「Lest we forget – SS Mendi 21 February 1917

The #SouthAfricanNativeLabourCorps men aboard her came from a range of social backgrounds, and from a number of different peoples spread over the South African provinces and neighbouring territories. (287 were from #Transvaal, 139 from the #EasternCape, 87 from #Natal, 27 from #NorthernCape, 26 from the #OrangeFreeState, 26 from #Basutoland, eight from #Bechuanaland [#Botswana], five from #WesternCape, one from #Rhodesia and one from #SouthWestAfrica). Most had never seen the sea before this voyage, and very few could swim. The officers and NCOs were white Southern Africans.

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Poignantly, 21 February 2024 did not see military celebrations but the sombre repatriation to South Africa of two SA National Defence force soldiers killed in the Democratic Republic of Congo in a rebel mortar strike last week.」

https://www.defenceweb.co.za/military-history/lest-we-forget-ss-mendi-21-february-1917/

#Mendi #SouthAfrica #MilitaryHistory #History #WorldWarI #France #Congo #SANDF #SouthAfricanArmy #SouthAfricanNavy #NavalHistory