FEBRUARY 2021 / NR 234 PUBLISHED EVERY THREE MONTHS The Unknown Warrior One hundred years ago, the Un- orge Kendall entered the chapel. They had no As the HMS Verdun approached Dover, it was known Warrior was buried, alongside knowledge of where the bodies had come from given a 19-gun Field Marshal’s salute. Kings and Queens and other promi- and Brigadier Wyatt had the task to choose one On the 10th November, at Dover Western nent persons, at Westminster Abbey. of the coffins - he pointed to one and the other Docks, the casket was transferred to the railway What is the Unknown Warrior’s coffins were taken away for reburial. carriage which had been used the previous story and how and why was his body On Tuesday 9th November 1920 the coffin year to carry the body of Nurse Edith Cavell, chosen? containing the unknown soldier’s body was who had been executed by the Germans. It was the idea of an army chaplain who, taken under guard to Boulogne Castle where The train went to Victoria Station and after seeing graves with the inscription ‘An French soldiers stood in vigil overnight. The remained there overnight as soldiers of the Unknown British Soldier’ wrote to the Dean next day the coffin was placed in an oak casket. Grenadier Guards stood in vigil. The following of Westminster proposing that an unidentified On top of the casket was a crusader’s sword, morning, 11th November, it was placed on a British soldier should be buried a gift from King George gun-carriage from N. Battery RHA, drawn by six in the Abbey. His idea gained V, taken from the Royal black horses. the support of British Prime Collection at the Tower of On top of the casket was a webbing belt, Minister David Lloyd George. London. It was affixed to a bayonet and a steel helmet. The escort was In WorldWar I just under a metal shield plate bea- formed by Field Marshal Lord Haig, Field Mars- 750,000 British men were ring the words: ‘A British hal French, Admiral of the Fleet Earl Beatty and killed, many of whom were warrior who fell in the other high-ranking officers. unidentified. The majority were great War 1914--1918 As the cortege moved off, another Field buried in cemeteries in Belgi- for King and Country’. Marshal’s salute was fired in Hyde Park. The um and France. It was later decided that at four The casket was placed on a French army journey went through the streets of London, cemeteries, suitable remains of an unknown wagon, drawn by six black horses and escorted Continuation on page 3 soldier were to be exhumed, and secretly taken by French soldiers to the harbour at Boulogne, REGULAR ITEMS to a chapel at a British army base at St-Pol-sur- where it was carried on to HMS Verdun. It was Announcements Page 3 Tortoise near Arras, where the remains were piped aboard with an Admiral’s call. Chairman’s Chat Page 4 placed in four coffins covered with the Union On the quayside, Marshal Foch saluted. Looking Back Page 6 Flag. There, Brigadier Louis and Colonel E A S HMS Verdun sailed out of Boulogne and was Coming Events Page 6 Gel, who was from the Directorate of Graves escorted across the Channel by French and Ro- Club Limburg News Page 7 Registration, accompanied by the Reverend Ge- yal Navy ships with their ensigns at half-mast. 1 RAFA AMSTERDAM BRANCH THE BULLETIN FEBRUARY 2021 IMPORTANT DATES FOR YOUR DIARY 2021 28 March 14.00 hrs AGM (TBC whether virtual or otherwise) 04 May Remembrance Ceremonies (If Covid restrictions are lifted) 10.00 hrs De Nieuwe Oosterbegraafplaats, Amsterdam 17.45 hrs Blenheim Grave, Zuidoost Beemster 20.00 hrs Various locations across the country AMSTERDAM BRANCH 1077 Welfare If you know a member who is ill or in need of the that we may be able to offer, please inform the Honorary Welfare Officer John Bright, or any other committee member. Membership Please let the Membership Secretary or any Committee member know whenever address changes take place or if you are aware that a member has died. We don’t mind how many times we are told because it prevents the extremely embarrassing and hurtful situation for others when mail is still addressed to someone who has passed away. Internet Please help us cut down on costs by allowing us to add your e-mail address to our distribution list. Members on e-mail have the added benefit of receiving the bulletin early and in colour. 