Many people will have seen the "little cannon" which stands next to the Town hall on the main street of White River, but if you were to ask even some military men, very few would be able to tell you very much about it.

At almost every occasion when the Moths hold a ceremony at the town’s tiny Garden of Remembrance in which the gun stands, the question gets asked "What IS it?".

Well here’s the answer:

3.7 inch Howitzer:  

The 3.7inch Howitzer (officially known as Ordnance, Q.F. 3.7-inch How Mk 3 on Carriage Mk 2P) was originally designed before World War One, to replace the earlier 2.75 inch (70mm) Howitzer in use at the time. However, it didn’t enter service until in 1917 and was used in Palestine and East Africa by British, South African and Indian mountain batteries.  Between the two World Wars they were used on the NW Frontier of India and developed a reputation for good accuracy.  It was originally designed for use as pack artillery, with the barrel being of a two-piece 'screw-jack' assembly held together by a junction nut in the middle. This meant it could be disassembled and carried by mules (in 8 loads) or towed by short draught (no limber), but in line with the general mechanisation of the British and Commonwealth armies which happened in the 1930s, it was adapted for vehicle towing, using the Mk 2P carriage.  The older [mule dawn] versions are easily distinguished by their large "wagon wheels", while the cannon we see in town today has the inflatable rubber wheels of the later [vehicle drawn] versions.

It was used in this format from the end of the 1930's, and during the rest of the 2nd World War it saw limited use in European theatres, being generally replaced by 75-mm M1 in some units, but seeing wider service in Italy. During the war approximately 120 were build at a foundry in Johannesburg. Elsewhere production was transferred to India with the most guns being manufactured there. It was finally declared obsolete around 1960.

The gun has stood at the cenotaph since it was built. The members of the local M.O.T.H. Shellhole maintain the gun and Garden of Remembrance for the community of White River.

In times of war, you’ll do what you can for your buddies….

On 27 December 1943, while 15 Squadron was based at Gambut, near Tobruk in Libya, (then) Lt. Noel "Bunny" Gould was the Flight Navigator on Baltimore bombers. On this particular operation (an attack on a 500-Ton German coster off Lindos) his aircraft was shot up. The plexi-glass nose-cone was blown away and Bunny was badly hit in the right leg. Even so, he managed to lead the Flight back to base from all the way across the Med, while bleeding profusely from his wound and all the while taking the full weight of the wind on his chest. When the aircraft flew into view at base, witnesses noted that the entire underside of the lead aircraft looked as if it had been painted black; but this was, in fact, Lt. Goulds’ blood. The medical staff found only two squadron members available who had the same blood group as Bunny and they organised an immediate donation. Bunny was taken to the medical tent and three pints were quickly transfused to stabilise him while the medics worked on his leg. Thereafter, and until Bunny was stable enough to be transferred to 5^th General Hospital in Cairo, these two chaps, viz. Air Mechanic / Armorour Bill van Niekerk and Mechanic "Shorty" Henderson, were linked IN SERIES to their wounded comrade and "shared" blood between them for about FIVE DAYS.

The Squadron was notified, in March 1944, that Lt. Gould had been awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for that action and for bringing the Flight back in such adverse condition.

Apparently this effort on the part of van Niekerk and Henderson played havoc with their own health: so much so that, I am told, Henderson was discharged from Service as Medically Unfit.

About six weeks after this affair, Bill van Niekerk was wounded in the back and was, himself, sent to th 5^th Gen. For "repairs" (his words). While there he saw Lt. Gould in Hospital Blues, on crutches and minus his right leg. Saluting and introducing himself, Bills’ abiding memory of that encounter is that Lt. Gould thrust out his hand and said: "Thank you for saving my life".

Air Mechanic van Niekerk eventually returned to duties and saw the rest of the war out with 15 Squadron. Lt. Gould, amazingly, also returned to active service, navigating the Coastal Patrol routes with 35 Squadron in Sunderland "Flying Boats". These two young men were never to cross paths again. Bunny went home to Brakpan and worked for the Town Council, eventually retiring as Town Engineer. Bill moved to Cape Town and worked in the motor industry (technical).

I had known Bunny for most of my life, but really got to know him when I joined Cosy Corner Shellhole, in Brakpan. After moving to Somerset West a few years ago, I met Bill at Marshal Smuts Shellhole and, through conversations with him, realised that his Lt. Gould and my Moth mate were one and the same. Bill was quite shaken uopn hearing that Moth Gould had Passed On some twelve years ago, because he had always thought of making contact with him again.

We have no clue where Shorty Henderson ended up, except that he was originally from the Durban area.

Brian Porter

Marshal Smuts Shellhole

The Incident of 27^th December ’43 is included in the book "Eagles Victorious" (Cape Town, Purnell, 1977, HJ Martin & N Orpen), and there is a short history of 15 Sqdn published in "Militaria" (Vol.2 No.1, 1970, pp 114 – 117). A (hopefully) soon-to-be-published book of 15 Sqdn, to be called "The Pirates of the Aegean", will also include this most remarkable story.

The attached photo is of myself and of Past Old Bill (Cosy Corner Shellhole) Moth Norman Landman, while on an official visit to SimonsTown Naval Base in November.

Moth Norman was treated to a most comprehensive tour around one of the South African Navy's new Valour class Frigates, S.A.S. Isandlwana (F146) and into S.A.S Charlotte Maxeke (S102), our newest submarine.

Moth Landmans' war service is somewhat unique:

He was the Senior Sergeant with the Kaffrarian Rifles at the outbreak of the war but,being employed by the railways and not allowed to "go north" with the Regiment due to being considered Essential Services, he was offered a position with the Railways & Harbour Brigade.  He kicked that plan into touch and "unofficially" joined the Navy as a Rating.

He was made up to Officer rank in fairly short order and served as a Weapons Officer at sea.

He transferred to the Royal Navy and did duties in the South and North Atlantic, as well as with Convoy protection across the Atlantic and the Med, including 16 months of "Malta Convoys", which he remembers as being the most stressfull times of all.

He then transferred to the Royal Marine Commandos, passed the selection course and spent many months training in preparation for the D-Day landings.  But this was not to be.  The Navy needed pilots and cox'ns for the various Landing Craft required for the Invasion and he was sent back to sea duties for that purpose.

Just a few weeks before the Big Day, the Americans suffered a major setback when many of their own landing craft were attacked and sunk by German U-boats during a practice run, killing many American troops in the process.  Being short of craft, the R.N. lent a number of L.C.T's to the Americans, including crews.  It was in the course of this service that a young Sub-Liutenant from East London, serving in the Royal Navy, brought American troops to Omaha Beach at 08h00 on 6 June 1944.  I wonder how many other South Africans were on those beaches on that day?

Brian Porter

The Provincial Old Bill and members of the Cape Western Dugout wish you and yours a very joyous festive season and a productive Mothing 2008