Moving of German graves to Cannock Chase.

Discussion in 'War Cemeteries & War Memorial Research' started by alanatabz, Sep 3, 2020.

  1. alanatabz

    alanatabz Well-Known Member

    The Sleepyhillock Cemetery in Montrose had 4 German airman buried in 1941

    In around 1963, the airmen were interred and moved to Cannock Chase war cemetery.

    Any idea to find out a date they were moved, or how this was done, by whom and was there a reburial ceremony etc....
     
  2. jonheyworth

    jonheyworth Senior Member

    If you look up someone British buried there you sometimes see on the graves registration reports when the Germans were moved
     
  3. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    1959 agreement with the Germans to do some concentration, with most of the work done in '63.
    I'd always assumed the work was done by CWGC or Volksbund (VDK), but the specific question interests me a fair amount (Cannock is a remarkable place).

    This says the VDK made the 'necessary arrangements'.
    Cemetery Details | CWGC


    CWGC annual reports appear to now be online. Might be worth delving into for more info.
     
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  4. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    Cemetery Details | CWGC
    As a CWGC site I assume that you will find a concentration report on those moved from elsewhere.
     
  5. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

    Dave55 likes this.
  6. Uncle Target

    Uncle Target Mist over Dartmoor

    You are going to need the date as well as there were several casualties in July 1941. I count 10 on a quick check.
    The most likely date seems to be 8th July where there are six casualties from which four might be from the incident mentioned.
    Cant spend much more on this hope this is of assistance.
    Just passing by. Sorry I cant be of more help.
     
  7. Gary Tankard

    Gary Tankard Well-Known Member

    I'd have thought more details will be in The Blitz Then and Now books (one of the few of that series I don't own). Failing that somebody may have access to the most comprehensive compilation of Luftwaffe losses - WingLeader - Aviation Books and Collectables
     
  8. alanatabz

    alanatabz Well-Known Member

    Hi All , thanks for the posts

    The crew on the aircraft were 21-year-old Leutnant zur See Eduard Erich Becker, 23-year-old Unteroffizier Gerhard Gebauer, 20-year-old Obergefreiter Fritz Otto Fose (noting his name has several variations of spelling in the records) and 24-year-old Unteroffizier Hans Steggemann).

    Crash date 14/7/41

    Yes, the article in the paper is correct crash. I did look up the listing in the Blitz then and Now but not much info on there

    The crew did get a funeral full military honors (despite protests from local about Nazi flag draped coffins on gun carriages). The other of Becker visited the cemetery in 1954 also!
     
  9. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    There was a discussion on Luftwaffe casualties sometime ago

    WW2 German Air Force CWGC Casualty List

    However I think that the VDK organisation German equivalent to the CWGC (but a voluntary organisation) could help with casualty backgrounds.They now have an English language version of their website with the Kassel HQ address to contact them

    Über uns

    Online grave search Individual grave tracing In English

    Cannock Chase Military Cemetery.

    Cannock Chase German Military Cemetery - Wikipedia

    Interestingly.I note that Becker was a Kriegsmarine officer and three crew identified from the information given in Post #1.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2020
  10. alanatabz

    alanatabz Well-Known Member

    Hi Harry

    From the Mother in 1954, he was seconded to the Luftwaffe.

    Regards

    Alan
     

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  11. Harry Ree

    Harry Ree Very Senior Member

    Thanks Alan

    Such personal information reveals a story from a tombstone....if only tombstones could talk!
     
  12. graeme

    graeme Senior Member

    Morning,

    They are in Cannock Chase War Cemetery (Graves 4.F.5 to 4.F.8) not Cannock Chase German War Cemetery.

    Leutnant zur See 73038/223 Eduard Becker from Berlin (observer), Unteroffizier 73038/229 Hans Steggemann from Gelsenkirchen-Buer (flight engineer), Obergefreiter 73038/231 Fritz Föse from Dessau (wireless operator) and Unteroffizier 73038/232 Gerhard Gebauer from Breslau (pilot) were the crew of a Junkers Ju 88A-1 (0717) of 1/Küstenfliegergruppe 506.

    At 4pm on Monday 14 July 1941 their aircraft, S4+HH, was hit by AA fire from a Flak ship off Montrose while on an armed reconnaissance on the Scottish east coast and crashed in flames at Lauriston railway station near Montrose, Tayside where it burnt out.

    The entire crew were killed in the incident and were initially buried in Sleepy Hillock Cemetery, Montrose, Angus , Gebauer in Grave 8.C.40, Föse in Grave 8.C.41, Steggeman in Grave 8.C.42 and Becker in Grave 8.C.43.

    Unfortunately I do have have the exact date they were reinterred.

    Regards,

    Graeme
     
  13. von Poop

    von Poop Adaministrator Admin

    Exhuming the enemy. - The creation of the Cannock Chase German war cemetery:

     
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