Red Cross War Memorial Children’s Hospital held its annual Remembrance Day ceremony on Friday November 11 – the first time in two years that the event has been held because of the pandemic.
Remembrance Day was first observed in 1919 throughout the British Commonwealth. It was originally called Armistice Day to commemorate the armistice agreement that ended World War I on Monday November 11, 1918, at 11am – on the eleventh hour of the eleventh day of the eleventh month.
The day holds special meaning for the hospital because it’s also when it commemorates the World War II veterans who donated a portion of their pay to start the children’s hospital.
Mayor Geordin Hill-Lewis attended the event along with more than 200 guests from the South African Legion, the Memorable Order of the Tin Hats (Moths), the Children’s Hospital Trust and hospital management.
Mr Hill-Lewis said the Day of Remembrance was being commemorated at a time when the world was facing war in Europe again.
“It is moments like these that we can reflect on the strength and sacrifices of the great people who fought for freedom and justice,” he said.
Thousands of the servicemen who returned from war donated a portion of their pay to build the hospital that would serve the children of the city for generations to come, he said.
“The vision of the war veterans is what is manifested today, which is a world-class children’s hospital, which serves 250 000 children each year, most of whom are from a disadvantaged background.”
The hospital’s CEO, Dr Anita Parbhoo, thanked the veterans for their sacrifices and their generous support, which led to the opening of the hospital in 1956.
“This hospital has become a cornerstone of paediatric health care on the African continent,” she said.
After blessings by various faith groups, Wynberg Boys’ High School bandmaster Peter Catzavalos played The Last Post, flags were lowered and there was a two-minutes silence. Then the flags were raised to the call of Reveille and wreaths were laid.
The deputy president of the South African Cape Corps Ex-Servicemen Legion, Lillian Primo, 77, and her granddaughter, Zoë Kloppers, 7, placed a wreath to commemorate family who served in World War II. Ms Primo said her late husband, Daniel Kloppers, who was many years older than her, and her late father, Stoffel Friester, had both served in the war.
“This day always brings back memories,” she said. “I grew up with stories of the war from my father, and he always spoke about how his friends never came home. He told me to ‘never forget what happened’, and up until today I will never forget what my father and late husband had to go through.”
