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14 September 2009 F/L Robert Day from Johannesburg, South Africa, was a pilot with 139 Squadron. He and his navigator, F/L Thomas Treby, crashed near Heesch on 24 March 1945 on a mission to Berlin. The cause of the crash has not been established. F/L Day is buried at Heesch Roman Catholic Cemetery. F/L Treby remains missing to this day.
Also added Pfc George Anderson from Ely, Minnesota. He was with Company F, 406th Infantry Regiment, 102nd Infantry Division. Not much is known about him. He died of wounds on 18 November 1944 in Germany. He is buried at Margraten.
7 September 2009
F/L Victor Smith was flying Typhoon fighter bombers with 198 squadron. He was killed on 20 December 1943 when his Typhoon developed engine trouble and crashed on the bank of the Waal river, near Dreumel. He was 28. Victor is buried at Uden War Cemetery.
31 August 2009 I apologize for the fact that the website has been down the best part of the last two months due to technical difficulties. I appreciate the many emails I received requiring about the site. I still intend to move the site to another server/domain, but am not sure when that will be realized at this time. My wife and I are preparing for the birth of our third baby, so time will be limited that I can spend on this project. I do hope to start adding men to the site shortly however.
22 June 2009 Cpl Frank Miller from Drangfield, Yorkshire was an air gunner on the Boston of 418 squadron that crashed near Akkerwoude on 18 May 1942. P/O William Young from Canada was the navigator on this plane. Both are buried at Damwoude General Cemetery.
S/Sgt Charles Hudson from Illinois was awared the Bronze Star while with the 417th Ambulance Company. He died on 8 April 1945 in a non-combat related incident. He is buried at Margraten.
Pfc William Horner was with the 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion. He was awarded the Silver Star for his actions near Gembloux, Belgium in September 1944. On 13 April 1945, he was killed while working on a bridge over the Elbe river, near Magdeburg when German forces attacked.
Also killed in this action was Pvt Harris Hill from Pennsylvania. Both are buried at Margraten Cemetery. Thanks to Mr. Ed Husted and Mr. Buol Hinman of the 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion for the story and the pictures.
Also added an Unknown soldier buried at Veghel Roman Catholic Churchyard. Also buried at this cemetery is an Unkown Polish airman, who was buried here on 2 October 1944. Researchers think this might be the grave of Tadeusz Józef Kołoszczyk of 306 squadron, who crashed on 27 September 1944 while on escort mission Ramrod 1297. The findings of their research have so far not been accepted by the Commonwealth War Graves Commission.
Also buried at this cemetery is Pte Allen Middleton from Sheffield. This 24 year old with the 6th Battalion, The Queen's Royal Regiment, was killed on 30 September 1944.
21 June 2009 F/O Sebastian de Mier is thought to be the only Mexican buried in the Netherlands. Son of a high ranking Mexican diplomat and living in New York City, Sebastian joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and became an air gunner with 418 squadron. He was killed on 18 May 1942 while on an intruder mission to Leeuwarden airfield. He is buried in Damwoude General Cemetery.
20 June 2009 F/S Arnot Elbogen was from Praque, Czech Republic. He made his way to England and became a spitfire pilot with 310 (Czech) squadron. He was killed on 11 August 1944 when he was strafing a train in the vicinity of Geldermalsen. F/S Elbogen is buried at Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery.
Sgt Stanley Stevens from Solana, Califonia, was a Sergeant with G Company, 508th PIR, 82nd Airborne Division. Sgt. Stevens was killed on 20 September 1944 in an action for which he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. He is buried at Modesto Citizen Cemetery, California. Many thanks to Lady Annne for the picture of his grave.
16 June 2009
F/O Hugh Morrow, from Vancouver, Canada, was working for the Canadian Bank of Commerce before he joined the R.C.A.F. He became a pilot with 432 Squadron. He and two of his crew died on 17 June 1944 on a mission to Sterkrade, Germany.
