KAASKERKE COMMUNAL CEMETERY
West-Vlaanderen
Belgium
GPS Coordinates Latitude: 51.03832 Longitude: 2.83783
Location Information
The village of Kaaskerke is located 2 kilometres west of Diksmuide, on the N35 road which runs between Diksmuide and Nieuwpoort.
Driving out of Diksmuide follow the N35 over the railway into Kaaskerke and take the first turning on the right called Oude Dorpstraat. The cemetery is on the right hand side. The graves are located at the rear centre of the cemetery.
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.
Kaaskerke Communal Cemetery contains 12 Commonwealth war graves of the Second World War.
Identified Casualties: Australia 6, United Kingdom 6. Total 12.
Cemetery pictures © Johan Pauwels
The village of Kaaskerke is located 2 kilometres west of Diksmuide, on the N35 road which runs between Diksmuide and Nieuwpoort.
Driving out of Diksmuide follow the N35 over the railway into Kaaskerke and take the first turning on the right called Oude Dorpstraat. The cemetery is on the right hand side. The graves are located at the rear centre of the cemetery.
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.
Kaaskerke Communal Cemetery contains 12 Commonwealth war graves of the Second World War.
Identified Casualties: Australia 6, United Kingdom 6. Total 12.
Cemetery pictures © Johan Pauwels
Group portrait of 30 Course, 4 Initial Training School, Royal Australian Air Force, B Squadron, 12 Flight, held between July and September 1942 at Victor Harbor in SA.
Identified on the third row, first on the right and looking away is 417781 Flying Officer David Arnold Barlow (Royal Australian Air Force who was killed whilst on operations in Belgium on 21st July 1944, aged 20. Son of Clarence Arnold Barlow and Edith Valmai Barlow, of Hackney, South Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "For King And Country. Ever Remembered"
His headstone bears the inscription "For King And Country. Ever Remembered"
1822059 Sergeant
Leslie Drummond Arcus
Flight Engineer in 467 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
21st July 1944, aged 19.
Son of Drummond Hutchison Arcus and Jessie Wishart Arcus, of Portobello, Midlothian.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Gave Of Those Talents Where With God Had Blessed Him"
Leslie Drummond Arcus
Flight Engineer in 467 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
21st July 1944, aged 19.
Son of Drummond Hutchison Arcus and Jessie Wishart Arcus, of Portobello, Midlothian.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Gave Of Those Talents Where With God Had Blessed Him"
421754 Flight Sergeant
Jack Olof Ohlson
467 Sqdn. Royal Australian Air Force
21st July 1944, aged 31.
Grave 122.
Son of Olof Oscar and Estella Claudine Ohlson, of Adelaide, South Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
Flt Sgt Ohlson was a forester living in the Blue Mountains, NSW, when he enlisted with the RAAF in March 1942. Flt Sgt Ohlson was an air gunner on Lancaster LM119 when it took off from the Royal Air Force's Waddingtron base to bomb railway yards at Courtrai, Belgium, on the night of 20 July 1944. Lancaster LM119 failed to return to Waddington, and was most likely brought down during a flying battle over Belgium when homebound early on 21 July 1944. Flt Sgt Ohlson and the six other crew members of Lancaster LM119 are buried in the Kaaskerke Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
Jack Olof Ohlson
467 Sqdn. Royal Australian Air Force
21st July 1944, aged 31.
Grave 122.
Son of Olof Oscar and Estella Claudine Ohlson, of Adelaide, South Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "Thy Will Be Done"
Flt Sgt Ohlson was a forester living in the Blue Mountains, NSW, when he enlisted with the RAAF in March 1942. Flt Sgt Ohlson was an air gunner on Lancaster LM119 when it took off from the Royal Air Force's Waddingtron base to bomb railway yards at Courtrai, Belgium, on the night of 20 July 1944. Lancaster LM119 failed to return to Waddington, and was most likely brought down during a flying battle over Belgium when homebound early on 21 July 1944. Flt Sgt Ohlson and the six other crew members of Lancaster LM119 are buried in the Kaaskerke Communal Cemetery, Belgium.
