Centenary of the MOTH CREEDO: 'DYH5HY - ell, Provincial Old Bill of the Two-Minute Silence &DSH:HVWHUQ'XJRXWUHFLWHV KŶDŽŶĚĂLJϭϰDĂLJϮϬϭϴ͕ƚŚĞEŽŽŶĂLJ'ƵŶŝŶĂƉĞdŽǁŶĮƌĞĚŶŽƚŽŶĐĞ͕ďƵƚƚǁŝĐĞ͘ŶĚ the MOTH Creedo. ƚŚĞƌĞǁĂƐĂǀĞƌLJƐƉĞĐŝĂůƌĞĂƐŽŶĨŽƌƚŚŝƐ͘ƌƟĐůĞĂŶĚƉŚŽƚŽŐƌĂƉŚƐďLJ Regine Lord ͘KƌŝŐŝŶĂůůLJ “They shall not grow old, ƉƵďůŝƐŚĞĚŝŶƚŚĞ:ƵŶĞϮϬϭϳŝƐƐƵĞ͘ As we who are left grow old, n Monday, 14 May expressed their sympathy to the fallen and acknowledge their Age shall not weary them, Nor the years condemn them, 2018, the Noon Gun Mayor and his wife, one of the XOWLPDWH VDFUL¿FH DQG WR JLYH At the going down of the sun, - thanks for those who had re- ORI&DSH7RZQ¿UHGQRW FRXQFLOORUV0U5REHUW5XWKHU And in the morning, just once, but twice, with a brief ford Brydone, approached the turned alive, wounded and car- We will remember them.” pause between the two thunder- 0D\RULQKLVRI¿FHDWWKH&LW\ rying the scars of the terrible RXVERRPV +DOO 2Q KHDULQJ WKH ERRP RI ¿JKWLQJWKH\KDGHQGXUHG The reason for this unusual the Noon Gun, and the West- Thus, on 14 May 1918, as soon occurrence was that a special minster Chimes coming from DVWKH1RRQ*XQZDV¿UHGDOO tradition was being commemo- the clock tower, they stood up, residents of Cape Town stopped rated that day: the Centenary of united in their grief, to observe ZKDW WKH\ ZHUH GRLQJ WUDI¿F the Two-Minute Silence, which the traditional Angelus pause and trams came to a halt, and ZDV¿UVWLQWURGXFHGULJKWKHUHLQ that was common practice in the all stood in silent prayer, heads &DSH7RZQRQ0D\ Anglican Church they both at- bowed, thinking of their loved In 1918, news of the terri- WHQGHG ones who had given their lives MC: Commander Leon Steyn ble battles being fought on the Councillor Brydone then sug- DQGWKRVHZKRZHUHVWLOO¿JKW - of the South African Naval Western Front in France, and gested that the observance of a LQJRQWKHEDWWOH¿HOGVRI:: Museum in Simon’s Town was of the many soldiers killed and brief period of silence be intro- A bugler on a balcony of the the Master of Ceremonies for wounded, had been reaching duced in the city centre, in re- Fletcher and Cartwright build- the day. WKHLU IDPLOLHV LQ &DSH 7RZQ membrance of all those who had ing on the corner of Adderley When lists of casualties were IDOOHQ LQ :RUOG :DU , 0D\RU and Darling Streets, played the read out during church services, Hands was taken by this idea, /DVW3RVWDQGWKHQWKH5HYHLOOH parishioners were asked to par-par and after some discussion, it WRVLJQDWRVLJQDOWKHHQGRIWKHVLOHQFH ticipate in briefef moments of sisi-- ZDVLPSOHPHQWHG In CaCape Town, this midday OHQFHLQKRQRXURIWKHIDOOHQXURIWKHIDOOHQ The daily public ritual was SDXVH FRQWLQXHGF GDLO\ XQWLO  Cape Town Mayor Sir Harry synchronised with -DQXDU\-DQXDU\  LW ZDV UHYLYHG Hands was grief-strickenef-stricken on re-re- WKH ¿ULQJ RI WKH once mmore during the Second ceiving the newsews of the death Noon Gun on :RUO:RUOG:DU RIKLVHOGHVWVRQ&DSWDLQ5HJLRQ&DSWDLQ5HJL- Signal Hill, to A yeary after the signing of nald Harry Myburghyburgh remember the the AArmistice had ended the +DQGV $IWHU GD\VGD\V Great War on 11 November RIFRQWLQXHG¿JKW¿JKW- 1918, aan annual Armistice Day WAITING FOR NOON: Lion ing and beingg rere-- service was being introduced by Battery, on Signal Hill, is peatedly exposedosed WKHQ .LQJ.L *HRUJH9 ,W ZDV WR ZKHUHWKH1RRQ'D\*XQLV to mustard gas,, CaCap-p- be held throughout the UK and situated. It was also the scene tain