A special Armistice Day Memorial service was held at Plumstead Methodist Church on Sunday.
WWII American airforce gunner, Dennis Victor, attended the service as pipers Wayne Mitchell and his son James Mitchell played bagpipes as they entered the church from Main Road in Plumstead.
Mr Victor is a member of Dawn Patrol Bergvliet Memorable Order of the Tin Hats (MOTH).
Remembrance Day is commemorated around the world to mark the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918 when World War I finally came to an end. Other services were held on Sunday November 13 at Adderley Street and the previous Sunday in the Garden of Remembrance in Fish Hoek.
MOTH was founded on May 7, 1927 by Charles Evenden, who was later known as MOTH 0. And while MOTH members may not have fought in the Great War they have given many years of service to South Africa.
The idea of the Order, then and now is to help fellow comrades in need, either financially or physically and to remember all servicemen who have answered the “sunset call”, both in war and peace time.
* Plumstead Methodist Church, located on Main Road in Plumstead is also celebrating 180 years since the foundation stone of the church was laid by Ms C H Attwell and Ms A McGregor on December 15, 1906.
Digging into the archives, Theo Caesar of the Plumstead Methodist Worship Group said the doors of the church were opened for the first time on April 3, 1907. “Since then thousands of people have attended this church to find blessing and inspiration before the presence of a loving and Holy God,” said Mr Caesar.
He said the last service was held in the old church on October 5, 1958 and the the new church was opened by Mr H Arguile on March 22, 1959. The dedication service was conducted by the President of the Conference, Reverent C Edgar Wilkinson.
The new church was created in the style and character of the old.
For more information about Plumstead Methodist Church contact Celeste Goosen at 021 762 2787, or Theo Caesar on 072 311 1903.
