 1142 | Deceased 03/08/2011. |
| WHELAN | LIONEL KENNETH | 1573 | |
| WHIFFLER | RAYMOND | 2165 | |
| WHIPP | RICHARD CHARLES SMART | 1858 | Dick Whipp was a Transvaal boy from Pretoria Boys’ High School, a strange mixture of rebel and scholar. In his senior year he was promoted Badge Cadet and besides playing a sterling game for the 1st rugby team, he captained a victorious Starboard Watch rugby team in the inter-watch rugby competition. He won the Eric Curran Prize for good sailor qualities. On leaving the Botha, Dick joined Shell Tankers being appointed to the Tectarius with Chris Copeland and Mike Shaw. He and Shaw were then transferred to the Paludina on the Curacao to Maracaibo run, followed by the Hydatina. Disappearing for a while, he was then seen in Cape Town as second mate with Unicorn. Qualifying for his masters in South Africa, Dick then joined Tidewater, followed by Zapata Oil and Petrobras in Northern Brazil. He finally married a Brazilian girl, settling down in Araruama, near Rio de Janeiro for a good part of his life. Dick had seemed keen to travel from Brazil and join the 2004 reunion in Gordon’s Bay ‒ to the extent of sending Barry a $100 bill by air mail as deposit. Knowing Dick and his ways, Barry kept his place open to the end. But, amidst all the excitement, was nonplussed to find one reserved seat unoccupied when, with the entire crowd of 53/54s aboard, the luxury coach was due to leave for lunch at a fine Stellenbosch winery. It was Dick’s seat of course. We missed him. Dick passed away in 2009. |
| WHISKEN | HAROLD JOHN | 727 | 1934 promoted to Junior Cadet Captain. Was a POW during WWII. |
| WHISTON | ERNEST EDWARD | 114 | First ex-cadet to join the S.A. Flying Corps in January 1925. Was a POW during WWII, rank Private. |
| WHITE | COLIN | 2027 | Deceased 7th February 2020. Did not complete training on the General Botha. |
| WHITE | WILLIAM RUSSELL | 1012 | Born Cape Town, 11th November 1921. Son of Percy and Elizabeth Constance White. Ed, Wynberg Boys’ High School Cadet Draft 1938-9. On leaving General Botha, William Russel White was posted as Midshipman, RNR, to HMS Esperance Bay and on attaining the rank of Sub-Lieutenant in 1941, posted to the destroyer HMS Matabele, which escorted Winston Churchill to the USA. He lost his life on convoy duty to Russia on 17th January 1942 when his destroyer was torpedoed by a U-454. Commemorated at Plymouth Naval Memorial and on the SATS General Botha Memorial, Cape Town. |
| WHITE | BRIAN JOSEPH | 786 | |
| WHITE | GODFREY LEONARD | 1859 | Geoff White, a Capetonian, left Sea Point Boys’ High School to commence his sea-going career at the General Botha. On passing out in 1954, he joined Clan Line, serving on many of their ships. Geoff wrote his second mates and mates in Cape Town while serving with that company. When Springbok Line was formed, he transferred across from Clan Line. When Springbok and Safmarine merged, he found himself employed by Safmarine, serving in a number of their ships. On obtaining his masters, Geoff saw a brief spell in the Harbour Service followed by an even briefer return to Safmarine, then to Sea Fisheries as master of the Africana II and finally to stevedoring with Grindrod Cotts in Port Elizabeth. In due course, Geoff settled down to marine surveying in the windy city, taking over Norman Caseley’s business and running it under his own name for eight years. Having developed this taste for surveying, Geoff then took a position as a marine surveyor with the Marine Division of the Department of Transport in Durban, rising through the ranks to Principal Ship Surveyor and Examiner. He was then transferred to Cape Town with the department until it became the South African Maritime Safety Authority (SAMSA), serving as Principal Officer and Senior Examiner, until his retirement. Since then, unable to lead the quiet life, Geoff lectured in nautical subjects at Northlink College maritime campus and then, in his mid-seventies, not done with work, he lectured part time assisting deck officers preparing for the SAMSA oral examinations. In 1967 Geoff married Eileen Manthey a Port Elizabethan. They had two children, a married daughter living in Springs and a son who, following the family tradition, is based in Simon’s Town serving in the South African Navy – along with four grandchildren. Geoff was keen to join his shipmates celebrating their 60 year reunion in March 2014, had booked for all events but was forced to phone Barry a few days before to report “I’m too ill, won’t be able to make it.” Geoff died of cancer two weeks later, 16th April 2014. |
| WHITE | AUBREY NEWBY | 143 | After Bothie apprenticed to Union Castle Line and joined the R.N.R. as a midshipman. |
| WHITE | PETER DOUGLAS | 1446 | |
| WHITE | GUY LAWRENCE RAMSAY | 2680 | After completing my “A” course in 1979 I returned to Safmarine and sailed for another year and a half before being forced to leave due to medical reasons. I then worked for Old Mutual for 2 years before joining Mobil (later Engen) in 1983 as a Clerk based in East London. Several transfers and new positions later I took a post as Managing Director for Engen Botswana in 1990 based in Gaborone – a far cry from my sea-faring days! 1998 resigned from Engen and relocated to Grahamstown, Eastern Cape. 2010 Director of Development and Alumni Relations for Rhodes University in Grahamstown. My wife and I are running our businesses in Grahamstown. We have a Spar with a Tops and a BP forecourt. Been in the business for close to 20 years but upgraded from a Kwikspar to a Spar last year and so I needed to come and help out the missus who had been carrying the load for the bulk of those years. 2020 sold Kwikspar, owner of BP Oak Cottage Motors, Grahamstown. |
| WHITE | ARTHUR JAMES | 785 | Born Kingwilliamstown, 13th September 1918. Son of Frederick James White and Annie, nee Littlechild. Ed, Selborne College, East London. Cadet Draft 1934-35. On leaving General Botha, Arthur James White was apprenticed to the Reardon Smith Line, and at the outbreak of war was serving in the Willamett Valley when she was torpedoed and sunk in the Irish Sea. Third Officer Arthur James White, with other survivors, was resuced after being in the sea for nine hours clinging to a raft. On returning to England he was appointed Third Officer of the Derrynane, which was bombed while passing through the Suez Canal. Having survived this ordeal, the Derrynane was finally lost with all hands in the Atlantic on 12th February 1941. Arthur James White was twenty-two years old at the time of his death. |
