1934 – The Cape Corps Gun Memorial is Unveiled

On 25 February 1934, hundreds gathered in Kimberley for the unveiling of the Cape Corps Gun Memorial, a tribute to the men of the Cape Corps who served with distinction during the First World War. The ceremony was performed by General Jan Smuts, who had commanded many of these soldiers during the East African campaign.

The Cape Corps Association had been established shortly after the war, and its strongest branch was in Kimberley. Members worked tirelessly to raise funds for a permanent memorial, recognising the courage and sacrifice of coloured servicemen whose contribution to the war had often been overlooked.  During the ceremony, Smuts spoke warmly of the Corps and the hardships they had endured together. He praised their service in East Africa and Palestine, recalling their gallantry at the Battle of Square Hill in September 1918, one of the finest actions fought by South African troops during the war.

Kimberley's connection to the Cape Corps ran deep. During both World Wars, the city served as the principal depot for Cape Corps battalions. Thousands of men trained in camps near the Bultfontein and Dutoitspan mines before departing for active service overseas. Many never returned.  The memorial remains an important reminder that Kimberley's wartime story belongs to all who served, regardless of race, and reflects a chapter of history that has deservedly received increasing recognition in recent years.

Did You Know?

During the First World War, Kimberley served as the main training depot for the Cape Corps. Thousands of volunteers passed through the city before serving in East Africa, Egypt and Palestine.

1948 – Farewell to Geologist, Dr Alex du Toit

On 25 February 1948, Kimberley lost one of South Africa's greatest geologists with the death of Dr Alexander Logie du Toit. Du Toit joined De Beers Consolidated Mines as its first consulting geologist in 1903. His meticulous study of the Kimberley diamond mines and the surrounding geology established him as one of the world's leading geological thinkers.  Although renowned for his work on South Africa's diamond-bearing rocks, he achieved international fame through his pioneering research into continental drift.

At a time when many scientists dismissed the idea, Du Toit gathered geological evidence from both Africa and South America to argue that the continents had once formed a single landmass. His landmark book, Our Wandering Continents (1937), became one of the most influential works supporting what is today known as plate tectonic theory. Much of the research that shaped his remarkable career began in and around Kimberley. His careful observations beneath the Diamond City helped transform the understanding of the Earth's geological history. Today, Dr Alex du Toit is remembered not only as a pioneering geologist but also as one of Kimberley's greatest scientific figures.

Did You Know?

Dr Alex du Toit's research in Kimberley's diamond mines helped lay the foundations for modern geological understanding of continental drift—an idea that was revolutionary in his lifetime and is now accepted worldwide.