Roger H Posted 23 March , 2010 Share Posted 23 March , 2010 Sabine Thank you for the information. Good luck to you all. Roger Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchbarge Posted 24 March , 2010 Share Posted 24 March , 2010 Roger, there is a hearing next thuesday in bruges, part of the team will be there, as soon as we find out what they have decided we will inform you all kind regards sabine Hello Sabine, As I read your post, next to my desk is the uniform of Captain Sheldon Arthur Gledstanes, 1/Bedfords, who was mortally wounded 5 May 1915 trying to hold his cut off position on Hill 60 in spite of asphyxiating gas, bomb attacks and enfilading artillery fire. I am certain that he appreciates your efforts to preserve Hill 60. Keep the faith. Good luck! Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabine72 Posted 28 March , 2010 Share Posted 28 March , 2010 Bill, thank you in behalf of the team, we are keeping the faith kind regards sabine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIFFO Posted 29 April , 2010 Share Posted 29 April , 2010 Sabine do you have any more news re the house build Biff Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabine72 Posted 1 May , 2010 Share Posted 1 May , 2010 Biff It is deadly quiet for the moment haven't heard any news. expecting to find a letter in the mailbox next week. will let you all know when there is news kind regards sabine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchbarge Posted 3 May , 2010 Share Posted 3 May , 2010 Biff It is deadly quiet for the moment haven't heard any news. expecting to find a letter in the mailbox next week. will let you all know when there is news kind regards sabine Hello Sabine, I had a dream last night in which Capt. Gledstanes told me everything would be OK. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierlijn Posted 5 May , 2010 Author Share Posted 5 May , 2010 I'm very moved and encouraged by the spirit of the last post. We don't have good news to report and we move on to the next stage of the judicial process, which will take another couple of months. Ours is only one of four separate objections submitted against this building permit and it isn't appropriate to discuss these proceedings in open forum in case it prejudices the final outcome. Thanks to everyone who has lent their support so far, and if you're in a group touring the salient this year and would like a guide, Sabine is not only your best choice, but will tell you the whole torrid story! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neil Clark Posted 5 May , 2010 Share Posted 5 May , 2010 My Gt Grandfather fought on the hill with the Buffs. What a bad bad idea to be building so damn close to Hill 60! Proof indeed that it's upto people like us to try and resist attempts to interfere with battlegrounds. The flippin E.U don't give a damn about things like this, these days it's all about greed. The situation will get worse in the future as local people become even more detached from the going's-on of the Great War. I guarantee that whoever builds the house there will disturb the dead bodies of British (& Empire) and German troops. Quite shocking stuff... I often wonder if Hill 60 is a hill because of the dead bodies themselves. The objection regarding view of Ypres is not my first thought it's the men this development will disturb. I wish you all well with your blocking plan and a BIG well done to Hugh. Just ignore the desenters every forum has its resident ******s! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chris_Baker Posted 5 May , 2010 Share Posted 5 May , 2010 The situation will get worse in the future Neil, I must say with great sadness that I personally almost write off the Ypres salient as being remotely representative of the way it was during the Great War. The cutting of the motorway, the huge expansion of industrial sites along the canal and around the south eastern edge of town and the explosion in house building in the last 20 years have obliterated many important sites and views. All of them have been built on men's graves. There are really only a few areas where you can half imagine the layout but they are precious few and this is one of them. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Simon Birch Posted 5 May , 2010 Share Posted 5 May , 2010 The age old problem again, we brits have to realise, that we have no right to impose our thoughts on the people living on the battlefields. While I agree that we have in no way a right to impose I do think we have a right to object. I suspect that the best part of a million casulaties from that period would agree. Simon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabine72 Posted 5 May , 2010 Share Posted 5 May , 2010 hello, at the moment I don't know what to say , but I haven't lost the spirit and the ideals where I stand for. kind regards sabine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tulloch-Marshall Posted 6 May , 2010 Share Posted 6 May , 2010 Along the same lines, - and this is all