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Veterans Tales

How the British Commonwealth origi- we know it today had its beginnings. West Africa.
nated
---------------0--------------- Article by Philip Weyers – Past President
On 15 May 1917, General Smuts ad- of the SAAFA
dressed both Houses of Parliament, Queen Frederica of the Helenes, in her Photos courtesy Dr Stefaan Bouwer –
saying the following: book “A measure of understanding”, official photographer of the SAAFA. All
portrayed a few interesting facets of the photos taken at the “unofficial” centenary
“I think the very expression ‘Empire’ Oubaas. occasion in early February 2020.
is misleading, because it makes people
think we are one community, to which During the Second World War, while Bibliography:
the term ‘Empire’ can appropriately be staying in South Africa, she asked him
applied. We are a system of nations. We whether he hated the Germans. He Maj Dave Bekker: On Wings of Eagles,
are not a state, but a community of states answered; “No, Churchill asked me the SAAF, 1995
and nations. If we are not an Empire, why same question, and I answered him that J C Smuts: Jan Christian Smuts, Heine-
call ourselves one? If we are something I could not hate anybody as much as I mann & Cassel, 1952
new, we had better give ourselves a new hated the British during the Boer War. Hancock & van der Poel: The Smuts Pa-
name. Let us take the name of Common- You grow beyond these baser emotions pers, Cambridge University Press, 1966
wealth. This is the fundamental fact we when you learn to understand people Sir Keith Hancock: Smuts the sanguine
have to bear in mind – that the British and circumstances. I have long forgotten years 1870 – 1919, Cambridge University
Commonwealth of Nations does not how to hate. Now I am only sorry for Press, 1962
stand for standardisation or denationali- people, for nations and on rare occasions
sation, but for the fuller, richer and more for myself.” This might go some way to Editor’s Note: We are fortunate to have
various life of all the nations that are explaining how, 12 years after the cessa- contributions by Philip and Dr Stefaan, I
comprised in it” tion of Boer War hostilities, he effectively am grateful, that I am!
sided with the British when he started his
And that is how the Commonwealth as First World War action in German South

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