Scroll of Remembrance

The scroll of remembrance, presented to H.R.H. Princess Margiet and her husband, Professor Pieter Van Vollenhoven for signature, is an original piece of heraldic artwork to commemorate the couple's official visit to Goderich, and to honour the "Huron County 20" who laid down their lives during the campaign to free the Netherlands from Nazi occupation.
The scroll includes the official seals of the Town of Goderich (seen on the upper left) and the County of Huron on the upper right.

About HRH Princess Margriet

Her Royal Highness Princess Margriet of the Kingdom of the Netherlands has a storied connection with Canada. She is the third daughter of Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of the Kingdom of the Netherlands.

Princess Margriet has often represented the monarchy of the Netherlands at official or semi-official events. Some of these functions have brought her back to Canada, the country where she was born de facto, and to events organized by the Dutch merchant navy of which she is a patron.

Holten Canadian War Cemetery

THE STORY OF HOLTEN WAR CEMETERY

At this cemetery for the past 70 years, officials of the Dutch Government, a member of the Dutch Royal family along with the citizens of the town of Holten have gathered on The Day of the Dead – May 4th. Also in attendance are officials from Canada and our Canadian veterans but 2015 may have been the last time our veterans will have been in attendance.

The crowd that gathered in Holten included many Dutch children who were addressed by Gert Jan Oplaat in a moving speech.  Click on the link below to hear what he said.

The work of remembrance continues with Huron Remembers Project

The work in Huron County to remember Canada's fallen continues with a recently announced  "Huron Remembers" project that builds on the experience gained from the successful "Dutch-Canadians Remember As One" experience.  While the biographies of the "Huron County 20" are now available online, the biographies of our fallen from theaters other than Holland is not available online.  To correct this, a committee has been formed to research and publish the biographies of each of Huron County's 716 fallen from both world wars, and other conflicts.

HURON COUNTY ROYAL CANADIAN AIR FORCE LANCASTER BOMBER CRASH SURVIVOR

The story of Jake Cornish of Brucefield

The night of June 12/13, 1943 over the coast of the Netherlands was clear and calm with a trace of the moon visible, and a young 22 year old mid upper gunner was the only man to escape his burning and crippled aircraft after being attacked by a German night fighter.

The Lancaster bomber crashed in flames at Kamperzeeddijk and very close to the village of Grafhorst and it is here in the General Cemetery where six of the crew now rest.

About Liberation Memorial Park in Goderich

Dutch Canadians residing in Goderich and surrounding areas have maintained a proud tradition of expressing their gratitude to Canada for the sacrifice Canada made during the liberation of Holland in the closing months of the Second World War.

The park has been a centre of celebration of freedom for Dutch-Canadian's in Huron County. This is where Princess Margriet of the Netherlands unveiled a plaque on May 14th, 2017, and signed a scroll of gratitude expressed for the Canadian sacrifice in the Liberation of the Netherlands.