BREE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
Limburg
Belgium
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 51.14384 Longitude: 5.59941
Location Information
The town of Bree is located north-west of the town of Maaseik on the N73. From the motorway E313 which runs between Antwerpen and Liege turn off at junction 25 Kwaadmechelen. Turn onto the N141 direction Oostham, through the village of Oostham and the road joins with the N73 in the village of Heppen. Follow the N73 to the town of Bree. At the junction with the N76 go straight on into the town along Nieuw Stadpoort, at the crossroads turn left into Kruittorenwal and first left again into Gerdingerpoort, then first right into Stift and second right into Witte Torenstraat, the cemetery is along on the left. One grave is located close to the entrance and is in the third row on the left of the path. The grave is the second in the row and is marked by a private family memorial. The other two graves are located through the main entrance and straight on along the path, at the cross path turn right and the graves are on the left in plot D. They are both in the first row and face the path. These graves are marked by a Commission standard pattern war headstone.
Historical Information
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.
Bree Communal Cemetery contains three Second World War burials, one of which is unidentified.
Burial Details
14224302 Trooper Arthur Harratt, 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps, died 11th September 1944, aged 21. Son of Arthur and Lucy Harratt, of Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent.
94777 Serjeant Thomas Henry Wheel, 61 Field Security Sec. Intelligence Corps, died 16th September 1944, aged 26. Son of Thomas Henry and Eileen Wheel, of Merrishon, Swansea.
Pictures © Johan Pauwels
The town of Bree is located north-west of the town of Maaseik on the N73. From the motorway E313 which runs between Antwerpen and Liege turn off at junction 25 Kwaadmechelen. Turn onto the N141 direction Oostham, through the village of Oostham and the road joins with the N73 in the village of Heppen. Follow the N73 to the town of Bree. At the junction with the N76 go straight on into the town along Nieuw Stadpoort, at the crossroads turn left into Kruittorenwal and first left again into Gerdingerpoort, then first right into Stift and second right into Witte Torenstraat, the cemetery is along on the left. One grave is located close to the entrance and is in the third row on the left of the path. The grave is the second in the row and is marked by a private family memorial. The other two graves are located through the main entrance and straight on along the path, at the cross path turn right and the graves are on the left in plot D. They are both in the first row and face the path. These graves are marked by a Commission standard pattern war headstone.
Historical Information
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.
Bree Communal Cemetery contains three Second World War burials, one of which is unidentified.
Burial Details
14224302 Trooper Arthur Harratt, 15th/19th The King's Royal Hussars, Royal Armoured Corps, died 11th September 1944, aged 21. Son of Arthur and Lucy Harratt, of Goldenhill, Stoke-on-Trent.
94777 Serjeant Thomas Henry Wheel, 61 Field Security Sec. Intelligence Corps, died 16th September 1944, aged 26. Son of Thomas Henry and Eileen Wheel, of Merrishon, Swansea.
Pictures © Johan Pauwels
