IN FLANDERS FIELD...

TheWelsh Memorial in Flanders Campaign aims to build a cromlech in Flanders to commemorate all Welsh soldiers who served during the First World War. The plan is to have the monument completed by the centenary of the war's outbreak in August 2014. 

Local residents in Flanders have already donated land for the memorial, money from around Wales  has already been raised and the Welsh Government has pledged £25,000 pounds so that the memorial can be completed by next year. The Passchendaele Society suggested there should be a memorial to the Welsh soldiers who fought in the area. The Society and the Langemark Commune jointly purchased some land near Iron Cross on the Pilckem Ridge and obtained planning permission for the memorial.

Back in 1917 where there was significant Welsh involvement with the 38th (Welsh) Division, the 29th Division with the 2nd South Wales Borderers and the 2nd Battalion, Monmouthshire Regiment and the Welsh Guards in the Guards Division all serving time at the Salient. The memorial aims to  honour all Welshmen who served in many other Welsh units throughout the Salient from 1914 onwards and also in the multitude of non-Welsh units, not to forget the artillery, medical, supply and Tunnelling Companies, amongst other units.

Wales lost more men per capita than any other nation involved in the conflict. The campaign for the memorial has now raised in excess of £30,000 which will be enough to complete phase one of the campaign, i.e.  the transportation of the stones to Flanders and the construction of the "Cromlech” by the Belgian engineers. Phase two, the creation of a Welsh garden of remembrance around the Cromlech will be carried out and financed by the Belgian local authority at Langemark.

Phase three, will be the obtaining of a large bronze dragon to surmount the cromlech. This will need a further £60,000. Many events are planned to raise this amount, but further public donations will be vital. The campaign hopes to achieve all its aims by August 2014. Anyone wishing to contribute towards the project can pay direct into a Lloyds/TSB Account: 37974560 under Sort Code 30-93-53 and make cheques out to ‘Welsh memorial in Flanders campaign’.