To all my fellow classmates and friends. During our formative years at school I think the mutual feeling was to finish up with school as soon as possible and then enjoy life doing what grown-ups do. If it was as simple as that! In retrospect I think I should have stayed around longer and enjoyed the protected life of a youngster. I left Grahamstown in 1973 on a troop train to Oudsthoorn together with a number of our classmates. What an experience that was – a real wake up call for the future. After completing a year of compulsory National Service I joined for an extra year on a voluntary basis with the benefits that were offered at the time and was stationed in Grahamstown. On completing my National Service I worked as an insurance clerk, merchandiser for Cadbury’s and a sales representative for Kimberly Clarke in Port Elizabeth. After two and a half years I decided that the business rat race was not for me and decided to join the Permanent Force in 1977. Coming from a military family and background this appealed to me. I was initially stationed at Ladysmith Natal and then was transferred to the Military Academy at Saldhana Bay, the faculty of Military Science of Stellenbosch University, and completed a B Mil BA degree majoring in Political Science and Military History. After spending two further years at Katima Mulilo in the Eastern Caprivi of the then South West Africa, I was transferred to Pretoria where I served most of my career, including three years of detached duty in Venda. I decided on an early retirement in October 2011 after having been in a Colonel’s post for 14 years and have subsequently settled in Beachview Port Elizabeth. I was involved with military intelligence, public relations as a media relations officer for the SA Army and then the main effort and last part of my career has been involved with change management in the Army, leadership, command and management development. I was responsible for the development of leadership strategy in the SA Army and compiled the current SA Army Doctrine of Leadership, Command and Management. I had the opportunity to visit the UK, Westpoint Military Academy in the USA, Israel and Sweden. I have three children of my own and an extended family of four children, all with their own children. Needless to say a very large and rowdy family when all of us are together. After school I played rugby for many years and managed to be selected for the SADF rugby trials and rugby trials in South West Africa. I have been playing league squash for the last twenty years and now have focused my sporting attention on golf. (Much easier on the knees). On a sporting administrative level I was involved in squash management since 1993 as SANDF Squash Chairman and received the Squash SA Honours award in 2008. Currently I have become a real pensioner enjoying golf twice a week and keeping myself busy with odds and ends at the house. I have also acquired a SAQA qualification in Education and Training and my intention is to get involved in this field. We have been active members of the Presbyterian church and intend becoming involved with counseling in our new congregation. It is to be an interesting weekend ahead, to meet old faces again that I most probably will not remember from school days, so please forgive me beforehand. My best wishes to those who cannot make it and God’s richest blessings for all. May I conclude by paying homage to the 2nd XV of 1972. We were a great team and could have successfully taken on many 1st XV’s from other schools. To all my classmates I salute you.
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