a village on
the west side of the city of Groningen. In
the early morning of the 15th, the Black
Watch crossed a canal in the outskirts of
Groningen. and sent over two companies that
were now ready to attack the centre of the
city.
The city was
healivy defended by many Germans, including
SS units. The fighting was fierce and many
houses were destroyed. The attack on
Groningen started on 14 April. The Germans
surrendered on 16 April. It took three
Canadian brigades to take the city.
Pvt Riddell
lost his life on 15 April 1945. The exact
circimstances of his death are not known.
Sgt Emerson Riddell is buried at Hoogkerk General Cemetery.
The following plaque was erechted at the
site of the Allied casualties that are
buried at Hoogkerk
"At the
going down of the sun and in the morning, we
will remember them
Fallen for
our freedom, five of seven crew members rest
here who crashed in a Lancaster bomber
belonging to the British 57 squadron on
22/23 May 1944, just south of Dorkwerd. The
two survivors were NORMAN WHARF and PAUL
DALSEG
Here also
rest two of the in total forty fallen
liberators who were killed during the battle
for Groningen on 15 April 1945"
(picture by
Wim Bastiaanse)