Transcribed from an article in South Africa Magazine, 28 December 1918
By Ellen Stanton

SOUTH AFRICA'S INFLUENZA VICTIMS

We continue the sad toll of South Africa's terrible losses by the awful influenza scourge.

Mr. Adriaan Christiaan van Gorkom, son of Mr. and Mrs. E. J. van Gorkom, who died at Grahamstown, was a medical student at Grahamstown, where his elder brother, Willy, is also studying. Recently Mrs. Van Gorkom had a letter from the younger boy stating that Willy was ill with influenza. At the same time the news came that Adriaan had also contracted the disease and had succumbed. Of an exceptionally fine physique, standing 6 ft. 2 in., he was the embodiment of sterling manhood. As a student he promised great things. Both Willy and Adriaan were old Marist Brothers boys.

Mrs. Stuber, wife of Mr. C. Stuber, of Erinville Nurseries, Rosebank, who died at Rondebosch, took a great interest in nursing, and offered her services to the Health Department. She took up night duty for a few nights at the City Hospital. She was then asked by a friend to proceed to Worcester to nurse some private patients, and she immeditately proceeded there. After a week's absence she returned home, having contracted pneumonia, and was removed to Rondebosch Hospital, where she succumbed, and was buried at Maitland from her late residence.

As we have already reported, the epidemic victims at Pretoria include Dr. D. M. Barry, Superintendent of the Pretoria General Hospital. Dr. Barry only recovered a few weeks ago from scarlet fever and pneumonia, and had two successive attacks of influenza, the second being fatal. He came to Pretoria from Dublin a few years ago, and was most popular among a wide circle of friends.

Mr. W. S. Dickson, for many years Manager of the Jagersfontein Estate, died at the age of 66 years. The deceased was one of the oldest inhabitants in the district, and participated in the earliest diamond digging operations in Kimberley and in the opening up of the Jagersfontein Mine.

Mr. William Fraser, Inspector of Schools, Cape Province, who died at Bloemfontein, was well known in the Free State. He was on a short visit to Bloemfontein from Kimberley prior to the opening of the schools, and evidently had the disease when he arrived. He was taken to the National Hospital, where he died. He went to South Africa about 1903, being appointed Principal of Senekal School. He subsequently became an Inspector of Schools in the Free State till the advent of Responsible Government, when he left the service and organized the Council Schools, which were amalgamated in 1911. After that he obtained his appointment in the Cape.

The death took place at Germiston of Mr. Alec Stuart, senior partner in the firm of John Stuart and Son, bakers and confectioners. He leaves a widow and child, for whom much sympathy is felt. Deceased was a nephew of Dr. Spaulding, who had just been buried.

Mr. Harry M. Andrew, who died at Petersburg, aged 48 years, was for some time a junior partner in the firm of Mentz and Andrew, Attorneys in Pietersburg, the partnership being dissolved some years ago on the senior partner, who has since become Minister of Defence for the Union in the Botha Cabinet, entering politics. Mr. Andrew later acquired an extensive legal practice of his own. The deceased married, about ten years ago, a daughter of Commandant van Dam, who was Commandant of Police under the old Republican flag. The late Mr. Andrew had the misfortune recently to lose three brothers within a few days of each other - Gordon, after serving throughout the war, succumbing to wounds received in France on September 15 last; Vivian, well known in Peninsula billiard circles as a brilliant amateur cueist, dying in Cape Town of double pneumonia on October 4 last; and John, well known as a broker and commission agent at Durban, succumbing there to a short and sharp attack of influenza on October 3.

The late Commander Stephen Bowle-Evans, R.N., who died at Cape Town, was in command of the Naval Yard for some years, and in that capacity he was responsible for taking in and out of the basin a very large number of ships. He was a member of the Committee of the United Service Institute, and also of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Home. He had the distinction of commissioning the first submarine, and he also served with the Prince of Wales in H.M.S. Hindustan. Whilst living in Simon's Town the deceased officer supported the Yacht, Turf, and Hunt Clubs in the Peninsula.

Dr. Phillip Roytowski, who died at Cape Town, was a brother of Attorney A. Roytowski, and eldest son of the late Mr. I. J. Roytowski, of Cape Town. He was a student at the old Normal College, Cape Town, before qualifying at Edinburgh for the medical profession. He was Acting District Surgeon at Potchefstroom, and worked strenuously at combating the outbreak of influenza until he contracted the disease.

Mr. W. F. Smith, of Goede Hoope district, Aliwal North, who died at the Marine Hotel, Somerset Strand, was President of the Aliwal North Agricultural Society, and he came to the Peninsula to attend the Agricultural Congress.

Advocate Charles Friedlander, who died at St. James', was 44 years of age, having been born at Middelburg, Cape Province, in 1874, and was the eldest son of the late Mr. J. Friedlander, J.P., of Middelburg. During the South African war he was attached to the Headquarters Staff at the Castle. He was an attorney of the late Transvaal High Court, Commissioner of the Transvaal Supreme Court, member and Chairman of the Finance Committee, Cape Town Corporation, 1903-6; in 1904 he was legal adviser to the German Consulate-General for British South Africa.

By the death of Mrs. William Rowley, wife of the proprietor of the Glencairn Hotel, his bereavement was made the more acute because just a week prior to her demise Mrs. Rowley gave birth to a son.

Mr. Morris Sandwick (better known as Maurice Maxwell), of the Ada Reeve Revue Company, who died at Kimberley was born at old Main Street, Kimberley, 24 years ago. He joined the above company on the arrival of Miss Ada Reeve at Durban, where his parents are at present residing. The late Mr. Sandwich was a fine singer, and gave promise of a very successful career on the vaudeville stage.