P/O Jack Shanks from Brandon, Manitoba was an air gunner on his crew. P/O John Johnston was also an air gunner. All are buried at Gorssel General Cemetery.
15 June 2009
Jos van Koolwijk of the War in Dreumel website provided this picture of Lt Phillip Sedgwick, 8th Battalion The Rifle Brigade, who was killed on a patrol on 10 March 1945 near Dreumel. He is buried at Zoelen General Cemetery.
Sgt Jack Sykes was an observer with 139 Squadron. His Blenheim was lost when attacking shipping off the coast of Den Haag. He and his crew were lost. Sgt Jack Sykes is buried in Den Haag (Westduin) General Cemetery. Sgt John Clayton, from Shipley, Yorkshire, was an air gunner on this crew. He is buried at Bergen General Cemetery. F/L Horace Hilton is still missing and is commemorated at the Runnymede Memorial.
Also added John Stuart from Lennoxtown in Scotland. He was with 429 squadron and was killed on 21 January 1943. His crew was on a mine laying mission to the Waddenzee, where they were shot down by Flak. Sgt Stuart's body was not recovered and he is commemorated at the Runnymede Memorial.
Added an unit page for 198 Squadron, flying with Hawker Typhoons. Eight of the squadron are buried in the Netherlands or were killed here and are now buried elsewhere. Also added an unit page for 181 Field Regiment, R.A. Six men of this unit are buried in the Netherlands.
13 June 2009 T5 Sylvio Theriault was from New Hampshire. He was with the 295th Engineer Combat Battalion and lost his life when a pile of mines he was standing to, blew up near Wingen, Germany. He is buried, with some of his buddies, at Margraten Netherlands American Cemetery.
11 June 2009
P/O Avron Jacobs, from Montreal, was a 20 year old pilot with 424 squadron R.C.A.F. He and his crew were lost due to unknown causes on 1 November 1944, on a mission to Oberhausen. They crashed near Echt, where they were initially buried. After the war they were reburied at Nederweert War Cemetery. Thanks to the Canadian Jewish Congress for permission to use their pictures of Avron.
10 June 2009
S/Sgt James French from Philadelphia was an radio operator on a B17 "The Wild Hare" of the 385th Bomb Group. His plane was shot down by flak and fighters on a mission to Munster on 11 November 1943. All 10 men bailed out of the bomber, but S/Sgt French died of a wound to the stomach after landing. He is buried at Beverly National Cemetery, New Jersey, U.S.A. Many thanks to Leatha Cooksy, daughter of the pilot, Lt John McGowan, for the story and crew pictures of "The Wild Hare". Also thanks to Rich Taylor for the picture of James's grave at Beverly.
9 June 2009
Lt. Col. Charles Holliman saw action with the Long Range Desert Group in North Africa. He was awarded the Military Cross and Bar for his actions there. Back in England in 1942, he took over command of 5 Royal Tank Regiment and was with them from Normandy untill his death on 21 January 1945. The circumstances of his death are yet unknown. He is buried at Nederweert War Cemetery.
Sgt Joseph Bender was a flight engineer with 102 squadron. He and his crew were shot down on 17 June 1944 on a mission to Sterkrade, Germany. Five of the crew are buried at Steenderen General Cemetery. Two of the crew survived to become PoWs.
Sgt Bender is buried next to Sgt Józef Hajduk from Nowe Świątczany, Poland. Józef was a spitfire pilot with 302 squadron and was shot down near Toldijk on 20 January 1945. He is buried at Steenderen General Cemetery.
8 June 2009
F/O Eric Hurrell from Australia was a Typhoon pilot with 181 Squadron. He died on 27 April 1945. The exact circumstances of his death are not known. He is buried at Nederweert War Cemetery.
Added a cemetery page for Margraten Netherlands American Cemetery. Listed here are the men buried at Margraten that are on this site. I don't have the complete list of 8302 men buried and 1722 commemorated yet. When I have that list, I will add it.
