This is why I found myself at the Ditsong: National Museum of Military History recently. To see the Janice Honeyman directed of Peter Terry’s short play ‘At All Costs’…as he described them in the production…the three scariest words in the English language. Peter’s performance is superlative and the intimate audience were, like me, quickly entranced by his portrayal of David Wells. This is more than a history lesson, this is an in depth look at the psyche of those who survived those fist 5 days in Delville Wood. This is a production that will touch both young and old on a visceral level and the images it conjures up with such clarity will remain with you long after you have left the theatre. A testament to the brilliant storytelling of Peter Terry.
But don’t only take my word, this his is what theatre critic Bruce Dennill had to say about the production:
“This is a play where one man stands on stage, flanked by nothing more than a chair and a simple map of a location where thousands of men died to protect a conceptual, strategic idea of victory-AT ALL COSTS. Nothing more than those simple props and Terry’s excellent, passionate acting is needed“.
The run was only a few performances long at the museum , but follow Peter on social media to see where it will next be performed.
Did you know: Two-thirds of those 5493 soldiers buried at Delville Wood are unknown – a testimony to the incredible destruction that characterized this particular battle. Countless families remained bereft at having nothing more than the phrase ‘missing in action’ hanging over them.
This is what happens if you leave your vehicle unattended…
Parts were missing, but the terminated cables caught my attention.
It seemed strange that large military vehicles, designed for war, had rear-view mirrors. I am not certain how effective they were or if they became targets for enemy snipers.
This Box Brownie was purchased in Durban and saw ‘action’ with its owner throughout the war.
I wonder what images it captured and where and how the film rolls were developed!
A can opener, a must for every German rations pack during the war.
Part of a Molch, which is German for newt or salamander, was an unsuccessful series of one-man midget submarines created during World War II. Built in 1944, it was the first mini-submarine of Nazi Germany’s Kriegsmarine, but was not successful in combat operations and suffered heavy losses.
The example at the museum was one of their first exhibits.
A brass plate on a Single 4-inch Mark VI naval gun from Great Britain. I always wonder if this brass was kept polished during battle.
This is just one of the fuses that were found on the outside of a naval mine.
The naval mines were deposited and left to wait until they are triggered by the approach of, or contact with, any vessel or a particular vessel type.
Mines allow the minelaying force commander to concentrate warships or defensive assets in mine-free areas giving the adversary three choices: undertake an expensive and time-consuming minesweeping effort, accept the casualties of challenging the minefield, or use the unmined waters where the greatest concentration of enemy firepower will be encountered.
Controls of a Douglas C47 also known as the ‘Dakota’.
This particular model ceased operational flying in 1990 and once removed from service, it was placed in open storage at AFB Swartkops, after which, in 1992, it was moved to the SAAF Museum.
From there it was moved, in 2000, to Emperor’s Palace, a casino just outside Johannesburg. When the casino was renovated, it was almost destroyed. Luckily an employee saw its historical value and in 2009 it was delivered to the Museum where it was repainted and is now on display.
On the roof of the Dakota which has now been stripped to show how it might have looked when it was used to deploy paratroopers.
The iconic Messerschmitt Me 262B-1a
Only nine Me 262s survive in museums around the world and this is the sole survivor of this particular model.
The Me 262 proved to be an effective dogfighter against Allied fighters; German pilots claimed a total of 542 Allied aircraft shot down, although higher claims have sometimes been made.
So how did it end up in South Africa?
After completed trials, Red 8 was shipped to South Africa on 23 February 1947, arriving at Cape Town on 17 March. Amazingly, it survived in storage until the late-1960s when it was taken over by the museum.
This important aircraft was restored for display in 1971 and has been a star exhibit of the Johannesburg museum since 1972.
To find out what the various museums have to offer, use this link or click on the logo above. https://ditsong.org.za/
All images, unless otherwise stated, are the copyright property of
and may not be used without permission.
