Royal Canadian Legion

IJzendijke Ceremony 20 October 2010

The ceremony paid our respects and honored the sacrifice of the British and Canadian Soldiers that lost their lives here on this date in 1944. An accidental explosion caused the death of forty-one British and Canadian soldiers and caused injury to another fifty-one some of which would be fatal.

The majority of the soldiers present on that fateful day were from 204 Armored Assault Squadron, Royal Engineers and soldiers of the Royal Canadian Army Service Corps of the 7th Infantry Brigade.

It is unclear what actually caused the initial explosion and since no official investigation was ever done the incident went basically unrecorded. We will be forever grateful to Lance Sergeant Charles Martin Reagan who was here as the Commander of a Churchill Tank and finally decided to write his account of events which occurred on that sad day.

His account is a tribute to the sacrifice of those who lost their lives, those who were wounded and those who survived with scars which cannot be seen. Mr. Reagan said and I quote "They all deserve recognition and their efforts should be recorded" unquote.

Normally Mr. Reagan would be here conducting this ceremony but I understand he is not well enough to attend and our best wishes go out to him. I am extremely humbled and honored to conduct this ceremony on his behalf.

The ceremony commenced under sunny skies that lasted for a minute as rain, sleet, hail and wind took over for the remainder of the ceremony definitely the kind of weather that builds character. In spite of this everyone remained and done their part in the ceremony. Our piper Comrade Diederik De Jaeger marched on our Colours which were augmented by the banners of the NSB members present. We were also fortunate to have a trumpeter to play the Last Post and members of the IJzendijke Pigeon Society who released Doves of Peace in honour of those who lost their lives here in this explosion.

Wreath and floural tribute were laid by

Mr. Peter King and his wife Joan on behalf of the British Contingent honouring Driver Paul Hammond who is Joan's uncle.

Comrade Iris Van Landschoot on behalf of The Royal Canadian Legion

Mr. Geert Aalders on behalf of the IJzendijke Memorial Association

The chairman and members of the IJzendijke Pigeon Society

Mrs. Linda Aalders honouring Sergeant Rees Barton at the request of his sister

The full account of this tragety can be read in this article