Other Ceremonies

Already on 2 November 1946 a delegation from Knokke paid homage.


The Canadian Pipes Band livens up the ceremony on 2 November 1988.


The Canadian parade on 2 November 1989.


2 November 1990: the police force of Knokke pays homage around the Cross of Sacrifice while burgomaster count Leopold Lippens delivers a speech.


2 November 1993: consulting minister T. Lonergan, alderman D. Lannoy, Mr. Myrhaugen, military attache, burgomaster Jean Rotsart de Hertaing, alderman De Schepper and senator De Zutter enter the cemetery.

Knokke-Heist

It is still an annual tradition for the towns of Knokke and Heist (later Knokke-Heist) to come and pay homage to the fallen Canadians on All-Souls' Day because both towns were liberated by Canadian troops in 1944.  In 1950 they came in several hundred cars and in the pouring rain and that was impressive all by itself.  Numerous flower pieces were quietly placed at the foot of the cenotaph in the middle of the cemetery by the Brotherhood of the Secret Army, the political prisoners, members of the resistance, schools, football clubs etc.

In 1953 there was once again a whole lot of town councillors and other VIPs from Knokke with their burgomaster.  They came for their annual pilgrimage to Adegem.  They were accompanied by Steve Murry, an English sergeant-major who was the first soldier to arrive in Knokke in 1944.  He had come over from England specially for the commemoration.  Up to now the town council of Knokke-Heist has honored this annual pilgrimage and every year the people of Knokke relive 'their' liberation in Adegem.  Apart from that they also do a great deal in Knokke itself in honor of their Canadian liberators.  For instance there is the annual liberation march in which hundreds of people take part.

The Flemish War Veterans

Tribute on the part of the Associations of Flemish War Veterans.

The evening before the annual Yzer Pilgrimage end June 1980 the Flemish War Veterans' Associations (FWVA) of Maldegem, Moerkerke-Damme and Knokke-Heist came for the first time to the Canadian cemetery for a pilgrimage.  In a drizzle a wreath was laid at the central Cross of Sacrifice and those present were reminded of the "WAR NEVER AGAIN" slogan that decorates the Yzer tower in Diksmuide.  Now honorary burgomaster Albert De Kesel and alderman Mrs. Van Cleemput-De Smet assisted at the ceremony in the name of the town council.  The celebration would be organized annually on the evening before the Yzer Pilgrimage. 

And the FWVA kept their word: on Saturday 2 July 1983 no less than 6 of their member associations were present for the silent march to the cenotaph where a speech was delivered about the lack of peace in the world: Korea, Afghanistan, Ireland, Vietnam and a few dozen more countries were at war. "War is and remains senseless, it is always the smallest who suffer most from it and who are first sent into the firing line".

End August 1993 aldermen Boudewijn De Schepper and Noël Wille and town councillor Achiel Goethals welcomed the FWVA members.  An orator mentioned the Yzer testament still waiting for its execution and it was pointed out that as long as authority and political might go hand in hand there can be no durable peace.  Lieve Blondeel read several texts suitable for the occasion and a song by all present concluded the short but intimate ceremony.

The Netherlands 20 years after the liberation

May 1980 :  Minister of Veterans' Affairs, Daniel McDonald and the Canadian Ambassador L. Lamoureux step onto the cemetery preceded by the army chaplains Lt. Col. A. J. Fralick and captain J.I.P. Pelletier.


Salute by the Canadian Forces Band from Ottawa.

On the occasion of the twentieth anniversary of the liberation of the Netherlands in 1965 a special "Netherlands Liberation Committee" was formed in the province of Zealand.  And they took the initiative for a solemn commemoration in the Canadian cemetery on Tuesday 4 May 1965.  The burgomasters of all the towns of Zealand Flanders between Cadzand and the Braakman joined the committee.  Notary Public Mr. Mijs was the president and burgomaster M.G.M. van Berkel from Aardenburg was the secretary.

In the cemetery a detachment of Belgian, Canadian and Dutch troops formed the guard of honor while the band of the Dutch Engineering Corps played suitable music.  After the speeches, the flower tributes, the national anthems and the Last Post everyone was invited by the town council of Sluis.

The Ministry of Defense wanted more information about this ceremony and about the planned 'invasion', but burgomaster De Kesel replied reassuringly that this "ceremony was part of the celebrations of the 20th anniversary of the liberation of the entire Dutch territory and that on this day celebrations were organized everywhere in the Netherlands."

