Michael Whitting of the Byng Boys Shellhole in Melville lays poppies at the commemoration service.
THE Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTHS) held a Delville Wood commemoration service at the Highway Shellhole in Hillcrest on Saturday, 2 July.
The battle at Delville Wood occured when the South African Brigade was deployed on the Somme (the area along the French/Belgium border) in 1916. They were ultimately commanded to dislodge the German forces from their strategic strong point at Longueval, which borders Delville Wood. More than a million men were killed in action.
The SA Brigade battle at Delville Wood lasted from 14 to 20 July 1916 and is described as the bloodiest battle-hell of the war. In the six-day period, more than 100 000 shells decimated the wood until only one scarred Hornbeam tree was left standing. The SA Brigade entered the wood 3173 strong and there were only 705 survivors, walking and wounded on 22 July.
Lt Col Bryan Dore will be attending the SA Legiom Tour to the centenary of the Battle of Delville Wood, which will also be attended by the presidents of France and South Africa on 12 July 2016.
Major Dave Quinton of Umvoti Mounted Rifles also paid his respect to the fallen soldiers.
Lesley Hendricks delivers a poem written by Lance Corporal William Alfred Beattie, who was wounded but survived the Battle of Delville Wood.
Jim Ware played the bagpipes at the Highway Hillcrest Shellhole’s Delville Wood commemoration service on Saturday.
Guests singing a hymn at the Delville Wood commemoration service.
Moth Luddie Vos, Old Bill of Mainline Dugout lays a poppy arrangement at the Garden of Remembrance at Highway Hillcrest Shellhole.
Roy Gardener, deputy Old Bill of Highway Shellhole and Luddie Vos, Old Bill of Mainline Dugout address the meeting.
Norman Edwards (past Old Bill of the Order) delivers a speech about the Battle of Delville Wood.
Hillgard Coetzee, member of the Better Ole Shellhole, honours the fallen soldiers with a poppy.
Peter Shattock, war correspondent from Better-Ole Shellhole pays his respects to the soldiers who died in the Battle at Delville Wood.
Mike Vouleise, Old Bill of Shrapenel Kum-A-Kye Shellhole lays a poppy flower for the soldiers that died in the Battle of Delville Wood.
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