The South Shore Tide Watch: Euro 2024 ~ My return to Leopoldsburg War Cemetery ...

After yesterday’s visit to the location in Wuustwezel where my relative Hugh Wright was killed on October 21st, 1944, today I made my long-awaited return to his grave at Leopoldsburg War Cemetery in Limburg, Belgium.

2003820 L.Cpl.

H. Wright

Royal Engineers

21^st October 1944, aged 26

BELOVED ONLY SON OF MARY

AND THE LATE DAVID WRIGHT

DENNISTOUN, GLASGOW, SCOTLAND

Historical information about Leopoldsburg War Cemetery ~

The British Expeditionary Force was involved in the later stages of the defence of Belgium following the German invasion in May 1940, and suffered many casualties in covering the withdrawal to Dunkirk. Commonwealth forces did not return until September 1944, but in the intervening years, many airmen were shot down or crashed in raids on strategic objectives in Belgium, or while returning from missions over Germany.

There are about 35 original burials in Leopoldsburg War Cemetery associated with isolated engagements in or near the town in May 1940. Of the remainder, some are burials from a military hospital which was established at Leopoldsburg during the latter part of 1944 and others were brought into the cemetery from the surrounding district.

There are now 767 Commonwealth burials of WWII in the cemetery, 16 of them unidentified, and a number of Polish and Dutch war graves.

WWII information about Leopoldsburg ~

From 1940-44, the German occupiers had a military camp in Leopoldsburg that was used to train tens of thousands of troops for the fight in Europe. They also used the camp as a prison and execution site for those who resisted the Nazi regime.

In September 1944, the liberation of Western Europe slowed down when German troops in sight of their homeland, regrouped and dug in at the Kempen canals in Belgium. As a result, British troops encountered fierce resistance in and around Leopoldsburg. The heavy fighting in the area obliged the Allies to take a new approach, thus Operation Market Garden was born. The daring gamble aimed to create a 64 mile (103 km) salient into German territory with a bridgehead over the Nederrijn (Lower Rhine River), creating an Allied invasion route into Northern Germany and end the war before Christmas. Anyone familiar with the iconic movie “A Bridge Too Far”, will recall a scene that shows British general Brian Horrocks outlining the military plans at “Cinema Splendid” in Leopoldsburg. For the operation's ground offensive, some 20,000 vehicles and 130,000 British troops gathered in and around Leopoldsburg.

American troops also played an important role in the area, they liberated parts of the province of Limburg to the south and east of Leopoldsburg. During Operation Market Garden, paratroopers of the 101st Airborne Division flew towards the Netherlands via an air bridge over the town. The Americans also set up field hospitals in and around Leopoldsburg for the many wounded from the corridor to Arnhem. Despite the brave performance of the Allied troops, Operation Market Garden ultimately failed to meet its objectives.

My previous visit to Leopoldsburg War Cemetery was on April 7th and 8th, 2000, when I travelled over to Belgium and France with my parents to visit family war graves. At that time, I knew very little about Hugh, his military service or even where he was killed. The visit from over two decades ago, was one I have never forgotten, it had an immediate and huge impact upon me, one that sent me on a years’ long relentless and unwavering course to find out more about Hugh, and the circumstances of his death.

For a couple of reasons since April 2000, I have always hoped with an incredible level of determination to make a return visit to Hugh’s grave. I recall on April 8th, 2000 when we drove out of Leopoldsburg for a journey to the Somme in France and onto another family war grave, my dad, who died in January 2005, turned to me and asked ~ “will you come back ...?” ~ knowing he would never return, his words hinted of a strong desire that he wanted my assurance, that I would come back in the future to visit his cousins grave, and to never allow his memory to fade.

The other reason for my return visit is more recent, is in memory of Hugh’s sister Jean who died in June 2022. She lived all her 102 years in the same tenement flat in Dennistoun, Glasgow, where both she and Hugh were born in 1917 and 1920 respectively. Even during her final years some eight decades after Hugh’s death, the strong sibling bond was always present when she spoke and shared stories about her brother.

You can find out more about Jean at my blog ~ “Remembrance Day 2022 ...: by clicking on the image or link below ~

https://southshoretidewatch.blogspot.com/2022/11/remembrance-day-2022.html

Today as I entered through the gates of Leopoldsburg Military Cemetery, my thoughts were immediately cast back to my last visit on a very pleasant spring day in April 2000, when I stood among the rows of pristine white gravestones, immaculate lawns and colourful borders, and experienced a sense of deep sorrow, that has never fully left me. Each name, each age, each personal inscription etched with such care into the hard white stone, is a telling reminder of the human cost of war, as well as of the extraordinary diversity of those involved in it. A visit to such a cemetery or memorial is always a forceful reminder of the debt we can never fully repay to those who gave their lives for us. In a very similar way to my last visit of 24 years ago, I was overcome with the same feeling of being enormously privileged to be in "their" presence in such a special place.