| WHITE | GORDON ALLISTAIR | 2428 | Initially sailed with Unicorn. 1995 – with Keely Stevedores, Durban. 2005 left P&O Ports Stevedoring as Managing Director and formed Marine Care & Solutions in 2006. |
| WHITECROSS | BASIL KEITH | 1447 | Won the highest award available to special entry cadets in the Royal Navy – the King’s Prize. It took the form of a telescope, which was presented to him 13th April 1948 by Admiral of the Fleet Sir John Cunningham on board HMS Devonshire. |
| WHITEHEAD | ROBERT | 2463 | whitehead@worldonline.co.za 1981 – qualified as Master Mariner, Foreign going. 1987 – studied and completed the Institute of Chartered Shipbrokers Examination. 1988 – studied and passed MDP through UNISA. 1990 – studied and passed AEP through UNISA. 01/1972 – 12/83 – at sea with Safmarine. 01/1984 – 08/85 – Nautical Lecturer at S.A. Merchant Navy Academy “General Botha.” 08/1985 – joined Irvin & Johnson as Marine Superintendent, Development. 02/1988 – promoted to Marine Manager. One month later promoted to Fleet Manager. 01/1991 – promoted to General Manager, Trawling Division. 1996 – left I&J, started own business, African Maritime Services (MD), manufacturing fishing nets. President of the Society of Master Mariners South Africa. |
| WHITFIELD | VIVIAN WALTER | 1387 | sailed on the S.A.R.& H Agulhas with Doug Harris 1943/45, David Dashwood 1994/45 and Peter Etherington 1944/45, when Mike Goold was Master in 1948. |
| WHITTAKER | RICHARD MICHAEL | 1496 | On leaving Bothie did five years at sea before joining Land & Marine in Durban. Deceased 14th July 2012. |
| WHITTINGTON | FREDERICK DOUGLAS | 787 | 29th June 1935 member of the cutter crew race against “General Botha”, “Conway” and “Worcester”. Deceased November 1992. |
| WHITTLE | TIMOTHY ADRIAN LESREND | 2854 | 1987 – 1989 Lever Brothers, Maydon Wharf, Durban 1989 – 1991 Rhesco Engineering Supply Co, Durban 1991 – 1992 Self Employed – Tinseltown Graphic Design 1992 Moved to Northern Ireland. 1992 – 1997 Sales Engineer, Pegler & Louden Ltd 1997 – 2002 Business Development Manager – Ireland, St Gobain Pipelines plc 2003 – 2003 General Manager, Ulster Tubes Ltd 2003 – 2016 General Manager / Managing Director, BM Heat Services Ltd 2016 – 2021 Sales Manager – Ireland, Börger UK Ltd 2021 – Country Manager, Ireland, AVK UK Ltd |
| WHITWAM | ALBERT LAWRENCE | 14 | After Bothie joined the South African Naval Service as a Seaman. |
| WICKENDEN | NEVILLE ARTHUR ERNEST | 1274 | 1968 – with Motor & General, Cape Town |
| WIDDICOMBE | MARK | 2788 | |
| WIEHART | WERNER | 2894 | Sailed with Safmarine. 2006 Senior Forensic Auditor with SizweNtsaluba, Cape Town. 2010 moved to Port Elizabeth municipality as forensic auditor. |
| WIER | MICHAEL JOHN | 2579 | 1995 – reported to be resident in Torquay, England as Harbour Master. |
| WIESE | WILLEM JACOBUS | 904 | WWII Sergeant Technical Services Corps. |
| WIGGILL | VERNON PERCIVAL | 728 | Joined lower deck in “Arundale Castle”. During WWII served in the RNVR (SA) and served in the cruiser HMS Cornwall which was sunk by Japanese dive bombers on Easter Sunday 5 April 1942. He was most fortunate to survive, Able Seaman V.W. Wiggill (728) who was wounded. |
| WIGLEY | RONALD HENRY | 1497 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48 Has joined the ‘President Steyn’ as an Apprentice Officer. After coming ashore worked for forwarding & clearing agents, Renfreight and Grindrods, for 25 years. |
| WIID | GAVIN JOHN | 2822 | |
| WIJNBERG | PAUL ALEXANDER | 1744 | 1952 – “Chainy” and Queen’s Gold Medallist. 1953 – Midshipman S.A Navy on HMSAS Transvaal. 1964 Lt Cdr, SAS President Pretorius. 1972 – 1975 – Naval Attaché, Paris 1977 – appointed Director on the Staff at Defence HQ, Pretoria. Later seconded to the office of the Prime Minister before being appointed as the Officer Commanding Naval Command Natal 12/1980 1986 – promoted to Rear Admiral. Appointed as Flag Officer Commanding Naval Command East. 1989 – retired, apply farming in the Elgin District. 2013 fully retired from farming. Deceased 28/07/2013. |
| WIJNBERG | MICHIEL WILLIAM | 1209 | After WWII went to Howard College, Natal University, to read Civil Engineering which led to a life in construction. Mainly in Africa and for the past 39 years in Zambia where he had his own fairly large company. Engaged mainly in rural development projects. 1994 in Zambia farming (crops and a boran herd). Was active in conservation and ecological matters. Deceased 25/08/2008. |
| WIKNER | WARWICK DAVE | 665 | 1933 promoted to Senior Cadet Captain “A” 1934 Apprenticed to Bullard King Line. Served as a Captain in the S.A. Air Force during WWII. |
| WIKNER | VALDEMAR DALLAS | 408 | Reported in “Old Salts” 1947/48. Was a Lieutenant on the Destroyer H.M.S. ‘Kempenfelt.’ Deceased 05/07/1977 of heart failure. Served with the Royal Navy on Destroyers and Submarines, including HMS Viking, during WWII. Was torpedoed in the East and after reaching shore led his party of survivors through the jungles to reach India. During the March they came across a man who had been crucified by the enemy, but was still alive. They rescued and carried him to India where he was hospitalised and survived. After the war he took up welfare work and was assistant manager of the D.P. Marais (a T.B. Hospital in Cape Town). Later joined the “Cape Peninsular Organisation for the Aged” and was posted to Zerilda Steyn Place and later Sea Point Place in Cape Town before his retirement. |
| WILCOCKS | HENRY NORMAN | 1980 | Was a Silver Medalist. After GB joined Stewart & Lloyds for 26 years, numerous transfers around Africa. 1982 moved to Cape Town and joined Inkledon Engineering and later MAC Steel for six years. 