| Inhuldiging gedenksteen
/ Unveiling memorial stone - Langemark - 27/09/2008 Op vrijdag
26 september 2008 werden op de begraafplaats Cement
House te Langemark 3 onbekende Britse soldaten bijgezet waarvan één
van de Hampshire Regiment en één van de York & Lancaster Regiment.
De stoffelijke resten werden gevonden op het industrieterrein nabij Boezinge.
Nauwelijks enkele honderden meter verder werd op zaterdag 27 september
een gedenksteen onthuld door Harry Patch. Hij is de laatste Britse veteraan van
de Groote Oorlog die aan het westelijk fornt vocht. Harry Patch is maar liefst
110 jaar oud. Het werd een intieme plechtigheid, maar een unieke ervaring. Please
find below some photographs of the unveiling of the memoral stone by Harry Patch.
The unveiling took place at the Steenbeek at Langemark on Saturday, September
27th, 2008. Only one day before, 3
unknown British soldiers had been buried at Cement House Cemetery, only a
few hunderd meters further. The memorial stone to be unveiled at
the exact place where Harry Patch crossed the Steenbeek 91 years ago. 
Arrival of Harry Patch
and a picture with one of his biggest 'fans'. 
Greeting with Alain Wyffels,
Mayor of Langemark.  
Harry
Patch, the last Tommy, 110 years old. 
Address by Richard Van
Emden, Harry Patch's biographer. 
At the left, view at Langemark,
the place towards Harry Patch crossed the Steenbeek, on August 16th, 1917. 91
years ago, anno 2008. 
The bridge over the Steenbeek. 
Address by Peter Barton,
military historian.  
Address by a responsible
of the Duke of Cornwall's Light Infantry, the same unit of Harry Patch in 1917.
These soldiers came especially from Germany to attend the ceremony. 
Address by Burgemeester
Alain Wyffels, Mayor of Langemark. Followed by a message of thanks from Harry
Patch.  
'Thanks
you, thank you so much', said Harry. 
The Last Post 
The unveiling of the memorial
by Harry Patch. He took the initiative for erecting the stone and even paid for
it.  
Harry reads the text on
the stone and lays a wreath. 
Laying of other wreaths. 
The Reveille. Click
on the picture of the stone for a bigger picture. 
Giving a present to the
last Tommy.  
At the left Jan Matsaert
(webmaster greatwar.be) with Harry. At the right Antoon Verschoot and Benoit Mottrie
from the Last Post Association. 
Afterwards a reception
took place at the Hazebrug at Sint-Juliaan. 
At the right, Robert Missinne
(webmaster greatwar.be). 
Mayor Alain Wyffels presents
a book to Harry.   
Deze
rubriek staat open voor iedereen.
Ook jij kunt foto's doorsturen voor
de rubriek "Je was er bij". Ons adres: info@westhoek.be Everyone
can send pictures for the pages "You were there". Our address: info@westhoek.be | 