probably water under the bridge, - a recent visit to Locre Hospice Cemetery brought on a great feeling of sadness. Its a long time since I was last there and since that visit they've - well see this Google Earth link > http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?hl=en&ie...mp;t=h&z=18 The garden of that house is now more mature than it appears above and there is also obtrusive fencing. The whole setting of the cemetery has been spoiled. Why there ? - They could surely have built anywhere else in those fields ......... It is their country of course, but we are still entitled to "moan" and object. Our men died for their freedom as well as our own. The land for the cemeteries was granted in perpetuity; - too late now, but with hindsight maybe the land for 100 yards around could / should have been negotiated at the outset as well. Is it too late to stop this kind of building ? Having said that; in the wider context of "the Salient" I think we should also remember that it is largely down to the people of Ypres that, at 8pm every evening, the traffic in the Meensestraat is halted and the area falls silent. Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierlijn Posted 7 May , 2010 Author Share Posted 7 May , 2010 Thank you to the people who put their crosses of remembrance by the building permit notification sign. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchbarge Posted 12 May , 2010 Share Posted 12 May , 2010 While I agree that we have in no way a right to impose I do think we have a right to object. I suspect that the best part of a million casulaties from that period would agree. Simon Please excuse my lack of political correctness, but I think it high time someone remind the Ypres Planning wallahs that it is in large measure due to British, Dominion and US intervention on behalf of Belgium in both world wars that the Belgians even have a country of their own. One would think that this alone would be enough for their government to make every effort to honor the memory of their deliverers from tyranny. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
27thBN Posted 13 May , 2010 Share Posted 13 May , 2010 Hello Sabine, As I read your post, next to my desk is the uniform of Captain Sheldon Arthur Gledstanes, 1/Bedfords, who was mortally wounded 5 May 1915 trying to hold his cut off position on Hill 60 in spite of asphyxiating gas, bomb attacks and enfilading artillery fire. I am certain that he appreciates your efforts to preserve Hill 60. Keep the faith. Good luck! Cheers, Bill Hi Bill very nice Tunic,holster and cap all in excellent condition (as far as i can see Cheers MC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
20th Division Posted 15 May , 2010 Share Posted 15 May , 2010 Hi Bill very nice Tunic,holster and cap all in excellent condition (as far as i can see Cheers MC To all those that are "fighting this corner"-don't lose heart!!!!-To "!those on-the-spot"---what else can be done????---Just let us know and we'll do it!!!! Best wishes. Dave. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bierlijn Posted 15 May , 2010 Author Share Posted 15 May , 2010 The next stage of the objection is a full court hearing in which we not only face a second huge lawyer's bill, but also the other side's witness costs if we loose. Be careful what you offer! Hugh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
centurion Posted 15 May , 2010 Share Posted 15 May , 2010 Please excuse my lack of political correctness, but I think it high time someone remind the Ypres Planning wallahs that it is in large measure due to British, Dominion and US intervention on behalf of Belgium in both world wars that the Belgians even have a country of their own. One would think that this alone would be enough for their government to make every effort to honor the memory of their deliverers from tyranny. Cheers, Bill I was completely unaware that president Wilson intervened because of Belgium - if he did he was a mite tardy about it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
green_acorn Posted 16 May , 2010 Share Posted 16 May , 2010 Coming late to this discussion and with limited emotion to it, but an appreciation of what is trying to be achieved and why, may I offer some more pragmatic thoughts of an interested person a great distant away in Australia who has only visited Hill 60 once. First the view blocking house, which I gather blocks views of the other parts of the Ypres Sector, irrespective of the fact that many many British, Scot, Irish, Canadians, Kiwi's, Aussies and French died defending the town and ground, we no longer have the right to dictate what cannot be done on the privately owned periphery of preserved land, we can ask that it be done sympathetically, but not ask for it to be discarded, the land would be valueless for the future, unless the interested parties who don't want the work could somehow find the funds to then purchase the block at pre decision market cost and make it public land. May I suggest a far better way would