World War Commemoration at Kilo 500

 

On 9 July 1915 the “Treaty of Khorab” was reached between the Union Defence Force under General Louis Botha and the Deutsche Schutztruppe under Lieutenant-Colonel Franke and the German Governor Dr Theodor Seitz. With this action all battle action was ended and the administration of German Southwest Africa was handed over to the South African military forces. In memory of this event 100 years ago, the veteran organisation “Traditionsverband ehemaliger Schutz- und Überseetruppen – Freunde der früheren deutschen Schutzgebiete e.V.” and the “Memorable Order of the Tin Hats” celebrated at the monument situated at the 500 km mark of the Otavi railway line at Otavi. Both the fallen South African and German soldiers, as well as their black companions, were remembered. G. McGregor lay a wreath for the “Transvaal Scottish Regiment”, Johannesburg. The “Traditionsverband”, “M.O.T.H. (Windhoek Command)”, “M.O.T.H. Escarpment Shellhole Walvis Bay” and the “Deutsche Privatschule Otavi” also lay wreaths. The German and South African soldiers that lost their lives at the Battle of Delville Wood and Gallipolli during World War I were also commemorated.

 

Hasso Gantze