Questions: Visiting the commemoration at the Canadian Cemetery, Holten - May 4, 2025

This year marks 80 years since the liberation of the Netherlands, and my wife and I will be visiting Holten Canadian War Cemetery for the special service of remembrance on May 4th 2025.

Holten contains 1,393 Commonwealth burials of the Second World War. On our last visit, we paid our respects to each one of them. The vast majority are of course Canadians, but there are also 32 British servicemen. Amongst them my paternal grandfather, Warrant Officer Class II Dennis Akroyd Cooper.

I will be taking his medals with me, as this will be a chance to bring them together with him for the very first time. But I have no military background, so I have a couple of questions.

The 5 medals will be swing mounted.

• Should I keep them discreetly in my pocket? Or is it now considered no longer disrespectful to wear them (on the right breast of my suit)?
• Is it respectful to photograph the medals on the grave?

I hope some of you can answer me on the correct or acceptable protocol.

Also, should there be people connected with other servicemen buried at Holten who are unable to visit on this occasion, we will be happy to pay our respects to your fallen relative on the day. Just let me know.

Kind regards


Ian