Tenby honoured Belgian soldiers with freedom of town

On Sunday, September 24, Tenby welcomed a delegation from Belgium which was led by Lieutenant General Marc Thys ADC to the King of the Belgians, who was – until recently – vice chief of defence.

A service was held inside St Mary's Church (Image: Martin Cavaney)

There were six senior officers in the delegation and a civilian party of 50 organised by the Tenby Memorial Committee and His Majesty’s Lord Lieutenant Miss Sara Edwards, Tenby Town Council, Pembrokeshire County Council, the Royal Navy, the Army and the Royal Air Force in Wales, the Queens Dragoon Guards, Welsh cavalry regiment with a Jackal reconnaissance vehicle and the band of the Prince of Wales’s regiment and local branches of the Royal British Legion were also in attendance.

Belgian flags were throughout Tenby to celebrate. (Image: Martin Cavaney)

The service was held in Saint Mary’s Church on Tudor Square where testimonies were heard of exploits of Belgian soldiers that made the journey across occupied Europe to Pembrokeshire shores.

Some of the delegation included descendants and representatives of those who made the journey and they were given the freedom of Tenby by mayor Dai Morgan before a parade alongside police and army cadets which ended at the War Memorial on South Street.

Mayor Dai Morgan gave the freedom of the town (Image: Martin Cavaney)

At the memorial, a commemorative plaque was unveiled by the Lord Lieutenant, there was a short service of remembrance and wreaths were laid.

The service took place to commemorate how, after the catastrophic battle for Belgium and France in May 1940, Belgian forces reassembled in the town and the generosity of the locals allows a renaissance to take place.

Military vehicles featured in the parade. (Image: Martin Cavaney)

Belgium was the first nation to commit to the Allied cause after the invasion of France by the German forces. When Tenby became home and a base for the restoration of the Belgian Armed Forces which saw sailors and airman reinforcing the Royal Navy ships and Royal Air Force fighter and bomber squadrons.

Crowds turned up to watch. (Image: Martin Cavaney)

The Belgian Army created an all-arms mechanised brigade known as the Piron Brigade after commander Colonel Jean Baptist Piron DSO, that went on to liberate the northern coast of Normandy, Belgium and Brussels in 1944.

A service of remembrance was held at the war memorial (Image: Martin Cavaney)

A commemorative plaque was unveiled. (Image: Martin Cavaney)

Lord Lieutenant Miss Sara Edwards laid a wreath (Image: Martin Cavaney)

Crowds lined the street for the parade. (Image: Martin Cavaney)