Garth Pienaar, Regional Chairman of SAMVOA WA, has sent the following report and photographs from the Remembrance Day service in Perth.
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The following SAMVOA Veterans attended the annual Remembrance Day Service at the Flame of Remembrance in Kings Park on Wednesday, 11 November 2009, this day marking the 91st anniversary of the cessation of hostilities in World War One, the war that was to end all wars.
Front Row ( L – R ) Michael Lord, Garth Pienaar, Johan van der Merwe
Back Row ( L – R ) Mark Coldrey, Philip Niman, Ben Opperman, Riaan De Villiers_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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As things worked out, the representative of the Rhodesian Association of WA, Graham Blick was seated beside me and it was a privilege to form up and lay a wreath with him in memory of the fallen of our respective countries, Rhodesia and South Africa.
As a group we were extremely honoured to be invited to lunch after the parade by former South African, Michael Sutherland MLA, Liberal Party Member for Mount Lawley at Parliament House.
Michael’s late father, Warrant Officer William Sutherland served with the South African Engineering Corps of the Union Defence Force and saw action in North Africa before returning home in 1945. He was mentioned in Despatches in 1944 and received a Certificate of Recognition for his Exemplary Service from the CO Middle East Forces in 1945.
W/O William (Bill) Sutherland
1904 - 1977We will Remember Them.
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I would personally like to thank those that attended the service, especially to Veteran Riaan de Villiers who travelled all the way from Bunbury to join us on the day.
To those that were unable to attend, we look forward to having you join us next yearGarth Pienaar
SAMVOA