Zuydcoote New Military Cemetery 1940

Discussion in 'War Cemeteries & War Memorial Research' started by Loujn, Jun 18, 2020.

  1. Loujn

    Loujn Junior Member

    Hi, I am just in the process in researching a soldier who died in Zuydcoote Hospital on 30th May 1940 after receiving wounds on 28th May 1940 whilst traveling to Dunkirk.

    I've read the information on CWGC and found that he was exhumed from Zuydcoote New Military Cemetery in July 1948 and reburied at Dunkirk Town Cemetery.

    I've been trying to find out a little more to add to the story with regards to Zuydcoote New Military Cemetery but I am not finding much apart from WW1 information.

    I done a search on this forum and think that from reading snippets of information that the Zudycoote Hospital was in German hands and that men in the hospital at that time were prisoners of war.

    If anyone knows more about this hospital and cemetery during WW2 I would be most grateful.
    Many thanks,
    Louise
     
  2. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Hi Louise

    I only recently found out myself that the British soldiers (assuming that's who you are researching) that died in the Zuydcoote Maritime Hospital were actually buried in temporary graves in/near the hospital grounds. They were reburied after the war in a CWGC cemetery. There is a thread on this on my Facebook page called 'France and Flanders Campaign1940'
     
    Loujn likes this.
  3. Loujn

    Loujn Junior Member

    Hi, Thank you for your comments and information. I've just taken a look at your FB page (it appears that I already followed you but as usual FB obviously doesn't show me any of your posts!

    Was the hospital under German rule? as I read somewhere that the BEF who died in there were POW's?

    I also read that the men were buried in the dunes - I assume that is incorrect from looking at the maps on the FB page?
     
  4. Loujn

    Loujn Junior Member

    Sorry, I didn't "quote" my previous reply, so you might not have seen it.

    Just also wondering - do you have a website or blog?
     
  5. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    Just my Facebook Page.

    This info has only recently come to light, I have always wondered why the nearest CWGC cemeteries to the hospital were at De Panne and Malo les Bains but in recent years with another Field Hospital no longer having graves nearby I discovered all the bodies were moved to Dunkirk post WW2. This is true of Zuydcoote to with them being moved to another location after the war. The rough area marked where they were buried would have been the German advance to the hospital, there is plenty of evidence still visible today of the fighting so it may be the graves on the beach were dug after it was deemed to dangerous to bury them south of the hospital or I would think more likely the graves are of soldiers killed during air raids on the beach and their deaths unrelated to the hospital.

    It was a French hospital with almost certainly a British medical unit in some capacity inside it, I've not looked to see which one if at all. Like many French and British medical facilities during the campaign once captured they were used to carry on treating the French and British wounded so as not to use up German medical resources. Once the hospital was captured they'd all be POWs but I can imagine the Germans taking wounded allied POWs there to be treated. I know some were treated at a hospital at St. Omer and Lille.

    I hope that covers your questions?
     
  6. Loujn

    Loujn Junior Member

    Thank you very much, yes your information has helped me. I have managed to make contact with the soldiers grandson, so its nice to ensure that I have written up his story with the "facts" as far as we can ascertain being correct.

    When the post is written up i will add a link to this thread.

    Thanks again,
    Louise
     
    Drew5233 likes this.

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