The link below is to a blog titled “Hugh Wright” that I wrote on October 30th 2017, to mark what would have been Hugh’s 100th birthday, I encourage you to read this incredible story of Hugh and his military service, which describes the circumstances of his death in Wuustwezel, his letters home to his sister Jean, along with photos, military documents and records. The story tells of the amazing set of circumstances, that brought his Military Housewife home to his family 63 years after his death.

Due to my continuing research, since I initially wrote Hugh’s story in 2017, I have added a significant amount to new information and documents.

Click on the image or the link below ~

https://southshoretidewatch.blogspot.com/2017/10/hugh-wright.html

Below is an extract from Hugh's story with my thoughts and words from my previous visit to Leopoldsburg and other CWGC sites in April 2000, I could add no further words today ....

"Each is an extraordinarily special place, always like walking into a beautiful church where you have to be silent, but unlike a church there is no music except bird songs. Each site offers a time for reflection about the state of mankind, where we are, and what those people died for ~ leading to the question ~ "What was the point of it all ..?" When in their presence, whether walking between the rows of graves, or reading the names on a memorial you cannot talk, you are reduced to silence. Although you do not know any of them, from a grave you can pick up clues, you see their name, their regiment and their age. You then turn to walk away, but strangely you do not want to leave; you want to stay. Finally, as you do depart you are struck by the lessons which can be learned from the experience, they are our silent witnesses that's what those graves and memorials are ~ silent witnesses."

It is unlikely that I will ever travel to Hugh’s grave again, which makes this journey to Leopoldsburg more significant and meaningful for me. As mentioned previously, it was a return visit I was determined to make, because I had too. Through countless hours of careful and detailed research, I have been extremely fortunate during the intervening 24 years, to have learned much about Hugh and his military service. Although he was killed 17 years before my birth, there is a bond, a strong connection, an incredible feeling of having known him personally. As a result of my crusade to learn more about Hugh, I am extremely delighted and proud, that his story has been written and is shared.

Below are some of the photos I took during my visit to Leopoldsburg Military Cemetery ....

Polish graves

I took with me to Belgium Hugh’s War Medals and his Military Housewife, I thought that it would be fitting to have those photographed at his grave. From the photos you will also see a Bible by his grave, this was given to me a few days ago by his last surviving cousin May Lamont in Blairmore, Scotland. The Bible was originally given to Hugh’s mother Mary, by the congregation of Whitehill Church, Dennistoun, Glasgow, after he was killed.

Today in the Cemetery Register, I wrote the following ~

"Hugh, for your sister Jean and my dad Gordon, I will do my best to never let your memory fade …."

Before I left the cemetery this afternoon, I placed three poppies on Hugh's grave, one from his sister Jean, the second from my dad Gordon and the third from me.

Over the course of the day, I walked passed all 767 graves and stopped for a moment of quiet thought at most of them, after this I found it extremely difficult to leave the cemetery. It is an emotionally charging experience to visit such a location, you just want to remain in their presence. During the early evening for a period of over an hour, I tried countless times to walk away, but as I said above, strangely you do not want to leave; you want to stay.

Another feature of this day was a visit to the Liberation Garden Museum, a media interview and a meeting with the Mayor of Leopoldsburg.

The museum which was opened in May 2023 museum is located just across the road from the military cemetery. Its mission statement brings an important message, about the price of peace, democracy and freedom, a subject that is more topical today than ever. The key message being, the democracy and freedom regained at the end of World War II can never be taken for granted.

In a time when the last eyewitnesses to WWII are fading away, the Liberation Garden Museum ensures that the memory of WWII has a lasting social anchor for future generations. It is not a typical or traditional military museum, it has more of a focus on the people and their stories, allowing the visitor to experience WWII in a unique way, by walking in the footsteps of occupiers, the resistance, and liberators, a unique and realistic connection to the past.

The museum the curator Peter Schrijvers who I met earlier in the morning at the cemetery, took me for a personal guided tour of the impressively laid out museum. It has many interesting personal artifacts and stories relating to the Leopoldsburg area in WWII and its eventual liberation during September 1944.

Due to my family connection with Leopoldsburg Military Cemetery and my on-going WWI and WWII research projects, I was invited to meet the Mayor of Leopoldsburg Wouter Beke and also take part in a media interview, which was a new and interesting experience for me.

