Saturday saw military veterans converge on the Cosy Corner Moth Shellhole in Brenthurst.
The day catered to veterans as they remembered those who had fallen in service of South Africa.
Every year, in November, hundreds of men, women and children all over the world pause to remember and honour those who died in wars and conflicts.
The location was perfect as Cosy Corner serves as a war memorial.
The event was attended by over a hundred attendees from all walks of military life.
Though a sad time for the veterans, they still managed to enjoy the festivities, surrounded by their friends, family and good food.
As part of the attractions, Cosy Corner boasts a wide array of military relics from various wars throughout history.
The most noticeable is the Crusader tank, commissioned in World War Two, inconspicuously parked on the front lawn.
The tank served alongside the soldiers in North Africa and was affectionately named ‘Timmy the Tank’.
When asked whether the Crusader could handle a German Panzer tank, Joe Borain from Cosy Corner replied, “Not a chance! The Panzer would have blitzed it no problem.”
To add to the array of artillery scattered about the lawn sat an imposing Bofors 44mm gun in the driveway, and a World War One howitzer dubbed ‘Mona’ which rested serenely in the Garden of Remembrance.
Also read: The history of Cosy Corner Shellhole
As the event began to gain momentum, a regiment of veterans marched out onto the field situated in front of the replicated Hosking Park Memorial Wall which commemorates the fallen.
As their commander shouted orders, the veterans fell into formation and saluted those who did not return.
With voices full of passion, they remembered “those who did not make it home, and those who did make it home who must stand together to survive”.
The powerful words echoed across the field as friends and family gathered around the parade to share in the moment of remembrance.
To add to the sombre moment, a helicopter flew overhead before swinging round for a final pass as the veterans shared a minute of silence for those who had been lost.
William Endley, former SA National Defence Force colonel, was present at the memorial having returned to South Africa from South Sudan in 2018.
Endley said he had attended the memorial to “have a talk with my fellow soldiers” and to relay the story of his imprisonment in Sudan which had initially been a death sentence by hanging.
Without wanting to give too much away, he told the Herald he has written a book that will be published this month and which contains all the details of his extraordinary experiences in service to South Africa.
More photos: We will remember them
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