SH0005

Did You Know?

The Underberg MOTH Shell Hole is a branch of the Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTH), a fraternal organisation founded in South Africa in 1927 by Charles Evenden, a former World War I soldier. The term 'Shell Hole' refers to a local MOTH meeting place, named after the shell craters of the Western Front where soldiers often sheltered. The year 1918 is significant as the end of World War I, and the MOTH movement was established to provide camaraderie and support for veterans of that conflict and subsequent wars. Underberg is a small town in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands, situated near the Drakensberg mountains. The MOTH Shell Hole in Underberg serves as a social and remembrance hub for local military veterans, hosting ceremonies such as those on Remembrance Day (11 November) and organising welfare activities for members and their families. The building itself is a modest, functional structure typical of small-town veterans' clubs in South Africa, often featuring memorabilia and plaques honouring fallen comrades. While specific archival details about the founding date of the Underberg Shell Hole are not widely published, MOTH branches across South Africa adopted the Shell Hole model in the mid-20th century. The site reflects a broader heritage of veteran support in rural KwaZulu-Natal, where many communities contributed soldiers to both World Wars. The MOTH motto, 'While life lasts, we shall remember,' remains central to the organisation's identity, and the Underberg Shell Hole continues this tradition of remembrance and fellowship.

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