MINUTES OF THE ZONE MEETING HELD AT

BRANCH 004 IN KIPPENHEIM

ON SATURDAY 27 JANUARY 2007

In Attendance:

Zone                                      Zone Commander                                          Reg Bonnar

                                             Deputy Zone Commander                              Gerard Lemay

                                             Zone Secretary                                              Patrick Gaussiran

                                             Zone Sgt-at-Arms                                          Jocelyn Gelinas

Branch 001                            Membership Chairman                                   Cam Audet

Branch 002                            President                                                       Alfons Deguire

                                             1^st Vice President                                          Bill Fairley

Branch 003                            President                                                       Frank Mahr

                                             Past President                                               Valerie Laucke

                                             Sgt-at-Arms                                                  Valerie Corbeil

Branch 004                            President                                                       Geatan Bienvenue

                                             1^st Vice President                                          Doris Leichner

                                             2^nd Vice President                                          Hubert Genswein

                                             Past President                                               Lasca Monrose

                                             Treasurer                                                      Erika Bienvenue

                                             Secretary                                                      Frank Becker

Branch 005                            President                                                       Ben Zonnnberg

                                             Treasurer                                                      Piet Polderdijk

                                             Sgt-at-Arms                                                  Hendrik Kuiper

Observer Members in Attendance:

Branch 001                            Member                                                        Theresia Lemay

Branch 002                            Member                                                        Lucien Perraut

Branch 003                            Member                                                        Liz Hine

Branch 004                            Member                                                        Harry Irish

                                             Member                                                        Irma Irish

                                             Member                                                        Robert Leischner

                                             Member                                                        Walter Huston

                                             Member                                                        Hilde Huston

                                             Member                                                        Janet Schreck

Item                                                               Description

Prior to the commencement of the meeting the Zone Commander distributed to each Branch an information folder. The contents of the folder will be listed as Annex A.

1.       The Zone Commander opened the meeting at 1400 hours by welcoming all in attendance and said before we begin the business that has brought us together today we will take a moment to reflect on Comrade John Hamilton who passed away recently. John was a war veteran and one of the founding members of Branch 001 in Söllingen. For the past few years his health was failing and he was in a care home. His funeral was on Thursday 28^th December 2006 and a good turnout of Legion members was in attendance. A reception was held in the Legion Clubhouse following the ceremony.

Continuing his opening remarks the Zone Commander gave an update on the condition of our two remaining War Veterans in the Lahr area:

George MacMullen; George continues to amaze me from all he has been through in the past, although confined to a wheel chair he is doing well, enjoys visits and his voice has become stronger and he can carry on a good conversation. I am pleased with the way he is being cared for at this facility.

Thomas J Andrews; Andy has been in the Lahr hospital after experiencing difficulty eating and drinking complicated with a bought of pneumonia. He has recovered somewhat and has a feeding tube inserted that will assist in giving him nourishment when he is unable to eat. Too early to be more specific about his condition at this time but we all wish him well.

2.       The Zone Secretary read the minutes of the last Zone Meeting held on 07 October in Lochem, the Netherlands . There being no observation of errors or omissions the minutes were adopted as presented by Comrade Bill Fairley and was seconded by Comrade Cam Audet.

Motion Carried

3.       The financial statement was presented and there being no observations raised the financial statement was adopted as presented by Comrade Geatan Bienvenue and was seconded by Comrade Lasca Monrose.

Motion Carried

Old Business

08 October Branch 005 “the 55 Graves of Heidehof” Ceremony

4.   The Zone Commander congratulated Ben Zonnenberg and members of Branch 005 for their efforts that resulted in a very well organized Ceremony. He also expressed his gratitude to Comrade Danny Murphy, Chairman of the Royal British Legion Arnhem/Nijmegen Branch, for his support and technical assistance in the organizing the ceremony.

The ceremony took place in Ugchelen a village located on the southern outskirts of Apeldoorn . The ceremony started with a church service in the local community church. The Legion Colour Party was marched into the church by our very own Comrade Piet Polderdijke and his “City of Apeldoorn ” Pipes & Drums.

Following the church service we marched to the cemetery where a ceremony was conducted honouring the fallen Airmen two of which were Canadian. A local school class was involved in the ceremony and a Scouts Troop looked after the wreaths. A large crowd had gathered in the cemetery and the service was impressive.