Hands had died the CommonwealthCom at the 11th for the Centenary Celebration during a poison-gasn-gas bombard-bombard- hour of the 11th day of the 11th of the Two-Minute Silence. ment on 20 April 1918, while month every year, marking the off-duty and seeminglyeemingly safe be-be- time andan day on which WW1 KLQG$OOLHGOLQHVHV ±RVWHQVLEO\WKH:DUWRHQGDOO±RVWHQ After a specialcial City Council :DUV±¿QDOO\HQGHG:DUV± meeting, at whichhich those present South African author and 32 33 SROLWLFDO ¿JXUH 6LU 3HUF\ )LW] - DWLPHEDOO±DWWKH6RXWK$IUL - patrick, who had personally can Astronomical Observatory experienced the impact of the DWSP$VWKLVPDQXDOPHWKRG two-minute silence in Cape proved unreliable, the SA Navy Town in 1918, wrote to King apparently began to use the George V, suggesting that it be clock of the City Hall in Dar- adopted for the Armistice Day ling Street on the Grand Parade VHUYLFH7KH.LQJZDVVRWDNHQ WRWULJJHUWKH¿ULQJ$FFRUGLQJ by this proposal, that he imme- to CPO Malgas, however, they diately approved it and gave soon realised that, while the instructions for its adoption Noon Gun was using the City WKURXJKRXWWKH%ULWLVK(PSLUH Hall clock to determine the cor- And thus, this simple yet pro- rect time, the City Hall clock foundly stirring ritual spread was in turn using the Noon Gun throughout the United King- to reset their clock! dom, the Commonwealth and 1RZDGD\V WKH JXQ LV ¿UHG RECALLING HISTORY: &RXQFLOORU'DYH%U\DQWDGGUHVVLQJ THIS IS HOW IT’S DONE: &KLHI3HWW\2I¿FHU'XGOH\0DOJDV EH\RQG the gathering. UHPRWHO\ 7KH $VWURQRPLFDO The special commemoration H[SODLQVKRZWKHFDQQRQLV¿UHG Observatory (which has an ex- ceremony at the Noon Gun on Navy Chaplain Smith said a ZD\V DZDUH RI WKH VDFUL¿FH VR the MOTHs stood to attention, 6WUHHW DQG WKH UDLOZD\ OLQH $ tremely accurate atomic clock) 14 May 2018 brought together prayer and spoke a few words many people made to help cre- echoing the promise, “We will few years later, they were relo- sends an electrical signal down the SA Navy, the City of Cape that lent solemnity and gravity ate the free and open society we UHPHPEHUWKHP´ cated to the newly constructed the wires a few milliseconds Town, the Department of Cul- WRWKHRFFDVLRQ KDYHWRGD\´ Thereafter, Chief Petty Of- Lion Battery on Signal Hill on 4 before noon, thus igniting the tural Affairs and Sports, the Councillor Dave Bryant said Before the new plaque to ¿FHU 'XGOH\ 0DOJDV WRRN WKH August 1902, no doubt because ¿ULQJ FDS RQ WKH FDQQRQ DQG MOTHs of the Western Cape that the Noon Gun had become mark the occasion was unveiled microphone, and shared some WKH\ZHUHVRGHDIHQLQJO\ORXG VSDUNLQJWKHJXQSRZGHU$WWKH DQGRWKHUNH\VWDNHKROGHUV an integral part of the history of by the Western Cape Minister of the history of the Noon Gun 7KHFXVWRPRI¿ULQJWKHJXQ Centenary celebrations, though, Commander Leon Steyn of the city, remarking that, when of Cultural Affairs and Sports, DQG KLV RZQ H[SHULHQFH RI ¿U - at noon actually only started in WKH JXQV ZHUH ¿UHG PDQXDOO\ the SA Naval Museum, acting LW ZDV ¿UHG DW K HYHU\ Minister Anroux Marais, she LQJLWHYHU\GD\IRUPDQ\\HDUV WKH\HDULQZKLFK6WDQGDUG CPO Malgas demonstrated as the Master of Ceremonies, day, many Capetonians could declared: There are in fact two guns, both Time was introduced in South charging and loading the gun, welcomed the invited guests, not help checking their watch- “We raise awareness of our of which are