STEENDEREN GENERAL CEMETERY
Gelderland
The Netherlands
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 52.06419, Longitude: 6.18464
Image above © Johan Pauwels
Location Information
Steenderen is a village about 10 kilometres south of Zutphen and 4 kilometres east of the main Arnhem-Zutphen road. The cemetery is located in Kerkhofweg, a small road opposite the church. The Commonwealth war graves can be found to the left of the main path.
There are 11 Commonwealth airmen, 1 Canadian soldier and 1 Polish airman of the Second World War buried in this cemetery.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
P/704118 Plutonowy
Jozef Hajduk
302 Squadron, Polish Air Force
20th January 1945, aged 22.
Jozef Hajduk
302 Squadron, Polish Air Force
20th January 1945, aged 22.
Lieutenant
John Gordon Kavanagh
1st Bn. Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.
5th April 1945, aged 23.
Son of Cora Kavanagh and the late John Kavanagh of, 12, Sandford Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Husband of Emily Jean Kavanagh.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died A Brave Soldier Fighting For Our Freedom Dearly Loved Proudly Remembered"
Lieutenant John Gordon Kavanagh was born on October 20, 1921, the son of John and Cora (née Armstrong) Kavanagh of Toronto, Ontario. He worked as a clerk in an office and joined the Non-Permanent Active Militia in September 1939, later enlisting as a Private (Rifleman) The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (QOR of C) on June 13, 1940.
Embarking for Scotland on 19 July 1941, he reached the rank of Corporal by September 1942 and married Emily Jean Haddleton, a member of the Canadian Red Cross Corps, on 12 June 1943. He returned to Canada for officer training in October 1943, arriving back in the UK in late December 1944 and joined the 1st Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, CASF in North-West Europe in March 1945.
He was killed in action aged 23 on April 5, 1945, during an advance towards Pipelure, Netherlands, but his remains were not identified at the point of recovery. Following the war, Lieutenant John Gordon Kavanagh was commemorated on Panel 10 of the Groesbeek Memorial as having no known grave.
According to archival records, in April 1947 remains were recovered from a farmer's field outside of Steenderen, Netherlands and buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission section of the Steenderen General Cemetery. As the identity of the remains was unknown, the grave was commemorated and cared for as an unknown soldier of the Second World War by the CWGC.
In 2017, a research report was received suggesting that the remains of "a soldier of the 1939-1945 war" contained in a grave in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's section of the Steenderen General Cemetery, Steenderen, Netherlands could be identified by name. The Canadian Armed Forces confirmed the identity of the grave as Lieutenant John Gordon Kavanagh in November 2019.
John Gordon Kavanagh
1st Bn. Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, R.C.I.C.
5th April 1945, aged 23.
Son of Cora Kavanagh and the late John Kavanagh of, 12, Sandford Avenue, Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Husband of Emily Jean Kavanagh.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Died A Brave Soldier Fighting For Our Freedom Dearly Loved Proudly Remembered"
Lieutenant John Gordon Kavanagh was born on October 20, 1921, the son of John and Cora (née Armstrong) Kavanagh of Toronto, Ontario. He worked as a clerk in an office and joined the Non-Permanent Active Militia in September 1939, later enlisting as a Private (Rifleman) The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada (QOR of C) on June 13, 1940.
Embarking for Scotland on 19 July 1941, he reached the rank of Corporal by September 1942 and married Emily Jean Haddleton, a member of the Canadian Red Cross Corps, on 12 June 1943. He returned to Canada for officer training in October 1943, arriving back in the UK in late December 1944 and joined the 1st Battalion, The Queen's Own Rifles of Canada, CASF in North-West Europe in March 1945.
He was killed in action aged 23 on April 5, 1945, during an advance towards Pipelure, Netherlands, but his remains were not identified at the point of recovery. Following the war, Lieutenant John Gordon Kavanagh was commemorated on Panel 10 of the Groesbeek Memorial as having no known grave.
According to archival records, in April 1947 remains were recovered from a farmer's field outside of Steenderen, Netherlands and buried in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission section of the Steenderen General Cemetery. As the identity of the remains was unknown, the grave was commemorated and cared for as an unknown soldier of the Second World War by the CWGC.
In 2017, a research report was received suggesting that the remains of "a soldier of the 1939-1945 war" contained in a grave in the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's section of the Steenderen General Cemetery, Steenderen, Netherlands could be identified by name. The Canadian Armed Forces confirmed the identity of the grave as Lieutenant John Gordon Kavanagh in November 2019.
The following seven Airmen Took off from RAF Pocklington at 23:12 hrs on 16th January 1944 for a bombing operation against the synthetic oil plant at Sterkrade/Holten in Germany. Part of the 321 aircraft raid on Sterkrade synethetic oil planform with 162 Halifaxes, 147 Lancasters and 14 Mosquitoes.
