Monte Sole Shell hole remembers Delville Wood
Old Bill Gerrie Oosthuizen gave a short account of the historic battle and highlighted the tenacity and determination displayed by the soldiers involved.
The MOTHS of the Monte Sole Shell hole in Ermelo hosted a short but touching memorial service on Saturday, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the World War 1 (WW1) Battle of Delville Wood in France, also known as the Battle of Somme that lasted from July to November 1916.
The ceremony was attended by Old Bills and MOTH members of shell holes from Piet Retief, Secunda, Balfour and Heidelberg and followed by a district AGM.
Old Bill Gerrie Oosthuizen gave a short account of the historic battle and highlighted the tenacity and determination displayed by the soldiers involved.
A flag-raising ceremony and one minute’s silence in memory of those who perished was then observed.
The Battle of Delville Wood lasted six days and is considered one of the fiercest and bloodiest battles of WW1. It involved the 1st South African Infantry Battalion consisting of 3 153 men. The battalion was a component of the 9th Scottish Division.
Some accounts report that only 142 survivors emerged from the woods at the end of the battle.