1997 retired. Deceased 09/05/2009. Henry Wilcocks was born 14 November 1938, in Pretoria, the second son of Jean Hillegert Dupré Wilcocks and Florence Logan. He attended the Sunnyside Primary School and then progressed to Pretoria Boys’ High School. His love for the sea was stimulated by his membership of the 22nd Pretoria Sea Scouts and in 1955 he enrolled at the General Botha. At the conclusion of his training there he intended going to sea, but was advised against such a choice because of a slight hearing impairment. Henry decided to enroll as a trainee in the Stewarts and Lloyds training scheme and at the successful conclusion of his course he was posted to Durban and Empangeni. A succession of postings took him across southern Africa: Bulawayo, Umtali, Blantyre, back to South Africa in 1966 to Johannesburg, then on to Bloemfontein, Kimberley, Dundee and East London; then back to Kimberley. In 1983 after he had resigned from the firm, he took up a post as manager of the Cape Town branch of Incledon Engineering. At the age of 58 he was working for the National Trading Company when he was medically boarded and went into retirement. Henry’s first posting to Kimberley was as sales manager which he held for 4 years. From 1972 onwards he was the branch manager at Dundee, East London and Kimberley. During his tenure in Blantyre he married Margaret Ann Riddell on 9 March 1963. She was a lass who was born in Forres in Scotland, and whose parents were working in Blantyre. Their son David John was born the following year in Blantyre. Their daughter Sharon Louise was born at the end of 1970 when the family was in Kimberley. Eventually the whole family settled and remained in Cape Town. Henry was particularly active in sport. At the General Botha he was the boxing champion for his weight division and while he was in Malawi, then known as Nyasaland, he played rugby for the national team. In Cape Town he was a regular member of the Pinelands Bowling Club. Throughout his life he was a real “man’s man” and moved easily in all social circles. It was sad to see this genial and positive personality battle bravely with Alzheimer’s disease over the last 12 years of his life. He passed away on 9 May 2009 in Cape Town. |
| WILCOX | ARTHUR | 2233 | After G.B. joined Safmarine as Cadet. 1964 Cadet in m.v. Letaba. Left 10 years later to join the S.A. Harbour Service, served as Harbour Master in Port Nolloth until September 1974. Was involved in salvage work on the Oranjeland which had gone aground off East London, before returning to Safmarine in February 1975. Promoted Master with Safmarine November 1980. Deceased 19/02/1995. |
| WILKINS | BERTRAM | 666 | |
| WILKINS | FRANK JAMES | 1333 | 1945 – Midshipman R.N.R. on vessels HMS Freesia, LST 3003 & 3033. Later HMS Narvik. Royal Naval Colelge Greenwich. 1948 – Apprenticeship S.A.R.& H Test & Research 1952 – SMD Manufacturing Co (Laboratories) Design Engineer 1956 – In partnership, formed United Electronics Ltd 1961 – Joined Eskom as Communications Engineer 1973 – Joined University of Natal Medical School as Bio Research Engineer. CO-authored numerous research papers. 1993 – Retired to build classic cars e.g. 1910 De Dion, Autin Healey’s 100′ six & 3000. Deceased of heart attack 15/08/1998 |
| WILKINSON | FRANK DUNSTAN | 788 |
1934 – 1935 Joined P&O of London until outbreak of the Second World War and then served as a Commissioned Officer in the Royal Navy until demobilised in 1945. Returned to South Africa and served as Master in the Union Steamship Co. and later in South African Marine Corporation (Safmarine) for about 7 years until appointed government marine surveyor and examiner in Cape Town. In 1959 appointed to S.A.N.C. Genearl Botha, Gordon’s Bay and later commissioned into S.A. Navy until retirement in 1976. Thereafter served in a civilian capacity at the Hydrographic Office, being finally retired in 1986. Decorations: Bronze medal for good service, chief of the Navy’s Commendation, 1939 – 1945 Star, Atlantic Star, Africa Star, Burma Star, 1939 – 1945 Service Medal, Mention in despatches. Deceased 10/12/93. |
| WILKINSON | EDWARD FAWCETT | 1448 | |
| WILKINSON | ARTHUR JAMES | 393 | Training not completed due to medical condition. |
| WILLARD | KEITH GRAHAM | 1275 | Served with the South African Naval Force until 1947 as a Sub-Lieutenant. Took a clerical post with Government Service in the then Southern Rhodesia. Then took up a career in accounting, joined John Dickenson & Co in 1951and retired in 1986 from Woolbrokers, B.K.B. Deceased 25/10/2011. |
| WILLCOCK | LYNDON BRIAN | 2135 | 1968 – Sailing on the Jolanda, Rennies Angola Line. TJ Harrision of Liverpool, Rennies Angola Line, Tafelberg Stevedoring Cape Town, Consolidated Stevedores Durban, J.T. Rennies Marine Superintendent Durban, AESL, Centromar Shipping Durban. Ten years at sea, then stevedoring, owner’s representative and ships agent with a short spell working at Highveld Steel Plant in Witbank. |
| WILLIAMS | DENIS SCOTT | 1449 | |
| WILLIAMS | COURTNEY WILLIAM | 325 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. |
| WILLIAMS | ALLAN JOHN GRANT | 69 | Did not return 1962, |
| WILLIAMS | STEPHEN REUBEN GEORGE | 74 | Joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as Ordinary Seaman. |
| WILLIAMS | RONALD BIRCH | 600 | |
| WILLIAMS | ALFRED STRICKLAND WYN | 302 | After Bothie apprenticed to Thesen Line. |
| WILLIAMS | KENNETH HUTTON | 1536 | Deceased 7th December 1970. Eldest son of Captain Owen and Molly Williams. He was educated at Clifton Preparatory School and Durban High School. After serving as a cadet on the General Botha at Gordon’s Bay, where he was a Senior Cadet Captain, he joined Union Castle as junior officer, serving with the line until 1958. He sat for his master’s certificate in London shortly after his marriage to Miss Joy Carte, before joining the S.A. Harbour Service where he became a harbour pilot. His colleagues paid tribute to his conscientiousness. He was active worker for the General Botha Old Boys Association and the Master Mariners Society. |
| WILLIAMS | ALEXANDER | 1276 | After leaving the Bothie I served in the R.N.R. as a Midshipman and later transferred to S.A.N.F. I came to the U.S. in 1946 and attended the University of Idaho. I graduated with a B.Sc in 1950. I worked for Shell Chemical Co (a Division of Royal Dutch Shell or Shell Oil Co) for 10 years and then started my own chemical company. I built it to the size of U.S. $520 million. I sold my companies in 1976 and went into ranching business. I raise registered black (Aberdeen) angus in Montana U.S.A. Deceased 2005. |
| WILLIAMS | GEOFFREY HUGH | 2543 | Joined Safmarine in 1976 on the SA Huguenot. Sailed as Third Mate on the Kulu and SA Langkloof. Completed Second Navigating Officer’s Ticket and joined SAFTUG serving on both the Wolraad Woltemade and the John Ross for a few very good years. Qualified as a Chief Navigating Officer (FG) in Durban. Left Safmarine and worked for the Israelis to complete sea time. Joined the Department of Environmental Affairs & Fisheries serving as Master on the r.v Afrikaner, Sardinops, Benguela & Custos. During this time qualified as Master (FG) in Cape Town. Then served in Cape Town Port Control for about 2 years before sailing out of SA (1991) bound for the Caribbean on his yacht ‘Tombi’. Worked for 8 years in the Yacht Charter industry in St. Martin and The British Virgin Islands as operations & technical managers. In 1998 qualified in the US as an Accredited Marine Surveyor and has been working with yachts ever since. His company is called West Indies Marine Surveyors and are based on Tortola in the British Virgin Islands, surveying throughout the Caribbean, Central America and occasionally in SA. 2006 formed a successful yacht survey business based in France. |
