At the annual general meeting in August 1991 Cdr Rowland reported that the Naval Board had approved the awarding of the trophy by NOASA, and suggested that the award be for Bridge Watchkeeping Proficiency. The then C Navy intended that the trophy be a Premier Award to the naval officer who had proved to be the most proficient bridge watch keeping officer in service that year. The trophy would be retained for a year by the ship or shore establishment in which the officer was serving at the time.
BRIDGE WATCH KEEPING TROPHY
The Bridge Watchkeeping Proficiency Trofee has been awarded to:
1991 Lt G A le Roux
1992 Lt W M Beattie
1993 SLt S Minnaar
1994 SLt G Bairstow
1995 SLt D J Olivier
1996
1997 SLt S M Woodly
1998 SLt T P Kelly
1999 SLt M Armour
2000 SLt S V Wilson
2001 SLt D Jones
2002 Lt C M B Mhlana
2003 SLt R W Punt
2004 Lt (MS) K Pitterman
2005 SLt E W Engelbrecht
2006 Lt R C Robertson
2007 Slt I Mabela
2008 SLt P N S Gumede
2009
2010
2011
2012 SLt G A Herwels
CALCUTTA CUP COMPETITION
HMS CALCUTTA, a Cape Town class cruiser, serving on the South Atlantic Station in Simon’s Town presented the above named trophy in 1931 for a shooting competition for ships serving on the station. According to the tallies on the trophy it was competed for and won as follows:
1931 HMS CARLISLE
1932 HMS CARDIFF
1933 HMS CARLISLE
1934 HMS DORSETSHIRE
1935 HMS CARLISLE
1936 HMS CARLISLE
1939 HMS NEPTUNE
The cup remained on the station and eventually ended up in the trophy cases of the Senior British Naval Officer South Africa (SBNOSA). It was presented to the Chairman of Naval Officers’ Association of Southern Africa (NOASA), Cape Town, by SBNOSA Commodore A.F.C. Wemyss OBE on the closing down of his offices at Youngsfield on Wednesday 11 February 1976. The Cape Town and Simon’s Town Branches of the NOASA amalgamated on the 29th August 1997 and became known as the Naval Officers’ Association of Southern Africa, Simon’s Town.
During May of 1999 Vice Admiral G. Syndercombe SSA, SD, SOE, SM, the retired Chief of the SA Navy, suggested that the trophy be offered to the SAN in order to revive competition between the officers of ships at Simon’s Town and to perpetuate the tradition.
In July of that year this was accepted by the SA Navy. Flag Officer Fleet, who tasked Flag Officer Commanding to organise the event. The first competition, between officers of sea going ships, took place at Klawer Rifle Range on Friday 31st March 2000. The first ship to win this competition in its new revised form was SAS DRAKENSBERG. The competition was held each year and was eventually written into the Navy ops programme.
2000 SAS DRAKENSBERG
2001 SAS DRAKENSBERG
2002 SAS DRAKENSBERG
2003 SAS DRAKENSBERG
2004 SAS OTQ
2005 SAS Umhloti
In 2008 the competition failed to materialise, and has been dormant since then.