Ugchelen - Herdenking Geallieerde Oorlogsslachtoffers / Commemoration of the Allied Victims of WW II

Ugchelen
Herdenking Geallieerde Oorlogsslachtoffers WO II
Commemoration of the Allied Victims of WW II

Kinderen uit de groepen 7 en 8 van de basisschool "De Bouwhof" verzorgen elk jaar het onderhoud van de graven.
In de herdenkingsweek "Ugchelen 50 jaar vrij" werden op 4 mei 1995 tijdens een speciale herdenking de gevallenen herdacht. Dit gebeurde in aanwezigheid van een aantal veteranen. De schoolkinderen vormden hierbij een erewacht.

Onderhoud van de graven
Maintenance of the graves
Foto: Chris Severeijnen

Onderhoud van het monument
Maintenance of the monument
Foto: Chris Severeijnen

Each year, children of group 7 and 8 (age 11 and 12) of the 'De Bouwhof' school (one of the four primary schools in Ugchelen) maintain the graves in the Heidehof cemetery. And regularly each year on 17th April, and once every five years on 4th May, there is a commemoration at the cemetery. The pictures show the special commemoration on 4th May 1995 for the WW II soldiers from abroad who died in this region. This took place in the presence of veterans of the 48th Highlanders of Canada who came over from Canada for the occasion. They were members of the ground forces who liberated Ugchelen on 17th April, 1945. The boys and girls from 'De Bouwhof' school formed a guard of honour.

Diverse afgevaardigden legden kransen bij het monument tijdens de speciale herdenking op 4 mei 1995.
Several representatives laid wreaths at the monument, during the special commemoration on 4th May 1995.

De oud-strijders legden bloemen bij de graven van hun strijdmakkers.

The veterans laid flowers on the graves of their comrades in arms.

Jaarlijkse herdenking op Heidehof
Annual Commemoration at Heidehof

Op 17 april 1945 werd Ugchelen door de Canadezen bevrijd. In Ugchelen worden elk jaar op de 17^e april, de personen herdacht die hun leven gaven voor de vrijheid van ons land. Onder hen waren vele geallieerden. Zevenenvijftig van hen vonden hun laatste rustplaats op de begraafplaats "Heidehof" te Ugchelen. De meeste van hen zijn Britse RAF militairen, maar op Heidehof liggen ook drie Canadezen, twee Australiërs, een Ier, een Nieuwzeelander en een Tsjech begraven.

On 17th April the people of Ugchelen commemorate those who died for the freedom of our country. Fifty-seven, all aircrew, are buried in the Heidehof cemetery, Ugchelen. Most of them are British Royal Air Force aircrew, but also there are three Canadians, two Australians, one New Zealander and one Czechoslovakian.

Hun namen zijn:
Their names are:

Donald McCallum	Harry Bidgood	Carl Carruthers
Robert Jeffery	Ronald Disley	Douglas Tuck
Albert Rampton	George Nicholson	John Philips
Oldrich Jambor	Josiah R. Connor	John Mc.K. Mclean
Hector A.C. Batten	David M. Johnson	John F. Heaton
Harold Sheen	John Steen	William Bennett
Stanley Thomas	Casper Jurgensen	Alexander Dunbar
Michael Lumley	Gray Healey	Frank Edwards
John Pennington	Alec Camburn	Christopher Blundell-Hill
Ronald Hawkins	Thomas Jardine	John Hendry
S. Nagley	J.E. Sorton	Eric Foulkes
Brien Gooding	George Green	Rob McSorley
Peter Paice	Kenneth Ingram	Roy Pullin
John Kirton	James Coogan	Frederick Spencer
Cecil McClean	Peter Andrewes	Jack Lochhead
Alfred Brazier	Bob Walker Lutz	Francis Boyle
Kenneth Clarke	Albert Ghisletta	Vernon Hamner
Ronald Newboult	Frederick Baker	Raymond Kerwin
Kenneth Bearcraft	Robert Sutherland	Gerald Linnard

