Dutch Remembrance
Ceremony 2024
Friday 13th September was a warm and sunny day when children from five local schools joined together to pay their respects to 254 Dutch war dead buried in the Dutch Garden of Remembrance in Westminster Cemetery, Mill Hill, NW7.
Prior to the ceremony of remembrance, representatives of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission explained why there were Dutch graves in Mill Hill and how the Commission looks after the graves of British and Commonwealth war dead in various parts of the world. The schoolchildren were afterwards given pictures and a short biography of several of those buried in the Garden of Remembrance to find the graves and to research the person concerned.
At 2pm, pupils from Belmont School lowered the Dutch and British flags to half-mast to the strains of the Last Post played on a trumpet by a pupil of about 10 years of age, also from the school.
Rev Josh Kane of Mill Hill East Free Church (left) led the service in the presence of Captain Rick Ongering, the Defence and Naval Attaché of the Netherlands Embassy, who gave a short and interesting speech.
Also from the Embassy was their new Air Attaché, Lieutenant Colonel Sander van Hees.
A vote of thanks and encouragement to the children was given by His Worship the Mayor of Barnet, Councillor Tony Vourou, who was accompanied by the Mayoress.
Present at the ceremony were Martin Russell MBE the Representative Deputy Lieutenant for Barnet, members of Barnet War Memorials Association, twelve In-Patients from the Royal Hospital Chelsea in their scarlet coats, of whom some will shortly be travelling to Holland to visit the Commonwealth Graves there, and members of the public.
As part of the service the children laid an orange carnation against each grave, after which pupils from Dollis Primary School and Norfolk House School gave short readings in a clear and mature way.
The service concluded with the playing of Reveille and the national anthems of both countries.
This was the fourth event organised by former Councillor Sury Khatri to match the compliment paid, since the Second World War, by Dutch schoolchildren at the graves of British and Commonwealth war dead in Holland.
All images courtesy of Gerald Alterman and are Copyright of the BWMA.
