ELBURG GENERAL CEMETERY
Gelderland
The Netherlands
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 52.44181, Longitude: 5.83223
Location Information
Elburg is a small town on the banks of the Ijsselmeer, lying 8 kilometres north of Nunspeet and 20 kilometres south-west of Zwolle. The cemetery is about 455 metres south of the town on the eastern side of the main road to Amersfoort. The two war graves are in the south-eastern corner
Elburg is a small town on the banks of the Ijsselmeer, lying 8 kilometres north of Nunspeet and 20 kilometres south-west of Zwolle. The cemetery is about 455 metres south of the town on the eastern side of the main road to Amersfoort. The two war graves are in the south-eastern corner
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
J/86496 Pilot Officer
William Kilworthy Murray Love
426 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
16th February 1944, aged 25.
Son of William F. and Elizabeth M. Love, of Cos Cob, Connecticut, U.S.A.
His headstone bears the inscription "A Beloved Son Who Gave His All That His Brothers Might Live"
William Kilworthy Murray Love was born on October 16, 1918. The Love family had emigrated from Scotland to the USA in 1920.
William Love was not a naturalised American citizen and could therefore not join the American army during WW2, so he enlisted in the Canadian Air Force.
After completing his training he was assigned to the 426th Canadian Squadron in Yorkshire (UK), at the Linton-on-Ouse air base.
On Tuesday evening February 15, 1944 a large number of bombers took off from England for the conclusion of the battle for Berlin. Pilot Officer William Love was part of the crew of a Lancaster II Bomber (DS794 426 Sqn RCAF). On the return journey, William Love's plane was shot down by the Germans and crashed in the Ijsselmeer near Elburg. All 7 crew members were killed. The body of 25-year-old William Love was pulled from the water on June 16, 1944 by a fisherman from Elburg. He managed to smuggle the body past the Germans and secretly bury it in Elburg. After the war, William Love was reburied here.
William Kilworthy Murray Love
426 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
16th February 1944, aged 25.
Son of William F. and Elizabeth M. Love, of Cos Cob, Connecticut, U.S.A.
His headstone bears the inscription "A Beloved Son Who Gave His All That His Brothers Might Live"
William Kilworthy Murray Love was born on October 16, 1918. The Love family had emigrated from Scotland to the USA in 1920.
William Love was not a naturalised American citizen and could therefore not join the American army during WW2, so he enlisted in the Canadian Air Force.
After completing his training he was assigned to the 426th Canadian Squadron in Yorkshire (UK), at the Linton-on-Ouse air base.
On Tuesday evening February 15, 1944 a large number of bombers took off from England for the conclusion of the battle for Berlin. Pilot Officer William Love was part of the crew of a Lancaster II Bomber (DS794 426 Sqn RCAF). On the return journey, William Love's plane was shot down by the Germans and crashed in the Ijsselmeer near Elburg. All 7 crew members were killed. The body of 25-year-old William Love was pulled from the water on June 16, 1944 by a fisherman from Elburg. He managed to smuggle the body past the Germans and secretly bury it in Elburg. After the war, William Love was reburied here.
P/782001 Plutonowy
Mieczyslaw Gustaw Szeliga
300 Squadron, Polish Air Force
13th June 1944, aged 31.
Gustaw Mieczyslaw Szeliga was born on July 28, 1912 in Poland. This farmer's son attended a number of classes at the grammar school after which he ended up in civil aviation.
On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, overwhelming the Polish Army. Gustaw was able to escape to England and there he joined the 300th Polish Squadron that flew with the RAF.
Gustaw was a sergeant and ended up on a Lancaster MK.I - LL807 BH-K as a flight engineer.
On the night of June 12 to 13, 1944, Gustaw took off with his plane from Faldingworth airfield in England together with 7 other bombers of the 300th Polish Squadron for a mission over Germany. The goal was to bomb the Nordstein oil factory in Gelsenkirchen. After completing their mission, the Germans managed to shoot down the plane on its way back to England with their anti-aircraft guns. The bomber crashed into the Ijsselmeer, killing the entire crew (7). 5 crew members are buried in Amersfoort and 1 is still missing. On 22 June 1944, Gustaw's body was brought ashore by fishermen in Elburg and buried here a day later.
Mieczyslaw Gustaw Szeliga
300 Squadron, Polish Air Force
13th June 1944, aged 31.
Gustaw Mieczyslaw Szeliga was born on July 28, 1912 in Poland. This farmer's son attended a number of classes at the grammar school after which he ended up in civil aviation.
On September 1, 1939, Nazi Germany invaded Poland, overwhelming the Polish Army. Gustaw was able to escape to England and there he joined the 300th Polish Squadron that flew with the RAF.
Gustaw was a sergeant and ended up on a Lancaster MK.I - LL807 BH-K as a flight engineer.
On the night of June 12 to 13, 1944, Gustaw took off with his plane from Faldingworth airfield in England together with 7 other bombers of the 300th Polish Squadron for a mission over Germany. The goal was to bomb the Nordstein oil factory in Gelsenkirchen. After completing their mission, the Germans managed to shoot down the plane on its way back to England with their anti-aircraft guns. The bomber crashed into the Ijsselmeer, killing the entire crew (7). 5 crew members are buried in Amersfoort and 1 is still missing. On 22 June 1944, Gustaw's body was brought ashore by fishermen in Elburg and buried here a day later.