Chronological order
8 november 1941	Halifax of 35 sq shot down by nightfighter between Apeldoorn and Arnhem.
	sgt Thompsen airgunner, P/O Whittaker pilot, sgt Thomas flight engineer all RAF.
9 march 1942	Stirling of 15 sq shot down by Anti Aircraft Guns near Loenen.
	P/O Disley pilot, P/O Rampton navigator, F/Lt Nicholson co-pilot, P/O Mc Callum airgunner, sgt Bidgood wireless operator, sgt Tuck flight engineer all RAF, F/sgt Carruthers airgunner, F/sgt Phillips bombaimer, sgt Cross Gee-operator all RCAF
31 may 1942	Wellington of Central Gunnery School shot down by nightfighter at Klarenbeek.
	P/O Johnson pilot, W/O Jambor co-pilot from Tsjecho-Slovakia, F/sgt Connor wireless operator, F/Lt Batten navigator bombaimer, F/sgt Mc Lean airgunner all RAF.
4 june 1942	Manchester 50 sq shot down by nightfighter between Beekbergen and Loenen.
	F/O Heaton pilot, P/O Steen co-pilot, P/o Sheen navigator bombaimer, sgt Thomas airgunner all RAF.
13 january 1943	Lancaster 106 sq shot down by nightfighter at Hoog Soeren.
	F/Lt Healey DFC/DFM pilot, F/O Pennington DFC navigator, sgt Jurgenson airgunner, sgt Dunbar flight engineer, F/O Lumley wireless operator, sgt Edwards airgunner all RAF and P/O Crozier bombaimer RCAF.
1 may 1943	77 sq shot down by nightfighter near Hoenderloo.
	sgt Camburn pilot, sgt Hawkins navigator, sgt Jardine airgunner, sgt Hendry airgunner all RAF, sgt Dubetz flight engineer RCAF.
26 july 1943	Stirling 620 sq shot down by nightfighter at Hoog Buurlo.
	P/O Patteson DFC pilot RCAF.
26 november 1943	Lancaster 625 sq shot down by nightfighter near "de Woeste Hoeve".
	F/O Mc Sorley pilot, F/O Lynch bombaimer both RCAF, sgt Gooding flight engineer, F/O Green navigator, sgt Foulkes wireless operator, sgt Bolt airgunner, P/O Paice airgunner all RAF.
29 april 1944	Spitfire 132 sq shot down by fighter between Arnhem and Apeldoorn.
	P/O Pullin pilot RAF.
13 june 1944	Lancaster 166 sq shot down by a nightfighter at "Willemsbos" 2 miles west of this Cemetery.
	P/O Kirton pilot, sgt Coogan flight engineer, sgt Spencer airgunner, sgt Mc Clean airgunner, F/O Andrewes bombaimer, sgt Brazier wireless operator all RAF and F/O Lochhead navigator RNZAF.
21 september 1944	Typhoon 247 sq shot down by Anti Aircraft Guns south of Beekbergen.
	F/O Walker-Lutz RAF.
23 september 1944	Lancaster 207 sq probably shot down by a nightfighter at the "Hoge Duvel" in the Crown Domains.
	F/O Kerwin pilot RAAF, sgt Baker flight engineer, sgt Hamner navigator, sgt Ghisletta bombaimer, sgt Newboult wireless operator, sgt Boyle airgunner, sgt Clarke airgunner all RAF.
2 october 1944	F/Sgt Ingram RAF. Was captured, 4 months after his plane came down, at a hiding address in Apeldoorn. Was shot by German troops together with one US aircrewmember and six Dutch resistance men.
4 november 1944	Mosquito 464 sq shot down by Anti Aircraft Guns at Apeldoorn Vossenweg Kleinzorg.
	P/O Mc Crone pilot, F/Sgt Phippen navigator both RAF.
4 november 1944	Typhoon 247 sq shot down by Anti Aircraft Guns at the Palace "Het Loo".
	F/O Wallace pilot RAF.
18 november 1944	Mosquito 464 sq shot down by Anti Aircraft Guns over Apeldoorn.
	W/O Beer pilot, F/Sgt Fountain navigator both RAF.
23 march 1945	Wellington 69 sq shot down by Anti Aircraft Guns near this Cemetery.
	P/O Bennett DFC pilot RAAF, F/O Bearcroft observer, sgt Sutherland airgunner, F/Sgt Linnard navigator, sgt Jeffrey airgunner all RAF.
1 april 1945	P51 Mustang 2 sq shot down by Anti Aircraft Guns at the Railway station.
	F/Lt Blundell-Hill RAF.
"THEIR NAME LIVETH FOR EVERMORE"
Elk jaar worden bij het monument tijdens een korte plechtigheid door kinderen van de basisschool "De Bouwhof" bloemen gelegd. Tevens zullen de kinderen van groep 8 de verantwoordelijkheid van dit door de school geadopteerde monument overgedragen aan de kinderen van groep 7. Zo zullen ook zij niet vergeten dat zo velen hun leven gegeven hebben voor onze vrijheid. Every year, during the short commemoration, the group 8 children of De Bouwhof school lay flowers at the monument and graves. At the same time the group 8 children pass on this duty to the group 7 children, so that no one will forget who gave their lives for our freedom. De vier Ugchelense Oorlogsslachtoffers worden elk jaar ook op 17 april herdacht bij de Ugchelense Kei. Hun namen staan vermeld op de aangebrachte herdenkingsplaat. De kinderen van de groepen 7 en 8 van de openbare school "De Steenbeek" hebben dit monument geadopteerd. There is also a ceremony of commemoration on 17th April for the four victims of the war from Ugchelen. Their names are engraved on the plaque at 'De Ugchelse Kei'. This monument has been adopted by the children of the 'De Steenbeek 'school. Hun namen zijn: Their names are: C. Brouwer; G.P. Duuring; B.J.A. Huygen en A. van Velsen.

Herdenking 2005
Commemoration 2005

Inleiding
Martijn de Vos (Nederland)

Ter ere van de bevrijding, 60 jaar geleden is er een internationale jeugdconferentie georganiseerd voor leerlingen uit negen verschillende landen uit de hele wereld
Mijn naam is Martijn de Vos.

