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Fort St. Andries.

In October 1944 we were in Dreumel in Holland, operating on the banks of the river Waal, observing the Germans on the other side of the river. On the morning of the 26th October a Dutch bargee contacted our Major and told him that the Fort was unoccupied as the Germans had left during the night. As we had no Officer at this time the Major instructed Sgt Oddy to mount a patrol to investigate. The patrol consisted of Sgt Oddy the bargee Tommy a Dutchman acting as interpreter,plus 12 or 14 men. We set out from Dreumel walking through fields and by hedgerows,came to a few houses with children playing and some ladies talking then into Heerewaarden where we got our first view of the Fort. Leaving Heerewaarden towards the fort we had a tall factory chimney on our right and the banks of another river the Maas on our left. As we were in open country we were in full view of the factory chimney from which we heard a single shot. We stopped and the Sgt said I don`t like this but still gave the order to continue, when we got to the fort all was quite nothing in sight, Sgt Oddy placed myself and George with the Brengun on the dyke to observe the river and protect our flank and rear. The rest of the patrol went towards the fort, a few minutes later all hell was let loose the bargee had led us into a trap. Troopers Hadwin and Stopher were killed instantly others were wounded and taken prisoner. George and myself left along the dyke I jumped a hedge and george carried on, I then saw a Dutchman who gave me his bicycle and pointed me in the direction of Heerewaarden.
When I got there I Met Sgt Oddy and a Officer who told me to report back to H.Q.
While I was going back to Heerewaarden I saw a 15cwt with a red cross on driving towards the fort.( I later found out it was the Padre Gethin Jones) When I got back to H.Q. I saw George who was on a stretcher he had been shot in the foot and had been picked up by the Padre. Sgt Oddy, George and myself were the only ones to return from the patrol.

Some 50 years later we erected a monument to Trooper`s Hadwin, Stopher, Walker,and Merritt. Trooper Hadwin and Stopher were killed instantly, and the bodies were never recovered. Trooper Walker and Merritt were wounded and died the following day and were buried in a Military Cemetry.

The monument was erected where the bodies of Trooper`s Hadwin and Stopher are buried.

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