The Brabant village Oisterwijk and Operation Market Garden

In 1946 the four Americans from the glider ‘Queen-City’ where relocated to another cemetery in the Netherlands together with another American soldier that was buried on the St Petrus banden cemetery. Four where buried at the American cemetery in Margraten in the province of Limburg. F/O Noel McCann was returned to the USA and buried in Kentucky.

 

 

 

Occupants of the Queen-City:

 

Mc Cann, Noel Clarence.  

Pilot f/o, Nr.T122016 age, ?

Norwood, Ohio, USA/ Kentuky, Amerika

Hiltunen, Ray J.

1e.Lt, Nr.01103214 age, ?

Tower, Hennepin County  Minnesota, USA/ Margraten, NL  K-6-16   Decoration, Purple Heart

Le may,  Robert J.

Tec./5, Nr.36239073 age, 32

Kimberly, Wisconsin, USA/ Margraten, NL L-9-11   Decoration, Purple Heart

Carson, Raymond L.

Driver/Pvt., Nr.36176352 age, ?  

Michigan, USA/ Margraten, NL M-19-1   Decoration, Purple Heart

 

 

Victims

Memorial plaque Maria Chapel

The fifth American soldier that was buried on the St Petrus banden cemetery had been aboard a C-47 Skytrain that crash landed in Oisterwijk on 23 September 1944. It was Staff Sergeant Jerauld I. Cutts of the 96 Squadron, 440 Troop Carrier Group, U.S. Army Air Force.

 

The names of the occupants of the Queen-City and other allied casualties killed at Oisterwijk were engraved in a plaque that was placed in the wall of a little chapel dedicated to the Holy Marie. This chapel named ‘Maria Chapel’ is situated on the border of the two villages Oisterwijk and Moergestel.

Also German soldiers that died in Oisterwijk where buried on the St Petrus banden cemetery. After the war there were 53 German graves in the cemetery. Also these soldiers were relocated after the war and buried on the German cemetery in Ysselstein Limburg. Even some Russian Prisoners of War were buried on the St Petrus banden cemetery, but how many of them, and what happened to their graves, is not known. Dokter Desain and Pastor van Kemenade are also buried here.

 

Hiltunen, Ray J.
Le may,  Robert J.
Carson, Raymond L.
Maria Chapel
The memorial plaque in the Maria Chapel
              (click to enlarge)
St. Petrus church
Grave of Pastor van Kemenade

There are still 14 war graves on the cemetery at the St. Petrus church. Most of these soldiers were killed at Oisterwijk around the time of the liberation. There were more soldiers buried in this cemetery but they were relocated after the liberation of Holland. This was done either on request of their governments or at the request of their families. Today the empty spots between the individual graves mark their former resting places. There is also a soldiers grave at the protestant cemetery at Oisterwijk.

 

A few of the soldiers who are buried in Oisterwijk were wounded in action during battles near the Belgium border. Sometimes soldiers stayed behind during the battle or were captured when their positions were overrun by their enemy. The Germans had captured a few wounded soldiers and they somehow ended up in the German field dressing station in Oisterwijk. Its said that these soldiers were not adequately cared for and some were left to die in the hallways of the station.

The war graves of the St. Petrus banden cemetery
A single row of 13 war graves and one located a few yards further away which contains the  remains of an army Major. Why Major Robertson-Mc Isaac is buried at another spot is not known. The empty spots between the graves mark the former resting places of other allied soldiers.
The grave of Major Robertson-Mc Isaac

 The names of the allied soldiers buried in Oisterwijk:

 

 

Protestant cemetery in Oisterwijk:

 

Kirk, Robert, Edward, R E.

Corporal, 4613918, Gordon Highlanders, 28/01/1945, 23 jaar   

 

 

 

St. Petus banden catholic cemetery:

 

Clark, Gordon, G.

Private, 14430056, Lincolnshire Regiment, 08/10/1944, age 19

 

Gibbs, George, G.

Private, 4926585, Seaforth Highlanders, 26/10/1944, age 35  

 

Grimshaw, Barry, B.

