16 May 2022
The Princess Royal visits Etaples Military Cemetery
On Saturday 14th May, The Princess Royal visited CWGC Etaples Military Cemetery commemorating the King’s Pilgrimage by her great-grandfather King George V, a century ago.
(Photo: © Samuel Dhote CWGC)
The Royal party were met by CWGC Vice Chairman Lt. Gen. Sir Bill Rollo KCB CBE, CWGC Director General Claire Horton CBE and French officials including the Mayor of Etaples.
A ceremony was conducted at the Cross of Sacrifice in front of the assembled dignitaries and local veterans commencing with a salute to the flags followed by a blessing. The Princess Royal laid a wreath in honour of the fallen followed by poems read by local schoolchildren and speeches. The ceremony ended with the last post, a moment of silence and the national anthems.
The standard bearers are introduced to the Princess Royal. (Photos: © Samuel Dhote CWGC)
The Royal Party then met the assembled guests and planted a Scots Pine tree before a guided tour of the Etaples Military cemetery by CWGC Historian Dr. George Hay with Sir Bill Rollo and Claire Horton in attendance.
The Princess Royal tours the cemetery with CWGC Vice Chairman Lt. Gen. Sir Bill Rollo KCB CBE. (Photo: © Samuel Dhote CWGC)
The Princess Royal at the gravesides with CWGC Director General, Claire Horton CBE. (Photo: © Samuel Dhote CWGC)
During the tour, the Princess Royal visited the grave of Sergeant Alpheus Matthew (Royal Army Service Corps) where King George V on his Pilgrimage had placed Forget-me-nots sent by Sergeant Matthew’s mother. The Princess Royal also met with the CWGC gardeners who maintain the cemetery.
Meeting the CWGC teams who keep Etaples Military Cemetery immaculate. (Photo: © Samuel Dhote CWGC)
The visit concluded with the presentation of a framed picture of King George V in Etaples and a book on the CWGC Etaples Cemetery to the Royal party.
The King's Pilgrimage
The King's Pilgrimage - King George V inspecting graves in Crouy British Cemetery, France - 12 May 1922.
The King’s pilgrimage took place between 11-13th May 1922, visiting the graves and cemeteries remembering those who had died fighting for ‘King and Country’ during the First World War from across the Empire. During the Pilgrimage The King stated:
We can truly say that the whole circuit of the Earth is girdled with the graves of our dead.
In the course of my pilgrimage, I have many times asked myself whether there can be more potent advocates of peace upon the Earth through the years to come, than this massed multitude of silent witnesses to the desolation of war.