Twin Candle Ceremony

Every year for decades, Dutch school children have visited the Canadian War Cemetery in Holten, Netherlands to pay respect to the soldiers buried there.

The many plots in this cemetery are home to 1,355 Canadians, 36 British, 2 Australians and 1 Belgian whose lives were lost in the Northern Netherlands and Germany during the final stages of World War II. 

During their visit, the school children take their time walking through the cemetery, visiting the various plots and placing a candle on every single one. 

As many communities do, the citizens and children of Holten hold a commemorative ceremony every year on both May 4th and November 11th, to remember fallen Canadian soldiers. 

This year we will mirror this Ceremony in Beechwood, our National Military Cemetery.