On the occasion of the 35th anniversary of the Netherlands in May 1980 the Dutch liberation was again remembered.  And this time in the presence of the Canadian Minister of Veterans' Affairs, Mr. Daniel J. McDonald, the Ambassador Mr. Lucien Lamoureux, the Belgian Minister of Defense José Desmarets and numerous other VIPs.  The guard of honor consisted of a detachment of the Canadian Army stationed in Germany while the Canadian Forces Central Band from Ottawa took care of the musical accompaniment.  The salute came from Royal Canadian Dragoons.

Torchlight procession for peace

On Friday 23 January 1970 the president of the Adegem Youth Council, Mr. Achiel Goethals, in collaboration with the youth councils of Maldegem, Moerkerke, St. Laureins, Eeklo, Kaprijke and Waarschoot took the initiative for an evening peace march to the Canadian cemetery.  This was a time when especially the young expressed their wish for peace in many often funny ways: demonstrations and protest marches for instance against nuclear weapons and against other inhuman apparatus of destruction.

In the Adegem town council and in other circles eyebrows were raised when they heard of this march.  The Ministry of Defense and even the Special Investigations Branch wanted to know all about the participants and the planned march and how and where it would go because they were worried about acts of vandalism.  The march was given the green light only after Achiel Goethals had signed a document taking the responsibility upon himself personally for all its consequences.  In the end the demonstration received support from the gendarmery as well as from the police.

From all over the Meetjesland singing youngsters marched to the cemetery to sponsor the cause of peace, to join in the worldwide movement and to pay homage in silence and simplicity to those who fell in the fights for liberation.  In the cemetery the Cross of Sacrifice was bathed in a strong red light and at the back near the open air chapel three young person dressed all in white stood with a giant white cross on which was written: "MORE LOVE ...  NO WAR".  Everyone took his place under a muffled drum roll and then the purpose of the gathering was explained in a couple of speeches that were listened to very attentively. An evocation of all those buried in the cemetery was followed by an appearance of the flag-wavers groups of the KLJ (Koninklijke Landelijke Jeugd - Royal Rural Youth) from Oostwinkel and Maldegem.

The march along the graves of those young people, more than 500 of them, on this dark rainy evening with their burning torches in respectful silence was full of atmosphere and left a deep impression.  Nothing out of tune caught the attention, everything went off exactly like the organizers had predicted.  Everything went very quiet when "Blowing in the Wind" and "We shall overcome" were struck up, songs that everyone hummed in unison.  Through the rain came the sounds of the Last Post from some dark corner followed by "Te Velde" (In the Field).  An Our Father was then sung and a trumpet solo concluded the remarkable manifestation.  In silence everyone walked to the D'Havé hall where a sing-in brought these young people closer together yet.

The comment in Vrij Maldgem (Free Maldegem) was: "Those who were present had to admit: it was beautiful, it was moving, it was dignified, it was encouraging.  Let's congratulate the leaders for such a great initiative, for organizing it for leading and for their daring, so much appreciated by the young".  It was one of the most meaningful commemorations ever organized in the cemetery. Without military men, without VIPs, but with all their heart and soul, the heart of those young people who yearn for peace and certainty.  What a pity this remained a once only event.

Jumelage

History repeats itself and former enemies became friends again.  This was actually demonstrated on the occasion of the Jumelage Feasts in Maldegem.  In 1978 there was this remarkable sight to behold of the burgomasters of the four twinning towns (and therefor also of the German Lampertheim) who stood side by side like brothers in front of the Cross of Sacrifice to lay a wreath.

During his visit to Maldegem in 1986 burgomaster Dieter of Lampertheim insisted on personally laying a wreath in the cemetery.  "It is our duty to honor the numerous dead.  It was a dark period in our history, a period that very many Germans want to have nothing to do with.  What then happened, is terrrible and irreparable, but the current generation cannot change anything of it..." the German burgomaster said.

And that concluded another historical cycle and thus the umpteenth dramatic period of suffering for the population was closed.

In 1984 Eeklo also remembered her liberation, together with a delegation of the Lincoln and Welland Association. Burgomaster Alfons Coppieters and the Canadian veterans paid homage on 18 September 1984 in the presence of quite a crowd.