The 80th Anniversary of Walcheren
by Bob Perry

Operation Infatuate II, the codename for the amphibious landings at Westkapelle, Walcheren, on 1st November 1944 and subsequent battles in the dunes, is a largely forgotten theatre of operations. That is why it is so important that 47 RM Commando Association continues to actively commemorate this Corps Memorable Date.

This year it was heartening that the series of 80th anniversary commemorations were strongly supported by a large travelling cohort of the RMA membership under the tutelage of Phil Gilby. They were joined by HM Ambassador to the Netherlands, Joanna Roper CMG; First Sea Lord Admiral Sir Ben Key KCB CBE ADC; NATO SOFCOM Deputy Commander Major General Tony Turner ADC; DA to the Netherlands Colonel Piers Strudwick OBE (late Royal Scots); Lt Col Richard Thurston RM, on exchange duties with the RNLMC, and also Peter Leicester whose father, Brigadier 'Jumbo' Leicester DSO*, was the Brigade Commander in 1944. Also providing sterling support was Colonel Will Norcott, WO1(RSM) Ollie Smith RM and the Revd Tom James RN from 47 Commando (Raiding Group) RM.

The main ceremony of remembrance took place in the grounds of the Polderhuis museum, Westkapelle, at the Liberty Bridge, an impressive wooden structure built in memory of those Royal Marines and other Allied Forces who were killed in action during the assault and subsequent operations. The bridge connects a Sherman tank on top of the dyke to a landing craft in the museum garden and together they represent a lasting homage to all Allied Forces that participated in this successful, but costly, amphibious operation.

The ceremony was followed by the unveiling of seven silhouette figures, each cut in two centimetre thick weathered steel, representing the seven countries involved in the landing at Westkapelle. The UK figure, based on a RM commando charging with a Bren gun, was funded entirely by the RM Charity.

Following this we all formed up at the Erika beach memorial on the site where the 4th Special Service Brigade landed. Following an historical overview of Op Infatuate II and wreath laying, the Admiral Sir Ben Key and Major General Tony Turner led the large congregation with readings of the Royal Navy and Royal Marines Prayers.

Early the next day our 'Rushing to Flushing' walkers set out to follow the route taken by 47 RM Commando from the location of the landings at Westkapelle to Flushing (now called Vlissingen) and the link-up with No 4 Commando (Op Infatuate I). This annual 12-mile yomp along the sand dunes followed the Commando's route taken between 1-3 November 1944.

We halted at all of the prominent historical locations including the remains of the sprawling W11 battery, the Commando's main objective, and a short but fitting service at the 47 RM Cdo memorial in the dunes at Dishoek. The memorial bears the names of all 34 members of the unit who were killed during the operation and bears the following inscription: 'In these dunes between 1st and 3rd November 1944, the men of 47 Royal Marine Commando fought fiercely to capture the heavily defended German battery at Dishoek, codenamed W11.

During the battle, which led to the liberation of Walcheren, the Commando suffered heavy casualties. The surrender of this battery of 3rd November secured the seaway to Antwerp which was key to the final liberation of the Netherlands.'

It was fitting to end the yomp on the waterfront at Uncle Beach, Flushing, where a wreath was laid at the No 4 Commando memorial and also at the nearby memorial honouring all Landing Craft crews who took part in the operation. During our visit we also laid wreaths at the 41 RM Commando memorial at Domburg and at the 48 RM Commando memorials at Zoutelande and at Serooskerke in honour of the eighteen marines and crew of a Buffalo LVT who were killed when their amphibious vehicle struck a mine.

After a long day on the road families and friends of our late veterans all looked forward to the traditional last night dinner that lasted well into the early hours! Prior to our journey back to the UK we were granted special permission to visit the remains of Carmen Battery (W238), located west of Klein Valkenisse. The battery lies within an environmentally sensitive area and is normally strictly out of bounds to all visitors. Carmen Battery was the location where tragically two Q Troop sections were hit by a concentration of accurate enemy mortar fire during the advance to 47 RM Commando's main objective, the W11 bunker complex - eleven marines were killed and many others wounded.

So ended another memorable visit to Walcheren, the scene of the last amphibious assault of the Second World War in Europe. The attack at Westkapelle was such a significant and pivotal engagement that Sir Winston Churchill in his account of the Second World War said: 'Many other notable feats were performed by Commandos during the war, and though other troops and other Services played their full part in this remarkable operation the extreme gallantry of the Royal Marines stands forth'.