Memorial 7th and 9th Battalion Royal Scots

On Saturday 29 May 2010 in the Bevrijdingsmuseum (Liberation Museum) a memorial plaque together with the belonging texts of the 7th/9th Battalion Royal Scots was handed over. The transfer took place on request of the Commanding Officer Major Joe Brown CBE TD DL of 7th/9th Batallion Royal Scots, the transfer was made by Mr. Jan H. Wigard as their representative.

The original memorial plaque was handed over to the manager of hotel Britannia in Flushing in 1964 by Lt.Col. Mike E. Melvill, who was the Commander of this Batallion in 1944. In this hotel the plaque was situated in a conspicuous place in the lobby up till the closure of the Britannia. That plaque had disappeared since.

On request of Major Brown, Mr Wigard started a search for the plaque with a letter to the Court of Mayor and Alderman of Flushing. Not because the plaque represented a huge value in money but it did have an immense emotional value for the veterans that delivered an intensive battle to conquer the hotel in 1944, where the German headquarters had been established. In that fight 20 young men lost their lives. The capture of the Britannia signified the end of the battle for Flushing but 7th/9th Battalion was again engaged on November 6th 1944 and conquered Middelburg. Also this operation cost them one life.
On July 28 2009 Mr. Wigard received the message from the Court of Mayor and Alderman of Flushing that the plaque had been traced and also the announcement that an appropriate location ought to be proposed. A few months passed and Mr. Wigard was approached again with the message on 15 April 2010 on behalf of the Court of Mayor and Alderman that the plaque had not been located after all.
All this had been the reason for Major Joe Brown to request the Bevrijdingsmuseum, established in Nieuwdorp, to incorporate a replacement in their museum collection. The acknowledgement of the museum has pleased the major very much. If and when the original plaque will ever be located, it can still be placed in the Bevrijdingsmuseum of Nieuwdorp.

Do you have more information about this location? Inform us!

Source

• Text: Bevrijdingsmuseum Zeeland
• Photos: Bevrijdingsmuseum Zeeland