A Royal Tribute to lives lost.

‘In Flanders fields the poppies blow, between the crosses, row on row’ – John Macrae

A very poignant reminder of the lives lost in the Great War.

                 It is only fitting that the final sandbag which is being shipped from the War cemeteries to create a Flanders Field Memorial Garden will be delivered in Royal Style by  Queen Mary 2 when she arrives in Southampton on Wednesday 8 October 2014.

This very precious cargo will be taken from the Ypres Cemetery and under the iconic Menin Gate will be presented to Captain Kevin Oprey, Master of Queen Mary 2, prior to being taken aboard the ship in Zeebrugge on 5 October to be placed on prominent display for the ship’s 2,600 passengers to view. A Commemorative Dinner for all passengers will be held on board on 6 October and Andrew Wallis, Curator of the Guards Museum, will give a lecture about this project.

This cargo will be afforded all the pomp and ceremony that it deserves, symbolic as it is of the lives lost. After being saluted by fireboats on arrival in Southampton on 8 October Captain Kevin Oprey will present the sandbag to the Mayor of Southampton who is also Admiral of the Port. Soldiers, the Padre and military vehicles from 17 PM Regiment will welcome the sandbag home. They will then take charge of this special cargo and will progress it through the City of Southampton to the Civic Hall where it will remain overnight, before beginning its final journey to its final resting place at the Guards Museum and the Memorial.

The arrival of the sandbag, and its subsequent onward journey to The Guards Museum in London marks the culmination of a project begun several years ago when the idea first formed to build a Memorial Garden containing soil brought back from every battlefield in Flanders where soldiers of the seven regiments of the Household Division died in World War One.

Continuing the Royal significance Her Majesty the Queen will open the garden in November.

Angus Struthers, Cunard Director, says: 

        “We are honoured to play a small role in such a worthwhile and thought-provoking project. The centenary of the start of the First World War was a time for all of us at Cunard to reflect on the sacrifices of that immensely brave and selfless generation as well as remember the 20 ships Cunard itself lost due to enemy action in that awful conflict. We will remember them”.

Andrew Wallis, Curator of the Guards Museum

“We at The Guards Museum are thrilled to be working with Cunard in transporting this last bag to its final resting place in Wellington Barracks. The sacrifice made by the Guards in The Great War is echoed in the huge losses suffered by Cunard’s crew and passengers so we hope everyone onboard the Queen Mary 2 will empathise and share in this act of remembrance and commemoration”.

Perhaps you are on-board for this special event or you are heading to the waterfront in Southampton to take part or witness this auspicious occasion.

let me know. I would love to hear from you.

‘We shall not sleep, though poppies grow in Flanders fields’ – John Macrae