“Remembrance Day” commemorates the 25th anniversary of the death of Croatian veterans in the terrible battle that took place in the Grahovo area from August 13th to 15th 1995. against Serb forces.
This commemoration has been held in Bosansko Grahovo since 1996. in memory of 23 Croatian soldiers killed in that battle, but also of more than 60 defenders who gave their lives in the liberation actions of the HV and HVO in 1994. and 1995. in the area of Bosansko Grahovo ( Winter 94, Skok 1, Skok 2, Ljeto 95 and Oluja).
Holy Mass in the parish church of St. Elijah the Prophet in Bosansko Grahovo (Obljaj) was led by the local parish priest of Drvar-Grahovo, rev. Davor Klečina. Due to the worsened epidemiological situation in BiH caused by the coronavirus, this year there was no organized arrival by bus from the Republic of Croatia of relatives of the dead and their comrades, so only delegations of associations originating from the Homeland War (Association of Veterans and Friends of the 141st HV Split-Kaštela Brigade, Association of Veterans of the 7th Guards Brigade of the HV “Puma”, Association of Veterans of the OMB 113th Šibenik Brigade and Coordination of Associations of HVO originating from the Homeland War of Hercegbosna County).
At the beginning of the Holy Mass, parish priest Klečina read the names of all 23 veterans who died in the battle of Grahovo on the three days of August 1995., and in his sermon he called for a “culture of remembrance” for all victims of the defensive war. He also pointed out the fact that, after the initial great losses of the Croatian side and the apparent superiority of the enemy, the victory in this difficult battle was won on the feast of the Assumption of Mary, and recalled some personal testimonies of the defenders’ faith in the battle and their influence on the Blessed Virgin Mary.
This year, for the first time, the Ministry of Veterans Affairs in the Government of the Republic of Croatia with their envoy State Secretary Ivan Vukić, participated in the commemoration in Bosansko Grahovo. For the first time, the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs of the Government of the Republic of Croatia, represented by Valentina Šarčević, as well as the Central State Office for Croats Abroad, represented by Žana Ćorić, were present. The commemoration was also attended by Dragan Konta from the Directorate for Veterans of the HNS BiH, as well as the Minister of the Internal affairs of HBŽ Darinko Mihaljević. Military structures from BiH were represented by Colonel Dario Tucaković from the 1st Infantry Regiment of the Croatian component of the AF BiH, and other officers of the Croatian component of the AF BiH.
After the Holy Mass, the commemoration continued in front of the memorial cross in the centre of Bosansko Grahovo, where wreaths and lighted candles were laid, in the presence of the honorary platoon of the BiH Armed Forces and the honour trumpet, and then parish priest Klečina prayed for all those killed. The organizer of this year’s Remembrance Day in Bosansko Grahovo were two local associations – the Association for the Preservation of Cultural and Historical Heritage “Don Juraj Gospodnetić” and the Association of Volunteers and Veterans of the Homeland War of the HVO Herceg Bosna, Bosansko Grahovo Branch.
After the commemoration, everyone visited the construction site of a new memorial in the courtyard of the parish church in Obljaj, where the names of all Croatian veterans killed in the Homeland War in the area of Bosansko Grahovo and the names of all Croatian Catholics victims in II. world war from the parish of Bosansko Grahovo. The initial funds for the construction of the monument were provided by the Split-Dalmatia County, and State Secretary Ivan Vukić promised financial assistance from the Croatian Ministry of Veterans.
Veteran of the 141st HV Brigade Jakša Bulić from Split, for the third time this year, rode a 170 km long bicycle marathon from Labin Dalmatinski to Bosansko Grahovo, in memory of his brigade’s war journey from August 1995. and in honour of 23 killed veterans in the battle of Bosansko Grahovo from 13th to 15th August 1995. This year, a group of young men, members of the Club of Children of Croatian Veterans of the 4th Guard brigade, also made a pilgrimage to Grahovo for the first time this year. brigade.
KT
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Bos. Grahovo – August 15, 2020
