Robert Cole Memorial

Text from a sign by the memorial:

With valor and undaunted courage, at the risk of his own life, above and beyond the call of duty, on June 11 1944 Lt. Col. Cole was personally leading his battalion in a charge on the last four bridges on the road to Carentan (F) when his unit became subject to heavy rifle-, machine gun-, mortar- and artillery fire. He took the rifle and bayonet of a fallen soldier and led his unit over open terrain through a hail of bullets to the enemy positions in the first fixed bayonet charge of World War II. His brave and heroic attitude inspired his men and the enemy was defeated.

Lt. Col. Cole's outstanding leadership deserves the highest praise and he received the highest awards: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart and the French Croix de Guerre with Palm. Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole survived the Carentan attack. He was killed in action during operation Market-Garden on September 18, 1944, when he was shot by German sniper fire on the terrain behind you. Lt. Col. Robert G. Cole is buried at the American Cemetery in Margraten, plot B, row 15, grave 27.

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Source

• Text: TracesOfWar
• Photos: Jeroen Koppes (1), Jhonny Bastiaensen (2, 3, 4, 5)

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