Private, 14723544, Seaforth Highlanders, 26/10/1944, age 18

 

Gunn, William, Alexander, W A.

Lieutenant, 293194, Seaforth Highlanders, 26/10/1944, age 27

 

Hamilton, Archibald, Claude, A C.

Major, 44103, Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment), 26/10/1944, age 36  

 

Moony, Francis, Joseph, F J.

Private, 1800311, Seaforth Highlanders, 26/10/1944, age 23

 

Morrison, Normann, N.

Trooper, 14239780, Reconnaissance Corps, R.A.C. 02/10/1944, age 20   

 

Naylor, Larrot, L.

Fusilier, 5962090, Royal Welch Fusiliers, 26/09/1944, age 21

 

Norris, Harry, Leonard, H L.

Lance Bombardier, 1145698, Royal Artillery, 26/10/1944, age 31  

 

Owen, Thomas, Ellis, T E.

Fusilier, 4202652, Royal Welch Fusiliers, 26/09/1944, age 28

 

Page, Thomas, Alwyn, T A.

Gunner, 11003786, Royal Artillery, 26/10/1944, age 26

 

Robertson-Mc Isaac, Robert, William, Grahame, R W G.

Major, 40715, Seaforth Highlanders, 26/10/1944, age 37

 

Scobie, James, Barclay, J B.

Corporal, 3322524, Highland Light Infantry (City of Glasgow Regiment), 26/09/1944, age 25

 

Simmons, Lancelot, Thomas, Francis, L T F.

Private, 14430925, Lincolnshire Regiment, 08/10/1944, age 19

 

 

The names of allied soldiers that got killed at Moergestel

 

 

Gollan W.

Gunner 1119629 Royal Artillery 495 Bty. 131 Field Regt. 26-10-1944 38 jaar

 

Flemings James  

Gunner 4927733 Royal Artillery 131 Field Regt. 26-10-1944 21 jaar

 

Ramsay James Surtees Maule

Lieutenant 285404 Scots Guards 3rd Bn. 26-10-1944 21 jaar

 

Vaughan Jonathan

Private 1866410 Seaforth Highlanders 7th Bn. 26-10-1944 22

 

Lewis Ronald

Guardsman 2699340 Scots Guards 3rd Bn. 26-10-1944 25 jaar

 

Mackie Andrew Scott

Lance Corporal 2005754 Royal Engineers 278 Field Coy. 26-10-1944 24 jaar

Slachtoffers
The grave of docter Desain and  thatof his wife.

Obergefreiter Franz Anton Kolb was killed on 26 oktober 1944 at Moergestel during the German defence of Oisterwijk. According to his mortuary card he was buried (by the British) on the cemetery for heroes St. Petrus in Oisterwijk.

The names of German soldiers that were buried in Oisterwijk and Moergestel

 

Kolb Franz Anton 30-5-1915 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 29

