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Lowveld District - Diary

2011-05-20
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Heads up!

There were unsavoury scenes in the Ukraine on the 9th of May, as Ukrainian nationalists attempted to violently disrupt “Victory Day” parades there.
May 9 is observed in Russia and other former Soviet republics as a day commemorating the Soviet victory over Nazi Germany in World War II.
Ukrainian nationalists tore medals off veterans' chests and attacked Russian Consulate staff, seizing and stamping on a wreath that the diplomats were carrying to the graves of Soviet soldiers.

The Federation of Jewish Communities of Russia slammed Monday's nationalist riots in Ukraine and voiced fears of "complete rehabilitation of Nazism in Europe and in the world as a whole."

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The MOTH top brass and big knobs held their GHQ meeting at Flame Lily Park, Durban, earlier this month.
Moth Don Watt-Pringle (the current recruitment officer) had the following thoughts on the subject of “Friends of the MOTH” and other similarly associated members: “It is proposed that a general guideline be drawn up to assist Shellholes to formalize these groups into their units. While we do not believe that the guidelines need be too prescriptive or rigid, the intention would be to assist Shellholes avoid the pitfalls experienced in some units and other countries where non-Moths exceeded the numbers of Moths and subsequently made decisions that were detrimental to the units concerned. These groups can be used to real advantage if their roles are clearly defined, since they increase activity around Shellholes facilitating higher recruiting success”.
We look forward to seeing the guidelines when they come out.
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Vir die eerste keer in baie jare het die MOTH landwyd gegroei. Dit wil vir ons voorkom asof die Grens-oorlog generasie toenemend besig is om by die MOTH aan te sluit, wat ‘n welkome verwikkelling is.
While we’re on the subject of recruitment, if you know of anybody in the Barberton area who qualifies to be a Moth, please put them in touch with Lone Tree’s Old Bill, Cliff Eksteen on 072 970 7588, as that Shellhole has suffered terribly from migration fever lately.
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At the recent Lowveld Dugout gathering held in White River, DOB Butch James reported the finding of a gravestone of a Delville Wood survivor in Kaapsehoop. At his suggestion Mpumalanga Shellhole and Lone Tree SH are looking into the viability of hosting this year’s Delville Wood ceremony jointly at the site of the grave.
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As you were.

Jack

2011-03-11

Heads up!

One of America's links to World War I is gone. Frank Buckles, the last surviving U.S. veteran of WWI, died at his West Virginia farm on Sunday 27th at age 110. Apparently this fact got less space in America’s media than the haircut Justin Bieber got on the same day.

Buckles earned several military honors in his lifetime, including the French Legion of Honor. The day following Buckles's death, President Barack Obama ordered that the United States flag be flown at half-mast on all government buildings, embassies, and at the White House during Buckles' interment.

Like many patriotic young men of that era, Buckles lied about his age to join the Army. A series of recruiters turned him down until the 16 1/2-year-old finally found a captain who believed he was 18.
After going off-course during the Vietnam era, Americans have returned to showing support for their servicemen and women abroad and, upon their return, giving them a well-deserved welcome home.
But as America's longest war drags on (in Afghanistan) they are left to reflect on what the future holds for this new generation of veterans, and for the veterans of the ongoing Iraq war.
By the time the last veteran of the Afghanistan war dies, will our world have finally have found ways to avoid going to war?
Sources- Statesman Journal and The Lantern.com

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The MOTH website has been redesigned. Go and have a peek and you should be pleasantly surprised. It is still a site under construction, but you’ll find it’s already quite usable and informative.
The URL is www.moth.org.za   (Ask your children what a URL is…)

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Haal uit daai dagboek en lek daai potlood, want Regiment Botha hou hulle jaarlikse .303 skietkompetisie en jy sal dit nie wil misloop nie. Bring jou .303, haelgeweer of handwapen Dusty Ranch toe op Saterdag die 16de April en geniet die dag saam met die Laeveld se plaaslike eenheid. .303 Ammo will be sponsored by PMP. Daar is ‘n spitbraai die aand (R65pp), and tented accomodation available @R20pp if you want to spend the night (and you won’t even have to bone your boots for inspection the next day!). They’ll even throw in a hearty breakfast for an additional R55. Contact Regiment Botha for details at 013 756 2511 or 013 756 2510.
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Moth Corrie J v Rensburg rapporteer dat Legogotu Bomgat (Nelspruit) nou-die-dag ‘n baie suksesvolle “workparty” gehad het. Twaalf Moths het moue opgerol en ingeklim en baie werk is afgehandel, wat jou net wys wat ‘n klomp ouens saam met ‘n bietjie spanwerk kan doen. Werk is gestop om 14h00 en almal is onmiddelik watergat toe waar hulle oor ‘n paar blikke koeldrank sommer ook die wereld se probleme opgelos het. Almal is daarna heel tevrede huistoe.
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Herstel!  
Jack