Rhosarian 2019

The Rhosarian 1/19
28
Over the Anniversary Weekend of 20-22
September 2019, the Transvaal Branch of the
BSA Police Regimental Association entertained
former members from far and wide with a fantastic
reunion, celebrating the 130 th anniversary of the
formation of the BSAP.
Brainchild of Rob
Bristow, the main
event was a memorial
service in the Garden
of Remembrance at the
Dickie Fritz MOTH
complex on Saturday
21 September. The
service was preceded
by a march-on of BSAP
veterans, led by a
Scottish pipe band. The
unveiling and dedication of a life-size bronze
statue of a policeman in the reverse arms salute
position followed the sermon delivered by a former
policeman, Bishop David Bannerman (7705).
The Roll of Honour was read by John Sutton.
Dave Holmes gave the
address, explaining the
historical significance
of this occasion. The
service ended with the
“Last Post” and
“Reveille”, with the
laying of wreaths,
rendition of ‘Rise O
Voices of Rhodesia’ by
Steve and Dana
Prophet, and reading of
“I was there” by John Sutton.
The MOTH ladies at Dickie Fritz prepared a
light lunch alongside The Ridgeback pub, while
balladeer John Edmond carried the reunion into
the afternoon with his entertainment.
A formal luncheon took place on Sunday 22
September, presented in the usual efficient way
that we have come to expect from the BSA Police
Regimental Association. Old friendships were reestablished,
including some from as far afield as
the USA, Australia, New Zealand, Zimbabwe and
the UK.
Congratulations to all those who had a part in
organisaing and conducting the event.
BSAP ANNIVERSARY
October 2019
The following extract comes from ‘The History
of the BSAP’ by Peter Gibbs, for the benefit of
those not familiar with how the BSAP came into
being 130 years ago, or have simply forgotten.
It is a little unusual for the police force of a
country to be created before that country actually
exists. But although Cecil Rhodes’s pioneers only
entered the territory that lies between the Limpopo
and Zambezi rivers in July 1890 - and only formally
occupied Mashonaland by raising the Union Jack
at Fort Salisbury in September - the first troops of
what were to become the British South Africa
Company’s Police had been established and
recruiting had been started, outside the country, as
early as November the previous year.
Before long the force was to play a formidable
part in what has been called “the scramble for
Africa”.
The history of southern Africa, after the advent
of the white man in 1652, has been written many
times and has been given as many interpretations.
Especially where the British are concerned, the
interpretations range from the heroic to the
iconoclastic - from a blind reverence for honourable
intentions to accusations of undiluted perfidy.
The idea of obtaining a Royal Charter for his
newly proposed company, the British South Africa
Company, to occupy, and operate in, the new
territory, has often been credited to Rhodes. The
belief that it was Rhodes’s original notion has
more recently been challenged. But whether or not
it was his own idea, it appealed to him immensely.
If his new company (which would, of course, be
controlled principally by his own de Beers) were
to be granted a Charter by Queen Victoria he could
have the best of both worlds:
the venture would be “colonial” in that in
practice it would be undertaken and controlled by
the people on the spot; it would be “imperial” only
so far as it would receive from the British
Government political backing and, if the worst
happened, military protection. But before
petitioning the Crown for a Charter it would
clearly be necessary to obtain from the people at
present in the territory at least some semblance of
the right to operate there - some claim to preference
over anybody else who might be after the same
thing.