Introduction

For an account of Jack's part in WW2 and his later life, go to www.jackatwar.blogspot.com

 

The early years of my life were happy ones. This was probably due to several factors. In the first place I was born in Rustenburg,  grew up and lived there till my early teens.

Secondly, I had a mother and father and four grandparents who showered love on me, my brothers and sisters and a host of young friends whose lives became so intertwined with mine in these formative years that, despite the fifty years and changing scene,  the memory of those friends and our exploits cannot be erased.

The happiness of which I speak, was probably also in part attributable to the particular period through which South Africa was passing at this time. They were carefree days. The First World War had come to an end, there was no question of another war on the horizon. The politics of the day were devoid of hatred. We lived in peace and equanimity. There were no "Verligtes en Verkramptes",  no ANC and PAC, no extreme Afrikaner political organisation. People were either SAPS or NATS.

When there was an election in the offing,  some citizens would prefer not to be seen in the company of others, children at school would have "maroela" fights and "kleilat" fights under the banner of their respective parties and the women of the town would hold tea parties and tennis parties, being careful to omit those friends of the other political persuasion.

To crown matters, in 1934 Genl. Smuts and Genl. Hertzog suddenly came to the conclusion that they did not know what they were quarrelling about and this in turn brought about unequalled prosperity and wellbeing in the country.

I must, however, add that in the late 20s and early 30s, South Africa, like Europe and America, was experiencing one of the greatest depressions of all times. In my studies after leaving school, I learned that one of the advantages of money was as a "store of value", but in those days it was not a store of value but rather the "unknown quantity". Fortunately, everybody was more or less in the same boat.

From time to time I have told my children of our experiences as youngsters in Rustenburg and now that I have grandchildren growing up, I think it is perhaps as well if I recorded some of those experiences.