| WILLIAMS-FREEMAN | DAVID PEERE | 1334 | 1942 enlisted in the British Merchant Navy at age 14 from the UK before joining the GB the following year. After Bothie completed two years of school and a further two years at university. Then went farming in Citrusdal and Rhodesia and after some years returned to Durban where he worked in a convent. 1964 set up a trout farm in Kwa-Zulu Natal and also farmed vegetables, flowers, sheep and also established a sawmill on the property. 1995 farming and milling timber in Natal. Subsequently established a caravan park. |
| WILLIAMSON | HARRY VALLENTINE | 116 | Joined P&O as apprentice. Served in the Royal Navy during WWII. Reported deceased. Awarded the sextant prize in 1924, inscription on the sextant box reads: Presented by Senator The Hon Sir Charles Smith K.C.M.G. To PO2 H.V. Williamson S.A.T.S. “General Botha” 1924 1st Prize Highest Combined Marks All Technical Subjects. (This sextant is the personal property of Tony Nicholas 2399 who purchased it on E-Bay.)After completion of his two year course he left SATS General Botha on 11 December 1924. He was placed with the Peninsular & Oriental Steam Navigation Company’s Branch Line [P&O Branch Line] Apprentice in BALLARAT [early 1925?] H. V. Williamson was commissioned as a Sub-Lieutenant, later LT CDR, in the Royal Naval Reserve [RNR] [no date or promotions given] and served in HMS Battler. HMS Battler was an ATTACKER Class small aircraft carrier, one of the United States Navy’s BOGUE Class transferred to the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He probably served in other RN ships as well. |
| WILLIS | ALBERT EDWIN | 201 | After G.B. Apprenticed to Cambrian Line of Wales. Invalided home after two years. Apprenticed to the Knysna Municipality as an Electrician in the power station. After five years went to Port Elizabeth and worked on the Construction of the firestone factory. From there went to Bloemfontein and joined the public works department. Then to Pretoria as Electrician, Chargehand, Foreman, Clerk of Works and Inspector of works. Transferred to Cape Town for five years as a cleark of works. Transferred to Durban with the Natal Provincial Administration. Retired as Chief Insepctor of Works, Electrical and Mechanical, in 1972. Served on the Durban OBA Committee with Herby Horsley and Gordon Jones. |
| WILLIS | ERNEST TREVERS | 4 | After Bothie joined Andrew Weir (Bank Line) as apprentice. 5th May 1941 with S.A. Air Force Meteorological Section. In 1963 news was received that he had unaccountably found his way into the American army as a Captain. |
| WILLMAN | MICHAEL BRUCE | 2028 | “I retired in 1960 having completed a 10 year stint as a lecturer with Saudi Aramco Marine Department. Apart from a 10 year period in chemical tankers, VLCC & ULCC the highlight of my career was the appointment to the Safmarine Tug Division when Wolraad Woltemade and John Ross were still on the drawing board.” Deceased January 2014. |
| WILLOUGHBY | JOHN BARRY | 1981 | Left after first year. Reported deceased. |
| WILLS | RODNEY ARTHUR | 2491 | He joined Unicorn Shipping for five about years where he later became very involved with HR especially worker rights and representation. This led to him joining Andrew Levy and the Contact Group – Gemini Consulting in the early 1980’s. He was a Director at the Contact Group (a well known HR and L&D consultancy at the time) from 1983 – 1992. From 1992 with his wife Ria as a partner, own consulting company, Ntinga Transformation Services. Deceased 15th March 2018. |
| WILLSON | DAVID GEORGE | 2086 | Died in Hout Bay about 1989/1990 at age 49. |
| WILMAN | GORDON EAST | 844 | Deceased 2005. WWII AB SANF. |
| WILMOT | WESLEY AUSTIN | 960 | 1943 Temp Second Officer in SATS General Botha. Joined the Royal Air Force and served in Coastal Command during WWII. Eventually became a very successful quanitity surveyor in Johannesburg. Reported deceased in 1975. |
| WILSHIN | RICHARD STANLEY | 1745 | |
| WILSON | BARRY CHARLES | 2921 | |
| WILSON | THOMAS RUSSELL | 231 | After Bothie apprenticed to Houlder Line. During WWII served as Sergeant in S.A. Artillery. Submitted August 2017 by his stepson, Chris Miller (chrismiller@telkomsa.net): “I have been in touch with Tom’s nephew, Anthony Wilson, who regrettably has been unable to add much to my information. I will try and give you what we can recall. Tom grew up in the Eastern Transvaal, on a coal mine in the Carolina/Breyten district, where I believe his father was Mine Secretary. He had, I think, two brothers, Ken who became Underground Manager of Harmony Gold Mine and the other brother who lived in Rhodesia and who I never met. He also had a sister, Kitty, who relocated to America later in life and who I also did not meet. He enlisted as a cadet of General Botha in 1925 and was in England during the Great Depression when work was almost impossible to come by. I am aware that he did sail on a cargo ship of sorts to Argentina and he would repeat a story of the refrigeration plant breaking down and having to dump numbers of “the best beef carcasses in the world” while at sea. He also tried his hand at writing articles for newspapers and would have been quite adept at this as he was highly articulate and interesting to talk to but I am afraid that my knowledge of this time is very sketchy. I do believe that he may have returned to South Africa at some stage and may have joined the gold mines where employment may have been possible. This would have given him some training in surveying and together with his navigation experience would have been useful when he joined the artillery (Transvaal Horse?) on the outbreak of the war where he and brother Ken both served during the Abyssinian and north African campaigns. He reached the rank of sergeant and was often deployed as Observation Post, directing the fire of guns from a strategic forward position. After the war I believe he rejoined the gold mines until injured when trapped by a hopper against the sidewall of a haulage which broke his hip. He later went into rigging and was responsible for erecting a number of radio masts in the Kempton Park area for the South African Broadcasting Corporation. It was in this period that he married my, then divorced, mother, Winifred Elaine Miller, (born Woods), who had been a school friend. They had two children, Diana and Thomas. In later years he went into timber farming mainly in the Eastern Transvaal and ended his days with a company named Exchange Yard in the Tzaneen district. He was to die in Johannesburg in the early 1990’s of an asthma attack.” |
