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Page 1 of 2 TRIBUTES
Dedication by Mr Pierre Kisters, Chairman of the October 1944 s-Hertogenbosch Foundation. Dear friends, I would like to say a few words, especially about this historic location. As you may know our country has been occupied by the German’s during 4/5 years. They invaded the Netherlands in May 1940 and after that a very hard time started for the Dutch people. There was a lot of hunger, pain, suffering and poverty. But there also was courage, resistance, solidarity and unity. In June 1944 the Allied Forces, with many British troops, landed in Normandy and they fought their way through France and Belgium to Holland. The advance was fast and in September and October great parts of southern Holland were already liberated. At the end of October 1944 the 53rd Welsh Division started the battle for ‘s-Hertogenbosch. Approaching from the east, tanks entered the part of the town on the other side of the canal. All the bridges were blown up by the Germans and they were waiting on this side. After a nervous silence they started to fire. This was answered by the Crocodiles, flamethrower tanks, which set fire to the houses where the Germans were hiding. Although the bridges were blown up, a narrow footpath on the lock-gate over there was still unimpaired and closed. Two companies of the 7th Royal Welsh Fusiliers started crossing the canal while they were under fire and under cover of smokescreens. It was a dangerous attack. One of the veterans expressed it to me as follows: ‘we were running into danger.’ However only one soldier was wounded and you may call that a miracle. They managed to settle a bridgehead on this very spot and it was a very rigorous and important push through. Those brave soldiers were honoured by this town by this beautiful monument. The artist was inspired by a photograph of the soldiers running across the lockdoors wrapped in smoke. By commemorating today, together with youngf sportsmen of Wales and s’-Hertogenbosch, we pay once more tribute to the young brave Welsh and British soldiers who contributed so much to our liberation and brought back our freedom. Every year at the end of October we invite these veterans, who are now in their eighties, to commemorate their comrades who were killed in the battle and to celebrate our liberation. We, the foundation October 1944 ‘s-Hertogenbosch, promote the friendship between Wales and our city, especially by the exchange of young people . so, we are glad to be together at this ceremony. May our bonds of friendship grow during your stay and in the future. Dedication by Neil Hughes RE, Pontypridd RFC. It seems like only yesterday that many here today, stood atop the common in Pontypridd welcoming the young Dukes as friends and paying our respects at the war memorial there that pays trbute to the soldiers of the Pontypridd region who fell in the campaign to liberate this land of an evil tyranny. Any visitors to the memorial in Pontypridd at around noon on Saturday 29 April 2006 would have seen the strange site of a hundred or more young Dutch rugby players and their coaches stomping around in their clogs. A strange sight indeed in the South Wales valleys… The stone there, like this one, is dedicated to members of the 53rd Welsh Division and the 5th (Glamorgan) Battalion the Welch Regiment, many of whom were residents of Pontypridd, who in October 1944 were involved in liberating this very land where we stand. A total of 275 Welsh soldiers gave their lives, with another 320 wounded. There were 118 local civilians fatalities and 80 seriously wounded, mostly women and children. Many of whom would have been related to those here today. On behalf of the Veterans from the Pontypridd Branch of The RRW (24th/41st Foot) Regimental Association, Pontypridd RFC and the people of South Wales I would like to pay my respects to those who took part in the battle and particularly those who gave their lives so others could live in freedom. A freedom that many today take for granted, but that would not exist had it not been for the sacrifices made over half a century ago. I think it is only fitting that we, here today, take time to reflect on those sacrifices and remember why they were made and how we have benefitted in the free lives we lead. So to all the veterans here today and to those who have fallen, when darkness threatened you kept the torch of liberty alight. You kept the flame burning, so that others all across the world could share it. You showed the truth that freedom is not free. We honour you today because you did answer the call to defend a country you never knew and a people you never met. They are good people. It's a good country. And the world is better because of you.
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