WesWorld

THE SOUTH AFRICAN TELEGRAPH - EXPRESS
9th May 1921

Durban. Today morning Indias sovereign, the Raj, entered Durban Harbour aboard Indian passenger liner GUJURAT. With the booming sounds of the salute he and his attendance were welcome for his first visit to the South African Empire. 10 years passed since his father came to Pretoria in 1911 to start a development that applied to todays good relationship between those two great nations.

Two days ago, on May 7th, the GUJURAT entered South African waters north of the Seychelles in company of the Indian light cruiser PORT BLAIR and four destroyers. Waiting for them as an escort d´honeur were the 1st Scout Squadron (battlecruisers HERTOG ALEXANDER (flagship) and her sister HERTOG RIJNHARD as well as light cruisers SANTA FÉ and PELOTAS) and the 3rd Division of the 3rd Torpedoboat Flotilla with four insect-class torpedoboats. As one Indian sailor put it:

“It was such a great picture. GUJURAT was steaming at 20 knots with PORT BLAIR in the lead and our four destroyers in line ahead behind us when the Royal South African Navy appeared on the scene. They came in in perfect formation and with very high speeds. The battlecruisers were in line ahead with a cruiser 400m ahead and to each side of the flagship while two destroyers (read torpedoboats – ed.) formed a wing outside of each cruiser. So the formation was like a big arrow racing through the waves. Painted in white and beige and with white spray all around them looking like wings those battlecruisers left no doubt why they are known as “the Swans of the South Atlantic”. Once they passed us on opposite course, their crews saluting on their decks, they turned around and split in two units during the progress. The South African flagship took position on port while her sister did the same on the starport side, beyond each of them a cruiser and two destroyers sailed on a parallel course leaving our PORT BLAIR still in the lead of a now much bigger formation. It was really such a great picture.”

Today at 10 o´clock, in bright sunlight and with no winds, this formation finally reached Durban. A large crowd of several thousand people came down to the piers to watch the procedure as the ships reached the coast. Entering the outer parts of Durban Harbour the Raj´s escort d´honeur as well as his own escort fell behind to head for Durban Naval Base leaving the liner alone. With all its glory the majestic ship sailed slowly past South Africa´s fleet flagship RSAN SOUTH AFRICA which rested atop its mirror image near the lighthouse marking the entrance to the inner harbour. While doing so the salute was fired leaving clouds of smoke drifting away slowly. Several minutes later the liner had reached Pier One and the Raj first met with the King in front of an honour guard of South African marines. Both addressed some words to the crowd and then a band played India´s and South Africa´s national anthem before the two sovereigns left for a well-known and famous seafood restaurant, The Laughing Flounder, to have lunch, which was reported to be fairly informal.

Will there be large celebrations in regard to that historical event of 10 years ago ?

Walter

Yes, there will be at least some ballroom action in Pretoria....