Boris says:
Today in the Netherlands we visited three Canadian War Cemetary Memorial. The cemetery has the 1,394 graves of the mostly Canadian soldiers buried here. There are also 36 British soldiers, 1 Belgian and 2 Australian soldiers who died liberating the Dutch citizens of the area from German occupation at the end of WWII.
The graves of each soldier has their service eg Navy, Airforce or Army, rank, regiment or battalion, the age they were when they died. They also have a personalised message inscribed at the base of each grave stone. The headstones of the Jewish soldiers also have the Star of David as a mark of further respect.
Each family in the small town of Holten looks after the grave of a fallen soldier. Each year on May 5 they celebrate liberation and fill the area with daffodils an on New Years Eve they light the whole area with hundreds of candles.
On top of many graves you find small rocks that visitors have placed. It looks odd, but for the Jewish families and soldiers, they represent tears that have turned to stone. Also, they say that rocks last forever, but cut flowers wilt quickly. I think that is a beautiful sentiment.
Hello Sebastian,
ReplyDeleteAliza: Where are you going next?
Caitlyn: How many trains have you been on all together?
Kylah: Was there any paintings in the church?
Maddi: Have you see any double decker bus'?
Hudson: Have you found my ice-cream yet mate ;)?
Hank: Can you come back soon?
Miss Lewis: How is the weather at the moment?
Everyone:
We have been really busy in class, we have been learning about fairy tales. We made gingerbread men, they were absolutely delicious. Tomorrow is our fairy tale day we are all dressing up and are very excited.