Battle of Passchendaele report to air on television
A NEW two-part TV report hopes to further the cause of getting a lasting memorial for Welsh soldiers who died in one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War.
Battle of Passchendaele, by BBC Wales, which will air on Tuesday and Wednesday next week, follows developments in the campaign to fund a permanent national memorial to all the tens of thousands of Welsh men and women who took part in the First World War.
The first part of the report looks at what has been achieved so far.
A spokeswoman for BBC Wales said: "Members of the community in Langemark, near Ypres, have already donated land and promised to build a garden of remembrance, a financial commitment of around 40,000 euros.
Business Cards From Only £10.95 Delivered www.myprint-247.co.uk
View detailsOur heavyweight cards have FREE UV silk coating, FREE next day delivery & VAT included. Choose from 1000's of pre-designed templates or upload your own artwork. Orders dispatched within 24hrs.
Terms: Visit our site for more products: Business Cards, Compliment Slips, Letterheads, Leaflets, Postcards, Posters & much more. All items are free next day delivery. www.myprint-247.co.uk
Contact: 01858 468192
Valid until: Friday, May 31 2013
"In Wales the campaign needs to raise around £60,000 to erect a monument on the site.
"In the second part of the report we visit Hagebos near Langemark where local people gather every month to remember Welsh soldiers who died in the Battle of Passchendaele and in conflicts since.
"It's organised by Marc Decaestecker who runs the De Sportsman café just across the road from the spot where the Welsh language poet Hedd Wyn died in the battle of Pilckem Ridge.
"Around 150 local people and civic dignitaries attended the ceremony on this occasion, emphasising the appreciation felt by the community for the Welsh sacrifice."
The Battle of Passchendaele, also known as the third battle of Ypres, saw hundreds of thousands of casualties on both sides.
It is notorious not only for the number of deaths, but also the dreadful muddy conditions in which it was fought.
The battle lasted from July 31 to November 6, 1917, and saw the heaviest rain for 30 years which made the mud so deep men and horses drowned.
Comments