7 June 2009
Sgt Benjamin Shaub from Marticville, Pa died of wounds on 7 November 1944. He was with F Company, 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division. He was a veteran of the Normandy campaign. Thanks to Cyndy Henry for providing pictures of his grave at Bethesda United Methodist Cemetery, Pennsylvania.
Also added the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment to the casualty page of the 101st Airborne Division.
5 June 2009 P/O Frank Millen was from North Providence, Rhode Island. Frank joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and became a pilot with XV (15) squadron. He was killed when his plane was shot down near Gortel on 16 December 1942. He and his crew are now buried at Epe General Cemetery.
3 June 2009
P/O Harvey Kieswetter was from Seattle, Washington. Born in Canada, his family moved to the US in 1925. Harvey became a US citizen in 1937. He joined the Royal Canadian Air Force and became a navigator with XV (15) squadron. He lost his life on 16 December 1942 on a mission to bomb a German airfield at Diepholz, Germany. His plane was shot down and crashed near Gortel, the Netherlands. Only one crew member survived. The rest of the crew is now buried at Epe General Cemetery. Many thanks to Diane Kessler for the pictures of Harvey and to Paul Paarlberg and Eva Ulm for the picture of the monument.
26 May 2009 F/S Alexander Shirm from Southport flew Hurricanes with 3 squadron. He was lost on a night Intruder mission over Holland on 29 July 1942. He is buried at Ouddorp General Cemetery.
Added a unitpage for the 1st Battalion Norfolk Regiment. 57 men of this Battalion are buried in the Netherlands.
25 May 2009 2Lt Eldred Hancy was from Michigan. A navigator with 351st Bomb Group, he lost his life on 9 October 1943 when his B17 was shot down on a mission to bomb an aircraft factory at Anklam, Germany. He is mentioned on the Wall of the Missing at Margraten. Three other crew members died in this crash.
T/Sgt David Pressel from Indiana was the radio operator. He is also mentioned on the Wall of the Missing at Margraten.Added an unitpage for the 5th US Armored Division. 126 men of this division are buried or commemorated at Margraten.
23 May 2009 Added a unit page for 107 squadron, Royal Air Force. Also updated the unit page for 7 squadron. At least 106 men from this squadron are buried in the Netherlands.
22 May 2009 Many allied soldiers, sailors and airmen washed ashore on Dutch beaches. Many were never identified. Here are the remaining Unknowns buried at Castricum Protestant Cemetery; Two soldiers who were buried on 7 January 1943 and 28 June 1943, two sailors on 13 September 1944 and on 3 October 1944, one sailor was buried on 6 May 1944, 3 soldiers were buried in a communal grave on 9 September 1944, a soldier was buried on 21 November 1942. There is a possibility he was from the force that invaded Dieppe in August 1942. Finally, in a communal grave, a soldier buried on 21 July 1941 and a soldier buried on 29 December 1941.
With these additions I have completed Castricum Protestant Cemetery
17 May 2009 Lt Denis Scott flew on Avenger fighter bombers with 855 squadron, Fleet Air Arm. He and his crew were lost off the Dutch coast on the evening of 4 September 1944 on a shipping patrol. Only Lt Scott's body was recovered and is now buried at Castricum Protestant Cemetery.
12 May 2009 Nothing is known about P/O Arthur Fitchett. He was a navigator with 51 squadron and lost his life on 25 June 1943. He is buried in Castricum.
F/O James Mackenzie from Inverlochy, Fort William, Invernessshire was the pilot on this plane. He is buried at Amsterdam New eastern Cemetery.
11 May 2009 Not much is known about Sgt William Matheson from Port Glasgow, Renfrewshire. He was an air gunner on a 101 squadron Wellington. On 22 July 1942 he was shot down over the North Sea, on a mission to Duisburg. He is buried at Noordwijk General Cemetery. Although the whole crew was killed, the bodies of only two others of his crew were recovered. F/S Edour Fortin and Sgt George Morffew are both buried in Amsterdam.
