DELVILLE WOOD

NEWS LETTER - 3rd August 2008

The 92nd Commemoration of the Battle of Delville Wood was held on the 20th July 2008.

The second Commemoration was held at Arques-la-Bataille for the African members of the Labour Corps commonly called South African Native Labour Corps (SANLC) at the time.

The event was attended by the French local authorities, the French military representatives, Military Attachés from the Commonwealth countries,  the Military Attaché from the German government as well as representatives from the U.S.A. Government.

The South African Delegation was led by the SANDF Chief of Human Resources and Management, Lieutenant General DM. MGWEBI, the Chairman of Delville Wood Trust, Major General RC. ANDERSEN, Chaplain General, the Reverend M. CORNELISSEN, Colonel JT. RAKAU, two Sergeant-Majors, D. CLOETE and RP. NARAIN.

Present were also two Delville Wood Trustees, Major General (ret) P. PRETORIUS and Colonel (ret) I. RIMMER.

Plenipotentiary Minister, Mr S. CASSOO, represented the South African Ambassador to France, H.E. N.M. SIBANDA-THUSI.

Members of the Veterans Organisations, more than 200 members of the public attended the Ceremony at Delville Wood.

Officials also laid wreaths on the grave of the Mayor of Longueval, Mr Jean BLONDEL, who passed away on the 1st July 2008. Mr BLONDEL was a great friend of South Africa.

LAST UPDATES

South African Roll of Honour HMS Cornwall / HMS Dorsetshire

1914-1918 Roll of Honour of the South African Heavy Artillery

Arques-la-Bataille British Cemetery

South African Delville Wood Rollcall