Mr. Evert van de Poll, owner of the Van Gelder Group, the infrastructure partner of the Netherlands, recently turned 80.For his birthday, he had set up a campaign in which his guests could make a donation to 2 charities. In the context of his 80th birthday and living in freedom for 80 years, one of these charities became our foundation. 80 years of freedom must be celebrated and everyone must be aware of this luxury. Our freedom has cost many…
Dear Sunset March Team Thank you so very much for the honour of allowing our group of sons, daughters, and other relatives of the Canadian liberators of the Netherlands to partake in the emotional and meaningful Sunset March on April 30th, 2025. Particularly for me as the daughter of a Canadian Veteran, and as a Canadian Veteran myself, it was a privilege to have been selected to lead the “In Our Fathers’ Footsteps” contingent in this poignant act of remembrance….
This afternoon, the Dutch Militairy Chaplainsy Conference Center in Huis ter Heide the Netherlands hosted a special meeting of the Four Chaplains Memorial Foundation in honor of the presentation of the “Legion of Honor”.This American award was presented this afternoon to various individuals and organizations, including the Sunset March Foundation. The Sunset March Foundation was presented with the “Legion of Honor Appreciation Award”. We, the board of the Sunset March Foundation, are very honored with this award and would like…
What a solemn honor to join the Sunset March on 1 April 2025. The 82d Airborne Division was my first assignment as a US Army Chaplain in the late ’90s. I have jumped many times on the Drop Zone at Fort Bragg named in the memory of those tough, courageous paratroopers who captured the bridge over the Waal River vicinity Nijmegen during Operation Market Garden. Thank you, Peter and team, for keeping their memory alive. I commit to carrying the…
Dear Chairman of the Sunset March organization, Peter,On behalf of all of us, thank you for taking the time to share the story of the Sunset March with us and joining us for the walk. We were all deeply moved by the experience.Thank you.Jayne Yeo (VAC/ACC)International Commemorative EventsCommemoration DivisionVeterans Affairs Canada
As part of the 80th anniversary of the Waal crossing, the Pontoongroup 40-45 re-enacted the Waal crossing with 260 re-enactors from 10 countries in 26 boats. See this video for an impression.
Market Garden 80 (MG80) was the name for the week of remembrance from September 17 to September 22 to commemorate the events of 80 years ago and celebrate 80 years of liberation of Nijmegen. The Sunset March Foundation was represented and involved in many commemorations and ceremonies in the Airborne Region Nijmegen, from Groesbeek, Overasselt and Grave to Oosterhout. Especially mentioned are the commemorations at the James Gavin monument in Groesbeek, at the Jonkerbos Military Cemetery and at the Julian…
The exhibition “Overbruggen, 80 jaar Waaloversteek en 10 jaar Sunset March”(Bridge, 80 years of Waalrivercrossing and 10 years of Sunset March) in Het Huis van de Nijmeegse Geschiedenis is open. In this exhibition we dive deeper into the story of the crossing. Both the Waalrivercrossing and the construction of the bridge, the artwork on the bridge, to the sharing of personal stories during Sunset Marches. The exhibit is on until Nov. 17. So should you be in the area…. More…
I definitely had some issues with the language barrier, but it was great to have a chance to do the walk. Please pass along my thanks to your entire group. My father was aware of the support from the people of The Netherlands and he was very appreciative of it. He always wanted to return here someday, but he never got the chance. It meant a lot to me to be able to come in his place. Alan Driver
Traditionally, the Sunset March walked on the Monday before the start of the 4Days Marches is done by the board of the 4Days Marches Foundation and international detachments from Heumensoord. Chairman of the 4Days Marches, Henny Sackers, laid a wreath at the monument and veteran of the day was British Warrent Officer Jack Daniels