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As part of the 70th anniversary commemorations of the battle, 43
Brigade have spent four days in Normandy retracing the steps of the
43rd Division from the conflict 70 years ago, as part of Operation
Jupiter and the Normandy D-Day landings. The culmination of
the four day anniversary events saw The Earl of Wessex pay a
visit; Edward stood on and watched as the soldiers, veterans and a
group of schoolchildren performed a march past. The Earl also
paid his respects by laying a memorial wreath at a Hill 112
monument.
The 43 Brigade also met with veterans and their families, as well
as the people of Normandy, to remember those who lost their lives
in order to rid France of German occupation prior to Prince
Edward’s visit.
The 43rd Wessex Division landed in Normandy on June 24th 1944, and
they continuously fought until the German surrender in April 1945;
they suffered the most losses of the entire campaign, with nearly
12,000 killed, wounded or missing in action.
The commemorative party that gathered in Normandy this week was
made up of soldiers from The Royal Wessex Yeomanry, 226 Battery,
Royal Artillery Bristol, 4 Rifles, 43 Brigade and 1 Artillery
Brigade, who are both based at Tidworth. They all attended a
service of remembrance at the Banneville Commonwealth War Graves
Cemetery, where all of the soldiers were given crosses to place on
various graves.
The Act of Remembrance was read by Rifleman Stefan Lynes who also
commented, “It has been an emotional experience seeing the veterans
together. There was a connection between them and us- once a
soldier always a soldier”.
At the beginning of June, members of the Royal Family, including
Her Majesty The Queen and Duke of Edinburgh, were in Normandy to
commemorate the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings. Events
attended at that time included a commemoration on Sword
Beach, a remembrance service at
Bayeux Cathedral and a veterans tea party in
Arromanches.
photo credit: Yate Armadillo via photopin cc]]>
