On the 28th August 1944, 5 Battalion Black Watch were transported to BOURG ACHARD, EURE, Normandy. The village of BARNEVILLE-SUR-SAINE was cleared of the enemy and the battalion planned to capture the village of MAUNY.

During the battle the battalion was shelled while in an orchard and woods near to a crossroads and chateau at MAUNY. The battalion advanced, taking the chateau and found it occupied by Germans in the upstairs rooms and refugees taking shelter in the cellars of the building.

It was during the fight in the woods that Private GEORGE ACONLEY HILDRED was fatally wounded. Another 5 men FROM 5 Black Watch also lost their lives that day: Corporal JAMES HENRY O'KEEFE, Lance Corporal HARRY A. BILLINGTON, Corporal HARRY CHAPMAN, Sergeant THOMAS KIRKCALDY and Major DONALD CURRIE MIRRIELEES.

Lance Corporal HARRY A. BILLINGTON, Private GEORGE ACONLEY HILDRED, Corporal JAMES HENRY O'KEEFE, Major DONALD CURRIE MIRRIELEES were transferred to a nearby Casualty Clearing Station (CCS) at HAUT CROTH, near the village of BOURG ACHARD, EURE, Normandy.

These four fatal casualties were initially buried in temporary graves at the crossroads next to the Casualty Clearing Station. Later they were exhumed and laid to rest at SAINT-DESIR WAR CEMETERY.

The battle for MAUNY finally ended on the 2nd September when the battalion managed to advance across the River Seine.

In 1948 the local villagers erected a memorial at the crossroads at HAUT CROTH, near BOURG ACHARD, with the names of these four men from the 5 Black Watch inscribed upon it. In 2008, after years of weathering had taken its toll, this memorial was replaced with a new memorial.

In 2013 a memorial was also erected on the D64A in the village of MAUNY, to commemorate the 6 men from the 5 Battalion Black Watch and Trooper JAMES EDMUND CARAH of 1 Northamptonshire Yeomanry, Royal Armoured Corps who were killed in the battle for MAUNY.