Mr. F. H. Dormehl, who died at Cape Town, was born in the Cape Peninsula in 1871, and was the second son of Mr. Murdoch Monson Dormehl. He was educated at the Normal School and at the South African College School. He occupied positions in the offices of the London and Lancashire Fire Assurance Company, the Reliance Assurance Company, and in the General Estate and Orphan Chamber, where he was second on the staff. In 1915, when the idea of starting a Dutch daily paper in Cape Town was first suggested, he took a very active part in helping to establish De Burger and the National Press, Limited. The first development was the establishment of Die Huguenoot, and in 1918 there followed the establishment of the Afrikaanse Handelshuis, of which he was a Director. Recently he became also a Managing Director of the South African National Trust and Assurance Company and of the African Homes Trust. Mr. Dormehl was married to a daughter of the late Rev. P. Smith, of Papendorp, and has left three daughters.

Many of those serving in East Africa contracted the disease. Among these was Staff-Sergeant Leslie Pascoe, who died at Pilgrim's Rest, in his 23rd year. He was the only son of Mr. and Mrs. W. J. Pascoe, of the Ferreira Deep, and was born in Johannesburg. He was taken to Cornwall as a child, but came back in 1909, and was educated at St. John's College. After leaving school he was apprenticed to the engineering trade on the Ferreira Deep. The call for men for "German" East caused him to join the 9th (Sportsmen's) Battalion. He left for East Africa in February, 1916. After being invalided out of the fighting ranks he was employed at the base, and was promoted to the rank of staff-sergeant. Further attacks of fever led to his being sent home on furlough, at the conclusion of which he was discharged as unfit for further service. After his discharge he was employed as a draughtsman at the Crown Mines, and in June of this year he received an appointment to the Transvaal Gold Mining Estates at Pilgrim's Rest.

The death took place at the Krugersdorp Hospital of Mr. Thomas James Roderick, who succumbed at the age of 27 years. The deceased was well known in the Krugersdorp district, and held the post of assayer on the West Rand Consolidated Mines. He saw considerable service during the present war, and went through the Rebellion and West African campaign with the Krugersdorp Commando.

Mr. George Chandler, a popular resident of Krugersdorp, who succumbed at the Krugersdorp Hosital, had a largely-attended funeral. The pall-bearers were Messrs. A. J. Tinker, R. Holmes, E. Chater, J. Mallett, A. S. Sanson, and Holly. The service was conducted by the Rev. W. Smart.

By the death of Mrs. M. A. Phil, Germiston lost probably its oldest resident. The deceased lady, who was 67 years of age, went to Germiston 30 years ago, when the house she resided in was almost the only one then existing. She was the mother of Mrs. J. A. Human, Germiston.

Mrs. Herapath, who died at Berea, was the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Turner of that place. About ten days previous to her death she left with other nurses for Middelburg, Transvaal, to do duty there during the epidemic, but she fell a victim to the disease. The news is all the more distressing as she was only married about six months ago to Lieutenant C. H. Herapath, who is at present in East Africa.

Mr. Alec Stuart, partner in the well-known firm of John Stuart and Son, who died at his residence, Germiston South, was only 27 years of age. A younger brother of deceased, Mr. Jock Stuart, who served in East Africa, was seriously ill with influenza, but recovered. The late Dr. Spaulding, who was buried a week before, was an uncle of the deceased.

Mr. William Rowe, lately second in command of the Johannesburg Fire Brigade Department, died at Cape Town. Mr. Rowe only retired on pension from the Brigade on September 30, and he left for the Cape on October 4.

Private Harry Reginald Forder, South African Infantry, who died at Yeoville, was the only child of Mr. and Mrs. Lewis Forder, of that town. Deceased who had just passed his 21st birthday, had served for over two years in France in the ranks of the South African Infantry. Invalided home last November on account of a strained heart, the disease found an easy victim. He was educated at the Christian Brothers' College, Kimberley, and the Marist Brothers' School, Uitenhage.

Mrs. Judith Cuthbert, who died at Heidelberg, was the widow of Mr. Cuthbert, Inspector of Railway Schools. She was returning from Durban, where she had attended as a delegate a conference of the Presbyterian Church Women's Association, and was taken ill in the train, but continued her journey to her son at Heidelberg, Cape Province. She leaves two sons and two daughters.

Mr. William Keery, who died at the New Somerset Hospital, came to South Africa from Lisburn, Ireland, about 25 years ago. He was with the firm of A. R. McKenzie and Co., for some years afterwards commanding business at the docks as a coal merchant, which business he carried on to the time of his death. He leaves a widow and three children.

Amongst the Port Elizabeth victims was Mr. Walter Gilchrist Wyatt-Watts, one of the employes of Messrs. Adolph Mosenthal and Co., in whose service he had been for about 15 years. He was the eldest son of Mr. Walter Watts, of Fauresmith, Orange Free State. Educated at St. Andrew's College, Grahamstown, he started life as a junior clerk with Messrs. Mosenthal's. The deceased leaves a widow - the eldest daughter of Mr. Roger Ascham - and a little girl of six or seven summers.

Mr. Thomas James Roderick, who died at Krugersdorp, was assayer at the West Rand Consolidated Mines, and prior to the war was well known in local Rugby football circles. He saw considerable service in the recent campaigns, and was through the Rebellion and West and East Africa.