May 2019 Pilgrimage
Thirty nine people took part in the 2019 pilgrimage to mark the 79th anniversary of the massacre.
Below is a description of the visit:
Below is a description of the visit:
Wednesday May 22nd
The day looked at the Allied withdrawals from the River Dyle, River Escaut and Canal Lines. This included a visit to Wavre and the surrounding area and also the sites of a number of VCs including that awarded to Company Sergeant Major George Gristock of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment.
It was a particular poignant day for Private Ernie Leggett's daughter Sandra as she visited the cement works where her father was injured, resulting in him being made a prisoner-of-war. Sandra still wears Ernie's army dog tags identity discs round her neck.
The day looked at the Allied withdrawals from the River Dyle, River Escaut and Canal Lines. This included a visit to Wavre and the surrounding area and also the sites of a number of VCs including that awarded to Company Sergeant Major George Gristock of the 2nd Battalion The Royal Norfolk Regiment.
It was a particular poignant day for Private Ernie Leggett's daughter Sandra as she visited the cement works where her father was injured, resulting in him being made a prisoner-of-war. Sandra still wears Ernie's army dog tags identity discs round her neck.
Thursday May 23rd
Today looked at the delaying tactics employed by the Royal Norfolks as they fought to halt the advance of the German troops, It focused on the area between Bethune and Robecq.
The day included a visit to Lestrem to view the new memorial set-up to honour Bill O'Callaghan and Bert Pooley and the 97 who lost their lives in the massacre. There was a tour of Le Paradis and a view of the Bois de Pacqueaut where the Yallop charge took place.
The group visited le Cornet Malo crossroads and enjoyed a lunch stop at the hill top town of Cassel with its stunning views of the French countryside. A number of Commonwealth War Grave sites were visited during the day and there was also a highly poignant visit to the Memorial barn at Wormhoudt where 80 British and French troops were massacred just a day after the massacre at Le Paradis.
In the evening most of the group attended the daily commemoration service at the Menin Gate. Colonel Clem read the exhortation and laid the first wreath accompanied by Dennis O'Callaghan and Sandra Deville-Leggett (daughter of Ernie Leggett of the Second Norfolks). The second party to lay a wreath consisted of Jim Lane (Royal Norfolks Suez Crisis), his wife Shirley and Margaret O'Callaghan. The fourth party consisted of John and Ros Head and their grandson George LeBon who laid a wreath on behalf of the youth of today and the Desert Rats (on behalf of George's great grandfather).
Today looked at the delaying tactics employed by the Royal Norfolks as they fought to halt the advance of the German troops, It focused on the area between Bethune and Robecq.
The day included a visit to Lestrem to view the new memorial set-up to honour Bill O'Callaghan and Bert Pooley and the 97 who lost their lives in the massacre. There was a tour of Le Paradis and a view of the Bois de Pacqueaut where the Yallop charge took place.
The group visited le Cornet Malo crossroads and enjoyed a lunch stop at the hill top town of Cassel with its stunning views of the French countryside. A number of Commonwealth War Grave sites were visited during the day and there was also a highly poignant visit to the Memorial barn at Wormhoudt where 80 British and French troops were massacred just a day after the massacre at Le Paradis.
In the evening most of the group attended the daily commemoration service at the Menin Gate. Colonel Clem read the exhortation and laid the first wreath accompanied by Dennis O'Callaghan and Sandra Deville-Leggett (daughter of Ernie Leggett of the Second Norfolks). The second party to lay a wreath consisted of Jim Lane (Royal Norfolks Suez Crisis), his wife Shirley and Margaret O'Callaghan. The fourth party consisted of John and Ros Head and their grandson George LeBon who laid a wreath on behalf of the youth of today and the Desert Rats (on behalf of George's great grandfather).
Friday May 24th
Today the pilgrims studied the miracle of the evacuation of Dunkirk. Firstly in the morning there was a visit to the Blockhaus of Eperlecques - the site of the launch of V1 and V2 bombs on London and a target for Allied bombers. The blockhaus was an enormously chilling concrete monstrosity in the beautiful French countryside. Lunch was taken at Bray Dunes where we were able to appreciate the scope of the evacuation. The day also featured a visit to Dunkirk Military Cemetery and the Memorial to the Missing and also a visit to the East Mole jetty - a structure that was responsible for saving so many lives, although the original wooden jetty has been replaced by a concrete one. Photographs from the day are below.
Today the pilgrims studied the miracle of the evacuation of Dunkirk. Firstly in the morning there was a visit to the Blockhaus of Eperlecques - the site of the launch of V1 and V2 bombs on London and a target for Allied bombers. The blockhaus was an enormously chilling concrete monstrosity in the beautiful French countryside. Lunch was taken at Bray Dunes where we were able to appreciate the scope of the evacuation. The day also featured a visit to Dunkirk Military Cemetery and the Memorial to the Missing and also a visit to the East Mole jetty - a structure that was responsible for saving so many lives, although the original wooden jetty has been replaced by a concrete one. Photographs from the day are below.
Saturday May 25th
Pilgrims played an important part in marking the 79th anniversary of the Le Paradis Massacre by attending a number of events in Le Paradis and Lestrem. These included the annual ceremonies at the barn where the massacre took place, the church where the bodies of those massacred are buried and a special ceremony at the new memorial in Lestrem. This was followed by a reception and then the long journey home. There was a particularly poignant moment at the barn for Dennis O'Callaghan when he found out that a new plaque commemorating his father has been placed on the wall. This is something Dennis knew nothing about and he admitted that it had "brought a tear to his eye." Below is a gallery of photographs from the day.
Pilgrims played an important part in marking the 79th anniversary of the Le Paradis Massacre by attending a number of events in Le Paradis and Lestrem. These included the annual ceremonies at the barn where the massacre took place, the church where the bodies of those massacred are buried and a special ceremony at the new memorial in Lestrem. This was followed by a reception and then the long journey home. There was a particularly poignant moment at the barn for Dennis O'Callaghan when he found out that a new plaque commemorating his father has been placed on the wall. This is something Dennis knew nothing about and he admitted that it had "brought a tear to his eye." Below is a gallery of photographs from the day.
Other images from the pilgrimage:
Photographs by Peter Steward, Nick Smith, Robert McMaster and Clem Maginniss