Archive

March 28th 2024

Dutch Freedom Of The City

Councillor Phil Bateman MBE said today" I am so pleased that on Saturday the current Mayor of the City will be presiding over the 'Freedom of the City' for the Dutch Army's Prinsess Irene Brigade. I did much to ensure that this rarely given award was made. I am honoured that the current Mayor has invited Mary and I along to witness the event.
With the arrangements in hand, it is quite an exciting time, for both the city and for those that are taking part in the proceedings. I believe that this must be the first time such a ceremony with what is a foreign regiment has taken place here in the West Midlands, if not in the Country. I do hope that there will be a really good turn out for the Memorial event at Jeffcock Road Cemetry, prior to the Freedom Ceremony in the Civic Centre."


Arrangements are currently being finalised to welcome the Princess Irene Brigade to Wolverhampton.

The Mayor, Councillor John Davis, will present a Freedom Scroll and Casket to the most senior ranking veteran of the Princess Irene Brigade, Major General (Retd) Hemmes, chairman of the Princess Irene Association in a ceremony to be held in the Mayoral Suite on Saturday, August 19th.

A party of seven Dutch veterans accompanied by 38 current serving military will attend the ceremony.

This will be preceded by the annual Dutch War Graves Ceremony at Jeffcock Road Cemetery and the laying of wreaths at the Cenotaph in St. Peter’s Gardens by the Mayor, Major General (Retd) Hemmes and Lt. Col Luiten of the successor regiment, The Guards Regiment Fusiliers Princess Irene.

The Mayor of Wolverhampton, Councillor John Davis, said: “The histories of the Brigade and our city are entwined and we still enjoy a great friendship with its members to this day.

“The Brigade made a great contribution to the fight for freedom during the Second World War and in recognition of this was granted the Freedom of the City”, he added.

The Brigade was based in an encampment in Wrottesley Park from 1941 before taking part in the Normandy Landings to liberate Western Europe and were the first Allied troops into The Hague.

Disbanded in 1945, the regimental colours of the Brigade were decorated with the highest military order for valour known in the Dutch Army.

The decision to confer the honour of the Freedom of the City was approved at an extraordinary meeting of Wolverhampton City Council on March 29th this year at the instigation of the then Mayor, Councillor Philip Bateman MBE, in recognition of the Brigade’s eminent services to freedom and its long-standing friendship with the city.

The resolution passed by the Council has been transcribed on to a Freedom Scroll, made of vellum, hand decorated and inscribed and which will be sealed with the City Council’s Corporate Seal.

Amongst the invited guests of Council Members, Honorary Aldermen and ex-service veterans will be 98-year-old former Free Dutch Army soldier Herman Wessell, stationed at Wrottesley during the WWII who has resided in Birmingham since the end of the war.

Every year in November, surviving members of the Brigade and representatives from its successor Regiment attend the annual Dutch War Graves Ceremony, organised by the Royal British Legion, at the city’s Jeffcock Road Cemetery, where members of the Brigade are buried.

This year, due to operational commitments of the successor regiment in Afghanistan, this event has been brought forward and will now take place on the morning of August 19th to coincide with the Freedom ceremonies.

Additional information
A special council meeting has to be held in order to confer the Freedom of the City, with no-less than two thirds of councillors voting having to agree the proposal.

Although being awarded the Freedom of the City does not carry any rights or responsibilities, it is a considerable honour that is only bestowed rarely. Most recently awarded Freemen were Olympic gold medallist, Denise Lewis and Sir Jack Hayward.
Local authorities may grant Freedom of the City and Freedom of Entry.

The former is given to “persons of distinction and any persons who have rendered eminent services to the City”. It is the most honourable distinction that a city can bestow and the recipients are thereafter referred to as Freemen.

The latter is granted to current serving uniformed organisations (usually, but not exclusively, the military) “which have rendered conspicuous service and which are associated with the City”. Freedom of Entry grants the organisation the “freedom to march through the streets of the City with bayonets fixed, drums beating and colours flying”.

Current holders of Freedom of Entry to Wolverhampton are West Midlands Fire Service, the Defence College of Aeronautical Engineering at RAF Cosford, the Staffordshire Regiment and the 210 Staffordshire Battery 104 Regiment Royal Artillery.



Author: Phil Bateman

Article Date: 18th August 2006