History of branch 005

 

 

 

 

The formation of the Royal Canadian Legion, Liberation of the Netherlands branch 005 took place on August 24, 2003 as the result of a request from Andy Andrews, zone commander of the Royal Canadian Legion Zone Germany.

 

Present at this official meeting in the Buiten Societeit in the city of Apeldoorn were the Canadian ambassador of the Netherlands Mr. Serge April; the mayor of Apeldoorn Mr. Fred de Graaf; Lt.Gen.-retired Mr. A.W.T. Gijsbers and from Germany the zone commander Andy Andrews and vice commander Reg Bonnar.

 

Thirty five of those present swore the oath of allegiance and received the RCL pin from the zone commander.

Afterwards the first governing board was elected, consisting of Mark Hoedeman, Marga Timmerman, Corine Poot, Jan van Loo, Piet Polderdijk, Hendrik Kuiper and Ben Zonnenberg.

 

 

 

The Executive in 2009

 

 

 

 

Some time later the official Charter arrived from Ottawa. The Charter represents the legitimacy of the branch, granted by the highest representative of the Royal Canadian Legion in Ottawa and was accompanied by the Legal and Royal statutes.

 

The aim of branch 005 is to act as a representative of the Royal Canadian Legion and to honour the traditions of the Legion, as well as to support a number of objectives and activities of the Royal Canadian Legion.

Branch 005 attempts to achieve this by:

-          honouring and commemorating the soldiers killed in wars and during peace operations

-          giving full support to the military veterans

-          giving education in schools and to the youth

-          promoting the feeling of solidarity amongst the members of the Royal Canadian Legion

 

 

 

 

Yvonne and Barry Swarthoff give the branch a warm welcome in their restaurant Mondani in Lochem.

The branch’s meetings and social events take place there. Our Colours are also presented there in a display.

 

 

Thanks to a generous gift from the Veluwse Vlaggen

Industrie and a number of Apeldoorn citizens, the

branch was able to purchase 6 Colours. The

Canadian Ensign and the Canadian Maple Leaf, the

Union Jack, the Dutch flag and the flag of the United

Nations as well as our own branch 005 flag.

Together these flags form the colour party.

Shortly the NATO flag will be added to the colours.

 

 


The city of Apeldoorn Pipes and Drums, being closely allied to branch 005,

supports the colour party in musical form during commemorations.