Historical information
Presented to Waverley R. S. L. sub branch by
South African Military Veterans Organisation of Australia
http://www.samvoa.org/abouthistory.html
Significance
http://www.samvoa.org/abouthistory.html
The founder of SAMVOA, Veteran Tony Macquet MMM, documents the early history of the organisation:
Two statements characterise the formation of the South African Military Veterans Organisation of Australasia that has taken on the acronym SAMVOA:
SAMVOA was long in the making, yet I am reminded of what Garth Pienaar once said, "If you had not started it, I would have". And no doubt he or someone else would have because it needed "starting" and it just did not seem right that almost every other nation was represented on ANZAC Day and there were no South Africans marching, particularly when South Africans fought alongside Australians in two World Wars and in Korea.
It is important to note that SAMVOA has had predecessors who were South Africans who had marched in Melbourne and probably elsewhere prior to 1996, but they were an older group of WW1 and WW2 veterans who by 1996 were too old to even travel by vehicle and they had fallen away. Around 1998, I contacted and spoke to their leader Major (retd.) Norval who confirmed that their group had become too old to march and he was delighted that a younger group was interested, although at that stage it was only me.
http://www.samvoa.org/membership.html
SAMVOA Membership
This Veteran Organisation dedicates itself, in grateful recognition and memory of our countrymen, the Immortal Dead of South Africa, who, at the call of Duty, made the great Sacrifice on the battlefields of Africa, Asia and Europe and on the Sea.
Their ideal is our legacy, Their sacrifice our inspiration.
Physical description
Metal Plaque mounted on wooden shield shaped backing plate
Inscriptions & markings
South African Military Veterans Organisation of Australia
Pro Patria