On 10 May 1945, troops of the 1st Battalion, Leicestershire Regiment were disarming German soldiers of the "Hermann Goering" Regiment in Hilversum. All of a sudden a pile of mines blew up, killing 13 men from the Leicesters and a number of Germans. Although I have almost no information on any of the British casualties, I have added them today. Pvt Thomas Atkin, from Nottingham, was one of those killed. They are all buried at Hilversum Northern Cemetery. The other men who died in this blast are: Cpl Jack Fisher from Sheffield, Pte Henry Hall from Sileby, Pte Lawrence Hart from Melton Mowbray, L/Sjt Owen Hartshorn from Leicester, Pte Robert Hyde from Waltham, Pte Vernon Langley from Leicester, Pte Edward Obeney, Pte Samuel Onion from Arnold, Pte Donald Wain from Loughborough, L/Cpl Roy Walley from Leicester, Cpl Lewis Whitehall from Attleborough, Nuneaton and Pte Ronald Wood.
10 May 2009 P/O Hilyard Myers from Toronto was the co-pilot of the Wellington of 57 Squadron that crashed near Blankenham on 12 October 1941, on a mission to Nuremburg. F/O Myers is buried at Kuinre General Cemetery.
Sgt Arthur Jeffries from North Cheam, Surrey was a pilot on this Wellington. He was 29 and married. He is buried at Emmeloord General Cemetery. Sgt William Wood from Hanwell, Middlesex was an air gunner on this crew. He also is buried at Emmeloord.
9 May 2009
Sgt Percy Cooke from Bluff, Southland, New Zealand was an observer with 57 Squadron. His Wellington crashed on 12 October 1941 near Blankenham on a mission to Nuremburg. He is now buried at Emmeloord General Cemetery.
F/S William Byers from Canada was an air gunner on this crew.
8 May 2009 Pvt Lewie Long from Scotsville, Kentucky was a private with the 28th Infantry Regiment, 8th Infantry Divsion. He died in a German field hospital of wounds sustained in the fighting around Bergstein in the Huertgen forest, on 9 December 1944. He is buried at Margraten. Many thanks to Alan Farley for providing a baby picture of Lewie.
Also added S/Sgt James Underwood who was a waist gunner of the B17 of the 379th Bomb Group that was shot down over Schoorl on 30 January 1944. James Underwood is now buried at Chattanooga National Cemetery, Tennessee. Many thanks to Steve L for providing the picture of his grave.
6 May 2009
S/Sgt Richard Kausch was from Waterton, South Dakota. He was an radio operator in a B17 with 379th Bomb Group. He and his crew were shot down on 30 January 1944 on a mission to Braunschweig, Germany. The B 17 crashed near Schoorl on the Dutch coast killing the whole crew. S/Sgt Kausch is buried at Margraten. Many thanks to Bonnie Bjork and Andy Gerlach for the story and picture.
1Lt Donald Winter from North Dakota was the pilot of this plane. Not much is known about him. He is buried at Antelope Cemetery, Richland County, North Dakota. Many thanks to Connie Norheim for the picture of his grave. S/Sgt George Gardner, from Northford, Connecticut, was the ball turret gunner of the plane. He lies buried at Margraten.
30 April 2009 Sgt Peter Prime from Oconomowoc, Wisconsin had joined the Royal Canadian Air Force to become a pilot early in th ewar. He was in one of the last stages of his training as a bomber pilot, with 25 Operational Training Unit, whe he and his crew were sent on an operational mission to Dusseldorf, on 1 August 1942. Their Wellington crashed off the Dutch coast. The body of Sgt Prime was the only one recovered. He is buried at Amsterdam New Eastern Cemetery. He is one of four Americans buried in Amsterdam.
