Krakow Rakowicki Cemetery

I will be spending a few hours in Krakow at the end of October, and am hoping that I can free up enough time to again visit the CWGC Cemetery, especially, as I have 2 headstones on my 'To Do' List.

if anybody else has any 'wants' drop a pm / email and i will add to the list.

No promises on this one as I am on a tight schedule, but will do my upmost

Phil

 

Hi Phil,
Thanks for the offer.
If you have a chance could you look out for these ones for me?

MAXWELL, THOMAS TURNBULL, T T Scots Guards 1. A. C. 2.
MARGERRISON, SYDNEY WILSON, S W Coldstream Guards 1. A. C. 8.

BLYTHIN, DAVID, D Welsh Guards 4. A. 6.

BARTLETT, RICHARD JAMES, R J Welsh Guards 4. B. 2.
THOMAS, JOSEPH EDWARD, J E Coldstream Guards 4. B. 3.

Cheers,
D

EDIT: Sorry just noticed PM instruction. Will do.
D

Di, all 5 names added to list.

 

All, photo's obtained, will start posting / emailing tomorrow

Phil

 

Thanks Phil.

Regards - Robert

 

Great work Phil.

Cheers

Geoff

 

With, only 6 hours in Poland as a Country, the whole day was a rush, with finally only 45 mins to spare at the Cemetery.

Whilst the Cemetery is Listed as 'Rakowicki', the Commonwealth plot and also plots dedicated to Polish, Russian, and German Casualties is actually in the Wojskowy Cemetery, which is across the road.

All the photos were taken with a small compact camera, and not my normal camera, as I was only travelling with hand luggage, so some are not of a fantastic quality.

But, I will be going back, and next time, will make sure i have enough luggage space, and time to do all of the graves, which I have promised to Britishwargraves.

So with the light declining fast, the rain coming down, and the taxi meter ticking I got all of the headstones requested, and some from the other plots which I had to pass to get to the Commonwealth plot.

31 one of the casualties buried in the Cemetery were all killed on the 2nd December 1944, when a stray bomb from an Allied air raid hit the shelter that they were in whilst outside of the Stalag 344 POW camp on as part of a work party.

SOURCE : Stalag 344

 

Thanks Phil and especially to you and your mate for the Madras guys.

Regards - Robert

 

A selection of the Polish Graves, uncluding mass unknown's, and some very interesting intricate headstones.

 

And a few of the German Memorial

 

For Ramacal

Name: BIRCHALL, ERNEST HENRY
Initials: E H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Serjeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 92 Field Regt.
Age: 47
Date of Death: 04/02/1941
Service No: 3705940
Additional information: Son of William and Sarah Birchall; husband of Winifred Ann Birchall, of Eltham Park, London.

Name: DOWSON, HAL
Initials: H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Lance Bombardier
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 1 Searchlight Regt.
Age: 39
Date of Death: 05/12/1944
Service No: 779382
Additional information: Husband of Rachel Ann Dowson, of Middlesbrough, Yorkshire.

Name: FORD, GEORGE
Initials: G
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 151 Bty., 51 H.A.A. Regt.
Age: 40
Date of Death: 21/01/1945
Service No: 1534737

Name: GORING, JOHN
Initials: J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 1 Bty., 1 Searchlight Regt.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 02/12/1944
Service No: 2043413
Additional information: Son of Joseph and Ada Goring, of Irlams-o'-th'-Height, Salford, Lancashire.

Name: HOPKINS, CHARLES FREDERICK
Initials: C F
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 151 Bty., 51 H.A.A. Regt.
Age: 37
Date of Death: 02/12/1944
Service No: 1530681
Additional information: Son of Frederick Charles and Emma Hopkins; husband of Edna Ada Hopkins, of Nottingham.

Name: MARTIN, WILLIAM
Initials: W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: H.Q. 2 A.A. Regt.
Age: 30
Date of Death: 11/03/1941
Service No: 812149

Name: SMITH, GERALD CHALONER
Initials: G C
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Captain
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 52 Lt. A.A. Regt.
Date of Death: 16/09/1941
Service No: 85889

Name: GILDERDALE, THOMAS ANTHONY
Initials: T A
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 174 Bty., 58 Lt. A.A. Regt.
Age: 21
Date of Death: 16/03/1941
Service No: 1494073
Additional information: Son of Thomas Anthony Gilderdale and of Catherine Gilderdale, of Penarth, Glamorgan.

