Major G.C. Williams – Analog Artist Digital World

I was directed to go to this Common Wealth Cemetery by a woman who saw me sketching the Born Church, and invited me to meet her family and sit for a cup of coffee. She drove me to this site and even showed me a good parking spot behind a medical facility. This is the Mary Mother of Mercy Cemetery and it has three graves of British soldiers. I returned the next day to sketch.

I found it interesting that Major G.C. Williams was listed as Artists Rifles. He died on December 23rd 1944 at the age of 36.

Artists Rifles, 28th Battalion London Regiment Artist's Cap Badge ...

The Artists’ Rifles was a British Army Reserve regiment, during WWII it served as an officer training unit instead of deploying overseas. The “Artists'” in its name is a legacy from its predecessor, the Artists’ Rifles, a Volunteer Corps unit formed in 1859 that included painters, sculptors, and musicians. During the Second World War, it was used as an officer training unit.

The cap badge featured profiles of Roman gods Mars and Minerva. The regiment was not deployed during the Second World War, functioning as an Officers Training Corps throughout the war.

J.G. Thompson was a gunner with the Royal Horse Artillery. He died December 24, 1944 at the age of 31. Corporal R. Mc Bane was with the Riffle Brigade. He died December 8, 1044 at the age of 23.

The graves are meticulously maintained with live flowers and carefully planned plantings. White stones were at the base of the graves so grass was kept away from the headstones and then there were areas of natural plantings and potted live flowers.

Dutch families adopt Allied graves and maintain the plots. All the war graves in the Netherlands have been adopted and there is a long waiting list, which could take years, for a family to finally adopt a World War II grave site. There are still many in the Netherlands who remember vividly the liberation day celebrations and how important that was to the country and the world. The next generation grew up knowing how big liberation was and the importance of the sacrifice these men made for their freedom. On Facebook, I saw photos of the lovely family who maintain this grave site. The parents are introducing the tradition to their children. People who maintain the graves are now being introduced to living family of the serviceman they are honoring. Now they get to see his picture and learn a little about him from people who loved him the most.