| WILSON | DESMOND TERENCE | 601 | Deceased 25/09/85 |
| WILSON | ALBERT THOMAS | 20 | Joined the Royal Navy as “boy”. |
| WILSON | KEVIN MICHAEL | 2492 | Previously at sea with Safmarine and Unicorn. Left ocean going 1984 and spent six month sabbatical in New Zealand. Joined the then S.A.R.&H. Served on dredgers and twin screw, Voith and Schottel craft. 2012 senior tug master in Durban. June 2014 retired and moved to USA. Deceased 27th April 2019. |
| WILSON | RICHARD ALLISON | 2136 | ’58~’59 : Cadet at SANC “General Botha” ’60~’63 : Apprentice and Act 3/0 with The Bank Line 1964 Third Officer in “South African Merchant”. ’64~’69 : 3/0 and 2/0 with Safmarine. Master FG cert. 1969 ’70~’71 : C/0 with SAR & H ’71~’78 : Lecturer at SAMNA “General Botha” ’79~’85 : Tugmaster, salvage master, tanker pilot, tanker discharge advisor and asst. marine supt. With Land and Marine ’86~95 : Tugmaster, tanker pilot, branch manager (Mossel Bay) with Pentow Marine. Resigned. ’95~’08: Freelance tugmaster, anchor handling and rig shift advisor, tanker pilot, berthing master etc. Final job in 2008 (for BP offshore Cabinda) and retired at 66. |
| WILSON | ANDRIES DU PLESSIS | 1013 | WWII Air Corporal SAAF. |
| WILSON | DENNIS ERNEST | 1498 | Managing Director of own concern. Very seldom at home – travelling most times. Deceased March 2006. |
| WILSON | RONALD JOHN BEVERLEY | 2029 | After the Bothie I sailed with Malcolm Clark and Clyde Hyman on Safmarine. I sailed for eleven months, then came ashore to be with my childhood sweetheart I had first met in kindergarten. After Safmarine in 1959 the SABC sounded like a good idea and I stayed with them until retirement at age 52 at which time we emigrated to Canada to be with my ailing mother on Vancouver Island. Now a world renown artist. |
| WINCH | GRAHAM VAUGHAN | 1685 | Became an Electrician with Eskom and gained an engineering diploma. 1960 joined East London Technical College as a teacher before becoming a partner in an Electrical wholesale company in 1967. 1972 joined Johnson & Johnson and Tek Industrials as their Procurement Manager. Retired in 1996 to devote his time to East London City Council having served on the town council since 1974. 1995 elected to the East London City Council as Executive Councillor. Also served on the Sea Fisheries Advisory committee to the Minister for seven years. Deceased 03/01/2012 |
| WINDSOR-FLEE | CECIL VERDON | 1335 | Was Master with Blue Funnel Line. |
| WING | GEORGE CHARLES | 1072 | |
| WINSER | DAVID STEWART | 2409 | Master with Universal Reefers, previously a division of Safmarine. Later joined London Ship Managers. Retired 2012. |
| WINSHIP | NOEL THOMAS | 1388 | Reported deceased about 2004. |
| WINTERBACH | RICHARD SHELLEY | 2258 | Presently a representative for International Paints, Durban. |
| WISE | NORMAN FRANCIS | 1800 | Joined the S.A. Navy, originally as a deck Midshipman and in 1957 transferred to the Engineering branch. Spent 5 years training at the Royal Naval Engineering College HMS Thunderer. On return to SA served at sea for 9 years as Engineering Officer on the Frigates. 1964 Engineer Officer SAS President Kruger, rank of Lt Cdr (E). Various shore appointments and promotions followed until appointed Director of Naval Engineering at Naval HQ in 1979 in Pretoria. Promoted to Commodore in 1980 and appointed Chief of Naval Logistics with a seat on the Naval Board. Returned to Simon’s Town in 1984 as OC Naval Logistics Command and in 1987 appointed OC SAN Dockyard from which he retired from the navy in 1990. During this last spell in the Dockyard was appointed by the Minister of Defence as a town councillor for Simon’s Town and on retirement was elected a Town Councillor for Simon’s Town until 1996. Deceased 22/02/2014 |
| WITHERS | FRANCIS JOHN | 106 | Frances John Withers was born in Woodstock, Cape Town on 16 March 1908. His father, Charles Francis Withers had immigrated from Ireland and was employed as a telegraphist at the Cape Town General Post Office. His mother, Agnes Margaret, was the daughter of Preston-born Battery Sgt. Major John Stratton of the 48th Field Battery, Royal Artillery. Francis had a younger brother Donald Archibald who became a telegraphist. After attending Franschhoek High School he was a Cadet in the South African Training Ship General Botha during 1924. He failed Seamanship and Scholastics and on 08 January 1925, young Withers, now aged 16 and standing 5ft 7½inches tall, was accepted as a recruit by the fledgling South African Naval Service [SANS] (Permanent Force). He was rated as a Boy and allocated the number N10049 and posted to HMSAS Immortelle a minesweeper which had been presented to South Africa by Britain in 1921 – then named Eden. Withers was rated Ordinary Seaman on 16 March 1925, his 17th birthday – and Able Seaman on 16 March 1926. He passed his Educational Test, Part I on 6 July 1926. He purchased his discharge on 7 February 1927. His Conduct Sheet indicates that his character had been ‘Very Good’ and his ability ‘Satisfactory’ throughout his 3-year service with the SANS. From October 1928 to 14 November 1934 he was employed as a plant operator, box making machines, at the United Tobacco Company Kloof Street, Cape Town. In November 1934 he became a barman at the Fountain Hotel in the City. On 14 December 1935 he moved to what was no doubt a more congenial ‘watering place’, the Men’s Bar of the Paardevlei Club in Somerset West. Married on 9 April 1936, he and his wife Hildegarde Elise Adela set up home at 39 Mills Street, Strand. War clouds were looming. Hitler’s panzers Invaded Poland, and on Sunday 03 September 1939, Britain declared war on Germany. The very next day, 04 September, Withers reported to Simon’s Town to volunteer for service in the Royal Navy [RN] for the duration of hostilities. Given the number D/J 177512 he was carried on the books of the RN Depot ship HMS Afrikander for three weeks. On 30 September he was drafted to HMS Carnarvon