48th Highlanders cemetery dedication in Wilp, The Netherlands ,1945. LCol Counsell salutes. same picture as P0606.

Lieutenant-Colonel J.R.O. Counsell, DSO, salutes the last to fall, Wilp, 26 April 1945. Pipe Major Andy Anderson, bottom right in front of Dutch citizens.

After the Padre, Captain Alex Rapson, gave the last memorial service of the war for the 48th Highlanders, Colonel Counsell salutes those killed, Lieutenant-Colonel Donald A. Mackenzie, DSO, DSC, Captain Harold J. McCutcheon, Lieutenant John. F. Williams and sixteen NCOs and men. In a letter to the Home Battalion dated that day Colonel Counsell wrote: “You can well imagine it was a terrific shock to all of us when Don was killed. He was a very fine chap and an excellent commanding officer. His loss to the Bn is a great one as he held the respect and confidence of every one who served under him.” The village pledged to care for the graves in perpetuity and the children would place fresh flowers every other day. The cemetery was relocated to the Canadian Military Cemetery at Holten after the war. With them is a twentieth Highlander, Private S.J. Motkaluk, who died 2 May, just a week before the end of the war. The Dutch children still bring flowers.