About Us
Memorable Order of Tin Hats (MOTH)
Supporting our veterans, past & present
The Memorable Order of Tin Hats or the MOTH as it is more popularly known is an ex-servicemen and woman Organisation founded in Durban, South Africa, on May 1927 by a remarkable man Charles Alfred Evenden by name. He was born in London on the 1st October 1894 and as a young man emigrated to Australia and served with the Australian forces at Gallipoli during World War I where he was wounded and evacuated to England. After convalescence, he returned to Australia, and was discharged from the army.
Witnessing the annual ANZAC parades, Charles Evenden turned his thoughts to the formation of an association of front line soldiers to perpetuate the comradeship gained from front line service. Later, he settled in South Africa where he worked as a cartoonist on the staff of the Mercury, a morning paper in Durban, under the pseudonym of “EVO” by which name he soon became popularly known to most people.
In 1927, he saw a war film that included an impressive scene of marching troops wearing steel helmets (commonly called tin hats), and muddy uniforms, all carrying trench equipment. Looking at the scene, it made him wonder what had become of his comrades in the army; where they were and what they were doing. This line of thought inspired a cartoon illustrating the forgetfulness of comradeship that had apparently ceased to exist. From this one idea, other ideas came to the fore, then discussions with colleagues and friends, and, eventually, the founding on the 7th May 1927 of an ex-service organisation known as the Memorable Order of Tin Hats or simply MOTH.
The Order is based on concord and harmony and operates independently of race, religion or politics in the same way as front line service, but with full democracy.