Castle, the Union Castle Mail. Steamship Company’s passenger liner then being converted at the RN base at Simon/s Town to serve as an Armed Merchant Cruiser, [AMC]. After a brief interlude 05 to 16 November 1939 in the sloop HMS Auckland he returned to Carnarvon Castle on 17 November 1939. The AMC: was soon at sea in her new role to safeguard the South Atlantic against the activities of German surface raiders and blockade runners carrying urgent supplies to the German Reich. Sometimes she operated in company with consorts similarly equipped with outdated guns, sometimes she was on her own. Withers, as a member of ‘White Watch’ 6-inch gun crew was aboard to share the excitement of Carnarvon Castle’s only major naval action – her early-morning engagement on 05 December 1940 with the German surface raider Thor off Montevideo. The AMC could muster a broadside of only four 100-pound shells. Nevertheless, Captain Hardy DSO, gave orders to close with all possible speed and engage the enemy. During the five-hour running battle Carnarvon Castle suffered heavily, sustaining 27 hits which caused four dead and 27 wounded. While the enormous bulk of the AMC had suffered severe punishment, Thor was undamaged. Nevertheless, Fregattenkäpitan Otto Kähler decided that discretion was the better part of valour and the raider ‘made smoke’ and disappeared into the distance. Granted a few days asylum the battered and severely damaged Carnarvon Castle limped into Montevideo where the most urgent repairs, sufficient to allow her to cross the South Atlantic for a total refit in Cape Town, were hurriedly carried out. Some of the ship’s company enjoyed the ‘Montevideo interlude’. Withers, for one, found there was little wrong with a well-grilled Uruguayan steak! For some months, Carnarvon Castle was idle in Cape Town undergoing repairs – then she was off again, Withers still a member of her crew, to resume her patrol duties in the Atlantic. Withers remained in the ship till. 13 July 1943, when he was drafted back to HMS Afrikander. Carnarvon Castle sailed off to finish the war as a troopship ferrying service personnel and civilians between New York and Britain. From 03 May 1944 to 01 May 1945 Withers served at Admiralty House, Simon’s Town where he may have been employed in his civil occupation as barman. At. the annual assessments throughout his naval service his ‘character’ was consistently recorded as ‘Very Good’, and his efficiency in his rating as A/B ‘Satisfactory’. Though granted his first Good Conduct Badge on 04 September 1942, this was subsequently twice ‘deprived’ and twice ‘restored’. His secondment to the RN ended on 07 July 1945 and he was transferred to the South African Naval Forces. Withers was discharged from the SANF at the Westlake Dispersal Depot, with demobilisation benefits on 05 November 1946. He had served 07 years and 46 days. He returned to his pre-war occupation as barman, now at the Western Province Sports Club, Kelvin Grove, Newlands and to his home with his wife at 87 Roodebloem Road, Woodstock, Cape Town. Francis Withers died on 04 April 1967. He had divorced Hildegarde in 1961 and left no will. |
| WITZ | LEON | 2734 | |
| WOLMARANS | DANIEL PETRUS | 2580 | Died in a motor car accident in mid 1980’s. |
| WOLSEY | DOUGLAS BARRAE | 1686 | |
| WOOD | DEREK CLARKE | 2321 | Both 15th June 1949, South Africa. Educated Fish Hoek High School. 1975 obtained Master Mariner’s Certificate F.G. extensive world wide trading experience with Safmarine. Presently (1995) Director, P&I Associates, Richards Bay. Has managed the surveying office in Richards Bay for the last 14 years concentrating on the wide variety of particularly bulk cargoes from that port. 2014 retired. |
| WOOD | GRAHAM SEWELL | 1499 | Deceased 2nd March 2018. |
| WOOD | DOUGLAS P.J. | 188 | After Bothie apprenticed to Ellerman & Bucknall Line, obtained Master’s Certificate December 1936 and joined Blue Funnel Line serving on the Anchises. Later joined the S.A. Harbour Service. 1944 joined the S.A. Navy, served in Durban on reconnaissance and on the Corvette Southern Isles. After promotion to Lieutenant appointed to the Frigate H.M.S. Teviot, manned by South Africans, and served in the East. Awarded the Burma Star. After the war discharged from the navy and returned to the S.A. Harbour Service. Promoted to Pilot in the Harbour Service and later served as security officer in the Port of Cape Town. Retired December 1969. Attended the first meeting of the GBOBA in Durban on the 4th April 1938. Bothie nickname “Curly”. Deceased 16/04/1996. |
| WOOD | JOHN CLAUDE HUDSON | 789 | 1935 Appointed Midshipman Royal Naval Reserve. Born Blantyre, Nyasaland, 3rd March 1918. Son of Hudson Edward and Pauline Ellen Wood. Ed, Durban Boys’ High School. Cadet Draft 1934 – 35 (Chief Cadet Captain). On leaving Genearl Botha, John Claude Hudson Wood became apprenticed to the Prince Line and passed for Second Mate in 1939. In 1941 he joined the RNR and was lost in the submarine HMS Utmost which was sunk by the Italian torpedo boat Groppo off Marittimo on 25th November 1943. |
| WOODGATE | SEAN NICHOLAS | 2855 | Joined Unicorn Lines as a cadet in January 1983. Joe Almond sailing trophy winner 1984 as a cadet. Also won the regatta in Simon’s Town against the sea scouts and the naval cadets in 1984. Subsequently also part of the crew to win the Joe Almond sailing trophy as an old boy. I served with Unicorn Lines as a 3rd Officer until January 1988. Thereafter becoming a landlubber to pursue a career in IT. |
| WOODHOUSE | STANLEY HERBERT | 667 | |
| WOODS | DOUGLAS RAY | 1336 | |
| WOODS | REGINALD PHILIP | 790 | Reported newspaper Mercury 01/10/1985: An experienced newspaper man and former Natal Mercury journalist, Mr Reginald Philip Woods, 67 died in Johannesburg at the weekend. Born in Johannesburg, Mr Woods completed his education aboard the merchant navy training ship General Botha. He served in the merchant navy throughout World War II, mostly on tankers on the North Sea run to Russia, surviving several U-boat torpedo attacks. Mt Woods’s post-war journalistic career began in Fleet Street where he worked on the London Daily Mirror. After returning to South Africa he worked in various capacities on several newspapers both here and in Zimbabwe. In the 1950s Mr Woods worked at The Natal Merciry for a number of years as a night news editor and later as a sub-editor before leaving for Johannesburg. He was a sub-editor on the Star for several years and at the time of his death was financial sub-editor on the Citizen. He leaves a daughter and a son. |
