Heroism of Indian soldiers in wars of last century recalled at commemoration in South Africa

Johannesburg: Tales of patriotism by South African Indian-origin volunteers in several major wars of the last century emerged when the South African Indian Legion (SAIL) of Military Veterans hosted its annual commemoration to honour fallen soldiers.

The event was organised in conjunction with the City Council of Johannesburg at the Ditsong National Military Museum on Saturday.

It marked the contribution of Indian-origin participation in the military in South Africa by dedicated volunteers, who were mostly relegated to being just military base guards or truck drivers in the apartheid era, with only a few given genuine career opportunities within the military.

“These valiant members of the community joined the army to defend their country and their communities despite the challenges of apartheid which reduced them to these lowly positions but they continued with dedication,” said Vinesh Selvan, a veteran of the South African Air Force.

“From 1948 when the minority white apartheid government came to power, Indians were debarred from the armed forces, air force and navy. This was only allowed again in 1974,” Selvan said.

South Africans who fought with the Indian Army and Airforce in wars have also been honoured by the organisation, which was established in 2018 with the primary objective of researching, documenting and promoting the role of South Africans of Indian origin in the country’s military history.

SAIL also serves as a home to military veterans, in addition to serving members and associated members from civil society who have an interest in achieving the goals and objectives of the organisation.

Soldiers who have been honoured included those who fought in the Zulu War of 1879 between the colonial British Empire and the indigenous Zulu Kingdom and in the Anglo-Boer War in South Africa at the turn of the 20th century. There were even some soldiers from India who fought alongside the British in these wars in support roles.

The majority of those who have been recognised though are South Africans of Indian origin who participated in World War 1 and World War 11.

Selvan shared how Dharamraj Aheer Goordeen, of Dannhauser from the then Natal province in South Africa, went to India to study medicine at the Grant Medical College in Bombay and became one of the first South Africans of Indian origin to serve in the Indian Royal Air Force.

“At the outbreak of the Second World War, Goordeen volunteered for military service as a pilot at 4 Squadron in the Indian Royal Air Force. Sadly in 1942, Goordeen lost his life when his aircraft crashed in Kohat, India. Goordeen’s death is commemorated at the Cenotaph in Durban as well as in Delhi, India and Karachi, Pakistan 1939-1945 War Memorials,” Selvan said.

Goordeen’s name is among the many that SAIL has uncovered of little-known Indian-origin South African heroes of the wars, all of which are noted on a Wall of Remembrance in the Ditsong National Military Museum.

Several young South Africans laid wreaths at the memorial to remember their forebears.

Thaven and Anasuya Naidoo said they returned to the service each year to recall the sacrifice of their late grandfather Nadasen Govender, who was a private assigned to driving military trucks in North Africa during World War 11.

“We had never met my grandfather, but after hearing about his role, I went to the national archives and found a whole lot of information about him – enough to write a book about him. From the stories I’ve heard and read, it was clearly very difficult for them at that time because they were in Egypt and North Africa for about two years, missing their families terribly,” Thaven Naidoo said.

Veena Patel laid a huge wreath which she spent six hours making on behalf of the South African Indian community of Johannesburg.

Conceding that she had not met any descendants of Indian-origin war veterans until now, Patel said her interest was sparked when she visited the memorial at Anzac Cove, commemorating the loss of Ottoman and Anzac soldiers on the Gallipoli Peninsula in Turkey.

As part of the commemoration, SAIL Chairman Lionel Moodley presented medals to several members of the South African Indian Legion.

The South African Indian Legion Service Medal was conferred upon Colonel Ricky Pillay while Kogie Chetty and Magandren Padayachee received the the South African Indian Commemorative Medal.

In a special gesture, awards were made to Roché Vermaak and his dog 'Wolfi'.

“Both were recognised for their contribution by SAIL for creating awareness about animals in wars. Vermaak was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation and Wolfi was presented with an Association Badge,” Selvan said.