Military & History Fair
The Voortrekker Monument’s annual Military & History Fair is bursting at the seams. It takes place on Tuesday, May 1 and this year it has the full support of the Chief of the SA Army. The SA Armour Formation, Infantry, Engineering Formation, Technical Services, Training Formation and Air Defence will display equipment and vehicles.
The arena programme will be opened at 11am by the drill platoon from the Artillery Regiment in Potchefstroom.
Then there will be a fly-past consisting of three Alouette helicopters at noon and directly after that the members of Group73 will give a helicopter demonstration.
Throughout the day, the movies My Father’s War and Angola the War, will be screened free of charge in the monument restaurant below the amphitheatre. Group73, who provide the helicopter demonstration at the fair, had a huge share in the making of My Father’s War by providing the military advisor, helicopters, pilots and action extras for the movie.
The monument’s cannon Susanna will be fired at 1pm. The Cape Town High School donated Susanna to the Monument in 2003. She is a British six pound gunade ship’s cannon made in 1820.
The Cannon Society of South Africa sponsors the shots fired by Susanna on the first Friday of every month. They will also display a few miniature cannons at the fair.
Old stalwarts and regular exhibitors, such as the Zwartkop Scale Modellers’ club, will have a large display and five local knife makers will exhibit their wares.
Quite a few military books will be for sale, amongst others those of Wynand du Toit and Louis Lubbe, who will be there in person to sign their books.
Dealers in militaria, books, medals, uniforms and even military art will be at the fair.
About 40 military re-enactors will also be on hand with displays from WW II, Vietnam and the Border War.
The fair takes place from 9am to 3pm on the amphitheatre roof where the antique fair usually takes place. Visitors should please note that the braai area may not be utilised during the fair and that no visitors will be allowed on site before 7am.
There will be food stalls and a dedicated coffee/tea area with coffee and treats.
The fully licensed restaurant below the fair area will be open.
The entrance fee is R30 per car, regardless of the number of occupants. We request that visitors have the R30 entrance fee on hand when they stop at the gate to facilitate traffic flow. Direct all queries to Geraldine Paulsen at marketing@vtm.org. za or on 012 326 6770.