4 May is Dutch Remembrance Day

For as long as we can remember, the Amsterdam branch has been represented at the following Remembrance ceremonies throughout Holland on the 4th May and 2008 was no different. Anyone who is in the vicinity of any of the events is always cordially invited to join us in remembering those who made the supreme sacrifice for us during WW2.

10.00 hrs Oosterbegraafplaats, Amsterdam.
17.45 hrs Blenheim Grave, ZO Beemster *
20.00 hrs National Memorial, Amsterdam.
20.00 hrs Midden Beemster.
20.00 hrs Airman’s Memorial, Dronten. *
20.00 hrs Heemskerk. ***
20.00 hrs Harderwijk.
20.00 hrs Steenbergen. **
20.00 hrs Huizen. *
20.00 hrs Brunssum.

20.15 hrs Wg.Cdr. Guy Gibson’s Grave, Steenbergen.
* The Edambusters will fly over.
** RNAF Historical Flight will fly over.
*** Lancaster may fly over

The Arnhem Aircrew Memorial

Although some years ago a small concrete battlefield marker, dedicated to RAF aircrew, was erected in the Arnhem/Oosterbeek area, this was not considered a truly fitting monument to honour the aircrew that lost their lives during the battle of Arnhem in September 1944. The initiative for an appropriate monument came from Alan Hartley, 82, of Coventry, who was an engine fitter on 271 Squadron [Dakotas] at RAF Down Ampney, Glos at that time. He was offered a lift in one of the Squadron’s Dakota’s which was to fly a re-supply sortie to Arnhem on the 19th of September 1944 but he declined the offer. The aircraft was later hit by flak over Arnhem while dropping its supplies and crashed soon after, killing the four man crew and the four RASC Air Despatchers. Alan has never forgotten that and it provided the motivation needed in his long struggle for the monument that we see today.
There are many monuments commemorating the actions of the airborne and air landed troops in the Arnhem/Oosterbeek area and a few years ago the local municipality declared a ban on further monuments. However, a number of Dutchmen felt that a proper monument should be dedicated to the RAF crews and they agreed to support Alan Hartley. One of them, Arie-Jan van Hees, a member of the RAFA Amsterdam Branch and an amateur historian who, in 2000 published his first book “Tugs and Gliders to Arnhem”, followed by his second book “Green On!, the Story of Arnhem Re-supply”, was well qualified to help. With the backing of the ‘Market Garden Foundation’, this Dutch group started lobbying the Dutch authorities and veteran’s organisations and following a lot of hard work, backed up by documentary evidence of the severe losses of the Commonwealth air crews of Transport Command, 2 TAF and Air Defence of Great Britain during the battle, the municipality finally gave permission for the dedication of one more final monument.
By this time the ‘Arnhem RAF Aircrew Memorial Fund’ had received £ 17,000 from generous sponsors, including amongst others, an HSBC donation of £10,000, in memory of Lt John Grayburn, who was awarded a posthumous VC at Arnhem and was the son of a wartime managing director of that company, the Dutch owned TNT who agreed to transport the memorial from the UK to Oosterbeek free of charge and an RAF Flight Sergeant who did a sponsored cycle ride from Rheindahlen in Germany to Oosterbeek and handed a cheque to the memorial fund, so the planning went ahead.
So it was that, at 14.00 hours on the 15th September 2006, the local Burgemeester, Civil and Military Dignitaries, many RAFA members, serving RAF personnel and well wishers, attended the dedication ceremony for the new RAF Aircrew monument, now sited near the Airborne Museum, Hartenstein in Oosterbeek. After an introduction by the Burgemeester, Malcolm Mason MBE, Chairman of RAFA Amsterdam Branch opened the ceremony with a most moving speech. He described the effort which led up to the event and said that those involved could be extremely proud of what they had achieved. He then paid tribute to the airmen who had lost their lives:
141 RAF, 49 RCAF, 12 RAAF, 5 RNZAF, 1 RSAF, 4 Poles attached to the RAF and 29 USAAF - 241 in all. In addition, 79 Air Despatchers lost their lives and they are commemorated by their own ‘Air Despatch Memorial’. He ended by saying that the RAF Association dedication was particularly relevant to the day –

“Proudly and thankfully, we will remember them”.

The participation of the Queens Colour Squadron was most welcome and their immaculate drill performance was greatly appreciated and the flypast by a Dakota and Harvard aircraft brought the ceremony to close.

The monument consists of a bronze eagle placed on a black granite plinth bearing these words:

John 15:13.
“Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends”
To the memory of the Royal Air Force, Commonwealth and United States Aircrew
who died on Operation Market Garden, September 1944.

“In Memoria Aeterna”

Photograph courtesy of Sjaak Arts.

'CONGRATULATIONS ERC'

On Monday 5th February 2007 the English Reformed Church (ERC) at Amsterdam's Begijnhof celebrated 400 years of worship in English. In 1607 the authorities in Amsterdam offered the English speaking worshipers the use of the Begijnhof chapel which was unused since the altercatie of 1578. The first minister was the Reverend John Paget, serving with the English Regiments in the Netherlands. The service ties still exist because today the Reverend John Cowie is Honorary Chaplain to both the RAF Association (RAFA) and the Royal British Legion. The only period the services were not held in the English language was during WW2 when the German occupation forces took the church over for their navy. The church underwent several restorations with a complete restoration in 2005.
Two hundred persons were invited to attend the anniversary service which was led by the Reverend John Cowie in the presence of HM Queen Beatrix, HM Queen Elizabeth and HRH The Duke of Edinburgh, plus local civil and diplomatic dignitaries. The congregation was greeted by the Reverend Dr B Plaiser, General Secretary of the Protestant Church of the Netherlands and the preaching was by The Right Reverend Alan McDonald, Moderator of the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland. The music and the choir were perfect, as were the voices of the congregation as they sang the hymn 'This is God's House' which was specially written by John L Bell for the ERC's anniversary. As the Royal Party departed, children presented Their Majesties with a commemorative book and a bouquet of flowers.
Following the service a most convivial reception for the Royal Party was hosted by HM Ambassador Mr Lyn Parker at which Their Majesties chatted with many of those present. There was a very relaxed atmosphere and the reception continued for a long time after the Royal Party had departed.
We congratulate the Reverend John Cowie, the Church Elders, Deacons and the congregation on the occasion of this very special anniversary.

photo by kind permission/courtesy of Rev John Cowie

RAFA Amsterdam Events - Agenda

All events take place at: De Drie Hoven, Louis Bouwmeesterstraat 377, Amsterdam (unless otherwise stated)

Stichting Royal Air Forces Association Nunspeet
K.v.K Amsterdam No 41198267 ABN AMRO Bank No 54 86 18 100
Postbank No 24 77 300

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