Busy evening at Fort Pearson Shellhole
A COMMEMORATIVE parade, an AGM and induction of a new MOTH Motorcycle Association chairman kept the Fort Pearson Shellhole busy last Tuesday.
The parade was attended by MOTH members, family and friends.
Devotions were led by Rev Kevin Bestwick, after which the history of the Battle of Delville Wood was read by MOTH Old Bill Aubrey Rautenbach.
The battle was the most costly action the South African Brigade fought on the Western Front.
Under orders to take and hold Delville Wood,
the
South African Brigade of some 3 150 men, attached to the 9th Scottish Division marched on the forest.
At dawn on 15 July 1916, the South African regiment went in following a heavy artillery battle and cleared the southern edge of German forces.
The remainder of the wood remained in German hands.
Hand-to-hand combat continued until the South Africans were relieved on the night of 19 July.
The dead outnumbered the wounded by four to one.
The wood was never entirely taken by the South African forces, despite huge efforts to do so.
It was not until after another month of fierce fighting had taken place, on 25 August, that the 14th Light Division finally took the wood and overcame German resistance.
The Delville Wood Cemetery contains 5 493 burials, of which almost two-thirds are unknown.
AGM
At the Shellhole AGM, reports from the Old Bill and treasurer were tabled before the election of office bearers for the 2022/23 year.
Koos Eksteen presided over the elections which saw Aubrey Rautenbach (Old Bill), Rob Wilson (deputy Old Bill), Rory Rousouw (adjudant), Cheryl Coetzee (treasurer) and Ian Jamieson (sergeant) filling the executive committee.
After the AGM, outgoing president of the MOTH Motorcycle Association - Zululand Chapter Koos Eksteen handed over the badge of office to Fort Pearson MOTH Clifford Coetzee.