| WOOLASTON | THOMAS MOUNTFORD | 668 | |
| WORLOCK | FRANK DALMON | 506 | Reported in “Both Watches” of 1960, that he was in the employ of the S.A. Railways and Harbours as a Ship’s Carpenter when he passed away. Buried at sea off Table Bay. |
| WOUGH | DONALD JAMES | 2134 | |
| WRATHMALL | DOUGLAS JOHN | 2030 | Joined Safmarine as Cadet in December 1957 obtaining Master’s Certificate in 1966. Also did some voyages on Coasters during this period. 1968 joined the Harbour Service in Walvis Bay and later transferred to Durban on Tugs and Dredgers until 1977. Then went rigging in various sites around S.A. and the neighbouring states with spells back at sea until joining the Johannesburg City Council in 1990. First at the Soweto Power Station and then at their head office in Johannesburg. In 1990 Doug was the prime mover of the founding of the South African Pool Peferees Association and wrote their original constitution. Capped as pool referee, manager and player many times. 2001 spent 6 months in Palma de Mallorca as skipper of a 66′ Azimut Motor Cruiser before joining Wightlink, Isle of Wight Catamaran Ferries. |
| WRAY | PAUL | 23 | Last cadet to enter the engineering course. Reported deceased. |
| WREDE | ROBIN NOEL | 1801 | Robin was born in King Williams Town 29 November 1935, went to school Dale College and then the Bothie where he was Chief Bugler. There was a group of musicians and poets called the “Bothie Blue” of which Peter Dobeyn, Robin Wrede, Vic Alberts and Daniel Le Roux among others were members. “I did an engineering apprenticeship with the intention of going to sea in the engine room. This plan was scuppered when soon after qualifying I met the girl I was to marry and the sea career seemed less attractive. We lived in the Transvaal (now Gauteng) where I worked in a power station for several years before travelling to England in 1963 for a working holiday. Upon returning to South Africa we settled in East London where we lived until 1977 when we moved to England with our three children. I worked in a winery in Kingston-Upon-Thames, while my wife ran the corner shop we owned. Later I worked for British Rail and retired in 1998 when we moved to Dorset.” Deceased 4th January 2020. |
| WRIGHT | WILLIAM | 1210 | |
| WRIGHT | DERYCK JOHN CRON | 1389 | Was with MI5. Reported 1964 – Became an American citizen in 1954 and graduated from an American university in 1961. Employed in the United States Customs Department in Washington. |
| WRIGHT | HENRY ARTHUR | 3 | After Bothie joined S.A.R.&H. Ships as an Ordinary Seaman. Deceased 11/03/1995 |
| WRIGHT | KEITH ROBERT | 2385 | Sailed with S.A. Lines and then joined South African Container Depots in Port Elizabeth. Later transferred to SACD Durban as Operations Manager and then to SACD Johannesburg as Regional Manager. Deceased 17/10/1991. |
| WRIGHT | MARK WILSON | 1143 | |
| WYATT | ANDREW RICHARD | 2895 | 1997 Moved to England and was working on the Dover Ferry Services. 2002 Chief Officer with Hoverspeed – high speed ferry service Dover-Calais. 2006 London Harbour pilot. Relocated to Australia in May 2012 based in Cairns. Initially coastal pilot with Australian Reef Pilots but now (2020) primarily port pilot at Amrun and Gove. My reef licences still valid and do the occasional reef pilotage. Also a licensed cruise pilot. |
| WYLIE | ANDREW DOOTSON | 1211 | |
| WYNDHAM | ERIC MILLARD | 275 | After Bothie apprenticed to Hall Line and joined the R.N.R. as a midshipman. Also served with the Maritzburg Fire Brigade. |
| WYNESS | JAMES PARTON | 52 | Placed in S.A. Navy as Ordinary Seaman. |
| YALDWIN | GEORGE FENDELL | 1860 | George, as a ‘Vaalie’ from Klerksdorp High school, excelled scholastically winning prizes for class proficiency, navigation and Afrikaans. When he finished at the General Botha, George returned to Klerksdorp. Many years later, in 1994 while spear fishing off Cape Point with shipmate John Andrews, George died tragically from a sudden heart attack. A traumatic event for John, who tried desperately to get him out of the water for resuscitation but it was not to be. |
| YEO | RONALD ERNEST | 504 | 1931 Junior Cadet Captain. Joined British tankers as a deck apprentice and obtained his 2nd officers certificate. During the depression in 1936 was unable to obtain a berth at sea, returned to S.A. and joined the Johannesburg Traffic Department in 1937. At the outbreak of WWII in 1939 he joined the South African Air Force, attaining the rank of Captain and awarded the DFC. After WWII he joined his father in Davis Engineering Works in Brakpan (S.A.) and after his father’s death in 1949 he and his brother inherited the firm. Was very active in the MOTH Order, being a founder member of the Cozy-Corner Shell-Hole in Brakpan. Passed away in 1972. |
| YOUNG | CLYDE MOORE MOFFAT | 961 | Joined Cape Town Highlanders 1939. Served with 8th Army in the North African Campaign (fought in the Battle of Alamein). Also with the 8th Army in the Sicilian and Italian Campaign. Medals include Africa & Italy Stars. January 1950 transferred to Rhodesia where he worked for Mobil Oil for over 30 years. Joined Rhodesian Territorial Army (Royal Rhodesian Regiment) on arrival. Served in Nayasaland Campaign as a Lieutenant in the mid-fifties. Served during the Rhodesian bush war where he attained the rank of Major. Returned to Cape Town in 1985 on his retirement. Deceased 28/11/1992. |
| YOUNG | NORMAN JOHN GORDON | 1080 | Served on HMS Cumberland with T.A. Connock (No. 972 1938/40) for 2 1/2 years and then on “Asturias” until she was torpedoed on 24/07/1943. The Italian submarine which torpedoed the “Asturias” surrended about a month later and was brought into Durban. 1940 Chief Cadet Captain and awarded the ‘Owen Clough Medal for efficiency and quickness off the mark’. November 1940 joined HMS Cumberland as Midshipman in Simon’s Town. Extensive war service with the R.N. including Russian convoy duties. January 1944 appointed to intelligence operations, promoted to Lieutenant R.N.R and appointed to First Command, ‘Mobile Flotation Unit No 1’. Returned to Rhodesida early 1946 and took up a career in Forestry. 1995 retired and sat on the Board of the Zimbabwean Forestry Commission. Deceased July 2015. |
| YOUNG | ROBERT CHARLES JAMES | 2544 | At sea with Unicorn Lines until July 1986 after obtaining Master’s Foreign Going (Class 1). Transferred ashore in various management positions until January 1996. Left Unicorn Lines and started own company in Johannesburg. Returned to Durban July 2000 and joined Lykes Lines in February 2001 in their operations department. Hapag Lloyd purchased CP Ships [Lykes Lines] in 2006. 2013 left Hapag Lloyd. |
