On Christmas Eve, 281 candles were lit at the Overloon War Cemetery. This happened during the ninth edition of ‘Lights on War Graves’, a subdued commemoration for the soldiers who found their final resting place there.
This year’s focus was on the personal story of British soldier John Hawksby. His life symbolized all 281 men buried in Overloon.
The commemoration event is an initiative of Veterans Land van Cuijk and the adopters of the graves. Together with dozens of visitors, they reflected on the sacrifices made by the soldiers.
The hundreds of burning candles made a deep impression and show that the bond with these soldiers is still alive, eighty years after the war.
Fixed tradition
Lights on War Graves has now become a permanent tradition. In addition to Overloon, candles were also lit at the graves of British soldiers in Sint Anthonis, Grave and Westerbeek.
From December 24 to 26, photos of the fallen soldiers can be seen at the cemetery in Overloon. 220 faces have now been found. This way, visitors can get to know not only the names, but also the people behind them.
