Re-Dedications Anzio & Bolsena

Discussion in 'War Cemeteries & War Memorial Research' started by vitellino, Oct 2, 2024.

  1. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    I just wanted to let you all know that there will be three re-dedications as follows at Anzo and Bolsena:

    Cpl. J.A.Owens 2/7 Middlesex Regiment at Anzio
    Pte. G.A.W. Ewan 8 Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders at Bolsena
    Tpr. F. Stobart Royal Tank Corps at Bolsena

    I presented all three cases to CWGC, the first with Stuart Avery, Gary Tankard and Frank de Planta, the second two on my own.

    Cpl Owens died of wounds.

    Pte Ewan was taken prisoner by the Germans at Villastrada on the Trasimene Line and taken to Castiglione del Lago - presumably to the hospital where he died. He was buried as an unknown soldier of the Argylls, but I managed to identify him from the war diary and the personal diary of a colleague in the regiment.

    Tpr Stobart had been taken prisoner in North Africa and brought to mainland Italy. At the time of the armistice (September 1943) he was being held in PG 54 Fara in Sabina (at Passo Corese). All the men escaped, he and his friend were apprehended and he was shot whilst resisting further capture. This came to light in the International Red Cross Report of the Al Celio hospital, Rome, in January 1944. His friend had been admitted to this hospital with a leg wound in September and had reported the whole episode to the IRC, including the fact that Tpr Stobart had been buried in Montelibretti civil cemetery. The War Crimes Investigation WO 310/93 had not been informed of the facts and concluded that the shooting had taken place inside the camp, that tracing those responsible was impossible and that the identity of the soldier was unknown.

    Here are the links to the CWGC website:

    Rededication service for Cpl J A Owens, 2/7 Middlesex Regiment | CWGC
    Rededication service for Pte G A W Ewan, Argyll & Sutherland Highlanders | CWGC
    Rededication service for Tpr Frederick Stobart, Royal Tank Regiment | CWGC

    Vitellino
     
    Last edited: Oct 2, 2024
  2. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    I will be attending all three ceremonies and will post some photographs afterwards.
     
    Recce_Mitch, Tony56, Wobbler and 2 others like this.
  3. Little Friend

    Little Friend Senior Member

    God Bless All Their Brave Young Souls :poppy::poppy::poppy: R.I.P.
     
    Recce_Mitch, Wobbler and JimHerriot like this.
  4. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

  5. minden1759

    minden1759 Senior Member

    Janet.

    I will be in Anzio War Cemetery later this week to see the result of Stu’s and your work.

    I am looking forward to it.

    Regards

    Frank
     
    Recce_Mitch and JimHerriot like this.
  6. Mr Jinks

    Mr Jinks Bit of a Cad

    Sunderland Echo reports on Stobbart.
    https://www.sunderlandecho.com/news...in-italy-finally-found-81-years-later-4827734

    upload_2024-10-17_23-21-38.jpeg


    I don`t think the report gives enough credit to Janet who is referred to as `the researcher` I dislike the headline which gives the impression it was THE WAR DETECTIVES from JCCC who found the casualty . The article states " The researcher’s evidence was reviewed, and extra work conducted by the National Army Museum and JCCC concluded that now, 80 years after his death, it is possible to clearly identify where Tpr Stobart is buried.


    Great he`s been identified but sad Janet wasn`t given the credit she deserves for her hard work . Never mind we know the truth


    Kyle
     
    Tony56, 4jonboy, vitellino and 3 others like this.
  7. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Frank, it was a very moving occasion, and what gave me great pleasure was that one of the local schools is now in touch with me as they want to put Cpl Owens' identification into their English curriculum in order to raise awareness of what happened in their town and its surroundings in 1944.

    The mayor was there, as was one of the councillors, who wants to have the story for the Museum.

    Regards,

    Janet

    Photos: Janet Dethick and Enzo Gilini

    Tracy, Cpl Owens' granddaughter with the new headstone Tracy with headstone.jpg

    Tpr Stobart's headstone

    Stobart close up.jpg

    Laying a wreath on Pte Ewan's grave

    IMG20241016111833.jpg
     
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2024
  8. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    R.E.Trooper Stobart:

    An excellent article in the Sunderland Echo but they got one crucial fact wrong. It was Robert Quinn, Stobart's friend, who gave his details to the International Red Cross, otherwise they would have known nothing about him.

    Evidence below from WO 361/127.

    WO_361_1927_Quinn & Stobart.JPG

    Oddly though, in his Liberation Report Quinn doesn't mention him.

    Regards,

    A War Detective (should I stop being Vitellino?)

    PS It was sad that no family member was traced, though Trooper Stobart is believed to have had a sister. Perhaps someone will now come forward.
     
  9. JimHerriot

    JimHerriot Ready for Anything

    Hello Janet, outstanding work, reportage and photographs (as ever!).

    "Oddly though, in his Liberation Report Quinn doesn't mention him."

    Survivors remorse maybe? A very real and salient thing for many.

    Kind regards, always remember, never forget,

    Jim.

    P.S. Please keep up your fantastic work as long as you want to; as long as you are able dear lady.
     
    4jonboy likes this.
  10. vitellino

    vitellino Senior Member

    Thank you everybody for your kind thoughts and words.
     
    JimHerriot and 4jonboy like this.

Share This Page