06 Oct 2014

When the Second World War broke out in 1939, the British Empire was made up of many countries including Bechuanaland Protectorate.

Hence it was not surprising when colonies and protectorates were called on to provide assistance in terms of manpower and material critical to the war effort.


The men from Bechuanaland became part of a force that came to be known as the African Auxiliary Pioneer Corps (AAPC).
These men came from all over the country and were conscripted to fight under the British.

While many are no longer alive, a handful remain in Botswana. 
Two of these are found in Tutume in the Central District and nostalgically regale their experiences as if the war happened a few years ago.


Though they cannot remember everything which happened, their war experiences are still vivid in their memories.
However, the two have experienced contrasting fortunes since the introduction of the WWII veterans allowance to reward those who took part in the war against forces led by Germany.


While his peers enjoy the benefits of old age as they get their pension courtesy of the government and World War II veterans’ allowance, Mr Olekantse Mokgosi does not enjoy the  benefits of the World War II veterans’ allowance despite having been one of the hundreds that went to war.


Born in 1928 in Molepolole and raised in Kalakamati in the North East District, Mr Mokgosi has since changed his name to Mr Johnson Sobawali.


Although he cannot remember much of the events leading to the time he was conscripted to go to war in 1940, he, however, still remembers that he spent eight years at war having left home while he was still in his teens. 
Spending so many years on his own under difficult situations took its toll on

Mr Sobawali and upon his return, he did not look back or think about the consequences of changing his names. He only wanted a new identity so that if it happened that they were called again to go to war, he would not be amongst the group. 


Relocating to Johannesburg, South Africa, he immediately adopted his relative’s surname so that he could get a job.
However, the decision has come back to haunt him decades later as he watches his compatriots enjoy the fruit of their war toil.

He just has to be content with old age pension alone.
Sharing this information in an interview recently, the tone of his voice changes as he expresses pain, anger at being let down by the authorities for not recognising him though he believes something can be done for him to be rewarded just like other veterans.


“I was among the first group who were taken to Durban to be shipped to Egypt where we were to be based for the duration of the war, and records show and prove that I was on section number 218,” he affirmed.


Mr Sobawali decries that every time when people need information about WWII, the same authorities who do not recognise him send people to him but when it comes to allowances, identity issues come to play.


While bad luck has befallen him, his relative, Mr Simon Setale, who is two years older than him, receives his dues for the time he spent fighting the Germans.
Every month end he smiles all the way to the post office with other elderly people to be given what rightly belongs to him.


Mr Setale remembers very well that they were not given any option when they were conscripted to go to war training, which he says was called drilling. 


Relating the events which led to them being taken away from their parents as teenagers, Mr Setale said when some of his age mates and friends were taken into hiding places by their parents who did not want them to be captured and taken to war, their parents just handed them over as they felt there was no way to hide from “whites” who came from Serowe.


Some of the boys who were lucky, he explained, were hidden inside caves and dense bushes by their parents. 
He said when the time came to feed them the parents would call them out using sounds of wild animals, in most cases they used the sounds of pigs to differentiate themselves from those who were hunting young boys for conscription.


Mr Setale said some parents went to the extent of administering pepper in the eyes of the boys so that when the recruiters came, they could claim that the boys were sick and unable to see.
Once this incident happened more than twice, the recruiters became suspicious and arranged for the boys to be examined by a doctor, only to be declared fit.


After, this, he said they were packed into vehicles and taken to the train station in Lobatse where they travelled in a train to Durban.
The old man who is now struggling with his sight and spends most of his time at home in Tutume said travelling from Lobatse to Durban took them a whole week. 
In Durban, he said t they were categorised by their tribes or country of origin into sections that were numbered for easy of identification.


The journey, however, did not end in Durban as they proceeded to Egypt through Mombasa and India and it was during that journey that they were constantly updated on the progress of the war. 
He noted that it was while in Egypt that they were taught how to use a machine gun, the different types of guns together with the bullets and given orders that no shots should be fired before they were told to do so.


Also, he highlighted that they were taught that no matter the circumstances they may find themselves in, no one should abandon his weapon and that they should rather be killed while holding on to it.


This, he said, was because, abandoning a weapon was very dangerous as it could give the enemy the opportunity to use a weapon which was advanced or superior in make compared to what they had in their possession.


“Losing your weapon on the battle ground could have had you killed by your own people not the enemy,” he said. 
Despite their young age then, he mentioned that they soon adapted to the orders and the situation in the frontline and grew up fast to become men with confidence. 


The war, said Mr Setale, was being strategically executed and before any attack they would be communication from both sides, they were however always alert of any attacks which might hit them without warning. 
Fighting under the British, he said, was a blessing despite the fact that they were forced to go to war at a young age.

This helped them to grow closer to God since their superiors would in the midst of the war call for a day of prayer. The day for prayer, Mr Setale added, revived their spirits and the hope that one day they would go back home and leave peacefully with their families.


Having left home in 1941,he said that it became very painful when part of the group that he had arrived with returned home in 1945 leaving them to remain for another four years until he made the group which returned in 1949.


For the years he spent away at the battle field, he explained that his parents received five pounds for his services and this money, he said, gave them hope that he was still alive and will one day be returned home. 
Now an old age pensioner, he receives his P300.00 old age pension allowance and P420 veterans allowances.


However, he suggested that the government should consider increasing their allowances because compared to what their counterparts in other countries who served with them during the war. Ends