Many dignitaries were also present Commander, Karel Heemskerk, Canadian Military Attaché in the Netherlands, Representatives from the City of Apeldoorn, Chief of the Dutch Defence Staff, Foundation Liberation '45, Dutch Veteran Organizations to name a few. The ceremony ended with a fly past of vintage aircraft. Following the ceremony a reception was held in the community church hall.

20 October IJzendijke Ceremony.

5. The Zone Commander and Comrade Bill & Maria Fairley attended this ceremony and the Legion Members from Belgium provided the Colour Party. The ceremony is in two parts first at the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem, Belgium were those not blown to kingdom come are buried and secondly at the actual memorial site in IJzendijke, the Netherlands. The ceremony pays tribute to the 41 victims of an accidental explosion on this date in 1945. Ten of the victims were Canadians from the Canadian Army Service Corps of the 7^th Infantry Brigade.

A special thanks to Comrades Iris, Daniel Van Landschoot and family for making our stay at this ceremony very pleasant and memorable. Thanks to the Belgium members of who provided the Colour Party.

04-05 November Beaumont-Hamel & Vimy Ceremony

6.   The Beaumont -Hamel ceremony was well organized and was held under warm and sunny conditions for a change. Our Zone Colour Party played a significant role in the ceremony which was acknowledge by the Director Arlene King and several dignitaries present at the ceremony. A wreath was laid on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion by the Zone Commander accompanied by the Zone Sgt-at-Arms Jocelyn Gelinas. A reception was held following the ceremony.

On Sunday 05 November at 1100 hours Zone provided a Colour Party for the Remembrance Day Service at Vimy Ridge. Due to the renovations taking place at the Vimy Memorial this year's ceremony again took place in the Canadian Cemetery No. 2. The ceremony was very well attended under sunny skies and the site to me was appropriate since that is where the boys are actually laid to rest. The Zone Commander laid a wreath on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion. Following this ceremony we paraded to the Moroccan Memorial for a service. A reception was held in the town of Vimy where the Director Ms. King expressed her appreciation for us being present.

11 November Remembrance Ceremony in Boekhoute , Belgium .

7.  On 11 November there was a Ceremony in Boekhoute , Belgium where 14 Canadian Solders lost their lives in the liberation of the village during their advance toward Phillipine in the area of the locks of the Isabella waterway. Twelve soldiers from the Algonquin Regiment and two from the Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders of Canada (Princess Louise’s) were originally buried in the village church yard. The village unveiled a commemorative plaque to honour these soldiers that now lay at rest in the Canadian War Cemetery in Adegem.

Since all the Branches have their own Remembrance ceremonies on this date the Zone Commander and Comrades Harry & Irma Irish traveled to Belgium and the Belgium members formed the Legion Colour Party. The Legion Colour Party played a significant role in the Ceremony both during the church service and at the memorial site service which was acknowledged by the organizing committee during the reception that followed. The Zone Commander laid a wreath on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Special thanks to Comrades Daniel & Iris Van Landschoot that organized members for the Colour Party, arranged accommodations, breakfast as well as participating in the ceremony.

Branch Remembrance Day Service

8.   This Item will be included under report by Branches later in the agenda.

Review of the schedule of Ceremonial Events for the year 2007

9.  The proposed schedule of ceremonies as can be forecasted at this time was distributed to Branches in November 2006 and will be amended as necessary by the Zone Commander. Additional information pertaining to the schedule and further requests for ceremonies are to be forwarded to the Zone Commander for consideration. Copy attached at Annex B.

Apr 2007 the Vimy Memorial Re-dedication Ceremony

10. The 09 April has been designated as “Vimy Ridge Day” and a "National Day of Remembrance" to commemorate this famous battle where Canadians done what others could not; Capture Vimy Ridge.

This year will mark the 90^th year since The Battle of Vimy Ridge and also the re-dedication of the Vimy Memorial that has been under restoration for the past several years.

It is anticipated that 250,000 people will attend the ceremony so it goes without saying that getting around in this area will be somewhat complicated. A major remembrance project is being undertaken in Canadian schools across the country. 3598 Canadian soldiers are buried or commemorated on the Vimy Memorial and a teenage student will wear the name of an individual soldier and adopt the identity of that soldier for this ceremony. In this respect each individual soldier will be remembered for his sacrifice and the contribution he made so that we can live in freedom.

Accommodations for our delegation have been arranged at a hotel in Lens and will be announced when confirmed. Members will arrive in Lens on Sunday 8 Apr. Provide a Legion Colour Party and participate in the ceremony on 9 Apr and depart for home 10 April, more information TBA.

