Commonwealth War Graves Bree

At the municipal cemetery in Bree are three Commonwealth War Graves.
There is a grave of an unknown soldier and there are two British graves. These men died during the liberation of the region.

Trooper Arthur Harratt, 14224302, Royal Armoured Corps, 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars, died at 11-09-1944, age 21.
Serjeant Thomas Henry Wheel, 94777, Intelligence Corps, 61 Field Security sec., died at 16-09-1944, age 26.

On September 11, 1944 at midday, a British squadron and two reconnaissance patrols led by Lieutenant Butler and Sergeant Patterson were sent to Bree to discover the situation there and if possible to seize the bridge over the Meuse-Escaut Canal. According to civilian information, there were no Germans west of the canal. The squadron reached Bree without problems, but on arrival they found out the information was wrong, several German infantry were seen and engaged. As this operation was a reconnaissance in force and they had been ordered not to get themselves seriously involved, it was decided to move round the north west of the town and not to go in among the houses. 2nd Troop, led by Lieutenant Hodgson came up against enemy infantry while doing this. Trooper Arthur Harratt was at that point an Operator on board a tank that was hit by an antitank weapon, Harratt was killed in the blast. Harratt Arthur was known as the illustrator and painter in the Troop, he made many drawings and paintings during his service. Harratt is shown in picture 5, it is the first man (with glasses) on the second row from the top.

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