Death of KZN battlefields expert
“LIKE father, like son, With Doug Gillings, Kim Gillings and Heather Gillings at Cape Vidal.”
These words were the last well-known Durban historian and tour guide, Ken Gillings, posted on his Facebook page yesterday before he died while snorkelling.
His close friend, Pat Acutt, last night called him an expert on KwaZulu-Natal’s battlefields who had marketed the province and South Africa to the world during his retirement, and to which he had devoted his passion.
“He was a raconteur of note and also wrote a number of books on the battlefields of KwaZulu-Natal,” said Acutt.
“He had a depth of knowledge on the subject and he lived it.”
Last night, Acutt was unable to provide details of what had happened at Cape Vidal. He said Gillings was in his late 60s.
Acutt described him as “selfless, serving his fellow man” since he had known him “in the trenches” while the two were soldiers in Angola.
Later, Gillings became a regimental sergeant major with the Natal Field Artillery and a regimental sergeant major with the Defence Reserve where Acutt – a colonel – was his officer commanding.
“He was the absolute epitome of a perfect soldier,” said Acutt.
Gillings was a member of the MOTHs, with whom he was Post Old Bull of the Winston Churchill Shellhole, a legionnaire with the SA Legion and a member of the Westville Rotary Club.
He had a passion for isiZulu and for conservation, said Acutt.
“No words can describe what we have lost, an amazing man,” said a Rotary Club Facebook post.
Gillings had been in the fruit juice industry during his career. He leaves his wife, Heather, son Doug and grandson Ethan. He was also the father of the late Russell.
Gillings this week provided the pictures for The Independent on Saturday’s Then and Now feature on page 4.