The Pretoria District Dugout kicks off each new year with the Combined Shellholes Meeting. This has always been a successful event and raises much needed funds for Evenden House. The meeting is a casual affair with the members of the District electing a Combined Meeting Executive by bidding for their preferred candidate. An amount in excess of R16,000.00 was raised.
The meeting was then followed by a bring and braai which was enjoyed by all
The Hall before it was invaded
Outgoing Combined meeting Old Bill Gary Finlay addressing those present
The Combined Meeting in full swing bidding for their prefered candidates
Moth Gary Finlay and S-Suptr Debbie de Billot counting the bids
Incoming Combined meeting Old Bill Francois Louw laying down the law
Incoming Combined Meeting Executive – Moths Francois Louw, Dave van Oudtshoorn, John Heynes, Eddie Schnettler and Debbie Roodt
District Old Bill Moth Thinus Prinsloo dismissing the Outgoing Combined Meeting Executive
Members enjoying camaraderie after the meeing
Old Bill Gorgeous Wrecks George Buttler and Combined Meeting Old Bill Francois Louw in consultation
District Old Bill Thinus Prinsloo and District Sgt-Maj Jaco Lötter
PRETORIA DISTRICT DUGOUT – OLD BILL’S DINNER 2025
The Old Bill’s Dinner took place at Evenden House on 11th October 2025 hosted by District Old Bill Thinus Prinsloo of the Pretoria District Dugout. The Dinner was established to give recognition to those Old Bill who have supported the District over the years. Those in attendance were:
Moth Dave Berry – Past Old Bill of Whizzbang Shellhole, Past District Old Bill of Pretoria District Dugout and Past Provincial Old Bill of Platinum Provincial Dugout.
Moth Gary Finlay – Old Bill of the Combined Shellholes Meeting.
Moth George Butler – Old Bill of Gorgeous Wrecks Shellhole and past Old Bill ofHalfaya Pass Shellhole in Oudtshoorn.
Moth Johan Strydom – Old Bill of Coalbox/MkII Shellhole and Moth Melt van Sittert – Past Old Bill of Coalbox/MkII Shellhole, Suzette Avis – Past Old Bill Coalbox MkII
Moth Andrew Olivier – Past Old Bill of Col Bogey Shellhole
Moth Tim Lane – Old Bill of Field Marshal Shellhole
Moth Joep Joubert and Moth Henry Schnettler – Past Old Bills of Casa Mia Shellhole
Moth Graeme Thorold and Moth Hannes van Niekerk – Past Old Bills of Vacant Chair Shellhole
Moth Vaino Prinsloo – Past Old Bill of Monte Sole Shellhole in Ermelo
Moth Ed Ruziecki – Past Old Bill of Otjiwanda Shellhole in Grootfontein.
Moth Niel van Dyk – Past Old Bill of Alan Wilson Shellhole in Pietermaritzburg.
During the Dinner, the District Old Bill delivered his keynote address on Warriors Gate which covered the establishment of the Gate to what it is today. His address was enjoyed be all and was an eye-opener for those blokes who have not had the opportunity to visit the Gate.
Moth Thinus then awarded Mr Dirk Muller our caterer with a Certificate of Appreciation for his services to the Pretoria District.
The Dinner was concluded with the drinking of the various toasts and the Old Bill’s and Past Old Bill’s were then dismissed to harmony
The Hall prior to the dinner
The Blokes queuing for the main course
Old Bill Thinus Prinsloo welcoming the Old Bill’s and Past Old Bill’s to the Dinner
Old Bill Thinus Prinsloo delivering his address.
Old Bill Johan Strydom and Past Old Bill Melt van Sittert
Old Bill George Butler of Gorgeous Wrecks Shellhole lintening attentively to the District Old Bill
Moths Vaino Prisloo and Piet Marais
Moths Tim Lane and Andrew Olivier
Dist Old Bill Thinus Prinsloo presented a Certificate of Appreciation to Mr Dirk Muller the caterer.
All the Blokes and Bloquette after the Dinner
The Host – Old Bill Thinus
The Pretoria District Annual General Meeting – 17 August 2017
District Old Bill Thinus Prinsloo delivered his 2016-2017 Old Bill’s Report and at the conclusion of his report, he presented the District Trophies to the following recipients
Vacant Chair’s Pay Bill, Moth Stuart Howie, received the best Pay Bill Trophy.
Field Marshal’s Adj Moth Johnny Demetroudes,
received the best Scribe Trophy.
Coalbox Mk 2’s Old Bill, Moth Francois Viljoen,
received the Recruiting Trophy.
Field Marshal’s current and past Old Bills Moth Hennie Prinsloo and Moth Quintin Geyser,
received the best Shellhole Trophy
OB Dave Berry relieving the outgoing District Executive of their duties.
