WERKENDAM PROTESTANT CEMETERY
Noord-Brabant
The Netherlands
GPS Coordinates: Latitude: 51.81303, Longitude: 4.89637
Location Information
Werkendam is a village 12 kilometres north of Geertruidenberg and 4 kilometres south-west of Gorinchem. It is 4 kilometres west of the main road between these towns. The cemetery is adjacent to the Protestant church, which is in the centre of the village.
There are 23 Second World War Commonwealth war graves and 1 Polish Army grave in the north-east corner of this cemetery.
Historical Information
Werkendam is in the Heusden-en-Altena region, which is bordered by the Brabant bulrush wood. Throughout the German occupation, particularly in the winter of 1944-1945, this wood was a favourite "hide-out-'for airmen and soldiers trying to escape capture by the enemy. There was an emergency hospital in Werkendam where the wounded were cared for, and those who died there are buried in the village cemetery.
Werkendam is a village 12 kilometres north of Geertruidenberg and 4 kilometres south-west of Gorinchem. It is 4 kilometres west of the main road between these towns. The cemetery is adjacent to the Protestant church, which is in the centre of the village.
There are 23 Second World War Commonwealth war graves and 1 Polish Army grave in the north-east corner of this cemetery.
Historical Information
Werkendam is in the Heusden-en-Altena region, which is bordered by the Brabant bulrush wood. Throughout the German occupation, particularly in the winter of 1944-1945, this wood was a favourite "hide-out-'for airmen and soldiers trying to escape capture by the enemy. There was an emergency hospital in Werkendam where the wounded were cared for, and those who died there are buried in the village cemetery.
Images in gallery below © Johan Pauwels
194642V Lieutenant
Richard Shepperson Bate
General Service Corps, S.A. Forces, attached to No. 41 R.M. Commando. Royal Marines
16th February 1945, aged 22.
Son of John O. and Edith J. Bate, of Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa.
His headstone bears the inscription "Ever Remembered"
Richard Shepperson Bate
General Service Corps, S.A. Forces, attached to No. 41 R.M. Commando. Royal Marines
16th February 1945, aged 22.
Son of John O. and Edith J. Bate, of Pretoria, Transvaal, South Africa.
His headstone bears the inscription "Ever Remembered"
J/88809 Pilot Officer
Lawrence Joseph Henry Boudreau
424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944.
Lawrence Joseph Henry Boudreau
424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944.
1223659 Sergeant
Eric Harold Cooper
214 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
24th July 1942, aged 21.
Son of Henry and Julia Cooper, of East Stoke, Nottinghamshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Memory We See Him Just The Same As Long As We Live We'll Treasure His Name"
Click on image to enlarge
Eric Harold Cooper
214 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
24th July 1942, aged 21.
Son of Henry and Julia Cooper, of East Stoke, Nottinghamshire.
His headstone bears the inscription "In Memory We See Him Just The Same As Long As We Live We'll Treasure His Name"
Click on image to enlarge
J/21660 Flying Officer
Douglas Alexander Crosbie
424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 27.
Son of Alexander Garvie Crosbie and Elizabeth Scott Crosbie, of Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada.
Douglas Alexander Crosbie
424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 27.
Son of Alexander Garvie Crosbie and Elizabeth Scott Crosbie, of Chatham, New Brunswick, Canada.
539408 Sergeant
Denis Frank Dobson
214 Squadron, Royal Air Force
24th July 1942.
Denis Frank Dobson
214 Squadron, Royal Air Force
24th July 1942.
R/123282 Sergeant
John Brown Fleming
214 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
24th July 1942, aged 21.
Son of John J. and Isobel Fleming, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Is Not Dead He Is Just Away"
John Brown Fleming
214 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
24th July 1942, aged 21.
Son of John J. and Isobel Fleming, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Is Not Dead He Is Just Away"
41804 Strzelec
Marcelli Januszewski
9.Baon.Strz. Polish Army
31st December 1944, aged 24.
(Served as F. Czyszewski)
Marcelli Januszewski
9.Baon.Strz. Polish Army
31st December 1944, aged 24.
(Served as F. Czyszewski)
R/10542 Flight Sergeant
Theodore Lafontaine
166 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
5th May 1943.
Husband of Jean (nee Nicholl) Lafontaine, of Toronto, Ontario.
Theodore Lafontaine
166 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
5th May 1943.
Husband of Jean (nee Nicholl) Lafontaine, of Toronto, Ontario.
