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Naval Heritage Trust
incorporating
Naval Heritage Society
The Naval Heritage Trust (incorporating the Naval Heritage Society) has as its sole object the preservation of our Naval Heritage.
The Naval Heritage Trust was appointed as a Conservation Body by Heritage Western Cape in 2008 with responsibility for listed buildings in the West and East Dockyards of Simon's Town.
Projects in hand are:
1. The preservation of the SAS Assegai - the last of the Daphne class submarines which will come ashore at the Naval Museum and be opened up to the public.
2. The publication of books which all have a link to the Navy and those that served in the Navy.
3. Oral History of the SAN by recording memories of those who have served;
4. Preparation of "The Official History of the South African Naval Forces in World War Two" for publication;
5. Jointly with the Simon's Town Historical Society, researching and producing a book on the History of the Selborne Dry-dock, Simon's Town in time to celebrate its centenary in 2010.
Trustees of the Naval Heritage Trust are as follows:
President: Vice-Admiral J Mudimu, Chief of the South African Navy
Vice President: Mr. Charles Bates
Patrons: Mr. J Tennant; Vice Admiral L J Woodburne SAN (Ret.)
Trustees: Mr. M F Bosazza (Chairman); R Adm C H Bennett SAN (Ret.) (Vice Chairman); Cdr W M E Bisset SAN (Ret.); Lt/Cdr H A Farrow SAN (CF) (Ret.); Alderman N Holderness; R Adm (JG) J E Louw SAN; WO1 P Moodley SAN;
Mr. I M Siko; R Adm (JG) A G Söderlund SAN (Ret.); Cdr J F Wainwright SAN (Ret.); Cdr E N Wesselo SAN (CF) (Ret.)
Postal Address: P O Box 521, Simon's Town, 7995, South Africa
Tribute to Roger Williams
Roger Williams who crossed the bar on 22 July 2010 was a South African naval veteran who made history during the Second World War and then recorded it after his retirement. In between he was the distinguished Chief Reporter of the Cape Times who has been described as a journalist of the highest caliber and integrity.
Roger Williams could have remained at school in 1944. Instead he volunteered for war service in the SA Naval Forces (as the SA Navy was then known) soon after his seventeenth birthday. He had planned to accept a cadetship in the only sailing vessel in the SA Merchant fleet, The Lawhill, a Finish Barque, which had been a prize of war in 1942. When the Lawhill was delayed in Australia by a dock strike he joined the SANF instead.
After basic training at Pollsmoor and HMSAS Unitie in Table Bay harbor he was drafted to his first ship HMSAS Brakpan a whaler converted to a minesweeper in which he served off the West Coast of South Africa.
After five months at sea he was summoned to the bridge by the Commanding Officer and congratulated on his promotion to the rank of able seaman. In November 1944 he was selected for inclusion in the second United Kingdom Draft as one of the ship's company of South Africans second Loch Class frigate HMSAS Natal. Roger was a member of the ship's Squid team which sank the German submarine U-714 while the Natal was on her maiden voyage - a feat described as unique in the annals of the Royal Navy. HMSAS Natal took part in anti-submarine and convoy escort operations in the North Atlantic and after Japan's capitulation in the allied reoccupation of Malaya, Singapore and the Dutch East Indies and Indonesia.
After his retirement from the Cape Times he became the first editor of the Naval Digest, the journal of the Naval Heritage Society and played a key roll in recording the oral history of the SA Navy. He was co-author of Copey's Castle the history of (HM) SAS Unitie and author of "Reel in the Wind", biographies of Lt. Gen. R. H. D. Rogers and Sam Collins and numerous articles in the Naval Digest.
He was made an honorary life member of the Naval Heritage Society in recognition of his work and will be greatly missed.
Mac Bisset (Cdr SA Navy (retired)
Roger Williams
18 January 1927 - 22 July 2010
Roger at his Squid in the Naval Museum