Originally Posted by
cynicalint
Took my wartime pilot dad to the Dam and the cemetry near Laarbruch where he visited the graves of those pilots he trained with involved in the crossing of the Rhine, very emotional.
That's the Reichswald Forest War Cemetery. It is an emotional place but its also a very tranquil and serene place. It's beautifully maintained, as it should be.
I made a few private visits there but also volunteered to attend a formal event during my squadron's 75th anniversary (XV Squadron). Quite a few former members came over to Laarbruch for the weekend. There was a big hangar party on the Saturday night and on the Sunday morning, those that were not too hung over turned out at the Reichwald for a ceremony.
There are about a dozen or so XV Sqn aircrew buried at the Reichwald so each of those graves was marked by a current squadron member of the same rank, standing behind the headstone. It was a beautiful spring morning and a very, very emotional occasion.