Mill Hill schoolchildren honour 254 Dutch war dead
Annual remembrance service held at Westminster Cemetery for servicemen buried in the borough.
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Schoolchildren placed orange carnations on the graves of 254 Dutch servicemen during a remembrance service at Westminster Cemetery in Mill Hill on Friday, September 18. The ceremony, held in the Dutch Garden of Remembrance, marked the sixth year of the event.
Organised remembrance
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Former councillor Sury Khatri organises the annual service, which is inspired by a Dutch tradition of children laying flowers on war graves. Representatives from the Commonwealth War Graves Commission spoke to the pupils about the servicemen buried in Mill Hill and the commission's work.
The service began at 2pm with members of Christ’s College Combined Cadet Force lowering the Dutch and British flags to half-mast. Henry, a pupil at Belmont Preparatory School, played The Last Post on the trumpet, followed by a period of silence, Reveille, and readings from the Book of Jeremiah by pupils from two schools.
Attendees and tributes
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Barnet Mayor Zarah Beg attended the ceremony and thanked the children for their participation. Also present were Lieutenant Colonel Sander Van Hees, air and space attaché at the Netherlands Embassy, and Lieutenant Colonel Stefan Klabbers, army attaché. Wreaths were laid by the Mayor, Lieutenant Colonel Klabbers, Martin Russell on behalf of the Lord Lieutenant, and Martin Crick for the Barnet War Memorials Association.
Martin Russell MBE DL offered a vote of thanks and expressed a hope for a commemorative plaque at the Garden of Rest. Members of the Barnet War Memorials Association, local councillors, and the public also attended.
Future services
The 2027 remembrance service is scheduled for Friday, September 17. The event will continue annually on the second Friday of September.
Questions this report answers
+How many Dutch servicemen were honoured at the Mill Hill service?
The service honoured 254 Dutch servicemen buried at Westminster Cemetery in Mill Hill. Schoolchildren placed orange carnations on their graves as part of the remembrance ceremony.
+Who organises the annual remembrance service in Mill Hill?
The annual remembrance service is organised by former councillor Sury Khatri. This year marked the sixth year of the event, which is inspired by a Dutch tradition.
+When will future remembrance services be held?
Future services will continue to be held annually on the second Friday of September. The date for the 2027 service has been set for Friday, September 17.
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