On Monday 30 October 152 Brigade, one of the three in the 51 Highland Division, prepares to liberate the town of Waalwijk. Operation Colin, which was launched near Schijndel, is exactly one week old. The objective of the division, the Bergsche Maas, is finally in sight. On their way there the three battalions of 152 have to take the same crossroads. The 2nd Seaforth Highlanders is heading for Besoyen (Waalwijk West), the 5th Seaforth Highlanders is to occupy the area south of the railway line and the 5th Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders will liberate the town of Waalwijk.

Private James Nairne has to show the thousands of men and hundreds of vehicles the way. In his diary he describes what happens: ‘From 1100 until 1400 hours I stood on my crossroads (…) Waalwijk was full of joyous civilians. Cups of coffee and apples were brought out to us. It was kind of these Dutch people who were obviously so short of foodstuffs of all descriptions themselves. Whilst the Commanding Officer was questioning me about the whereabouts of his Intelligence Officer who I knew had gone off to bring up ‘A’ Echelon, a small boy to my embarrassment, placed an apple into each of my hands which I had no alternative but to accept, as I was standing to attention.’

Fairly soon after the liberation, René ter Berg, travelling salesman, and his wife, artist, who live on Kloosterweg, have the idea of erecting a Saint Mary’s Chapel in this special location. Eventually it is to be ‘Saint Mary’s Chapel of the four Waalwijk parishes’. On 21 September 1947 the date stone is cemented in place, inside it a document and a text and on Sunday 12 October of the same year the chapel is consecrated.

In 1952 Waalwijk artist Wim Klijn designs four stained glass windows. Many years later, on 5 May 1995, Lieutenant-General Sir Derek Lang unveils a monument with the emblems of the three Scottish battalions. Just over fifty years before he was the Commanding Officer of one of these, the 5th Queen’s Own Cameron Highlanders.