MOSSEL BAY NEWS - World War I came to an end with the cessation of hostilities on the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.
Remembrance Day is commemorated across the free world in honour of all those in uniform who paid the ultimate price as a result of the call to duty and in the service of their country.
Remembrance Day parade is there to commemorate the cessation of hostilities. Besides remembering those who fell in WW I, during the Remembrance Parade, those South Africans who fell in WW2, the Korean War, the Border War and those on peacekeeping duties in Africa are also honoured.
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTHs) from Blaize Away Shellhole, Mossel Bay is coordinating the parade on behalf of the Executive Mayor of Mossel Bay, Alderman Harry Levendal.
The parade takes place on Sunday, 10 November at 10:30 and will be at the Cenotaph, the war monument at the Point.
This is the one day of the year that the community can reflect on the sacrifices made by fellow comrades, husbands, fathers, grandfathers and great grandfathers, not forgetting the wives and mothers who supported them as they gallantly guarded the borders of South Africa and laid down their lives defending their country.
Everyone attending Sunday's event will receive a free symbolic poppy. The poppy remains a humble, poignant symbol of Remembrance and hope and is worn regardless of political or religious beliefs
Programme
Several VIP's are expected at the event this. The TS Outeniqua Sea Cadets will also make their appearance. At 11:00 the Last Post is sounded and 2 minutes of silence will be observed in honour of the fallen. After the 2 minutes silence a roll call of all those from Mossel Bay who answered the final call will be read out.
Wreaths will then be laid by various organisations and other persons. Wooden crosses will be placed at the foot of the Cenotaph in memory of a fallen hero.
"Come listen to a prominent violinist playing The Last Post and The Reveille and remember the fallen."
This year, added to the formalities, will be the firing of two cannons. Both are replicas of full scale quarter pound canons constructed after the Armstrong design. The cannons are named qaurter pound canons due to the 120g or quarter pound cannonballs they fire.
Who are the Moths?
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats (M.O.T.H.) was founded in 1927 by Charles Evenden as a brotherhood of South African former front-line soldiers.
The ideal is to help comrades in need, either financially or physically; and to remember all servicemen who have answered the Sunset Call, both in war and peacetime.Currently like-minded military veterans other members and their wives congregate on a regular basis in support of one another.
The Moths have three ideals: true comradeship, mutual help and sound memory
Why the poppy?
After the 1st world war the fields where many of the battles had taken place were totally destroyed and bleak. The first flowers that appeared were red poppies growing in their hundreds of thousands and filled the fields, today known as the Flanders poppies. Folklore has it that the red petals symbolize the blood that flowed, the black centre symbolizes those who did not return home and the green leaf symbolizes new life. The red poppy is a symbol of both Remembrance and hope for a peaceful future. Poppies are worn as a show of support for the Armed Forces community and they are still hand made by disabled ex-servicemen.
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