I often wonder, whether with the passing years we forget the great price paid by so many during the Great War. As a young boy growing up in South Africa, the reference for me was always the Battle of Delville Wood in northern France, fought over 6 days in July 1916. On 14 July, the 1st South African Brigade entered battle with a 3,155 men. On 20 July, the battle was over and the brigade strength was recorded as 619 men! This is a shocking statistic that puts into persepctive the horror of war. As a former infantryman with service in the Namibian Bush War in 1988 and 1989, I salute the courage and ultimate sacrifice made by so many, but never again will I put on a uniform to fight in anybodys war.
Lest we forget.