25,000th Last Post

A while back, leading up to June 6th, someone here wanted to know if Europe still remembered D-Day because there are no easily visible large cermonies. I recall (sorry, Google comes up blank on this one) reponding that most localities here tend to remember events on a closer to home level (D-Day preceeding the end of the war by more than a year in some areas,) but I didn't give any examples at the time. I think what happened earlier today gives a good picture of what I meant then.

Earlier today, the Last Post was played for the 25,000th time since the end of WW I at the Menin Gate Memorial in Ypres. The Gate holds the names of 55,000 fallen Commonwealth soldiers with no known grave. Every evening, the ceremony is dedicated to one particular soldier. (And 47,000 more MIA's are listed on cemetaries in the neighborhood.)

Today also saw the interment of Pvt Wilkinson, Lancashire Fusiliers, whose remains were discovered in a farmer's field. Finding human remains in fields is, sadly, still a common occurence over here in Flanders, but identification is very rare.

So, we do remember, sometimes daily, it just isn't plastered all over the media. Probably just as well...

Perhaps not specifically re D-Day but cumulative.

As I posted sometime back - on a trip from Geneve to Paris, I turned into a small road with a tiny but provocative sign, saw a huge cemetery, grass very well tended. A stone structure (Ionic? columns) perhaps for services at one time, in equally fine repair. Believe these were WW-I.

Later heard that these were all over, and equally well cared-for; surely a sign of ongoing respect. I think that most Americans, touring - might not be aware of these cemeteries. As I said - it was a small sign on an unimpressive side-road off the main route E/W. I may have noted it on a decent map, can't remember..

Possibly worth revisiting today by many on the Continent, given the prospects these days (?)

Cheers,

Ashton

Welcome to IWETHEY!