Jalhay Commemorations

550 Squadron Commemorations in Jalhay, Belgium

LM425 / BQ-N

Photographs from the commemoration events in Jalhay for the crew of LM425 who were lost (either KIA or PoW as below) when the aircraft was downed on 30/31 March 1944.

The crew commemorated on the memorial in Jalhay are:

The entry on the 550 Squadron Roll of Honour is available here.

Other information about the flight and the target available here.

For more information about the crew see also the F/Sgt Jefferies crew web-page.

Click on the pictures below to see photographs of recent commemoration events.

550 Squadron Association Visit 2018

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In May 2018 representatives of the 550 Squadron Association visited the Jalhay Memorial in order to lay a wreath for the Jefferies crew.

Formal Inauguration of the Memorial 2016

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In April 2016 the formal inauguration of the Jalhay Memorial took place in the presence of the British Ambassador to Beligum along with many standard-bearers of different veteran associations (British and Belgian), and local and provincial authorities attended the service. In addition many people from the village of Jalhay also remembered the airmen of 550 Squadron.

Photographs taken at the April 2016 Inauguration of the Memorial.

550 Squadron Association Visit 2014

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In June 2014 representatives of the 550 Squadron Association visited the Jalhay Memorial in order to lay a wreath for the Jefferies crew.
A visit was also made to the Heverlee War Memorial in order to places crosses on the graves of the four crew-men buried there.

See also the tribute on the Jalhay (Rebecq memorial) web-page.

Rebecq Memorial Association Visit 2013

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In July 2013 members of the Rebecq Memorial Association visited the memorial to lay a 550 Squadron Association wreath.

Some photographs from their visit are shown below.
Thanks to Wilfred Burie for making the photographs available.

Jean-Claude Pauly

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Jean-Claude Pauly, along with André Deroanne, was instrumental in rising the memorial in Jalhay to the F/Sgt Jefferies crew (LM425). The memorial, deep in the forest close to the crash site, was inaugurated by Alison Rose, Ambassador of the United Kingdom on 9th April 2016.

Sadly our friend Jean-Claude Pauly died on Thursday 8th December 2022 after a long illness. We mourn a friend of 550 Squadron and a man determined to remember the sacrifices made by "The Many" in the cause of freedom.