Friday, July 18, 2014

[0145hrs]

1.45am – Constable Ian is woken by support crew Bart carrying a flashlight. 0200, Reveille is bugled to wake everyone up so there is time to process all 42 marchers through the medical room for treatment. There are an array of different ailments, scars and blisters to attend to now that 150km has been completed.

Constable Chad undergoes some more advanced foot preparations after blister removal involving lower leg support.

[0420hrs]

4.20am and we are off for day four.

[0630hr]

160k complete. The Dutch/Canadian Den Haag/VPD team are holding up strong. However a clear sky above warns of soaring temperatures into the 30s once the sun comes up. Breakfast and lots of liquids and everyone is ready to push onwards and upwards.

[By Evening]

We did it. At 38 degrees too.

200km of marching apace with Light Infantry, and the VPD/Den Haag combined Police Team, cross the final Finish Line. All police marchers are wearing black arm-bands out of respect of the Malaysia Flight 370 that was shot down after departing Amsterdam Schiphol Airport. The feelings of jubilation in accomplishing the feat of a long and challenging march is countered and subdued with the thoughts of those Dutch families in despair after loosing their loved ones so tragically.

At 6pm, and a return to base, everyone is fed a healthy amount of dinner to counter the thousands of calories consumed, and the VPD and Hague Police take the stage for their medal presentation.

The medal — a gold cross with yellow and green ribbon, was pinned on to the chest of all the VPD and Dutch police officers who successfully completed all four days. This medal, established in 1909, has since been awarded to all who have successfully completed the Vierdaagse (4 days March).

Constable Chad’s feet after being awarded his medal.

Thursday, July 17, 2014

[0300hrs]

3am Reveille, complete with red and blue flashing lights. Never enough sleep. Everyone awoke with sore and tired feet for day three, which meant that demand for the medical room for foot mending outstripped that for the toasted sandwiches and coffee in the breakfast room.

4am, everyone was ready in patrol uniform for the muster call.

—

We just took our first 10k break. We marched alongside a British Army Intelligence Corps and together we passed a US Army Medical Corps.

Early afternoon, and the temperatures were climbing into the mid-20s. Rest stops felt like they were getting shorter and shorter. And, before our final rest-stop, the joint VPD/Hague Police detatchment took a small detour from the route, and marched proudly into Groesbeek Canadian War Cemetery. Having marched uphill, north for 3km from the village that bears its name, the contingent fell in at ease, and everyone was briefed by Chief Inspector Carolus as to the remembrance ceremony we were to perform in honour of the 2,338 Canadian soldiers of World War II who are buried here.

The cemetery is unique in that many of the dead were brought here from nearby Germany. It is one of the few cases where bodies were moved across international frontiers.

Constable Ian rang out with Last Post on the Bugle, bringing the cemetery silent for two minutes reflection of the  Fallen Canadian soldiers of the Rhineland battles, who were buried in German battlefields, were reinterred here. Chief Carolus read a homily, and wreaths were laid by Sergeant Corey.

[1630hrs]

Day Three Finish Line. Everyone march across the finish line for Day Three, somewhat hot, sore, and sweaty, and all headed back for cool showers, and blister treatment.

Wednesday, July 16, 2014

[0330hrs]

The line-up in the medical room for pre-hike skin treatments was already long. Most had awoken at 3am and headed straight to the waiting area. Feet prep definitely took priority over breakfast — although there was certainly enough time for both.

Constable Ian gets a pre-breakfast foot exam with tape and spray to keep the blisters away.

[0630hrs]

First rest stop in the suburbs. Breakfast is a bread roll filled with custard, which the Dutch call “puddingbroodje.” Lots of carbs and sugar. Feet are being sprayed, washroom breaks are rather rushed, then a one minute warning to fall back in to the parade.

 

Constable Chad and Sergeant Corey make front page news while relaxing after the long day march with Officer Len and Officer Don of the Dutch police.

Constable Sheila in the centre with constable Stefan in the centre surrounded by constable Len and constable Mars from the Dutch police.

 

Tuesday, July 15, 2014

[0300hrs]

3.am Reveille. 3.10am Foot taping.

Constable Scott lays in one of four beds in the medical room to have feet taped and prepared. With over 52km of ground to March on day one, feet are protected with spray and layers of tape.

[0430hrs]

Police march over the bridge from Nijmegen, 5am in the morning.

Vancouver Police with their Dutch Hague Police counterparts mustered in full patrol uniform at the start line at 0430am.

