53rd (Welsh) Div - Reichswald

I'm in the process of uploading a lot of personal photos for the 4th (Durham) Survey Regt and came across this photo, that I thought might be of interest here.

 

Yes that is a picture from 8th February 1945 when British and Canadian Army started Operation Veritable. I'm 71 and born in Kranenburg. The frontier region was evacuated and it's difficult to get information about what happened in the Reichswald forest? About 12.000 German soldiers defend the front line. What happened to them in the Reichswald forest? Does someone know who buried the German soldiers? Where can I get information from the 33 and 35 GRU Graves Registration Unit? As far as as I know the Reichswald forest was a military restricted area. Where can I get information about this area in the military archives? Thanks for 80 years freedom.

 

Files for those units are held at TNA Kew, see links below. Members may already have copies they might be willing to check. If not, other members regularly copy files, cheaper than ordering directly.

33 Graves Registration Unit | The National Archives
Reference: WO 171/11001
Description: 33 Graves Registration Unit
Date: 1946 Jan.- June

35 Graves Registration Unit | The National Archives
Reference: WO 171/11003
Description: 35 Graves Registration Unit
Date: 1946 Jan.- June

 

Hi Michael - here's me gassing about Kranenburg and De Horst:
Great shares John & DBF.