This is why I found myself at the Ditsong: National Museum of Military History recently. To see the Janice Honeyman directed production 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 was, like me, quickly entranced by his portrayal of David Wells. 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.
This is more than a history lesson, this is an in-depth look at the psyche of those who survived those first 5 days in Delville Wood.
The mural behind Peter is the mould that was used to make a work that currently hangs in the Delville Wood Museum in France
But don’t only take my word, this is what theatre critic Robyn Sassen had to say about the production:
“…more than one elderly man’s memories of hell beyond description, this work, with its crisp and tight language, with its descriptions so bold and direct that you can smell the stench of war and see the birds on the wing in a virgin forest, reaches into the heart of everyman”.
The show might be over, but the memory lingers on.
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.
I wonder what the other plane looked like.
If you turn left as you enter the museum, this is the first exhibit you encounter. This Messerschmitt Bf 109E3 was amongst the first exhibits that the museum acquired.
It ran out of fuel and crashed in Sussex in November 1940.
I do believe that a visit to a tire fitment center is on the cards?
This window certainly tells a story. Road rage in WW2?
The conning tower of the Salamander one-man submarine.
This was one of the first additions to this particular museum.
It may be a success as a museum exhibit, but it was an absolute failure as a submarine!
Ironically, even though servicemen spent long hours in vehicles like these, comfort was not the top priority.
As I stood reflectively looking through this gun sight, I wondered how many of the enemy it had sighted and shot down successfully.
A very restrictive view…from the outside of a South African Reconnaissance car Mar VI. (8×8)
It seems that the window IS the blind spot.
The emblems on the aircraft are the most interesting…
This Unit badge is off an 8/JG11.
At least this interior had cushions and what looks like a padded steering wheel.
Strutting its stuff?
An original Jeep. Nothing like the modern version at all.
To find out what the various museums have to offer, use this link or click on the logo above. https://ditsong.org.za/
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