Hi all,
Please forgive my ramblings, however, I wanted to share this with you, I do trust you don't mind?
This story has fascinated me from the very start! I was 2 years old when this tragedy took place! It is also poignant that it has been resurrected during remembrance week from the original posting some years ago!
How it has unfolded as people connected to the incident either directly or indirectly have pitched up on the thread and added their recollections has been gripping! There are many bad things about the internet and we have all had a lump in our throats recently as we have had to endure the knowledge that hideous crimes had been carried out in far away places and uploaded to be watched by anyone on youtube. However, a real plus side to the 'net' is the ability to bring people together whom without it, would have no way whatsoever of ever finding others similarly connected to an event and thus able to share their thoughts and/or feelings!
Reading the vivid and often emotional recollections of people here has been very moving! Young lads on ATC camp, radar operators, air crew who knew the crews involved, civilians caught up just being there at the time etc... There is no doubt, the crash affected many many people!
It became apparent a number of posters had mentioned a memorial or lack of knowing there was one in Holt! It struck me, as I'm sure everyone would agree, it is important to acknowledge events such as these, for as time perhaps heals as people say, so does it fade memories! A permanent memorial allows us to never forget and equally, a place to go and be with our own thoughts
As I read on I noticed a South African was the Pilot of the Canberra, Flt Lt Johan Slabber. I do spend time in the land of the Springbok (don't mention the rugby
) so it added an extra dimension of interest to me! I looked a little further and found Johan Slabber was from Cape Town and was buried in the Southern Suburbs of the City!
As more people posted their memories, the more the story became personal and the urge to visit his grave became stronger!
I've flown out of Marham and Bruggen in my time and now this young man of only 25 was at rest 6000 miles from where he died in my home land! Also, as I was away from home for remembrance Sunday and didn't get to attend a service, I thought it would be nice to try and find Flt Lt Slabber's grave and to pay my respects that way and ultimately as a gesture to all South Africans who have given their lives in service with our Country! I had to try and do this!
I have one single poppy that I keep in SA. You can't get them over here (or I have never seen them), so if I am in SA around this time of year I can wear my poppy with pride! I thought I could place that on his grave if I could find it?
Anyway, after a long search today, I finally found it and it was with great pride and respect I was able to place my poppy on Flt Lt Slabber's grave and say a few simple words of thanks!
I took a few photos as I wanted to share this with some of the posters who have mentioned they knew Johan (and perhaps for his family too) and to assure them, the graves of the men laying here have been kept immaculate! There are a lot of things wrong in SA today but it was a real pleasure to see the military section of the cemetery kept so beautifully well
As a funny note, it was very windy today and just leaving my poppy would have been futile! I left the cemetery with the idea to go buy some tape to fix the poppy to his headstone however, I felt that disrespectful so had the bright idea to manufacture a cross and fix my poppy to that!
Job done so I set off back to the cemetery again and got there late afternoon just as the sprinklers had been activated in the military gardens! Having to tactically manoeuvre and run the gauntlet to pay my respects without getting soaked must have looked very strange to the few people around but how impressive to have sprinklers to keep the grass so well kept!
As mentioned, my humble apologies for rambling on however, I am so glad I got to do this and wanted to share it with all of you who have in one way or another, had their lives affected by this sad event.
RIP to all of the men who died that night you are not forgotten
AB
