Armed forces veterans organisation, the MOTHS (Memorable Order of Tin Hats), held Remembrance Day parades in Makhanda and Port Alfred on Sunday 13 November. Remembrance Day marks the day World War One ended, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, in 1918. Remembrance Sunday is also marked each year.
At a ceremony in Church Square, Makhanda, on Sunday morning, Old Bill of the Makanakop Shellhole Andrew Kirk placed the focus on the younger generation.
“It is our duty o educate and inform the future generations of how we, perhaps in their perception, failed as examples,” Kirk said. “Yet somehow survived to provide for them that they may flourish.
“This requires us to also interrogate our selfish desire for the youth to live their lives as we may have perhaps wishesd to live our own.”
Kirk siid while times had changed, the threat of global war still loomed large, with war still escalating in Ukraine, Myanmar, Iran and the DRC, among other places.
“Our own legacy is of a nation divided but on the rocky path to unity – our overarching goal,” he said. “Yet we face challenges to thisd goal at every turn.
“The politicians would have you believe that our differences are grounds upon which to sow division – to build barriers along racial, social and economic lines.
“We must rise to this challenge, for we know this to be true: our differences, our perspectives, our rich and diverse people are the cornerstone upon which greatness will be built. As out most important unifier is that we all love without boundaries.”
The Makhanda event was well attended by local schools, as well as senior representatives from the South African Police Service and Makana Municipality. SABRE – the South African Battle Reenactment Society managed the event logistics and protocol.
Captain Sindisa, Chaplain of the South African Police Service in Makhanda gave a short sermon to those gathered.
Music was provided by the Kingswood College Band, St Andrew’s College Pipe Band and Cadets and trumpet player Ben Bezuidenhout.
PHOTOS (Makhanda parade) BY: Steven Lang (additional pics by Sue Maclennan)