29 April 2009
Not much is known about Merchant Seaman Bobby Fry from Hollister, Oklahoma. He joined the Merchant Marines in December 1944 and died in Belgium on 11 August 1945 under unknown circumstances. He is buried at Margraten. Many thanks to Kathy Pennycuff for the information and picture.
28 April 2009
Cpl Donald Morrison was with A squadron, 17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars. He was killed shortly before the cease fire, on 4 May 1945 in Germany. It is thought he was killed by a sniper. He is buried at Holten Canadian War Cemetery. Many thanks to his nephew Stewart Swinton.
27 April 2009
Added a portrait picture of Major James Foley of the 276th Engineer Combat Battalion This picture was kindly provided by Mr. James Foley, his nephew. Major Foley was killed when the Ludendorff bridge, the famous "Bridge at Remagen" collapsed on 17 March 1945, killing 28 men and injuring 93. Major Foley is now buried at Margraten American Cemetery.
Also updated Pfc Johnnie Kilgore's page. His nephew david ORear provided several dcuments and pictures that I have added to his page.
20 April 2009 Sgt Ronald Game was a flight engineer on a lancaster bomber with 50 Squadron. He died when his plane was shot down by Flak and a night fighter on 17 December 1942. The crew was on a mission to Soltau. Four of the crew died and are now buried in Bergklooster General Cemetery.
F/O Harold Gilleland of London was an air gunner on this crew. He was born in 1911 and married.
Sgt Duncan Wilson from Dundee was the wireless operator on the crew. He was 21.
F/O Norman Goldsmith DFC was from Rhodesia. He was the pilot of the Lancaster that crashed near Bergklooster on 17 December 1943. Nothing is known about him.
19 April 2009 Pfc John Seitz from Georgia was with the 329th Infantry Regiment, 83rd Infantry Division, when he was killed on 5 April 1945 near Schieder, Germany. He is buried at Margraten. Many thanks to Ger Fritz, who has adopted his grave.
Sgt Frank Bernard Hough was an observer with 142 squadron. He lost his life on 25 October 1943, when his Wellington crashed into the North Sea off the Dutch coast. He is buried at Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemetery.
Also added unit pages for the 12th Replacement Control Depot and the 561st Field Artillery Battalion.
5 April 2009 Sgt Eric Watcham from Shildon, Co Durham was a navigator on a 142 squadron Wellington that crashed into the North Sea on 25 October 1942 on a mission to Milan. Sgt Watcham is buried at Amsterdam New eastern Cemetery.
Sgt Edwin Woollard was the wireless operator on this Wellington. He was from Coulsdon, Surrey. He is buried at Monster General Cemetery.
4 April 2009 Today, 64 years ago, Pvt Joseph True from New York State lost his life in Germany. He was with the 455th Anti Aircraft Artillery Battalion. Born in 1906, he was one of the older men in his unit. He is buried at Margraten.
Sgt Bartlett Shaddick from Pingelly, Western Australia won a DFM on 15 October 1942 on his fourth mission. He was a pilot with 142 Squadron. Less then two weeks later he crashed into the North Sea on a mission to Milan. Today he rests at Den Haag (Westduin) Cemetery.
3 April 2009 Pvt Martin Berry from Portland, Maine was with the 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion. He was killed on 11 December 1944 near Merzenhausen, Germany under unknown circumstances. He is buried at Margraten. Thanks to Mr. Husted and Mr. Hinman of the 82nd Engineer Combat Bn Association.
Also added S/Sgt William Link from Pittsburgh. William was with A Co, 295th Engineer Combat Battalion. This was a sister unit of the 82nd Engineer Combat Battalion. S/Sgt Link and several men of his platoon were killed on 30 December 1944, when a German mortar round hit a pile of mines they were standing next to. S/Sgt Link is buried at Margraten.
Updated the page of S/L Joseph Simpson. Originally from New Zealand, he was a career officer in the R.A.F. He was involved in a crash in February 1940, in which he was injured. In 1942, S/L Simpson was killed in a mission to bomb a factory in Hengelo. He is buried in Raard.
