Schoolchildren placed orange carnations on the graves of Dutch war dead during a remembrance ceremony at the Dutch Garden of Remembrance in Westminster Cemetery, Mill Hill, on Friday, September 18. The event honoured 254 Dutch servicemen buried at the site and marked the sixth year of the tradition.
Ceremony details and participants
The service began at 2pm with two 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 trumpet, followed by a short silence and the Reveille.
Reverend Josh Kane of Mill Hill East Free Church led the service. Attendees included Lieutenant Colonel Sander Van Hees, air and space attaché at the Netherlands Embassy, and Lieutenant Colonel Stefan Klabbers, army attaché. Barnet Mayor Zarah Beg thanked the children for their participation and encouraged them to continue learning about remembrance.
Organisation and tradition
The event is organised by former councillor Sury Khatri and draws inspiration from the Dutch tradition of children laying flowers on the graves of British and Commonwealth soldiers in the Netherlands. Representatives of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission spoke to the children about why Dutch servicemen are buried in Mill Hill and how the Commission cares for these graves globally.
As part of the ceremony, each child placed an orange carnation on a grave. Pupils from two schools delivered short readings from the Book of Jeremiah. 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.
Future services and community involvement
A vote of thanks was offered by Martin Russell MBE DL, who expressed hope that a plaque might one day be placed at the entrance to the Garden of Rest, similar to one in Oosterbeek, commemorating the children who lay flowers. Members of the Barnet War Memorials Association, local councillors, and many members of the public were present.
The 2027 service will take place on Friday, September 17, and will continue to be held on the second Friday of September each year.
