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Military Casualties

October 26, 1944:

A patrol, stationed at Dreumel, gets ambushed at Fort Sint Andries: 4 soldiers are killed.

John Raymond Hadwin

Reginald William Stopher

Rowland Merritt

John William Walker

Nationality:

Engeland

Rank:

Trooper

Regiment:

43rd Recce Regiment.

Age:

Armynumber:

14569438

14643078

4395397

14332699

Aditional information

son of Francis William and Emma Hadwin, from Sheffield.

son of Mr. and Mrs. W. H. Stopher, from Stoke, Suffolk.

son of Fred and Ethel Merritt; husband of Florence Edith Merritt, from Fulwell, Durham.

son of Ernest and Ellen Walker, from Desborough, Northamptonshire.

Grave reference

panel 1

12D. 2.20.

27. B. 11.

Cemetry:

Canadian war Cemetry Groesbeek

Cemetry Soestbergen, Utrecht

War Cemetry Bergen op Zoom

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November 24, 1944:

L/cpl William Ross killed at Dreumel

Name:	ROSS
Christian name:	WILLIAM
Nationality:	Canadian
Rank:	Lance/Corporal
Regiment:	17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars
Unit:	7th Reconnaissance Regiment.
Date of death:	november 24, 1944
Registrationnumber:	D/3531
Aditional information:	Son of William and Maisie Ross, husband of Elisabeth Ross, father of Margareth, from Finsbury Park, Middlesex
Cemetry:	Schoonselhof, Sint Bernhardsesteenweg, Antwerpen,België
Grave Reference:	I.A.13

Click to enlarge

December 4, 1944:

Cpl. Joseph Bienvenue killed at Dreumel

Name:	BIENVENUE
Christian name:	JOSEPH MARCELLIN GILLES
Nationality:	Canadian
Rank:	Corporal
Regiment:	17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars
Unit:	7th Reconnaissance Regiment.
Date of death:	December 4, 1944
Registrationnumber:	D/3872
Aditional information:	Son of Orise Bienvenue from St. Hyacinthe, Quebec, Canada
Cemetry:	Canadian militar war cemetry, Groesbeek
Grave Reference:	I.H.13

December 9, 1944:

Trooper Blackmon was billeted in the bakery at the Piet Lemmers family at the Rooijsestraat. Hij was killed by a grenade.

Surname:	BLACKMON
Christian name:	ORVILLE KENNETH ALEXANDER
Nationality:	Canadees
Rank:	Trooper
Regiment:	14th Canadian Hussars, R.C.A.C.
Unit:	8th Reconnaissance Regiment.
Date of death:	December 9, 1944
Registrationnumber:	H/14356
Aditional information:	Son of John Francis en Elizabeth Mary Blackmon; husband of Marie Elizabeth Blackmon (nee Cosgrave), from Fort William, Ontario.
Cemetry:	Canadian militar war cemetry, Groesbeek
Grave Reference:	III. E. 4.

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December 18, 1944:

A German patrol of 6th Fallmschirmjäger surprised four Canadian soldiers of 9th Troop (7th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment) whilst sleeping in their billet at the house of the Boumans family along the Waaldyk. (see aerial)

Troopers Moncrief and Sigley were killed immediately. Trooper Sharpe died of wounds in a hospital in Nijmegen. the fourth Canadian, trooper Bradwell, was taken prisoner by the Germans. He became the only POW of this regiment.

The Canadians were so frustrated that they demolished the house down. (see aerial)

They were temporarely buried at Jonkerbosch Juvenal School and later on reburied at the Canadian War cemetry at Groesbeek.

Groesbeek

Tpr. Bradwell

Read the war diary report

George Francis Moncrief

George Arthur Sharp

Vincent Job Sigley

Nationality:

Canada

Rank:

Trooper

L/Cpl

Regiment:

17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars

Age:

Registrationnumber:

H/195544

L/104570

D/3833

Aditional information:

son of Joseph Albert amd Emma Martha Moncrief from Reaboro, Ontario

son of John Roy and Margareth Sharpe from South Burnaby, B.C.

son of Job and Nora Sigley from Brighton Beach, Brooklyn, N.Y. USA

Cemetry:

Canadian militar war cemetry, Groesbeek

Grave Reference:

I.H.2

I.H.9

I.H.1

Caption:

Gone but not forgotten

In memory's garden we meet every year

To the cherished everloving memory of our dearest one who gave us all

Details:

Trooper Sharp died at the hospital in Nijmegen

December 25, 1944:

Christmas Day Sgt. French was killed by a bullet fired by a soldier of 7th Compagnie Stoottroepen that guarded the dyke together with 7th Canadian Reconnaissance Regiment along the Waal river at Dreumel. Most likely Sgt. French didn't know the "pass-word" of that day.

