Brave soldiers who fought and sacrificed their lives in World War I were honoured on November 8 and 9 at the Mpumalanga Shellhole and in Kaapsehoop in preparation for Remembrance Day.

Members of the Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTH) from across the Lowveld, the MOTH Motorcycle Association and civilians gathered to commemorate the fallen at the shellhole. Remembrance Sunday, also known as Poppy Day, commemorates the ceasefire that put an end to all hostilities of WWI at 11:00 on November 11, 1918.

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The Stevenson-Hamilton Pipe Band played while Moths laid down wreaths. Attendees were especially moved when the band ended the ceremony with a beautiful rendition of “Amazing Grace.”

In Kaapsehoop, British flags marked the graves of three British soldiers who perished more than a century ago, while the South African flag flew proudly above the resting places of the nation’s own heroes – survivors of the Great War, Boer War, World War II and the Border War.

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The ceremony also honoured the countless animals that served in wartime, beautifully symbolised by the Kaapsehoop Horse Trails team and their striking Appaloosa horses – a living tribute to the war horses of old. The Appaloosa, known for its endurance and loyalty, stood as a reminder of the unspoken bond between man and horse, and of nature’s own act of remembrance.

The event concluded with refreshments at the Nagkantoor pub and locals shared stories of their great-great-grandfathers, whose bravery lives on. The MOTHs are the second oldest veteran organisation in South Africa. It has been serving the community and looking after military veterans for
98 years.