November 18, 2019. On October 12, 2019, the day of the unveiling of the memorial panel in The Netherlands to honour the crew of Halifax L9561 finally arrived, with a series of events organized by the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, a non-profit volunteer organization based in the province of Friesland. In the last posting about the events, we had a brief introduction to the crew members of Halifax L9561 at Het Hannemahuis Museum in Harlingen (See On The War Memorial Trail…..The Halifax L9561 Crew).
When we walked out of the Het Hannemahuis Museum in Harlingen, the dry but cloudy skies we had at the Harlingen General Cemetery had changed to rain. Out came the umbrellas as we made the long walk to the bus for the trip to Wons. We were keeping our fingers crossed that this was just a shower, but it wasn’t to be. Instead it rained even harder, meaning the memorial panel was to be unveiled in the rain. It didn’t dampen anyone’s spirits though.
Waiting for the unveiling of the memorial plaque in Wons. You can see the flags of the United Kingdom, The Netherlands, and Canada flying. (Photo credit: Sikko Drijver)
The memorial panel was hidden from view by the flag of Wons when we first arrived. (Photo credit: Sikko Drijver)
The memorial panel is located along a bicycle path and overlooking a field on the Politiek farm where Halifax L9561 came down. In addition to our Canadian and British group and volunteers from the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation, we were joined by dignitaries and citizens from the village of Wons and nearby communities.
One of the dignitaries was Colonel Timothy Young, Canadian Defence Attaché to The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, based at the Canadian Embassy in The Hague, who attended the day’s events with his wife Michelle.
Three proud Canadians… Pieter Valkenburg, Colonel Timothy Young, Elmer MacDonald. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
Finally the moment to unveil the memorial panel arrived, and the unveilers represented organizations that had provided funding towards the memorial panel. The unveilers were:
- Knilles Elgersma, on behalf of Dorpsbelang Wons
- Maarten Offinga, on behalf of the municipality of Súdwest Fryslân (Southwest Friesland)
- Pieter Valkenburg, on behalf of the Tryon & Area Historical Society
- Hans Groeneweg, on behalf of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation
Unveiling of the memorial panel. Left to right: Maarten Offinga, Knilles Elgersma, Hans Groeneweg, Pieter Valkenburg. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
The memorial panel was highly anticipated and didn’t disappoint. The title was a quote from Halifax L9561 Co-Pilot Norman Frank Trayler “He died that we might live”. The story of Flight Halifax L9561 on October 12, 1941 was briefly told, from when it left Middleton St. George airbase, how it was attacked by a German nightfighter, the burial of Elmer Muttart in Harlingen General Cemetery on October 16, 1941, the fate of the rest of the crew in POW camps in Germany, and ends with the unveiling of the memorial panel in Wons on October 12, 2019. At the bottom of the panel are photos of each crew member.
The memorial panel in Wons, overlooking the field on the Politiek farm where Halifax L9561 came down. The title translates to “He died that we might live…”, a quote from co-pilot Norman Frank Trayler. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
The memorial panel unveiled, the remembrance ceremony began, with the playing of the Last Post by Sgt Major Piet Bergsma of the Dutch Air Force, followed by a minute of silence and then the playing of the Reveille. Next came the laying of wreaths by:
- Maarten Offinga, on behalf of the municipality of Súdwest Fryslân (Southwest Friesland).
- Cor Politiek, grandson of eyewitness to the crash Cor Politiek, on behalf of Dorpsbelang Wons.
- Colonel Timothy Young, Canadian Defence Attaché to The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg, on behalf of the Government of Canada. He was accompanied by Elmer MacDonald.
- Shane Aldridge, grandson of Halifax L9561 crew member David Cotsell, on behalf of the Embassy of Great Britain.
- Fred Jackson, on behalf of the Middleton Saint George Memorial Association.
- Douwe Drijver and Alexander Tuinhout, on behalf of the Stichting Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation.
Wreath laid by Colonel Timothy Young, Canadian Defence Attaché to The Netherlands, Belgium, and Luxembourg. (Photo credit: François Breugelmans)
Colonel Timothy Young, left, who laid the wreath on behalf of the Government of Canada. On the right, Shane Aldridge, grandson of David Cotsell, laid a wreath on behalf of the Embassy of Great Britain. (Photo credit: Sikko Drijver)
Some of the wreaths and flags laid by the memorial panel in Wons. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
Card with the wreath placed by the Middleton Saint George Memorial Association. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
After the official ceremony was finished, family members were invited to get a closer look at the memorial panel.
Pam Alexander, daughter of Halifax L9561 Navigator Reg Alexander, at the memorial panel. (Photo credit: François Breugelmans)
The Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation volunteers are commended for the wonderful job they did in designing the memorial panel.
Members of the Missing Airmen Memorial Foundation by the memorial panel in Wons. Left to right: Hans Groeneweg, Douwe Drijver, Alexander Tuinhout, Sietse Kuiper. (Photo credit: Sikko Drijver)
A remembrance project that has come full circle for Pieter with the permanent recognition given to the crew of Halifax L9561. (Photo credit: Daria Valkenburg)
Once everyone had a chance to see the memorial panel, we were invited to the community hall in Wons for a small reception. Back on the bus we went!
Thank you to François Breugelmans and Sikko Drijver for sharing their photos. If you have stories or photos to share about the crew or the events of October 12, 2019, please contact Pieter at dariadv@yahoo.ca or comment on the blog.
© Daria Valkenburg
Like this:
Like Loading...
On The War Memorial Trail Research Project........ with Pieter and Daria Valkenburg 