UNITED KINGDOM: Sandbags of "sacred soil" from World War One battlefields in Belgium are buried in London's Wellington Barracks

Record ID: 344364

  • Title: UNITED KINGDOM: Sandbags of "sacred soil" from World War One battlefields in Belgium are buried in London's Wellington Barracks
  • Date: 30th November 2013
  • Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (NOVEMBER 30, 2013) (UK POOL) HORSEBACK PROCESSION AND A GUN CARRIAGE CARRYING 70 SANDBAGS OF SOIL COLLECTED ON WORLD WAR ONE BATTLEFIELDS IN FLANDERS MOVING PAST LONDON'S HORSE GUARDS PARADE NAMES OF FLANDERS BATTLEFIELDS BEING READ OUT DURING CEREMONY VARIOUS OF MILITARY PERSONNEL UNLOADING SANDBAGS FROM GUN CARRIAGE AND BURYING THEM IN MEMORIAL GARDEN AS NAMED OF BATTLEFIELDS ARE BEING READ OUT CROWD STANDING UP FOR 'BLESSING OF THE SOIL' VARIOUS OF SENIOR CHAPLAIN TO THE HOUSEHOLD DIVISION, REVEREND KEVIN BELL, DELIVERING 'BLESSING OF THE SOIL' PEOPLE STANDING BEHIND GATE (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRIME MINISTER OF FLANDERS, KRIS PEETERS, SAYING: (FIRST SENTENCE OVERLAID ON SHOT OF CROWD) "We will never forget the sacrifices that were made to help us regain our freedom, we will never forget about those four years, not only because it is a testimony of our friendship but also because it reminds us that we have to remain vigilant, even though we have escaped war for many decades now we must never forget how quickly things can change." YOUNGEST MEMBER OF THE SOCIETY OF THE FRIENDS OF THE GUARD MUSEUM, EIGHT YEAR OLD PATRICK CASEY, AND THE GARDEN DESIGNER EMPTYING REPRESENTATIVE CASKET OF SOIL INTO THE MEMORIAL GARDEN
  • Embargoed: 15th December 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: United Kingdom
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Topics: Conflict,History,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVABBYWK0UKIV98Z4K5V1A188WVY
  • Story Text: "Sacred soil" from cemeteries of World War One battlefields in Flanders in Belgium was buried in a memorial garden in Wellington Barracks in London on Saturday (November 30) as part of events marking the centenary of the 1914-1918 war next year.
    The 70 sandbags were carried on a gun carriage in a horseback procession through the British capital to the memorial garden which will be open next year.
    During the ceremony the bags were unloaded and buried by 10 guardsmen from the 1st Battalion Welsh Guards as the names of the battlefields were being read out.
    Reverend Kevin Bell, the Senior Chaplain to the Household Division, conducted a short service.
    Then the casket of the soil, which contained samples from all 70 cemeteries, was placed in the garden by eight year-old Patrick Casey, the youngest member of the Society of the Friends of the Guard Museum.
    "We will never forget the sacrifices that were made to help us regain our freedom, we will never forget about those four years, not only because it is a testimony of our friendship but also because it reminds us that we have to remain vigilant, even though we have escaped war for many decades now we must never forget how quickly things can change," said Kris Peeters, the Prime Minister of Flanders, who attended the ceremony.
    The soil arrived in London on Friday (November 29) on board the Belgian frigate "Marie Louise".
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2013. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
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