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From: "Geogiana G. Webster" <>
Subject: D-Day Celebrations, June 2004
Date: Tue, 20 Jul 2004 13:42:05 -0400


Part 4 -

Later that evening we attended the ceremony at Troarn in front of the War
Memorial in 'Place Paul Quellec, Heros de la Resistance 1913-44'. Special
mention was made of Major Tim Roseveare, Commanding Officer of the 3rd
Parachute Squadron Royal Engineers, who successfully led the mission to blow
the 4 bridges over the River Dives (one of which was at St. Samson, just
outside Troarn) and a fifth bridge over the stream at Varaville. Roseveare
had landed miles from his drop zone. He quicly gathered together his
demolition engineers and 45 heavy demolition charges onto trolleys, they set
off. About an hour and a half into their march, he commandeered a jeep and
trailer from a bemused RASC driver transporting medical supples, to take him
and 9 of his men, plus explosives to blow the largest of the bridges, a 110
ft. 5 span masonry arch bridge, at Troarn. The total load of the jeep and
trailer was about 3,000 lbs! They fought their way through the village and
careened down the hill past the church at breakneck speed. They then
succeeded in their task, blowing a 20 ft breech in the central arch.

We enjoyed the music provided by the French band from If and the Canadian
Edmonton Police Pipe Band. After the ceremony some of the veterans linked
arms and danced down the street behind the marching pipers. A veteran
passing in front of us delightedly shook hands with a young French boy,
dressed as a soldier and wearing a tin helmet. We felt it was symbolic.

We look forward to hearing from you all.
Editor at Linepublishing



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