Guards - Sweden Cemeteries list

Discussion in 'The Brigade of Guards' started by dbf, Jul 30, 2011.

  1. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    KVIBERG CEMETERY
    • Country: Sweden
    • Locality: unspecified
    • Visiting Information: In this very large cemetery the Commission plot (referred to as Engelska Krigsgrave) is marked with a red square on the cemetery plans at the entrance and close to the administrative buildings. From the entrance take the central avenue to the T junction, turn right and continue to the end of the road. Turn left and follow the road which winds upwards towards the rear of the cemetery. The plot is on rising ground close to the crematorium and can be seen from some distance.
    • Location Information: From the centre of Gothenburg head from the North East section of the city and pick up the sign for Gamelstaden then, subsequently, Kortedala. Follow this direction until a large roundabout is reached (junction of Kortedalavägen and Regementsgatan) with a petrol station on the right. The cemetery is directly opposite this.
    • Historical Information: Although Sweden remained neutral throughout both world wars, a number of Commonwealth servicemen lie buried in her cemeteries and churchyards. Most of the First World War burials are of Naval casualties from the Battle of Jutland in 1916, or from the hired drifter 'Catspaw', wrecked on the south-east coast in December 1919. The Second World War graves are mostly those of airmen who failed to return from bombing raids over Germany or German occupied territories. Many casualties of both wars were buried in isolated and inaccessible locations and in 1961, the Gothenburg Church Commission made land available for a war graves plot in Kviberg Cemetery, which allowed these graves to be relocated. Three further burials were made in the plot in 1976, when a crashed aircraft, buried in snow in Lapland since 1942 was discovered during a thaw. The Commonwealth plot in Kviberg Cemetery now contains 68 burials of the First World War, 30 of which are unidentified. Second World War burials number 46, 11 of them unidentified.
    • No. of Identified Casualties: 73

    1. 2717981 Lance-Corporal Thomas J CAHILL, 1 Irish Guards: 05/09/1940
     
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2023
  2. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    Became separated from his unit in Norway during rearguard action, and after his unit had embarked for U.K., he and others crossed border into Sweden, died while interned there.
    2717981 Lance-Corporal Thomas J CAHILL, 1 Irish Guards: 05/09/1940

    From Irish-Guards

    Statement by L/Corporal Patrick Ennis No. 2717885
    2717885 Patrick J ENNIS, MiD, 1 Irish Guards

    1st.Battalion Irish Guards,

    Relating to his Internment in Sweden
    --------------------------------------------------

    On the 26th May, 1940, I was with no.3 Section, No10 Platoon, No.2 Company at Pothus Wood on the flank of No.1 Company. Part of No.2 Company had received an order to retire and had started to do so; my section was in a more advanced position and before the Section could be retired we were driven in by the enemy and retired down the mountain towards the river.

    Accompanied by L/Cpl. Cahill and Gdsn. Byrne who were in the same Section, we succeeded in crossing a river but owing to the strong current were fairly exhausted when we reached the other side about 300 yards down the river from where we entered, and we were immediately taken prisoners by four Germans, who disarmed us and marched us to a barn where we were interrogated in broken English as to the Battalion movements, but we gave the enemy no information and we were then marched away in the direction of a wood, about 200 yards away, having gained the impression that the enemy intended to shoot us there. Before reaching the wood two 'planes came over at about 200 ft. overhead and the Germans raced for cover, leaving us where we were. Taking advantage of this we made a break for the river and although fired on succeeded in reaching it unwounded and crossing it, and took cover for the night. After sun-up we succeeded in drying our clothes and hid in a cave all that day.

    We then set off for Bodo, but got lost. Cpl. Cahill was then taken sick and we remained in hiding for two days. As he was feeling better we again tried for Bodo and during the day found some packs belonging to the men of the 1st. Battalion, which had been abandoned and which contained food and tea, on which we subsisted. After ten days of wandering we met a Norwegian fisherman who could speak no English, but he produced a map and pointed out to us our position, which was then in the vicinity Sulitelma. We made our way towards Sulitelma, following a "tourists path" and thence into Sweden, where the outpost took us over and despatched us to the Internment Camp in Falun, where we arrived on the 14th. June.

    We were repatriated from Sweden via Petsamo and arrived in the Shetland Islands on the 7th. August and thence to Thurso, and from there to London and Aldershot, arriving at the latter place on the 9th. August.

    L/Corporal Patrick Ennis No. 2717885
     
    Last edited: Aug 13, 2023

Share This Page