Omdat door de jeugd in verschillende talen gesproken wordt, is de voertaal voor ons tijdens de conferentie Engels. Tevens zijn er bij deze bijeenkomst in dit jubileumjaar veel veteranen aanwezig en wordt door ons ook hier in het Engels voorgedragen.

De hoofdtekst is geschreven door Emerson Lavender, speciaal voor deze jeugdconferentie. Emerson Lavender is een veteraan, een docent geschiedenis, een onderwijsman in hart en nieren die graag zijn persoonlijke verhaal hier verteld zou hebben maar om gezondsheidsredenen verstek moet laten gaan. Jamie Hudspith uit Engeland zal met Emersons verhaal beginnen.

Introduction
Martijn de Vos (The Netherlands)

(to be translated)

Text: Jamie Hudspith ( England )

Thousands of allied airmen were shot down over enemy occupied territory in World War II. Most were killed when their plane was crash landed. Many were captured and became prisoners of war. Many, yes, but not all of them, as these figures will illustrate:

Of every 100 airmen in Bomber Command who new operations over enemy territory:

- 51 were killed

- 9 more were killed when their aircraft crashed while attempting to land in Britain

- 3 were so seriously wounded that they could never fly again

- 12 became prisoners of war

- 24 survived their tour of operations

- One in a hundred came down in enemy occupied territory, evaded capture and got back.

The poem is written and will be presented by Sarah Clappison from Canada . Rebecca Ruddock from England will continue.

Poem “Target” Sarah Clappison ( Canada )

Target

We move in the dead of night,

The darkness is our shield,

Our rifles, our weapons.

Avoiding all obstacles,

Our feet move swiftly and silently,

Past the armed guards.

Our mission is to serve and protect,

To free and rescue the people,

To put oneself in the line of danger.

Get down, you're spotted!

Prepare your weapons!

Dogs barking, feet marching.

Ready! Aim! Fire!

Shoot to kill,

Or be killed.

Man down!

Move on!

Don't look back!

Push forward,

Take advantage,

And succeed.

You win,

They lose,

Bittersweet.

All in one day of war.

Sarah Clappison

Ugchelen 4 May 2005

Text: Rebecca Ruddock ( England )

Most nights you can hear the roar of R.A.F. bombers as they fly to their target. Not all the bombers get back safely. The Germans boast of the number of planes shot down, but are angry that not all of the airmen have been captured or counted as casualties. Some airmen have avoided capture and this so angered the Germans that a notice was posted in the town square which said:

1. Any man who helps a downed airman evade capture will be shot on the spot.

2. Women who help these airmen will be sent to concentration camps in Germany with their children.

3. On the other hand, any local citizen who contributes to the arrest of an airman will be rewarded with 10,000 francs or more.

The next poem is written by and will be presented by Zack Spencer from England . Jaclyn Cairns from Canada will continue.

Poem “Doubts” Zack Spencer ( England )

Doubts

A tear escapes my eye

My head sinks as I enter the air

I feel anxious and unsure

I've said goodbye

Who knows till when

The thoughts in my mind

give me apprehension and doubt

As I break through the clouds

And check my next drop

I wonder how many will die

Text: Jaclyn Cairns

Three nights ago there was a great excitement in your town. A Lancaster bomber of R.A.F. Bomber Command had crash landed in a field a few kilometers away. The bodies of four of the crew were found near the burning wreckage. Two wounded airmen were quickly hunted down and taken prisoner.

But a Lancaster had a crew of seven! A parachute had been found, so one airman was still missing!

Last night your family went to bed at the usual time-one more day under occupation safely endured. Before dawn this morning, you heard a hock at the back door of your house. You wakened your father. He quickly dressed and went to the door and opened it. There stood a young man in some kind of uniform. Probably he had no boots on. He was tired, frightened and spoke a language you could not understand. But it was clear what he wanted: food, a safe place to sleep, and help to get away.

In a matter of seconds. Your father will make a life-changing decision.

He has three choices:

1. Send the airman away. After all, your father’s highest priority is to his family. Why should he risk his life and that of his family for this stranger.

2. The second choice is to take in this stranger; give him some food and a place to sleep and while he sleeps, inform the Germans to come for him. And yes, a reward of 10,000 francs or more would help pay for your education. Yes, that would be a wonderful benefit of doing only what one was expected to do.

3. Risking everything, your father could take him in; give him food, a safe place to sleep; perhaps some civilian clothes, and arrange the first step in moving that young frightened airman along an escape route back to Britain. In a matter of seconds, your father will make a decision that will mark his conscience for the rest of his life.

Fotoreportage 2005
Link to picture series 2005

Herdenking 8 oktober 2006
Commemoration October 8, 2006

Fotoreportage 8 oktober 2006
Link to picture series October 08, 2006

Fotoreportage 14 april 2010
Link to picture series April 14, 2010

Contact webmaster: Contactformulier / Contact form

Laatste wijziging: 17 april 2010