This memorial commemorates the South Africans who died in the Great Wars 1914-1918, 1939-1944. Delville Wood is the name given to a World War I battle that took place between July 14 and Sept 3, 1916 in Somme, in northern France, between the armies of the German and British empires. The Battle of Delville Wood was one of the bloodiest confrontations that occurred in the effort to secure the location and of particular importance to South Africa as it was also the location of the first major war engagement by the South African Brigades, who suffered catastrophic losses, with losses of 80% of their forces.