This photo was submitted to the West Wales Veterans’ Archive by Brigitte de Haas of the Netherlands. It shows five members of her family with two of the soldiers who fought to liberate her hometown of Eindhoven. We are hoping to identify these two men!
Brigitte de Haas’ family with two of the Welsh soldiers who
liberated their hometown of Eindhoven.
Back row, from left: Jet Verhoeven, Piet Verhoeven, Lucie Verhoeven, Janus Verhoeven
Front row, from left: Harold Wheldon, Frank de Haas (baby), Eric Evans
The city of Eindhoven was liberated from German occupation on September 18th, 1944. The following night (19th to 20th September 1944), the Dutch city was heavily bombed causing a tremendous loss of life and mass destruction of property.
Eindhoven played a key role in Operation Market Garden, an ultimately unsuccessful Allied military operation which was fought in the Netherlands from September 17th to 25th 1944. This photo is believed to have been taken around that time.
The two men are thought to have been Welsh Guards and have been identified on the back of the photo as Harold Wheldon, on the left; and Eric Evans, on the right.
The inscription on the back of the photo reads: Eindhoven Liberation
Harold Wheldon with baby. My comrade Eric Evans, with your family.
If you recognise either of the men in this photo, we would love to hear from you! Please get in touch with Hugh Morgan, the Age Cymru Dyfed Veterans’ Coordinator, at hugh.morgan@agecymrudyfed.org.uk!
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