Lewis Clark
Thinks s/he gets paid by the post
- Joined
- Aug 2, 2018
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Last month, I visited The Netherlands as part of a river cruise and had two experiences while visiting the city of Nijmegen that made me very emotional.
The first was a visit to the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, which contains the graves of many soldiers who died in that area during World War II. The guide said that every grave site has been adopted by a local family. On special holidays, the families put out luminaries and display photos of the individuals buried in the graves. I was impressed and amazed that this practice continues nearly 80 years after the end of the war.
The second experience was even more emotional for me. Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful World War II battle in which the Allies attempted to capture bridges over several rivers. Part of the story was told in the movie “A Bridge Too Far.” During the operation, 48 Allied soldiers were killed while trying to cross the Waal River near Nijmegen.
A new road bridge was built over the river in 2013, close to the path taken by the soldiers crossing the river. The bridge design includes a special set of 48 pairs of street lights. Every night at sunset these lights are lit in sequence at a slow marching pace in remembrance of those 48 soldiers. Every night, a Veteran of the Day walks across the bridge at the same pace as the lights being lit. At the end, the Veteran of the Day walks down a set of steps and salutes a memorial. A local veterans group ensures that a veteran is there every night and they have done this every night for almost ten years as of today. Any veteran from any country may volunteer to serve as Veteran of the Day, and anyone may walk along with the Veteran of the Day.
www.sunsetmarch.nl
Unfortunately, our ship schedule would not allow us to participate that night. Several passengers in addition to myself would have eagerly done so.
Memorial Day is supposed to be a remembrance in honor of our military personnel who died while serving their country. I still get a lump in my throat every time I think of the Nijmegen Sunset March and an occasional tear comes to my eye. As a veteran, thank you to all of those who remember.
The first was a visit to the Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery, which contains the graves of many soldiers who died in that area during World War II. The guide said that every grave site has been adopted by a local family. On special holidays, the families put out luminaries and display photos of the individuals buried in the graves. I was impressed and amazed that this practice continues nearly 80 years after the end of the war.
The second experience was even more emotional for me. Operation Market Garden was an unsuccessful World War II battle in which the Allies attempted to capture bridges over several rivers. Part of the story was told in the movie “A Bridge Too Far.” During the operation, 48 Allied soldiers were killed while trying to cross the Waal River near Nijmegen.
A new road bridge was built over the river in 2013, close to the path taken by the soldiers crossing the river. The bridge design includes a special set of 48 pairs of street lights. Every night at sunset these lights are lit in sequence at a slow marching pace in remembrance of those 48 soldiers. Every night, a Veteran of the Day walks across the bridge at the same pace as the lights being lit. At the end, the Veteran of the Day walks down a set of steps and salutes a memorial. A local veterans group ensures that a veteran is there every night and they have done this every night for almost ten years as of today. Any veteran from any country may volunteer to serve as Veteran of the Day, and anyone may walk along with the Veteran of the Day.
Sunset March – A March to Remember those who fought for our Freedom

Unfortunately, our ship schedule would not allow us to participate that night. Several passengers in addition to myself would have eagerly done so.
Memorial Day is supposed to be a remembrance in honor of our military personnel who died while serving their country. I still get a lump in my throat every time I think of the Nijmegen Sunset March and an occasional tear comes to my eye. As a veteran, thank you to all of those who remember.