loaded, in case $IULFD7KHJXQZDVRULJLQDOO\ inserting a small white bag of H[SODLQHG WKH KLVWRULF VLJQL¿ - es, while the unexpected loud historical heritage and honour RQHIDLOV'HVLJQHGE\&DSWDLQ ¿UHG DV VRRQ DV WKH DUWLOOHU\ - black powder into the barrel cance of the event and intro- ERRPWHQGHGWRVWDUWOHYLVLWRUV and remember those who have 7KRPDV%ORPH¿HOGDQGFDVWE\ man on Signal Hill saw a signal and pushing it down with a long GXFHG WKH YDULRXV VSHDNHUV He added that, “We were not al- gone before us while shaping :DONHUDQG&R/RQGRQWKHVH ÀDUH±DQGODWHUWKHGURSSLQJRI ZRRGHQUDPURG WKHZRUOGZHOLYHLQWRGD\7R - original 18-pounder smooth- day, we pay respect to all those bore muzzle-loading guns date who lost their lives for a greater EDFNWRPDNLQJWKHP cause, regardless of culture or \HDUVROGWKLV\HDU7KH\KDGDU - FUHHG«/HWXVWDNHWKLVRSSRU - rived at the Cape of Good Hope tunity to be mindful of those who LQGXULQJWKH¿UVW%ULWLVK GLHGLQPDQ\FRQÀLFWVDQGZDUV RFFXSDWLRQ 7KH\ ZHLJK PRUH that have claimed a number of than two tons each, and are load- IHOORZ6RXWK$IULFDQOLYHV/HW HGZLWKNJRIEODFNSRZGHU XV UHÀHFW RQ WKHLU FDXVHV DQG They are the oldest working legacies and how each one of us FDQQRQVLQWKHZRUOG have and will continue to play Originally located at the Im- an active role in the progress of hoff Battery, on the seaward side &DSH7RZQDQGLWVSHRSOH´ of the Castle of Good Hope, the 'DYH 5HYHOO 3URYLQFLDO 2OG two large guns were temporari- Bill of the Cape Western Pro- ly moved to the Castle when the RAISING AWARENESS: Western Cape Minister of Cultural Af- vincial Dugout, delivered the Imhoff Battery was demolished CENTENARY: The new plaque to commemorate the centenary fairs and Sport, Minister Anroux Marais. MOTH Credo and Prayer, as LQWRPDNHZD\IRU6WUDQG of the Two-Minute Silence. 34 35 QDPH ZDV 5REHUW *LOUD\ %U\ - done; he served as a medic and VXUYLYHG:RUOG:DU, Maj Walter Brydon (who was not the Councillor’s son), was a South African, whose parents ZHUH-HQQ\+D\%U\GRQRI/RQ - don and the late William Walter %U\GRQ RI %HOIDVW 0DM :DOWHU Brydon served as gunner on the Western Front, in both the VWDQGWKHUG6LHJH%DWWHU - ies, until he was appointed as WKH&RPPDQGLQJ2I¿FHURIWKH - SALUTE: Members of the Cannon Association of South Africa UG 6LHJH %DWWHU\ 6RXWK $I ¿ULQJWKUHHTXDUWHUSRXQGHUVDOXWLQJJXQV ULFDQ +HDY\ $UWLOOHU\ +H ZDV wounded three times and then gassed, before being killed in FIRE: 7KH1RRQ'D\*XQ¿UHVH[DFWO\\HDUVDIWHULWZDV¿UVW¿UHGWRFRPPHPRUDWHWZR 6SDUURZ $ORQJWLPHVXSSRUW - 6LOHQW3DXVHRI5HPHPEUDQFH´ - minutes of silence during the Great War. er of the military, she has de- In it, she clears up the confusion DFWLRQRQ$SULO&RLQ - veloped a very close bond with, around the origins of the silent FLGHQWDOO\ ERWK &DSWDLQ 5HJL nald Hands and Major Nugent As he took his place next to down and the clouds of smoke cluded with the playing of the in particular, the South African SDXVH0RVWRQOLQHVRXUFHVVXJ - Fitzpatrick (the son of Sir Percy a nearby box housing the re- ELOORZHGDQGGLVVLSDWHG$OOWKDW SA National Anthem by the SA SDUDWURRSHUV JHVWWKDWWKH&RXQFLOORU5REHUW Fitzpatrick) served in ‘Brydon’s mote triggering mechanism, the FRXOGEHKHDUGZDVWKHÀDJVDQG Navy Band, conducted by Band- Although the Two-Minute Si- 5XWKHUIRUG %U\GRQ ZLWKRXW sentries at the memorial stood EDQQHUV ÀXWWHULQJ LQ WKH JHQWOH PDVWHU:2/OHZHOO\Q$UQROG lence is no longer a daily ritual, an ‘e’) had lost his son Major %DWWHU\¶ZKHQWKH\ZHUHNLOOHG No doubt adding to the confu- ready to lower the SA national breeze and the distant sound of Among the guests at the com- as it was for some time during Walter Brydon in World War ÀDJ DQG WKH 027+V EDQQHUV WUDI¿FLQWKHFLW\EHORZ memoration service were: Mr World War I and World War I, and that this prompted him VLRQ RI %U\GRQ%U\GRQH LV WKH fact that the plaque, which was nearby were called to attention Suddenly, the second gun Ken Hands, who is one of Mayor II, it is still regularly used at to propose the introduction of unveiled at the Noon Gun in E\6JW0DMRU/HRQ5REHUWVRQ ¿UHG ± %220$V WKH VPRNH Harry Hands’ great-grandsons, military parades, annual com- WKH7ZR0LQXWH6LOHQFHRI5H - 2008, spells the Councillor’s The Last Post was stirringly drifted away into the blue sky, British Consul General Edward memoration services, and other PHPEUDQFH 7KH &RXQFLOORU¶V performed by young bugler the Bugler began to play the 5RPDQ *XQQHU .HYLQ $VKWRQ SXEOLFHYHQWVZLWKDEXJOHU¿UVW surname was in fact spelt with QDPHDVµ%U\GRQ¶ Zubair Abader, smartly attired 5HYHLOOH VLJQDOOLQJ WKH HQG RI of the Gunners Association, Mr playing the Last Post and then DQµH¶±%U\GRQHDQGKLVVRQ¶V in his school’s Marching Band WKHWZRPLQXWHVLOHQFH WP van Zyl of the Bishops Old signalling the end of the two- XQLIRUP+HLVDOHDUQHUIURPWKH The spectators’ attention then Diocesan Union, and represen- minute silence by playing the South African Colleges Schools shifted to the Cannon Asso- tatives of the City of Cape Town, 5HYHLOOH (SACS), which is the oldest ciation of South Africa, whose of the SA Museum and the SA )RU&DSHWRQLDQVWKH¿ULQJRI school in South Africa, having members had set up three quar- Naval Museum, as well as mili- the Noon Gun at 12h00, serves EHHQ IRXQGHG LQ  7R WKLV ter-pounder saluting guns on WDU\YHWHUDQVDQGYLVLWRUV5R\DO as a daily reminder of this day, SACS continues the tradi- the hillside overlooking the har- Navy Captain Matt Syrett and hauntingly beautiful ceremony tion of sounding the Last Post ERXU 8QGHU WKH LQVWUXFWLRQ RI DJURXSRIIHOORZRI¿FHUVIURP of giving thanks to those who at the end of each school day, Master Gunner Martin Venter WKH +06 3URWHFWRU WKH 5R\DO survived the horrors of war and in front of the honours boards 6QUWKH\¿UHGDWHQJXQVDOXWH Navy’s ice patrol ship, which is honouring those who had given that list the names of past pupils DWSUHFLVHRQHPLQXWHLQWHUYDOV± currently in Cape Town harbour their lives and never returned who died on military service HDFKVKRWUHSUHVHQWLQJ\HDUV for maintenance after a long de- KRPHWRWKHLUIDPLOLHV GXULQJWKHWKFHQWXU\$VWKH These small yet surprisingly ployment in the South Atlantic, :HZLOOUHPHPEHUWKHP ODVW QRWHV GLHG DZD\ WKH ¿UVW loud guns are locally cast rep- DOVRDWWHQGHGWKHFHUHPRQ\ JXQ ¿UHG D WKXQGHURXV UHSRUW licas of original saluting guns, And a special visitor had trav- 36,ZRXOGOLNHWRWKDQN0UV VHWWLQJ RII FDU DODUPV QHDUE\ which would have been placed elled all the way from Bloem- -RDQ$EUDKDPV 7DQQLH0RVVLH  Everyone, military and civilian on the gunwales of ships, dating IRQWHLQ WR DWWHQG 0UV -RDQ for the information she provid- TANNIE MOSSIE: Mrs J.C. Abrahams (Tannie Mossie) with alike, stood quietly and solemn- EDFNWRSUH & $EUDKDPV DIIHFWLRQDWHO\ ed in her draft manuscript, “The paratroopers Jim Harwood and Pat Loftus. ly, as the noise of the alarms died The commemoration con- known as “Tannie Mossie” (Ma 36 37