The Sea Cadets of Training Ship Springs hosted a Remembrance Parade and Service on Saturday for the 16 members of the SAS President Kruger who died on February 18, 1982.
At 3.55am on February 18, 1982, the SAS President Kruger, through a misfortune of stormy weather, incorrect decisions and bad luck, struck a sister ship, the SAS Tafelberg, during an exercise around 78 nautical miles off Cape Point during night manoeuvres.
Less than an hour later, the SAS President Kruger sank and 16 of her sailors went down with her.
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The Parade was held at the Cadet Base and was attended by the Officers and Cadets of TS Springs, a number of MOTHS from the East Rand area and one of the survivors of the SAS President Kruger.
The Parade started with the hoisting of the national flag and lowering it to half mast while the lastpPost was bugled by Legionnaire Rees Davies of the SA Legion.
After the traditional two minutes of silence and the playing of the Reveille, a scripture reading and prayer service which was lead by chaplain Mark Edgecomb, an address by the Officer Commanding of TS Springs, Lt Cdr Chris Hand, followed.
The names of the sailors who lost their lives were read out and the ship’s bell was rung eight times to signify that for those sailors, their watch has ended.
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Wreaths were laid in commemoration at the foot of the traditional ship’s anchor, and everyone on parade was quietly dismissed.
According to Hand, it is only through remembering the ones who have died before us, that we can learn from the past to improve our future.
This coming Saturday, the Sea Cadets of TS Springs will also be commemorating the SS Mendi, which sank off the Isle of Wight on February 21, 1917, with the loss of life of 616 Southern Africans and 30 crew.
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