Name: WILSON, HAROLD
Initials: H
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Gunner
Regiment/Service: Royal Artillery
Unit Text: 74 Field Regt.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 23/10/1943
Service No: 908107

 

For Verries

Name: GRANT, MICHAEL
Initials: M
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Durham Light Infantry
Unit Text: 9th Bn.
Age: 30
Date of Death: 02/12/1944
Service No: 4454381

Name: METCALFE, ROBERT
Initials: R
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Durham Light Infantry
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 29
Date of Death: 17/10/1941
Service No: 4446996
Additional information: Son of Mary Metcalfe; husband of Violet Metcalfe, of Bayswater, London.

Name: LANGTON, WILLIAM
Initials: W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Private
Regiment/Service: Durham Light Infantry
Unit Text: 11th Bn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 02/12/1944
Service No: 4459315
Additional information: Son of Frank and Isabella Moffatt Langton, of Fallion, Sunderland, Co. Durham

 

For Dbf

Name: BARTLETT, RICHARD JAMES
Initials: R J
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Guardsman
Regiment/Service: Welsh Guards
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 27
Date of Death: 27/11/1944
Service No: 2735645
Additional information: Son of Samuel James Bartlett and Matilda Bartlett, of Porthcawl, Glamorgan.

Name: BLYTHIN, DAVID
Initials: D
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Guardsman
Regiment/Service: Welsh Guards
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 24
Date of Death: 11/03/1943
Service No: 2735542
Additional information: Son of Samuel and Mary Elizabeth Blythin, of Bagillt, Flintshire.

Name: MARGERRISON, SYDNEY WILSON
Initials: S W
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Guardsman
Regiment/Service: Coldstream Guards
Unit Text: 1st Bn.
Age: 23
Date of Death: 22/06/1941
Service No: 2657484
Additional information: Son of Charles Alfred and Edith Margerrison, of Low Fell, Gateshead, Co. Durham.

Name: MAXWELL, THOMAS TURNBULL
Initials: T T
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Guardsman
Regiment/Service: Scots Guards
Unit Text: 2nd Bn.
Age: 22
Date of Death: 05/04/1943
Service No: 2695837
Additional information: Son of Robert and Mary Jane Maxwell, of Kirkconnel, Dumfriesshire.

Name: THOMAS, JOSEPH EDWARD
Initials: J E
Nationality: United Kingdom
Rank: Guardsman
Regiment/Service: Coldstream Guards
Unit Text: 3rd Bn.
Age: 28
Date of Death: 10/03/1945
Service No: 2657824

 

For Spidge

Name: BAXTER, MURRAY ALEXANDER
Initials: M A
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Warrant Officer
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Age: 23
Date of Death: 15/08/1944
Service No: 416821
Additional information: Son of Alexander and Winifred Baxter; husband of Margaret Eileen Baxter, of Coburg, Victoria, Australia

Name: BENNETT, ALEXANDER
Initials: A
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Flight Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Age: 29
Date of Death: 05/08/1944
Service No: 418698
Additional information: Son of Maxwell and Sadie Bennett; husband of Lydia Adelaide Bennett, of East St. Kilda, Victoria, Australia.

Name: LIVERSIDGE, JOHN PHILIP
Initials: J P
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Squadron Leader
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Age: 31
Date of Death: 17/08/1944
Service No: 401092
Additional information: Son of Charles Eldred Liversidge and Lillian Amy Liversidge; husband of Eunice Miriam Liversidge, of Castlemaine, Victoria, Australia.

Name: WYLLIE, MAXWELL JOSEPH ANDREW
Initials: M J A
Nationality: Australian
Rank: Sergeant
Regiment/Service: Royal Australian Air Force
Age: 27
Date of Death: 22/04/1943
Service No: 405001
Awards: Mentioned in Despatches
Additional information: Son of William Gerrard Wyllie and Ellen Wyllie, of New Farm, Queensland, Australia.

 

Hi Phil,

Thank you for the photos. Two cemeteries down and now one to go.

Only 19 remaining at Poznan Old Garrison Cemetery. This is where the five Aussies from "The Great Escape" are buried.

Cheers

Geoff

 

I'm intrigued as to the detail found for each of the 2 men. When I looked at the names on CWGC, they only come up as Civilian. No mention I can see of IWGC, etc. Are they listed twice?