I Fear No Man

Malan settles into family life at Benfontein, but the lasting emotional and psychological effects of the war take their toll. Dr Helen Doe tells us about how pilots would relieve the stress of combat and how it signalled the start of other troubling symptoms.

 

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s Disease, Malan begins a rapid decline punctuated with bouts of hope, optimism and defiance against his illness. He visits 74 Squadron and sits in a Spitfire for the last time. We take a deeper look at Parkinson's Disease and how it affects those with it and Malan's friends recollect their memories of visiting him, many for the last time.

 

When the “King of the Few” dies, tributes vary, depending on which country they come from. The South African government - bitter to the end - threatens civil servants and the military about consequences of attending his funeral, which is held in defiance of the apartheid laws in a non-segregated church.

 

He then disappears into obscurity. Forgotten for 60 years, even by a new post-apartheid government which took over from the National Party government in 1994 - after South Africa held its first democratic elections, with apartheid wiped from the books.

It's only in 2018 that momentum starts to build for recognition of his achievements. In the same church in which his funeral was held, he is remembered and finally civic honours are bestowed upon him. "I Fear No Man" is the motto of 74 squadron, and using these words Yvonne Malan pays a fitting tribute at the Sailor Malan inaugural lecture. At the memorial, Father Reginald Leeuw shares a poignant message for South Africans and for all.

The creators of the podcast would like to thank the McGregor Museum for introducing us to Yvonne Malan, who not only allowed us to quote extensively from her Sailor Malan memorial lecture given in Kimberley and Simon’s town in 2023, but also introduced us to the majority of the participants for the one-on-one interviews in the podcast. Thank you to everyone who gave their time, insights and participation.

Protea Rose Originals is Cliff Thompson and Nic Fieldsend.

Narrated/written by Cliff Thompson, produced/engineered by Nick Fieldsend with additional sound design by Ben Creelman.

Notes:

Copyright 2024. Protea Rose Originals Inc. Licenses obtained for use.Unauthorized biography.

With thanks to IWM, The National Archives (UK), McGregor Museum Kimberley, Getty Images, Associated Press, Alamy, Doug Tidy, Artlist.

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