PRESS RELEASE – Overstrand paid tribute to its fallen heroes during the Remembrance Hour at Hermanus Cemetery on 8 November 2024.
It was especially moving to see war veteran Wessel Odendaal in attendance, accompanied by members of the Hermanus Seagull Shellhole, the local unit of the Memorable Order of the Tin Hats (MOTHs).
The ceremony was made even more special by the presence of Curro Hermanus grade 7 students, the choir from Mount Pleasant Primary School, and the head prefects of Laerskool Hermanus. Their participation added to the significance of the occasion.
A heartfelt thank you to Brigitte van Schouwenberg and the members of Councillor Kari Brice’s Ward 3 branch for organising the morning’s service. A special thumbs-up also goes to Piper Ramon Allen, Bugler Christiaan Cruywagen, and André Willemse, who oversaw the release of the doves, adding a meaningful and symbolic touch to the event.
A service to mark Remembrance Day (also known as Poppy Day) was also held on Sunday morning, 10 November 2024 at 11:00 at the Cenotaph War Memorial at the Old Harbour in Hermanus.
The Cenotaph War Memorial was built in 1929 to commemorate the 11 volunteers from Hermanus who never returned after the war. Interesting to note that Hermanus had the highest level of volunteering per size of population in the British Empire during World War I.
