Awards:
RECOGNITION – RENWOOD CARRIERS
MICHAEL YENGWA SERVICE TO THE MOTH MUSEUM
NEWS
MOTH GHQ Meeting – May 2024
Official Opening of the ‘Charles James’ Medal Room
On Saturday 18th November 2023 during the M.O.T.H. AGM at Warriors Gate, the full M.O.T.H. National Executive, Provincial delegates, and observers present were treated to a special event at our beloved ‘Gate’, the central museum and shrine of our Order.
After a welcome and some background history by the Chairman M.O.T.H. Museums & Memorials Moth Mike Lee, M.O.T.H National Chairman Andy Boden being introduced, further relayed his gratitude and thanks on behalf of the Order to Mr. Nick Moon and family present, as well as the Charles James (Lillieshall) Trust for their generous donation, that has enabled the Museum the ability to relocate and establish a formal medal and insignia room in the smaller and original museum structured ante chamber for visitor display. Mr. Moon being the great grandson of the late Moth James.
This room being aptly renamed the “Charles James” Medal room in honour of the original donor towards the construction of Warriors Gate in 1936/7, a friend and fellow brother in arms to Moth ‘O’, and a Moth at that time, Moth Charles James of Twinkle Shellhole.
The significance of this new display in an improved consolidated layout, is to invoke visitor appreciation of the bravery and sacrifice that was recognised and awarded by Royalty, Heads of State, and high-ranking officials, to ordinary soldiers and civilians, for their commitment and duty to God and Country during times of world and local conflicts in the past century and more recent.
The M.O.T.H. Museums and Memorials committee members were also present to observe this milestone ribbon cutting ceremony, after their diligent meticulous work in assembling the medals and insignia over the weeks prior into the new display cabinets, through may long hours of commitment, for which they need to be commended. Moth’s John Goodrich, Guilemette Grutzmcher, Gerrie Olivier (Caretaker of the Museum), and Shellhole Supporter Rhenisha Dayanand, your efforts and commitment are recognized and truly appreciated indeed, thank you on behalf of the Order.
We invite all Moth and Shellhole Supporters to make at least one trip to the Museum if able, although as you will note by now, this establishment is constantly evolving to meet the expectations of our local and international visitors, with new layouts, artifacts, and displays being presented constantly.
With an exciting year ahead in 2024, the MM&M committee plan further improvement and innovation that will place the museum squarely on the map, (and indeed highlight Mothdom), as a go to visitor destination in the greater Durban tourism offering.
Moth Mike Lee
Chairman M.O.T.H. Museums and Memorials
New Acquisition for Warriors Gate
A new acquisition to Warrior’s Gate, 40mm anti aircraft Bofors Gun. Moth Thys and Moth Hendry from Sandy shellhole arrived around 2pm (being on the road from 4am) We completed the offload and assembly around 17h30. Phase two of 5 complete regarding static displays planned.
😉 Many thanks Moth Chair Andy for driving this for us.
Mike Lee.
Chairman MM&M
The Bofor was originally from Warrior Shellhole. Sandy Shellhole claimed the Crusader Tank and asked for the Bofor as well for their collection. They had 2 identical Bofor guns and were keen to do a swap and ensure that one of the Sandy Bofors got delivered to Warriors Gate at no cost. Thanks you very much Sandy Shellhole.
WARRIORS GATE – 40mm BOFORS EXHIBIT – UPDATE
In February this year the 40mm Bofors relocated from Sandy Shellhole and donated to Warrior’s Gate as part of a swop in assets due to Sandy shellhole receiving the Bofors from formerly Warrior Shellhole, has now undergone a significant upgrade and final exhibit presentation.
Unveiled and ready for this year’s MOTH 95 celebration and Ceremony recently held at Warriors Gate, this latest exhibit to our MOTH showcase Museum of Militaria in Durban, now stands proudly on display along with our M3 Stuart ‘Honey’ tank, at the entrance to Warrior’s Gate within the Old Fort gardens.
A personal donation received from (General ret.) Moth Roy Anderson, also the Gunners Association President SA, has made this upgrade possible, and for which we the MOTH Museums and Memorials Committee and I am sure fellow Moth members and museum visitors, are very grateful for indeed.
More static exhibits will be added in due course, watch this space……
YUTTH
Moth Mike Lee
Chairman – MOTH Museums and Memorials
Warriors Gate, the Shrine of the MOTH is currently currently under going a face lift. A fresh Coat of paint and the stone work being cleaned restored and sealed. Watch this site for more details as the MM&M upgrade the Shrine, or better still – go and visit.
M3 Stuart ‘Honey’ Tank – Warriors Gate
On November 11th 2021, a significant day amongst Veterans and grateful citizenry alike , Warriors Gate received a new artifact for static exhibition.
Although not ‘New’ in a sense, the WW2 M3 Stuart ‘Honey’ Tank, of which less than half of the original 22 000 ever built are, remaining mostly intact worldwide, was relocated from a former MOTH property in Vryheid, KZN, where it was placed isolated on a plinth for over three decades in Hoog Street.
An extra bonus was the retrieval of a M3 Stuart Tank Twin Cadillac Series 42 (220 hp) rotary engine on a mount, from the current Vryheid, Freedom Shellholes’ location and generously donated, as inclusion with the tank relocation. This detached engine, will also form part of the museums artifact exhibition.
Special mention is to be made of Redwood Carriers who significantly reduced costs of rigging and transportation for the Museum over a distance travelled of 322km’s , and over 14 hours from loading, transport and offloading. Their professionalism and commitment, is to be highly commended.
Special thanks also to Ofies Construction, Durban, for the donation of the structural plinth assembly and materials, as well as labour at Warriors Gate.
It is by the dedication of your MM&M committee, who have worked tirelessly, and though communications with various stakeholders, Freedom Shellhole, KZN Provincial Dugout, the Road Traffic Inspectorate in both Durban and Vryheid, and of whom, the eThekwini urban design (Botanic Gardens), The Durban Light Infantry (DLI) Comrades Association, The Gunners Association, affiliated with the Old Fort heritage site in Durban, that made this relocation possible.
The pertinent positioning, and very soon paint upgrade of the ‘Honey,’ will I am sure, add further attraction in artifact preservation and historical appreciation from, local & International tourists, school groups, the general public, and yourselves, who pay visit to Your MOTH Museum of Militaria – Warriors Gate, and the Old Fort site, and for generations to come.
A few Months later.
The Warrior’s Gate Committee are proud to present members of the 1st Pinetown Scouts with “Friends of Warrior’s Gate” certificates, as well as our Gate curators daughter Isabella. This young team placed every effort and commitment in responding to the Warriors Gate Chairmans request for volunteers to assist with exhibit re-alignment and clean up at Warrior’s Gate. Over several weekends this dedicated team arrived on time, worked tirelessly and went beyond expectations in their quest to upgrade and clean our artifacts, align and collate into arranged displays.
A Certificate of Good Comradeship “G”, for a non-Moth was also presented to Scout Sarah Steele, who coordinated the scout timetable, arranged member participation, ensured induction and management was done regarding Covid-19 regulation, and ensured a safe artefact clean regime. Her dedication, motivation and continued commitment to Warrior’s Gate in logging our artefacts with research info, places this young lady who is completing her Scout Springbok badge, and as I am reliably informed, the youngest recipient of this Moth award yet in the Order. Well done Scouter, you do your troop and the SA Scouts proud.
We look forward to a long and beneficial friendship with the Scouts into the future. Your passion as shown for the preservation of history is truly honorable.
Moth Mike Lee
Chairman Warrior’s Gate & Mt. Memory