City and SA Legions honour military veterans at Remembrance Day service

THE South African Legion of Military Veterans and the eThekwini municipality held their annual service of Remembrance at the Cenotaph, Farewell Square in Durban’s CBD on Sunday morning to pay homage to the military veterans who lost their lives in war.

At least fifty wreaths were layed at the Cenotaph by various military and former military organisations as well as members of the public in memory of lost loved ones.

Rick Andries, chairman of the Durban branch of the SA Legions, said the day was important because of teh many mixed emotions it brought with it. “This is a day of mourning, a day of sadness, a day of remembrance and a day of hope. Today we do not glorify war, but remember the gallant soldiers. Most of them have gone but let us remember those who fell, those who returned, especially the wounded and all their loved ones. Let us not forget them,” Andries added.

After laying a wreath, Leon Erasmus, headmaster at Durban High School, told Berea Mail, “We at DHS want to pay tribute to all those DHS old boys who sacrificed themselves during the wars for our freedom. In World War One alone, 86 off our old boys died.”

Catherine Clarke, tearfully lay a bouquet after the service in memory of her grandfather, Brian Clarke who was a veteran from the SA Airforce and died earlier this month and her great uncle, Peter John Clarke who died in the war at just 18 years old.