| YOUNG | ROBERT LOUIS | 36 | Together with Harold Booth (Cadet Number 60) joined the ‘Sandgate Castle’ in March 1924, the first two Botha Boys of a long line to serve in Union Castle ships. |
| YUILLE | PETER FRANZ HOLDSWORTH | 2545 | 1995 – Tug Master, Port of Richards Bay. 1998 – joined Pentow Marine in Durban. 2008 tug master with TNPA Durban. |
| ZAAL | RALPH | 2031 | |
| ZANDEE | PIETER CORNELIS | 2259 | 1964 Junior Cadet Captain. Born 1946. 1965 joined Safmarine as Deck Cadet, SA Seafarer being the first and SA Zebediela the last. Later Chief Officer with Zapata Marine bringing the first oil exploration rig to South African waters. Joined BP in 1970 as Industrial Representative in East London. During 1974, was Coxswain of NSRI Station 7 rescue craft that took 36 crew & 2 pax off SA Oranjeland aground on the East London beach front.Rejoined Safmarine in 1975 in a shore based position as Marine Superintendent, special ships division: SAFTUG. Attended outfitting of Ocean Tugs John Ross & Wolraad Woltemade, as well as three Voith Schneider tugs for Saldanha Bay Harbour and five Kuswag oil pollution patrol vessels. Active in international rig towage, salvage, oil pollution abatement and ship management projects. 1985 Promoted to Executive Manager for SAFTUG. 1986 PENTOW MARINE formed. Appointed Assistant GM.11/87 Provided the marine logistics and navigational infrastructure for the search for SAA Boeing Helderberg off Mauritius.1987 founding member together with SAAF personnel of SASAR. Developed AIDLIFE air deployable liferaft system.1992 appointed Managing Director OCTO Marine, a J/V company with FISH of Paris for West African offshore oil and gas, based in Cape Town.1988 Established offshore tanker terminal for Mossgas (PetroSA) in Mossel Bay. 1993 Designed and owner built at Dorbyl Cape Town, the inland bunker tanker barge PENTOW ENERGY for service in Durban Harbour. 1996 Appointed Commercial Director of Pentow Marine, various projects including logistical support vessels for De Beers out of Port Nolloth, and additional bunker barge, an offshore tanker terminal for the Georgian Pipeline Co in the Black Sea; and together with TELKOM undertook a fibre optic cable maintenance study for the new SAT-3 system that resulted in the ship management contract for the Chamaral. 12/99 SMIT BV of the Netherlands purchases Pentow Marine. Appointed as Business Unit Manager Ports and Terminals, South Africa and Commercial Manager for Smit Area Africa. 1/2002 Appointed CEO of Smit Marine South Africa as well as GM Operations for the Terminals in Nigeria, Gabon and the balance of West Africa. 9/2004 Relinquished GM Terminals Africa position. Focused on BEE and recruited prospective new CEO. Restructured Smit Marine SA into two companies and relinquished position as CEO 10/2005. Directly as well as indirectly involved in 207 salvage operations during the period 1975 through 2008. Retired 01/2009. Appointed to the SCR (Special Casualty Representative) list at Lloyds that involved me in global salvage operations and added to the total of 79 countries visited, my greatest achievement. Finally retired 12/2018. Purchased a small ‘lifestyle farm’ (Olives & Figs) on the other side of ‘Towerkop’ in the Klein Swartberg mountain range in the Karoo.Clean air and NIL noise! |
| ZEEMAN | CLARENCE WINSTON | 1212 | 13th Jamuary 1943 joined the sv Lawhill as cadet. |
| ZITTEL | THOMAS WALTER | 295 | After Bothie apprenticed to British and Continental (S.A.) Line. |
| ZWAAN | BORIAS JAN ROGER | 2464 | Sailed with Unicorn till second Mate, before relocating to Canada in 1975. Sailed on bulkers and tankers around the Newfoundland coast, US East Coast, Great Lakes and Europe, before coming ashore in 1984 with the Canadian Coast Guard, part of Transport Canada Ship Safety after obtaining MFG. Initially a few years on the St Lawrence north shore as Port Warden. Latterly in Ottawa as Marine Surveyor including inspections at Arctic loading facilities. In 1996 the division became Marine Safety part of TC as Coast Guard moved to Department of Fisheries., Various positions in Marine Safety eventually as Manager including for Pollution Prevention, Occupational Safety and Health, Navigation Safety, and Cargoes and Containers, Tonnage Measurement, Emergency Response. Attended many IMO sessions at various Committees, Sub Committees as part, or head of the Canadian Delegation in London 1996 till 2013. The proceedings at IMO are very formal, and steady progress is made on many aspects of the maritime world. It was always a very interesting experience to contribute to regulatory work in regards SOLAS Chapter VI and VII and the associated Codes, Guidelines and Recommendations, including through correspondence groups, working or drafting groups at Technical Committees. Attended as well, at the NATO Planning Board for Ocean Shipping in Brussels. Travel and transport certainly go together, in 2001 when flying to London from Toronto to attend one of the last meetings on the IMO Bulk Carrier Safety Group, which resulted in many recommendations and changes to SOLAS, it coincided with 9/11, and we were turned around in short order to fly back to Montreal. I started noticing the plane turning around, when I saw a particular wharf and bend in the St Lawrence river from above turning slowly. This looked just like a chart I remembered. You just never know when chartwork hammered in at Bothy,comes in handy. This event brought in a whole new slew of international requirements on secutity, and it never fails to amaze how many changes shipping has undergone over the years, from new technology to pollution prevention, ballast regulations, security, and shipping corridors for whales, etc. Retired in 2013 as Manager Marine Safety and Security Cargoes and Ship Port Interface and Port State Control. |
| ZWART | JACOBUS NICOLAAS | 1021 | WWII Private ‘Q’ Services Corps / Sapper SAEC. |
| ZWIEGELAAR | CAREL JOHANNES | 409 | Obtained first class certificate, navigation and scholastic, and ordinary in seamanship at final examination of S.A.T.S. General Botha. Prizes won: second in use of instruments, second in seamanship, first in rule of the road. Was apprenticed to the Union Castle Company and served in s.s. Dromore Castle. Born 1st July 1912. Died at New York on 14th november 1930 as result of an accident. |
