THE HAGUE, Sunday November 10, 2024 – Ambassadors, Consular representatives, Defence Attachés, officials of the Netherlands Government and Dutch Armed Forces, the Deputy Mayor and Aldermen of The Hague, as well as representatives of veterans’ and other related organisations, Scouts, and numerous interested members of the public, gathered at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission section of Westduin Cemetery in The Hague, the Netherlands, to mark Remembrance Sunday, and pay their respects to the Fallen of the Commonwealth during both World Wars and all conflicts since.
The annual ceremony is hosted on a rotor basis by the UK, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and India. Following a welcome to all by the new Ambassador of India, Kumar Tuhin, who hosted the 2024 event, Reverend Canon Michael Roden, Vicar of the Anglican Church of St John & St Philip in The Hague, led the opening prayers.
At 12h00 (CEST), to synch with the 11h00 GMT observances across the UK, with the Dutch, Indian, and Commonwealth flags at half mast, a bugler sounded Last Post, and all observed the Act of Remembrance and customary two minutes’ silence, to mark the moment when the guns of the First World War fell silent on the 11th day of the 11th month in 1918.
Wreaths were laid at the Cross of Sacrifice, after which Scouts laid flowers at the graves of 70 identified and many more unidentified WWII casualties who lie buried there. A Piper then led a procession to pay tribute at the nearby graves of the Stijkel Group – 47 men and women who were actively involved in the resistance against German occupation after the invasion of the Netherlands on 10 May 1940, who were eventually betrayed, of whom 32 were executed on 4 June 1941 and 11 subsequently died in captivity.
South African Ambassador Vusi Madonsela was joined by the Deputy SA Defence Attaché to Brussels (EU & NATO), Lt Col Mtanase, to lay a wreath on behalf of South Africa. Europe Chair, Lgr Andrew Bergman and Lgr Henry van Vuuren laid a poppy wreath on behalf of the South African Legion.
We were privileged to be joined by joined by Richard van den Berg and Richard Smit of Veteranen Noordwijk, whose town hosts the graves of casualties of the SS Mendi, and with whom the SA Legion has built-up a warm camaraderie over many years.
Text and pictures © 2024 South African Legion UK & Europe