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Remembrance Day Competition - First Wreath Presented
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Post Remembrance Day Competition - First Wreath Presented 
We are very pleased to report that our first Remembrance Day Competition winner, Mike Barton, has received his 'prize'.

You will recall that there were three winners, each of whom was invited to nominate a Memorial where he or she would like us to place a wreath.

Mike's family had always thought that their relative, Hugh Gilmour, had been killed in action during the Arnhem operations and asked for a wreath to be placed on the Memorial to the Unknown Warrior. But we thought we would try to trace Hugh Gilmour ... and we are delighted to report that we were successful.

We also said we would take photographs when the wreath was placed at the chosen memorial- Hugh Gilmour's newly traced grave in Overloon War Cemetry, Holland

It took members of the Fight4thePJM Team, and their relatives, in four countries on three continents, from Europe (the UK and Holland), Canada, and Australia to make all this possible.

This outcome was not only uplifting, it was an honour.

To see the still images, click here: http://www.fight4thepjm.org/images/Hugh_Gilmour

We are indebted to Mr and Mrs de Waard who placed the wreath for us and took these stunning images.

Mr and Mrs de Waard also filmed a short clip of Mr de Waard saying a few words beside Hugh Gilmour's grave:

The links are here (same film, different formats). Ensure your Windows Media Player or Realplayer are set up for these file types. Launch the player and look under Tools/Options/File Types and ensure the player will recognise e.g. wmv types. You can also view in larger or full screen. You can download the video by right-clicking the link and then click "Save Target As ...".

http://www.fight4thepjm.org/images/Hugh_Gilmour_Video/Overloon.wmv (5.4MB) (Good for Windows Media Player)

or

http://www.fight4thepjm.org/images/Hugh_Gilmour_Video/Overloon.mp4 (5.8MB)


And so the result of our Competition was that a soldier killed 62 years ago has been re-united with his family. What greater 'prize' could there be?

What more evocative act of 'Remembrance'.

The Fight4thePJM Team




Last edited by BarryF on Fri Sep 21, 2007 4:12 pm; edited 2 times in total

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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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Post Video settings 
In Windows Media Player, click on Tools/Options .../File Types and ensure at least Windows Media Video file (wmv) is ticked - also Windows Video file (avi)

In RealPlayer, click on Tools/Preferences .../Content, Media Types/Manually configure media types for RealPlayer, Select ... and make sure the file types are ticked (including mp4).


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BarryF, who fought for the Right to Wear the Pingat Jasa Malaysia
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Post From a message from Mr and Mrs de Waard 
On their return from Overloon War Cemetery, Mr and Mrs de Waard sent this message to their relative, John Feltham, in Australia:

"Today we went to Overloon; the weather was fine: sunny, 11 degrees Celsius and no wind.

It was easy to find the cemetery, grave and register.

The cemetery is in a beautiful green area, surrounded by many trees.

We placed the wreath with great gratitude, wrote in the visitors book as requested and made some sharp pictures of it.

It was a very peaceful place and well kept.

The family can be sure, that their relative lies in peace in a very beautiful cemetery.

We also felt the importance of the occasion.

As two free Dutch we thanked Hugh for our liberation with the greatest respect and gratitude.

We were glad that we had the opportunity to do so."

Mr and Mrs de Waard


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Post The de Waards comment... 
Mike Barton expressed, by email, his gratitude to the de Waards for their generous actions in visiting Overloon Cemetery and laying Mike's wreath at the grave of his uncle Hugh Gilmour.

Following that, Mike received the following response from Holland.....posted here with Mike's permission:

Dear Mr and Mrs Barton.

Thank you for your kind email of the 20th. We read the background and
history of Hugh Gilmour with much interest. This brave soldier became much
more clear and "alive" for both of us.
We are still very surprised by and grateful for the wave of reactions and
emotions we read from you, friends and the researchers. Our little action
was an easy and minor part and we did it with great gratitude and
satisfaction.
Moreover you will understand, that we have our own motivation and goal,
visiting the grave of a British soldier. For the first time since the war we
were able and asked to visit the resting place of a soldier with a name and
background.
We as Dutch thanked and honoured Hugh Gilmour as one of our liberators,
for whom no price was too high for our freedom. We felt a bit late of
course. 63 years after Hugh came to our country.
With kindest greetings, Louise and Siem de Waard.


As Mike comments......'Wonderful people'....I think you will agree.


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...................'Jock'
Paroi...Rasah...Batu Signals Troop.
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Post Re: The de Waards comment... 
[quote="'Jock' Fenton"]Mike Barton expressed, by email, his gratitude to the de Waards for their generous actions in visiting Overloon Cemetery and laying Mike's wreath at the grave of his uncle Hugh Gilmour.

Following that, Mike received the following response from Holland.....posted here with Mike's permission:

[b]Dear Mr and Mrs Barton.

Thank you for your kind email of the 20th. We read the background and
history of Hugh Gilmour with much interest. This brave soldier became much
more clear and "alive" for both of us.
We are still very surprised by and grateful for the wave of reactions and
emotions we read from you, friends and the researchers. Our little action
was an easy and minor part and we did it with great gratitude and
satisfaction.
Moreover you will understand, that we have our own motivation and goal,
visiting the grave of a British soldier. For the first time since the war we
were able and asked to visit the resting place of a soldier with a name and
background.
We as Dutch thanked and honoured Hugh Gilmour as one of our liberators,
for whom no price was too high for our freedom. We felt a bit late of
course. 63 years after Hugh came to our country.
With kindest greetings, Louise and Siem de Waard.[/b]

As Mike comments......'Wonderful people'....I think you will agree.[/quote]
YOU CAN'T SAY BETTER THAN THAT,SUCH PLAIN OLD FASHIONED GRATITUDE AND MANNERS,ITS WHY WE ALL SERVED,JUST A PITY IN THE CONTRAST BETWEEN ORDINARY PEOPLE, OUR OWN GOVERNMENT,AND EVEN THE VETERANS AGENCY WHICH HAS BEEN CRITICAL OF ITS REASON FOR BEING,YEP ITS OWN VETERANS,GONG CHASING OLD DUFFERS WITH TOO MUCH TIME ON THEIR HANDS,WHO BELIEVE WHATS IN THE MEDIA.WELL BLIMEY O'REILLY THE TRUTH IS ACTUALLY FAR MORE PAINFUL.

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Post Our "Thank You" to Mr and Mrs de Waard 
Here is our "Thank you" to Mr and Mrs de Waard.

As we say in our letter ... words are not sufficient to express how we feel about that act of Remembrance.





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