DELVILLE WOOD

COMMEMORATIONS

93RD COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF DELVILLE WOOD

South Africans, including diplomats, soldiers, veterans, and members of the public, were joined by their French and Commonwealth counterparts at both Delville Wood and Arques-la-Bataille commemoration ceremonies in July 2009.

Delville Wood in Longueval and Arques-la-Bataille near Dieppe, France, have importance to South Africa, as together they are an ongoing symbol to all South Africa, and the World, of the courage, determination, sacrifice, and willingness of our people, our armed forces and those that support them, to serve both at home and on foreign soil, in the cause of Freedom.

The 2009 ceremonies held this July, as in the past, not only commemorated the lives of South Africans who perished on foreign soil during World War I, but also celebrated the lives of those South Africans who fought and died in other wars and struggles for liberation and freedom, in various countries in Europe and Africa, from 1914 to the present.

This the 2009 ceremonies allowed us to again reflect on the lives of our people who lie still, buried in French soil and elsewhere, after giving the ultimate sacrifice for our land. The ceremony in Arques-la-Bataille was held on Friday 17 July 2009, and that at Delville Wood, Longueval, on Sunday 19 July 2009. The keynote address at Delville Wood was given by the South African Ambassador to France, Dr K. SEBATI, and Major-General E. MASHOALA delivered the address at Arques-la-Bataille.

The ceremonies attendance included the South African Ambassador to France, Dr K.SEBATI, Major-General E. MASHOALA, Major-General R. ANDERSEN, our Attache in Paris, Brigadier-General P.N. SIBIYA, and her staff, members and representatives of the SANDF, the Embassy and Diplomatic Corps, representatives of Canada, Great Britain, Zimbabwe, the Netherlands, the United States of America, the French Army, French, British and South African veterans, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, the Mayors of Arques-la-Bataille and Longueval, the Sous-Prefets of Peronne and Dieppe, and the town people of Arques-la-Bataille and Longueval.

PICTURES TO FOLLOW

PAUL ROOS GYMNESIUM VISITS DELVILLE WOOD

A group of 22 pupils together with 2 teachers from Paul Roos Gymnesium in Stellenbosch, Western Cape Province, South Africa on an exchange programme with a French secondary school in Lille, Institution Libre de Marq visited Delville Wood with their French counterparts on Sunday, 12 April 2009.

The visit was accompanied by a wreath laying ceremony in remembrance of South Africans who paid the supreme sacrifice during WW1 and WW2. Four of the soldiers who were killed in France during WW1 came from Paul Roos.

Mr Thapedi Masanabo conducted the guided visit of the site to the pupils and officiated the ceremony which was graced by the Deputy Defence Attache in France, Captain Kesaval Naidoo from the South African Navy, the Mayor of  Longueval village Mr J. Fournier and the South African Honoray Consul General in Lille. The ceremony was followed by the visit of the museum and ended by a wreathing laying at the Longueval village Memorial.

Paul Roos pupils posing with Captain K. Naidoo (SAN), DDA

Mr Thapedi Masanabo, Manager & Curator presenting Delville Wood to the delegation.

Mr Masanabo leads the delegation to the Memorial

Pupils posing together with teachers in front of the Memorial.

92ND COMMEMORATION OF THE BATTLE OF DELVILLE WOOD

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.