Jan
18
A Memorial in the National Memorial Arboretum
Author: Chloe Smith, Updated: 18 January 2024 11:45
There’ll be a new memorial joining the National Memorial Arboretum, with significance for Norfolk families and history. I’ve helped a local group to get this, and I’m really proud of their campaigning.
The Le Paradis massacre was a World War II war crime committed by members of the 14th Company, SS Division Totenkopf, under the command of Hauptsturmführer Fritz Knöchlein. It occurred on 27 May 1940, during the Battle of France, when British Expeditionary Force (BEF) troops attempted to retreat through the Pas-de-Calais region during the Battle of Dunkirk.
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Norfolk Regiment, had become isolated from their unit. They occupied and defended a farmhouse against an attack by Waffen-SS forces in the village of Le Paradis. After running out of ammunition, the defenders surrendered to the German troops. The Germans led them across the road to a wall, where they were murdered by machine guns. Ninety-seven British troops were killed. Two survived with injuries and hid until they were captured by German forces several days later.
This will give their service and sacrifice a fully deserved national profile, reminding all who see it of their courage and professionalism while raising awareness of their significant contribution to the success of the Dunkirk evacuation and our nation's survival.
Thank you to the Le Paradis Norfolk Memorial Appeal team who have worked so hard to get this extra recognition on top of the memorial at Norwich Cathedral.
Chloe Smith