We remember and commemorate all British and allied forces who fought, fell and still fall in action whilst protecting the freedoms we all enjoy today.

Lest We Forget.

 

 

 

14544 Pte Leonard George Holder, A Coy, 7th Batt Somerset Light Infantry:

KIA 13th June 1916 Railway Wood, Ypres, during the battle of Mount Sorrel, aged 20.

He rests at peace within Vlamertinge Military CWGC cemetery today.

 

 245019 Gnr Harold Alec Holder, Royal Field Artillery .

A casualty suffering till the end. He would drink himself to death at the age of 49 after suffering the effects of rampant PTSD. He rests in peace within an unmarked pauper's grave in the UK today. (Brother to Leonard)

 

........................................................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.................................................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Milena was born in Prague, Czechoslovakia and later re-located to Amsterdam where she worked for 20 years as tour manager on behalf of a major international tour company. Milena speaks perfect English and from the moment she confirms your booking, she will offer you advice on travel, accommodation, fees and your tour details.

 

In 2011 Milena was awarded honorary life membership of the Association of Czechoslovak Legionaries Abroad . 

In 2012 she received official recognition and award on behalf of her commemoration and remembrance work.

Please see below:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On the 6th December 2012, Milena received a rather special award.

The official medal was issued to commemorate the 70th anniversary of the most heroic act of the Czechoslovak resistance during WW II, namely the assassination of Heydrich. More here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Anthropoid 

The medal was awarded for patriotic work contributing to modern Czechoslovak history.

 

The award presentation took place at the Czech Republic Ministry of Defence building in Prague and was attended by the Commander of the General Staff

(Chief of Staff), the secretary of the Minister of Defence and others.

 

...................................................................

 

 

 

 

Above left:

Chris at the Tank Memorial Ypres Salient.

 

Above right:

Amazing men in amazing times!

 

In 1974 at the age of 15, Chris passed his entrance exams to serve in the

Junior Leaders Regiment, Royal Armoured Corps. On conclusion of his junior service in 1976, he served with the 3rd Royal Tank Regiment as an Amoured Fighting Vehicle crewman on the below AFV's.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above left & right:

Chieftain Main Battle Tank & United Nations Peace Keeping Forces Ferret Scout Car. Chris would serve as gunner/driver on both vehicles

 

Chris's son Richard would much later go on to complete his basic Challenger II

Main Battle Tank crewman training at the Armour School in Bovington with the 2nd Royal Tank Regiment.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above left:

Richard with Challenger II MBT.

 

Above right:

Like father like son. Chris & Richard in front of the RTR tank crew memorial replica at Bovington Tank Museum, Dorset.

 

On completion of his military contract in 1979, Chris embarked on a Fire and Rescue Service career, one in which he would eventually serve for 27 years out of his proposed 35 year contract in the capacity of Firefighter and Crew Commander before suffering career ending injuries whilst deployed on duty.

 

In 2006, Chris and Milena relocated to Ypres, Belgium in order to study the Great War battlefields. Lest We Forget Battlefield Tours (Flanders) was eventually created and the company has since moved from strength to strength.

 

..................................................................

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

.....................................................................................

 

 

 

In military terms, a salient is a battlefield feature that projects into enemy territory. Therefore, the salient is surrounded by the enemy on three sides, making the troops occupying the salient vulnerable. The enemy's line facing a salient is referred to as a re-entrant (an angle pointing inwards). A deep salient is vulnerable to being "pinched out" across the base, forming a "pocket", in which the defenders of the salient become trapped, isolated and easier to overcome. This gives attackers an overwhelming advantage: defenders can be attacked from all sides with artillery and/or machinegun fire. Also, since the defenders are surrounded, they cannot easily be re-supplied (with food, ammunition and medical supplies etc.) or escape. The "pocket" progressively reduces in size as the defenders are worn down and the attackers advance.

The decreasing size of the pocket allows even more concentrated gunfire to be aimed at the defenders. Eventually, the defenders are overwhelmed by this onslaught and the pocket collapses.

 

The Ypres salient was formed by British, French, Canadian and Belgian defensive efforts against German incursion during the 1914 "Race to the Sea", culminating in the Battle of the Yser and the First Battle of Ypres.

These opening battles created the Ypres salient and the corner of Belgium around Veurne from occupation, but also led to the beginning of trench warfare in the salient as both sides "dug in" around the line.

 

The area of the salient is mostly flat, with few rises or hills. Those that did exist became the focus for the 1915 Second Battle of Ypres, which saw the first use of gas and the almost total destruction and evacuation of Ypres, and the 1917 Third Battle of Ypres ( Passchendaele )

 

After the third battle, the Ypres salient was left relatively quiet until the Fourth Battle of Ypres, the Battle of the Lys, when the Spring Offensive threatened to overwhelm the entire area. This offensive was stopped at the point the Allies were closest to being forced to abandon the salient.

By August 1918, the allied advance (part of the Hundred Days Offensive) pushed the German forces out of the salient entirely and they did not return.

 

For more information on the battles and more please visit the CWGC site here:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above left & right:

The Tank Memorial Ypres Salient on conclusion of its inauguration ceremony & today.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Above left:

In 2010, Chris & Milena were amongst seven others awarded "Her Majesty's Britannic Ambassador to Belgium Commendations". This award was on behalf of their collective Tank Memorial Ypres Salient remembrance and commemoration work.

 

Above right:

The Tank Memorial Ypres Salient acknowledgement letter from Buckingham Palace confirmed its creation journey. Please see www.tankmemorial.vpweb.co.uk