2 April 2009 Added an Unkown Soldier that washed ashore on the Dutch coast in august 1940 and is now buried at Schoorl General Cemetery.
Also added this unknown Victim who is buried at Stavoren General Cemetery. Also buried here is an Unknown Airman who washed ashore on 24 October 1943.
1 April 2009
Updated Pfc Johnnie Kilgore's page with a picture of his grave in Jasper, Alabama. Johnnie was with the 502nd Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division and lost his life on 21 September 1944 near St. Oedenrode. His grave states his date of death as 19 September, but this might be the date he was wounded. Many thanks to Mr. Ed Stalling.
30 March 2009 Added the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment casualty list to the unit page of the 101st Airborne Division. This list contains all casualties of the 506th who are buried in the Netherlands or who were killed here during Operation Market Garden and its aftermath and who are now buried elsewehere. Corrections and remarks are welcome.
29 March 2009 Added pictures to the country (search)pages (for example United Kingdom) of all men I that are online that I have a picture of. Also added a list of all men of the 501st Parachute Infantry Regiment, 101st Airborne Division that are buried in The Netherlands or who were killed here but now buried elsewhere. I do not make any claims as to it actually being complete. Additions and remarks are very much welcome. I am working to add the other units of the 101st and those of the 82nd Airborne Division. My aim is to have such lists for all units.
27 March 2009
1Lt James Gilbride from California was a P-38 pilot with the 55th Fighter Group. He lost his life near Koekange, the Netherlands when his plane was shot down on 29 November 1943. The 55th was on an escort mission and lost five planes that day. Today, 1Lt Gilbride is buried at Camp Butler National Cemetery, Illinois. Many thanks to mr. Russ Abbey of 55th.org, Diane Kessler and BJJ.
25 March 2009
Pfc Claude Owens from Alabama was with the 333rd Infantry Regiment, 84th Infantry Division. He left his wife and son to fight in Europe and was killed near Beeck, Germany on 30 November 1944. Today he rests at Margraten. Many thanks to his niece Claudette Hall and Wendy Lensink who has adopted his grave.
Also added two unknown soldiers who were buried at Castricum Protestant Cemetery on 9 and 12 September 1944.
24 March 2009
Updated the page of P/O Arthur Johnson. He was on his 56th mission when his Wellington was shot down near Hengelo on 28 May 1943 on a mission to Essen. Today he and his crew rest at Hengelo General Cemetery. Many thanks to his son Trevor for the picture and information.
23 March 2009 Added Ordinary Telegraphist Norman Thirkell. Not much is known about him. He was killed when his ship, H.M. Motor Minesweeper 39, hit a mine. Norman Thirkell is now buried at Texel.
Also added Tec5 George Otenbaker from Michigan. Not much is known about him. He was with the 298th Engineer Combat Battalion and died on 7 April 1945 when the bulldozer he was driving hit a mine near Wissen, Germany. He is buried at Margraten.
1 February 2009
Updated Pfc Francisco Aguilar's page with his picture. Pfc Aguilar was with the 70th Infantry Division and was killed on 11 January 1945. He is buried at Margraten.
Sgt George Thompson from London was an air gunner on a 51 squadron Halifax. His Halifax was lost over the North Sea on 26 June 1943, due to unknown causes. The whole crew perished are are buried at different cemeteries in Holland. Sgt Thompson is buried at Castricum Protestant Cemetery. Also buried here is P/O Charles Parkin, the air bomber on his crew and P/O John Stanley, from Londonderry, Northern Ireland. He was the navigator.
26 January 2009
Updated WO William Abbott's page. William was a Mustang pilot with 19 Squadron. He was shot down on a mission on 9 September 1944 near Apeldoorn. He is buried in Zutphen. Thanks to the Auckland Museum War Memorial for William's picture and additional information.
