I think it will be remiss of me not to quote just a few sentiments expressed to the family via emails to me:
Thank you for letting us know. Please add my condolences to those of all your members in any communication you have with Charles’s family.
He’s been a wonderful inspiration to us all. Bert Howes (a member of the 3rd Brigade signals Company who went on to become Director Signals) in so many of his e-
Dr Brian Austin, Liverpool, UK
Charles was a Fine Officer and Gentleman.
Peter Napier
It was always so nice to see Charles and/or his friend Sidney Ireland at the various parades; they always looked so smart and proud and happy to be part of these events. It was heart-
Regine Lord, photographer
Thanks for soldiers who sets a military culture example to be proud of.
Maj Genl Johan Dippenaar, Chairman of the Council for Military Veterans Organisation
He has been an inspiration to me for all the years that I have known him as the epitome of an officer and a gentleman, and I regard myself as privileged to be a friend of his.
John Manning
We, mere mortals, have lost yet another Jimmy but God had gained yet one more.
Robin Cross a Member of the Signals Association and a former officer of SAS Unitie
Charles has finally been called to Higher Service, or in SAAF language “Answered the Sunset Call”.
I know how dear he was to you Signals folks, and I am sure he will be missed and most definitely never forgotten.
Anyone who has had the privilege of meeting him, could only have walked away and said “I have met a true gentleman”. I am one of those.
Bruce Risien
He was an amazing gentleman and we’ll miss him at the various parades he attended so bravely.
Reverend Tony Bethke
We now only have good memories of one of the most outstanding signallers the SACS has ever had. I salute him and he will always be in my memories for this remarkable man that at 99, could still be an example to all of us and teach us what the good camaraderie of a soldier should be. He has left the Signals Association with a legacy that will and must never be forgotten. May he rest in peace.
Brig General (Retired) Denis Jelliman, former Director Signals Reserve Forces
Charles and my paths connected one Sunday morning in early 1996 when he phone me from Durban at the time I was Officer Commanding of 71 Signal Unit. He was looking for a particular radio set extensively used during WW II for the Royal Australian Corp of Signals Museum.
Charles did not know who I was, but I knew who he was as I had just updated the unit’s history when I learned that he was an Commanding Officer of the same unit, then 3rd Brigade Signal Company, from November 1954 to December 1962.
Little did Charles know that the 3rd Brigade unit never disbanded but had, in fact, experienced name (or shall we say Number) changes.
Charles informed me that he started the 3rd Bde Sig Coy Reunion Association in 1946 soon after the boys returned from the war. The close relationship between our respective two associations continued growing closer and closer from 1996 when I was guest speaker at their 50th Reunion Luncheon until 2016 when they handed over their 70 year old tradition to the SIGNALS ASSOCIATION.
We, therefore, regard ourselves extremely privileged to have been associated with the WW II 3rd Brigade Signallers and we owe them so much as it was they who had encouraged us to continue the proud tradition set by them for almost a century.
I am appreciative of what Charles had done for us, and me in particular, for the many years we have been acquainted and I had the good fortune and greatest of pleasure associating with him as a former fellow commanding officer of the Cape Town based signals unit. It was a great honour for me, personally to have known him. I Salute him and he SHALL be remembered, I promise!
On Sunday, 1st May 2016 at a large Handing over of Tradition ceremony that took place at the Italian Club in Cape Town, Charles said that for seventy years he and his comrades in arms had maintained the comradeship built up during the 2nd World War, by meeting regularly, sometimes more than once a year.
At that solemn ceremony Charles, in his speech, quoted Mr Winston Churchill when the latter said ‘The Battle of Alamein was the beginning of the end of the German army in North Africa.’ With that, Charles expressed the hope that the Signals’ Association in Cape Town would be the beginning, as an example, and not the end of their effort, for the rest of Signals in South Africa to follow. He expressed the hope for the Signals Association to keep the ‘Signals Flame’ burning.
On behalf of the Signals Association, of which I am the Chairman, I pay tribute to a great man, a great signaller and a great veteran. May his soul Rest in Peace with the knowledge of our promise made on 1 May 2016 that we will remember them, the members of the 3rd Brigade Signals Company.
And today we say:
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the going down of the sun, and in the morning,
We will remember them.
And, with that, we will remember Charles Daniel Holloway!
Taken from the programme for the celebration of Charles’ life held at SA Legion at Rosedale.
They celebrated their 60th (Diamond) wedding anniversary in October 2002 surrounded by 42 family members and friends. This event brought the family together from all parts of the world. Daughter Susan arrived from Sydney in Australia and son John came from Amsterdam. Two grandchildren arrived from Melbourne and Wellington in New Zealand whilst other guests arrived from the UK, Durban, Johannesburg and other parts of the country.
