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The Great War (1914-1918) Forum

Remembered Today:

Burial of British POW, 1917


Guest erasmus18

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This is my first venture onto this forum, so please forgive me if I rehash an oft-discussed topic for old hands.

I have a photograph from the Imperial War Museum's archive, apparently showing the burial of a British POW in Cologne in 1917. The intriguing thing about it is the presence of von Hindenburg and several high-ranking German officers at the graveside.

The IWM were not able to provide more than a few sketchy details; the only other thing it claims is that it is the burial of an officer and that the photograph was taken by a W C Nevill. I have little to go on, therefore, and whilst the Behind the Wire search facility is very impressive, it has not been able to get me much further with my inquiries.

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There can`t be that many officers in the Cologne cemetery register and one with sufficient fame/notoriety to attract Hindenburg should stand out like the proverbial!

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There can`t be that many officers in the Cologne cemetery register and one with sufficient fame/notoriety to attract Hindenburg should stand out like the proverbial!

Did a quick trawl through the CWGC site for officer buried in Cologne Cemetery in 1917. Found just 5..................

Capt Arthur Basil Bernard, KRRC. Died 14th May 1917

2Lt Ernest Edward Harris, Royal Irish Fusiliers. Died 21st April 1917

2Lt Edgar Charles Hobson, Royal Warwicks. Died 20th May 1917

Lt J.R. Middleton, RFC. Died 21st June 1917

2Lt George Deane Turk, Essex Regt. Died 23rd June 1917.

No indication that any of these officers were famous or notorious enough to warrant Hindenburg attending their funeral..................then again perhaps he just happened to be there, paying his respects to a fallen enemy..............or perhaps the deceased was someone other than one of those I have listed

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I looked up the officers Will found in Cox & Cos list of officers with the following results:

Capt Arthur Basil Bernard, KRRC. Died at Munster

2Lt Ernest Edward Harris, Royal Irish Fusiliers. Died Julich

Lt J.R. Middleton, RFC. Died Mulheim

I think this rules these three out as they were probably buried in the camps where they died. The Cologne cemetery details state that men from all three of these camps were removed to Cologne after the war.

No places of death are given for the other two officers, 2Lt Edgar Charles Hobson, Royal Warwicks and 2Lt George Deane Turk, Essex Regt.

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