Palmietkuil South War Cemetery and Memorial
Photo: Derek Walker
Location
Situated in Springs area of Gauteng Province, South Africa
Take the N17 towards Springs. At the Wit Road off-ramp, turn left into Wit Road (R51). Follow Wit Rd for 3 kilometres to where it meets the R29 towards Secunda. Turn right and follow the R29 for about 8 kms to the Aston Lake sign (Astonwoods Drive). Turn left. Drive 1.7 kms to an unmarked track which leads to the cemetery. Turn left and follow the track for about 700 metres.
The cemetery is surrounded by trees and is easily seen.
GPS 26 deg 15 min 3.7 sec S, 28 deg 31 min 7.06 sec E
Photo: Derek Walker
Significance
The compounds of the gold mine on Palmietkuil Farm near Springs were used by the Union Defence Force from the outbreak of Second World War as the main training centre of the Native Military Corps. The cemetery contains the graves of 215 members of the Native Military Corps and two members of the Essential Services Protection Force.
Memorial
Photo: Derek Walker
The Palmietkuil South War Cemetery Memorial commemorates 122 members of the South African Forces who died during the Second World War and who are buried elsewhere in South Africa. One hundred and three are from the Native Military Corps, seven each from the Cape Corps and the Indian and Malay Corps, four from the Essential Services Protection Force and one from the Royal Army Ordnance Corps.
Photo: Derek Walker
Their names are engraved on panels on the Memorial Wall behind the Cross of Sacrifice.
The inscription is in English, Afrikaans, Zulu and Southern Sotho:
"THE MEN COMMEMORATED HERE GAVE THEIR LIVES IN THE SERVICE OF THEIR COUNTRY AND LIE BURIED ELSEWHERE WITHIN THE UNION OF SOUTH AFRICA"