Page 39 - QARANC Vol 14 No 13 2016

That evening in the basilica in Albert some of us attended a concert by the Treorchy Male Voice Choir, who sang welsh hymns and songs. A fitting end to an emotive day.
Over the next two days we attended three extraordinary services of remembrance, organised by the WFA. The services took place at Flat Iron Copse, Dantzig Alley and Heilly Station. Upon entering the cemetery, we were given the name of a soldier of the 38th (Welsh) Division who was buried in the cemetery together with a specially made poppy and Welsh flag, which we placed at the appropriate headstone. Then taking up a position behind the headstone the service of remembrance commenced. The standards were paraded and the band of the RWR played and wreathes were laid. It was such a privilege to be part of these commemorations and remembrance.
We returned to the Welsh Dragon Monument. Whilst looking at the terrain Col David Vassallo gave an interesting and informative overview of the medical stretcher-bearers’ difficulties associated with reaching the casualties. We returned later to the village of Mametz and attended 3 lectures that had been organised. David Penman gave a fascinating talk on the 130th (St John) Field Ambulance & evacuation of casualties from Mametz Wood and David Peterson gave a talk on how his sculpture came into being. Following the lectures, we were once again invited to share food and drinks with the villagers. On our way back to Arras we had a sing along with Bryn, which included hymns, WW1 songs & Land of Hope & Glory.
Whilst standing at the end of Dantzig Alley cemetery looking out towards Mametz Wood David read a poem about the work of the RAMC. This put the words into a visual picture. Next stop was Thiepval Memorial for a British Legion Service of Remembrance, which was very moving with the band and the Treorchy Male Voice Choir.
Then onto Heilly Station cemetery; this was our last Service of Remembrance with the WFA and so we bade goodbye to people we had shared such privileged and poignant
experiences with over the last three days.
Our final visit was to the Wellington Tunnels in Arras,
which held an underground city, hiding supplies and an estimated 24,000 Allied soldiers. As part of the experience we had to wear tommy helmets for protection. These caused great hilarity at the beginning of the visit but helped put the experience into perspective.
On our last evening we assembled for drinks and dinner in the hotel. The evening was full of laughter and shared reminiscences regarding the journey thus far. A wonderful way to spend our last evening together.
The last day of the tour was a visit to Etaples cemetery where we visited various graves of nurses and VADs including Matron E.M. Dawson Q.A IMP MIL. Nursing SCE. A Service of Remembrance was held amongst the graves and poppy petals were scattered on the nurses’ graves.
Then on to the cemetery at Wimeraux where we visited nurses’ graves and John McCrea’s grave and read out In Flanders Field together with the Response written by Miss Moina Michael in 1918.
All too soon it was time to return to the coach for our onward trip back to the UK.
The last few days have been a rollercoaster of emotions, remembrance and commemoration.
We have been privileged to be part of a very special and unique experience that will last in our memories for time to come.
Our thanks go to David Vassallo for all of his informative talks as we visited various sites regarding medical evacuation treatment. These brought a different dimension to the tour. We would like to thank Father O’Shea for leading most of the services, Marilyn Williams & Rosy Hubbard for their tenacity in ensuring the tour took place, Valmai for producing all the readings and songs, Ray Wilkinson our brilliant guide and our fellow travellers from the Millbank Branch and friends for making the tour so special.
Vamai Davies Lt Col (Retd)
THE GAZETTE QARANC 37
72nd Anniversary - Bayeux
Cemetery, Normandy
On 6 Jun each year the Allied Landings in Normandy in 1944 are commemorated in various sites across England such as the National Memorial Arboretum, and Portsmouth from where the British and Allied troops set sail. But nowhere is it more commemorated than in Normandy itself. The main cemetery is in Bayeux, where each year the veterans gather to commemorate and remember their fallen comrades.
This year was the 72nd Anniversary and I was attending the service in Bayeux Cemetery in my capacity as a Trustee of the Spirit of Normandy Trust. I was delighted to meet a group of young QARANC personnel who were obviously moved by the occasion and were enjoying meeting the veterans. It was an added pleasure to meet up again with Mrs Vera Hay QAIMNS who landed in Normandy in June 1944, and makes the visit to the Service in the cemetery each year with her daughter.
The veterans are getting older and most are 92+ but their spirit is very much alive, and there is a positive movement to ensure that the 75th Anniversary in 2019 is properly commemorated. and that as many veterans as possible are given the opportunity to attend. And without a doubt, Vera will do her best to be there!
Mrs Vera Hay and Maj (Retd) Diana Wilson, Bayeux Cemetery 2016