"We will remember them"

Date: 17 November 2017 By: Andries van Zyl

The Soutpansberg also took the time to remember the sacrifices made by war veterans in service of their country as part of Remembrance Day on Sunday, 12 November.

At 05:00 on Monday, 11 November, 1918, an armistice was signed by Germany and the allied nations, ending hostilities for World War I (1914 – 1918). At the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of that year, the guns fell silent. The war that was supposed to end all wars had come to an end, but not before an estimated nine million people had lost their lives.

In remembering those who died in the war and subsequent wars, Remembrance Day is commemorated on the closest Sunday to 11 November annually. The Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTHs) of Louis Trichardt held their service this past Sunday at their Turbi Hills Shellhole. Among those who attended were members of Air Force Base Makhado, military veterans from the South African Bush War (1966 – 1989), members of the former Rhodesian defence force, the former South African Police, former Soutpansberg Commando and civilian members.

Following a moment of silence, the list of names of those Soutpansberg soldiers who died in service of their country was read out, namely Maj G Murray, Maj C Thompson, Lt D G Hinds, Lt T Kleineberg, 2Lt E W B Fripp, WO2 H C Bester, WO2 F Wolmarans, Bdr J P E Ceunod, Cpl J Bowken, Cpl C Dickson, Cpl C J Erasmus, Cpl J Kilroe, Cpl J Taljaard, Cpl W van Breda, L/Cpl C. Bezuidenhout, L/Cpl F Bezuidenhout, L/Cpl H du Preez, L/Cpl J de Preez, L/Cpl F R Greaves, Air Mech C G Hanson, Gunner J Badenhorst, Pvt H Bristow, Pvt C M Deysel, Pvt K Hartley, Pvt J Mdumela, Pvt A Pretorius, Pvt H L J Roux, Pvt C P Shaw, Pvt N Smuts, Pvt S B Swart, Pvt C V D van der Merwe and Trooper S B Vosloo. The list of names was concluded by the words “We will remember them” after soldiers and military personnel had laid wreaths in remembering these fallen colleagues.

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Andries van Zyl

Andries joined the Zoutpansberger and Limpopo Mirror in April 1993 as a darkroom assistant. Within a couple of months he moved over to the production side of the newspaper and eventually doubled as a reporter. In 1995 he left the newspaper group and travelled overseas for a couple of months. In 1996, Andries rejoined the Zoutpansberger as a reporter. In August 2002, he was appointed as News Editor of the Zoutpansberger, a position he holds until today.

More photos... 

In remembering those who died in the war and subsequent wars, Remembrance Day is commemorated on the closest Sunday to 11 November annually. The Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTHs) of Louis Trichardt held their service this past Sunday at their Turbi Hills Shellhole. Pictured is some of the large crowd who attended.

Moth Marius Prinsloo, Pay Bill at the Turbi Hills Shellhole in Louis Trichardt, reads out the list of Soutpansberg soldiers who died in service of their country as part of commemorating Remembrance Day locally on Sunday, 12 November.