The South African
Military History Society

Die Suid-Afrikaanse Krygshistoriese Vereniging



Military History Journal
Vol 16 No 1 - June 2013

Clean-up of the SS Mendi Memorial Avalon Cemetery

In February 2013, a team of staff from Ditsong: National Museum of Military History set aside a day to assist City of Johannesburg officials with a clean-up of the SS Mendi Memorial in Avalon Cemetery, Soweto. This was in preparation for the annual commemoration and wreath-laying ceremony to honour our fallen comrades of the First World War.


A final clean-up before the commemoration

The SS Mendi sank in tragic circumstances on the morning of 21 February 1917, with a loss of 640 lives. The ship was carrying a contingent of the South African Native Labour Corps across the English Channel to France when the tragedy occurred.


After the commemoration ceremony, held on Saturday, 23 February 2013,
wreaths adorn the steps of the SS Mendi Memorial in Avalon Cemetery.


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