Page 13 - Bulletin 11 2007

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There were only two significant population concentrations, the larger one at Simon’s Town
(4,750), and the next largest at Kalk Bay – Muizenberg (3,500). (Fig. 1.2).

Muizenberg was a well-established seaside resort – the emerging Brighton of South Africa

- with its first pavilion, new railway station, and a string of popular hotels and boarding

houses along the main road, mountainside, and beach-front. Kalk Bay, too, was popular
though with fewer hotels and boarding houses, small pocket beaches and recently

completed tidal pools and pavilion, and a harbour just commencing construction. Many of
these would be put to good use during the next four years as troop recuperation facilities.

Rumours of war

In July 1914 the garrison of the Cape Peninsula was commanded by Brigadier-General C.
nd
W. Thompson, CB, DSO, and consisted of the 2 Battalion East Lancashire Regiment, two
companies of Royal Garrison Artillery, one fortress company of Royal Engineers, and
nd
ancillary services. Early on the morning of 30 July orders were received for the 2
Battalion to mobilise at once and man the coast defences at Cape Town and Simon’s Bay,

the headquarters of the Cape Squadron.

“A” and “B” Company in Simon’s Town defences were distributed in the coast batteries
there and manned small posts at Slangkop wireless station, and roads leading to Simon’s

Town from the south and west, and at Blockhouse gap on the summit of a ridge just south

of Simon’s Town which commanded a view over the whole of False Bay, and over most of
the southern Peninsula. (Nicholson, 1936).

When Britain declared war on 4 July General Botha immediately suggested to the Imperial

Government that it might wish to withdraw the entire Imperial Garrison of 6,000 men in
South Africa. This was agreed to on 6 August and on 27 August the Imperial troops sailed

from Table Bay in a Union Castle fleet of eight ships under RN escort. (Fig. 1.3). Brig.-