South African Legion Europe Branch

South African Legion Europe Branch

The South African Legion Europe Branch was founded in 2014 as an ‘outpost’ of the SA Legion UK, in response to the growing number of South African military veterans, their families, and descendants who have settled in Continental Europe. The outpost, which grew over the years into a fully-fledged branch, was registered in August 2023 as a Foundation (Stichting), based in the Netherlands.

While the South African veterans in Europe tend to live further apart than their colleagues in the UK, in Europe, one is constantly reminded the history of WWI and WWII, as many European truly live among the remaining remnants.

So while our regular annual events including the SS Mendi Remembrance in Noordwijk, the Netherlands, the Armistice Day remembrance at Ypres/Ieper in Belgium, and the Commonwealth Remembrance Sunday service in The Hague, are well attended, individual members are encouraged to join, participate, and ‘fly the flag’ at veterans’ and remembrance events in the country of city where they live.

Legionnaires also frequently travel to the Netherlands to take part in historic Operation Market Garden remembrance events and reenactment jumps.

We also liaise closely with SA Embassies abroad, and in 2022, the SA Legion Europe Branch joined South Africana Ambassador to plant fresh rose bushes at the SS Mendi graves in Noordwijk, and in December, presented a new flagpole to the South African Embassy in The Hague, the Netherlands.

So if you live in Europe and would like to become involved, either as a South African military veteran, or as a non-military associate member (see our membership criteria), you would be very welcome to join. For more information, see the regional home page.

Legal information:
Statutory name: Stichting South African Legion Europe Branch
KvK-nummer 91033845