85th Remembrance Ceremony

Information in brief

For tickets for Kitchener families, please contact: [email protected]

Spectators can also watch without a ticket, standing between the Cenotaph and Banqueting House, assembling from 1.30pm.

Ceremony starts at 2pm

Kitchener camp, Willi Reissner
Willi Reissner, Pioneer Corps
Kitchener camp, Alfons Schüler, Pioneer Corps uniform
Kitchener camp, Alfons Schüler, Pioneer Corps uniform

Some further information

887 Kitchener refugees joined the Pioneer Corps in Autumn and Winter 1939.

More refugees joined later in the war.

By war’s end their service had ranged through all the forces, including vital translation and Intelligence work.

Not all the Kitchener refugees survived this service: all deserve our thanks and our honour.

This year, on Sunday, 17th November 2019, a wreath will be laid specifically for the Kitchener camp soldiers at the Cenotaph in Whitehall, London.

Welfare, Remembrance and Education

The ceremony is run by AJEX – the Association of Jewish Ex-servicemen and women.

I went last year: it was moving and very worthwhile. I will be going again this Sunday, as will Stephen Nelken. And we hope you can join us!

Archived information is here: https://www.ajex.org.uk/files/880-1-1.pdf

Spectators can also watch without a ticket, standing between the Cenotaph and Banqueting House, assembling from 1.30pm.

Everyone is welcome to attend. It would be lovely if as many Kitchener families as possible could be there – whether or not your father or grandfather was in the armed forces.

We are unlikely to run another Kitchener event this year, so it’s a last chance to gather in our 80th year. And for such a worthwhile occasion.

Leave to Land - Banner nine
Leave to Land: The Kitchener camp rescue, 1939 – Exhibition Banner – A State of War
AJEX, The Jewish Military Association UK, is unique. 

Established as the Jewish Ex-Servicemen’s Legion after the Great War, it exists to celebrate and support the contribution of those members of the Anglo-Jewish community who have served and continue to serve Her Majesty’s Armed Forces. 

The Charity is organised across three pillars: 

Welfare, Remembrance and Education