For six years now we have been visiting the town of Thury-Harcourt which lies south of Caen in the bocage region of Normandy. This was the site of a fierce battle which saw 90% of the 59th South Staffordshire Regiment wiped out. Eventually the town was liberated, but at a grave price. Hundreds of french civilians perished during the battle and much of the town was either destroyed by shelling or set alight by the germans before their retreat. Despite all this the townspeople are eternally grateful to all British veterans, especially those in the 59th Division. We are astonished every year by their kind hospitality. The veterans too, look forward to this annual opportunity to remember not just their British comrades who fell in battle, but also the innocent french civilians who lost their lives in the fight for freedom. Our visits there are always a wonderful testament to human capacity for compassion, empathy and understanding...
Posted on: Sat, 07 Jun 2014 07:08:21 +0000
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