Many pay tribute to POWs at ceremony in Cullinan

The public, the Italian community, South African and Italian authorities and other organisations and veteran groups paid tribute to prisoners of war at the Zonderwater POW camp in Cullinan on Sunday, November 6.

This detention camp was the biggest of its kind and between 1941 and 1947 held more than 100 000 Italian soldiers captured by the British in Africa.

During the speeches, Colonel Hendrik Prinsloo was remembered and praised for how he ran the POW camp. He had also been taken as a prisoner of war by the British at just 12 years of age.

Prinsloo understood what it meant to be a POW and went above and beyond to create humane conditions for the Italians at Zonderwater.

Due to Prinsloo improving the living conditions, many POWs decided to remain in South Africa and were employed in the agricultural sector by South African farmers.

The Eqstra Flying Lions flew the “missing man” formation over the graves. A Roman Catholic ceremony was held and all the graves were blessed by Archbishop Peter Wells.

Rose petals were dropped out of a helicopter that flew over the site, creating quite a spectacular and very emotional effect.

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