Somerset LI and Wiltshire R, 70 years after

[Wmr-RHB]

Since about ten years we live in the small town of Lochem (province of Gelderland, population ±14,000).
For those who want to pronounce this, it starts much the same as the Scottish 'loch'.

In April 1945, 70 years ago, after the Rhine crossing, Montgomery's 21st Army Group raced to the north of Germany. At it's left flank units veered off into the Netherlands. On 2 April 1945 Lochem was liberated by units from the 43rd Wessex Division. This is of course not something that is to be forgotten. Just to south-east of the buildup area of Lochem is the Enk (an 'enk' is common agricultural area for a community). I have seen photos of Sherman tanks rolling over it. Here we find a rural way that is called Somerset.

Near the name plate is a small monument. It shows the badge of the 43rd Wessex Division, the text ALL THE WAY FROM NORMANDY and on the front:

4th Bn The Somerset Light Infantry (P.A.)
4th Bn The Wiltshire Regiment
The Sherwood Rangers Yeomanry
The 4th/7th Draggon Guards
Bevrijders van Lochem
1-2 April 1945

(Bevrijders = Liberators)

The monument is always in the care of a first year class (12/13 year old children) of the local college and each year the responsability for it is taken over by the next class with a short ceremony.

Not long ago a new town hall was build and a foot bridge over the small river De Berkel was erected to be used as a connection between the old town center and the new town hall. On 2 April 2015 this bridge was named Wiltshire brug (brug = bridge). And a name plate and an explanationary sign were added.

Translation:

Wiltshire bridge

In remembrance of the liberation of Lochem, this bridge was named after the Wiltshire Regiment.

The Wilshire Regiment was raised in 1881 and existed until 1959. The Regiment took part in several wars, among others the Second World War (1940 - 1945). After the landings in Normandy (France) the English regiment liberated many places. On 2 April 1945 the Wiltshire Regiment went from Ruurlo, passing over the Enk, into Lochem. The liberation of Lochem until the Twente Canal was a fact. The English were then relieved by the Canadians who liberated the remaining parts of the Lochemm municipality from the German yoke.

The bond between the Wiltshire Regiment and Lochem had as a result that in the village of Devizes in county Wiltshire a street was named after Lochem: "Lochem Road".

Lochem 2 april 2015

Today ceremonies were held at the monument and at the bridge. At the same time a number of WW2 vintage vehicles passed nearby on their memorial trip "The final Push" that will end in Groningen later in the month. Three veterans of the Wiltshires and Somersets were attending and laid reeds.

When someone is interested I can add some pictures of the ceremony at the monument. I also took some pictures of the vehicles (mostly American).