An unfinished WW2 Case Study
No one who watched the Ceremonies on BBC TV at the Menin Gate and Passhendaile Cemetery in Belgium to commemorate the 100 years since in 1917 more than 500,000 Allied soldiers died or were injured, could fail to be impressed by the work of the CWGC.
The way in which the white headstones were beautifully managed after so many years is a great impressive example of the work of the CWGC.
All over Northern France and Belgium you will find similar cemeteries managed so well by the CWGC. Thousands of white headstones with the bodies and remains of service personnel from the World Wars 1 and 2. After so many years, the headstones are clean, well maintained with little gardens of flowers.
I am very proud of the CWGC and their main supporters The Royal British Legion.
The families of those lost in the two World Wars are rightfully thankful to the CWGC for all their fine work. It is right and proper for the CWGC to leave this Legacy to the young as well. They must realise what War is all about. It is not glamorous. It is full of death and injury. They must remain alert to Dictatorship, challenges to Democracy and Terrorism. Good must prevail if we want to live a life of Freedom.
One can appreciate the difficulty for the CWGC identifying bodies or body parts. It was and is a difficult task.
However, to be realistic, mistakes are made by the CWGC.
In 2016, my brother and I discovered where Lancaster Bomber
EM- L crashed on the 18 October 1943. This was due to a great German Hero from Hannover, Herr Dirk Hartman.
We were given proof of the crash site by a Police Report, Witness Statement and Fragments of the Lancaster. Robert Hardman of the Daily Mail covered the whole story in such a caring and wonderful manner.
Dirk Hartman also discovered an official Report stating that on the 18 October 1943, Two Coffins were taken to the site near the road from Ronnenberg, the body parts of 6 charred airmen were taken and burried with 6 other Coffins in a communal grave at Ronnenberg Cemetery.
Another official Report listed the contents of each of the 8 Coffins burried at Ronnenberg.
In 1946 all 8 Coffins were dug up and taken to the new Hannover War Cemetery.
We have photographic evidence of grave Headstones with 2 names per gravestone at Hannover War cemetery - making 14 body parts remains. These have been identified by name.
20 bodies / parts were taken to Hannover War Cemetery. There are 6 bodies / parts left unaccounted for. EM- L bodies / parts burried at Ronnenberg in Coffins 7 and 8 amounted to 6. One Rear Air Gunner had bailed out and was a prisoner until repatriation in 1944 by the Germans.
Near to the headstones which are named at Ronnenberg Cemetery are some Headstones which are unmarked.
The British Legion in Hannover have stated that there are no records available to say what happened to Coffins 7-8.
We believe that the unmarked Headstones near the named Headstones from Ronnenberg contain the bodies / parts of 6 members of the crew of EM-L.
We appreciate the difficulties for the CWGC after WW2. We understand how documents could get lost.
However, we believe that we have all the circumstantial and positive evidence in Report form, to get the CWGC to place the names of the 6 crew members of EM- L on the Headstones identified.
Understandable mistakes can be made. We think that the burden of proof is on our side.
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