3 graves unknown RAF members Sittard

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Dear all,

There is a grave stone on Sittard War Cemetary of a coll. grave of 3 unknown RAF airmen, reference 6 K, see enclosed photo.

Research in old church documents show that these 3 men may have been buried on 1th January 1945, their deaths may however occured earlier. So far we have not been able to link these unidentified victims to any British loss, but I don't have records of losses at the 2nd TAF or perhaps other RAF Commands.

Who can help? Any hint is most appreciated !
Best regards, Marcel

PS. we have thought about Lancaster ME647 of 166 Sqdn. which crashed near Eygelshoven in the night of 31th December 1944/1th January 1945, but this crew of 7 are buried at Nederweert War Cemetary, no missing members.

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

oops, and now with picture

Marcel

[Flupke]

Hello
Maybe Lancaster ME-321 75Sqn ? 1/1/1945

Regards
Phil

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Dear Phil

Thank you for your suggestion, this Lancaster ME321 had quite a lot aircrew members that went missing but it seems unlogical to bury these men far more north than Maastricht where they perished. It is quite intriguing therefore thanks for your help!

Marcel

[Alex Smart]

Hello Marcel,

Have you thought about escaped pow's ?

I seem to remember some time ago that three graves were found in a forest or wood, but that I think was in Poland.

If these three airmen you ask about were buried on the date you give it could well be that their aircraft crashed on an earlier day.

Just think that the wreckage would be searched, remains removed identification attempted then perhaps temporarily buried near the aircraft before being removed for proper burial at some nearby cemetery, then post war perhaps removed yet again to where they now rest.

Of interest the CWGC site has -
Sittard General Cemetery - 20 graves, none seem to be airmen. Only one grave is "unknown".
Sittard War Grave - 200 plus only 3 are airmen. Date for two is 2/2/45 the third is 8/2/45.

Alex

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Alex,

Thank you for your thoughts and I must admit I haven't thought about escaped POW's. But: if we assume that POW's don't move around the countryside in their RAF flying gear, they would have obtained civil clothes from the underground escape lines. So, if they cannot easily be identified as RAF members, how could they be buried as unknown RAF airmen and never been identified post war?

Your second explanation is perhaps a better one and I try to look at all RAF losses in the previous weeks before 1-1-1945.

Could you help me out with your remark about Sittard War Cemetary? On the CWGC website I find 234 dead on this cemetary and the description reads this:

Historical Information
The burials in the cemetery, apart from a few dating from November 1944, are almost all from the months of January and February 1945. The men buried here belong mostly to the Scottish regiments of the 52nd (Lowland) Division, engaged in the battle in this vicinity from 18th to 24th January 1945, which had as its object the clearing of a salient west of the River Roer which was still held by the Germans.

I did download the spreadsheet with casualties but this list does not the unknown or do you have other information?

Again many thanks for your reply! Best regards, Marcel

[Hans Nauta]

Hi Marcel,

Have you consulted the Red Cross Archives at The Hague? The burial records may provide info about when and where or under which circumstances the bodies were found.

Regards,
Hans

[Alex Smart]

Hello Marcel,
Thanks for the reply,
Sorry to say that the online CWGC site does not (as yet) list the Unknowns. Reason is perhaps it is that they are unknown. I would say that it would be a help to researchers if their plot numbers were listed along with arm of service, such as Army or Air force that is if it is known, and a date .
I think that the answer may well be found if you follow the guidance that Hans gave in his post.

Good hunting,
Alex

[Alex Smart]

Hello Marcel,
The three airmen that I noted have each a grave. They are the only airmen in the CWGC site list for Sittard War Cemetery. Two are from a Mosquito crash ( 2/2/45) and then the third a few days later(8/2/45).
From the Sittard General Cemetery list there appear to be NO airmen at all, but that again excludes any "Unknowns" .
I wonder if -
Suppose that these three airmen were originally placed in a group grave as unknowns and then at some later date it was found who they were and reburied in separate graves , then the original headstone left in place ?

Alex

[Marcel Hogenhuis]

Hello Hans and Alex,

Thank you both for your valuable contributions to this mystery.

Hans
thank you for this suggestion, Marleen and I will send them a request. What puzzles me is that even the CWGC seems not to know where these victims came from. There must a RAF command which lost 3 men in the wider area (Germany included) of Sittard.

Alex
I followed your hints and you are partially right: those 3 men in separate graves can be traced to the losses you have mentioned, but I am searching for a loss of which 3 unidentified RAF members were buried in one grave (K6) at the Sittard War Cemetary.

The hunt goes on ! Have a nice Sunday ! Best regards,
Marcel