A service to mark Remembrance Day – also known as Poppy Day, was held on Sunday morning in the Overstrand Municipality.
War veterans and friends and family gathered at the Cenotaph War Memorial at the Old Harbour in Hermanus.
The sound of a lone bugler playing the Last Post followed by the observation of two minutes’ silence at 11:00, the exact hour when the First World War was ended on 11 November 1918 in honour of those who paid the highest price for our freedom, deeply moved onlookers. (The first minute was for those who were killed during the war and the second for those who had returned alive.)
Having laid a wreath on behalf of the Overstrand community, Mayor Dudley Coetzee said: “As we gather here to reflect, it is fitting for us to also remember our duty – to educate future generations of sacrifices made. Remembrance should be at the forefront of our national consciousness; remembering those who gave their lives during battle so that we can be here today”.
He thanked all who were involved in arranging the event, especially the Regiment Westelike Provincie, holder of the Freedom of the Overstrand and the Old Bill of the Seagull Shellhole, the local unit of the Memorable Order of the Tin Hats (MOTH’s) who organised the ceremony.
Old Bill Moth Peter Goldie of the Seagull Shellhole, Veteran Nigel Manning Goldie of the SA Legion, Moth Leon Botha (friend of Moth Dirk Botha who was killed in hit and run on Sunday, 14 October), the head boy and girl from Hermanus High School, Lt Colonel Harvey Saayman of Overstrand Veterans, Moth Robbie Abrahamse of the Royal Navy Association, Corporal Deysel of the Rhodesian Light Infantary, Jaco; son of General Theo Beyleveldt (previous Overstrand Mayor), Lt Colonel Stephan Pierce of Fort Ikapa, Lt Colonel Fikizolo and Ivan Bester (ret) of the Regiment Westelike Provincie, Masizolo Mnquasela of the Western Cape Provincial Government, Captain de Jongh of SAPS Overstrand Cluster, Moth Billy Hill of the Dawn Patrol Shellhole, Moth Brian Dyason of MOTH Blaauwberg CUCA Shallhole, Moth Chris Roux of the MOTH Motorcycle Association, Mothuan Piek and Nita van Wyk of the 44 Parachute Brigade, Staff Sergeant Juan Piek of the SA Valskermbond (Cape Canopy), the NSRI, Hermanus Old Boys’ and members of the emergency services participated in the wreath-laying ceremony.
Members of the public were also given an opportunity to pay their last respect by placing a rose at the foot of the cenotaph.
A card attached to the poppies, read: “We never knew you, but we know of you – we will never forget your selfless sacrifice. Thank you.”
Image: LEST WE FORGET: Snr Superintendent Yvienne Smith (left), Mayor Dudley Coetzee, Moth Llewellyn Tiltmann and Junior Mayor Claudia Weich attended the Ceremony in Hermanus to lay a wreath and mark #RemembranceSunday2018. #LestWeForget