Homeward-bound, the aircraft was intercepted and shot down by the night fighter crew of Hauptmann Breves, Feldwebel Telsnig & Obergefreiter Ofers of the Stab IV./NJG 1, who were flying a Bf 110 G-4 from St Trond (Sint-Truiden) airfield in Belgium ("2 attacks from a distance of 50 m from below and behind. Crash fire")
177680 Pilot Officer Adam John McDowall Barr, 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th June 1944.
1867969 Sergeant Joseph Bender, 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th June 1944, aged 38. Son of Isaac and Ann Bender; husband of Jane Bender, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.
1594409 Sergeant Fred Bowman, 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th June 1944, aged 31. Son of Fredrick and Jessie Oxley Bowman; husband of Kitty May Bowman, of Pocklington, Yorkshire. His headstone bears the inscription "Fate Lies Hid But Not The Deeds That Brave Men Did"
418928 Flight Sergeant Alan Milne Duggleby, Royal Australian Air Force, died 17th June 1944, aged 22. Son of the Revd. John Taylor Duggleby and Helen Eliza Duggleby, of North Essendon, Victoria, Australia. His headstone bears the inscription 'Still Living, Still Loving, Still Ours"
1397471 Sergeant Hubert Jack Wakeford, 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th June 1944.
Two of the Airmen survived the crash, Sergeant J. F. Tweed and Sergeant W. Chapman.
1867969 Sergeant Joseph Bender, 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th June 1944, aged 38. Son of Isaac and Ann Bender; husband of Jane Bender, of Montreal, Province of Quebec, Canada.
1594409 Sergeant Fred Bowman, 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th June 1944, aged 31. Son of Fredrick and Jessie Oxley Bowman; husband of Kitty May Bowman, of Pocklington, Yorkshire. His headstone bears the inscription "Fate Lies Hid But Not The Deeds That Brave Men Did"
418928 Flight Sergeant Alan Milne Duggleby, Royal Australian Air Force, died 17th June 1944, aged 22. Son of the Revd. John Taylor Duggleby and Helen Eliza Duggleby, of North Essendon, Victoria, Australia. His headstone bears the inscription 'Still Living, Still Loving, Still Ours"
1397471 Sergeant Hubert Jack Wakeford, 102 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 17th June 1944.
Two of the Airmen survived the crash, Sergeant J. F. Tweed and Sergeant W. Chapman.
The following six Airmen died when their aircraft, Lancaster bomber R5572, crashed at Baak, 5 miles south of Zutphen, during a raid on Gelsenkirchen on 23rd June 1943. Pilot Sergeant E.W. Davidson R/120225 RCAF survived and became a PoW.
R/153561 Flight Sergeant
Cecil Horace Sinclair
106 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
26th June 1943.
Son of Charles John and Frances Mary Sinclair, of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Life, Loved And Honoured In Death, Remembered"
Cecil Horace Sinclair
106 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
26th June 1943.
Son of Charles John and Frances Mary Sinclair, of Thornhill, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Life, Loved And Honoured In Death, Remembered"
R/128162 Warrant Officer
Lawson Frederick Sparling
106 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
26th June 1943, aged 23.
Son of Russell Harvey Sparling and Jessie Elizabeth Sparling, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Our Son"
Lawson Frederick Sparling
106 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
26th June 1943, aged 23.
Son of Russell Harvey Sparling and Jessie Elizabeth Sparling, of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Our Son"
1323595 Sergeant Edward Whitby Henry Browne, 106 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 26th June 1943, aged 20. Son of John Corysland Johnson Browne and May Frances Gertrude Browne, of Greenford Park, Middlesex. His headstone bears the inscription "Ever In Our Thoughts. Mu. Dad, Kathleen, Joan And Ralph"
1134233 Sergeant Stanley Cowgill, 106 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 26th June 1943, aged 21.
Son of Ernest and Jane Ann Cowgill, of Horsforth, Yorkshire. His headstone bears the inscription "Treasured Memories To-Day And Always Of A Dearly Loved Son And Brother"
1212997 Sergeant John Albert Francis, 106 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 26th June 1943, aged 20.
Son of John Albert and Alice Maud Francis, of Colchester, Essex. His headstone bears the inscription "Death Is The One Who Has Gone. In Our Hearts We Will Keep Him As The Years Roll On"
1316732 Sergeant Gareth Vaughan Williams, 106 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 26th June 1943.
1134233 Sergeant Stanley Cowgill, 106 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 26th June 1943, aged 21.
Son of Ernest and Jane Ann Cowgill, of Horsforth, Yorkshire. His headstone bears the inscription "Treasured Memories To-Day And Always Of A Dearly Loved Son And Brother"
1212997 Sergeant John Albert Francis, 106 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 26th June 1943, aged 20.
Son of John Albert and Alice Maud Francis, of Colchester, Essex. His headstone bears the inscription "Death Is The One Who Has Gone. In Our Hearts We Will Keep Him As The Years Roll On"
1316732 Sergeant Gareth Vaughan Williams, 106 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve, died 26th June 1943.