May 2007 Ceremonies in the Netherlands

11.  As in the past our Annual Remembrance Activities in the Netherlands will be scheduled around the Dutch National Liberation Day on 5 May and in particular to participate in the march in Wageningen.

Details of these events will determine the date when we go to the Netherlands . Details will be announced, however for planning purposes it is expected that we will travel to the Netherlands on Thursday 3 May participate in the ceremony at the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten on 4 May do the march in Wageningen on 5 May and return home on Sunday 6 May 2007.

5-19 July Dominion Command Pilgrimage of Remembrance

12.  Just for information in particular for members living in Belgium and the Netherlands Dominion Command have announced the Pilgrimage of Remembrance will take place 5-19 July. If I receive an itinerary for this event I will inform the Branches and post it on the webpage.

Report by Branches.

13. Branch 001; The Membership Chairman Cam Audet reported that the Branch is running well with no major issues. The Branch held their Remembrance Ceremony on 11 November beginning with a church service followed by a ceremony at the Canadian Section of the Söllingen Cemetery and a reception followed at their Branch. He also stated that two of their members have been recently in the hospital Albert Baker with a heart bypass operation and Syd Phillips who has been released from the hospital and is recovering in a care home.

14.  Branch 002; The President Alfons Deguire reported that the Branch Remembrance Day Ceremony took place at the Canadian Section of the Lahr Cemetery on 11 November. The turn out was very good including a number of local citizens a reception followed at the Branch. The Branch will have a General Meeting end of February. They have two new members from France and two more from Belgium . In addition to the regular Bingo events the activities planned for the future are mainly BBQ’s.

15. Branch 03; The President Frank Mahr reported that this would be his last meeting as Branch President as he will be going back to Canada . Due to the repatriation this summer an election will take place on 22 March. Names of the newly elected members will be forwarded to the Zone Commander following the elections. The activities and events are running well and the poppy campaign brought 1650 Euros to date. The 80^th Legion Anniversary was celebrated following the Remembrance Ceremony in Groesbeek. It was hoped the military members would participate but unfortunately very few returned to the Legion. The branch has a website maintained by Comrade Dan Gates who is doing an excellent job keeping it up to date with our upcoming events etc. A link will be put onto the Zone Europe website.

16. Branch 004; The President Geatan Bienvenue reported that the Branch held their Remembrance Ceremony at the Canadian Section of the Cemetery in Kippenheim followed by a reception at their clubhouse. In review last years events went very well. There were 25 Canadians at the Werl Ceremony last year which will take place again June 16^th & 17^th this year. The Turkey Christmas Dinner was well received by members and their guests. The Branch have two upcoming events planned a Canadian style turkey dinner with all the trimmings on Saturday 24 February commencing at 1830 hours and everyone is more than welcome. There will be a Horseshoe Tournament on Saturday 26 May everyone is welcome and the President issued several challenges.

17. Branch 005; The President Ben Zonnenberg reported that the Branch had their Remembrance Day Ceremony at the National Memorial in the city of Apeldoorn with a good turn out of members and local citizens. The Branch is doing quite well although membership is of a concern. The Executive meetings are taking place bi-monthly rather than once a month. In preparation for the upcoming ceremonies in May the Branch request a list of members wishing to attend for accommodation purposes. Security on military establishments has become an issue so it is important to receive the list on a timely basis.

Open Discussion

18.   The Zone Commander started the discussion by a quick review of the folder content.

19.   The Zone Commander request assistance from members in the Lahr area to help move Ingrid Roy who will move from Kippenheim to Mietersheim in late February. The Zone Commander said he will pre-pack her F&E prior to the actual moving day. Comrade Ray Robbins has volunteered to look after dismantling and set up cupboards and shanks. The move is not expected to take long since she is not taking everything with her to the new place. A sign up sheet of volunteers is available following the meeting.

20.   The Zone Commander gave a short briefing for members that will in the near future apply for Old Age Security (OAS) and Canadian Pension Plan (CPP). Since you contribute to CPP all your working life this payment will be processed accordingly and you will receive payment with out any problem.

OAS on the other hand can be a problem especially for members that live outside Canada . One of the requirements to receive a full pension is that you must have lived 40 years in Canada following your 18^th birthday. The Zone Commander elaborated briefly on his particular case and had a hand out available for interested members that may be of assistance to them when the time comes to apply.