It gratifying to note that even after 80 years since their liberation, you can still feel a strong appreciation and thanks towards for those silent witnesses who lie in perpetuity within the grounds of CWGC cemeteries, for all they gave up to provide freedom to others.

Hugh's CWGC documents ~

A selection of other graves at Leopoldsburg Military Cemetery ~

Frederick Sidney Houghton, 240th Field Company Royal Engineer, who was killed in the same incident as Hugh at Wuustwezel on October 21st, 1944 ...

Driver Frederick Sidney Houghton

Royal Engineers 240 Field Coy.

Died 21 October 1944, aged 24

Son of Frederick Percy and Louie Houghton; husband of Jean Houghton, of Sunderland, Co. Durham.

DEARLY LOVED SON OF FREDERICK AND LOUIE HOUGHTON AND HUSBAND OF JEAN "TILL WE MEET AGAIN"

Private Raymond Deneau

Canadian Forestry Corps

Died 10 December 1944, aged 30

Son of Johnnie and Jane Edna Deneau; husband of Jeannette Ross Deneau of 2054 Jackson Avenue, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

SWEET MEMORIES ARE EVER NEAR OF THOSE WE LOVED AND STILL HOLD DEAR. IN GOD'S TIME WE'LL MEET AGAIN

Raymond was born on 30^th September 1914 in Kamloops, Thompson-Nicola Regional District, British Columbia, Canada. He had a brother Alfred Deneau (17th July 1915 ~ 18th January 1918) and a half sister Mrs. A.E. Olsen of Brookmere, British Columbia. Raymond was the sole support to his mother who became widowed with the death of his father on 26th March 1916. She later remarried becoming Mrs. Matheson and resided at 2054 Dundas Street, Vancouver, British Columbia. Raymond married Jeannette Ross Grant (born 22nd April, 1921) on 14th August 1944 in Bonar Bridge, Sutherland, Scotland. Jeannette was raised at Fload Farm, Dornoch, Sutherland, Scotland, she later remarried on 28th November 1951. Jeanette’s sister, Kathleen Ross Grant also became a war-bride when she married H/94656 Private Edvin Allen "Eddie" Hietanen an I.C. driver, C.F.C. on 20^th December 1945 in Bonar, Sutherland.

Raymond was killed by the accidental explosion of a German hand grenade near Nassogne, Luxembourg, Belgium.

The following are taken from the original related Military Statements ~

Statement of Lieut. J N Nadeau ~

“ … At No. 27 Cdn. Fty. Coy’s camp on 10th Dec 44, at approximately 14.30 hrs, Pte A B Sarrazin (D66175) came into the Orderly Room and informed me that there had been an accident and that there was some one lying on side of the road. Immediately I went out and took the first truck available, picked up Sgt M Marks the Medical Sergeant and his assistant and two other men and rushed down to the scene of the accident. The accident happened about 3 miles from here on the Nassogne-Champlon Highway. We found Pte Deneau lying on his side with his two hands blown off and badly wounded in the chest and face. Pte R C Davis was already there and he told me that a German grenade had blown up in Pte Deneau’s hands … “.

Statement of Pte R C Davids, No. 27 Cdn. Fty. Coy. ~

“ … At about 3 miles from N0. 27 Cdn. Fty. Coy’s camp on Dec 10th 44, I was walking towards Nassogne with Pte R Deneau. We saw a German munition dump close by and Pte Deneau picked up a hand grenade, I walked about 20 feet away from Deneau to urinate and heard him say that the grenade would not go off for it was all rusty, my back was turned when I heard an explosion and saw Pte Deneau lying on the ground, he got up and fell down again and I noticed his arm was raw, I applied a tourniquet and Deneau said: “Ralph, go and get help”. I ran toward camp to get help and while doing so I met Pte W Jules and Pte J Hoba and told them to go to Camp and get help. I waited until the truck came along and showed them the way to Pte Deneau … “.

Private Raymond Deneau was initially buried in Fosse American Cemetery, in Plot F. 3. 44. He was later reburied on 28th November 1946 at Leopoldsburg War Cemetery.

The grave of Private David Sprott, always stuck in my mind from my last visit here in April 2000 ~

Private David Sprott

King's Own Scottish Borderers 5th Bn.

Died 25 December 1944, aged 28

Son of David and Christina Hynd Sprott, of Crosshouse, Ayrshire.

A CORNER OF A FOREIGN LAND THAT IS FOR EVER SCOTLAND

Major William John Robert Cavendish

Coldstream Guards 5th Bn.

