Liberation of Brussels, September 1944

Bryngwran's fallen of Two World Wars The great majority of the fallen of WWI were members of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers - the casualties of the great battles of Mametz Wood, Ypres and Cambrai. Two of the five killed in WWII fell in the Italian Campaign and another in the liberation of Brussels by the Welsh Guards in Sept. 1944, after an advance of 100 miles in one day in what was described as 'an armoured lash unequalled for speed in this or any other war'

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 The crew of a Cromwell Mk IV tank of 2nd Welsh Guards on the drive into Brussels, 3 September 1944. Despite sporadic resistance from the Royal Palace and Gestapo HQ, the city’s capture went smoothly, ‘the chief difficulty being to cope with the populace who were very effusive in their welcome’, as the Battalion’s war diary put it with typical understatement. Nederlands: Cromwell Mk IV tank van het tweede bataljon Welsh Guards in het centrum van Edingen, onderweg naar Brussel, op 3 september 1944 Français : Char Cromwell Mk IV du deuxième bataillon Welsh Guards dans le centre d'Enghien, en route pour Bruxelles, le 3 septembre 1944

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Scenes of jubilation as British troops liberate Brussels, 4 September 1944. Major General A H S Adair, GOC Guards Armoured Division, acknowledges the crowd from his Cromwell command tank.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Major Stewart Fotheringham and CSM Low of 'X' Company Scots Guards (under command of 1st Welsh Guards) watch mopping up operations during the advance on Brussels, 4 September 1944. The Major is carrying a German KAR 98 rifle.

Allied Victory Parade in Brussels Outside the Palais de Justice British troops from the Guards Armoured Division form up in the Place Poelaert during the victory parade.

Allied Victory Parade in Brussels The Burgomaster of Brussels presents colours to the Guards Armoured Division during the victory parade.

The British Army in North-west Europe 1944-45 Cromwell and Stuart tanks of Guards Armoured Division passing German POWs during the advance to Brussels, 3 September 1944.

Scenes of jubilation as British troops liberate Brussels, 4 September 1944. Major General A H S Adair , GOC Guards Armoured Division, acknowledges the crowd from his Cromwell command tank.