THIS collection of historical documents relating to Prime Minister Field Marshall Jan Christiaan Smuts and his wife, Isie, affectionately known as "Ouma" to the SA troops and public during WW2, rightly belongs in the SA Archives or JC Smuts Museum.
However, I am offering it as an important historical collection that has been in my family for three generations as it focuses on my Great Aunt, Edith "Edie" O'Connor, for seven years National Secretary of the South African Women's Auxiliary Services during WW2 and member of the National Advisory Council of Demobilisation of SA troops.
Ouma as "chairman" headed the SA Gifts & Comforts Committee and she and Edie struck up a close and lifelong friendship, even enjoying beach holidays together in the Cape.
This collection includes two handwritten letters from Ouma to "Dear Edie", one dated 5 September 1944 with many personal family details, signed "Lots of love from Ouma”. The second, dated 10 October 1944 and singed: "Alles van die beste & tot siens, from Isie.". It is incredibly personal about her family and the fact Kathleen and Paul are to marry, She says as a "TT I of course don't want champagne" at the wedding.
The collection also includes:
- Edie's beautifully framed Netherlands Red Cross citation, gold medal with ribbon and picture of her in uniform accompanying the Queen, the Queen Mother, on her visit to Cape Town after the war.
- Aunt Edie's war medals with miniatures, all with ribbons, beautifully framed with picture, signed and dated.
- Other official state letters relating to Edie, one signed by JC Smuts.
- A truly magnificent 40cm x 30cm framed black and white picture of JC Smuts in the full uniform of a Field Marshall seated at his office desk.
- A slightly tattered original copy of the Cape Times of Saturday 16 September 1950 with extensive coverage of Smuts' funeral and cremation in Johannesburg.
- A somewhat blemished copy of the song sheet with words and music composed to celebrate Ouma's birthday party on 22 December 1942. Funds raised from the sale of the song sheet were donated to the gifts and comfort fund.
- Two tins in good condition with the images of Ou Baas and Ouma used for sending comforts to the troops on the war front, both dated 1940.
- Questions on the collection are welcome.
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