Latvia - British dead

[corisande]

I was searching for something else and came across this (you can see what I was actually looking for from the colouring on the cutting). I was interested in it as I was in Latvia this summer.

I tried to find the cemetery on CWGC site but failed - their search engine is never easy for me. Can anyone tell me whether it still exists?

[Stephen Nulty]

Here it is...

http://www.cwgc.org/search/cemetery_details.aspx?cemetery=54246&mode=1

CWGC Annual report extract.......

[corisande]

Thanks Stephen

Don't know how you manage to plumb their search engine

[Stephen Nulty]

Fluke

[michaeldr]

From the CWGC - The British plot contains 36 Commonwealth burials, 4 of which are unidentified. Most died as prisoners in 1917 on what is now Latvian territory. All the graves were brought in from other burial grounds after the Armistice; 17 came from MITAU RUSSIAN CEMETERY, 4 from MONIAK FARM CEMETERY (near the prison camp at Latschen), 3 from LIBAU NORTH CEMETERY, 3 from KLIWENHOF CHURCHYARD, and 9 from other places.

Interesting that the newspaper article gives one more name than the CWGC who became an unknown/unidentified?

If the newspaper's Einsman = Kinsman, then the one who became unknown/unidentified will be (the newspaper's) Sergeant-Major Gibb

What is the story here?

[michaeldr]

It looks as if CSM Gibb survived – see http://britishwargravesjelgava.blogspot.com/search/label/Alexander%20Gibb

Quote: Alexander Gibb CSM No 6826, 2nd Battalion Argyll and Sutherland Highlanders

Scheveningen, Holland

7th February 1818 (should probably read 1918)

[corisande]

What a fascinating story. It looks as if originally someone thought CSM Gibb had died, and presumably he held his hand up to say he was alive. That therefore left an unidentified body

Those POW camps along the Baltic were grim places. I have done a lot of research into Danzig POW camp, where Casements Irish Brigade were sent after the collapse of the Easter Rising.

[michaeldr]

Looking at the list of the interred here, I see a couple of RND men:

IRELAND

Initials: C S

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Able Seaman

Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

Unit Text: Hawke Bn. R.N. Div.

Date of Death: 26/03/1917

Service No: London 213465

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. B. 1.

Cemetery: NIKOLAI CEMETERY

and

ROOTHAM

Initials: P A

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Able Seaman

Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

Unit Text: Collingwood Bn. R.N. Div.

Date of Death: 21/03/1917

Service No: L5/2914

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. A. 1.

Cemetery: NIKOLAI CEMETERY

As far as I know the Collingwood Battalion ceased to exist following the 3rd Battle of Krithia on Gallipoli in June 1915. It is most unlikely that this is when Rootham became a PoW, as he would then have been held by the Turks and not the Germans. I wonder to which battalion he was transferred after 3rd Krithia?

The Benbow Battalion also disappeared at this time (June 1915) and the men from these two battalions were (per Jerrold's div. history) absorbed by the Hood, Howe and Anson Battalions.

edit to add: Just seen your reply - yes indeed a fascinating story and my thanks for bringing the cemetery to my attention

regards

Michael

Edited 4 October , 2011 by michaeldr

[corisande]

I have put a new thread here

It will help anyone looking for specific POW information of Lativia

Ironically I drove past that CWGC cemetery 6 weeks ago without having any idea that it was there.

From a research point of view there is a very compact self contained topic for someone to research there

It would appear that the death rate was not horrendous, in as much as 2000 POWs were sent there and not all the 32 dead were POWs (but presumably most were). I am not sure what death rate was the "norm" among POWs in Germany

[michaeldr]

ROOTHAM

Initials: P A

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Able Seaman

Regiment/Service: Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve

Unit Text: Collingwood Bn. R.N. Div.

Date of Death: 21/03/1917

Service No: L5/2914

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: I. A. 1.

Cemetery: NIKOLAI CEMETERY

As far as I know the Collingwood Battalion ceased to exist following the 3rd Battle of Krithia on Gallipoli in June 1915. It is most unlikely that this is when Rootham became a PoW, as he would then have been held by the Turks and not the Germans. I wonder to which battalion he was transferred after 3rd Krithia?

The Benbow Battalion also disappeared at this time (June 1915) and the men from these two battalions were (per Jerrold's div. history) absorbed by the Hood, Howe and Anson Battalions.

The CWGC details are correct: he was a Collingwood man.

The explanation is that poor Rootham was a PoW from the RND's 1914 operation at Antwerp. His name appears in the list from The Times of December 21st, 1914, as reproduced in Fevyer & Wilson's book 'The 1914 Star to the RN & RM'

[michaeldr]

Just has a message from our pal Horatio2 correcting me

All three RND men were captured at Antwerp

The third man whom I missed in my earlier post was

YOUNG

Initials: H G R

Nationality: United Kingdom

Rank: Stoker 1st Class

Regiment/Service: Royal Navy

Unit Text: Collingwood Bn. R.N. Div.

Date of Death: 03/05/1917

Service No: 298446

Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead

Grave/Memorial Reference: II. C. 5.

Cemetery: NIKOLAI CEMETERY

Many thanks H2

[Jovimel]

Hi, 

 

I believe Henry George R Young P/O 298446 to be my Great Grandfather and i would be grateful for any information / help you could pass my way

 

Thank you