WATCH: St Dunstan’s pays tribute to war heroes
Each attendee wore a red poppy, a symbol of remembrance, and wreaths were laid to pay tribute to the fallen heroes.
Despite a drizzle, learners of St Dunstan’s College and Preparatory sat in silence on November 11 as they observed Remembrance Day – a day dedicated to honouring the brave soldiers who lost their lives during the World Wars.
The moving ceremony began with the haunting sound of a trumpet, setting an emotional tone that echoed through the school grounds.
Veteran soldiers from various service organisations were among those in attendance, joined by dignitaries and school staff.
Each attendee wore a red poppy, a symbol of remembrance, and wreaths were laid to pay tribute to the fallen heroes.
The service served as a powerful reminder of the courage, sacrifice, and selflessness of those who fought for peace and freedom.
Giving her address, Glynnis Ward, a retired teacher who had the privilege of visiting the battlefields, said her father used to sing some of the World War II soldiers’ favourite songs to her and her brother, many of which dated back to the First World War.
He taught them songs such as Keep the Home Fires Burning, It’s a Long Way to Tipperary, and Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag.
“My dad turned 16 a month after South Africa entered the Second World War on the side of Britain, and he enlisted in the SA Air Force.
“He was not a pilot, but an aircraft technician who spent time in North Africa. Without going into too much disturbing detail, he shared many anecdotes, often amusing ones, about his days in the South African Air Force during World War II,” she said.
Ward said they learned about the realities of war, the horrors of trench warfare in the Great War and the unimaginable atrocities of the Holocaust in the 1930s and 40s.
She shared that in 2007, she and her husband were fortunate to be invited by Dr Whitelaw to be part of the inaugural SDC History Tour, visiting the Imperial War Museum in London, Delville Wood, the Thiepval Memorial to the Missing of the Somme, the Normandy beaches, and the cemetery at Colville-sur-Mer, among others.
“Seeing the white crosses, row on row, marking the countless lives lost during the two World Wars, was deeply moving,” she said.
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