%bThe War Memorial and Oak Tree%b and other Pilgrim's Rest, South Africa Things to Do Tips

The War Memorial was erected to commemorate the men from Pilgrim's Rest and the area around it, who fought and died in the First and Second World Wars (1914-1919 and 1939-1945).

The oak tree, which is next to the memorial, was planted as an acorn from the Delville Wood (the battle of Delville Wood was one of the bloodiest fought during the Somme Offensive of 1916) in 1965. Of six acorns that were given to the Lowveld Memorial order of Tin Hats (MOTH), only two survived, this is one of them.

The 1st South African Infantry Brigade, which consisted of four regiments, were almost annihilated between 15 - 21July 1916. Of 3200 South African officers, there were approx. 2500 casualties, 750 whom were killed and 200 bodies never recovered.

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A tour to describe the way the people once lived in the area and the way in which they panned for alluvial gold can be taken.
A fascinating way to discover the way it was.

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There is a monument in remembrance of the 1938 Great Trek. It is found on the banks of the Blyde /river, across the Joubert Bridge (this bridge was named after the Commandant Piet Jobert, it was built in 1896 over the Blyde River to ling the town to Lydenberg).
Louis Trichardt was one of the great Boer leaders who visited Pilgrim's Rest looking for a route to the harbour in Lorenco Marques, now known as Maputo.

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