Royal Canadian Legion

4-5 May Liberation of the Netherlands Ceremonies

On 4 May the Branches of Zone Europe provided a Legion Colour Party and took part in the Annual Ceremony in the Holten Canadian War Cemetery. The ceremony was well organized and the theme as in the past is a tribute to the Canadian Liberators by the youth of this area of the Netherlands. It is a very moving ceremony as local school children lay flowers on each individual grave. Our presence was acknowledged by the organizing committee and dignitaries present. A wreath was laid on behalf of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Following the ceremony we were invited to Branch 005 clubhouse in Lochem where we spent a pleasant afternoon with members of the Branch and were well looked after by our hosts Comrade Berry & Yvonne. Later in the afternoom we attended a ceremony in Lochem with our British friends.

That evening we took part in the Silent March in the city center of Apeldoorn. The silent march is a ceremony that pays tribute to all who were effected by the war and is conducted in every town and village through the Netherlands on this evening.

5 May which is Liberation Day in the Netherlands we attended and enjoyed the many displays and activities that form the festival that marks the surrender of the Germans to the Canadians in Wageningen officially ending the Second World War in the Netherlands. On display was many WWII vehicles and weapons in mint condition a section in full battledress in the heat of the day doing drill (reminded me of the good old days) and the PPCLI Re-Enactment Unit was camped out where I had lunch in their field kitchen. The parade through the city got underway at 1500 hours with bands, military groups and Legions participating. It was a wonderful parade with the Dutch population cheering the entire parade route it was all quite emotional and I can only add that for an event that was to be cancelled a few years ago it keeps getting bigger each year.

Random Photos of the Events