The Last Post in landscape, in Poperinge01/10/2023

On the 01/10/2023 The National Caribbean Monument Charity (TCNCMC) was invited to The Last Post in landscape at the Military Cemetery Lijssenthoek in Poperinge, by the Last Post Society and its curator Dominiek Dendooven base in Ypres Belgium.

Along with VIP guests which included four Ambassadors from the Caribbean to Belgium and the Europe Union Ms. Aliyyah Ahad - Bermuda, Ms. Gianni Avila - Belize, Mrs. Symone Betton Nayo - Jamaica, and Mr. Colin Connelly - Trinidad and Tobago also Mr. Winston White Chair of TNCMC and Trustee Ms. Deborah Nicholls. Mr. Paul Chambers and Mr. Zac Robinson from British West India Regiments Trust (BWIRT)

The event was based on three men who served in WW1, Brothers Micheal Norman Manley, Douglas Roy Manley and Herbert Morris, these three men stories are known to many.  But for those who are unaware Micheal Norman and Douglas Roy Manley, join the Army in Deptford Kent England an enlisted in the Artillery, while Herbert Morris join the British West Indies Regiment as and infinitary man, all three served in Europe with different out comes.

 Douglas Roy Manley the younger Manley brother was kill in action at Wilson Farm Sint – Jan Belgium, he is buried in the New Military Cemetery Poperinge.

Micheal Norman Manley survived the war completed is study as a lawyer and was call to the Bar, he became a prominent advocate in the fight for his country independence, a champion of the people and Prime Minister of Jamaica was just one of his many achievements. 

Herbert Morris, the last of the three was a young sixteen-year-old who travel from Jamaica and eventfully to the western front where he was employed to stock munitions, the pressure of the fighting traumatize him and he went absence without out leave (AWOL) he was arrested and court martial in the field and sentence to death by firing squad of his peers. Herbert Morris story has links to many other stories Shot at Dawn Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) Herbert was pardon in 2006 by the chief of defense along with some 209 other men.

The fore mentioned men stories were presented to an audience via script and music a somber moment of reflection and remembrance of their contribution to what we see as peace today.

Myself The ambassador of Jamaica Mrs. Symone Betton Nayo Jamaica, visited several of the other graves known to be of soldiers from the Caribbean, we then depart to New Military Poperinge Cemetery where TNCMC and the Ambassador paid their respect to Herbert Morris by laying a Wreath at his grave we also paid our respect to Douglas Roy Manly.

We then went on the Talbert building for refreshment and a tour of its artifacts. 

Picture below at the Last Post in landscape at the Military Cemetery Lijssenthoek in Poperinge.

From left to right: Mr. Zac Robinson BWIRT Mr. Paul Chambers BWIRT Colin Connelly Ambassador of Trinidad Mrs. Symone Betton Nayo Ambassador of Jamaica Ms. Aliyyah Ahad Bermuda Ms. Gianni Avila Belize Mr. Winston White Chair of TNCMC Ms. Deborah Nicholls Trustee of TNCMC.

Visit to the New Poperinge Cemetery to pay our respect to Herbert Morris where we laid our annual wreath. Picture above from L – R Mr Dominiek Dendooven Last Post Society Curator, Winston White Chair of TNCMC, Mrs. Symone Betton Nayo Ambassador of Jamaica Deborah Nicholls Trustee of TNCMC.

Paying respect to Douglas Roy Manley at New Poperinge Cemetery.