Died 9 September 1944, aged 26

HE BEING MADE PERFECT IN A SHORT TIME FULFILLED A LONG TIME, FOR HIS SOUL PLEASED THE LORD

Served as The Marquis of Hartington, son of Edward William Spencer Cavendish, K.G., 10th Duke of Devonshire, and the Duchess of Devonshire, of Chatsworth, Derbyshire. Husband of Kathleen, Marchioness of Hartington, of Westminster, London ~ who was the sister of John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States

William John Robert Cavendish received a commission as an officer into the British Army's Coldstream Guards regiment. In August 1944, during the liberation of Western Europe, Major Hartington's unit, the 5th Battalion Coldstream Guards, as a part of the Guards Armoured Division, was engaged in heavy fighting in France. In early September 1944, they crossed the River Somme and pushed eastward towards Brussels, where they were one of the first to liberate the city. On 9 September 1944, Hartington was shot dead at the age of 26 by a sniper whilst leading a company trying to capture the town of Heppen in Belgium.

Wedding day for Major William John Robert Cavendish and Kathleen Kennedy, May 6th, 1944. Standing behind them is Kathleen's older brother Joseph Patrick Kennedy Jr. As a WWII US Naval Pilot, Joseph was killed August 12th, 1944, just a month before Kathleen's husband was tragically killed.

Corporal John William Harper VC

York and Lancaster Regiment ~ The Hallamshire Bn.

Died 29 September 1944, aged 28

Son of George Ernest Harper and his wife Florence (nee Parkin) of Hatfield, Doncaster, West Riding of Yorkshire

Corporal John William Harper VC, his Victoria Cross citation in the London Gazette of January 2^nd, 1945 gives the following details: In Belgium, on 29th September, 1944, the Hallamshire Battalion of the York and Lancaster Regiment attacked the Depot de Mendicite, a natural defensive position surrounded by an earthen wall and a dyke and strongly held by the enemy. Corporal Harper, disregarding the heavy fire, led the section that he commanded up to the wall, and killed or captured the enemy holding the near side. The platoon commander was seriously wounded, and Corporal Harper took over command of the platoon. He then climbed over the wall and routed the Germans directly opposing him. Finding the dyke too deep to cross, he was ordered to establish his platoon on the far side of the wall, between it and the dyke. This he succeeded in doing with the loss of only one man, having himself by then climbed the wall three times. Finally, he was fatally wounded while directing his company commander to a ford which had been discovered by the neighbouring battalion. The success of the battalion in driving the enemy from the wall and back across the dyke must be largely ascribed to the superb self-sacrifice and inspiring gallantry of Corporal Harper. His magnificent courage, fearlessness and devotion to duty throughout the battle set a splendid example to his men and had a decisive effect on the course of the operations.

Major Edwin Swales VC

South African Air Force 582 Sqdn.

Died 23 February 1945, aged 29

Son of the late Harry E. and Olive M. Swales, of Durban Natal, South Africa.

IN PROUD MEMORY FROM COMRADES OF THE NATAL MOUNTED RIFLES AND S.A. AIR FORCE

Major Edwin Swales VC ~ his Victoria Cross citation in the London Gazette of April 20^th, 1945 gives the following details ~

Captain Swales was the `master bomber' of a force of aircraft which attacked Pforzheim on the night of 23rd February, 1945. Over the target the aircraft was repeatedly attacked by an enemy fighter and severely damaged, two engines being put out of action. Captain Swales remained to issue aiming instructions until he was satisfied that the attack had achieved its purpose. By skillful flying he was able to bring the aircraft back to friendly territory, where he ordered the crew to bail out. The aircraft became gradually more difficult to control and, as the last of the crew jumped, it plunged to earth; Captain Swales was found dead at the controls. Intrepid in attack, courageous in the face of danger, he did his duty to the last, giving his life that his comrades might live.

Flying Officer Joseph Ronald Beasley

Royal Canadian Air Force, 416 Sqdn.

Died 24^th December 1944, aged 24

Son of John and Susan Beasley, of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada; husband of Margaret Irene Beasley, of Ottawa.

"TILL THE DAY BREAK"

Flying Officer Joseph Ronald Beasley’s mother was the 1950 Canadian National Memorial Silver Cross Mother. The Memorial Cross (more often referred to as the Silver Cross) was first authorized on December 1, 1919 as a memento of personal loss and sacrifice on the part of widows and mothers of Canadian sailors, aviators and soldiers who died for their country during the war. In addition to her son Joesph, Mrs. Beasley lost another son to WWII ~ Aircraftman 1st Class William Harold Beasley. He died aged 31, as a result of an accident six months prior to his brother on 12th June , 1944. William who served with the Royal Canadian Airforce is buried at Ottawa (Pinecrest) Cemetery, Ottawa.