Added a unitpage for 37 Squadron.
25 January 2009 Kpl M. Glass was a navigator with 300 Squadron. He lost his life over the North Sea on 22 June 1943 on a mission to Krefeld. He is buried at Castricum Protestant Cemetery. The rest of his crew is still missing.
Sapper Robert Rankin was 30 years old when he died on 27 November 1944. He was with 555 Field Company, Royal Engineers. He is buried at Nederweert War Cemetery. Also with 555 Field Coy was L/Sjt Samuel Price, from Swansea. He was killed on 23 November 1944 while defusing a booby trap. He is buried at Swartbroek.
Also added an unit page for 105th Evacuation Hospital.
24 January 2009 F/S Mervyn Noble was from Umtali, Southern Rhodesia. He joined the R.A.F. and became an air bomber with 12 Squadron. He lost his life on 29 June 1943 over the North Sea and is now buried at Castricum Protestant Cemetery.
Also added a unit page for 4 Squadron R.A.F.
23 January 2009
Wally Fydenchuk recently published a revised edition of his book "Immigrants of War". His book, which has 586 pages, tells the story of Americans who flew and fought in the R.A.F. and R.C.A.F. "Prior to the United States entry into WWII, thousands of Americans found a way into combat through the Canadian and British Armed Forces. They were a breed apart. Many saw an opportunity to prove their worth after having been previously rejected by their country's military. Others were simply adventure seekers drawn to the opportunity to fly fast aircraft. Whatever the individual reasons were, they all saw a need to stop Nazi aggression as quickly as possible. Sadly, almost 1000 American citizens were killed while serving with the Royal Canadian Air Force, and the Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve during WWII. "Immigrants of War" is a collection of memories from those who were a part of this fascinating story." The books costs $40.00 (which includes shipping in North America). Visit www.immigrantsofwar.com for more information.
18 January 2009 FO Thomas Higgs, a Hurricane pilot with 111 squadron was one of the first casualties of the Battle of Britain. On 10 July 1940, his Hurricane hit a German Do17 he was attacking. Both planes crashed into the North Sea. FO Higgs managed to bail out but drowned in the North Sea. His body washed ashore on a Dutch beach near Noordwijk, a month later. He is buried at Noordwijk General Cemetery.
11 January 2009 Not much is known about Sapper Leslie Warren. He was with 621 Field Squadron, Royal Engineers. He died on 16 October 1944, probably as a Prisoner of War. He is buried at Soestbergen General Cemetery.
Updated F/L Arthur Whitten-Brown's page. He was the son of Sir Arthur Whitten-Brown, the first Englishman, with Sir John Alcock, to fly across the Atlantic ocean in 1919. Many thanks to Mr. Tony Kilmister, OBE, MA for this addition. F/L Whitten-Brown was a pilot with 605 squadron and was killed on 6 June 1944 over the IJsselmeer. He is buried in Hoorn.
Sgt Frank Harris from Lincoln was an air gunner on a 7 Squadron Lancaster that crashed near Oudeschild on the island of Texel on 23 November 1943. They were on a mission to Berlin. The whole crew was killed and are buried at Den Burg Cemetery, Texel. Sgt Harris was 38 years old.
Sgt James Pepper was born in Belleville, Ontario, Canada. An English citizen, he moved to England in 1938 to work for the motoracing team his brother raced for. They both joined the Royal Air Force in 1940. James became a ground based wireless operator in Engeland and Russia, before joining
7 Squadron on air crew. He was on the crew of Sgt Frank Harris.Arthur West from London, was the flight engineer on this crew. Nothing is known about him at this time.
F/S George Tindle was from Manaia, Taranaki, New Zealand. He piloted this Lancaster on what was his 20th mission. He was married and had a daughter. His ambition was to become a fighter pilot and intended to become one after he finished his tour with 7 Squadron.
Interesting fact is that F/S Tindle and Sgt Forrest were both born on 4 April 1920 and died in the same plane.
