The non-profit organisation ‘Faces to Canadian War Graves Groesbeek’, as part of the Faces to Graves project in the Netherlands, aims to publish a short story of every one of the soldiers buried in Groesbeek. Their latest newsletter is HERE .Their partnership with Holten and Bergen op Zoom Canadian War Cemeteries will eventually realise a database for all of some 2700 Canadian soldiers who are buried in the three Canadian War Cemeteries in The Netherlands or whose names are on the Memorial Walls. It is intended that all online stories will be available HERE.
We have 141 Sappers in these three War Cemeteries and want to assist with telling these stories. In addition to locally displaying these stories for visitors, Groesbeek is well-advanced with their online "Digital Monument." Examples of some of the Sapper Stories that have been written are:
- Lance Corporal Antonio Barbaro
- Lieutenant Roger Francis Cauley
- Sapper Maurice Joseph Leonard Clouâtre
- Sapper Harold Clifford Inkpen
- Captain Robert Erskine Kindersley
- Sapper Charles Reginald Mills
- Sapper Gilbert Mill Movold
The project needs more volunteers to research and write these Soldier Stories. This is a good project for someone who appreciates CME Military Heritage and who enjoys doing research. Most of this work can be accomplished online where the Service Files and War Diaries are available. If you have a son or daughter in high school, this could be undertaken as part of the “Lest We Forget” Project or to help with an educational opportunity during the pandemic lock-out.
Please let us know if you are interested in helping with this project. The attached ALPHA SORT list of all Sappers buried in Groesbeek, Bergen op Zoom and Holten can help if you are looking for a relative. The UNIT SORT is helpful if you have an interest in a particular unit and the HOMETOWN SORT version will assist if you are interested in a specific hometown or region. If you are interested in a particular unit or individual, the Netherlands Faces to Graves team can advise if someone is already working on this individual or if they have some material to contribute. You can contact them at:
- Bergen op Zoom: info@stichtingbbw.nl
- Groesbeek: info@facestograves.nl
- Holten: info@canadesebegraafplaatsholten.nl
We can assist with the research if you contact the CME Historian.
