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Memorial plaque for James R. Hattrick, I
Company, in Gourbesville, France. The tall obelisk at left
is in the Churchyard, facing the entry gate, and just next to the
mayor's office. It was was
erected in memory of the sons of Gourbesville who died in WW-I
(1914-1918). The years 1933-1944 were added later to commemorate
those lost during the occupation of France.
The plaque for James reads "To
the memory of James R. Hattrick, a soldier of the 82nd Parachutists
and the 300 American soldiers who fell on the field of honor at
Gourbesville between 6 and 16 June 1944".
Vivian Roger of the Association U. S.
Normandie, contacted Gourbesville Mayor Maurice Gidon to inquire about
the memorial. Mayor Gidon said that he arrived in Gourbesville in 1951
and that plaque was already there. He asked the previous mayors about
its origin but they did not know either. They did a lot of researching
when they were preparing the new 90th Infantry Division and the 82nd
Airborne memorial that was inaugurated
in June 2006. There are only 175 people now in Gourbesville. "No one
there knows anything," says Vivian, "about James Hattrick, that plaque,
or how it got there! It has always been a mystery!!!! They do not
even have any good guesses!!!"
What is known is that James was born in North Carolina in
1922. In the 1930 U.S. Census he is listed as the son of George and
Lena B. Hattrick. The family at that time resided at 1624
Wilkinson Street, Charlotte, NC. James was the youngest of five
children and had two sisters and two brothers.
Pvt Hattrick is officially listed as having been killed in action at an
unknown date in
either June or July 1944 and was awarded the Purple Heart. Recent
research, however, has proven that he was KIA on 6 June 1944 in
Gourbesville. He was initially buried on the northeast side of the
church in grave number 4 but was later reinterred in Ste Mere Eglise
Temporary Cemetery #2. |
