Michel Maillard of Dreux, France, leaned down to thank an unidentified World War II veteran for his part in liberating France from the Nazi occupation of the country during World War II. The two were visiting a World War II Memorial in France when the exchange occurred.
Maillard was among 26 members of the Dreux Twinning Association who visited the United States for two weeks in September 2013 as part of a twin town exchange between Dreux and Evesham Township. The French guests were hosted by members of the Evesham Twinning Association in their homes in Marlton and surrounding communities.
On Monday, June 6, D-Day, Danielle Morée, an active member of the French twinning group and wife of the group’s president, Louis Morée, shared the picture of Michel Maillard and the U.S. World War II veteran with American twinners, commenting in an email that, “Today we do remember that we owe your people our freedom.”
At the time, Danielle was returning to Dreux with other members of the twinning group after a visit to another of Dreux’s twinned towns, Bautzen, Germany, a former East German town that also was liberated by the Allies at the end of World War II.
“It is a heartwarming photo,” said Lynne Royek, president of the Evesham Twinning Association. “It is not uncommon for American World War II veterans visiting France to be thanked by the French people for restoring freedom to their country. Nor is it uncommon for the French to thank all visiting Americans for the contributions made by our fathers and grandfathers and our countrymen in general during World War II. The memories run deep and the French have not forgotten. Our two countries are forever linked.”
For information on joining the Evesham Twinning Association, write to P.O. Box 504, Marlton, NJ 08053, or contact Membership Co-Chairs Margie Corbett (856‐767‐0910) or Sharon Cinkowski (360–904–5428).
The concept of twinned towns originated in Europe after World War II in the hope that individual friendships would lead to understanding and acceptance of the similarities and differences of people from different towns and countries. The hope of the founders was that these close friendships would prevent another conflict of the magnitude of WWII.
The non-profit Evesham Twinning Association is devoted to supporting cross-cultural relationships between the towns of Evesham and Evesham, England, as well as with the town of Dreux.
The ETA was founded in 1989 and the formal charters creating the twinning arrangement with Evesham, England, were signed in October 1990. These charters are on display in the Evesham Township Municipal Building. In May 2002, a Friendship Link was signed between the twinning organizations in Evesham and Dreux.
During 25 years of twinning, ETA members have made numerous visits to England and France and have hosted guests from both countries, often developing close, personal relationships with their “new” friends across the Atlantic. In 2015, the ETA will again host twinners from Evesham, England, along with a small group from Melsungen, Germany during an exploratory visit to the Marlton area.
In addition, the Evesham, New Jersey, and Evesham, England, associations worked together to facilitate a visit by the Avonbank Brass Band to the USA in 2008, and a visit by the Cherokee High School Girls Traveling Choir to Great Britain in 2006.
