Family's fury at desecrated Dunkirk graves
by Rob Pattinson, Evening Chronicle
LITTER scars a Dunkirk war memorial while human faeces is smeared across nearby graves.
These are the disgusting sights which greeted those who made a cross-Channel pilgrimage to honour our war dead.
Betty Herschel, 82, was visiting her late husbandÕs grave in Northern France when she found used condoms and empty beer bottles littered over the Dunkirk Memorial Cemetery.
Betty is now threatening to return the medal her husband Royal Engineer Stan cherished to the Mayor of Dunkirk unless something is done.
Fighting back tears, the 84-year-old great-grandmother-of-three said: ÒI felt sick when I saw it. IÕm not a violent person, but if I had been I wouldÕve hit out.
ÒI hate the thought that people can do this to the graves of men whoÕve fought for their country.
ÒI couldnÕt sign my name in the book of respects. I was due to lay a wreath in the evening near where my husband was captured, but I just couldnÕt bring myself to do it. I was so upset.Ó
Captured while fighting at Arras, Stan spent was held as a prisoner of war in Poland.
When he died last year he requested his ashes be laid by the grave of Company Sergeant Major AT Higgins, who saved his life during the War.
The whole family travelled to France last Easter to fulfil StanÕs wishes.
Now his son George is angry after witnessing the vandalised cemetery when the family returned to France last week to pay their respects.
The 56-year-old, who cares for his mum at home in Gosforth, Newcastle, said: ÒMy dad was a laidback man, but if heÕd seen it heÕd be outraged. The first thing I saw was one of the sheets they give out to people at hospitals to keep people warm. Then I saw cigarette ends and used wine bottles and beer cans.
ÒI was disgusted. There were used condoms. I kicked them away so my mum didnÕt have to see.
ÒAnd there was human faeces all over the graves.
ÒMy mumÕs still devastated after my dad dying.
ÒHe only found peace in life after he visited Dunkirk for the first time. Now my mum finds peace when she goes there. But finding all of that ruined it for us.Ó
A spokesman for The Commonwealth War Graves Commission said: ÒWe were deeply shocked and saddened to hear of this incident and the distress caused to the Herschel family.
ÒWe strongly condemn this distasteful misuse of The Dunkirk Memorial and would like to reassure them and your readership that steps are being taken to rectify the matter.
ÒA formal letter has been sent to the local authorities, who are taking the Commission's concerns extremely seriously. ÒIn taking appropriate action to move the offenders from the location, we are working with them to determine how best to protect the memorial from any further incidents.
ÒIn addition, a clean-up team will be dispatched from our office in France to return the memorial to a standard befitting the sacrifice of the 4,500 servicemen and women commemorated upon it.Ó