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205733
Pte. Arthur Alfred Britcher
British Army 2nd Battalion Royal Norfolk Regiment
from:Norwich
(d.21st May 1940)
Private Britcher is a relative of my wife's. All we know about him is that he was killed near Dunkirk and lies buried there. If anyone can give me some information regarding his death and service it would be gratefullly received especially as this month is the 70th anniversary of that terrible day. It would be good for us to remember him.
Additional Information:
Arthur Brithcher (known as Sonny) was my Mother In Laws brother, this is the information we have been able to find out about him :-
In late May 1940 the 2nd Battalion of The Royal Norfolk Regiment were holding Le Paradis , Le-Cornet Malo and Riez-du-Vinage in an attempt to block the enemy's road to Dunkirk.
By the 27th May their ammunition had run out and the men were totally separated from their Battalion and Brigade HQ, 97 men of 2 Royal Norfolk had no choice but to surrender. Their captors, No 4 Company of the 1st Battalion of the 2nd SS Totenkopf (Death's Head) Regiment, lined the men up against a farmhouse wall and machine-gunned them to death. Two men managed to survive the massacre, Bert Pooley and Bill O'Callaghan. In 1970 a wall tablet was unveiled on the wall of the barn where the 97 prisoners were shot.