109. Europe Bicycle Trip--Holten Canadian War Cemetery and Thank You Ton and Liesbeth

Thank You

Today is Day 39, Sunday, May 25th. Ton and Liesbeth suggested to me over breakfast, that they could take me to the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten which was not far by car. I accepted their generous offer. On the way, we did a little tour of the nearest town to their home which is Dijkerhoek. We arrived early at the cemetery and the information center was closed so we proceeded to the graves. This land has been declared Canadian soil and was chosen for the graves by a Canadian general.

There are 1394 graves here and 1355 of them are for Canadians.

There are a few interesting graves. The soldiers also stayed to help with cleanup after the war. One couple was married in the morning and were in a car accident the same afternoon and are buried here.

THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE

It was very solemn to think of all those young lives that were given to liberate the Netherlands. So may died on certain dates as the armies advanced.

Some of the graves had flags and papers in plastic.

Each paper tells a separate story of a young soldier's life.

Liesbeth told me that every on May 5th, helicopters fly over and drop flower petals over the cemetery.

There are also some Jewish graves and the little stones on the top are placed there instead of flowers.

Just as we were leaving the information center opened a little earlier than the scheduled time and we decided to stop and go in.

We first watched an informative video which brought one to tears. There were other accounts about some of the graves. For example two soldiers became very close buddies during the war. One of them died right near the end of the war. When the second one died many years later, his great desire in his will was to be buried right with his buddy and as an exception, that desire was granted.

This wall depicted the time line and places of Canadian and allied forces advances of liberation.

Holland big again, Holland blooms again

Holland shall rise again.

Liesbeth listening to more information.

These are all separate drawings by schoolchildren. Every Christmas Eve, the school children come with lighted candles and 4 Swiss horns are sounded at the corners of the cemetery.  "We are from after the war, let that so stay."

War medals

Thank you Ton and Liesbeth for bringing me here to remember. It is possible that I would not have been born if the Netherlands had not been liberated.