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Veterans Tales

was not long before he started thinking
about some form of tangible Memorial to
those who gave their lives in the service
of the SAAF and their country.

In 1948 Col Rod, as he was known, ap-
proached Brig Jimmy Durrant, the then
Director General of the Air Force, who
supported the idea. Approval was then
obtained from the Chief of the General
Staff, Sir Pierre van Rhyneveld and the
Minister of Defence, Mr FC Erasmus. Mr
Erasmus gave his approval in principle.
The idea of an Air Force Remembrance
Day was also supported.

Early ideas were for a Memorial gate ria Branch of the Association was then
plus some form of housing for a Roll of approached to have the Memorial erected On March 15th 1950 the Minister’s
Honour in book form. The initial thought and inaugurated on May 31st 1950. A approval was obtained subject to certain
was to erect the gate at the entrance of sub-committee consisting of Col HB stipulations that were accepted by SAAF
Swartkop Air Station from which so George, Jock Reid and RF Bell (convener) Association NEC on 20 March. The
many SAAF personnel left for the North, was appointed. Other members who be- contract for the Memorial was placed
many never to return. came closely involved in various capac- with ACH Clarke (Pty) Ltd and was dully
ities were Normie MacRobert, Dr John completed on time.
Possibly because of the geological nature Leppan, Reg Dennett, and Dave Hastie.
of the ground at Swartkop Air Station Ed’s Note: To Be Continued Next Month
(the danger of sink holes) the Depart- Initially Architect Mr JA Hoogterp had – thanks again to Philip Weyers for his
ment of Defence decided that Waterkloof offered to carry out the planning but had help with the article and photos.
Air Station and not Swartkop Air Station to later withdraw. Mr RF McGaw was
would become the principal and perma- appointed in his place.
nent air station serving the area. It was
accordingly decided on the recommenda- The design for the Memorial allowed for
tion of the SAAF to switch the site for the a small cenotaph formed of a concrete
proposed Memorial gates to the entrance shell clad externally in thin granite slabs
of Waterkloof Air Station. with granite external facing and decora-
tive gates each side.
The SAAF Association undertook to bear
all costs for the erection and maintenance Sustained and high-pressure planning
of the Memorial. The National Executive was required to obtain all formal approv-
Committee of the SAAF Association als, have the stonework prepared and the
decided in April 1949 to proceed with Memorial erected in time for the planned
fund-raising. The total projected budget inauguration date. At some stage the or-
for the erection was R3,000. The NEC der for the preparation of the stonework
recorded its requirements at a resolution was placed ahead of the appointment of
taken on 7 December 1949. The Preto- the main contractor.

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