A group of Black Watch soldiers who made the ultimate sacrifice 69 years ago will be remembered on Saturday at a ceremony in France.
A monument to the six men who were killed on August 28 and 29 in Normandy serving with the 5th Black Watch in the 51st Highland Division will be unveiled by one of their colleagues.
Although wounded in the battle, Dr Tom Renouf from Musselburgh survived and he is returning at the invitation of the grateful people of the village of Mauny.
In the run-up to his trip to France, Dr Renouf made a last-ditch effort to contact the families of the soldiers who died a quest which met with some success.
“To date I have made contact with the families of George Hildred from York and Sergeant Thomas Kirkcaldy from Fife,” Dr Renouf said as he prepared for his trip.
“The traces for the families of Major Donald Mirielees, Westminster, and Corporal James O’Keefe, Dover, indicate that the family lines have come to an end.”
Given time, Dr Renouf believes he would have traced the family of Harry Billington from Cheshire, but there is one failure that especially pains him.
“Above all others I especially wanted to contact the family of my corporal, Harry Chapman,” he said. “Aged 31, he was a survivor of El Alamein and the desert campaign and was an experienced leader.
“He had a gentle but firm manner, he was liked and respected by his men because he gave them encouragement and support at all times. When I joined his section he made me feel that I was one of the boys.”
Later, after he was wounded, Dr Renouf went to try to help other casualties where to his horror he found Corporal Chapman, who was from Hull, suffering from what was to prove a fatal bullet wound to the head.
“When we stopped en route at the second dressing station, the doctor examining my two comrades pronounced they were about to die,” Dr Renouf said.
“As I stood by the stretchers paying my last respects the song coming from a radio brought tears to the saddest moment of my war for it was playing J’attendrais, Corporal Chapman’s favourite song.
“Knowing the connection it is to be expected that above all else it was the family of Corporal Chapman that I especially wanted to contact.
“They should be told that he was a kind, brave man, a much respected leader who gave great service and finally his life for his country.”
The niece of George Hildred, who died aged just 19, is making the trip to France to stand alongside Dr Renouf.