True and Fascinating Canadian History
Le Paradis Cemetery
France
Victim of the WWII Le Paradis Massacre - France
"The Le Paradis Massacre was a war crime committed by members of the 14th Company, SS Division Totenkopf, under the command of Hauptsturmführer Fritz Knöchlein.
It took place on 27 May 1940, during the Battle of France, at a time when the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) was attempting to retreat through the Pas-de-Calais region during the Battle of Dunkirk.
Soldiers of the 2nd Battalion, the Royal Norfolk Regiment, had become isolated from their regiment.
They occupied and defended a farmhouse against an attack by Waffen-SS forces in the village of Le Paradis. After running out of ammunition, the defenders surrendered to the German troops.
The Germans led them across the road to a wall and machine-gunned them. Ninety-seven British troops died. Two survived, with injuries, and hid until they were captured by German forces several days later.
After the war, Fritz Knöchlein was located, tried and convicted by a war crimes court, with the two survivors acting as witnesses against him. For his part in the massacre, Knöchlein was executed in 1949." (Wikepedia)
The following notes in memory of Reg.#12795, W. A. Willison were received from RCMP Inspector Cris Gastaldo on January 1, 2018
"On December 31, 2017 I drover across the English Channel to visit Dunkirk, France.
I was inspired by Vancouver, BC RCMP Veteran Ric Hall who wrote an article about Constable William Willison who was shot & killed (serving with the Royal Norfolk Regiment) during the evacuation of Dunkirk whilst forming part of the rearguard.
I had the opportunity to visit Le Paradis, the site of the massacre itself where 97 men - including W. A. Willison - were executed summarily by the SS in WWII.
At the site, I left a small token of remembrance - an RCMP patch.
In one photo is the Commemorative Monument, and also you can see the plaque on the wall of the barn where the men were gunned down.
The property is private land, with a fence all the way around.
I also paid a visit to the Cemetery where the bodies of the men (soldiers) interned a few years later. As you are already aware, Willison's body was never identified.
According to the plaque however, all 97 men were brought to Le Paradis Cemetery, so I suppose we can have some confidence that he is indeed buried amongst his Regiment.
I've added another photo of one of the graves for an unidentified member of the Norfolk Regiment.
On January 1, 2018 I paid a visit to the Dunkirk Memorial and took some photos.
I've attached one photo that shows W. A. Willison's name engraved on the Dunkirk Memorial."
Cris Gastaldo
LO. 2018