421364 Pilot Officer
Patrick Murray Moloney
Royal Australian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 34.
Son of John Gregory Moloney and Margaret Moloney; husband of Lexie Marian Moloney, of Queenscliff, New South Wales, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "R. I. P".
Patrick Murray Moloney
Royal Australian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 34.
Son of John Gregory Moloney and Margaret Moloney; husband of Lexie Marian Moloney, of Queenscliff, New South Wales, Australia.
His headstone bears the inscription "R. I. P".
R/97340 Flight Sergeant
Harold Jackson Salisbury
166 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
5th May 1943, aged 25.
Son of Cecil Jackson Salisbury and Adeline Frances Salisbury, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Father, In Thy Gracious Keeping Leave We Now Our Loved One Sleeping"
Harold Jackson Salisbury
166 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
5th May 1943, aged 25.
Son of Cecil Jackson Salisbury and Adeline Frances Salisbury, of Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "Father, In Thy Gracious Keeping Leave We Now Our Loved One Sleeping"
1030871 Sergeant
Arthur Irving Stark
166 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
5th May 1943, aged 22.
Son of Arthur Robert Joseph and Elizabeth Frances Stark, of Heswall, Cheshire.
His headstone bears the inscription He Died That We Might Live "His Final Flight"
Born 22 January 1921, the youngest of three brothers, all of whom attended the School [Birkenhead School], Arthur was a notable athlete from his days in the Prep until he left at Christmas, 1938. He broke sprinting and hurdles records and was commended as early as May 1933 for 'aggressive running' and was Captain of Rugby in Junior School and a Junior School Prefect. In rugby he won Bantam XV, Colts XV and 1st XV colours in which he was described as 'Fly-half, very fast off the mark and opened up his line well.' Probably the best boxer that the School produced, certainly of his generation, he left School as a Prefect with, Athletics and 1st XI Hockey colours also.
On leaving School he joined his two elder brothers in their father's firm of Ship Scalers and Cleaners, a reserved occupation from which they were not released until 1941, when Arthur joined the R.A.F. After training at Castle Combe, Sywell and Silverstone, he joined 166 Squadron Bomber Command. On the night before his 10th sortie he met an old friend, Jack Oakes, and said goodbye as 'it was (his) turn, the only original left in the Squadron'. He was lost on 5 May 1943, piloting Wellington HE 244 over Dortmund and is buried in the Netherlands.
Arthur Irving Stark
166 Squadron, Royal Air Force Volunteer Reserve
5th May 1943, aged 22.
Son of Arthur Robert Joseph and Elizabeth Frances Stark, of Heswall, Cheshire.
His headstone bears the inscription He Died That We Might Live "His Final Flight"
Born 22 January 1921, the youngest of three brothers, all of whom attended the School [Birkenhead School], Arthur was a notable athlete from his days in the Prep until he left at Christmas, 1938. He broke sprinting and hurdles records and was commended as early as May 1933 for 'aggressive running' and was Captain of Rugby in Junior School and a Junior School Prefect. In rugby he won Bantam XV, Colts XV and 1st XV colours in which he was described as 'Fly-half, very fast off the mark and opened up his line well.' Probably the best boxer that the School produced, certainly of his generation, he left School as a Prefect with, Athletics and 1st XI Hockey colours also.
On leaving School he joined his two elder brothers in their father's firm of Ship Scalers and Cleaners, a reserved occupation from which they were not released until 1941, when Arthur joined the R.A.F. After training at Castle Combe, Sywell and Silverstone, he joined 166 Squadron Bomber Command. On the night before his 10th sortie he met an old friend, Jack Oakes, and said goodbye as 'it was (his) turn, the only original left in the Squadron'. He was lost on 5 May 1943, piloting Wellington HE 244 over Dortmund and is buried in the Netherlands.
J/26318 Flying Officer
John Evan Tinline
424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 24.
Son of Milton John and Mary Mabel Tinline, of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Loved The Stars Too Well To Fear The Night"
John Evan Tinline
424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944, aged 24.
Son of Milton John and Mary Mabel Tinline, of Brandon, Manitoba, Canada.
His headstone bears the inscription "He Loved The Stars Too Well To Fear The Night"
J/87046 Pilot Officer
Zenon Romeo Trudeau
424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944.
Zenon Romeo Trudeau
424 Squadron, Royal Canadian Air Force
25th April 1944.