Sgt. French at first was buried at Tiulburg. Later on a reburial followed at Canadian War Cemetry at Bergen op Zoom.

	Surname:	French
	Christian name:	George Elliott
	Nationality:	Canadian
	Rank:	Sergeant
	Regiment:	17th Duke of York's Royal Canadian Hussars, R.C.A.C.
	Unit:	7th Reconnaissance Regt.
Click to enlarge	Age:	31
	Date of death:	December 25, 1944
	Registrationnumber:	D/3892
	Aditional information:	Son of Hugh and Jane Elliott French; husband of Carrie French, from St. Jerome, Province of Quebec, Canada
	Cemetry:	Canadian War Cemetry Bergen op Zoom
	Grave Reference:	5. H. 4.

January 1, 1945:

This day the body of Sapper Norman Parker was found at the Waalriver in Dreumel. Parker was buried at the back of the R.C. Cemetry along the old cemetrywall.

On the grave was a wooden cross with on the frontside: SPR (Sapper) Parker Norman RE 01-01-1945. At the back: GCU-90 GR-1. Additional information: 14341203, 91 FD Coy RE, KIA.

Further investigation produced the following information.

Spr. Parker was part of 91 Field Compagny Royal Engineers (UK) that was testing a boat on the river Waal at New Years Day. The boat capsized and four sappers werd drowned. Parker was found at Dreumel, another sapper, Barham, was found near Fort St. Andries. He is buried at Haaften.

October 14, 1954 Parkers body was transported to JOnkerbosch War Cemetry in NIjmegen.

	Surname:	Parker
	Christian name:	Norman
	Nationality:	Engeland
	Rank:	Sapper
	Regiment:	Royal Engineers
	Unit:	91 Field Coy.
	Age:	31
	Date of death:	1 januari 1945
	Registrationnumber:	14341203
	Aditional information:	Husband of Ethel Parker.
	Cemetry:	Jonkerbosch War Cemetry Nijmegen
	Grave Reference:	16. J. 8.

February 8, 1945:

A German patrol attacked the slit trenches of 19th Troop, D Squadron (XII Manitoba Dragoons) along the Waaldyke between Dreumel and Wamel. A mortar killed three soldiers. A fourth soldier was severely wounded.

Troopers Flett, May and Sneesby were temporarely buried in Maasbommel. Later on they were reburied at Groesbeek.

Surname:

Flett

May

Sneesby

Christian name:

Alfred James

Harold

Bruce Albert

Nationality:

Canadian

Rank:

Trooper

Regiment:

12th Manitoba Dragoons, R.C.A.C.

Unit:

"D" Sqn. 18th Armd. Car Regt.

Age:

Date of death:

February 8, 1945

Registrationnumber:

H/77346

H/77402

H/77329

Aditional information:

Son of William May and Grace Elizabeth May (nee Murdoch), from Millwood, Manitoba.

Son of Albert H. and Jean Sneesby, from Woodside, Manitoba.

Cemetry:

Canadian War Cemetry, Groesbeek

Grave Reference:

XV. G. 3

XV. G. 4.

XV. G. 1

March 10, 1945:

This day a patrol of F Coy (8th Rifle Brigade) crossed the Waal river between Dreumel and Wamel. On the other side of the river they received enemy fire. Lieutenant Philippe Sedgewick MC was killed immediately. Because of his heavy weight the body had to be left behind.

At first the body was buried in a field grave. Later on reburial followed at the General Cemetry in Zoelen.

	Surname:	Sedgewick
	Christian name:	James Philip
	Nationality:	United Kingdom
	Rank:	Lieutenant
	Regiment:	Rifle Brigade
	Unit:	8th (2nd Bn. The London Rifle Brigade) Bn.
	Age:	24
Click to enlarge	Date of death:	10/03/1945
	Registrationnumber:	226412
	Award:	Military Cross
	Aditional information:	Son of Harold James Sedgwick, and of Jane Kathleen Sedgwick, of Whixley, Yorkshire.
	Cemetry:	Zoelen Gerneral Cemetry (NL)
	Grave Reference:	Grave 1021.

Military Cross