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Tank memorial Ypres Salient Annual remembrance day - Ieper - 22/06/2013
The Tank Memorial Ypres Salient (TMYS) Annual Remembrance Day took place on the 22nd June 2013. The Tank Memorial is located in Poelkapelle and commemorates 243 tank crewmen who fell or died of wounds received within the Ypres Salient during the Great War and who rest in peace or are commemorated in Belgium. It also commemorates a single WW2 Royal Tank Regiment tank crewman buried nearby.
Guests of honour included the Friends´ Honorary Vice President Lt (Ret) Eric Smallwood RTR and his wife Audrey: Lt Smallwood commanded a troop of 8 British tanks, which were involved in the liberation of Hamburg on the 4th May 1945.
We were also honoured by the presence of the Robertson family, descendants of Capt Robertson VC, the first recipient of the Victoria Cross awarded to the Tank Corps in 1917.
The day began with the poignant Remembrance Ceremony at St George’ s Memorial Church in Ypres, courtesy of Father Brian Llewellyn and the Church Council.
In the afternoon, a tank Action Tour was organised and guided by the founder of the Tank Memorial Mr Chris Lock, Honorary Chairman of the (Friends of) the Tank Memorial. It was organised around the gallant actions of Capt Robertson and his aid Pte Allen, who from Sept 30th - Oct 4th 1917 guided 4 tanks into battle through the quagmire of the battlefield near the village of Reutel.
Capt Robertson was mortally wounded and died in the arms of Pte Allen alongside a location that is today known as Robertson’ s Bridge. Pte Allen DCM would fall at the Battle of Cambrai not even 6 weeks later.
The Tank Action tour continued at the Oxford House CWGC Cemetery, where hommage was paid to these two gallant men and the original Victoria Cross of Capt Robertson was placed on the headstone of his grave.
The TMYS Remembrance Day was concluded at the Last Post Ceremony under the Menin Gate Memorial to Missing in Ypres, where the Robertson family and the TMYS delegation placed wreaths in the remembrance of the fallen.
Lest we forget!
Report and photos Milena Kolarikova
St George sMemorial Church, Ypres, Robertson family and in 2nd row British Torch of Remembrance, Belgian Branch
Mr Smallwood and Mr Lock Hon Chairman of the Tank Memorial after placing a wreath
Family of Capt Robertson VC
Garden of Remembrance with Royal Tank Regiment plaque in the background
Mr Lock - Founder of the TMYS explains tank action on Oct 4, 1917
Cross of remembrance for a fallen tank soldier
Crosses of remembrance for the fallen
Headstone of Capt Robertson VC with the original posthumous Victoria Cross
Mr. Robertson and Mr Lock Oxford Road CWGC Cemetery
Mr Smallwood accompanied by Mr Williams placing a poppy cross
Afternoon Tank Action Tour was enjoyed by everyone
Holly and her father Ian Robertson at the grave of his gallant grandfather
Ms Marleen Soete councillor for tourism of Langemark-Poelkapelle during Toast of Remembrance at cafe Caracas
Delegation representing the Tank Memorial under the Menin Gate Memorial
Mr Smallwood recites the Exhortation
Mr Lock, Mr Smallwood and Mr Williams after placing the Tank Memorial wreath
Robertson Family wreath
Tank Memorial Ypres Salient wreath
Pagina aangemaakt door Milena Kolarikova.
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