Fischer Erich 27-4-1908 Oisterwijk 23-9-1944 age 36

Werner Walter 15-11-1910 Oisterwijk 24-9-1944 age 33

Köbke Herbert 17-4-1926 Oisterwijk 24-9-1944 age 18

Geiger Karl 21-10-1906 Oisterwijk 25-9-1944 age 37

Schreiber Karl 7-10-1910 25-9-1944 age 33

Schaub Walter 24-10-1926 25-9-1944 age 17

Schrader Karl 28-11-1925 25-9-1944 age 18

Degenhart Fritz 10-6-1924 25-9-1944 age 20

Lechelt Ewald 18-10-1907 26-9-1944 age 36

Batjuta Mitrofan 18-4-1906 Reusel/Noll  25-9-1944 age 38

Keller Karl 1-9-1926 Oisterwijk 26-9-1944 age 18

Loon, van Huibert 7-7-1909 Oisterwijk 25-9-1944 age 35

Leistner Walter 7-11-1912 Oisterwijk 25-9-1944 age 31

Körnicke Sieghard 29-8-1925 Oisterwijk 26-9-1944 age 19

Schapasser Alois 13-9-1903 Oisterwijk 26-9-1944 age 41

Schwarz Werner 2-1-1926 Oisterwijk 26-9-1944 age 18

Felske Walter 23-10-1924 Oisterwijk 26-9-1944 age 19

Maurer Josef 31-12-1914 Oisterwijk 27-9-1944 age 29

Betke Reinhold 6-7-1911 Oisterwijk 27-9-1944 age 33

Krull Hans 19-5-1912 Oisterwijk 27-9-1944 age 32

Noack Rudolf 24-4-1921 Oisterwijk 28-9-1944 age 23

Apel Harry 9-4-1924 Oisterwijk 29-9-1944 age 20

Claus Alfred 24-3-1926 Oisterwijk 30-9-1944 age 18 jaar

Meier Otto-Paul 9-10-1910 Oisterwijk 29-9-1944 age 33

Dubbert Ulrich 18-9-1915 Oisterwijk 29-9-1944 age 29

Beier Gerhard 6-12-1926 Oisterwijk 4-10-1944 age 17

Wolf Manfred 16-8-1926 Oisterwijk 5-10-1944 age 18

Grelles Wilhelm 3-4-1911 Oisterwijk 5-10-1944 age 33

Krämer Fritz 4-10-1922 Oisterwijk 5-10-1944 age 22

Wilper Friedrich 8-8-1925 Oisterwijk 6-10-1944 age 19

Freudenberg Willi 7-9-1921 Oisterwijk 6-10-1944 age 23

Groh Walter 24-11-1925 Oisterwijk 6-10-1944 age 18

Watzek Gustav 8-8-1925 Oisterwijk 7-10-1944 age 19

Zechel Ernst 8-4-1925 Oisterwijk 6-10-1944 age 19

Orth Walter 23-10-1919 Oisterwijk 7-10-1944 age 24

Schwarz Werner 18-4-1900 Oisterwijk 8-10-1944 age 44

Kramps Bernard 5-8-1909 Oisterwijk 11-10-1944 age 35

Koch Eduard 1-10-1924 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 20

Runge Ernst 12-7-1911 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 33

Grosse Hans  17-2-1916 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 28

Schreiber Josef 16-3-1920 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 24

Stolse Josef 12-10-1913 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 31

Pawlak Olgiert 14-3-1925 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 19

Scholz Karl 17-3-1922 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 22

Rauer Kurt 18-1-1926 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 18

Junghanns Walter 2-3-1915 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 29

Scholz Fritz 21-7-1925 Oisterwijk 25-10-1944 age 19

Janshon Otto 21-2-1926 Oisterwijk 26-10-1944 age 18

König Albert 31-5-1912 Oisterwijk 27-10-1944 age 32

Wisniewski Johan 20-10-1901 Oisterwijk 25-10-1944 age 43

Lehmacher Rudolf 7-6-1926 Oisterwijk 25-10-1944 age 18

Manten Heinrich 3-5-1905 Moergestel 14-10-1944 age 39

Pototschan Vikot 24-3-1925 Moergestel 14-10-1944 age 19

Robel Gerhard 4-12-1926 Moergestel 25-10-1944 age 17               German list thanks’ to Ad van den Oord Oisterwijk

Your Grave in Enemy territory far away

Is very Painful for us,

But take our Word for It:

Your Grave will not be abandoned.

For during the evening when the Bells are ringing,

Our loving Spirit will Travel there

And will Sprinkle you praying, Flowers of devotion

On your Heroes grave with a religious Spirit.

My Lord, Mercy!

Our Father...                                Ave Maria...

 

Kosel-Print, Kempten

 

Gods Peace

 

Our loving brother, brother in law and uncle

Franz Anton Kolb

Corporal in an Infantry-Regiment

holder of the Eastern Front Medal

born on May 30, 1915 in Obereiberg

fallen Oct. 26, 1944 at Oisterwijk/Holland

He rests on the German cemetery for Heroes

St. Petrus in Oisterwijk/Holland