Provincial Old Bill, Moth Dave Berry, presented the outgoing District Wee Bill, Moth Pierre de la Harpe, with a Certificate of Executive Service.
The Provincial Old Bill then proceeded to install the incoming District Executive
The Pretoria District Annual General Meeting – 18 August 2016
During the District AGM the Provincial Old Bill Moth Dave Berry installed the incoming Pretoria District Executive
L-R: Old Bill: Moth Thinus Prinsloo, Wee Bill: Moth Pierre de la Harpe, Adjutant: Moth Johnny Demetroudes, Pay Bill: Moth Johan Nel
The Provincial Old Bill presented the outgoing District Wee Bill Moth Thinus Prinsloo and the outgoing District Adjutant Moth Quintin Geyser with Certificates of Executive Service
Gorgeous Wrecks Old Bill Moth George Butler received the best Scribe TrophyField Marshal Old Bill Moth Quintin Geyser received the best Recruiting Trophy
Vacant Chair Pay Bill Moth Stuart Howie received the best Pay Bill TrophyVacant Chair Old Bill Moth Graeme Thorold received the best Shellhole Trophy
The Combined Shellhole Meeting held at Evenden House on Sunday 17 January 2016 was attended by 40 Moths
The 2015 Executive: Moths Graham Thorold – Vacant Chair (PB), Piet Marais – Vacant Chair (WB), Wessie vd Westhuizen – Casa Mia (Adj) and Joep Joubert – Casa Mia (OB) were relieved of their duties with a ceremonial kiss from the incoming Old Bill.
The blokes held an American Auction and elected Moth Marina Valentine from Casa Mia as the Old Bill for the 2016 combined meeting. The funds raised went to the Pretoria Cottages.
Old Bill Marina then appointed the rest of her Executive for the meeting as follows: PB: Theo Munro (Cbx/MkII), Adj: Noel Viljoen (Col Bogey), WB: Rob Williamson (Casa Mia) and Louis Meyer (Casa Mia) as the Sar’Maj
In the spirit of the combined meeting, the blokes were heavily fined for a whole range of actual and trumped-up transgressions. Old Bill Pierre de la Harpe from Ouma also raffled a bottle of wine signed by General Constand Viljoen. Moth Thinus Prinsloo – an ardent collector from Vacant Chair, who does even partake of the good stuff, won this sought-after prize. What a swindle! On the day, the combined meeting raised just over R 1,700 for the Pretoria Cottages. Well done, blokes!
After the meeting, the Sar’Maj formed up all the attendees at the Wall of Remembrance for a group photo with the 2016 Exec in the middle of the front row. During harmony the following Moths proposed the Toasts: Ons Land: Andre Bezuidenhoudt (Casa Mia) The MOTH:Hennie Bresler(The Wrecks) The Pretoria District:George Butler (The Wrecks) The Pretoria Shellholes:John Quinn (Field Marshal) Absent Friends: Wessie vd Westhuizen (Casa Mia)
The 47th Veterans’ Dinner held at Evenden House on Sunday 01 November 2015
The Guest Speaker, Rear Admiral (JG) Trevor Beddy, SA Navy (ret) SD, SM, MMM with the Wrecks Old Bill, Moth Eddie Penzhorn.
The waiters served the veterans first – as it should be!
Admiral Beddy sharing his experiences as military attaché with the guests
The Provincial Old Bill, Moth Stuart Howie, responding to the Guest Speaker
Pretoria District Dugout: The Annual General Meeting Evenden House – Thursday 20 August 2015
The District Old Bill Moth Dave Berry delivering his Annual Report
The Provincial Old Bill Moth Stuart Howie addressing the District Dugout
Click on the image for a larger view
The District Old Bill
The District Wee Bill
The District Adjutant
The District Pay Bill
The 2015 Annual District Awards
Gorgeous Wrecks Old Bill Moth Eddie Penzhorn receiving the Best Shellhole Trophy
Field Marshal Old Bill Moth Quintin Geyser receiving the Best Scribe Trophy
Gorgeous Wrecks Pay Bill Moth Dave Berry receiving the Best Pay Bill Trophy
Ouma Old Bill Moth Pierre de la Harpe receiving the Recruiting Trophy
The Annual Border Boys Parade Pretoria Cottages – 16 August 2015 Casa Mia Shellhole hosted the Annual Border Boys Parade at the Sound Memory Cottages in Pretoria on Sunday 16 August 2015
The Border Boys Parade formed up at the Pretoria Cottages [Photo – Field Marshal Shellhole]
Field Marshal was well represented at the Border Boys Parade [Photo – Field Marshal Shellhole]
The Annual District Old Bill’s Dinner
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