Fallen heroes’ legacies remembered
If you saw someone wearing a poppy pinned to their clothing recently, it was in commemoration of Remembrance Day.
HIGHWAY residents could be seen wearing their poppies on Remembrance Day, or Poppy Day, on Saturday, 11 November.
Poppy Day marks the end of World War I at 11am on the eleventh day of the eleventh month in 1918.
“Shortly after the end of World War I, poppies sprung up across the battlefields of Western Europe where forests and fields had been destroyed during this terrible war. It is for this reason that people wear poppies on Remembrance Day.
“In World War I, about 245 000 South Africans of all races volunteered for military service. During World War II, nearly 342 700 South African men and women of every race came forward. Thousands of South Africans died in both these world wars,” said Lt Col Steve Camp from the 3 Parachute Battalion.
The annual Poppy Day collection helps raise awareness to ensure remembrance of those who gave their lives during past wars and to raise funds to assist all military veterans and their families in need.
The SA Legion, in conjunction with the Highway MOTHs (Memorable Order of Tin Hats), members of the local SANDF Reserve Forces and learners from Hillcrest and Kloof High School, held Poppy Day collections at a number of shopping centers in the Highway area this past Saturday.
Gordon Harrow of the Highway MOTHs was most grateful to everyone who assisted with the Poppy Day collection.
“On behalf of the SA Legion and MOTHs, we are extremely grateful to everyone in the Highway community for their very generous donations. It is about remembering those who laid down their lives to give us our today and tomorrow,” said Gordon.
