Photo help req. - Oye-Plage?

Does anybody have photos of the British graves at Oye-Plage?

Pete

 

What ones do you want Peter?

 

The OBLI ones if poss.

They should be from about 28th May - defence of Cassel.

Pete

 

Ermm... Oye-Plage is no where near Cassel Peter. Although the 4th Battalion was fighting at Cassel I suspect the casualties at Oye-Plage were doing something else.

I'll have a look and see what I can find out.

 

Just realised I don't need to check- The dates of death say that most of them would not have been fighting at Cassel.

 

Hi chaps - its this one please:

Lance Corporal Wilfred Caswell, born 27th December 1918, died 28th May 1940. His no was 5387367

The Battalions war diary shows them as being at Cassel on and around those dates.

http://www.ww2talk.com/forum/1940/24647-battle-cassel-1940-research.html

The info is sought at the request of a niece, she believed that he died defending a canal, although there is no canal at Cassel, I thought that the words could easily be mistaken ie cassel for canal.

Apparently he was left where he fell, and was later interred at oye-plage.

Any more info., or info that differs, would be most welcome - I have no opinion on this and am happy to be corrected.

Pete.

 

Looking at multimap there is a canal about 2/3 of the way between Cassel and the coast, the Route de Dunkerque.

Maybe the diary shows the battalions movement across the area, may help.

Pete

 

Hi Peter,

Here is your man. I still stand by that he and the other Ox Bucks chaps at Oye-Plage were not at Cassel on the 28th May. If they were, they would have been buried at Cassel not nearly 30 miles away at Oye-Plage. I think you maybe relying too much on the units diary.

I have three theories at the moment:

1. He was wounded earlier and transported to Oye-Plage as a casualty where he died of his wounds. My issue with this theory is the lack of other cap badges and if their was a CCS at Oye-Plage their certainly would have been one nearer to the Ox and Bucks. This will be confirmed when I eventually get the BEF RAMC diaries.

2. He was attached to another unit and died fighting in the area. The Green Howards war diary may hold the key to this as there are quite a few buried there.

3. He was on a ship being evacuated that was sunk and his body washed ashore. The cemetery does contain some casualties from the Merchant Navy which suggests they would have been washed ashore.

There maybe another reason(s) that I haven't thought of but either way I'd put money on that he was not at Cassel on the 28th May.

 

I've mentioned the possibility of an incorrect date to his niece, it would be no surprise.

The family were told he died defending a canal and was left where he fell, not a lot to go on.

They dont have a photo of the grave and will be pleased to have one, cheers.

Pete.

 

Just checked CWGC's Oye-Plage Cemetery's historical information. I think he may have been buried at Houtkerque and moved. It's only 8 miles from Cassel.

CWGC :: Cemetery Details
There were 27 original burials in this cemetery, the remainder of the casualties having been brought in by the Army Graves Service from Gravelines and Houtkerque.


I think you may get some information if you contact CWGC. They may have records of where he was moved from, if indeed he was moved.

 

Have had a look at some of the other names and dates, a couple of them are a week earlier than the others - the Bn. may have been sending its wounded ahead.

Interesting that Major Wykeham is buried there, think he was killed breaking through the lines at Watou, together with a large number of other ranks.

In reality, doubt we'll ever know.

I think its fair to say he died somewhere between Cassel and the area north/north east, heading for the coast, maybe not an exact answer but probably the best available.

Thanks for all the info, much appreciated.

Pete.

 

See above Peter

 

Sorry, took me ages to finish the last post and you posted first!

Will contact cwgc and see what they say.

Pete.

 

Request sent today, acknowledgement received saying could be up to 4 weeks.

Drew - do you have any other info on the 4 OBLI at this time, other than the war diary?

Cheers

Pete

 

Hi Peter,

Excellent ref CWGC. I'm quite interested in what they say about Houtkerque. Ref further info: No not really, only some general stuff about what was happening at Cassel-Do bare in mind though the diary you have is only a smaill part of the Bn's War Diary. I should getting a complete copy of it next week which may mention a bit more in things like field returns and standing orders.

 

If you are going to be at the NA, is there any chance you could look for any reference to him in WO 361/84 ?

Cheers

Pete