be to an interpretative stand/s showing panorama's from that point created from wartime panorama's or post war ones. Weather proof mounted under a roof with open walls on one side it would allow visitors to walk the rim of the crater and learn about the events leading to the explosion and see views of the battlefield from that time. Possibly the Ieper Community could help. You never know if you address the subject with the producers of Beneath Hill 60 you may get some practical or other assistance. Cheers, Hendo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchbarge Posted 17 May , 2010 Share Posted 17 May , 2010 I was completely unaware that president Wilson intervened because of Belgium - if he did he was a mite tardy about it! Though most of our dead from the Great War were brought home 368 US soldiers lie buried in the US cemetery at Waregem, Belgium, all of whom gave their lives in the liberation of the Belgians in WW1. Another 30,000 of our WW1 dead lie scattered in cemeteries across France. Thousands more are commemorated on memorials to the missing. 5,706 of our dead lie buried near Luxembourge City, many of whom gave their lives during the Battle of the Bulge in WW2. 3,812 more are buried in Cambridge where the names of an additional 5,126 of our missing are recorded. Most were air crewmen lost on strategic bombing raids over Northwest Europe. Thousands more our WW2 dead are buried in France and Italy. All gave their lives for the liberation of Europe, including Belgium. I think their sacrifice deserves more than your glib remarks. Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Tulloch-Marshall Posted 17 May , 2010 Share Posted 17 May , 2010 Though most of our dead from the Great War were brought home 368 US soldiers lie buried in the US cemetery at Waregem, Belgium, all of whom gave their lives in the liberation of the Belgians in WW1. Another 30,000 of our WW1 dead lie scattered in cemeteries across France. Thousands more are commemorated on memorials to the missing. 5,706 of our dead lie buried near Luxembourge City, many of whom gave their lives during the Battle of the Bulge in WW2. 3,812 more are buried in Cambridge where the names of an additional 5,126 of our missing are recorded. Most were air crewmen lost on strategic bombing raids over Northwest Europe. Thousands more our WW2 dead are buried in France and Italy. All gave their lives for the liberation of Europe, including Belgium. I think their sacrifice deserves more than your glib remarks. Bill There is a danger here of pushing this topic away from the original point, but it should be remembered that it is principally Belgians who are (actively) opposing the current Hill 60 plans. I am also reminded of the situation which came about(*) when de Gaulle took France out of NATO and ordered that all American troops should leave the country. President Lyndon Johnson's instructions to Secretary of State Dean Rusk with regards to how de Gaulle should be asked to expand on this (*I'm accepting here that the story is at least substantially correct) has got to be one of the sharpest and most pertinent put-downs of all time. "Does that include the dead ones ?" Tom Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dutchbarge Posted 18 May , 2010 Share Posted 18 May , 2010 There is a danger here of pushing this topic away from the original point, but it should be remembered that it is principally Belgians who are (actively) opposing the current Hill 60 plans. I am also reminded of the situation which came about(*) when de Gaulle took France out of NATO and ordered that all American troops should leave the country. President Lyndon Johnson's instructions to Secretary of State Dean Rusk with regards to how de Gaulle should be asked to expand on this (*I'm accepting here that the story is at least substantially correct) has got to be one of the sharpest and most pertinent put-downs of all time. "Does that include the dead ones ?" Tom Hello Tom, Right you are.....the issue here is supporting the noble effort of our Belgian friends to save Hill 60. Cheers, Bill Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabine72 Posted 23 May , 2010 Share Posted 23 May , 2010 hello, this is the link to the new website http://www.savehill60.org/ more details about what happend the past few month's you can find there kind regards sabine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gixsermalc Posted 21 September , 2010 Share Posted 21 September , 2010 hello, this is the link to the new website http://www.savehill60.org/ more details about what happend the past few month's you can find there kind regards sabine Is there any news yet last post states Mid september. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sabine72 Posted 22 September , 2010 Share Posted 22 September , 2010 no news at the moment, looks like it might be next year before we get any news out of the court case kind regards sabine Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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