George Robert Sutherland 2881711 5th Gordons 1940

Discussion in '1940' started by Peccavi, Jun 26, 2019.

  1. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    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

    sutherland soldier.JPG
     
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  2. Tricky Dicky

    Tricky Dicky Don'tre member

    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

    [​IMG]

    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]
     
    Last edited: Jun 26, 2019
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  3. Tony56

    Tony56 Member Patron

    Just to confirm what TD has posted:
    Sutherland.jpg
     
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  4. Peccavi

    Peccavi Senior Member

    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
     
  5. dbf

    dbf Moderatrix MOD

    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.
     
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  6. Drew5233

    Drew5233 #FuturePilot 1940 Obsessive

    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.'
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Jun 28, 2019
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  7. harkness

    harkness Well-Known Member

    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
     
  8. Jon Sandison

    Jon Sandison Junior Member

    upload_2021-3-31_20-58-7.png
     

    Attached Files:

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  9. nachlader

    nachlader Member

    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
     

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  10. 51highland

    51highland Very Senior Member

    Casualty list has him as Accidentally Drowned.
     
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  11. Owen

    Owen -- --- -.. MOD

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  12. nachlader

    nachlader Member

    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.
     

    Attached Files:

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