Meeting Adjournment

21.   There being no further business to discuss a motion was made by Comrade Alfons Deguire and seconded by Comrade Jocelyn Gelinas that the meeting be adjourned. The meeting was adjourned at 1700 hours.

Note: The next Zone Meeting will be hosted by Branch 001 and will be held on Saturday 28 Apr at 1400 hours in Söllingen.

Annex A to the

Minutes of the Zone Meeting

Held on 28 January 2006

Contents of the Folder,

• Itinerary for the Zone Meeting

• Minutes of last Zone Meeting held at Branch 005 on 07 Oct 2006
• Financial Statement covering period 04 October 2005 to 25 January 2007
• Events Calendar for 2007
• Branch Contribution to Ceremonial Fund
• Membership Picture

Annex B to the

Minutes of the Zone Meeting

Held on 28 January 2007

Royal Canadian Legion Branches Europe

Events Calendar For The Year 2007

27 Jan 2007            Saturday 27 Jan a Zone Meeting will be held at 1400 hours in the Legion Hall of Branch 004 in Kippenheim.

09 Apr 2007           Monday 09 April is Vimy Ridge Day – This year there will be a special ceremony at the Vimy Memorial to commemorate the unveiling of the Memorial that has been under restoration for the past several years. Details TBA.

28 Apr 2007           Saturday 28 Apr a Zone Meeting will be held at 1400 hours in the Legion Hall of Branch 001 in Söllingen.

04 May 2007         Annual Liberation Ceremonies in the Netherlands

?? May 2007         Branch 003 will participate in the annual ceremonies at Hotten and Bure in Belgium . The details of this event will be announced at a later date.

16-17 Jun 2007      Branch 004 will host a Remembrance Ceremony in Werl. Details TBA.

01 Jul 2007             Sunday 01 July will be the annual Beaumont-Hamel Newfoundland Memorial Service.

01 Jul 2007             Sunday 01 Jul Branches will celebrate Canada Day with scheduled events as appropriate.

28 Jul 2007             Saturday 28 Jul a Zone Meeting will be held at 1400 hours at Branch 003 in Geilenkirchen.

?? Aug 2007          Branch 003 will participate in the Ceremony at the De La Haye Memorial in Belgium . The details of this event will be announced at a later date.

19 Aug 2007           Dieppe Ceremony (Details TBA)

07-10 Sep 2007      Saturday 08 Sep there will be a Ceremony at the Moorbrugge Memorial in Belgium followed by the Liberation of Belgium ceremony on Sunday 09 Sep 2007 at the Canadian War Cemetery in Adagem. The details of this event will be announced at a later date.

06-07 Oct 2007      A Zone meeting to be hosted by Branch 005 at 1400 hrs on Saturday 06 Oct in Lochem on route to the Annual Royal British Legion 450 Ceremony that will be held on Sunday 07 October. Details TBA

20 Oct 2007          Saturday 20 Oct Ceremony at IJzendijke, the Nrtherlands, if this ceremony develops the Zone Commander and Deputy Zone Commander will travel to Belgium and our Belgium members will form the Colour Party.

03-04 Nov 2007     Friday 02 Nov a Colour Party will depart for France to take part in the Annual Remembrance Day Ceremonies at Beaumint-Hamel on Saturday 03 Nov followed by the Vimy Ceremony on Sunday 04 Nov. Timings, accommodations and details of the events to be announced at a later date.

11 Nov 2007           Sunday 11 November is the Official Remembrance Day in Canada . Branches will host their Remembrance Day Services accordingly as appropriate.

18 Nov 2007           Sunday 18 Nov Branch 001 will host a Remembrance Ceremony at Choloy , France , commemorating the 332 Canadians buried there. Members of other Branches are also welcome and encouraged to attend. Members will meet at the Cemetery in Choloy at 1430 hours. The Colours will be parades to the Cross of Remembrance where a small ceremony will take place. Following the ceremony members will have the opportunity to visit grave of friends. This ceremony is considered basically a day trip so following the ceremony we will depart for home.

Note:                    All dates are subject to change. Branches will be notified of amendments, as additional information becomes available. Future requests received by Zone for further ceremonies we may be required to attend will also be added to this list as an amendment notification. This schedule will also be published on the Zone Webpage at www.rcl-europe.org

This schedule was distributed to Branches on 30 November 2006 and will be amended as necessary by the Zone Commander. Additional information pertaining to the schedule and further requests for ceremonies are to be forwarded to the Zone Commander for consideration. 

Amendment No. 1.