Evrecy commemoration

17 June was the70th anniversary of heavy allied bombing on the village of Evrecy

The allied bombing of Evrecy, the numerous casualties and the significant damage to an innocent village has always troubled me, and I have never fully understood why the allies felt such a heavy bombardment was necessary. It was simply one of the many regrettable tragedies of the war. The RWF contingent plan to lay a wreath at the memorial to the dead on the 17th July to commemorate the French Dead.

As an update to arrangements for the RWFCA Commemoration please note the following:

EVERECY
COMMEMORATION OF THE 70TH ANNIVERSARY

Background

On the 16th of July 1944 The Royal Welch Brigade was given its first real test of the Normandy campaign when it was ordered, under command of 15^th (Scottish) Division, to capture the village of Evrecy on the South Bank of the Odon river, an operation that would have taxed more experienced troops since it called for an approach march of four miles over the river to its start line, followed by an advance of over 1,200 yards over gentle rising ground that could not be reconnoitred, to the objective of the Ferm de Mondeville above the village.

The operation was in effect carried out twice due to the thick fog and smoke and the failed communications which disrupted the initial attacks of the 16th. Navigation in the very poor visibility became impossible and the supporting tanks failed to link up. During the withdrawal on the 17^th the fog lifted at dawn leaving the Brigade exposed on a forward slope to heavy mortar and machine gun fire, leading to heavy casualties. The subsequent attack on the 17^th took the village but as darkness fell the advantage turned to the enemy. Although 200 prisoners were taken the foothold in the village could not be maintained.

Strategically Montgomery’s plan was to fix the enemy South of Caen and draw in their reserves to allow the Americans to break out of St Lo and outflank the Enemy. This plan lead to a rapid Enemy withdrawal towards the notorious Falaise pocket and the allied breakout from Normandy

A short account of the Battle may be read in the Astonishing Infantry p198 202.

The Plan for the Commemoration

An official party numbering approximately twenty will move by coach from the UK on Wednesday, 16th July 2014 via Dover to hotel accommodation at Rouen. The party will leave Rouen early the following day to be at Evrecy by 1030 hrs local. A commemoration service will then take place at the Royal Welch Fusiliers Memorial starting at 1045 hrs. Citizens and officials of Evrecy are expected to join us.

The commemoration will be a simple service, where the surviving veterans of the battle will be central to events. The Regiment will later lay a wreath at the town’s war memorial which will be followed by a ‘Vin d’honneur’ at the Marie.

At 1330 hrs the RWF contingent will leave Evrecy for the village of Gavrus, which was the FUP for the battle, here a short wreath laying ceremony will take place, before the party returns to its hotel at Rouen, for rest and relaxation, before returning to the UK on Friday, the 18th July.

The final details of the travel arrangements and timings and locations for pick up and travel will be sent out later by RHQ.