We are very pleased to announce that the details for the unveiling of the memorial to the Dams Raid crew of Lancaster AJ-E have now been finalised. Regular readers of this blog will know that a memorial stone and plaque are to be erected at the site in Germany where this aircraft crashed at 23.50 on Sunday 16 May 1943. The crew of seven, captained by Flt Lt Norman Barlow DFC, were all killed.
The unveiling will take place at 11.00am local time on Sunday 17 May 2015, the 72nd anniversary of the Dams Raid, at Heeren-Herken, near Haldern.
The memorial has been organised by local historian Volker Schürmann and the Haldern local history society, Heimatverein Haldern. The money to pay for the memorial stone and the plaque was raised by public appeal, and many readers of this blog were generous in making contributions.
The speakers will be Volker Schürmann, Charles Foster and Rob Holliday, a member of the family of Plt Off Alan Gillespie DFM, representing the families. Wreathes will be laid by the families and a representative of the RAF.
All are welcome at the event.
Dambusters Blog 
Dear dambustersblog.com – readers,
download the invitation letter and a routeplan here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ffp3hivxi98f27u/AAAQwfBlXJVCPEkPJTVNzE4Ka?dl=0
Yours
Volker
My wife and I have every intention of attending. I am a retired teacher at the Harvey Grammar School – the school that Philip Burgess attended.
Wonderful. I hope someone uploads a video of the ceremony…
What a fitting tribute to those gallant men & what a wonderful thing that this will be done in Germany ,,,,,,,,,Just wish I could be there but will remember them on the day !
Cause of some inquires here again some …
ACCOMMODATIONS:
Here you can find hotels, rooms and pensions in the town of Rees and the districts (especially Haldern) :
NEW 2015-brochure:
Click to access Rees_Broschuere_2015.pdf
Unfortunately only in german language.
I can advice the follwing accommodations in Haldern and nearby:
* http://www.drostenhof.de/ (HALDERN)
* http://hoteldoppeladler.de/ (HALDERN)
* http://www.lindenhof-haldern.de/ (HALDERN)
* http://tepferdt.squarespace.com/ (HALDERN)
* http://www.fewo-am-niederrhein.de/ferienwohnung…
* http://www.hof-nagel-ferienwohnung-rees.de/ (HALDERN)
* http://www.kluykenhof.de/ (MILLINGEN)
* http://www.rees-online.de/jonkhans/ (MILLINGEN)
* http://www.hotel-rheinpark.de/de/ (REES)
See you in May 2015.
can someone please contact me via E-mail regarding the service. Alan was my cousin and I would like to talk to Rob Holliday.
Mike
I’ve replied by email to you.
Best wishes
Charles