Brunssum, The Netherlands – Saturday, 04 May, the annual Dutch Remembrance Day service was conducted, in Brunssum. Following a moving and well attended service at the St. Gregorius Church led by Padre Goulmy, Reverend Stegink and Reverend Norfield, attendees formed a parade and proceeded to the Brunssum Cemetery. Upon arrival, two minutes of silence was observed in respect of those who paid the ultimate price so that we can live in peace today. Following this the Mayor of Brunssum, Mrs van der Rijt, made a short speech in both Dutch and English.
Wreaths were laid to music provided by the Fanfare Saint Barbara, amongst others, by: the Mayor of Brunssum, Mrs van der Rijt, on behalf of the city of Brunssum; General Miglietta, Commander JFC Brunssum, on behalf of the personnel of Joint Force Command Brunssum and; Colonel Jansen, on behalf of the Netherlands Forces at the Headquarters. On completion, the names of 31 Brunssum citizens buried in the cemetery who fell in WWII, the former Netherlands Indies, Korea, New Guinea and Bosnia, were recited. The service concluded with the Dutch national anthem.
At the adjacent British War Cemetery a similar ceremony was then conducted in honour of the 328 British soldiers, all honorary citizens of Brunssum, laid to rest there. Following a recital of ‘At the Going Down of the Sun’ by Reverend Norfield wreaths were, inter alia, laid by: the Mayor of Brunssum, Mrs van der Rijt, on behalf of the city of Brunssum; Commodore Ruddock, on behalf of the British Forces and community at JFC Brunssum; and, General Miglietta on behalf of all personnel serving at HQ JFC Brunssum.
The service continued with a piper from the Coriovallum Pipe Band playing ‘Amazing Grace’ while local children, scouts and those who have adopted graves, laid flowers and lit candles on each grave to symbolize the souls of the fallen British soldiers.
The ceremony ended with the British national anthem.
A wonderful service was, once again attended by a large number of dignitaries and local people, on an evening beset by almost non-stop rainfall. The formal part of the event was followed by a reception at the Brikke Oave where VIPs, veterans and local people shared their thoughts, renewed old acquaintances, and made new friends.
