Issue 154 - FREE
17 November
the good news paper
2017
017 631 1903 / 017 631 1845 • admin@thebulletin.co.za • 1 Kiewiet Street, Secunda (Lake Umuzi)
Lest
we forget
Moths and Friends on parade on Armistice day Bullets flying over his head. Explosions every few seconds as mortars and artillery shells fall around him. Fear is battling to overcome his whole being as the stench of rotting corpses rises all around him. Then remembering the special letter that he has in his chest pocket, the one from a special girl back home. He still tries a wry smile but struggles and he curses the ever present mud in the trenches. “Charge” comes the command, no time to think of fear now, as he fixes his bayonet and launches himself out of the trench. He wonders how everything seems so slow. As another explosions blasts close to him, he feels a tuck at his shirt, and another then one more. As he falls he wonders what is wrong with him, he should still be running. Then there
is pain, like burning coals on his chest. As darkness slowly comes to him, he can’t help to think about that letter in his pocket. He didn’t want to die now, he still has to answer that letter. As the white crosses stand in perfect rows, in stark contrast with bright red poppies, we stand in remembrance of those that didn’t return. Not knowing what happened to them. Did they die swiftly, did they suffer? Was it all in vain? During the First World War (1914– 1918) much of the fighting took place in Western Europe. Previously the beautiful countryside was blasted, bombed and fought for, over and over, again and again. The landscape swiftly turned to fields of mud: bleak and barren scenes where little or nothing could grow.
Bright red Flanders poppies (Papaver rhoeas) however, were delicate but resilient flowers and grew in their thousands, flourishing even in the midst of chaos and destruction. Armistice Day is on 11 November and is also known as Remembrance Day. It marks the day World War One ended, at 11am on the 11th day of the 11th month, back in 1918. A two-minute silence (unique to South Africa) is held at 11am to remember the people who have died in wars. It always falls on the closest (to the 11th) Sunday in November. Memories grow fainter as we grow older. Let us not forget about those that died in the course of duty. Salute my friend! May we meet again in the poppy fields of heaven! - Encee van Huyssteen