german war cemetery cannock chase

[Jon Das Reich]

If you are passing by Cannock chase in staffordshire take time out to vist the German War Cemetery there.

heres one of many links to be found

http://www.fylde.demon.co.uk/cannock.htm

ps i used to do my school crosscountry runs past this cemetery weekly as i used to live 3 miles away.

[Hoffman Grink]

I went last Rememberance Sunday and there were members of SBG & GD there along with veterans both German AND British to pay their respects along with the German Ambassador. A sombre and moving place. Which holds not only the bodies of the fallen from Germany but one or two enigmas and dark secrets too.... A surprising amount of General Public turned up which shows that it is not only the victors who are commemorated. The public were from both the UK and Germany. The service was Bi Lingual and the Soldier's Lament "Ich Hatte Einen Kameraden" was sang which was particularly eerie.

[les hearn]

was this the last resting place for all german combatents
or were there other sites in england?

[Schäfer]

There are several in Jersey.

I know it's not in the UK, but the cemetery at Maleme in Kreta is very nice.

[Richk98]

it's certainly worth a visit if you're up that way, a good place for reflection.
here's a link to some photos from the last time i visited....
http://photobucket.com/albums/v205/Rich ... k%20Chase/?

[axis sally]

Thank you Rich for sharing the pictures. Never seen a plaque remembering Ukrainians before.


Liebe Grüße,
Beate

[Hoffman Grink]

I said I'd post pictures. No words -

[Feldjager]

Rich - would you mind if I used a couple of those on our website at all? I'll give a full credit for the pictures if you allow me.

Ta

Dave

[Richk98]

Of course Dave, no problem at all.

thanks paul for the additional photos, must have been a very moving experience.

Beate, i was very surprised by the ukrainian plaque aswell. if anyone has any follow up info i'd be very interested.

regards,

[Jon Das Reich]

The Ukrainian graves i guess are from mostly from the 14th waffen-ss division Galizien, as most of the grave are from former W-SS soldiers.

These are i guess the guys that Churchhill shipped over at the end of the war to help fight the Russians if WW3 had broken out.

There was a documentry regarding the goverment shipping over the whole W-SS division a couple of years back.

Rich/Paul did you see the 3/4 helferin graves and the one on the end next to them he had a very english name cant remember it thou.

[RudyWerner]

I went there once, its is indeed a very somber and moving place. Near the entrance are the graves of some WW1 Zeppelein crews.

[emma.b]

its a nice place and its only 10 mins away from my house.

we go about once a month on a sunday morning, a moving experiance!

[Reinhard]

the female graves on the chase are subject to one or two conspiracy theories....
they are actually the graves of women arrested in this country and charged with spying for germany.
the official cause of death was drowning while trying to escape from a pow camp but several witness's came forward after the war and said they were executed.
i have a article somewhere about the womens graves if i can find it i'll reproduce it and post it up
Rich

[Hoffman Grink]

I told you there were dark secrets and enigmas up there... (and before you get caught at midnight with a Shovel Hearne...... I don't mean decoding machines buried up there!!!)

[axis sally]

i have a article somewhere about the womens graves if i can find it i'll reproduce it and post it up

I would be more than interested to read that article. Another question though, are the names of the women known and shown on the graves?


Liebe Grüße,
Beate