This soldier was killed on the Maginot in 1940. I am trying to find a bit more about him. Do we know what he was doing or where he was on 28th April? The question has arisen from a French contact that I have - details of Pte Sutherland are shown below
From a family tree George Robert Sutherland 1919–1940 BIRTH 1919 • Orgil, Lunnasting DEATH 28 APR 1940 • Acc. drowned in River Moselle, France (accidentally drowned) TD BBC - WW2 People's War - Army: The Black Watch (Royal Highland Regiment) - 1st Battalion Under the command of General Victor Fortune, who had made a name for himself in the Black Watch on the Western Front in the First War, it arrived in France in January 1940 and took up positions on the Maginot line HyperWar: The War in France and Flanders 1939–1940 [Chapter II] Finally training in day-to-day duties when in contact with the enemy was secured by cooperation with the French Army. As early as November the Commander-in-Chief arranged with the French High Command that British infantry brigades should in turn do a short spell of duty under the command of a French division on the Saar front. There they would hold forward positions in front of the Maginot forts; only no-man's-land would separate them from the forward posts of the enemy's Siegfried Line. Before hostilities began nine brigades had the advantage of this most valuable experience.[9]
Thank you for your replies. It is some time since I have visited this site but as always the response is excellent. Thank you again for giving me your time. His grave was in poor repair but I can report that the CWGraves carried out refurbishment 2 years ago and since then it has been adopted by a local French group who clean such graves annually. I will pass your information on to them. Regards and keep up the good work. It is appreciated. Paul
For record: Casualty Private SUTHERLAND, GEORGE ROBERT Service Number 2881711 Died 28/04/1940 Aged 21 5th Bn. Gordon Highlanders Buried at SENTZICH COMMUNAL CEMETERY Location: Moselle, France Number of casualties: 1 GPS Coordinates Latitude: 49.41953 Longitude: 6.25899 Location Information: Sentzich is a village 34 kilometres north of Metz and 10 kilometres north-east of Thionville. The cemetery is on the northern side of Sentzich on the D.1 road to Mondorf. Near the south-western corner is 1 Commonwealth war grave.
Casualty Nothing in the battalion war diary (It's not a very good diary) but St. Valery and it's aftermath by Stewart Mitchell records: 'Shortly after arrival in the SAAR Area the 5th Battalion had its first death while on active service, although this was not from enemy action. George Sutherland, one the Shetland men who had enlisted in the Spring of 1939, died as a result of a drowning accident on the River Moselle.'
Scotland, Newspaper Death Reports: First name(s) George Robert Last name Sutherland Age 21 Birth year 1919 Death year 1940 Death date 28 Apr 1940 Death place France Parents Mrs Sutherland Periodical The Shetland Times Publication date 18/05/1940 Place Lerwick County Shetland Country Scotland
Hello I was yesterday at a flea market in Cattenom/France, on the way back I saw in front of a cemetery sign "Commonwealth Grave", very curious searched the small cemetery and found the grave. Private G.R. Sutherland 2881711 maybe we can find out what his story was ?. For sure he was with the 51st Division at the Maginot Line Area. best regards Mike
thanks for postponing my question here, now i know his history . Here is another photo of his grave, he is lying next to a french soldier.