On May 4, there was a commemoration of the dead organized by the Sunset March at the Waalcrossing monument. Due to the bad weather there were slightly fewer interested parties than usual. About 40 attendees were silent for 2 minutes together at 8 p.m. Flowers were then laid and then Mr Qader Shafiq, former Nijmegen resident of the year, gave a speech in which he discussed, among other things, his flight from Afghanistan, his time in Charkow in Ukraine and the problems that occurred there and in other places in the world around us. It was an appealing speech in which he took the audience along with him in their thoughts. One of those present at the speech was Mr. John Koeppen (US), himself a Vietnam veteran and son of an American glider pilot who also crossed the Waal in September 1944.

After the speech, Mr. John Koeppen, together with his wife and out of sight of those still present at the time, scattered his father’s ashes at the Waalcrossing monument. ,

After Remembrance Day, a joint Sunset March was held. About 20 more people joined the group at the starting point. Led by Jon Koeppen as veteran of the day, we left at 9:05 PM for a special Sunset March on this special day.

All in all, it was another dignified and meaningful Remembrance Day and Sunset March.