Charles and Dickie visited Australia eight times and Europe 14 times to see the family. He has 6 grandchildren and 4 great grandchildren, who keep in touch regularly.
Dicky played the church organ for 47 years. She sadly passed away, aged 89, in 2008. They were married for 66 years. Until last Friday when he passed on, Charles resided at Huis Luckoff in Rosebank with his long standing comrade in arms, Syd Ireland.
Apologies to the family were sent via me by the following of Charles’ military acqaintences:
Dr Brian Austin, a member of the Signals Association, Liverpool, UK
Theuns Neethling, a member of the Signals Association, Grand Cayman Islands
H.P. Van Staden, a member of the Signals Association (Work related)
Frikkie Rabie, Ernie de Vries and Pierre Tromp all of Worcester
Ian McKinney
General John Del Monte (RFC meeting in Pretoria)
General Denis Jelliman (Pretoria based)
Major Herman Jacobs, 2IC 71 Signal Unit.
THE TRADITION LIVES ON: From left: Syd Ireland, Howard Shagom, Robbie Roberts. Syd served with Charles in 3rd Brigade Signal Company and they were friends since World War II.
Signals Association
Celebration Page
Holloway, Charles Daniel
Charles Daniel Holloway was born in Cape Town on 15 June 1918.
After leaving school he joined the Post Office and was sent to be trained as a Post and Telegraph Assistant. This included being trained as a Telegraphist.
In 1937 at the age of nineteen he was called up to do his three year compulsory part-
When war broke out Charles went off to do his duty and was posted to Abyssinia. It was also in 1937 that Charles met Inez Dick (better known as Dickie) who later became his wife.
After attending these courses at The Military College in Pretoria, he became a Sergeant Instructor at the end of 1939. World War II had begun and he and three other members of 3 Brigade Signal Company were selected to do an Officers’ Training Course in Potchefstroom. On their return to the Unit they found that all seven Officers of 3 Brigade Signals’ Company had signed on for Active Service. The Unit was mobilised on 27 May 1940 so Charles and a Corporal decided they would go with the Unit in their present ranks as there were no vacancies for officers at the time. Charles later became a Platoon Sergeant.
They campaigned through East Africa and Abyssinia until they arrived in North Africa where on 1 July 1941 he was commissioned, he being transferred to the 1st S.A. Brigade and attached to the Duke of Edinburgh’s Own Rifles, a Cape Town based Regiment.
Dickie enlisted in Womens’ Auxillary Army Services and was sent to Cairo where the two of them married on 31 October 1942. Any chance of a honeymoon then was soon thwarted when General Erwin Rommel’s Afrika Korps joined in battle with the Allies at El Alamein.
Charles returned to South Africa with the 1st Division when they were withdrawn after the Second battle of El Alamein, with him also having served in the first battle when the Germans were stopped just short of Cairo.
Charles and Dickie moved back to South Africa with the 1st S.A. Division and they had three children. (Pam, John and Susan).
Upon return to South Africa everybody was medically examined prior to being trained for Armour for the 6th S.A. Division to go to Italy. He was bordered ‘C’ on account of relapsing malaria, which he had contacted in Egypt. It meant that he could not leave South Africa again.
By this time Charles was a Captain and was appointed Adjudant, 4 Armoured Divisional Signal Company at Auckland Park. Thereafter he moved to the Signal Training Centre at Potchefstroom as Instructor and eventually in October 1944 as Officer Commanding, School of Signals, Military College, Pretoria. He held this position until the end of hostilities and was released from fulltime Military Service on 22 October 1945 and transferred to the Reserve of Officers.
On 6 November 1954 he was appointed Officer Commanding of 3 Brigade Signal Company, his wartime Unit with the rank of Major.
He was still active after this as either Chairman or Committee Member of the S.A. Corps of Signals’ Association which was started towards the end of the war and of which he was a foundation member.
In August 1958, in his civilian life, Charles was transferred to Bloemfontein on promotion, by the Post Office and when prospects did not look good he resigned at the end of 1964 and joined the S.A. Sugar Association Export Division to develop the newly built Sugar Export Terminal in Durban. He became the manager until he retired, after eighteen years, in June 1981, aged sixty-
In his military reserve force life, Charles was appointed 2/IC, RHQ Corps Signal Regiment, a new Unit which was established at that time and which was also the Senior Unit in the Corps of Signals. This Regiment was disbanded on 1 December 1961 and Charles placed on the Reserve of Officers with rank of War Substantive Major.
In 2000 Charles and Dickie moved back to Cape Town to be nearer to some of the family.
PASSING ON THE FLAME: Charles Holloway (left) passes the Flame of the Signaller on to Howard Shagom, Secretary of the Signals Association. In the centre is Syd Ireland, Charles’ life long friend and comrade.