Marching out of the City of Nijmegen in high spirits, the VPD/Dutch combined team quickly surpassed colleages from Rotterdam Police, and before the first rest stop in the village of Bemmel, they had passed Sussex Police from the UK.

[0600hrs]

Breakfast was wolfed down shortly after 6am, and the team sped quickly on in a north easterly direction. By lunchtime, the team was in Valburg beating fellow comrades from the London Metropolitan Police. Although not a race, a good pace helps morale and keeps energy up, and Chief Inspector Carolus Janssen set the bar just right, inspiring all members of the combined team to keep marching on as temperatures rose and feet became weary and sore.

Group photo after our support chef served us lunch.

[1600hrs]

By 4pm, everyone had succesfully marched 53km and stood down to enjoy dinner, drinks and commaraderie with their new Dutch friends.

Constable Sheila of the VPD and Stefan from the Swedish Police were featured as the cover-story of a local magazine that covers the march.

Monday, July 14, 2014

A day to see the town and bond with our Dutch colleagues.

Sunday, July 13, 2014

Arrival to the town of Nijmegen, Netherlands

Arriving from The Front Lines of World War I, the VPD moved into the Roman-founded market town of Nijmegen, Holland and met up with 37 police officers of Den Haag police deparment from the Dutch Capital. Each Canadian police officer was assigned a Dutch police partner. Officers unpacked kit into impromptu barrack quarters made out of classrooms from a nearby city school, and got their kit ready for the Four Days March.

The mediaeval weigh-house on the market square — used for public control of the weight of goods prior to the establishment of international standards for weights.

The market square of Nijmegen.

 

 

Saturday, July 12, 2014

From Vimy Ridge Canadian Memorial, France to In Flanders Field Museum and Menin Gate Memorial to the Missing in Ypres, Belgium

[0545hrs]
Alarms awoke the 5 VPD contingent who were joined by officers Brian and Dawn from the Toronto Police Department, and 200 soldiers from the Princess Patricia’s Canadian Light Infantry Regiment. After a swift and chaotic breakfast in Lille, France, the convoy moved off for the first Remembrance Service of the tour, Vimy Ridge.

11,285 names are engraved onto the Vimy memorial. All those named lost their lives  and rest in unknown graves. Vast swathes of land on the battlefield lie offlimits – part graveyard, part minefield comprising unexploded bombs from the War.

Canada’s immensely inspiring tribute to those who fought and gave their lives sits atop Vimy Ridge, 10km north of the town of Arras. The VPD contingent winded through preserved trenches, around huge mine craters and a network of tunnels that took the Canadian Corps to The Front between April 9 and 12 in 1917 from where they successfully took the ridge after suffering very heavy casualties.

A VPD patch from atop the Vimy memorial, worn by Constable Scott looking out on the battlefield below.

The VPD and Toronto Police contingent drove to Ypres from Vimy Saturday afternoon, and spent many hours absorbed by the exhibits that fill the In Flanders Fields Museum.

The In Flanders’ Fields Museum is devoted to the study of World War I and occupies the second floor of the Cloth Hall, Ypres in Belgium. The building was virtually destroyed by artillery fire during the First World War.It has since been reconstructed and the museum has reopened in June 2012 and includes a new World War I research centre.

This tribute to the British Empire sits atop the Menin Gate.

“To the armies of the British Empire who stood here from 1914 to 1918
and to those of their dead who have no known grave.”

Every evening the main road through Ypres is closed by the Police at Menin Gate. Buglers from the local Fire Department march in, and at 8pm each night, Last Post and Reveille is played, parted with a two minute silence for reflection. During this time all the shops in the town are closed.

[1900hrs]
At 7pm the five Vancouver Police Officers, in patrol uniform, were tasked with forming an honour guard in front of the main cenotaph beneath the Menin Gate.

Crowds of a thousand or more spectators crammed the main street full as the VPD took the salute at 8pm when Last Post bellowed out. After the silence members from the crowd shouted out “Thank You Canada!” and broke into the National Anthem.

 

---

HISTORY BRIEF > Battle of Vimy Ridge:

The Battle of Vimy Ridge, a painting by Richard Jack. Canadian War Museum.

The Canadians moved to the front lines across from Vimy Ridge in late autumn 1917. The Battle of Vimy Ridge would be the first time all four divisions of the Canadian Corps worked together as one formation. The planning and preparations for the battle were extensive. The Canadian victory at Vimy Ridge region in France is thought to have been a key turning point in shaping Canada as a nation.

~ From Veterans Affairs Canada