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It is hard to believe that we have now reached August and the summer holidays are upon us. The dedication ceremony and reburial of the last soldier in Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery of course made news around the world, but many other ceremonies also took place during that week! Information about all these activities and other forthcoming events can be found below. We wish you all a very happy summer and hope that on your travels you take the opportunity to visit one of our cemeteries or memorials. If you have a particular story to tell, please do contact us. We read all your feedback and comments and they are always welcome. PDF of this newsletter is available here. Eurostar train named 'Remembering Fromelles' 
Eurostar train naming ceremony at St Pancras International At 07.45 am on 19 July, the morning of the dedication ceremony at Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery (and the 94th anniversary of the Battle of Fromelles), HRH The Duke of Kent officially named a Eurostar train 'Remembering Fromelles'. In his speech, HRH The Duke of Kent, President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission commented: “The Commission is extremely grateful to Eurostar for providing this special service and for naming this train ‘Remembering Fromelles’ so that not only we, but pilgrims for generations to come, will also make this journey, visit our cemeteries, like that at Fromelles, and Remember". The train 'Remembering Fromelles' then played a pivotal role in carrying almost 400 guests including HRH The Duke of Kent, senior government representatives and relatives of those who died during the Battle of Fromelles to Lille before their transfer to Fromelles for the dedication ceremony later that day. Further information on www.eurostar.com Dedication of Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery - 19 July 
On 19 July, Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery was dedicated in a service led by HRH Prince of Wales. 94 years to the day since thousands of men died at the Battle of Fromelles, the last of 250 First World War soldiers, recently discovered in communal graves, was laid to rest in a new, purpose-built, Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery. HRH The Duke of Kent, as President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission, welcomed everyone to the service which was attended by HRH The Prince of Wales, HRH The Duke of Kent, HE Quentin Bryce, Governor-General of Australia and Monsieur Hubert Falco, the French Minister of State for Defence and Veterans. They then took the opportunity to meet Commission staff who have worked on the cemetery (right), Australian and British troops who had been involved in the parade and relatives of those commemorated in the cemetery . The service was attended by over 5,500 people including British and Australian families, whose relatives were killed in the battle. Further information can be found here. Photographs of the event, taken by the Commission photographer can be found on the Commission's flickr website Neuve Chapelle Memorial 19 July 
Following the dedication at Fromelles (Pheasant Wood) Military Cemetery, HRH the Prince of Wales, and The Duchess of Cornwall, visited the Neuve-Chapelle Indian Memorial in Nord Pas De Calais to honour those servicemen from the Indian sub-continent who fought and fell on the Western Front during the First World War. The memorial, built and maintained by the Commission, commemorates over 4,700 Indian soldiers with no known grave. It includes two holders of the Victoria Cross. The ceremony was attended by His Excellency Peter Westmacott, British Ambassador to France, M. Pierre de Bousquet de Florian, the Prefet of Pas de Calais, delegations representing servicemen from the Indian sub-continent and students from the UK and France. Further information about Neuve Chapelle Memorial can be found on our website
7th August 2010 Remembering Fromelles - Eastbourne College Theatre Places are still available at the unique series of presentations taking place at Eastbourne College on Saturday 7th August, brought to you by Tommies Guides, the Military Book Specialist. Julie Summers, the compiling author of the book Remembering Fromelles: a new cemetery for a new century is one of the guest speakers. Both she and Ryan Gearing, of Tommies Guides look forward to meeting you. Remembering Fromelles publication 
Remembering Fromelles Publication If you are interested in finding out more about the background to the cemetery at Fromelles, a commemorative publication has also been published by the Commission and contains a foreword by HRH The Duke of Kent, President of the Commonwealth War Graves Commission. The publication tells the story behind the search for these men, how they died, and the extraordinary efforts to give them the final dignity in death their sacrifice so richly deserves - in the first new Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery to be built in more than fifty years. The book (recommended retail £9.95) is available for purchase through Cemetery closures, work and visitor information 
If you are planning on visiting a cemetery or memorial during the summer, please check both the cemetery records and visitor information section on our website before your visit for up-to-date information. We are aware of the following specific work taking place during August. VIMY MEMORIAL To ensure public safety during annual maintenance, there will be limited public access with restrictions in some areas on the following dates: SERRE ROAD CEMETERY NO 2 THIEPVAL MEMORIAL MAINTENANCE Reburial at Prowse Point Cemetery 
Australian WW1 Soldier Laid To Rest On 22 July 2010, at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s Prowse Point Military Cemetery in Belgium, the remains of Private Alan James Mather were reburied with full military honours in a ceremony held by the Australian Army. Private Mather, from Inverell in New South Wales, was one of 216,000 men from Australia, New Zealand and the United Kingdom who fought in the Battle of Messines against German forces in west Flanders from June 7 to 14, 1917. Private Mather’s relatives, together with Dr Brendan Nelson, Ambassador to the European Union, Belgium and Luxembourg representing the Australian Government, the Chief of the Army, Lieutenant General Ken Gillespie and other dignitaries, joined to commemorate Private Mather of the 33rd Battalion, Australian Imperial Force. Battle of Britain Anniversary Events Battle of Britain Service at The Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede: 15 August To mark the 70th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain, a Service of Remembrance will take place at Runnymede, Surrey on 15 August 2010 beginning at 2.00 pm. All visitors are welcome to attend this service. Further information about the Memorial can be found on the Commission's website. Battle of Britain 70th Anniversary weekend: 4-5 September Later this year, the Commonwealth War Graves Commission will be participating in the Battle of Britain Air Show to be held at the Imperial War Museum Duxford. Come and visit us at our marquee where we will have information about the Commission and a full range of information sheets will be available. For more details about the show visit the IWM Duxford website 
Remembering Fromelles: a new cemetery for a new century Imperial War Museum, London FREE ENTRY Using specially commissioned photographs, this exhibition traces the story behind the first new Commonwealth War Graves Commission Cemetery at Fromelles to be built in nearly half a century.
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August newsletterIn this Issue Useful links CWGC Air Forces Memorial, Runnymede Leaflet *ABC Report on Fromelles Ceremony (Youtube) PDF version of this newsletter
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