http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/ On Saturday 5th May 2007 Members of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion attended a ceremony at the village of Brachterbeek in Maasbracht where two commemorative plaques, one in Dutch and the other in English, in memory of LCpl Harden were dedicated and unveiled.
On Sunday 6th May 2007 they attended a Remembrance Service at Nederweert War Cemetery where LCpl Harden is buried. Steve Reid laid wreathes on behalf of the British Legion at both ceremonies and there were large contingents of Dutch and British Veterans present including some who were there when LCpl Harden was killed. The RAMC Contingent was led by the Chairman of the RAMC Association, Brigadier Malcolm Ratcliffe and the visit by the Commando Veterans was organised by John White. Also present was a Chelsea Pensioner, Bob Taylor, who has an interesting background, his original surname was von Schneider and he was born in Schleswig Holstein, Germany, his family moved to England before WWII and he served with the British Commandos during the War. A bugler from the Royal Marines, Stew Vise, from HMS Raleigh at Torpoint in Cornwall , played the Last Post and Reveille on both occasions. The ceremonies were organised by a local school teacher, Peter Roufs and the Guest-of-Honour was LCpl Harden's daughter Julie Wells who was wearing her father's medals including the VC.

My thanks to Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion for allowing us to use these photos and information. Their website can be found at http://www.rblrheind.com/index.htm

(album created and posted by Pete Rogers)

Update by Pete R. 26/3/10 : The following was provided by Peter Roufs to the Rheindahlen Branch on events they did not attend and is quoted from their website:
Since 1995 the Commandos and Royal Marines that liberated our area have formed a wonderful bond of friendship with our school and especially with the children. The school is a Primary School in the village of Brachterbeek and is called; "De Tweesprong". Every year the children make Christmas Cards and send them to the Veterans. Every year when the Veterans come, they amuse them with singing, dancing etc. In 1996 Bill Millin (Lord Lovat's Piper) visited the school and played for the children who had attended their First Holy Communion. The Veterans call this bond of Friendship a " Living Monument ". This year was also very special because Julia Wells, the daughter of Eric Harden VC, accompanied the Veterans and we had some important members from the RAMC Headquarters in our midst!
When the British guests came to the school on Monday 7th May we offered them Limburgian Vlaai and coffee. Then we went with them to the school hall and sang together the British and Dutch National Anthems. Then Julie Wells and two children lit three candles in front of a large photograph of Eric Harden. We held a two-minute silence and the Royal Marine Bugler Stew Vise played the Last Post and later gave a drum show. Malcolm Ratcliffe, presented our School Director Mr Har Palmen with a wonderful little statue. The children danced and performed and everyone sang some old songs: "Lily of Laguna" and "The Cook from the Kitchen.” At the end of the show the children and British guests mixed together and held hands and sang "We'll Meet Again”.]]> en-us Gallery 2 RSS Module, version 1.1.7 Fri, 24 May 2013 17:55:14 +0000 120 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/d/8473-9/Misc.jpg http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/ http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_211_.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_211_.jpg.html
May 2007 ceremony at Harden Bridge in honour of Lance Corporal Henry Eric Harden VC,Photo courtesy of Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:45:09 +0000 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Henry+Eric+Harden+VC+45+RM+Cdo.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Henry+Eric+Harden+VC+45+RM+Cdo.jpg.html
In Memory of Lance Corporal 11006144 HENRY ERIC HARDEN VC

Royal Army Medical Corps attd. No.45 R.M. Commando,
who died on 23 January 1945 age 32
Remembered with honour at NEDERWEERT WAR CEMETERY

The citation in the London Gazette of 9th March, 1945, gives the following details: In North-West Europe on 23rd January, 1945 the leading section of a Royal Marine Commando Troop having come under intense machine-gun fire was ordered to make for some houses close by. Four of the section had been wounded and were left lying in the open. Under continuous fire Lance Corporal Harden at once went forward and with great coolness and bravery attended to the four casualties. He then carried one of them back to cover. He was ordered not to go forward again and an attempt was made to bring in the remaining casualties with the aid of tanks, but this proved unsuccessful owing to the heavy and accurate fire of anti-tank guns. A second attempt under a smoke-screen also proving unsuccessful, Lance Corporal Harden insisted in going forward with a volunteer stretcher party and succeeded in bringing back another badly wounded man. He went out a third time, and whilst returning with the stretcher party, he was killed. Throughout this long period Lance-Corporal Harden displayed superb devotion to duty and personal courage of the highest order. His action was directly responsible for saving the lives of the wounded brought in, while his complete contempt for all personal danger, and the magnificent example he set of cool courage and determination to continue with his work, whatever the odds, was an inspiration to his comrades and will never be forgotten by those who saw it.]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:29:57 +0000 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_76_.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_76_.jpg.html
May 2007 ceremony at Harden Bridge in honour of Lance Corporal Henry Eric Harden VC,Photo courtesy of Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:05:23 +0000 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_92_.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_92_.jpg.html
May 2007 ceremony at Harden Bridge in honour of Lance Corporal Henry Eric Harden VC,Photo courtesy of Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:09:09 +0000 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_109_.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_109_.jpg.html
May 2007 ceremony at Harden Bridge in honour of Lance Corporal Henry Eric Harden VC,Photo courtesy of Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:34:40 +0000 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_61_.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_61_.jpg.html
May 2007 ceremony at Harden Bridge in honour of Lance Corporal Henry Eric Harden VC,

Photo courtesy of Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion

Posted by Pete R.]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:02:47 +0000 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_55_.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_55_.jpg.html
May 2007 ceremony at Harden Bridge in honour of Lance Corporal Henry Eric Harden VC,

Photo courtesy of Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion

Posted by Pete R.]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:35:38 +0000 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_53_.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_53_.jpg.html
Photo courtesy of Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion

Posted by Pete R.]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 15:35:00 +0000 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_49_.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_49_.jpg.html
May 2007 ceremony at Harden Bridge in honour of Lance Corporal Henry Eric Harden VC,

Photo courtesy of Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion

Posted by Pete R.]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:04:10 +0000 http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_48_.jpg.html http://gallery.commandoveterans.org/cdoGallery/v/events/Holland/Misc/Harden+Bridge+_48_.jpg.html
Photo courtesy of Pete Richardson, Secretary of the Rheindahlen Branch of the Royal British Legion

Posted by Pete R.]]> Peter Rogers photo Fri, 26 Mar 2010 16:01:41 +0000