2 RAFA AMSTERDAM BRANCH THE BULLETIN JUNE 2020 Text from page 1 continued lined with thousands, to the Cenotaph, which was symboli- cally unveiled by King George V. at 11 am. After two minutes si- lence The King placed a wreath of red roses on the casket, and together with members of the Royal Family and various State- men, he followed the Cortege to Westminster Abbey. There the casket was taken into the Abbey, passing along a guard of honour formed by recipients of the Victoria Cross and other bravery awards. Guests of Honour, seated in the nave, included bereaved mothers and wives who had lost more than one member of their family. The coffin was placed over the open grave and the helmet, webbing, bayonet and Union The Stone is engraved, with brass from melted down ammunition flag, which still hangs in the Abbey, were remo- Armed forces servicemen stood guard as Thus, are commemorated the Many ved from the casket. As it was lowered into the mourners filed slowly past; 40,000 by the end Multitudes who during the Great War of grave the King scattered earth from one of the of the day. Instead of closing to the public on 1914 – 1918 gave the most that man can battlefields on to it. 11th November, the public were permitted to give, life itself, for God, King and Country, pass for another three days. On 18th Novem- for loved ones, home and Empire, for the ber the grave was finally filled with earth that had been brought over from the battle fields, Freedom of the World. They Buried him and was covered by a temporary Stone. among Kings because he had done good In 1921 the tomb was permanently closed toward God and toward his house. with a Black Belgian Marble Stone (the only tomb in the Abbey on which it is forbidden to walk). On the Stone is engraved, with brass from melted down ammunition the following text: Beneath this Stone rests the body of a British Warrior unknown by name or rank. Brought from France to lie among the most illus- trious of the land and buried here on Armistice Day 11th November 1920, in the presence of His Ma- jesty King George V, His Ministers of State, The Chiefs of His Forces and a vast There are also four quotations from the concourse of the Nation. New Testament on the top, sides and bottom. Addendum On 7th October 1921, the United States of America gave their highest bravery award (The Medal of Honour) to the Unknown Warrior, which hangs on a pillar next to the tomb. And on 11th November 1921, Great Britain recipro- cally awarded the Victoria Cross to the American Unknown Soldier. When Prince Albert, who later became King George VI, married Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon in 1926, she placed her bouquet on the tomb. Since then, all Royal brides married at the Abbey now have their bouquets laid on the tomb the day after their wedding. When Queen Elizabeth the Queen Mother died in 2002, it was her wish for her wreath to be placed on the tomb. Queen Elizabeth II did so the day after her mother’s funeral. On Wednesday 10th November 1920 the French chose their unknown soldier in a manner similar to that of the British, and on 11th November 1920 he was laid to rest under the Arc de Triomphe in Paris. 3 RAFA AMSTERDAM BRANCH THE BULLETIN FEBRUARY 2021 The Royal Air Forces Association Announcements The Chairman’s Chat This will be the 91st and last time I shall be writing this column because I shall not seek re-election and will be standing down as Branch Chairman at the next Annual General Meeting (AGM). I wrote my first Chat in June 1997, shortly after being elected. Much has taken place over the 23 years that I have been writing these pieces, and it seems ironical that, Members will remember the because of COVID-19 there is in this bulletin almost nothing to report or comment donation made to the Royal Air Force Benevolent Fund. on, simply because there have been no Branch activities since the AGM in March The money has been used to refurbish cottages at Rustington 2020. The committee has not been able to meet since then but has, I am pleased to and a plaque has been placed say, maintained contact by email and/or telephone. I have personally taken part in one of the cottages to commemorate our donation. in a couple of virtual meetings of the European Area Council, of which I am a Vice- President, but I didn’t like them. However, I believe this will be the way much of the Association’s business will take place in the future, but it remains my opinion that it will never be as good as meeting personally. A few months ago, when John and I decided to stand down from our respective Amsterdam Branch offices, the future of the branch looked quite bleak as, at that time, we thought there would be no one who would take over the functions we were relinquishing.