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Monday, 17 February 2014 (3048673) |
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Family of murdered soldier is found |
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by Danielle Thompson |
THE family of a young West Lancs soldier executed by a German SS division in the Second World War are set to travel to Normandy for the unveiling of a bronze plaque in his memory after responding to an appeal in the Champion.
Last week we told the story of Evan Hayton, a private with the 6th Durham Light Intrantry, who was just 20 years of age when he was captured, along with fellow private William Barlow, 21, during the preliminary attacks following the D-Day invasion in June 1944.
However, instead of being held in a prisoner of war camp in accordance with the Geneva Convention, the two young privates, along with 20 Canadian troops, were shot by their captors.
Now Evan's half-brother, who still lives in the area, has come forward after reading our story about the Durham Light Infantry Association's plans to honour the memory of the tragic pair with a commemorative plaque to be unveiled in Normandy in June to mark the 70th anniversary of D-Day.
Frank Hayton, who lives in Burscough, was just 10 years old when Evan was killed. But despite the age gap he says the siblings were really close when growing up in Scarisbrick.
“We were very similar and were interested in the same things. He often used to take me out with him shooting rabbits with our dog, Bess.”
And he revealed that their dad, Jim, feared the worst when Evan told the family he was being transferred from the Lancashire Fusiliers to the Durham regiment. “Dad was really upset, he knew it was going to be more dangerous.”
Initially the family were told that Evan had been killed in action and it wasn't until 50 years later, in 1994, that they learned the truth.
Frank himself was relieved that the truth finally emerged but thankful that Jim never learned about his son's murder. “It would have devastated him.”
Now 79, Frank is due to have surgery for gallstones this week but is hopeful that he will be well enough to make the trip to Normandy in June with wife Rosina, along with the widow and son of his oldest brother John, who now live in Canada.
Meanwhile, Dr Grenville Holland from the Durham Light Infantry Association who had contacted the Champion in the hope of tracing Evan's family, was delighted with the outcome.
He said: “We were surprised and delighted that Private Hayton's family were traced so quickly. We have invited them to the unveiling ceremony in Normandy on Sunday, June 8 and we will be in contact with the family to help them make arrangements for the trip.”
The date of the unveiling is 70 years to the day since Evan Hayton and William Barlow were executed, along with the members of the Winnipeg Rifles, at the orchard at Chateau d'Audrieu.
The bronze plaque is to be located on a wall in the nearby village of d'Audrieu, next to a similar one commemorating the 20 Canadians.
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