FFFAIF member Johan Durnez shares his account of Remembrance Day commemorations in Belgium.
Members of the Leggett Family had travelled from Australia to join Johan and other locals from Geluwe on the 90th Anniversary of the signing of the Armistice to pay tribute to William Leggett, who was amongst the first of more than fifteen thousand Australians who died in the battles of Ypres. (For details on Corporal of Horse, W. T. Leggett see RECENT NEWS item: 1st Aussie Casualty on Western Front .
Johan describes the commemorations:
William Leggett died in Geluwe and he is buried now in the Harlebeke New British Cemetery in Harelbeke (about 30 kilometers east of Geluwe), so we decided to have two commemorations: one in Geluwe at the Leggett Memorial on Monday 10 November and one in Harelbeke on Remembrance Day.
The weather was kind to us as it stopped raining for the time of the commemoration ! But it was cloudy, windy and cold (what you can expect for November, of course !) The commemoration happened at the William Leggett memorial at the church of Geluwe and was followed by a function at the old town hall.
We were welcomed by a girl who played a tune on the Flemish bagpipe………..
As you can see on the photos below, we did not only have the Leggett family as our Australian guests, but also Bill Hourigan.
Grace Leggett read a text in which she mentioned the both memorials (the one in Geluwe and the one in Goulburn.)
More photos of the service can be seen on the Belgium website The great war in Flanders Fields – A war and peace experience . To view a great collection of photos of this service and the function hosted in the town hall afterwards click here. While at the reception a moving tribute was paid to the Leggett family by a World War II veteran. The photos of this presentation appear at the end of the collection of those shown on the website above.
Johan takes up the story:
Finally, the Leggett family was given a special souvenir by an old local. The man who offered it is the last surviving of the local Armed Resistance (Secret Army, you can say) who fought in World War II against the German occupiers. The man had never heard of quarantine rules in Australia, had never heard of the strict rules on taking ammunition on board of an aeroplane, but what he offered came from the bottom of his heart and his tears were not faked at all. It was his way to show his great appreciation for what people from the other side of the globe had done. Not only in 1914-1918, but also in 1939-1945 : they came over to fight here for our freedom. They fought on his side against occupation and oppression…
He offered Tim and his family authentic World War I shrapnel cases and authentic rounds. Tim realised that taking these souvenirs home is not possible, but what he and his family will take home is the memory meeting a humble local who understands very well what it is to risk his own life for the freedom and who has great admiration for those who came from far away and paid the supreme sacrifice for that…
The Belgium website The great war in Flanders Fields – A war and peace experience hosts a vast array of photos of events around Flanders including:
Fields of Poppies at Menin Gate on Remembrance Day
Re-dedication of Private Storey’s headstone – Zonnebeke – 30/09/2008
Poppy Parade at Ieper
The story continues in 11/11 in Belgium: Pt 2
*****