TOPIC:

The sudden and unexpected death has been announced of Ken Gillings, who was a leading military historian and battlefield guide in KwaZulu-Natal. Among his many other activities, he was the Chairman of the Natal Branch of the S A Military History Society, a role that he fulfilled to perfection. His will be missed by everyone who knew him. Below is the obituary published in Durban's 'The Independent of Saturday'.

Brett

Very sad news to wake up to, there really cannot be many more people around to take his place with the knowledge that he had.

That really is sad news. I last met Ken at the conference in Dundee and while I didn't know him very well he was a person who stood out from the crowd and I remember him very fondly.

It is sad news. I met Ken years ago at our museum and often spoke to him over the telephone. He was a real gentleman. R.I.P. Ken.

Dreadful news. I only met him once - at the 2014 Conference at Talana. He was really kind, inviting me a complete stranger on the pre-conference tour to Thornleigh farm at the rear of Talana used as a hospital and then we went on a most interesting tour in the footsteps of the 18th Hussars to Adelaide Farm and out onto a high hill at De Waals with a mysterious ruins of "walls" that commanded a tremendous view north. A most interesting day.

Today I received in the post the SAMHS newsletter with its speaker programme, Ken's name jumped off the page and I thought "I would like to hear that".

Ken was a real gentleman and huge fund of knowledge.

Condolences to the family.