Many thanks to Robert Woodberry for providing much information and pictures of the crew members.
10 January 2009 Updated my links page with several tribute sites. One website I wish to bring to your attention:
This the website chronicles the history of Margraten Cemetery and the people who build it; the Graves Registration units, the local people digging graves. Through filmed interviews, documents, photographs and other means the people behind this website document the history of this very special place. All 8301 graves at Margraten have been adopted by Dutch families. These people travel to the cemetery several times a year to remember the men whose grave they have adopted; at their birthday, day of death, Memorial Day, Christmas, etc. The project is so popular that there is now a project to adopt a name on the wall of the missing.
9 January 2009 Merchant Seaman Charles Le Gal from New Orleans was chief engineer aboard the freighter Alcoa Banner. On 24 January 1945, while docked in the port of Antwerp, the Luftwaffe attacked and damaged the ship, killing two of her crew. Charles Le Gal was one of them. He rests at Margraten.
7 January 2009
Sgt Warren Becker from Chicago, Illinois was with I company, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division. He was wounded in the Ooypolder near Erlecom on 22 September 1944 and died of his wounds five days later. After the war he was reburied in Schiller Park, Illinois.
6 January 2009
Pfc Ivan Bell from Texas was with B Battery, 65th Armored Field Artillery Battalion. Having been wounded before, he was killed on 19 April 1945 near Baesweiler, Germany. He is buried at Margraten American Military Cemetery. Many thanks to his nephew, Tom Bell.
5 January 2009
Sgt Cyril Hollingsworth, from Derby, was a navigator on a 7 squadron Lancaster. He and his crew were shot down, probably by flak, on a mission to Berlin on 23 November 1943. Their Lancaster crashed near Oudeschild on the island of Texel. Sgt Hollingsworth and his crew are now buried at Den Burg cemetery on Texel.
Sgt James Forrest of Paisley was the bomb aimer on this lancaster. He was 20 and is also buried at Den Burg Cemetery, Texel.
4 January 2009 Sgt Zdenek Kothera was from Czechoslovakia. After the Germans had invaded his country, he fled to France and later England, were he flew in the Battle of Britain. While in France he shot down one German plane. He was lost on 27 April 1942, flying with 124 Squadron, over the North Sea. His body washed ashore on 26 June 1942 on Texel, where he is buried today.
3 January 2009 Pvt Emerson Riddell, from Montreal, Quebec, Canada, was with the 1st Battalion Black Watch of Canada. He was killed on 15 April 1945 in the battle for Groningen. He lies buried at Hoogkerk General Cemetery, just west of Groningen. At age 38, he was one of the oldest private in the Black Watch.
Also killed on 15 April 1945 and buried in Hoogkerk is Pvt Regan Dallaire. Not much is known about him. He was with the Calgray Highlanders of Canada.
Thousands of airmen, soldiers and sailors lost their lives at sea. The bodies of many of them washed ashore on Dutch shores during the war. Of these, many could not be identified and were buried in local cemeteries as "Unknown" but "Known unto God".
This unknown airman is buried at Castricum Protestant Cemetery. His date of death is 12 September 1944. Also buried here are two unknown soldiers. One unknown soldier with the date 7 october 1944 and one unknown soldier with the date 3 October 1944.
This unknown soldier of the Parachute Regiment probably drowned or was killed when he crossed the Rhine river after the airbornes retreated across the river after the battle at Arnhem, in September 1944. He is buried at Culemborg General Cemetery. His date of death is stated as 12 November 1944. Most likely this was the date his body was found.
1 January 2009
Sgt Herbert Sawkings, of Grays, Essex, was an air gunner with 218 Squadron. He lost his life on 4 May 1943 on a mission to Dortmund. His plane crashed near Damwoude, where he is buried today.
Sgt Frank Robinson from Darlington, Co. Durham, was co-pilot on this plane. He also rests at Damwoude General Cemetery.
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