Commemoration Parade

A number of events had taken place in Cambrai over the weekend including a concert by the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band under their Director of Music Captain Jason Griffiths.

This had been well received by the local inhabitants who seemed to outnumber British visitors. The Captain's French was certainly interesting but with prompting from the stalls he managed to make himself understood.

His odd lapse into German may be viewed as ironic considering that the band was playing under the double headed eagle that is Cambrai's emblem.

A very good exposition had been set up within the Hôtel de Ville covering the battle's history, the German soldier/author Ernst Jünger and a collection of items provided by the local collector Julien Lesne.

There was a certain amount of confusion regarding times for some events and at 1100 hours the Place Aristide Briand was still empty of soldiers despite the promise of a Prise d'Armes by the Royal Tank Regiment. It became evident that the 1100 hours in question was in London and we had time for another coffee.

Soldiers and veterans formed up on the square and a large crowd gathered to watch encroaching on the soldiers at every opportunity.

Honour guards from 1 RTR and 2 RTR were joined by airmen from the Base airiènne 103 which is located in close proximity to Bourlon Wood.

Lieutenant General David Leakey, Colonel Commandant of the Royal Tank Regiment inspected the parade which in turn marched past the gathered VIPs before taking the short hill to the town War Memorial.

Before the laying of wreaths local school children sang the national anthems of both countries accompanied by many of the spectators.

Honours paid and the veterans thanked, the detachments marched off to the sound of the Heavy Cavalry and Cambrai Band.

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The Monument to the Nations
The burial of Josef Himmelreich