This is a bit of a long shot but does anyone know which `Graves Registration Unit` operated on Kos in 1945 following the German surrender in 1945. Particularly interested in any documents which may deal with a temporary graveyard at Vittorio Egeo Hospital/Barracks Linopotis and reburied in Kos British Cemetery in January 1946. There is a sketch in the missing men file taken from the burial returns so something must of existed or does exist somewhere. This is in connection with a search for the grave of an unknown soldier buried in `Grave 2` at Vittorio Egeo. Five statements have been located identifying the possible occupant of the grave as 4451116 Pte Thomas James Green 1st DLI including that of the Padre The Reverend Ninian Blundell Wright, B.D. (111057) who buried him. The problem now is the CWGC state they do not have any plans in their possesion of the Vittorio Egeo site nor do they have the records of who were reinterred to Kos War Cemetery and suggest despite the occupant of `Grave 1` Captain Sivewright been known and transferred to Kos War Cemetery they cannot say the `unknown` next to him in `Grave 2` was ever recovered ? Until documentation can be found they will not acknowledge that the `unknown` was moved to Kos War Cemetery and went subsequently to Rhodes War Cemetery when Kos War Cemetery was ordered to be moved in the 50`s. This is not my enquiry but thought I would ask the good folk on here if they can shed any new light on this. In a previous enquiry the CWGC stated they did hold records and gave references of RA 41605 PT.1 and RA 41605 PT.2 as being relevant to the exhumation records for Kos with a further File Reference RA 41606 regarding reburials at Rhodes War Cemetery, Greece but until they can `prove` that the `unknown` was taken from the field grave their position regarding 4451116 Green remains unchanged since the CO of 1st DLI Colonel Kirby brought the matter up in 1948. CWGC ;- "when the graves were reburied in Kos they do not appear to have been buried in any sequence that represents how they were found. As a result, unless a plan of the original burial site can be found, indicating how the burials were laid out and crucially showing an unknown buried next to Sivewright, we cannot be certain that 'grave 2' was ever recovered to Kos." Anyone suggest anything new , its now appears to be down to a lack of admin records . Kyle
Birmingham Daily Post 15 July 1957 Move no 3 for those on Kos Reasons behind closure of War Cemetery Kyle
Hi I'm recovering from an op at moment so can't to get to my pc. The wgru were probably 21 or 22 Australia. Check out this website. Second World War Graves | The Australian War Memorial It has a spreadsheet of each unit and their locations during the war. Hope this helps Gus
The men buried at Vittorio Egeo Hospital (believed to be 5 in number ) were taken to Cos British Military Cemetery only a quarter of a mile from Cos (Kos) Town . The small cemetery was beautifully laid and a fitting place for those 65 men who eventually occupied it to spend eternity (Photographs below sourced from the CWGC ) The cemetery`s idylic position was the subject of local resentment being viewed as prime building land and objections were lodged with the Greek government in Athens who upheld the objections . The Government offered a more remote site which was deemed unacceptable and the reluctant decision to exhume those resting there and move them from the Island of Kos to the Island of Rhodes, 1957. Removed from the land they died fighting for the 65 men were taken down to the harbour and loaded onto a ship bound for Rhodes . A small group of officials lined the harbour together with a military guard as the men were carried in less than dignified fashion to the awaiting transport. Local men and children looked on with curiosity at the unfolding events . (Photographs sourced from CWGC) Farewell to Kos Kyle
Hello to Rhodes.. I have tried to look through the AWM records that Gus kindly provided the link to unfortunately although they served in Greece particularly Athens I can find no mention of them on either of the Islands of Kos ,Leros or Rhodes. The exhumation in 1957 was carried out by a private company based in London under the guidance of the CWGC . It is heartening that the information and images above have been sourced as the CWGC stated in the past that they held no records . If only a plan or transfer of graves from the hospital at Vitterio Egeo to the abandoned cemetery site at Kos could be likewise be located. Cheers Kyle
