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WORLD NEWS Friday 13 September 2024
Dutch adopt U.S. war graves to harbor memories of the country’s

liberation 80 years ago

By MIKE CORDER say it enough to Ton and
Associated Press Maria that I really am
MARGRATEN, Netherlands grateful for their efforts to
(AP) — In the rolling hills of be able to remember my
the southern Netherlands, grandfather and then also
locals have vowed to nev- help other Dutch families to
er forget the American and remember the others that
other Allied soldiers who are here in the cemetery,”
gave their lives in the fight he told The Associated
to liberate towns and vil- Press as a cool fall wind
lages from the Nazi occu- blew through the rows of
pation in World War II. headstones.
Nowhere is the deep-root- “I am so grateful at a per-
ed gratitude of the post- sonal level ... because I
war generations more can’t care for my grandfa-
clear than in the 65.5 acres ther like they can,” he add-
of manicured lawns and ed, after they had placed
white marble headstones a fresh bouquet of flowers
of the Netherlands Ameri- in front of Taylor’s grave.
can Cemetery on a hill just He was visiting the cem-
outside the village of Mar- etery a day ahead of the
graten. concert to mark the 80th
The hallowed burial ground anniversary of American
is hosting a concert Thurs- forces from the 30th Infan-
day to mark the 80th an- Eighty years after the liberation of the south of the Netherlands, Scott Taylor, center, Ton Hermes try Division, known as Old
niversary of the start of the and Maria Kleijnen stand next to the grave of Scott’s grandfather Second Lt. Royce Taylor, a Hickory, crossing from near-
liberation of the Nether- bombardier with the 527 Bomb Squadron, at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten, by Belgium into the village
lands. southern Netherlands, on Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2024. of Mesch in what is remem-
Hundreds of people like Ton Associated Press bered as the start of the lib-
Hermes and Maria Kleijnen dier’s birthday, the day heavy bomber group, who He flew F-15E Strike Eagle eration of the Netherlands
have chosen to “adopt” they died, at Christmas, was killed at age 23 when jets over Iraq and Kosovo. from four years of brutal
one of the 8,288 Americans on Memorial Day or when- his B-17 plane was shot Taylor paid tribute to Maria Nazi occupation.
buried there. ever else they see fit. Some down on his third mission and to Ton, who chairs the While much of the south
It’s an act of gratitude and reach out to families of the over Germany a raid to foundation responsible for was quickly freed by Allied
remembrance that started dead in the U.S., forming Bremen on Dec. 20, 1943. the adoptions, and all the soldiers pushing eastwards
almost as soon as the war lasting transatlantic friend- Taylor’s grandson, Scott families who tend graves into Germany, the far more
ended and endures to this ships. Taylor, from Indianapolis, in the cemetery that is me- densely populated west of
day. Hermes and Kleijnen ad- calls his grandfather his ticulously maintained by the country, including ma-
People who adopt a grave opted 2nd Lt. Royce D. Tay- hero. He is also the inspira- the American Battle Monu- jor cities like Amsterdam
visit it regularly and leave lor, a bombardier with the tion behind Scott’s decision ments Commission. and Rotterdam had to wait
flowers on the fallen sol- 527 Bomb Squadron, 379 to serve in the U.S. Air Force. “I’m very grateful. I can’t months for liberation.q

Buckingham Palace guard’s distinctive bearskin caps under fire

by animal rights group

By BRIAN MELLEY from slaughtered wildlife the guard ceremony at the bear pelt, PETA said. cades to scrap the fur hats,
Associated Press and switch to faux fur to- palace. PETA, hich has been push- said each cap requires one
LONDON (AP) — An ani- day,” the group said in a They also appear at oth- ing for more than two de- bear pelt. q
mal rights group trying to statement. er royal events including
get real fur out of the bear- A luxury fake fur maker has the annual Trooping the
skin caps worn by King’s offered to supply the army Color ceremony honoring
Guards at Buckingham Pal- with free faux bear fur for the monarch’s birthday in
ace took aim Thursday at 10 years, PETA said. June.
the cost of the ceremonial The military said it was open The cost of the caps rose
garb. to exploring alternatives if from 1,560 pounds ($2,035)
The price of the caps they pass muster in durabil- each in 2022 to 2,040
soared 30% in a year to ity, water protection and pounds ($2,660) in 2023,
more than 2,000 pounds appearance. But “no al- the ministry said. More than
($2,600) apiece for the hats ternative has met all those 1 million pounds ($1.3 mil-
made of black bear fur, criteria to date,” a minis- lion) was spent on them in
the Ministry of Defense said try spokesperson said in a the past decade.
in response to a freedom statement. The price went up because
of information request by The distinctive tall black of a contract change for
People for the Ethical Treat- hats, worn by guards in fur that comes from bears
ment of Animals (PETA). bright scarlet tunics, are killed in licensed hunts in Soldiers from the Irish Guards march along the Mall as they take
“Stop wasting taxpayer seen by millions who watch Canada, the military said. part in the Trooping the Color ceremony, in London, Saturday,
June 15, 2024.
pounds on caps made the regular changing of Each cap requires one Associated Press