bedford house cemetery

[soren1941]

Hello,

I've been searching the CWGC register for this cemetery, 2 years ago I visited it in person and felt touched as I saw numerous graves for seaforth Highlanders killed in 1940, what touched me was that I thought I also saw 14~18 graves to the same regt?

Did I imagine this? thanks for any help, also does anyone know what happened around here? seems to have been a lot of Seaforths killed on or aropund 27th?

Many thanks

Soren

[Owen]

They'd be 6th Bn men, 17 Bde, 5th Div.
I've just looked a few up to check.
"Croonaert" is busy with lots of research on the "Battle of Ypres 1940"
quick look at Div History says,

At Zillebeke 17 Inf Bde formed the left flank until 50 Motorized Division arrived. 2 RSF were on the right and the 6 Seaforth on the left, along the railway line with 2 Northamptons in reserve...
At daybreak on the 27th, after their patrols had crossed the railway line , the enemy attacked along the whole of the divisional front. These attacks were supported by heavy artillery and mortar fire and accurate dive bombing...
Here, enemy pressure forced back 6 Seaforth from the railway line and almost surrounded 2 RSF.

[Paul Reed]

Hi Soren - there are certainly Seaforths there from WW2. To check I looked at Geoff's WW2 Search engine and found, eg:

Name: ADAMS, DAVID BROWN
Initials: D B
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Seaforth Highlanders
Unit Text: 6th Bn.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 27/05/1940
Service No: 2821684
Additional information: Son of Robert Brown Adams and Jane Adams, of Glasgow.
Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead
Grave/Memorial Reference: Enclosure No.6 V. A. 10.
Cemetery: BEDFORD HOUSE CEMETERY

Logically there must also been Seaforths from WW1 in the other enclosures.

[Owen]

Tried looking for a WW1 Seaforth there but can't find any yet...
Anyway back to 1940.

When the day ended, our front here had been pressed back to a line which ran from the junction of the Kortekeer river with the canal, west of Comines, to St Eloi on the Warneton–Ypres road, farther north the 17th Brigade's forward battalions, the 2nd Royal Scots Fusiliers and the 6th Seaforth Highlanders, had also been withdrawn, after hard fighting, from the railway line south of Zillebeke to the west bank of the Ypres–Comines Canal, where the 2nd Northamptonshire had a small reserve. At about eight in the evening the enemy attacked them again, and the 17th Brigade were gradually forced back to the Warneton–St Eloi road

HyperWar: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940 [Chapter XII]

Map... http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/UN/U...Flanders-6.jpg

[Harry Ree]

I have passed through this cemetery a number of times and have an uneasy feeling about the casualties.The exact date of death not being accurately recorded on many and being aware of the mood of the enemy during the sweep to the coast,it is easy to have reservations.

The battalion war diaries should have revealed the events but if there are no witnesses, a battalion war diary is of little help.

[Paul Reed]

I know what you mean Harry, but I had an old friend who lived in nearby Zillebeke where most of these men came from. Many of them were buried in the back gardens of homes there. I suspect the majority of them were Killed in Action; but I am also sure Dave (Croonaert) knows more.

[soren1941]

Cheers Guys,

I'm sure I saw some WW1 Seaforths buried here, I remember now why I was struck by these burials, I seem to remember that the WW2 burial seemed to be on a slightly raised level in a horseshoe shape

[Mark Hone]

Soren-A quick scan through the lists of men buried at Bedford House on the CWGC website only revealed 1940 Seaforths. Mind you, I only looked at a few likely letters (e.g. 'Mac'), as there are nearly 4,000 burials. If you want to do a thorough trawl go on to CWGC :: Cemetery Details
and click on 'Cemetery Reports' at the bottom of the screen.

[soren1941]

Cheers Guys,

Does anyone know whether they would have been kilted in 1940?

[Paul Reed]

Soren, Owen has a thread on this, see:

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/general...ef-1940-a.html