On 17th September, Emma was invited to sing from the presentation of a film about the life of Corporal John Sleep. John Sleep was a paratrooper during the second world war. He arrived at all his missions by sea. First he fought in Africa and then in Italy. On D-Day he landed on Sword Beach and travelled north towards the Netherlands. He was eventually injured when a tank fired at him. Last year, during the commemorations of the second world war, John was asked to speak about his time in the army. This was made into a short film which was presented on 17th September. Emma sang a concert following the presentation.

At the Commonwealth War Graves Commission cemetery in Venray, the Netherlands, 663 soldiers of the second world war are buried. Each year, in September, the people of Venray organise a remembrance ceremony to which veterans are invited. This year, Emma was invited to sing Amazing Grace with piper Kenny Brouwers. The local children laid red roses on every grave in the cemetery. Following the service, the veterans gave the children chocolate, just as they had shared their rations with the people of the Netherlands when the country was liberated in 1945.

On 12^th September, Emma sang at a wreath-laying ceremony at the Netherlands American Cemetery in Margraten. 8,301 American soldiers rest in the cemetery; they perished fighting to liberate the Netherlands in the final year of the Second World War. Stichting Nederland-Amerika invited twenty veterans from America, Canada, and the United Kingdom for remembrance ceremonies and celebrations. There were some familiar faces present from Normandy including Fred Harris, Len Fox, Len Mann, Reginald Charles, and Frank and Karin Churchill. Also present was a US veteran returning to the Netherlands for the first time since the fighting in 1944. Emma sang “Abide with Me” and “How Great Thou Art.” The ceremony was broadcast on Omroep Brabant.

On Friday, 1st September, Emma Brown will sing at the guest soloist at the International Military Tattoo in Gouda, the Netherlands. She will sing the finale with six international bands in an exciting event, complete with acrobatics and fireworks. Tickets are available via this link.

To mark one hundred years to the minute since the start of the Battle of Passchendaele, at 05:50 am CET on 31^st July, 2017, a World War One cannon will be fired from the spot where the battle begun in Langemark, Belgium.

There will be a ceremony of remembrance beginning at 05:20. Emma will sing “Going Home,” “Danny Boy,” and the German song “The Good Comrade” (“Ich hatt’ einen Kameraden”). “The Good Comrade” was composed in 1809 and is traditionally sung during burial ceremonies of the German Armed Forces.

The ceremony includes music, poetry, readings from war diaries, and the Last Post ceremony. Also providing music are violinist Tracey McRory, Field Marshal Haig’s Own Pipes and Drums, folk singer Davy Holt, and the North Wales Rugby Choir.

The service is open to everyone and the public are invited to volunteer to read. The spirit is of remembrance “by the people for the people.”  The organization aims to make the service to be as inclusive as possible and to remember all the fallen, regardless of the side on which they fought.

Assemble 05:00 for 05:20 ceremony, Welsh National Memorial Park, Langemark. 

On Sunday, 30th July, Emma will sing during a ceremony at Artillery Wood, Belgium, for the Welsh Guards Pilgrimage. Members and former members of the Welsh Guards have travelled to Passchendaele to visit the graves and memorials of their fallen comrades. This marks one hundred years since the Battle of Passchendaele. The ceremony will be live-streamed to those who could not travel to Belgium, and a parallel service of remembrance is being held in Wales. 

As part of their broadcasting of the Passchendaele centenary commemorations, BBC Radio Nottingham’s Verity Cowley will interview Emma live at Tyne Cot cemetery on Sunday morning. Tune in at 08:50 UK time on BBC Radio Nottingham.